Having explored Lot 8 before it was turned into another open pit mind, my bushwhacking adventure through the Jay Mountain Wilderness Area continues as I head west back toward my vehicle. From my second Lot 8 campsite, I follow the rocky Derby Brook westward to its headwaters before deciding whether or not to climb McDonough Mountain or head straight for Merriam Swamp.
Jay Mountain Wilderness 2014: Conifers, Paper Birches and a Goshawk on Lot 8
Now with both a quick survey and a jaunt along the NYCO Minerals mine under my belt, it is time for a more extensive exploration of Lot 8’s interior within the Jay Mountain Wilderness Area. Since this property will end up sharing the same fate as that of the forest that grew on top of
Jay Mountain Wilderness 2014: The Difference Between a Forest and a Hole in the Ground
With the plant and animal survey around my campsite producing diminishing returns, it is time to turn my attention to the entirety of Lot 8 in the Jay Mountain Wilderness Area. Although my gear remains damp from the first two days of wetness despite hanging it out dry, it is finally time to see the
Jay Mountain Wilderness 2014: Surveying My Campsite on Lot 8
When the results for Proposition 5 came back in November 2013, it became obvious that the New York State voters decided to offer up a portion of the Jay Mountain Wilderness as another sacrificial lamb at the altar of jobs, greed and profitability. Soon, chainsaws, bulldozers and explosives would move in and destroy Lot 8,
Jay Mountain Wilderness 2014: Arriving at Lot 8
No time to lose. By reaching Hale Brook, I caught up to where I originally planned to camp on my first night, it just took me a day and a half to get there. Retreating on the first day due to dwindling daylight, enduring a nighttime bed-wetting accident and ascending Jay Mountain in less than
Jay Mountain Wilderness 2014: Descending to Hale Brook
It is do or die time. After retreating off Jay Mountain the previous day due to dwindling daylight and threatening skies, I find myself back in the position of deciding whether to continue on with my trip or scrapping the whole thing altogether. The prospect of heading home, tail firmly embedded between legs, with the
Jay Mountain Wilderness 2014: A Wet Summit on the Mountain
The sound of pitter-pater on my tarp greets my awakening. At first, before the shroud of sleep lifts completely from my mind, my thoughts turn toward early morning insects. As my awakening progresses, the insects give way to the true culprit, raindrops ricocheting off the tarp instead. It is going to be a wet day,
Jay Mountain Wilderness 2014: Wetting Myself on the Side of Jay Mountain
Exploring Lot 8 was the primary impetus for visiting the Jay Mountain Wilderness Area, but a late start combined with a long drive left little margin for error. Add to the mix, dark clouds and high humidity, which portend an imminent threat of nasty weather and I end up with a do or die decision
Jay Mountain Wilderness 2014: Retreat is the Better Part of Valor
After returning to the Pepperbox Wilderness in search of a mysteriously missing tent stake from the Birdathon just weeks earlier, which metamorphosed into a reconnaissance trip into the nearby Five Ponds Wilderness, the urge to explore somewhere new is overwhelming. It has been a while since I got this feeling, the last time being when
Birdathon Recon 2014: Now the Birds Show Up?!?
I wake with first light around five in the morning, after a frigid night. The birds appear unaffected by the temperatures though, as they are loud and virulent. Given the purpose for this trip being a reconnaissance for a possible change in venue for the Birdathon, I am gleeful that this morning makes up for
