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
Birdathon Recon 2014: A Wood Pile, a Mystery and a Toilet Seat Along Old Logging Roads Near Ginger Pond
After killing a couple mice at Evergreen Lake, bushwhacking to a large wetland, scampering around Peaked Mountain and Hidden Lakes, it is finally time to enter the Ginger Pond area on the very last leg of my day’s journey. Unfortunately, my chances of actually visiting the eponymous pond are fairly low, as it lies off
Birdathon Recon 2014: Finding Hidden Lake and Moving On
So far today, the large wetland and Peaked Mountain Lake were underwhelming with regards to bird activity, making my Birdathon reconnaissance trip appear like a grave disappointment. Instead of spending more time at the avian-deprived Peaked Mountain Lake, I decide to move onto Hidden Lake and eat lunch there before continuing toward Ginger Pond to
Birdathon Recon 2014: Past Abuses on the Way to Peaked Mountain Lake
The painful guilt from earlier in the morning continues draining my motivation, drawing out my morning backcountry chores, including downing the tarp and stowing everything back into my backpack for the day’s trek south and east. The most difficult task involves folding and slipping the collapsible plastic bowl within my sleeping mat in the back
