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
Birdathon Recon 2014: Deadly Drowning at Evergreen Lake
Bushwhacking through the Adirondack backcountry can produce a myriad of environmental impacts. Examples include crushing vegetation underfoot, squishing amphibians and other small creatures hiding in the leaf litter and adversely affecting wildlife behavior simply by your presence. These impacts are typically incidental and accidental, usually going unnoticed and/or unobserved. Unfortunately, my lack of forethought at
Birdathon Recon 2014: Hiking Through Time on Old Logging Roads to Evergreen Lake
Rescuing a tent stake in the middle of the backcountry is truly like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. Originally, I thought I might have to bushwhack over to Sunshine Pond for another search if Cropsey Pond did not yield my lost stake, but thankfully, this was not to be. By the time I
Stake Rescue 2014: Departing Cropsey Pond With All Stakes Secured Safely
Exploring the Adirondack backcountry is never about comfort. If coziness and comfort is your thing, being sweaty, surrounded by vicious biting flies and exposed to the elements most of the time in the middle of nowhere is probably not your cup tea. Nothing, not even successfully rescuing a lost piece of gear is going to
