Retiring is on my mind while departing from the remote western Five Ponds Wilderness after six days. Primarily, because I am rushing home in time to attend a co-worker’s retirement party, but also for what leaving the forest I love so much behind represents as well. Departing from the Adirondack backcountry has some similarities to
Carpet Spruce Swamp: Losing My Way Bushwhacking to Middle South Pond
Waking up to a little depression on the last day of an Adirondack backcountry outing is pretty common. At least it is for me. My morning at Sitz Pond, after five days in a rarely visited part of the Park, even by the northwestern Adirondack standards, certainly is no different. The idyllic experience at Sitz
Carpet Spruce Swamp: Frittering Away the Afternoon at Sitz Pond
It is a rare treat to get an entire afternoon off on a bushwhacking trip. Usually the days are long and the going too arduous to allow for a lazy day of relaxation and reflection. My trip through the remote western Five Ponds Wilderness is no exception, especially after a rain delay at Lower South
Carpet Spruce Swamp: Arriving at Sitz Pond
The area just north of the Middle Branch of the Oswegatchie River in the Five Ponds Wilderness of the Adirondack Park gets very little loving. It is remote, with limited access (it has but a single trail to Upper South Pond), and few outstanding draws; small unnamed ponds are as common as trees. Yet, these
Carpet Spruce Swamp: Visiting Another Unnamed Pond on the Way to Sitz Pond
A chilly morning greets me as I awake near the shore of an unnamed pond deep in the western Five Ponds Wilderness Area, uncharacteristically cold especially for late June. My little thermometer indicates a temperature in the lower 40’s just as the sun clears the eastern horizon. The chill is probably one of the reasons
Carpet Spruce Swamp: Struggling to Find a Level Campsite at an Unnamed Pond
Unnamed ponds are always hit or miss when it comes to camping. Perhaps that is why they remain without a name. The pond halfway between Crooked Lake and Sitz Pond is no different in that regards. So, when I reach the swampy outlet of this unnamed pond, the thought of camping in this slop is
Carpet Spruce Swamp: A Restless and Cold Morning at an Unnamed Pond in the Five Ponds Wilderness
The beginning of my third day in the rarely visited western part of the Five Ponds Wilderness is cold and restless. Many mysterious sounds stymie my attempt for an undisturbed night of sleep, leaving me listless and drowsy to meet the new, frigid day. After a hearty breakfast, I visit the nearby unnamed pond before starting my bushwhack toward Crooked Lake.
Carpet Spruce Swamp: Bushwhacking through the Periphery of the Eponymous Swamp
Carpet spruce swamp. Confluence of the Middle Branch Oswegatchie River. These places are not on any maps, at least none that I ever seen. They exist only in the conversations of backcountry explorers that dare to leave the trail behind and venture into a remote corner of the Five Ponds Wilderness. Maybe on an occasional
Carpet Spruce Swamp: Over the Mountains and Through the Woods to a Gear Malfunction We Go
Rain delays on an aggressive bushwhacking adventure often lead to an alteration of a finely honed trip itinerary, which is never a good thing. Unfortunately, this exact situation unfolded at the dawn of the second day of my trip through one of the least frequently visited parts of the Five Ponds Wilderness in the northwestern
