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: Continuing West Over Blowdowns, Through Wetlands and Along Unnamed Ponds
Unnamed ponds appear to be the norm here in the western Five Ponds Wilderness just north of the Middle Branch of the Oswegatchie River. Although three of the South Ponds are bestowed names, as are the irregularly shaped Crooked Lake and the oddly named Sitz Pond, my journey through the area has brought me to
Carpet Spruce Swamp: Debris of Ancient Civilizations Along Crooked Lake
It is easy to forget the history of the Adirondacks. The large trees, standing tall and reaching for the sky, the thick understory, waiting for its chance to ascend to supremacy, and the birds nosily announcing their desires to procreate, the sights and sounds of the remote backcountry fool us into thinking as it is,
Carpet Spruce Swamp: Bushwhacking Straight to Crooked Lake
Reaching the midpoint of any bushwhacking trip always comes with a good dose of ambivalence. The early trip jitters are finally gone now, leaving the realization that every remaining day brings you closer to your departure and the inevitable return to the so-called real world with its numerous pressures and frustrations. So as I finish
Carpet Spruce Swamp: Pond-hopping Toward Crooked Lake
Pond-hopping is on the agenda for my third day of bushwhacking through the remote western portion of the Five Ponds Wilderness. Four unnamed ponds lie between me and Crooked Lake now, each separated from the others by only a steep ridge. What mysteries each pond may hold is anyone’s guess.
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: Racing North from the Oswegatchie River’s Confluence in Search of a Campsite
Looking for a campsite in the Adirondack backcountry is neither science nor art, it is a struggle, especially so within the remote southwestern Five Ponds Wilderness. The chance of finding one of those flat areas so common along the trail system, devoid of vegetation and other debris due to many years of human use, is
Trip Plan: Carpet Spruce Swamp of Middle Branch Oswegatchie River
During the late summer of 2011, while hiking across Isle Royale, I planned an outing into what might be one of the remotest and least often visited (by humans anyways) parts of the Adirondacks. Unfortunately, a mysterious knee injury in the spring of 2012 put this trip onto the back-burner until this year. Now I
Stillwater Reservoir to Cranberry Lake Trip: Bushwhacking to Toad Pond
The following is an account of day five of my epic hike from Wanakena, NY to Stillwater Reservoir, Cranberry Lake and then back to Wanakena. The entire trip required backpacking via trail into the heart of the Five Ponds Wilderness, a lengthy bushwhack to the northern terminus of the Red Horse Trail and another trail
Stillwater Reservoir to Cranberry Lake Trip: Pond-hopping to Summit Pond
The following is an account of day three of my epic hike from Wanakena, NY to Stillwater Reservoir, Cranberry Lake and then back to Wanakena. The entire trip required backpacking via trail into the heart of the Five Ponds Wilderness, a lengthy bushwhack to the northern terminus of the Red Horse Trail and another trail
