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Trip Reviews - 2003

January	April	July	October
February	May	August	November
March	June	September	December

Trip Review Archives:

February 2003

Saddleback, February 2, Pat Desbiens and Patti Schwankert, 8 participants
Most participants on this hike were from the Capital District, so 7 hearty souls met at 5 a.m. at Exit 11. We made a quick stop at Exit 19 to meet what we thought was to be two more die-hard hikers but ended up with only one. It was later learned that the other person had a great deal of difficulty coaxing his cat off the roof of his house, thereby missing the meeting time. We missed you, Jack, but are happy that you successfully got your cat to safety. But back to the hike ... The ride up started off rather slick due to rain during the nighttime hours. The morning was crisp and the weather forecast was for cloudy, overcast skies with strong wind gusts. It turned out to be a delightful walk into JBL (with a quick stop to wake up and greet the people manning the “cocoa hut”) and then onto the Orebed Brook Trail and the climb up to the Gothics col. There was just enough snow cover over the hardpack of the trail to make this a most enjoyable snowshoe climb, indeed. From the col it was a steep climb to the very windy, completely fogged-in summit lingering only long enough for a quick picture and then back to the protection of the trees. On the way back out, we stopped at the Orebed Brook lean-to to check out the large igloo that someone constructed. On arrival back at our vehicles, all reported a fun time with wonderful hiking companions. Participants: Kevin Cox, Pat Desbiens, Sheila Joly, Suzanne Knabe, Mark Roberts, Justin Lefco, Patti Schwankert, Steve Turon.

Blue Mountain Lake to Lake Durant X-Country Ski, February 2, Nancy Kimball, 13 participants
An enjoyable but strenuous trip through the backcountry with a lunch break at the lean-to by Tirrell Pond. Due to the volume of snow, the track was a “luge-type” channel (narrow with steep sides) that provided some thrilling downhill runs. The only mishap was a broken pole which was repaired with duct tape, an essential item for a back country first aid kit. Participants: Carolyn Cyr, Pierre Cyr, Bruce Armstrong, Raymond Bouchard, Rob Furlong, John Hurley, Sue Jefts, Nancy Kimball, Liz Moseman, Bill Page, Don Thorne, Elains S. and Cliff Walker.

Hadley Mountain Toboggan, February 2, John Schroeder, 6 participants
After everyone figured out how to attach their toboggans to their packs, we were underway. On the hike up to the ridge, I couldn’t help but think to myself that the sledding conditions were ideal. The hard-packed snow would make for a very fast descent, and the absence of ice would allow for good control, including the ability to stop quickly if one needed to. The summit was somewhat windy, with limited visibility, but two people decided to climb the tower anyway. Fergus the Wonder Dog quickly (and impressively) followed suit, not even batting an eye at the open staircase beneath him. I envisioned having to climb up the tower to carry Fergus back down, but once again he impressed me, and didn’t even hesitate on the trip down. The toboggan ride down was a blast, and the learning curve was about as steep as our descent. My fellow hikers learned quickly to control the sleds and we all made it down safely. Participants: Nancy Finley, Greta Heilman, Monica Ricketson, John Schroeder, Erin Sheehan, and Fergus.

Garnet Hill X-Country Ski, February 8, Janet Twardzik, 8 participants
There were some thrills and spills on this trip! We had great weather — it was a sunny day and the skiing conditions were very good since there was plenty of snow at Garnet hill. We started out on the intermediate trails and skied up to the Sugarhouse where we stopped for a little break. Then we skied to Rodger’s Road meeting area and rode the shuttle back to the Log House and Ski Shop where we stopped for lunch. After lunch, we skied the Wilderness and the Beach trails to 13th Lake for a group picture. It was a little windy on the lake but the views were spectacular and worth the trip back up. Some of us skied for another hour or so and some just relaxed back in the ski shop warming hut. Although no one tried the infamous “Scullbuster” hill, one daring ADK’er took a ride down Bobcat run. Thanks to all who participated! Participants: Ray Bouchard, Bob Ceglerski, Susan Jefts, Marylin Morgan, Reg Prouty, Bill Schwarz, Theresa Thiel, Janet Twardzik.

Gothics, Armstrong, Upper Wolfjaw, and Lower Wolfjaw, February 8, Jim Weed, 4 participants
We met the crew at the Ausable parking lot and were on our way at 8:30 a.m. The road was well packed so there was no need for snowshoes until we hit the trail. The weather was terrific, although a bit chilly! The trails were fine and though a few spots were missing markers due to deep snow, we made do and eventually made our way to the col between Gothics and Armstrong. Here, Erik and Erl went to Gothics and Cole and the leader began breaking trail to Armstrong. There was a nice cool breeze blowing around at this point! Once on Armstrong, we regrouped and made our way across the Jaws and proceeded to cruise back to the vehicles. We finished just after dark, but because of the bright moon we never needed our headlamps! A great time was had by all! Participants: Cole Hickland, Erl Severson, Erik Severson, Jim Weed.

Sleeping Beauty, February 9, Pete Valastro, 8 participants
Our group hit the trail about 9:00 a.m. and were greeted with warm weather and mostly blue skies. The trail all the way to the summit was packed down from the snowmobilers making their way up to the summit and down to Bumps Pond. It was a little blustery on top with a heavy snow shower approaching us. Our approach to Bumps Pond was met with heavy snow showers. At about .5 mile from the pond we were entertained by two ice climbers navigating some very blue cliff ice just off the trail. Made it back to the trail head about 2:00 p.m. A great bunch of hikers. Participants: Joe Niegsch, John Susko, Beth Johansen, Jack Whitney, Don Taber, Benda Brock, Cecile and Peter Valastro.

Couchsagraga and Panther, February 15, Ron Lester, 12 participants
Take off temperature was -15°F and then skyrocketed all the way up to -10°F on the summit of Panther which offered up superlative viewing. Jacki was almost swallowed whole on Panther by a spruce trap which left her damned near under the snow surface. We helped her out after watching her struggle and squirm for a while. Aren’t friends wonderful??? Group thanks to Neal and John for leading the way down (hah!) to Couchie. Upon starting over to Panther on the side trail, we were met by the smiling face of one Dan D’Angelico who had come up solo and broken out the way to Panther. Though retired, he’s not ready for the rocking chair just yet.

Pharaoh Lake Ski, February 15, Jan Carlson, 10 participants
Starting temperature was -14° and warmed up to 0° when we finished, but what an incredibly beautiful winter day. The sun was warm and so was the hot cocoa under a cobalt blue sky. The skiing conditions were absolutely perfect. We skied in from Beaver Pond Road to the lake. Once at the lake we took hot refreshments at one of the lean-tos and proceeded to ski the entire lake exploring the many coves and bays. We welcomed some new and old members and everyone had a great day. Participants: Rose Schmidt, Pete Schmidt, Reg Prouty, Becky Lazorchalk, George Anker, Ray Bouchard, Andrea Snyder-Pederson, Nancy Kimball, Jim Schneider, Jan Carlson.

Allen Mountain, February 16, Sid Borthwick, 7 participants
Steve Barlow was under the weather and I stepped in as the leader of 6 experienced hikers with aspirations of making the hike up to the summit of this quasi-trailless peak the last one in their lifetime. With a bone-chilling temperature of -23 degrees, we agreed that the order of the day was to keep moving. Pat, with her steady and consistent pace, was the perfect fit to lead us up to the falls of Allen Brook on a trail that was in perfect condition. Skylight Brook proved to be uncharacteristically benign with not even a whimper of running water below its solid ice surface. From Allen Brook falls, the ascent was sweet with a perfectly carved trail with no need for breaking trail, as the day was sunny with no discernible wind. The group hit the summit in early noon and after photo ops of the “Allen” sign, enjoyed participating in the butt-sliding competition descending Allen Mountain. Mark and Phil seemed to outscore the others with great form and speed. The group was out before sundown. Allen on this particular day certainly did not live up to its legendary reputation as the “Big Nasty” and for that the group was ecstatic and very thankful. Participants: Sid Borthwick, Pat Desbiens, Bill Gilbert, Louie Maurais, Mark McLane, Carol Moran, Phil Seward.

Blue Mountain (changed to Moreau Western Ridge), February 22, Reg Prouty, 4 participants
This hike was changed to Moreau Lake due to possible threatening icing conditions that never materialized. By concensus of the four of us, we decided to head to the Moreau Lake orange and yellow trails for a snowshoe up the western ridge trail. Even though we did not go to all seven lookouts, as the trail was not broken all the way to the Spier Falls Dam Control house overlook, we did have some nice views of the Hudson and mountains to the north. The weather held off and we returned by the same route as some mixed precipitation began to occur. Participants: Bob Aspholm, Brenda Brock, Reg Prouty, Don Taber.

March 2003

Moreau Lake East Overlook, March 1, Reg Prouty, 12 participants
We spotted some cars at the lake and proceeded to Spier Falls Road to begin the hike at the top of the mountain trailhead from the north. Proceeding along the eastern ridge, we had some nice views to the east toward Vermont. We passed an area where a couple of days before I saw bear and bobcat tracks. Numerous deer trails were present also. The weather was great for a relaxing lunch and some pictures at the overlook. It was one young snowshoer’s first time on snowshoesand she did better than some of us. It was a little slippery on the descent but it didn’t last long before we made the turn to head down toward the beach and complete our traverse at the telephone booth. Two veterans decided to do a little extra bushwacking at the end. Participants: Jayne Bouder, Kathleen Bozony, Ted Cauoitz, Rich Crammond, Ann Matrazzo, Sara Matrazzo, Mary Miner, Becky Lazorchak, Elizabeth Tenekl, Donna Redgrave, Reg Prouty, Betsy Franklin.

Fishcreek Kayaking, March 1, Paul Martin, 4 participants
Simply a great paddle. Four hardy paddlers started out at the Bryant Bridge at 11 a.m. We paddled south toward Saratoga Lake. It was sunny today and the wind was slight. The paddlers were able to paddle past the Fishcreek marina and proceed another mile toward the lake before the ice settled in. There were many birds on the river. Not only hundreds of Canada geese, but we were lucky enough to see — on three different occasions — a Tundra/Whistling Swan. It flew regally by us with an 8-foot wing span. Its long neck was mesmerizing. We paddled back to Bryant Bridge and another 1.5 miles to the dam/lock at the end of Fishcreek. We then put our heads down and paddled back against a strong current taking our kayaks out at about 4 p.m. The current was about 4 knots. We were developing arms of steel. What we all enjoy about paddling in the winter is just how peaceful it is. No one else was on the water, and we didn’t see any people either. It was an enjoyable day and we paddled about 9 miles in the sun with the temperature in the mid-30s ... ideal! Participants: Mike Chase, Ruth Hooker, Ellen Martin, Paul Martin.

Oxshoe Pond Snowshoe, March 8, Reg Prouty, 3 participants
Three snowshoers did not require their snowshoes until we went exploring on the pond itself as the trail to Crane Pond and the Pharaoh and Oxshoe trails were sufficiently packed to allow using just our hiking boots. A sunny beautiful 40-degree day gave us plenty of time for luch at the lean-to, exploring the pond and its surroundings and still get back to our vehicles by 2 p.m. We discovered some excellent possible overnight camping spots even if the lean-to is occupied. What a pristeen little pond. A great day with great company. Participants: Rob Furlong, Reg Prouty, Don Taber.

Street and Nye (aka: Marcy, Gray, Skylight??), March 8, Jim Weed, 4 participants
This trip was advertised with a completely different destination. Due to insufficient interest early enough, I changed the plan. We left the Loj around 7:30 a.m. The trail to Nye had not been opened for a few days leaving 4-5” of new snow. The going was great! Weather couldn’t have been better with blue skies and very little wind. Eventually we made our way to Nye. Toward the summit, we heard a faint noise only to turn around and see Brian (my White Mountain cousin) being swallowed by an infamous spruce trap! He squirmed, Al and Joel Williams tugged, and I watched and chuckled (knowing that if I went back to assist I would be in it with him, being the biggest guy on the trip!) After everything was back in working order, we took a bearing and headed for Street. The snow was a bit deep in spots and the going was slow, but we persevered and hit pay dirt! We summitted 15’ from the summit tree! Al and Joel took care of the photography, and we proceeded to head down. The trip out was somewhat comical as Brian and Joel traded engineering jokes. I’m not sure, but I heard something about a civil engineer, God, a sewer line, and a recreational area. You’ll have to catch up with them for details! A great time, and great company! Participants: Brian Schultz, Jim Weed, Al and Joel Williams.

Hoffman Notch Ski, March 9, Jim Schneider, 11 participants
A coating of a few inches of fresh powder was all we needed to make for perfect ski conditions on top of what was very deep snow transformed into the winter equivalent of concrete. After car-spotting gymnastics we got our ski legs after a quick downhill at the start. It sure got windy out on Big Marsh, but much more civil down there than up on the peaks this day. What a fun run down from the notch. This was backcountry skiing at its best. Participants: Jack Whitney, Steve Mackey, Sally Hart Brown, Don Thorn, Pete Valastro, Licia Mackey, Justin Lefko, Paul Plante, Jan Carlson, Susan Johnson, Jim Schneider.

Macomb (4,405’) and South Dix (4,060’) Via Macomb Slide, March 15, Mike McLean, 5 participants
This was a joint Laurentian/Glens Falls-Saratoga Chapter Hike. It was an absolutely beautiful day for the entire trip with lots of sunshine. We barebooted and/or skied up Elk Lake Road and to the lean-to, and then switched to snowshoes for the remainder of the day. There was a set trail that breaks right a few hundred yards before the Macomb slide, so we left the set trail and had a great time breaking a trail up the slide and the rest of the way to the summit. There was a thick layer of ice under several inches of powder, so care and time was taken to break through the ice to avoid sliding back down to the bottom. We were able to stay on the herd path and then connect with two other trails on the summit — one from West Mill Brook and the other from the route southeast of our route. We enjoyed photos and incredible views and then three of us decide to scoot over and do South Dix on such an incredible day. Hiker conditions turned us around before East and back over to Macomb. We spent about 40 minutes digging a huge hole looking for Dave’s snowshoe which actually fell off 20 feet up the trail before he post holed (Motto: look first behind you!). We rode quickly and carefully down the icy/slushy slide on our butts, and were back to the cars by 7 p.m. Thanks to Cindy for providing an extra jacket, hat and gloves and carrying additional weight on the way out and for Lisa and Wayne waiting for Kevin to finish Macomb. Quite an interesting adventure. Participants: Lisa Bowdy, Kevin Cox, Cindy Hammecker, Dave Kocian, Mike McLean, Wayne Ouderkirk.

Cliff and Redfield, March 15, Ron Lester, 12 participants
What a gorgeous day! Sunshine and blue sky everywhere with temps reaching 40°F. The combination of moderate trail-breaking conditions and a strong, experienced group made this hike come off as well as anyone could hope for. We were joined by Steve and Heather Mackey, Muke Fuller and two others near Flowed Lands. The route up and both summits provided many fine views of the snowy peaks. Special thanks to John S. and Jim K. for setting the leader straight as his compass seemed to be spinning wildly at times. Congratulations, Jim, on completing the winter 46 atop Cliff. Participants: Sid Borthwick, David Charles, Matt Clark, Pat Desbiens, Sheila Joly, Jim Knapp, Terri Korb, Chris Koeblin, Ron Lester, John Schroeder, Peter Valastro, Joe Walsh.

Merck Forest Sugar Shack, March 22, Bruce and Cathy Fleming, 5 participants
It was a pretty good day vs. last year when we had the only blizzard all winter long. However, I was disappointed because the facility went high tech. They converted the old Sugar Shack into one of their cabins to rent. They built a large facility that houses not only a huge processor that can make 700 gallons of maple syrup a day, but a very nice place to sit and have your pancake breakfast. Unlike last year when they were trying to keep a small area warm with wind mill power. Most of all I missed the tractor ride down to the old Sugar Shack and the ambiance of roughing it! The nice part was, of course, the breakfast. We also got to see a lot of the farm animals, especially this very oversized male turkey that was really flashing his stuff at us. Thanks so much to our guest Dave Zdunczyk and his daughters Allison and Sarah.


April 2003

Hurricane Mountain, April 6, Pat Desbiens, 7 participants
Six of us met at the Silver Star Restaurant in Chestertown for breakfast, then it was on to the trailhead to meet our seventh participant who had driven down from Vermont for the day. I had written the hike up that it would be a leisurely pace (it was) with lunch on the top (not to be). It snowed the day before and it was windy on this day. After only one minor incident when one of us sunk through snow into a small stream completely soaking one foot (but dry socks and a plastic bag to the rescue), it was a most enjoyable hike up to the trail junction and then upward to the summit. The 360-degree view from the summit was spectacular allowing for some great picture-taking. Participants: Sheila Joly, Jack Whitney, Ray Bouchard, Susan Hoff-Haynes, Stephen Barlow, Ken Austin and Pat Desbiens

Saratoga Battlefield, April 12, Rich Crammond, 4 participants
This was a fine outing shared by four rugged ADK outdoorsmen. The weather was good and we learned some local history. Saw some nice landscape too! You’re a “good man” Reg for picking up that trash along the highway on park land. Thanks to all! Participants: Rich Crammond, Mark Janey, Jim McCauley and Reg Prouty

Severance Hill and Gilligan Mountain, April 13, Ron Lester, 8 participants
A pair of easy, short climbs to perches with very nice views. My first time to Gilligan Mountain and its great view of the snowcapped Dix Range. A very nice social outing with heart rate monitors barely above the idle range. After the tough winter season, this day was especially sweet. Participants: Barb Bave, Pat Desbiens, Dan D’Angelico, Susan Hoff Haynes, Beth Johansen, Ron Lester, Patti Schwankert and Jack Whitney

Hudson River, April 13, Paul Martin 8 participants
Eight hardy paddlers met at Dunkin’ Donuts off Exit 18 on Sunday morning to brave the frigid waters of the Hudson River. After coffee and bagels, we travel to the put-in on Richardson St. in Glens Falls. It is a beautiful sunny warm day. Some of us have trouble acclimating to the nice weather since we’ve paddled all winter in cold nasty weather. We started paddling at 9:40 and headed to the park under the Northway bridge for a respite and calories. We then paddled west to Hudson Point by the Steward Island Dam. Paddlers ate lunch and socialized. We also had a snowball fight. I think Sheri Shevy is going to recieve a black eye by an errant snowball hitting her in the ol’ noggin. We saw many Canada Geese, a Blue Heron, and a red-tailed hawk while paddling. A long, but leisurely paddle enjoyed by all. Participants: Dave Naylor, Mike Chase, Sue Brown, Ann White, Bill McMahon, Sheri Shevy, Ellen Martin, Paul Martin

*Family Outing* — Easter Egg Hunt, April 19, Bruce and Cathy Fleming, 14 participants
This took place at the old Saratoga Boy Scout camp, now owned by the town of Wilton and part of the preserve. It was approximately a mile walk around the wooded grounds, and lasted less than an hour. Participants were Juliana Morris (Mom, Julie), Patrick and Collan (parents, John and Maris Bredench), Jonathan and Christopher (parents, Valerie and Bill), Kasie (Mom, Sandy), and Julia (Dad, Doug Springer)

Luther Forest, April 26, Rich Crammond, 4 participants
This outing was (all day rain) wet: Didn’t see much wildlife except for one wayward duck. I think everyone enjoyed hiking to the old Fire Tower and me telling of the early Sixties when I would stay in the camp (gone now) next to the tower on weekends. Had some good times there with my fellow ADKers for years to come. Thank you Mr. Mackey fellow hikers. Participants: Mark Bodner, Jayne Bouder Rich Crammond and Mark Janey

Run of the Charles River Race (ROTC), April 27, Paul Martin, 6 participants
Six hardy paddlers participated in the canoe and kayak race in Boston, Massachusetts, on a sunny and warm April afternoon. The starting gun went off shortly after 1 p.m. and the paddlers all completed the 6-mile distance.The course was changed slightly this year; nonetheless the paddlers braved the current and a headwind. Each participant recieved a t-shirt and a certificate of completion. More than 1,400 canoers and kayakers took part in either the 26-, 19-, 9-, or 6-mile races. It was great to lounge around after the race and take in the many festive moments. Entry fees for this race go to the preservation of this historic river. It was great that New York and the ADK was represented in the 21st running of this race. To get ADK paddlers’ times visit charlesriver.org. Participants: Ellen Martin, Ruth Hooker, Marty Davis, Mike Chase, Terry Gotterman and Paul Martin

Lake Luzerne-Lake George Wild Forest, April 27, Maureen Jones, 4 participants
Our group spent a beautiful, sunny spring day exploring state land within the town of Lake Luzerne. Some snow, ice and plenty of mud remained, but spring had finally arrived, along with the loons that stopped in our area on their trip north. Thanks to participants: Sue Arpel, Sally Goodhart, Maureen Jones and Wendy Litchfield

Round Pond Loop, April 27, Jayne Bouder, 4 participants
We stashed our snowshoes along Twin Pond brook, and never regretted it. Had a beautiful, warm day, plenty of time to enjoy the views, and about enough snow to lob a few snowballs. On the first bump we were challenged by a mourning cloak butterfly, who warned us with his wings that we were trespassers. On the second bump we decided to forego the third in favor of taking a peek over the edge of The Lost Gorge. Found a real nice ledge overlooking Round Pond on the way down, and a (wooded) place newly flooded by beavers as we headed back along the brook. Great day! And a great dinner at DeCaesar’s! Participants: Jayne Bouder, Chuck Gibson, Jean Holcomb, and Mark Rehm

Tongue Mountain, April 27, Jim Schneider and Jan Carlson, 20 participants
Fog greeted us on our way up to Fifth Peak. Water droplets from the swirling mist could be seen before our eyes. On our way to French Point Mountain, we heard an owl calling through the fog. Quite eerie. Lunch break was on FPM (in the fog, of course), but just as I was about to issue “refunds” to our disappointed hikers, the curtain lifted in dramatic fashion. That spot is exciting enough, but to have the views suddenly open up in front of you was really a great experience. The rest of the day was a wonderful spring walk enjoying the spring flowers, bright and warm sunshine, and the lakeshore on our return. Participants: Jim McElroy, Karen Fuegi, Jan Carlson, Jim Schneider, Tom Gorman, Anna Liu-Gorman, Jack Whitney, Al Laubinger, Liz Pasnikowski, Judy Henrich, John Schroeder, Susan Johnson, Grant Adkins, Heidi teRiele, Ray Bouchard, Neil Roberts, Ron Lester, Pat McPhee, Frank Akawi, Steve Barlow

May 2003

Lake George Kayaking, May 3, Paul Martin, 4 participants
We were going to paddle on Indian Lake — at least that was the plan — but the wind was gusting and we changed plans at Bruegger’s. We decided to paddle out of Northwest Bay and put in at 10 a.m. The water was calm going through the gullies. Upon entering the lake the wind wasn’t too bad. When we paddled to the middle of the bay away from the fetch the waves were picking up whitecaps so for the sake of safety we headed into the wind and paddled back to the gullies where we explored the different waterways. We were lucky enough to spot and see fly three great blue heron.We took our boats out at the put-in at about 12:30 p.m. and decided to go kayak shopping at Lake George Kayak in Bolton Landing. Participants: Barbara, David Naylor, Paul Martin

Couchsachraga (3,920’) and Panther (4,442’), May 4, Mike Mclean, 8 participants
This was a joint Laurentian/Glens Falls-Saratoga hike. We headed in at 7 a.m. on a clear and sunny day, enjoying the overflowing Santanoni brook and accompanying waterfalls. There was hardly any mud to negotiate, as we hit snow quite soon and pretty much were on snow from well before the herd path and upward. Warm temperatures made snowshoes necessary quite quickly. Melting snow over the past few weeks made the herd path a tight rope to stay on. We enjoyed the views at Times Square and talked with Jim Schneider and Co. We then headed down the ridge line toward Couchy. Due to snow conditions, we were unable to stay on the herd path. As it was not worth getting scratched up off the herd part, we decided to turn around and do Panther. Due to conditions, the “twenty-minute” side trip to Panther took an hour from Times Square. But the sunshine and incredible views around (including Long Lake, The Sewards, Santanoni, and Couchy) made the efforts worthwhile. The trip down was just as tough, with tumbles, post holes (with and without snowshoes), and slick conditions. Hats off to Joan and Betty! If they can survive this trip, finishing their 46 is a piece of pie. We were out of the woods by 9 p.m., enjoying incredibly loud spring peepers along the gravel road. A wonderful May winter hike! Participants: Cindy Hammecker, John Hammond, Joan Marker, Mike McLean, Belinda Oliveau, John Otis, Elizabeth Pasnikowski, and Bette Redfield

Woods Hollow Nature Preserve, May 10, Rich Crammond, 15 participants
This was an outing with a mixed age group for sure. Everyone seemed to enjoy our walk in the woods with a nice break at the pond and then a group picture. We covered more than 3 miles at Woods Hollow and then a few of us drove north to Saratoga State Park for another 2.5 miles of hiking with great birding along the trail. Great group of hikers! Participants: Terry Anderson, Fran Balch, Barbara Bennett, Edie Christina, Bridget Corlew, Rich Crammond, Bob Dake, Romaine Guzi, Jack Guzi, Gail McKenna, Sandy Nichols, Mary Ann Palas, Reg Prouty, Rich Speidel and Ron Uhrich

Eighth Lake, May 10, Paul Martin, 6 participants
The day was perfect for paddling (mostly sunny, warm with a slight breeze), however, we still had to dress for cold-water paddling. Eigth Lake is a nice little lake with some good camping spots, nice beaches and one island. We put in at the camp sight and leisurely paddled to the other end where we rested in our boats by a beach. We leisurely paddled back to the put-in and the whole trip took us about 2 hours. There were a few small motorized fishingboats that were trolling but did not bother us at all. When we packed up our boats and gear, we all decided to check out the Mountainman Paddlefest in Inlet, N.Y., just up the road. It was a fun time. Participants: Kathy McCabe, Terry Gottesman, Cindy and Paul Plante, and Ellen and Paul Martin

Pilot Knob to Inman Pond, May 17, Bill Schwarz, 5 participants
Nice sunny, but crisp, weather for our foray on the East side of Lake George. We took the trail leading to Buck Mountain, but turned off toward Hogtown Road trailhead. The idea was to stop before that, so we could visit the somewhat isolated quarter-mile-long pond, which showed evidence of beaver activity. We got sidetracked with some renegade blazes and followed them, but still found the pond! We had an early lunch and noted that there had been plenty of human activity there, too — so much that Reg Prouty, our hero for the hike, lugged out a garbage bag that included two empty oil cans! Participants: Brian Giblin, Susan Jefts, Nancy Kimball, Reg Prouty and Bill Schwarz

Indian Lake Kayaking, May 17, Paul Martin, 5 participants
We had seven ADKers meet at Bruegger’s for breakfast at 8 a.m. Five of us headed north to paddle on Indian Lake on a beautiful Saturday. Participants put in at 10:15 a.m. The winds were northerly but moderate. We decided to island hop north when we reached the Jessup River/John Mack Bay area. Their was no motorboat interference and it seemed like we had th lake to ourselves. Shortly after noon we paddled to an Island and ate lunch. Three paddlers decided to paddle across the lake and explore the sound that appeared to be a waterfall. The three explorers did find the source of the water flowing into the lake. The water on Indian Lake was incredibly high. Sandy beaches that a paddlers landed on were submerged. After lunch we island hopped somemore before heading south to the take-out at the state boat launch. The wind was on our backs and it was an easy ride home. We reluctanly took our kayaks out shortly after 3 p.m. Participants: Paul and Cynthia Plante, Pete LoSacco, Ellen and Paul Martin

Hudson River Gorge, May 18, John Schroeder, 37 participants
Our group really lucked out with the date of our trip. We were fortunate enough to have an above-average water level which made for great rafting, as well as a warm and sunny day. The trip was 16.5 miles long, losing 506 vertical feet over that distance. A few rafters in our group decided to brave the cool water and went swimming during the calm water sections of the trip, while others couldn’t seem to wait for the calm water and exited the raft (unintentionally) during the rapids. For those who missed out on our trip, Wild Waters (1-800-867-2335) has agreed to provide ADK members a 10% discount on all Sunday rafting trips for the rest of this season (through Columbus Day weekend). Participants: Too many to list

Heart Lake/Rocky Falls, May 18, Jan Carlson and Jim Schneider, 8 participants
It was one of those magical May days; sunny and warm, but the black flies are not quite awake yet. We had some new and some not-so-new ADK members along to enjoy the hike to Rocky Falls. We explored the area and did some clean-up as this lean-to is the co-leader’s adopted lean-to. On our return, we walked around Heart Lake touring our campgrounds and lake front beach. After a tour of the Loj we enjoyed refreshments on the porch of the HPIC. Participants: Jan Carlson, Jim Schneider, Carrie Pitts, Jack Whitney, Janet Twardzik, Susan Kenyon, Skylar Kenyon, Chris Kenyon

Hadley and Roundtop, May 24, Reg Prouty, 6 participants
The rain was light so we decided to go anyway. Despite the rain we had a good day of hiking, identifying wildflowers and keeping our eyes peeled so we would not step on the Red Efts. They are so abundant on many of the trails this year! When we got to the tower some of us climbed it but the clouds were too low to see anything. Three participants had not been to Roundtop before so we set a bearing for the summit for the bushwack. However, iron in the mountain completely reversed three compasses we had so we went by a bearing from Armand’s GPS and good old woodsmanship to finally arrive atop Roundtop. Coming back to Hadley there has been established a nice well worn herdpath that did not even seem like .8 of a mile. Then the rains came harder but we didn’t care. We enjoyed the day in spite of it. Participants: Armand Catelli, Betty Catelli, Rich Crammond, Carrie Pitts, Reg Prouty and Maureen Jones

Prospect Mountain, May 25, Reg Prouty, 3 participants
We arrived at the Lake George Recreation Area and immediately noticed the Army Corps.of Engineers has done extensive work on these ski trails at the beginning of the hike. We took a couple of scenic loops to take in some of the flumes in the streams that tumble through that area. Essentially following Jack Freeman’s proposed state trail (from the South), we followed the old logging roads and arrived 100 minutes later in the lower parking lot of Prospect’s summit. The summit was socked in at first because we could not see the other side of the parking lot but by the time we went up one level we could at least see the village and part of the beach below. We ate a leisurely lunch and returned via the same route. Upon arriving at the parking area we were treated to a concert by a lone bagpiper practicing his pipes at the rec center. We took a short stroll to the other end of the basketball courts where nice views up Lake George were possible. We were lucky to have a possible new member with us who taught us about the reflex that Red Efts have to discourage predators from eating them causing them to have no natural enemies. Thanks Fran, for teaching us about this. Participants: Reg Prouty, Fran Sandinerg, Jack Whitney

Lake George Kayaking, May 25, Paul Martin, 6 participants
We put in the water at Northwest Bay in Bolton Landing at 10 a.m. The day was cloudy but the sun was trying to break through the grayness. After paddling through the gulley we noticed that the lake was calm with little wind and the mountains were surrounded with thick white clouds. We reached Montcalm Point in an hour or so and decided to stop for lunch and a stretch of the legs on Turtle Island. Upon refueling, we circumnavigated Turtle and then decided to paddle across the lake to Bixby Beach. We never made it to Bixby. Most paddlers stopped at Lake George Kayak and demoed Ike’s kayaks and paddles from his boathouse on Green Island. Once satisfied with the new kayaks and products tested we then paddled down Northwest Bay to the take out. The trip ended at 4 p.m. We estimated that we paddled at least 18 miles at a leisurely pace with rests at Turtle Island and Green Island. After loading boats and gear into our cars we then decided to have ice cream at Stewart’s in Bolton Landing. Participants: Cathy McCabe, Pricilla Smith, Nancy Finley, David Naylor, Ellen and Paul Martin

June 2003

Hudson River Kayak, June 1, Paul Martin, 4 participants
Four paddlers showed up at Bruegger’s on a cold and drizzly day. The original plan was to paddle Blue Mountain Lake, but with 25-30 mile per/hr. winds forecast we decided to paddle locally. Paddlers put-in at Feeder Canal and headed north in a constant drizzle and light winds. We paddled to the put-in at Big-Boom Road for a quick respite. Although we were paddling against a pretty strong current the wind was on our backs pushing us up the river. Paddlers decided to explore some of the gullies off the main channel of the river. Eventually we make it to Hudson Point where we took in nutrients and had an opportunity to stretch our tired legs. Paddling back to Glens Falls was easy with the current riding us home; It rained on and off. The wind picked up periodically and the temperature (is it really June??) dropped, but a good time/paddle was had by the “die-heart” nasty weather paddlers. Participants: Nancy Finley, Dave Naylor, Ellen Martin, Paul Martin

Whiteface via West Slide, June 8, John Schroeder and Peter Valastro, 10 participants
Our crew set out from the southern end of Lake Placid in canoes and kayaks around 8:30 in the morning. We could see Whiteface from the lake, but a few stubborn clouds blocked the view of the slide we planned to ascend. After about an hour of paddling, we were on the other side of the lake. We began our hike up the trail to Whiteface, departing from the trail after 1.75 miles to follow the stream that drains the West Slide. A moderate, but very slippery, bushwhack along the stream brought us to the base of the slide, which was also quite slick. Fortunately, the slide dried up quickly as we ascended it. We had fabulous views of Lake Placid and the High Peaks from the slide, making for numerous stops and photo opportunities. We summited Whiteface and ate lunch on top while thick dark clouds loomed overhead. Fortunately, they began to clear just after we began our hike down and we were spared a rainy descent. By the time we had reached our boats again, the clouds had cleared completely and we could see our entire route up the slide as we paddled back across the lake. Participants: Jan Carlson, Michelle Cournoyer, Dennis Delay, Judy Henrich, Dave Konopke, Justin Lefco, Jim Schneider, John Schroeder, Cecile Valastro, Peter Valastro

Buck Mountain and Pilot Knob, June 8, Jean Holcomb, 4 participants
This was a very pleasant stroll up an old friend. Since I never got around to checking out the loop, I simply started the group from the Pilot Knob parking lot and did Buck Mountain first. Mosquitoes were somewhat annoying, but ok if you kept moving, and the top was as lovely as ever with great views of the prettiest part of Lake George. We weren’t quite ready to hang it up after coming down so took the trail to the right and cut over on a semi-bushwhack which Donna semi-remembered to Pilot Knob. We got to a nice lookout, which may or may not have been Pilot Knob and enjoyed another great view. We then carefully felt our way back to the main trail. A lovely day with great conversation. Participants: Jean Holcomb, Pat McFee, Carrie Pitts and Donna Westcott

Blue Mountain Lake Kayak, June 8, Paul Martin, 12 participants
After departing from Bruegger’s shortly after 8 a.m., paddlers were wondering what that big round warm yellow thing was in the sky surrounded by blue sky. Put-in at the Blue Mountain Lake canoe launch at 10:15 and paddled north to Long Island.Their was a slight breeze that kept the black flies at bay — temporarily. Circumnavigating the rocky Long Island we headed through many Islands to the west and paddled to Eagle Lake. It took about 20 minutes to paddle this lake. We saw no other boats on this lake at all. At the end of Eagle Lake is a bird sanctuary that meanders out into Utowana Lake. Some of the paddlers made pit stops at the beach before paddling to the end of the lake and into the Marion River. We took out at the portage section of the Marion River for launch. Most of the participants hiked the footpath — about .5 of a mile — to the other end of the river. The black flies were brutal in this section. After a half-hour or so, all of the paddlers eagerly headed back to Blue Mountain Lake. We paddled at a leisurely pace in the warm air and calm waters. Most paddlers stopped for dinner at Carl R’s after the long paddle (12 miles minimum). Dave’s new Eddyline kayak was awesome and fast. Participants: Cathy McCabe, Priscilla Smith, Nancy Finley, David Naylor, Cynthia and Paul Plante, Jim and Cynthia Lomack, Clare Thomenius, Paul and Ellen Martin, Sue Jefts

Haystack, Basin and Saddleback, June 14, Matt Clark, 6 participants
Those who chose to go on this hike were definitely upbeat which was a good thing as it was cloudy and drizzly most of the day with rather limited views. While atop Haystack the sun seemed to want to come out, but the clouds fought it back creating a brief but nice view of Panther Gorge. The climb up Saddleback tended to be less slippery than anticipated, but the trip down to the Ore Bed Brook trail seemed as though it had been greased just for us! I would guess that everyone slept well that evening. Participants: Tracy Bolton, Matt Clark, Brian Giblin, Sheila Joly, Phyllis Manziano, Patrick Torosian

Peaked Mountain, June 15, Ron Lester, 12 participants
What a wonderful hike this little mountain is. It was almost as diverse as our group. We hiked along 13th Lake, then beside the cascading brook, up to the serenity of the pond which was shattered by a steep climb to the summit. A clear, cool, breezy day that brings to mind the word, Perfect. I was privileged to meet 9 new people today — each one a “keeper” — Guess that’s a large reason why I continue to go back to the mountains. It keeps great folks in your life. Oh yeah, almost forgot to tell you about the hiker who was coming down and reported seeing a bear with cub on the summit. After the anxiety and trepidation died down, we decided the guy might well be more of a “fisherman” than a hiker. Participants: Kyle Alexy, Cindy DeMarco, Ruth Driscoll, Theresa Gomez, Alicia Laurro, Courtney Lester, Ron Lester, Carrie Pitts, Lisa Potkenik, Tara Rheaume, Doug Waters and Anne Wiebicke

Long Lake Kayaking, June 15, Paul Martin, 9
participants
We departed Bruegger’s for Long Lake at 8 a.m. on a sunny day. At the put-in at Long Lake the wind was blowing out of the Nortwest at 15-20 mph. Kayakers paddled north for our destination of Kelley Point some 6 miles away. The water was choppy on the east side of the lake. We were taking the full brunt of the wind and waves. Dave suggested that we paddle on the west side of the lake where it was calm. This proved to be true and we leisurely paddled through two Islands. As paddlers approached Kelley Point, we grouped together and once againg paddled across the lake and into a stronger wind and bigger waves. We took out at a beach area along Kelley Point and walked past the two leantos found along the Northville/Placid Trail. Since the wind was blowing we decided to eat lunch at the rocks which ‘jet-out’ into the lake. The wind kept the nasty and numerous black flies at bay (no pun intented). Some of us decided to take a little stroll along the trail which was some sort of settlement at one time. Once in our kayaks, most paddlers opted to paddle across the lake once more and out of the wind. We paddled up Big Brook which meandered for a mile or so. Dave decided to ‘run’ the beaver dam and the rest of us followed continuing our paddle up the brook for another mile. Paddlers did very well. We covered around 12-14 miles at a leisurely pace, and we kept an eye out for one another. A great group of paddlers on this outing. Participants: Nancy Finley, Sheri Shevy, Dave Naylor, Bill Glendenning, Carl and Sandy Seeber, Judith and Jonathan Halstead

Donaldson and Emmons, June 21, Jim Weed, 11 participants
Leaving Brueggers at 5:30 a.m., we picked up more victims at the High Peaks rest area en route to Corey’s Road. Once at the trail head we watered up, gaitered up, and headed “down” to Calkins Brook The trip in was fine, a bit too cool for the bugs to pester you (YET!!!). We took a snack break and fueled up at the start of the herd path then proceeded upward. The trail was in pretty good shape as were the participants. All eleven of them! Ages ranged from the early 20s to the early 70s. Most had quite a few peaks under their belt. We made our way through the blow-down section. By now, with temps warming up, if you stopped, the flies would hunt you down in a matter of seconds. The motto was Home by Dinner!! In other words keep moving no matter the speed. We summited Donaldson and took a short break ... a very short break! Off we went to Emmons! Over and back in no time. A bit wet in between but passable! All that was left was the trip back to the vehicles. Why does it seem to take so much longer to get out than it does to get in???!!! Oh well! A great time was had by all (I think??). Participants: June Amyot, David Charles, Cindy Hammecker, Sue Haynes, Suzanne Kanobe, Dave Kocian, Joan Marcher, Bette Redfield, Brian Schutz, Sue Smith and Jim Weed

Tabletop, June 21, Pat Desbiens, 3 participants We were a small but enthusiastic group that decided to hike to Tabletop on this day. It was a delightful day, weather-wise, which afforded us the opportunity to relax and enjoy Marcy Dam for a bit before continuing on. The unmaintained trail to the summit proved to be a little muddy in spots but overall, the ascent was uneventful and we were able to get some good views a little beyond the summit. On the return trip, we went up the trail a bit farther to take in the views at Indian Falls. In tribute to a group of Canadian hikers that passed us on the trail, Reg whistled an excellent rendition of “O Canada.” Participants: Pat Desbiens, Melody Hoffmann and Reg Prouty

Forked Lake Kayaking, June 22, Paul Martin, 9 participants
Although the weather looked gloomy in Queensbury the sun was shining as we headed north. We put-in on the south side of this beautiful lake past the north flow of Raquette Lake. Everyone was in the warm water by 11 o’clock. Paddling east we soon approached the Raquette River and proceeded to paddle west. The “game” here was to avoid the huge rocks barely hidden in the water. We were able to paddle up the river a bit longer than a mile where we stopped and chatted in a pool. Eagerly the current pushed us down the river where again we tried to avoid rocks and scratches in our kayaks. Once out of the river we paddled east again to the state campground. It was lunch time. The campground was an opportunity to chat, eat and stretch the legs. All the paddlers took a short hike to the dam where Ellen took a group photo. Once under way, we paddled in a westerly direction into the Whitney estate area and explored all the “nooks and granies” of this jagged lake. At 4:30, some paddlers crossed the lake and returned to the put-in. Five paddlers continued the journey to the end of the lake. We found the lake inlet and paddled up that until a beaver dam impeded any further paddling. We took out our kayaks at 6:45. The water was warm and the sun was shining on this gorgeous lake. We estimated that we paddled 16 miles at a leisurely pace with an eye out on all participants. Kayakers are earning their pirate stickers and displaying the Jolly Roger on their boats. Pirates: Ellen Martin, Kathy McCabe, Priscilla Smith, Nancy Finley, Paul and Cynthia Plante, Bill Glendenning, Dave Naylor, the Captain

Sawteeth, Blake and Colvin, June 22, Jan Carlson and Jim Schneider, 6 participants
Rain greeted us at the trailhead, but rain gear was only needed for the walk up the Lake Road. As the rain backed off, the blackflies ramped up for action. Nothing could dampen our spirits as we took in the views going up the Scenic Trail. Up on the Sawteeth ridge we saw snow on Mount Marcy. From Sawteeth we descended south to the Upper Lake, Warden’s Camp and lunch. Fortified, we climbed the relentless climb up to the col. Four out of six summited Blake and we all regrouped on the Colvin summit. We enjoyed a leisurely walk back out to our cars. Participants: Neil Roberts, Bill Laroque, Susan Johnson, Liz Pasnikowski, Jan Carlson and Jim Schneider

Colden, June 22, Pat McCullough, 5 participants
We had a great day with good visibility and weather to climb the slide on Colden. The bugs were not bad until about noon. Maybe they sleep late on Sundays. We were the only hikers on the slide but certainly not the only people on the top. We had a nice scenic lunch, and then came out through Avalanche Pass. Participants: Brian Cox, Kathy Fuller, Emil Klymkow, Erick Klymkow and Pat McCullough

Hudson River Kayaking/Paddle, June 25, Paul Martin, 6 participants
Meeting place was at Dunkin’ Donuts at Exit 18 in Glens Falls. Six paddlers showed up on this steamy evening to get on the water and cool off. We were fed at the put-in at the Feeder Dam by Steve and Sis Kahn. They gave us fried chicken and other “goodies.” The water on the Hudson was low, but it felt good to be on the water. We paddled up the river to the bridge at the Northway ... we encountered some motor boat traffic in this section. One boater with four people on board displayed their stupidity toward us by playing “chicken” with us ... I noticed they were drinking also. After that mishap we proceeded up the river and paddled down a gully. We saw a deer which leapt across the water at our approach. During the paddle we were treated to three Blue Heron sightings and two beavers splashing and thrashing away. On our return to Feeder Dam the water turned calm and a mist arose from it. The sky was orange and we had the water to ourselves. We finally took the kayaks out of the water at 9 p.m. A great time spent on a Wednesday evening. We plan to paddle every Wednesday evening in case anyone wants to join our merry little band of water pirates. Participants: Sheri Shevy, Jaron Shevy, Dick Daniels, Kathy Howland, Ellen Martin, Paul Martin

Hopkins and Giant, June 28, Reg Prouty, 3 participants
The three of us made our way up the pleasant Mossy Cascade trail to the summit of Hopkins which had some very good views to the south. Then we were off to Giant on the easiest climb to this High Peak I’ve ever seen. Carrie got her first High Peak today and Mother Nature co-operated fully with beautiful weather and superb unlimited visibility. On the return we visited both the top and bottom of Roaring Brook Falls and were surprised hardly any water was going over it. We finished in time for a meal at DeCeaser’s in Schroon Lake. Participants: Carrie Pitts, Reg Prouty and John Susko.

Berkshire Bird Paradise, June 29, Bruce and Cathy Fleming, 4 participants
I wished more kids could have come, but it was a beautiful day and Fran Balch came with her nephew, along with Bruce and me. The owner has become very decorative with his rehabilitation center, and completed his butterfly refuge. He gave us a very detailed description of his animals in rehab: how he acquired them, how he releases the animals that can be released, and the care involved. He recently acquired two Ostriches from a woman who purchased them in an auction for $150 each. The male kept going after her because he was protecting his mate, so she called to donate them. Many people purchase exotic animals without any knowledge of how to take care of them. The owner also talked about how many of the birds are used in satanic rituals and disabled for life. We were not able to see the new baby eagles up close, but through a camera hook up, so we saw them on TV. We did see the proud parents up close. It’s a great place, and I strongly encourage families to go! It’s a great experience.

Raquette Lake Kayaking, June 29, Paul Martin, 8 participants
Paddlers put-in at the northeastern end of the lake at the Outlet. We paddled west into a good wind. Rounding Bluff Point and paddling into Boulder Bay was wild. Waves crashed over the starboard side of our kayaks. Everyone kept “loose-hips” as we rode into Tioga Point. We had the whole area to ourselves. There are 15 leantos and a huge double stone fireplace on Tioga. A trail head from the road leads to this field.,It is a great site to visit on this lake which is usually rough. As we ate lunch and socialized the wind picked up. A front was approaching from the west.
We decided not to paddle into Sucker Brook Bay (we
didn’t get suckered into it!!), but to paddle home. We
battled the waves once again crossing Boulder Bay.
Once around Bluff Point we all enjoyed surfing the
rather large waves all the way home. There was a great
deal of “hooting” on the way back. All participants
gained some valuable experience and an appreciation of
their kayaks. Two loons were seen and heard while
battling the waves in Boulder Bay. Participants: Dave
Naylor, Nancy Finley, Ray Boucher (he earned his
pirate patch — it was his first time out in a kayak —
“holy-cow”), Pete LoSacco, Paul and Cindy (what a
paddler — she’s brave) Plante, Ellen and Paul Martin

July 2003

Saguenay/St Lawerence Rivers, Quebec, Kayak/Hike,
July 2-8, Paul Martin, 4 participants
Four explorers headed north on Wednesday, July 2.
After a wonderful stay in Quebec City, we camped at
Bay Eternitie for two days and paddled the windy cold
waters of the Saguenay fjord. We noticed on top of one
of the mountains was a giant statue of St. Mary. We
hiked to the top of the mountain and ascertained the
history of this statue. What a view of the fjord from
the top. It was a wild and interesting hike. The
province does a great job on their trail. Too many
wonderful things to include and talk about here. After
a couple of days by the campfire we traveled to
Tadausac and stayed at the famous Tadausac Hotel where
Hotel New Hampshire was filmed several years ago. I
can’t say enough great things about this establishment
and small community at the confluence of the Saguenay
and St. Lawerence rivers. We sat down on one of the
numerous chairs in the spacious back of the hotel and
watched Minke/Pilot/and Beluga whales feed on kreel
and carp in the Bay of Tadausac. We paddled out of the
bay and Ellen saw a Minke and Beluga. The rest of us
heard the whales. The waters in this section were very
cold, but we paddled a good distance on a beautiful
day. We didn’t get to see too many whales as the tide
was ebbing. We did see a seal, however, checking us
out. If an ADK member wants more information on this
area they can contact me via e-mail or phone. I’d be
more than willing to chat/inform members of this
wonderful trip. The four participants are planning on
returning next year. We have other paddlers who are
interested in going next year also. We were on an
exploratory mission on this trip and next year the
logistics of the trip will be even better. There is
just too much to talk about. Participants: Priscilla
Smith, Kathy McCabe, Ellen and Paul Martin
 
Nye Slide, July 4, Neal Andrews, 7 participants
After arriving at the Northern end of the Northville
Placid trail the group, led by Stephen, made great
time to the “supposed” turn off to find the Nye slide.
We crashed and bashed through the forest for more than
an hour with no success in finding the slide (it’s
only 0.3 miles to the slide??). The leader had only
been here once before in the winter, what a difference
the leaves on the trees make. We then spoke with a
hiker on the trail who said we weren’t even close.
Perhaps this leader climbed the wrong slide in the
winter? In any event the hike was enjoyed by all. The
beaver dams were fun to explore. We all had a good
laugh when one participant fell into the swamp while
trying to cross on a fallen tree for fun. Elizabeth
sets a fast pace back to the cars. The leader will go
back and find the slide and lead this trip again.
Participants: Neal Andrews, Michael, Stephen,
Elizabeth and Donna Gurtowski, John Robison and Rich
Speidel

Colden Loop, July 6, Reg Prouty, 6 participants
After going to Lake Arnold via the Indian Falls
trail and visiting Indian Falls (which was very much
reduced), we arrived on the Summit of Colden. We were
surprised to find that Colden now has a summit steward
who was very pleasant to talk to as she pointed out
the true summit spot. After a leisurely lunch by the
big balancing boulder, we started down the steep
descent to lake Colden where we had a short break and
continued on to Avalanche Pass and Lake. All were as
impressed as I was at seeing the majestic pass. I
related the story of “Hitch up, Matilda” to them and
explained what the pass looked like before the last
avalanche after Hurricane Foyd in the fall of 2000. We
were out by late afternoon and five participants added
another High Peak to their totals. Participants:
Valerie Boyd, Rob Furlong, Sheila Joly, Pat McPhee,
Michelle Parlej and Reg Prouty

Teacup Ponds, July 5, Neal Andrews, 10 participants
The group met at the North Fork Bouquet River to
discuss maps, the compass and how the two work
together. Once everyone understood how their compass
worked and how to orient the map we walked south
(south +14) to Cranberry Pond, 235 (249) degrees to
Rhododendron Pond, south (south +14) to Peak 519, then
west (west +14) to Lillypad Pond. We rotated so that
everyone could have a chance to lead with suggestions
coming from those in the back of the line. As promised
we didn’t see anyone else on the bushwack. It was a
great day to be in the Adirondacks. We followed the
trail out from Lillypad Pond. A quick swim in the
flume on the way back cooled us (and about 25 others)
off. Participants: Neal Andrews, Sarah Iacobacci, Jane
Kubat, Joe Kubat, Lucy Norman, John Robison, Lucia
Sanchez, Charlotte Smith, Bob Stromberg and Janet
Twardzik

Dog Hike to Kiby Pond, July 5, Bruce and Cathy
Fleming, 7 participants and 6 dogs
We met some people in Queensbury, and others in
Weavertown. Not all people who called showed up, so
sorry to miss you. It was another great day; The rain
held off. The trip itself is very short, four miles
approximately round trip, but it is a pretty and
peaceful little lake. Thanks to those who did join us
and their canine friends: Participants: Nancy Weber
and Sima, Susan Montague, Joe McCane, Monica Ricketsen
and Max and Trever, Maureen Jones and Mo, and Bruce
and me, Buddy and Cassie

Dippikill Hike, July 6, Allen Altman, 15 participants
We had great views of the Hudson River, Crane
Mountain and the High Peaks from the two summits of
Dippikill Mountain on the second annual ADK Dippikill
hike. It was a very clear day in contrast to the first
Dippikill hike when fires from Canada obscured all the
views. Several in the group took advantage of the
delightful Dippikill Pond by diving into it off a
large glacial erratic. Summer’s (age 13) claims that
she was being attacked by something at the base of the
erratic as she stood in the water, were dismissed by
the group until the Outing Leader jumped in and was
attacked twice by the creature. The identity of the
“Dippikill Monster” was never verified. I want to
recognize three returnees from the first annual ADK
hike: Barb, Tammie and Nancy. I hope to see them and
other returnees at the third annual ADK Dippikill hike
on June 27, 2004! Participants: Allen Altman, Tammie
Bailey, Carolyn Bouchard, Ray Bouchard, Linda Davern,
Bill Glendening, Summer Hellinger, Nancy Kimball,
Alfonso Mango, Tony Martin, Barbara Mezzanini, Lisa
Potkewitz, Jean Rich, Vickie Thompson and Donna
Westcott

Treadway Mountain,  July 12, Reg Prouty, 8 participants
What a gorgeous day it was to ascend the gradual
approach to Treadway eating blueberries on the way.  A
young 9-year-old hiker lead the way most of the time
and I think must have set some kind of record for
spotting Red Efts as she counted 43 on the trip plus
several frogs, toads, and a garter snake. On the
summit we all shared our lunches and took a few
pictures. It was such a nice day we hated to start the
return trip. Participants: Maureen Jones, Joe Kubat,
Jane Kubat, Laura LaPlante, Reg Prouty, Janet
Twardzik, Ron Uhrich and Sandy Yellen

Vanderwacker and Goodnow, July 13, Jack Whitney,
3 participants
We left the trailhead with overcast skies and
traveled about a mile to the log cabin where we were
greeted by an Americorp trailcrew performing excellent
trail maintenance. Reaching the top under still cloudy
skies, an unidentified object was found lying at the
base of the fire tower. An informal contest was held
to identify the object with the “winning” guess being
a paint roller used by the maintenance crew to paint
the fire tower. A good time was had by all and then it
was on to Goodnow. By the time we reached Goodnow’s
trailhead, the weather was improving and we picked up
the interpretive trailguides which made for an
informative hike to the summit taking time along the
way to visit the old well and horsebarn. Participants:
Pat Desbiens, Jack Whitney and Samantha VanBuren

Little Tupper Lake Kayaking, July 13, Paul Martin,
13 participants
We put in at the state launch site at 10:15 and
paddled the ever so choppy waters of this beautiful
lake in a southwest direction. After paddling for
about 2.5 miles we decided to land at one of the many
sandy beaches for lunch. It is a cool day with the sun
peaking out from the clouds often. The group paddled
the rest of the length of the lake and we paddled down
the Rock Pond tributary. After paddling for a little
over a mile or so, beaver dams stopped our forward
progress. The decision was made to paddle back out to
the lake instead of portaging around the dams. Once
out on the lake we paddled down the winding waters
leading to Charley Pond. We paddled under an old
bridge and through a rundown beaver dam. We must have
paddled a good 2 miles up this waterway before a large
occupied beaver dam stopped our forward progress.
Since it was getting late we headed back to the put-in
after another short stop on one of the sandy beaches
for chocolate/brownie cookies. Take out time was
shortly before six o’clock. We paddled a long ways and
explored this motorless lake thoroughly. Many paddlers
ate at the Long Lake Hotel after our paddle — Yummy!!
Participants: Bob Moore, Dave Naylor, Pat O’Brien,
Jeff Nadler, Sheri Shevy, Nancy Finley, Pete LoSacca,
Pat and Kathy Howland, Robert Goodwin, Jim Scribner,
Ellen and Paul Martin
 
Colvin, Blake, Nippletop via Slide, and Dial, July 13,
John Schroeder, 3 participants
We headed up the Ausable Lake Road to the cutoff
trail to Gill Brook and then up to Colvin and Blake.
From Blake, we continued south to the next bump on the
ridge. This was simply a reconnaissance mission to
check out a slide that Jim was interested in. Back at
the Colvin-Blake col, we descended directly to West
Inlet Brook and then made our way up the brook to hit
the base of the Nippletop Slide. This was a short, but
interesting bushwhack. We started out through fairly
level terrain, cluttered with very large, moss covered
boulders and a good bit of moss covered, rotten
blowdown. We came across a large block of ice
underneath one of the boulders. West Inlet Brook was
bone dry where we first intercepted it, but as we
ascended, we found that there was plenty of water in
it, suggesting that the stream may run underground in
this area. The Nippletop Slide was fantastic. It’s
scrambly and ledgy, and quite long (rising 1,500 feet
over 0.85 miles), with fantastic views the entire way
up. A faint herd path at the top of the slide took us
directly to the Nippletop summit. From there, it was
on to Dial, Bear Den, the shoulder of Noonmark (with
its own spectacular views), and then out via the Lake
Road. Participants: Jim Knapp, John Schroeder, Peter
Valastro

Wednesday Night Kayaking, July 15, Paul Martin, 4 participants
Launched from Feeder Canal in Glens Falls ... it is
a beautiful summer night.The sun is shinning, but the
paddlers felt a cool breeze while paddling up to the
Big Boom Road/Northway bridge. Much to our surprise
and satisfaction there are hardly any motorized boats
on the river. The kayaker got a sense of having the
river to themselves. Dave Coon is experiencing his
initial paddle in a brand new kayak. He is worried
about paddling with us and the pace. Dave is a strong
paddler and enjoys the chit-chat as we procede
leirsurely up the river. Naturally we rode the current
and the wind on our backs to the put-in ... we took
our boats out of the water at 8:30 p.m. what a way to
spend a Wednesday evening. Mike Chase our “rain-man”
paddled with us and we didn’t even get any rain even
though rain clouds were present — strange.
Participants: Dave Coon, Mike Chase, Ellen and Paul
Martin

Mount Jo Artist Hike, July 19, Jacki Bave, 9
participants
Local artist and chapter member Anne Diggory
generously offered to share her time and considerable
talent to instruct trip participants in how to see and
sketch shapes in nature. We were especially pleased to
have good weather, as several previous attempts to
schedule this hike were rained out. It was a wonderful
group of people, ranging in age from 20s to 80s! Anne
taught us many useful techniques and used her own
examples to help us create a series of drawings of
views along the trail. We spent a good part of the day
at the summit enjoying and sketching the panorama of
the mountains. At the end of the trip, we were able to
see some of Anne’s posters, which are available at the
High Peaks Information Center. Participants/artists:
Terry Anderson, Jacki Bave, Jean Bave-Kerwin, Anne
Diggory, Mary Livingstone, Cindy Lowman, Lucy Norman,
Jessica Riley and Shelley Riley

Ruby Mountain, Brown Pond Bushwhack, July 19, Rich
Crammond, 4 participants
We took a compass bearing to the summit for some
great views and then zeroed in on Brown Pond. Had some
lunch while there, looking around at this great place
to be. We took the longer way out for a little loop
hike. Highlights of this hike were: Great Weather,
Great Views and a Great Big Pile of Bear Scat! My
thanks to my fellow hikers and a BIG Thank You to Gary
Fuller and his wife, Marion, and son Tom.
Participants: Cindy Corbett, Rich Crammond, Bill
Glendening and Ellen Ohnmacht

Giant and Rocky Peak, July 19, Ron Lester, 10 participants
This hike up the Ridge Trail is always a good one.
Clear weather, great views and fun people made for a
mighty fine outing. The swim in Chapel Pond was oooh,
ahhh, ohhh so fine. Spotted a big old bear crossing
the Northway near the rest area. A nice surprise to
mark our day in the mountains. Participants: Cara
Benson, Mike Fuller, Chris Graves, Tom Graves, Valeria
Hoebel, Dave Lester, Ron Lester, Jennifer Reidy and
Meredith Marina Vrahnos

Bog River/Lows Lake Kayaking, July 20-21, Paul Martin,
5 participants
Five excited paddlers met at Bruegger’s at 6:30 a.m.
and discussed logistics of an overnight
camping/kayaking trip to the Bog River Flow. After
unloading much gear to stuff into kayaks we departed
from the Upper Dam. It is a beautiful sunny day as we
meander around the marshes and under a railroad bridge
and enter Hitchins Pond. We burned some calories as we
did the 100-yard portage assisting one another with
loaded kayaks. We paddled some 11miles — with a lunch
break on a sandy beach on the Bog River — before
entering a windy and white-capped Lows Lake. The five
adrenline-laden paddlers paddled into the wind for
about 4 miles and we entered a calm and remote Grass
Pond. We were very fortunate to get campsite #32. It
is spacious, has a fireplace and a great view of the
Pond. We celebrated our good fortunes with seasame
noodles, salads, hamburgers, and much more. Cindy made
a delicious ginger bread with raisins. Paul brought
Teadly English Ale and Quebec cognac. After sitting
around a large campfire it was getting late and we
wanted to hear the sounds of the many loons from our
sleeping bags in warm tents. The loons simply did not
disappoint. The next day proved to be another sunny
day, but a slight breeze from the south picked up as
we were packing up. Heading south on Lows Lake the
wind shifted to the northwest and we were able to
utilize the wind and surf back to the Bog River. Take
out time was 2:30 p.m. We paddled leisurely back, for
we were in no rush to leave this beautiful place.
Talking with many campers we ascertained that campsite
Nos. 20, 21 and 22 were raided by bears. We also saw
an eagle perched on a dead tree on a marsh. We plan on
making this trip an annual event. Participants: Al
Peirce (from Massachusetts — left the Bay State at
2:15 a.m. to make the 6:30 a.m. Bruegger’s meeting
time), Paul and Cindy Plante, Paul and Ellen Martin

Thursday Evening Paddle, Hudson River, July 24, Paul
Martin, 5 participants
Launching our kayaks shortly after 6:15 into the
calm and warm waters of the Hudson River of Big Boom
Road, an ominous rain cloud hovered overhead. Paddlers
didn’t really mind if we were showered upon. It was a
humid evening. We leisurely paddled up the river with
Hudson Point being our destination. There were no
powerboats out on the river which made the paddling
experience peaceful. Jeff was trying out his brand-new
white Impex Kayak. It is a beautiful-looking craft.
All of us paddled up the dam and ferry glided with the
current to a rest stop on one of the sandy beaches of
Hudson Point. After a short time, we let the current
push us lazily back to the launch site. The sun was
setting below West Mountain as we paddled back. We all
stopped to view the orange-laden sky as the sun sank
below the mountain. We safely arrived back at the
put-in at 8:00 p.m. and chatted about how this was a
wonderful opportunity to get into the water during the
week. Jeff and I are planning to paddle on Tueday
evenings with the Albany chapter of the ADK.
Participants:Ellen Martin, Jeff Nadler, Judith
Halstead, Dave Naylor and me too!!

Lower/Upper Wolfjaws and Armstrong, July 26, Pat
Desbiens, 8 participants
The weather forecast for this day was overcast with
the possibility of thunderstorms in the late
afternoon, so we got an early start hoping to miss the
latter. All worked out well — no storms and we were
still afforded spectacular views from the summit of
Armstrong. We took the Wedge Brook Trail up to the col
between the two Jaws, took the short side trip to the
summit of Lower Wolf Jaw, then followed the ADK Range
Trail to Upper Wolf Jaw and continued the steep climb
(thanks for the new ladder) up to Armstrong. Returned
via the Beaver Meadow Falls Trail, taking the time to
pause and examine the large balanced rock; as well as,
enjoying the beauty of Beaver Meadow Falls. A most
enjoyable day with an equally enjoyable group of
people. Participants: Bijan Ahmadi, Cara Benson, Pat
Desbiens, Brian Giblin, Monique Jacobs, Pat McFee,
Shana Safai and Patrick Torosian

Raquette Lake Kayaking, July 27, Paul Martin, 8
participants
This was supposed to be a Raquette Lake to Blue
Mountain Lake paddle. While holding an informal
meeting at Dunkin’ Donuts the concensus was to
practice safety instead of going for distance. It is a
rainy windy day as we sit in Glens Falls and the
forcast calls for increased winds exceeding 40 knots
with thunderstorms. Paddlers were interested to get on
the water and that’s exactly what happened at 10 a.m.
We put-in at the bridge by the south outlet and
paddled southeast toward Golden Beach in gusty winds
and waves crashing at our beams portside. While taking
a respite at the beach some paddlers claimed that they
could smell the chicken BBQ cooking at St. Williams
church on Long Point.T hat was our original intent to
attend this scrumptious event. We believe that the BBQ
was perhaps cancelled due to poor weather and lack of
anybody being on the water today — except for us, of
course. The only way to get to St. Williams is by
boat. The eight hardy paddlers then paddled across the
windswept lake to the bridge and a 2.5 mile paddle
down the outlet. We were protected from the wind but
got rained on a little bit. All of us had rain gear so
we were safe, warm and dry. We reached the end of the
outlet at the waterfall and decided to “ride” the
current back to the bridge for a sandy beach for
lunch. After a great lunch and some humorous
chit-chat, we all decided to do some shopping at
Mountain Man in Inlet. Purchases were made and
coffee/tea was had at Koffee Korner in the village of
Inlet. A very good and delightful day on this gray
rainy day. The group was great and eager to
participate in spite of the weather conditions. I
really enjoyed this group of hardy paddlers who are
really “into it.” Participants: Jeff Nadler, Bruce
Teague, Bob Moore, Kathy McCabe, Priscilla Smith, Dave
Naylor, Ellen Martin, Paul Martin

Wakely Mountain, July 27, Jack Whitney, 8 participants
Five enthusiastic hikers met at the Exit 19
Bruegger’s Bagel parking lot despite an overcast day.
The journey northward took us up through Indian Lake
and some of the finest scenery in the North Country.
Arriving at the trailhead near Wakely Dam, we started
our journey in a very light rain which soon tapered
off allowing us to shed our raingear. After a short
side trip to the beaver pond we arrived at the summit
and were greeted with high gusty winds and rapidly
moving clouds. We were able to enjoy lunch on the
porch of the cabin on the summit and then were
surprised when 3 other hikers who had signed up for
the trip but had been delayed in arriving at the
trailhead joined us. We were all fascinated by a
carved-in design on a tree along the trail and then
again in a board at the cabin stating “May all beings
be free of suffering.” On the journey Allison and
Sarah found a huge boulder perfect for climbing and
picture taking. Participants: Pat Desbiens, Randy
Glenn, Barbara Glenn, Stan Lockwood, Jack Whitney,
David Zdunczyk, Sarah Zdunczyk and Allison Zdunczyk

Raquette Lake to Blue Mountain Lake Kayaking, July 29,
Paul Martin, 5 participants
Three members of our chapter met two St. Laurentian
ADK members at Blue Mountain Lake canoe access site at
9:00 a.m. We decided to leave one car at BML, and the
rest of us drove to the south inlet at the bridge on
Raquette Lake to launch from. It is a beautiful sunny
day. The slight breeze is causing small ripples on the
lake — a lot different from Sunday’s whitecaps. In no
time, we leisurely but consistently paddled to Big
Island and round Long Point to get on the Marion
River. We took a short respite to view the wonderful
St. William Church which one can access only by boat.
We had a debate on the architecture of this church —
most agreed that it had Scandinavian design. We
paddled the meandering Marion and decided to portage
our boats and then eat on the Utowana side. After
lunch and good conversation, the wind assisted our
kayaks down Utowana to Eagle Lake. We paddled under
the Thomas Durant bridge into Blue Mountain Lake
taking out at 3 p.m. The five paddlers were set for
our return home by 4p.m. A great relaxing 14 miles of
paddling — and a portage — on wonderful bodies of
water. I plan to do this trip again in September or
October. Participants: Glens Falls Chapter: Sheri
Shevy, Ted Firth, Paul Martin. St.Lawerence Chapter:
Richard Mooers, Ken Coskarn. Kayaks: Current Design
Caribou, Dagger Meridian SK, Necky Looksha IV, Boreal
Ellesmere

Spier Falls, Sherman Island Dams Kayaking, July 31,
Paul Martin, 8 participants
It is a gorgeous night for paddling. Eight eager
paddlers set off for Sherman Island Dam shortly after
6:30 p.m. The water is calm without a ripple in it and
there is no wind. We circled an island on our way to
Sherman Island. This paddle was mostly to get on the
water and stay in paddling shape. Jean drove all the
way down here from Johnstown, and Jeff and Thomas
drove up the Northway from around the Burnt Hills
area. We leisurely paddled up to Spier Falls against
the current which surprisingly wasn’t too bad. We made
it all the way up to the foot of the dam and chatted
for a while. We rode the slight current back to the
put-in as dusk approached this pretty area with rocky
hills surrounding both sides of the river. There is no
development on this stretch of the Hudson either. A
paddler can really get a sense of serenity kayaking
here. Participants: Jean Leguere, Thomas Esmond, Bob
Mindor, Mike Chase, Judy Halstead, Jeff Nadier, Ellen
Martin and Paul Martin

August 2003

Northville-Placid Trail Backpack, Wakely Dam to
Piseco, August 1-3, Jan Carlson and Jim Schneider, 11
participants
Friday morning was uglier than ugly, but the rain
really did not affect our car-spotting gymnastics.
With the transportation riddle solved we set out from
Wakely Dam headed for our first camp at Cedar Lake. It
really wasn’t too bad with only a few sprinkles. What
a beautiful place to camp! We had dinner, a campfire,
and lots of laughs. Saturday was a hot day for our
trek through the West Canada Wilderness Area. We were
glad to finally reach Spruce Lake. At the northernmost
leanto we were “greeted” by a man who told us to get
out of the area and that we were not camping anywhere
near him. He backed up his directive by strapping on a
gun belt with holstered pistol. It is unfortunate that
we must at times share the woods with ignorant, rude
individuals. He was wished a pleasant stay at Spruce
Lake and we went on to another available leanto on the
lake. It was a wonderful camp. We swam, ate, laughed
and enjoyed the loons, owls and other nocturnal
creatures. Sunday’s hike brought us to trail’s end too
quickly and the end of a wonderful weekend with some
wonderful people. We’re already looking forward to
next year’s trip. Participants: Jack Whitney, Sheila
Joly, Suzanne Conoby, Bill Bechtel, Karen Bechtel, Pat
Desbiens, Reg Prouty, Al Fertel, Jan Carlson, Andy
Schneider, Jim Schneider

Stillwater Reservoir Kayaking, August 2, Paul Martin,
8 participants
The clouds dispersed and the sunshine broke out as
paddlers got on this beautiful body of water shortly
before 11 a.m. We paddled east along the north shore
for about 4 miles into Burnt Lake. We consulted our
maps and found the opening of Trout Pond. Paddling
along the wooden edges of this magical place brought
us to a lean-to for lunch at the beginning of the
Salmon Pond (1mile) trailhead. Paddling out of this
place, the gang decided to continue paddling east. We
crossed the water to the south shore and explored the
many islands found there. Stillwater also has
absolutely great campsites and we “scouted” out some
of them for future trips. We had a 6-mile paddle back
to the put-in and it was getting late in the day. The
wind was a nonfactor today. Most of us decided to come
back here someday and paddle at the southwest corner
of this big body of water. I saw a Great Blue Heron
behind one of the many islands. Paul and Cynthia
demonstrated their rescue techniques to us from a
workshop they attended in Plattsburg the previous
week. Paul did the “cowboy” —holy cow, you should see
that!! It was a great group of strong paddlers.
Distance covered: 14 miles and we didn’t paddle the
whole body of water. Participating Pirates: Dick
Daniels (paddled even with car trouble), Pete LoSacco,
Cathy McCabe, Paul and Cynthia Plante (the t-rescue),
Ellen Martin, David Naylor, Paul Martin

Kayaking Raquette River, August 10, Paul Martin, 9
participants
On this trip we put-in at the boat launch on Route 3
a few miles past the village of Tupper Lake. After a
few miles, the participants could feel the current,
however the kayakers perservered, and after 6 miles of
paddling we made it to Axon Landing for lunch. We
decided to change plans as the group was getting
tired. We paddled south for about 1 mile and paddled
up Stoney Creek pond for about 2 more miles. We didn’t
stay long at this remote pond because a thunderstorm
was quickly approaching. We paddled quickly with the
help of a current riding us down the channel. As the
rain approached, we got to a lean-to about 100 yards
from the intersection of Stoney Creek and the Raquette
River. After a respite for sore muscles and rain the
group decided to head back up to the Route 3 put-in
... it was getting late and 7 miles needed to be
covered. It was great paddling with the current behind
us. Both were great paddling companions, strong
paddlers, and had a great sense of humor. A great
group that perservered a long meandering river that
never seemed to stop. Participants: Paul and Cynthia
Plante, Nancy Finley, Judith Halstead, Dave Naylor,
Ray Boucher, Kathy Colarusso (St. Lawerence chapter),
Alan Zelinski (St. Lawerence chapter), Paul Martin

Lyon, Poke-O-Moonshine and Belfry Mountains, August
10, Jack Whitney, 5 participants
Five of us traveled north under cloudy skies. We
arrived at the Lyon Mountain trailhead some 2 1/2
hours later. Our journey began, and halfway up the
mountain we encountered a light rain. When we reached
the summit, we were in the clouds. So down the trail
and onto the next mountain. We stopped for lunch at a
small store and one member of our party found out what
was behind door #3. On to Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain.
Hiking up, we stopped at the 11 numbered sign posts.
With the brochure that was available at the trailhead,
we learned many things and also learned the
thimbleberry may look like a raspberry but it
definitely does not taste like one! At the summit, the
views were great and the sun was shining. With a wave
to the east, we headed down the trail. Thanks for the
navigation skills of Barbara, we finally reached our
third and final mountain of the day. Participants:
Rennie Clark, Pat Desbiens, Barbara Glenn, Randy Glenn
and Jack Whitney

Hadley Mountain, August 12, Neal Andrews, 10
participants
After a week of non-stop rainy days the full moon
hike to Hadley was rain free. The group met at the
trailhead under a dark and threatening sky. Loud claps
of thunder were constant. The group continued upward
and once reaching the ridge watched a tremendous
sunset on the horizon as the thunder still roared
overhead. The group continued to watch the sunset from
the summit but as the lightning started we retreated
to the porch of the observer cabin. The clouds were
not going to let the moon show through, so the group
started down in the dark. We were back to the cars
around 9:30. Participants: Pat Desbiens, Jack Whitney,
Nancy Finley, Val Hoebel, Bill Glendening, Patti
Schwankert and the 3 Latvians, Ingus, Imants and
Juris

Raquette Lake to Blue Mountain Lake Kayaking, August
17, Paul Martin, 13 participants
Bob Moore, a paddler from Long Island, left his van
at Blue Mountain Lake. He was then schuttled to
Raquette Lake where the rest of the pirate paddlers
prepared to put-in at the bridge at the south inlet.
The water on Raquette was calm on an overcast day
where the clouds were going to burn off and give us an
abundance of sunshine. The group decided to paddle
around Big Island, and then we headed for Long Point.
Rounding Long Point, we paddled into St. Hubert’s Bay
and we decided to stop at the restored St. Williams
Church. This Catholic church with a Scandinavian
design can only be accessed via boat. Visitors are
welcome to tour this beautiful church. We needed the
calories in order to portage 13 kayaks into Utawana
Lake. The group was cooperative and we actually had
little difficulty on the portage. The sun was shining
brightly with a gentle breeze blowing in our faces as
we paddled down Utawana and Eagles Lakes. Blue
Mountain rose in front of us majestically. Once out on
the lake, we took a northwest approach and paddled to
Long Island. Many of us could see the beach and the
take-out from the island so we decided to paddle
straight to the beach. We landed safely at 4:20 p.m.
and took the “Bob Moore’s Schuttle Van” back to
Raquette Lake to pick up our vehicles. Participants:
Paul and Cynthia Plante, Dave Naylor,  Bob Moore,
Nancy Finley, Bob Minder, Justin Minder, Phil and
Bonnie Seward, Jodi Plante, Paul Martin, Thomas
Esmond,Dick Daniels

Hurricane Mtn. & Big Crow, Aug 17, Pat Desbiens, 9 Participants
After a little confusion as to which parking lot we were in and inadvertently taking the wrong trail, after about 3/4 mile we came upon the trail junction which led some a short jaunt up to Big Crow.  The group decided since we were so close to go to the summit and take in the great views from there.  By the time they returned to the junction, the trip leader, after consulting her map, had figured out what was wrong with this picture, turned everyone around, headed back down, found the right parking lot and the right trailhead - then proceeded to start the journey up to Hurricane. We had decided to take the North Trail up and return to Rt. 9N.  Stopping at the lean-to for a short break, we then pushed on to the summit where the skies looked threatening but the rains miraculously avoided us.  Everyone enjoyed the great 360 degree views f> rom this mountain and two of the newer hikers were particularly impressed watching a small airplane as it flew by far below. Participants: Ray Boucher, Pat Desbiens, Diana Edelman,Terry Krawetz, Michael Mogavaro, Paul Novak, Reg Prouty, Charlotte Smith and Jack Whitney.

Cranberry Lake Kayaking/Camping, August 23-24, Paul
Martin, 14 participants
Fourteen eager paddlers crammed equipment into kayak
hatches and were set to paddle by 10:30 a.m. on a
sunny but windy Saturday morning. We paddled east
along the winding Oswegatchie River for about 2 miles.
From there, the waterway opened up and to the south of
us Dead Flow Creek. The kayakers continued in an
easterly direction in search of Joe Indian Island. We
were pretty much protected from the winds that were
increasing from the northwest since we paddled behind
islands en route to Joe Indian. Paul and Cynthia
Plante secured a campsite for us on Friday evening
(their anniversary by the way!). Paul signaled us from
Joe Indian and paddlers landed on this large island
eager to set-up camp. Our area was very large and
seven tents were scattered throughout the southwest
section of the island. We paddled down to South Bay
and visited Chair Rock. It was getting dark so we
headed northwest back to Joe Indian. Paul got a large
campfire going and all participants enjoyed roasting
marshmallows. Forecast had the temps dropping to the
high 40s. The next morning after some breakfast,
campers took down tents and packed kayaks for the trip
to Dead Flow Creek and home. I was impressed how
efficient everyone was especially since we were such a
large group. This was Sheri’s, Jeff’s, Cathy and
Priscilla’s first time kayak camping. All were on the
water shortly before 10 a.m. Dead Flow Creek is worth
the paddle. It contains many nooks and crannies to go
along with islands to be explored. Their is no
development on this section to the lake. We paddled
down to the end of the “flow” at Janacks Landing and
had lunch at the lean-to. Some of us decided to do a
short hike up the Cat Mountain trail. After
nourishment and conversation, we launched our boats
and paddled leisurely up the “flow” and connected to
the Oswagatchie River again to the put-in. Paddlers
had kayaks secured and equipment in cars by 4:20 p.m.
On the last day we covered a little more than 11
miles. It seemed like everyone was an experienced
kayak camper since things ran so smoothly. Thanks to
all for such a great and memorable time. Participants:
Debbie Zwitter and Umberto Garafano from Burlington,
Vt.; Dick Noonan, Al and Joan Zelinski from the St.
Lawerence chapter; Paul and Cynthia Plante; Priscilla
Smith; Cathy McCabe; Sheri and Laura Shevy; Jeff
Nadler; Paul and Ellen Martin

St. Regis and Azure Mountains, Aug 24, Jack Whitney, 5 Participants
Clear blue skies and the call of a loon flying overhead greeted us as we started the climb to the summit of St.Regis. Reaching the top, we were informed by the summit steward that if we were quiet, we could see a fox. We were treated to some great views and a red fox running around at the summit. We watched the fox catch some grasshoppers and eat some blueberries but he was getting very close as was expecting a handout. The previous hikers apparently had been feeding the fox. we said our goodbyes to the fox and headed down the mountain and onto the next one. About 15 miles down the road we arrived at a trailhead of Azure Mt. Molly B.informed us that Azure is French for blue. Hiking about one mile to the restored fire tower summit we were surprised at the great views. Stopping at the Tail of the Pup", we were treated to live music and had a great dinner. Participants: Pat Desbiens, Randy Glenn, Molly B.Noonan, Bonnie Powers and Jack Whitney.

Glen Lake Thursday Paddle, August 28, Paul Martin, 6
participants
Launch time was shortly after 6 p.m. at the
Docksider Restaurant. It is a perfect night to paddle.
We paddled east on the lake to look at the Osprey nest
on Osprey Point. The nest and the branch that held it
were destroyed. Paddlers also got the chance to view
the dredging taking place at the east end of the lake.
Upon our return across the lake the sun was setting
behind the mountains creating a brilliant orange sky.
We made it to the end of the lake and paddled under
the bike trail bridge as it was getting dark. It is
just about impossible to paddle down the gulley of
Glen Lake; It is too weedy and the flora is extremely
dense. We paddled this evening just under two hours.
Paddlers took out in the dark. Participants: Thomas
and Kathy Esmond, Lisa Johnson, Nancy Finley, Paul and
Ellen Martin

Santanoni Slide, August 30-31, Neal Andrews, 3
participants
The rain on Friday night passed, leaving ruts in the
road from the volume of water that fell. The slide was
visible from Moose Pond on Saturday but it was in the
clouds. We set up camp at Ermine Brook, then we walked
to Callahan Brook to pass the afternoon. Too bad it
wasn’t warm enough to use the nice swimming hole
there. Early rise on Sunday morning to perfectly clear
skies, and warmer temps. It took us 5 hours to do the
slide; The slide is easily found. The walk out of 8
miles then had us to the car just after 5 p.m. It was
agreed that it was best to do the trip in two days.
Participants: Neal Andrews, Bernie Shaw and Peter
Valastro

Middle Saranac Lake Kayaking, August 31, Paul Martin,
10 participants
Ten eager paddlers launched from the busy South
Creek canoe acces on Route 3 at 10:15 am. We paddled
down the narrow and meandering South Creek for .5
miles before entering Middle Saranac Lake. Once the
group was all assembled, we decided to paddle straight
in a northernly direction to Weller Pond. We saw and
heard the cry of loons on Weller and at noon decided
to take a lunch break at a beach on this large pond.
Our goal from the launch site of lunch was to paddle
across Middle Saranac in an easterly direction through
the islands and into the Saranac River. The river
twisted and turned and after paddling 2.5 miles we
were allowed into the lock. The Lock Keepers lowered
the water and eventually we were on our merry way.
Paddling another mile or so lead us out to Lower
Saranac Lake. Our destination was Martin Island. There
was no landing spot on Martin so we crossed the lake
and found a beautiful beach to rest and chat on. The
sun was shinning brightly during the afternoon making
it pleasant and not chilly like the morning paddle.
Eventually we left this little haven for it was
getting late and headed back to Middle Saranac and
South Creek. Leisurely we paddled through the river
out onto the windswept lake. We paddled at a 45-degree
angle at 5:00 p.m. back to the launch area where we
began earlier in the day. Some paddlers were getting
weary from the long paddle (estimate: 18 miles). Once
safely across the lake and into the creek we took our
kayaks out at about 6 p.m. Participants: Priscilla
Smith, Dave Naylor, Lisa Johnson, Nancy Finley,
Gretchen Gredoiz, Sheri Shevy, Ken Coskarn, Jeff
Nadler, Paul Martin, Ellen Martin

September 2003

MacIntyre Range Hike, Marshall/Tabletop, September 6,
Stephen Barlow, 3 participants
We ended up doing something a little different than
planned. Sue Holf-Haynes needed Marshall and Table Top
to finish her 46 and Peter Valastro (our third member)
was willing to go along. We encountered one person who
had been visited by a bear the night before and had
lost all his food. We shared enough to get him out to
the lodge to get resupplied. We encountered several
people on top of Marshall. It seemed like Grand
Central Station. The views were fantastic! We pushed
on from there to the chutes and ladders trail
(Avalanche Pass) and on up to Indian Falls. We stopped
in below the falls to get a good view of it from there
before going on. There aren’t too many views from the
top of Table Top, but the champagne brightened things
up and took away some of the aches. This was Sue’s
first trip out with headlamps. It turned out to be a
great day all around! Participants: Steve Barlow, Sue
Holf-Haynes and Peter Valastro

Peaked Rock Trail, September 6, Russ Guard, 26
participants
Let's see ... “Sept 9, 2002, we rode around perimeter
of the new Battenkill State Forest” ... 362 days later
the first scheduled hike ... Way to go ADK! It came
with a perfect day. At the trailhead we were treated
to brief talks by Skidmore Professor of Geology
Johnson, Columbia Research Forester Pederson and noted
human historian and author Wilson. DEC Forest Ranger
Bodnar, a prime force in the trails creation, added
his wry humor to the mix. As we climbed in three
separate groups, our experts continued their comments
on our surroundings. Perfect trail conditions would
lead one to think it had been in hard use for many
years rather than 3 brief months. A tour and technical
explanation of the “Indian Ovens” was followed by a
leisurely lunch on the peak. The natural wonders of
Eldridge Swamp, visible to the south were explained
from both the biological and geological standpoints.
The many “first timers” were already planning their
next visit and those that worked to bring it about
were pleased with the outcome. All left with a better
understanding of the uniqueness of the area and the
trail. Participants: Mike Bodnar, Kathy Boyd, Lisa
Bozzulo, Larry Cagle, Joan Foster, Jack Freeman, Allen
Freeman, Ann Fluman, Russ Guard, Robin Hackett, Tillie
Helms, David Hunt, Abby Imhoff, Tina Imhoff, Ken
Johnson, Barb Mackey, Mary Miner, Don Otey, Mary Ann
Short, Howard Stoner, Margaret Stoner, Ben Thomas,
Richard Wilson, Kim Wood, Bill Woodard and me,
unsigned mystery guest

Spruce Mountain, September 6, Jack Whitney,
16 participants
Sixteen enthusiastic hikers climbed this mountain on
this warm and sunny Saturday afternoon. Our split
group had great conversations on our journey to the
summit. Reaching the top, we took a break, took some
pictures and then set a leisurely pace back to our
cars allowing time for the discovery of old stone
walls and the beautiful forest around us.
Participants: Rich Crammond, Pat Desbiens, Sara
Fasoldt, Mike Leger, Denise Liguori, Marvel MacDonald,
Susan Montague, Bonnie Powers, Lexie Riley, Shelly
Riley, Mary Sanders Shartle, April VanHeusen, Eric
VanHeusen, Katie VanHeusen, Donna Westcott and Jack
Whitney

Gull and Spectacle Ponds, September 6, Reg Prouty,
8 participants
We had a beautiful warm, sunny late summer day to
make our way to these pretty little ponds. We did
Spectacle first so we could save the easier, but more
scenic, Gull and its overlook for last. All  involved
decided to go for the optional overlook which involved
a quick travel around the other side of the pond to an
overlook which gave great panoramic previews of the
Great Range in the High Peaks. The afternoon ended
with 8 people gathered in my camp for make-your-own
ice cream sundaes. Participants: Taryn Breen, Virginia
Carluccio, Anna Maria Grom, K. Walter Grom, Tony
Martin, Reg Prouty, Allen Turula and Jean Wood
 
Lower Saranac Lake to Lake Flower, September 7, Paul
Martin, 11 participants
Put-in time was at 10:30 a.m. from Ampersand Bay.
Paddlers headed south to Eagle Island. We decided to
paddle between the many islands that the Lower
Saranacs offer. A slight breeze was blowing at us. As
we circled Bluff Island to paddle into Fist Pond, a
group of paddlers from the Adirondack Canoe Classic
were entering the pond also. We didn’t want to
interfere with the racers so the ADK’ers found an
island to have lunch on. After lunch we headed east
into the pond area ... we meandered down the ponds for
5 miles or so and 11 kayaks entered the lock. Once
free and paddling once again it took a short time to
paddle out to Oseetah Lake. Spectacular!! is the only
way to describe this lake. The lake is surrounded by
mountains (Ampersand, McKenzie, etc). Paddlers stayed
within the bouy markers and paddled up Oseetah to Lake
Flower. Once we ended the trip the Adirondack Canoe
Classic festivities were well underway. The 11-mile
trip distance didn’t bother any of these pirate
paddlers. A great time, wonderful paddlers and very
good and fun company. Participants: Dick Noonan, Cathy
McCabe, Priscilla Smith, Ray Boucher, Nancy Finley,
Paul and Cynthia Plante, Jeff Nadler, Dave Naylor,
Paul and Ellen Martin

Mount Adams, September 7, Ron Lester, 14 participants
On this pleasant day, we easily found and followed
the herd path that leads to the old trail up the
mountain. This firetower has apparently had quite a
few visitors this year. The old trail is in good
condition, which made for a nice hike. One of our
members took an awkward fall and sustained a broken
wrist. Pat Desbiens quickly produced a made-to-order
splint from the bottom of her pack. That along with a
triangle bandage and duct tape, was just what the
trail doctor ordered. Many thanks to Jack Whitney and
Pat Desbiens for assuming leadership of the hike, as
the leader and two others accompanied our fallen
companion back to the trail head. Congratulations to
Bill Leitch who completed the Firetower Challenge with
this climb!

Hudson River Paddle, September 11, Paul Martin,
4 participants
We launched our kayaks from above the Feeder Canal.
The water was extremely low and paddlers needed to
dodge the numerous logs and stones sticking up from
the water. We were fascinated for we paddled here
frequently and couldn’t believe what the river and its
banks looked like in such low-water conditions. We
managed to paddle up to the Northway Bridge and wanted
to continue up to Hudson Point. We decided to paddle
back since it was getting dark and it was difficult
enough dodging obstacles in the water at daylight. We
did use headlamps on the return. Many beavers greeted
us by noisely splashing the water numerous times. We
also got to see a Great Blue Heron on the return. We
arrived back at the put-in and it was dark.
Participants: Dave Naylor, Jeff Nadler, Ray Orton,
Paul Martin

Cliff and Redfield, September 13, Matt Clark, 4
participants
Getting some exercise and communing with the forest
took precedence over sitting on the summits and
enjoying the views as this Saturday was a grim one
with both tops fairly socked in.  Although it was a
bit misty, rain was not a problem; however all
participants could have done with a little less
blowdown. We hiked Redfield first making Cliff seem
like a walk in the park as most of the blowdown there
has been hacked, chopped, sawn and tromped
sufficiently to create a reasonable path. Not so with
Redfield which, at this time, has the worst herd path
of the “trailless” peaks. There was no grumbling,
though, as this group was both strong and
enthusiastic. We had a good time! Participants:  Matt
Clark, Rich Dabal, Anita Gabalski, Phyllis Manziano
 
Goodnow Mountain, September 13, Reg Prouty, 8
participants
We arrived at the trailhead west of Newcomb to find
only a single car in the parking area so we had the
very well-maintained and wide trail to ourselves as we
leisurely made our way up to the tower, stopping
occasionally to point out the flora and other points
of interest such as the well and old barn on the
approach. While having lunch, some decided to improve
the view and get some pictures from the 70-foot tower.
Many people and two of the largest dogs I’d ever seen
in my life arrived as we relaxed after lunch.
Participants: Tom Howard, Kori McCall, Anna Medici,
Reg Prouty, Mary Shartle, Ron Urich, Jeremiah Victor,
Sandy Yellen

Kayaking Lake George, September 14, Paul Martin,
6 participants
Paddlers set off at Huddle Beach in Bolton Landing
on an overcast but windless day. We headed for Dome
Island. After paddling around it we decided to paddle
across the lake to Log Bay and Shelving Rock. Not only
is the water calm today, but there are few power boats
on the lake. The surrounding mountains are shrouded in
low clouds, though some peaks are visible. The six of
us paddled up to Phantom Island for lunch. It started
to rain lightly but didn’t last long. Getting back
into our boats we conversed and met two other
paddlers. The rest of the crew hiked around Black
Mountain Point. The group decided to cross the lake
and paddle along the Tongue Mountain Range. The wind
picked up a bit here but not enough to hinder our
paddling. Ray paddled hard and his perserverance is
commendable. We all thought that the lake would be
wavey at Tongue Mountain Point. We were pleasantly
incorrect: The wind died and the Point was calm.
Paddlers paddled across Northwest Bay to Green Island.
The sun was breaking out and we decided to take out at
the beach in Bolton Landing. Although tired from
covering 16 miles or more, the day proved great fun
and paddlers didn’t want it to end. An enjoyable
paddle with simply a great group of paddlers.
Participants: Bob Moore, Ellen Martin, Nancy Finley,
Ray Boucher, Dave Naylor, Paul Martin

Woodhull Mountain Bike and Hike, September 14, Jack
Whitney, 6 participants
We reached the trailhead after a two-and-a-half-hour
drive. We were off on our bikes for the 5+ miles ride
along a hard-packed rail bed to the beginning of the
hiking trail up Woodhull Mountain.  An adventurous
group of mountain bikers we were. Within a half mile
we passed four bear hunters on the trail. After
leaving our bikes just across the brook, we continued
on foot for 2+ miles to the firetower on the summit
where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch and great views
from the fire tower. Then back to the bikes and return
to our cars. On the way home, a side trip to the Old
Forge Hardware Store was enjoyed by all. Participants:
Pat Desbiens, Patti Schwankert, Sheri Shevy, Jean
Wood, Daniel Zaclanszny and Jack Whitney

Donaldson, Emmons, Seward and Seymour, September 21,
Matt Clark, 4 participants
Even though two of these peaks are nestled in trees
and have no views from their summits, we had a great
day for panoramic vistas including some very nice
opportunities to see Long Lake. Other than finding our
way among a maze of herd paths traveling up Seward
from Donaldson we had little trouble navigating as
these most remote peaks are quite well frequented. The
Calkins Brook path has been unofficially maintained,
and the trail from Donaldson to Emmons is very clear.
Unfortunately, the path up Seymour is very badly
eroded and has continued to worsen over the years, and
the heavy blowdown on the summit has created a vast
number of intertwining herd paths. The Seymour summit
sign is finally in place once again. This time it has
been located nearly 15 feet in the air to prevent the
individual or individuals from tearing it down. It is
sad to note that some people feel that their
environmental outlook is the only acceptable one and
must break the law to force their views on others. On
a brighter note, this was a wonderful hike including
some far better-than-average weather. With Seymour
being the toughest climb and it being the last of the
four,  three of us were a little tired on the ascent. 
Patrick, however, found his second wind sooner than
the rest of us and was nearly able to skip along while
we trudged.  Yet we all rebounded and made excellent
time back to the parking lot avoiding the need for the
headlights with which we started the day.
Participants: Matt Clark, Rich Dabal,  Anita Gabalski,
Patrick Torosian

Kayaking Lake George, September 21, Paul Martin,
11 participants
We set off from the Hague town beach shortly after
9:30 on a gorgeous windless morning. Paddlers crossed
the lake in an easterly direction to Gull Bay on the
other side of the lake. After crossing most of the
lake, Anthony’s Nose in the calm water and the warm
sun looked inviting so we turned our bows north and
headed for the Nose. A slight breeze picked up as we
rounded Anthony’s and paddled to Flat Rock. From there
we paddled across the lake to Rogers Rock campground.
The beach was nearly deserted. Dave, Priscilla, Jeff
and Bob decided that a swim was in order on this last
day of summer. After lunch we packed up and headed to
Rogers Rock to see if anyone was climbing. We really
hated leaving the beach but we recieved a treat when
we watched three climbers in the middle of Rogers
Rock. The wind shifted around 2 p.m. and blew from the
NE. Paddlers rode the wind and waves into Forest Bay.
Power boat traffic increased the size of the waves so
many of us got the chance to surf the “big-ones.”
After rounding the bay, we paddled in safe conditions
and stopped at one of the islands in the Harbor Island
chain. It was a short paddle through the islands back
to the put-in in Hague at 4:30 p.m. We were delighted
to paddle this big body of water in relative peace and
quiet. A great group of paddlers. Participants: Bob
Minder, Ray Boucher, Nancy Finley, Kathy Allen, Tom
Esmond, Paul and Cynthia Plante, Jeff Nadler, Dave
Naylor, Sista “P,” and Capt. Dangerous
 
Northville-Placid Trail, Piseco to Whitehouse,
September 21, Jack Whitney, 5 participants
We hiked south from Piseco airport under cloudy
skies. Thirty minutes of walking the road, we reached
the trail register just after crossing Route 8. Thanks
to Jean, we learned to identify many species of plants
such as the wood sorrel, Indian cucumber and gold
thread. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch at the Hamilton
Lake Stream lean-to. Our journey continued south till
we reached the trail register at Whitehouse. We took a
side trip to see the fireplace by the west branch of
the Sacandaga. This is all that is remaining of the
Whitehouse. A great day with great people!
Participants: Karen Bechtel, William Bechtel, Pat
Desbiens, Jack Whitney and Jean Wood

Lower Wolf Jaw via Bennies Brook Slide, September 21,
Mike McLean, 6 participants
A beautiful day to explore a different way to Lower
Wolf Jaw. Leave the garden with six hikers at 7 a.m.,
cross over to the South Side Trail, find Bennies Brook
and an easy route is discovered to the base of the
slide, and then up we go. Bennies Brook has an
extensive slide that gets a bit steeper as you climb,
but the footing is excellent the entire way. Enjoy
views looking back at Big Slide and the early fall
colors, and then into the woods at the top of the
slide for fewer than ten minutes before we pop out on
the trail. Enjoy extensive views and good conversation
on Lower Wolf Jaw summit, Upper Wolf Jaw and Armstrong
are also thrown in for a hiker or three. A most
excellent trip. Participants: Mike Dashnaw, Cindy
Hammecker, Judy Hemrich, Mike McLean, John Schroeder
and Peter Valastro
 
Pharaoh Mountain, September 21, Reg Prouty,
10 participants
The spirit of the Pharaoh was with us as a lively
group of 10 hikers arrived atop the first overlook
where we pointed out the various peaks and ponds
visible on a clear day from this previously towered
mountain. We all kept an eye out for litter and debris
as I had received an e-mail about unsightly  metallic
waste “sticking out of the ground.” After scouring all
four summits we finally saw the material which was an
old rusted-through paint can with some green paint
obviously left near a camping area between the summits
from the days when the ranger cabin and fire tower
were still there. I filled it with a few plastic meal
pouches and some other metal and glass pieces someone
had tried to bury but couldn’t do completely. I think
the spirit was smiling upon us as the mountain is
returned to being clean again. Participants: Rob
Furlong, Tom Howard, Kori McCall, Anna Medici, Reg
Prouty, Mary Shartle, Heidi teRiele, Ron Urich,
Jeremiah Victor and Don Vrooman

Denton Sanctuary, Lock 5 Hike, September 27, Rich
Crammond, 6 participants
We had a nice two-loop hike at Denton and then went
over to the Battenkill Gorge instead of Lock 5. It was
more interesting looking at the falls of raging water.
Highlights of this hike were walking on the old
trolley trail and some cookies at the overlook. I’m
glad I spent some time with these five fellow hikers,
good people for sure. Great outing. Participants: Rich
Crammond, Cindy Loman, Jim Loman, Joe Nial and Clare
Thomenius and Kai Thomenius

Mount Mansfield (Vermont), September 27, Pat Desbiens,
8 participants
Weather-wise the day was not what this trip leader
had hoped for but the trip went on as planned. We
began our trip in Smuggler’s Notch and ended at the
Lake Mansfield Trout Club, 11.5 miles later. I was
hoping for bright sunny skies to best enjoy the
foliage from Vermont’s highest peak. The day was gray
and overcast and we all got soaking wet from the
clouds which we were hiking in for most of the day —
no foliage to be seen; however, the thrill of the day
came when we summited encountering what were estimated
to be about 55-knot winds. All the participants were
determined and were successful in staggering or
crawling their way to the summit benchmark and then it
was head for cover. Thankfully, the winds were
manageable as we made our way across the ridge. After
a short lunch break at the summit station, it was off
for the thrilling descent off the forehead. Thank you,
Mike, for your help in assisting some of us over a
couple of difficult spots. The sun finally did break
through about 30 minutes before the end of the trip
but stayed out long enough to get a quick glimpse of
the beautiful fall colors against some spectacular
cliffs in Nebraska Notch. Participants: Kevin Cox, Pat
Desbiens, Mike Fuller, Susan Hoff-Haynes, Janet Jones,
Rich Speidel, Jack Whitney and Jean Wood

Avalanche Pass, September 27, Reg Prouty, 11
participants
What a surprise we had as we were turned away at
Heart Lake as the parking areas were all filled for
the popular fall hiking season in the High Peaks
region. In 10 years of visiting this area, I have
never seen so many cars and hikers. We were lucky the
fire truck road to Marcy Dam was open for parking. We
went about half way to the barrier and found a good
hunters’ pull off big enough for two cars. This added
about two-and-a-half miles to the 8.8 mile hike but it
was mostly flat into the Dam and I had never been in
this way before. What a beautiful cross country ski
trail this would make. We arrive at the pass and Lake
about 1:20, had lunch, and some of the group elected
to go back early while 5 of us continued down across
“Hitch up Matilda Bridges” to the South end of
Avalanche Lake where some participants helped carry
out someone else’s debris left at the South end. We
made it back to the cars in time for 5 of us to share
an Italian or seafood meal at DeCeaser’s in Schroon
Lake. Thanks, Stan, for taking half of the group back
while the rest of us hiked the optional rock-hopping
part to the south end. By the way, congratulations and
good luck to the newlyweds who basically were still on
their honeymoon as it has only been two weeks since
they took the big step. Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Donald
Taber who I’m sure we’ll see more of on our outings.
Participants: Rob Furlong, Larry Hinkle, Vernon
Hinkle, Stan Krzysik, Susan Montague, Michelle Milot,
Bonnie Powers, Reg Prouty, Mary Shartle, Brenda
(Brock)Taber, Don Taber 

Allen, September 28, John Schroeder, 9 participants
Nine brave souls showed up at the Allen trailhead
despite the gloomy weather forecast and hard rain
encountered on the drive up. Fortunately, the rain
eased considerably about an hour and a half after
departing from the trailhead, and the temperature was
warmer than predicted. The trail was wet, but still
firm underfoot for the most part. The real challenge
for the day was negotiating the swollen streams, four
of them to be exact. Beginning with Lower Twin Brook,
each crossing became progressively more difficult. At
Skylight Brook, the only way to cross was to straddle
a large (and somewhat rotten) log, and shimmy across
the 20-foot long span while the water churned beneath.
Two of the more sensible hikers in our group decided
to turn back at this point, vowing that they would
return under fairer skies.  The rest of the group
decided to continue, but we needed a guinea pig to
cross first. It didn’t take much coaxing to convince
Brian that he was our man. After a brief safety talk
about foot entrapment, unbuckling waist belts and
sternum straps, etc., we made our way across the log
without incident.  Our stay on the Allen summit was
brief due to a noticeable drop in temperature above
4,000 feet. We made better time on our hike out than I
had expected because the streams had dropped
considerably, making the crossings easier to
negotiate. Participants: John Andrejkovics, Vasily
Cateforis, Nancy Donohue, Anita Gabalski, Jim Knapp,
Sunny Martinson, Rebecca Pollard, John Schroeder,
Brian Sticht

October 2003

Kayaking Indian Lake, October 5, Paul Martin, 9
participants
To summarize this paddle: It was COLD. The
had to drop the temperature down into the low 30s. The
wind was on our backs and pushed us up the lake to
Long Island. From there we decided as a group to
paddle down the Jessup River (narrow section) to Dug
Mountain Falls. It is the strangest weather paddle
I've ever paddled. We stopped at a sandy beach to eat.
Most of us scurried to put on additional and warm
clothing. We couldn't believe this was the first of
October. Two weeks ago we were swimming in Lake George
on one of our trips. After our calorie intake we
paddled once again into brilliant sunshine that felt
wonderful. Five minutes later, the rain was pouring on
us, and then the wind try to impede our progress.
Heading back into the state campground (put-in),
paddlers could see the rain clouds approaching as we
paddled closer to the take-out. One awesome sight was
snow on Snowy Mountain to our right. Jeff took
wonderful photos once again and sent them to
participants. Paul and Cyndi were glad that they went
kayak shopping the day before. The neoprene gloves
came in “handy” on this trip. Total mileage according
to Cyndi’s GPS was 12 miles. Participants: Nancy
Finley, Joe Galinda, Dave Naylor, Ray Boucher, Paul
and Cynthia Plante, Paul and Ellen Martin, Jeff Nadler

Panther, Santonini and Couchsachraga, October 5,
Matt Clark, 3 participants
Anyone who thinks that winter doesn’t arrive until
December 21st should have been along on this hike. We
started to hit some snow at the beaver dam near
Bradley Pond lean-to and as we gained elevation we
found an accumulation of 5” with more coming down.
While this is little snow for this area, there was
enough that finding the start to the herd path to
Panther was sufficiently challenging that we finally
just made a beeline through some scrub balsam knocking
off the snow along the way and eventually found a
discernible path. Moderate winds and steady snow,
along with totally coated trees, made Panther summit
most winterlike. We would agree that with the wind
chill the temperature was well below freezing.
Interestingly enough we had little trouble finding the
start to either Santanoni or Couch, and only the herd
path to Couch presented an occasional problem as
fallen limbs and snow-covered trees prevented easy
recognition of the route. The hike back from Couch is
always a long one, but the snow stopped and the sun
came out, at least for a while, creating some nice
views.  The long days of summer are long gone — we
started out in the dark and hiked out for close to an
hour in the dark shunning headlights as we were able
to “see” along the road. This was a satisfying hike.
Participants: Matt Clark, Phyllis Manziano, Patrick
Torosian

Hadley Mountain New Member Hike, October 5,
Janet Twardzik, 10 participants
We really had some luck with the weather on this
trip. It was such a rainy couple weeks before the
hike, I wasn’t quite sure what kind of weather we’d
have for this. We reached the summit sooner than we
expected. Tom E., you were absolutely right with your
weather prediction. The clouds opened up and the sun
shined through when we reached the summit of Hadley.
Of course, we had marvelous views that day. But the
wind! We dashed to the ranger cabin where we had lunch
and talked. Good stories and good people; It was a
great time. I think some of us wanted to hike a little
more but we called it a day. Thanks to all of you who
participated. Participants: Kathleen Allen, Steve
Barry, Tom Esmond, Tom Howard, Susan Jefts, Jackie
Keren, Kori McCall, Pat McPhee, Janet Twardzik and
Jeremiah Victor

Gore Mountain, October 5, Jack Whitney, 4 participants
After meeting at Bruegger’s, we headed north and
then left the trailhead under overcast skies. About a
mile into our climb, Pat, being in the front, spotted
two coyotes on the trail ahead. After two miles we
reached a lean-to and took a short break. Just as we
were leaving it started to snow. We made very good
time ... reaching the summit firetower at about 11:30.
We had an enjoyable lunch in the warming hut and, with
thanks to Carrie, we had some heat. A great gem of a
hike. Participants: Pat Desbiens, Ann Mundy, Carrie L.
Pitts and Jack Whitney

Hudson River Full Moon Paddle, October 9, Paul Martin,
6 participants
We launched our kayaks into the calm water at the
Luzerne boat launch just after 6 p.m. Paddlers turned
thier bows north to the village of Lake Luzerne. As we
paddled and chatted participants noticed how dark it
got early. Once making it to the bridge at dusk we
turned around and witnessed a bright light ascending
from behind the mountains. The moon teased us as it
showed us its bright light upon its full ascent, and
eventually it shined brightly and full in the night
sky. The six paddlers paddled all the way to the falls
and the confluence of the Sacandaga in the dark. After
a brief respite from paddling against the current, we
turned our headlamps on and “rode” the current back to
the launch site shortly after 7:30 p.m. The river
paddle was so beautiful and peaceful that paddlers
didn’t want to quit. Participants: Mike Chase, Nancy
Finley, Dave Naylor, Ellen Martin, Captain Dangerous

Giant & Rocky Peak, October 11, Stephen Barlow, 6 participants
Temperatures were unseasonably warm in the 70s. One participant had difficulty with the climb up Giant and had to turn back.We picked up two tag-a-longs on Rocky Peak that we offered a ride back to the Chapel Pond trail-head. People were out in groves. They were seen on every available rock outcropping along the way! Participant Stephen Barlow, Sue Holf-Hynes, Sue Johnson, Stan Kryszik, Peter Valastro and William Wasilauski.

Pharaoh Lake Hike, October 11, Reg Prouty, 11
participants
A fall trip into the Pharaoh lean-to No. 3 on the
south side of Pharaoh Lake rewarded all of us with
nice weather and excellent photo opportunities of the
fall foliage along the lake and of Pharaoh Mountian to
the north. Most of the lean-tos had people camping in
them. We had a lot of time for socializing and
swapping stories, as usual. It was nice having one of
my former students on the hike. Participants: Bijah
Ahmadi, Julia Balducci, James Boulam, Rob Furlong,
Nancy Kimball, Pat McPhee, Molly Noonan, Reg Prouty,
Mary Shartle, Sandy Yellen and Jackie Curley

Hudson River Kayaking, October 12, Paul Martin,
6 participants   
Paddlers put in at the Hudson, New York, launch
site. It was low tide and we decided to get a workout
and paddle against the current and paddle around
Middle Grove Island. Rounding the island, we paddled
across the river after a large barge was pulled by a
tug boat. We stopped in Athens boat launch for lunch.
This is a great little park with picnic tables on the
lawn. High tide was coming in as we paddled south to
the Rip Van Winkle bridge. It seemed like we would
never get to the huge expansion bridge paddling
against the incoming tide. Paddlers were treated to a
beautiful bald eagle perched in a tree. The eagle
remained there for several minutes observing us also.
We then paddled to Rogers Island some 3 miles away
from our put-in hours earlier. Paddlers decided to
“ride” the high tide’s current back to Hudson. It was
an effortless paddle from Rogers Island. The
Hudson-Athens lighthouse is worth seeing; Perched on
top of stone, it is a well preserved treasure. The
Chotate Preserve was another worthwhile stop. It is a
lovely bird sanctuary with picnic tables and plaques
depicting the various birds found in this area. I
found the history of the Ice Houses that prevailed in
numerous places along this stretch of the river. Just
before we made our final crossing to the launch site a
very big Oceanliner approached us quickly and headed
north. This is a beautiful area to paddle and explore.
One should be familiar with the tides for a
comfortable paddling experience. Barges, oceanliners,
eagles, history, etc., are all available to the
paddler wishing for a fun day trip. Paddlers were
great on this stenuous paddle. The Captain, although
aware of the tide table, didn’t practice efficiency
and opted for excercise and sore shoulders. Paddlers
perservered. A good time was had by all! Participants:
Thea Hoeth, Priscilla Smith, Nancy Finley, Ellen
Martin, David Naylor, Paul Martin

Hoffman Notch to Big Marsh, October 12, Bill Schwarz,
4 participants
Our trailhead was uphill and eight or so miles west
of Schroon Lake. After fog, we had sunlight but crisp
weather on a relatively flat route that could take us
nine miles to Blue Ridge Road. But this time we were
only going half as far to Big Marsh, a wilderness
pond. We hit peak foliage — it was hard to distinguish
the yellow trail markers since most leaves were the
same color!  Since the route follows Trout Brook, we
encountered marshy aspects of the trail well before
reaching the pond itself for a lunch stop. And if you
want a remote trail, try this one — we didn’t
encounter anyone else during our four hours of
walking!  Participants: Pat Belikis, Cynthia Hedger,
Bill Schwarz and Herbert Strauss

Hudson River Kayaking, October 19, Paul Martin,
4 participants
Destination was to paddle Blue Mountain Lake. The
group decided to paddle closer to home on the gloomy
cold windy day. Paddlers unloaded kayaks at Rogers
Island in Fort Edward. We paddled with a strong
current down the river for about six miles to the lock
along Route 4. Since their wasn’t a suitable take out
spot for lunch we headed back up the river to stretch
tired legs. We found a spot, but didn’t stay too long;
It was just too cold. Just as we were leaving this
“time-out” spot a single-engine plane headed our way
and decended quickly toward us. We were concerned, but
the plane flew right over us and landed in a field
right next to our lunch area. Paddlers saw a Blue
Heron and some llhamas along the river. It was a rough
paddle against the current and the cold wind was
blowing right in our faces. We took our kayaks out at
3:15. This was a group of hearty Viking-like paddlers.
Pirates: Tom Esmond, Nancy Finley (banned for two
weeks from purchasing gear), Dave Naylor, Captain
Dangerous

Moreau Lake State Park, October 18, Reg Prouty,
6 participants
We had good weather for our traverse of the mystery
trail and the western ridge trails. We had a leisurely
lunch at the Spier Falls Dam Overlook and came out at
the spring by 1:30 p.m. Participants: Ray Boucher,
Karen Flewelling, Pat McPhee, Mary Miner, Reg Prouty
and Rich Speidel

Mount Tremper and Overlook Mountain (Catskills),
October 19, Pat Desbiens, 6 participants
This was the first trip to the Catskills for three
members of the group. We started the day at Mount
Tremper with light rain, turning to heavier rain and
then as we neared the summit ... snow. Stopping at the
first lean-to along the way, we were all surveyed from
a safe distance by a wary doe. There were no views
from the summit or the fire tower because of the
overcast skies; However, the snow-covered trees were
gorgeous. Once back at our cars, we drove back to
Woodstock and treated ourselves to hot soup at a deli
in the center of town, all the while taking in the
unique atmosphere of this very artistic community.
After lunch we made the short drive up the hill to the
trailhead for Overlook Mountain. This is an easy road
hike all the way to the summit allowing plenty of time
to explore the ruins of the old Overlook Mountain
Hotel (were those really ghosts lurking behind the
trees?) before pushing on to the summit. Sadly, even
though it was no longer raining, it was still too
cloudy for any views from this fire tower. It was
generally agreed that the day was a wonderful
introduction to the Catskills. Participants: Karen
Bechtel, William Bechtel, Jan Carlson, Pat Desbiens,
Jim Schneider and Jack Whitney

Prospect Mountain from the south, October 25, Reg
Prouty, 13 participants
A fairly large spirited group was rewarded with a
beautiful fall day for a trek up Prospect the easy
way. Although some of us got to the summit later than
the rest due to having to double back after missing a
left-hand turn we all found a spot to lunch together
at the summit. The best part of the hike was the
lighthearted conversation and sharing of stories and
experiences we all have had. We vowed to return during
cross-country ski season and snowshoeing season as
these trails are excellent for that. Participants: Len
Benson, Ray Boucher, Cheryl Benson, Rich Crammond,
Theresa Gomez, Ron Lester, Tony Martin, Sandra
Nichols, Molly Noonan, Reg Prouty, Mary Shartle,
Herbert Strauss and Sandy Yellen

MacNaughton, October 25, Matt Clark, 5 participants
This was a good hike on a mediocre day! Considering
the weather we’ve experienced this fall, the light
rain we encountered on the way out might even be
regarded as better than normal. Rain and warmer
temperatures in later October eliminated much of the
snow that was seen in the early part of the month, and
while the summit was chilly, frozen precipitation
maxed out at a depth of one inch. Although the Indian
Pass Trail has seen some anti-mud work recently, the
trail to Wallface Ponds remains the quagmire it has
been for some time, and some of us sank in to our
knees. We made particularly good time, especially to
Wallface Ponds. The climb to the summit was a compass
bushwack as the herdpaths are numerous and ill
defined. Yet there is distinct evidence of significant
hiker traffic suggesting that MacNaughton may be
climbed more than is thought. If you have climbed
MacNaughton and have felt more tired than you expected
for the supposed elevation gain, perhaps it really was
the terrain. Our altimeter showed a total elevation
gain of 3,500 feet. All those ups and downs tend to
accumulate. Participants: Ken Austin, Cara Benson,
Matt Clark, Mike Fuller and Joe Walsh

Hunter Mountain (Catskills), October 26, Pat Desbiens,
6 participants
The weather this day was gray and damp without too
much hope of improvement but six hardy souls decided
that the summit and firetower were beckoning us. After
picking up Suzanne at the Becker Hollow Parking Lot,
we decided to do a loop trip since we had two cars.
The ascent was via the Becker Hollow Trail which is a
steady climb through some very pretty forest. By the
time we reached the summit, we were all damp and
seeking shelter from the wind in the surrounding trees
— no views that day anyway. We quickly decided to head
down the Devil’s Path to the lean-to and shelter to
enjoy our lunch in relative comfort. Finally, it was
time to tackle the very steep descent down the Devil’s
Path to Devil’s Tomb Campgrounds where our car and dry
clothes awaited us. Even if the weather was bleary our
moods and attitude were cheery! The beauty of the
forest in this area of the Catskills could still be
appreciated by all. Participants: Suzanne Knabe, Jack
Whitney, Diana Edelman, Lucy Norman, Susan Hoff-Haynes
and Pat Desbiens

Blue Mountain Lake Kayaking, October 26, Paul Martin,
6 participants
Six paddlers launched their kayaks from the canoe
access site in BML. The weather is warm (close to 60
degrees) and the sun is playing “peek-a-boo” with us.
We paddled out to Long Island and circumnavigated the
large island. When we approached the Durant Bridge and
the confluence of Eagle Lake the wind was blowing hard
and the waves were high and confused. It took us 30
minutes to paddle across Eagle where we found quiet
waters in the bird sanctuary before paddling to
Utawana Lake. Upon entering Utawana, waves and wind
wipped in our faces. We asked permission of the owner
of the hydroplane hangar at the end of Utawana if we
could have lunch and rest on his property. He granted
us permission and was concerned if all paddlers were
OK. After a hearty lunch — thanks, Kathy, for the
homemade peanut butter and gingersnap cookies — we
launched again. It was nice to have the wind on our
backs and the site of Blue Mountain in front of us. By
the time we entered BML again the wind died down and
the lake was calm. We had the whole beautiful lake to
ourselves. Participants ate (great buffet) and drank
grog at Casey’s North in North Creek. Participants:
Kathy Allen, Tom Esmond, Jeff Nadler (great photos),
Dave Naylor, Ellen Martin, Captain Dangerous

November 2003

Long Lake Kayaking, November 2, Paul Martin,
8 participants
We left Glens Falls early in the morning under
overcast skies and on our way to the put-in it started
to rain hard. When we arrived at the launch site on
Long Lake the rainy skies gave way to overcast skies,
and many participants were claiming that the sun would
shine within an hour. Long Lake was exceptionally
calm. Cyndia gaged that without paddling, we were
travelling at .7 miles per/hour down the lake. It took
us hardly any time to paddle past Round Island and get
to Kelly Point. Our original plans were to stop there
for lunch, but since our progress was fast and
effortless, the group decided to paddle up to Plumley
Point and lunch at the lean-tos.The lake was like
glass as we paddled past the deserted Camp Islands. It
was cold eating at the lean-to on Plumley Point, but
once the hearty paddlers began there journey back to
the launch site warmth was upon us again. Although we
paddled against the current, most paddlers were not
tired. This was a beautiful paddle. As mentioned the
lake was calm, the Santanonni Range was encased within
the clouds, and not another soul was on the lake. A
great group of hearty “Viking-like” paddlers braved 15
miles of paddling and got there November paddle in.
Participants: Mike Capra (great endurance), Kathy
Allen (what perserverance!), Paul and Cyndi Plante
(true pirate paddlers), Nancy Finley (can paddle with
the “big boys” anytime), Dave Naylor (ol’ reliable),
Tom Esmond (stronger and stronger every paddle), and
Captain Dangerous (enough said ...)

Wilkinson Trail and More, Saratoga National Park,
November 2, Bill Schwarz, 5 participants
A threat of rain didn’t stop five of us from
sampling some of the national park’s other trails. We
used the well-known Wilkinson route as a starter for
another loop involving the newly-blazed Scout Trail
(“ST” on the markers) which led to overlooks close to
the Hudson River. We planned to walk farther down the
new trail, to its junction with the Champlain Canal
towpath, but heavy rain started and we decided to
defer that part of the trip to a sunnier day. Maybe
next spring! Participants: Rich Crammond, Linda
Harris, Susan Montague, Bill Schwarz and Charlotte
Smith

Snowy Mountain, November 2 , Jack Whitney, 7
participants
There was a light drizzle, despite what the weather
forecasters predicted, when we started up the trail.
In spite of the weather everyone in the group was in
good spirits and anxious to summit and see the fire
tower — so what else can I say, up we went. I
congratulate everyone who participated under such
conditions and still remained in good spirits the
whole trip. Participants: Peter Bishop, Ray Boucher,
Carol Lyn Cyr, Pierre Cyr, Woody Cyr, Pat Desbiens,
Jack Whitney

Nye and Street, November 8, Matt Clark, 10
participants
Polar Bear Club members move over — you’ve been
outdone! You guys do your winter wading on nice sandy
lake bottoms. Most of the participants on this hike
had to wade through icy Indian Pass Brook stepping on
uneven and slippery boulders that were under the water
as much as a foot and a half. Everyone had come
prepared for high water with old sneakers or wading
shoes and a towel for drying off on the far shore so
no one hiked in wet boots which was a good thing as
this particular Saturday gave us all a taste of the
upcoming winter. We warmed up hiking first to Nye
(thanks to Tom for leading the way), but cooled off
with a slightly too long lunch break at the junction
between the mountains, and we had some cold hands
climbing Street. All participants were very upbeat.
That attitude was important as we returned to Indian
Pass Brook, and most had to don the frozen sneakers
they chose to leave on the stream bank rather than
carry up two mountains. On the way out we briefly sat
along the shore of Heart Lake and watched the late
afternoon sun shimmer on its surface. This was more
than a hike — it was an adventure. Participants: Ken
Austin, Valerie Boyd, Matt Clark, Leo Demers, Tim
Demers, Chris Graves, Tom Graves, Hank Lenney, Pat Mc
Phee and Jennifer Reidy

Balsam Lake and Red Hill Mountains *Firetower
Challenge* (Catskills), November 9, Pat Desbiens, 4
participants
The day dawned overcast but the spirits of the four
hikers who met at Clifton Park were high. Most of this
day was spent in cars driving to and between
trailheads for these two short hikes in the southern
Catskills; however, due to the distance involved in
getting to these mountains, you really feel that you
should do both while you’re there. Balsam Lake was
first: a 6-mile easy roundtrip; too overcast for views
from the tower on the summit. Then, on to Red Hill:
another short, 2.8-mile roundtrip; again a summit with
no views but a small celebration and congratulations
to Rene Clarke who completed his Firetower Challenge
on this day on this summit. Participants: Rene Clarke,
Jennifer Reidy, Jack Whitney and Pat Desbiens

Moreau Lake State Park-Red Oak Trail Loop, November
15, Reg Prouty, 18 participants
A very large, varied group of hikers enjoyed the
convenience of a nearby lake to enjoy the beautiful
weather that has filled our weekends this fall. We
ascended to the overlook for an early snack and break
and then caught the upper end of the white trail for
an extra little loop which required a short bushwack
to get back to the nature trail for a return to the
beach at lunch time. About half the group enjoyed a
picnic at the beach and decided to take an extra
little hike around the lake before returning to the
parking area at the telephone booth. Participants:
Cheryl Benson, Len Benson, Jim Brown, Danna Colosimo,
Don Colosimo, Joyce Falkenbury, Nancy Fazio, Richard
Fazio, Terry Gottesman, Ron Lester, Joe Niegsch, Mary
Shartle, Leah Strauss, Herbert Strauss, Molly Noonan,
Susan Montague, Reg Prouty, Stephanie Woodworth

Owl’s Head Mountain, November 16, Jack Whitney,
5 participants
Snowshoes — we started off in snowshoes. We started
off following hunters and deer tracks up the trail. We
played it on the cautious side and wore our orange
vests, red jackets, etc. As we climbed up we had what
we thought was our mountain in sight, only to later
discover as we reached the ridge that what we had in
sight was actually “Mount Deception” as one of the
group described it and found that the fire tower was
actually located on a summit behind this mountain. So
on we went and arrived shortly at the fire tower
summit and were treated to great views and
temperatures warm enough to stay and enjoy lunch.
Participants: Ray Bouchard, Pat Desbiens, Michele
Sellingham, Don Taber and Jack Whitney
 
Lake George Kaying, November 16, Paul Martin,
4 participants
It was a cool, crisp Sunday morning but the sun was
showing itself for a change and the wind was on
vacation. Our merry group decided to take advantage of
Queens Lake. Paddlers took time to dress appropriately
for the cold water temperatures. Once paddlers were
equipped well, we launched from Million Dollar Beach
and paddled down the middle of the lake toward Long
Island. One cannot help but notice how quiet the lake
is during this time of year. The water was flat and we
paddled warmly to Diamond Island before paddling the
half-mile to Speaker Heck Island. We paddled between
Speaker Heck and Long Island, and once paddling all
the way around Long Island paddlers decided to stretch
legs and eat lunch. We took out at the Ranger Station
on Long Island. Once back in our boats we paddled
across the lake to the Canoe Islands and back to
Million Dollar Beach. Jeff took some spectacular
pictures with his new Canon digital camera. The skies
in the Tongue Mountain Range were orange-blue as we
unloaded gear and strapped down kayaks. A great group
of Viking-like paddlers today. We really enjoyed the
serenity of the lake in November. Participants: Nancy
Finley, Dave Naylor, Jeff Nadler, Captain Dangerous
 
Blueberry, Porter and Cascade, November 22,
Stephen Barlow, 8 participants
I expected this to be a snowshoe hike. Instead, we
ran into people in shorts and T-shirts. The
temperatures were in the upper 50s.  We ran into a lot
of blow-down on the way up to Blueberry from the
storms during the previous week. With the warm
weather, we were able to take the time to enjoy all
the views along the ridge and on the summits.
Unbelievable weather for late November in the
Adirondacks! Participants: Stephen Barlow, Bill
Bechtel, Jane Bouder, Nancy Hill, Sue Hoff-Haynes,
Sheila Joly, Reg Prouty and Peter Valastro
 
Lake George Kayaking, November 23, Paul Martin,
10 participants
What a great day; It is warm and sunny. Ten
enthusiatic paddlers set off in calm conditions from
Huddle Beach in Bolton Landing. Paddling across the
lake in flat water, paddlers shed gloves and paddling
jackets once at Log Bay. A breeze swept across the
lake as we proceeded north to the Narrows. Paddlers
landed on the north side of Phantom Island for lunch
and picture taking. After lunch, paddlers headed
across the lake to Red Rock and Paradise Bay. It
appeared that we had the lake to ourselves as we
leisurely paddled through the islands and bays on the
eastern side of the lake. As it approached 3:15 p.m.,
we decided to make the long journey back to Huddle
Beach. We paddled down the middle of the lake to the
Sagamore Hotel. Once there, it was dusk and the
just-setting sun cast orange across the water. We
approached Huddle Beach in the dark. Paddlers were
grateful to have the opportunity to paddle at the end
of November on Lake George without power boats racing
down the lake. We really had a great group of paddlers
on this wonderful and relaxing paddle today. The group
of pirates covered 12.33 miles according to Cyndi’s
GPS. Participants: Alan Mapes,Tom Esmond, Kathy Allen,
Paul and Cynthia Plante, Ellen Martin, Jeff Nadler,
Nancy Finley, Captain Dangerous, Bill Fibiger
 
Saratoga Battlefield Turkey Trot No. 5, November 27,
Rich Crammond, 12 participants
This was by far the greatest weather we hiking
people ever had for Thanksgiving Day. The wildlife
viewing was good and everyone had a nice time. I’m
looking forward to the next Turkey Trot for 2004. My
thanks to some fine folks for sharing this morning. 
Participants: Jim Brown, Cindy Corbett, Rich Crammond,
Molly B. Noonan, Kate O’Connell, Bill Schwarz, Rich
Speidel, Herbert Strauss,  Allen Turula, Kim Wood,
William Woodard and Sandy Yellen

December 2003

Killington Mountain (Vermont), December 7, Pat
Desbiens, 9 participants
O.K., so this day didn’t quite go like the leader
had planned. Who was to know that the first major
snowfall of the season would occur the day before,
dumping between 2-3 feet of snow on us. The drive to
Vermont was a challenge in itself since the storm was
still hanging around in some areas; Then we arrive at
the trailhead and immediately knew that it was going
to be a long 3.7 miles to the summit with the hard
trailbreaking that lay ahead. Only about a tenth of a
mile from the summit, Cooper Lodge was a most welcome
sight and the young snowboarders were more than
willing to share the mountain highs and space with us.
Patti and Jack decided to stay at the lodge and become
more educated about the lifestyle of these young
snowboarders while the rest of the group pushed on to
the very windy, cloud enshrouded summit. After the
much faster and most enjoyable descent, we all agreed
that this certainly qualified as a winter hike and
provided a good warm-up for the winter hikes that lay
ahead. A special thank you to Ron, Steve, Mike and Don
who did most of the trailbreaking and made the journey
easier for the rest of us. Participants: Stephen
Barlow, Pat Desbiens, Mike Fuller, Sheila Joly,
Suzanne Knabe, Ron Lester, Patti Schwankert, Don Taber
and Jack Whitney

Camp Saratoga, December 20, Rich Crammond,
4 participants
Snowshoes were very much needed for the foot or so
of snow. We stopped at the lean-to for a break, then
broke trail to the old farm and then went south for a
Nice loop hike. One highlight of this outing was
seeing Snow Shoe Hare tracks ... I think!  Great group
of ADKers. Participants: James Brown, Rich Crammond,
Laura Fiske and Bill Glendening

Santanoni’s — Three Chapter Hike, December 27, Steve
Barlow, Al Knight, Joe Walsh + Sweeps: Pat Desbiens
and Jack Whitney, 26 participants
We had a picture-perfect day. All the rain, earlier
in the week, helped pack the snow down and made for
great trail conditions. We had a roster at time square
to keep track of where everyone was. This way everyone
could go at their own pace and do the peaks they
wanted. Trying to keep a group this large together
would have been totally unmanageable. The roster
worked great. Everyone was able to stay in smaller
groups and get done what they wanted. Stephen Barlow
hung around at the end of the day, until everyone was
accounted for, before heading down. Participants:
Three peaks — Joe Walsh, Al Knight, Doug McCarthy,
Bill Cole, Mike McGill, Jim Knapp, Tim Kase, Dave
Kocian, Rick Balboni and Claudia Warren; Two peaks —
Steve Nelson, John Kenny, Skip Young, Susan Kanobe,
Stephen Barlow, Pat Desbiens, Jack Whitney and Lauri
Schweighardt; One peak — Shiela Joly, Louise Lanthier,
Laurie Moore, Sue Smith, Lisa Boudy, Jim Hussey, Hiede
Teriele and Jat Karkoski

Gooseneck Pond, December 20, Reg Prouty, 2
participants
Due to only two participants, this was held as an
unofficial, non-ADK hike. Don Taber and Reg Prouty had
a good trip to Honey and Lillipad Ponds instead
breaking trail in about 8 inches of snow.

Moreau Lake Western Ridge trail, December 28, Reg Prouty
We had a good day to start out on the orange trail
near the site of the old hotel foundation and four of
us made our leisurely way to the overlooks above the
Spier Falls Dam, had luch and decided to make a loop
and returned by the rest of the orange trail. We
noticed visible damage on the upper part of the orange
trail caused apparently by TV traffic. Participants:
Rich Crammond, Reg Prouty, Brenda Taber and Don Taber

Whiteface and Ester Mountains, December 28, Ron
Lester, 9 participants
We hiked up the Whiteface Toll Road enjoying the
easy grade, winter scenery and relaxed pace. The
summit treated us to exceptional views all the way to
New Hampshire’s Franconia Ridge peaks. After lunching
on Ester, a moderate bushwhack dropped us atop the
rocky cobble below known as the “Jungle Cobble” where
we enjoyed more great views along with balmy
temperatures. This is surely the “easy” way to climb
these peaks. A very pleasant day. Participants: Jacki
Bave, William Bechtel, Joe Bunk, Jim McElroy, Ron
Lester, Mary Natches, Derek Rutledge, John Rutledge,
Phil Schlosser

Moreau Lake Western Ridge Trail, December 28, Reg
Prouty, 4 participants
We had a good day to start out on the orange trail
near the site of the old hotel foundation. The four of
us made our leisurely way to the overlooks above the
Spier Falls Dam, had lunch and decided to make a loop
by returning by the rest of the orange trail. We
noticed visible damage on the upper part of the orange
trail caused apparently by ATV traffic. Participants:
Rich Crammond, Reg Prouty, Brenda Taber and Don Taber

Over the Mountain to the Water Paddle, December 28, Paul Martin, 4 pirates
Four eager pirates left Dunkin’ Donuts and warm
coffee to find a watering hole to launch our kayaks.
Two pirates wanted to get their December paddle in the
books. After going over West Mountain to the Hudson
River put-in at Luzerne we pondered whether to dodge
the icebergs swiftly flowing down the river. Not
wanting to be in a Packman scene, the pirates drove to
Rogers Island in Fort Edward and paddled shortly after
2 p.m. It was easy going down the swift current past
islands. We also spotted a bald eagle flying just
ahead of us. The pirates wanted to paddle down to a
site where airplanes land. We had lunch at this spot
in September, and as we were leaving a plane flew
right at us, just overhead, and landed in the field
behind us. The sun was shinning on our starboard side
on the way down the river. Once we decided to paddle
back (5 miles) to the launch site the Captain knew he
was in trouble. He was very tired and had to paddle
back against a swift current. Nancy and Ellen tested
thier new poggies today and thier hands were toasty.
The sun set quickly as we paddled back, and as we got
to the Fort Edward lock it was dark and the pirates
were tired. We pushed forward (arghhh!!), and landed
safely on shore at 5:30 p.m. Our kayaks were iced up
and our spray shirks were iced to the combing of the
cockpits. Quickly we assisted one another with boats,
put warm clothing on, and were thankful that we got
another paddle in. Participants were certainly hardy
paddlers. Pirates: Nancy (“I didn’t get gear for
Christmas) Finley, Ellen (Muck Boots) Martin, Dave
(Slow-down) Naylor, Captain(“I’m getting tired”)
Dangerous

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 Photo by David Freeman