When we got to the gate to the Putnam Pond campground, the attendant informed us that, in order for the dogs to enter, we needed to have their vaccination paperwork. It begs the question, how many people show up to NYS campgrounds after hours of travel only to find they cannot enter with their dogs? At any rate, we pulled a u-turn and drove back a short way to the Lost Pond trailhead. Jay's research on this pond in the past had mixed results, but it was only a little over a mile to the pond, so we decided to give it a try. If it was a miserable, dank marsh, we could always turn around.
Jay did his best to calm the Velocipuppies.
The trail was clear, well-marked, and well-maintained. The mosquitoes were plentiful. Sunny, and his friend, Zuko, kept a terrific pace for us.
We were genuinely expecting a muddy swamp. Imagine our relief when we arrived at the pond to find an idylic scene of Adirondack beauty.
We immediately made camp at the first designated campsite we found. My tent is a little heavy, but I'm used to putting it up now and it goes up fast. John strung up his hammock tent. Jay had his trekking pole tent for him and Zuko.
Jay, the pups, and I decided to hike the perimeter. We found a pond-side firepit, but there was a lot of broken glass and rusted cans about. We could tell right away that this pond must be a very popular place for groups of people to come and party in the outdoors and not all of them are respectful to the wild.
The trail around the pond is very well-marked, but also very stony in parts. The shore and below waterline is all stones and boulders. There are a lot of beautiful stands of conifers along the trail and really no outlet streams to speak of.
We came across a great deal of campsites, both designated and otherwise.
One large campsite at the cleft of the heart-shaped pond featured an inflatable tube, inflatable canoe, and cast iron cookware. It became more clear than ever that this was a favorite place for many people, and for good reason.
"Leave at camp."
The pond is located on higher ground at about 1580' elevation, over 300' higher than Putnam Pond, though there seemed, by our exploration, to be no outflow. The water was crystal clear and clean, we assume spring-fed.
Zuko and Sunny had fun chasing each other on our little hike.
Although we were still fairly close to civilization and we periodically heard the roar of someone's truck or the rev of a motorcycle far off, I really appreciated the still beauty of the place. A loon on the pond hooted at us occasionally and the breeze through the trees was a refreshing companion.
We got a fire going.
We some grub in our bellies and the pups passed out.
We enjoyed some fireside conversation and kept ourselves hydrated.
I put up my lights up before bed. I'm surprised how long they last with a pair of AA batteries. These are very helpful when you get up to pee a couple of times a night. I slept fairly well, though after a couple of hours, I did realize I'd over-filled my pillow and air mattress. After letting out a bit of air from each, I slept much more soundly.
The next morning dawned a perfect day, defying the weather reports. The loon found a friend this morning and they hooted and screeched at each other. We took our time breaking camp and cleaning up.
I took Sunny and Zuko for a hike up Abe's Hill. Much of the hill was a fun tromp though the pines. The ground underfoot was layers and layers of twigs and sticks with a few strong and brave plants trying to exist in the acidic soil. We did not find Abe at the top of Abe's Hill, but we did find a fascinating formation of boulders along the way. Several big boulders and a rocky outcropping formed a hollow in the ground.
I really enjoyed our day in the woods and I appreciate all the backpacking guidance the guys provided. I am very much looking forward to a visit from my sister. Our plan is to camp the along Marcy Brook and bag her first Adirondack High Peak.
