I set out this morning around 7am to begin what I was dreading as a long day of off trail/cross country travel or “bushwhacking”. The local fisherman I had camped with the night before gave me some great insights into the area and where I had to travel but it was still going to be mostly off trail travel.
I pretty easily bushwhacked my way around the end of Cedar Lakes where I was supposed to catch a “faint footpath” and cross over to Pillsbury Bay on the other side. Since I was now on the side I’d need to catch the faint path on I made my way down to the shore figuring it would be easier than cutting through the bushes. Once on the shore I began looking for the “faint path” but didn’t see it. I knew that in the worst case scenario I could walk the shore right around to the bay. Since it was going so much easier than bushwhacking and it was really beautiful I just kept along the shore about the entire time. It probably took me twice as long but wow it was a really beautiful and fairly easy walk!
I reached the head of Pillsbury Bay and began looking for the “faint path” described in the guidebook. It wasn’t so easy to find but after about 10 minutes I was able to locate it. I followed the path and came out in the beaver meadow of the Whitney Area as described in the guidebook. It was a very beautiful open expanse. I honestly wish I had taken more time for some photo’s and just to look around but I was unfortunately a little too focused on crossing the creek which ran through the middle of the meadow. It wasn’t large or anything, I had crossed the Opalescent River a few days earlier which was much wider but a lot less deep. I could tell by checking with my hiking pole it was certainly over knee deep and had some pretty soft mud. There was going to only be 1 way across and it was to walk straight through the creek. I had just dried out my socks and boots and didn’t want to get them soaked so early in the day. So I took everything off from the knees down, emptied my pockets and everything else into a stuff sack, threw it over my shoulder with my pack on and made a big 4 step plunge across Whitney Creek.
Once on the other side I suited up and once again began looking for a “faint path” A term I grew to hate as it was something I would have the hardest time finding, become overjoyed once I did and almost always loose it a few minutes later. I searched across the other side of the meadow and found nothing. So I set out to bushwhack towards Pillsbury Lake and hoped I could cut into it eventually. I did and once at Pillsbury Lake I needed to cross water once again. I did again and though I found the path on the other side this time it did not last long at all.
I bushwhacked and constantly found and lost the “faint path” but after a few hours and not too thick of brush I managed to make my way around the head of Pillsbury Lake avoiding a swamp at the head of Whitney Lake exactly as my fishing friends had advised me, dry boots and socks! I was pretty Happy!
Pillsbury BayPillsbury BayPillsbury BayLava rocks in the Adirondacks?Beaver Meadow in the Whitney AreaBeaver Meadow in the Whitney AreaWhitney Creek crossingWhitney Creek crossing
I figured since I was up early this morning and dry I would pack up and try to get in at least a few miles before the rain.
Just because that’s the way it goes, no more than 10 minutes after I set out the rain started. Light at first but over a period of about 2hrs it became fairly moderate. I was in surprisingly decent spirits. I thought back to my experiences hiking in the rain on the Appalachian Trail in Maine and told myself this wasn’t nearly as bad. The terrain on the Northville Placid Trail was much more forgiving than the swamps of northern Maine.
I hiked for 7 hours pushing through increasing mud, rising streams and slippery trails with stubborn determination. Around exactly the 7 hour mark it began to really open up and come down. My feet which were as I would have described at that point “pretty damp” were now nothing but giant sponges which squished and poured out buckets of water with each step. Moving a few feet was becoming very laborious and not a inch of me was dry but I was almost to the next lean-to and the Cedar Lakes.
I reached the Cedar Lakes and the first of 3 lean-to’s along the lakes around 3pm. I’m not so wild about staying in lean-to’s but they offer great protection from the rain. I stopped to look at the lakes and thought to myself how beautiful it must be here but I was soaked and needed to dry out. I have learned while you will eventually need to hike in the rain it is extremely important to make sure when you are done so to have dry clothes to sleep change into after. So of course I had buried in several bags and ziplock bags, a set of dry sleeping clothes which I gratefully changed into while I hung the rest of my wet clothing. Also there’s a reason I pack a few loose leaf tea bags with me. These days are just such a reason. Nothing better than dry clothes and hot tea after hiking 8hrs in the rain!
As I sipped hot tea and settled into dry clothes I took a look at the maps and guidebook to see what lie ahead. I knew the Trans Adirondack Route would veer of course from the Northville Placid Trail soon and closer attention to navigation would be required. As I read the guidebook I realized the next section was an off trail bushwhack and not just that a fairly substantial looking one from the maps. I have to admit my spirits are dampened in several ways. My previous off trail experiences were less than fun and I honestly just didn’t want to do any more bushwhacking, especially not in the rain. I was determined to complete the route as laid out so I just deiced to wait and see what tomorrow will bring.
I made dinner and quietly sat back watching lightening and storms gustily blow through from the dry lean-to.
Hot organic loose leaf tea!Cedar River Flow leading up to the Cedar LakesView of the storms from Cedar Lakes lean-to #1Cedar Lakes on a stormy afternoonBerry bushes surrounding the lean-to had me a little uneasy about bearsGeorge looking out from Cedar Lakes lean-to #1
