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My first Night on the trail was a
pleasant one. Clear skies and a bright moon added to the welcome cool
temperatures. This ended up being the only time I used my tent on the
entire trip.
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8/21/02
7:00 am - Silver Lake: That was a good night..
I'm going to have to get used to the forest sounds again, as I was awake
off and on with the different noises. I am a bit sore this
morning. My hip, where the pack meets it, is aching and my feet
and back are a bit sore as well. The right outer arch is still
swollen but I will wrap it today and see how it holds up. A thick
mist is
coming off of the lake this morning, what a sight. The moon was
bright last night... I'm gonna relax right now and try to hit the trail
by 9 or so.
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One of the many vleis along this section
Well I didn't quite hit the trail by 9, I slept till 11:00 am - some
things don't change I guess, even in the woods. But the morning
did bring me some welcome company as a gentleman and his young husky
passed through just as I was packing up. We talked for a bit and
as I set off on the trail they took a swim.
*Trail tip - Do not make the mistake of relying on Mud Lake as
a water supply. This body of water certainly earns its name and
you will be knee deep in mud before you even approach pump worthy
water. If you cant load up with a full days worth at Silver Lake,
I suggest you refill at Canary Pond - or hit up whatever small sources
along the way that you can.
Some of the terrain around Canary Pond
8:00 pm - Hamilton Lake Stream lean-to: That
stretch of trail was pretty brutal. Very choppy, lots of blow down
and bugs. The drought had dried up most of the smaller water
sources. My right foot seems to have held up under the wrap but my
left heel blister is opening up and is nasty. Shoulders, hips,
back are all aching. It was a long day and I've determined that my
pack is WAY too heavy. I did have a great lunch in a gorgeous vlei
though.
I eventually reached the Hamilton Lake Stream lean-to and a few minutes
later the gentleman and his 10 month old husky (named Kia) arrived.
We chatted it up for a few hours about everything from books, to hiking, to
people that bring guns on the hiking trail, to trees and the tree
business - as he is a self-employed tree pruner and I used to work
summers as a lawn and tree jockey. Interesting guy and we had some good
conversations. He is from Connecticut and has section hiked the
Appalachian Trail. I
certainly take notice of his light pack.
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Photographs
(Click on thumbnail to view a larger picture)
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| Sacandaga River |
What is left of an old Adirondack
recreation camp |
Kia |
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