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Cause for Concern
Into the woods after a hundred-year storm
Torrential rain flooded parts of Vermont and northern New York last week, damaging bridges and roads. I keep a watchful eye on every river and stream I cross while driving deeper into the Adirondacks, wondering if I’ll make it to the trailhead that I have in mind.
The road is clear all the way to Tupper Lake, but on Route 30 south towards Long Lake I pass sections of road that are washed out. Road crews are repairing the shoulders at Long Lake, and farther south at Blue Mountain Lake. That’s when I start thinking maybe this outing is a bad idea.
Just outside the hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake I leave the pavement, turning onto an unimproved dirt road. Not far down it I spot the trailhead. I park my car nearby. The trail looks inviting — a narrow footpath disappearing into the forest. Back in the Blue Ridge Wilderness again after many years away from it. This time I’m headed for Cascade Pond.
No Smoke Today
A short climb puts me on top of a hill, then it’s a gradual descent to Rock Pond. There’s supposed to be a footbridge crossing the neck of water between Rock Pond and Lake Durant. I hope it’s still there.
Sure enough, I spot the bridge and cross it. The sun reflects off the lake’s calm surface. The partly…
