Today was a great opportunity for Tredhed and I to revisit Chase Lake in the Shaker Mountain Wild Forest. We hadn't been here in a few years and Tredhed had never done a winter loop hike across the lake from the old lean-to site. That was today's plan, hike the trail to the old lean-to site (now a designated campsite) and cut across the lake to the new lean-to. From there we would follow the "new" trail back completing the lollipop route.
Arriving at the well plowed Pinnacle Rd. trailhead around 9:00
After sorting out some issues with my bindings, we set off down the red disked hiking trail.
The snow conditions were great with a few inches of fresh powder over a hard base. In a short time, we came to the junction between the lean-to trail and the designated campsite trail. (Sorry for the picture size issue...operator error on my part)
We took a break for a few minutes and then proceeded down the yellow disked trail to the designated campsite. We broke trail for the .8 miles to the lake shore as no one had yet traveled this way. The trail had a couple spots of blowdown, but was an absolute joy to walk on.
Before we knew it, we arrived at the designated campsite. While not a great location for a camp, it wasn't terrible either.
The best part of the hike was the .3 mile walk across the frozen Chase Lake. The views of Pinnacle were pretty spectacular. Certainly something most people don't get to see if they only visit the lean-to.
The sheer cliffs were especially noticeable in the bright sunshine.
At one point, I stopped to glance back at our tracks. What a sight.
After crossing the lake, we arrived at the lean-to for lunch. Unfortunately, the lean-to needed a little tender loving care before we feasted. Someone decided to hang hemlock boughs from the head log and scattered the floor with them. :mad: Upon closer inspection, we saw they had also started a small fire on the floor of the lean-to. :gripe:
While Tredhed got the stove going, I cleaned up the mess and filled a shopping bag with assorted lean-to garbage. The hot soup sure tasted good as the wind picked up and snow flurries began to fly. When lunch was finished, we left the lean-to... a lot cleaner than when we found it.
We completed the lollipop route by heading out on the recently cut red disked trail. The restless trail wandered up and down a little, crossed a few streams and finally brought us to the junction in about a mile.
All that was left to do was follow our tracks the 1.7 miles back to the trailhead. After arriving at the car, we called the forest ranger number listed at the register and reported the gross buffoonery we saw. Lean-to shenanigans aside, it really was a great little hike today. While we only walked a little over five miles, it was a good stretch of the legs and got us out in a very pretty part of the southern Adirondacks.
Arriving at the well plowed Pinnacle Rd. trailhead around 9:00
After sorting out some issues with my bindings, we set off down the red disked hiking trail.
The snow conditions were great with a few inches of fresh powder over a hard base. In a short time, we came to the junction between the lean-to trail and the designated campsite trail. (Sorry for the picture size issue...operator error on my part)
We took a break for a few minutes and then proceeded down the yellow disked trail to the designated campsite. We broke trail for the .8 miles to the lake shore as no one had yet traveled this way. The trail had a couple spots of blowdown, but was an absolute joy to walk on.
Before we knew it, we arrived at the designated campsite. While not a great location for a camp, it wasn't terrible either.
The best part of the hike was the .3 mile walk across the frozen Chase Lake. The views of Pinnacle were pretty spectacular. Certainly something most people don't get to see if they only visit the lean-to.
The sheer cliffs were especially noticeable in the bright sunshine.
At one point, I stopped to glance back at our tracks. What a sight.
After crossing the lake, we arrived at the lean-to for lunch. Unfortunately, the lean-to needed a little tender loving care before we feasted. Someone decided to hang hemlock boughs from the head log and scattered the floor with them. :mad: Upon closer inspection, we saw they had also started a small fire on the floor of the lean-to. :gripe:
While Tredhed got the stove going, I cleaned up the mess and filled a shopping bag with assorted lean-to garbage. The hot soup sure tasted good as the wind picked up and snow flurries began to fly. When lunch was finished, we left the lean-to... a lot cleaner than when we found it.
We completed the lollipop route by heading out on the recently cut red disked trail. The restless trail wandered up and down a little, crossed a few streams and finally brought us to the junction in about a mile.
All that was left to do was follow our tracks the 1.7 miles back to the trailhead. After arriving at the car, we called the forest ranger number listed at the register and reported the gross buffoonery we saw. Lean-to shenanigans aside, it really was a great little hike today. While we only walked a little over five miles, it was a good stretch of the legs and got us out in a very pretty part of the southern Adirondacks.
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