Adirondack Ponds: Owen to Copperas Traverse

Copperas Pond

We rented a house in Keene Valley with our friends Jason and Susie for the holiday weekend.  Labor Day in the Adirondacks is a treasured tradition for Erwin and I, and Jay and Susie have joined us every year starting in 2009.  This trip was the first time we met their twins, Scarlett and Veronica, and the girls first visit to the Adirondacks.  Susie is not really a big hiker, but she loves swimming.  We had taken them up to Copperas Pond in 2012, and they wanted to go back.  Although this was to be Frankie and Erwin's third trip there and my fourth, we were all on board.  Copperas Pond is a really special place, and it's a great family hike.

Santanoni and Panther

Santanoni

4,607 feet  |  ranked 14/46 in height  |  26th peak climbed

Panther

4,482 feet  |  ranked 18/46 in height  |  27th peak climbed

Frankie was in South Carolina much of this week, visiting his grandmother and enjoying the ocean.  I'd been checking the long-range forecast constantly, hoping that serendipitous timing would give me a window of good weather for hiking.  The earliest available forecasts called for rain, but I kept watching and ended up with perfect weather.  My partners for this hike were my Dad, Bruce, and his 9-month old Australian shepherd, Daisy.  He takes her for walks averaging about 3 miles a day, but in the flat lands, and no single hike has exceeded 5 miles.  When I first discussed the possibility of teaming up for a hike, he was interested, but conditioned his agreement on no 4 am departures.  As a result, I'd been thinking we might drive up Thursday night, hike Friday, and then drive home first thing Saturday morning so I could pick up Frankie and Erwin at the airport. 

Shortcut Trail, Highland Forest

After the scorching hot field hike at Green Lakes last weekend, I wanted some deep shady woods.  I love the glacial hills south of Tully, and although we'd been to both Morgan Hill and Tinker Falls this year, we hadn't been to Highland Forest since Frankie was still riding in the carrier part time.  It's been on my potential hike list for a while, and I finally decided we'd make it happen.  I briefed Frankie the day before so he'd know that we'd be leaving essentially right after breakfast.  He could play toys while I made breakfast and got ready (filled water bottles, peeled carrots and gathered snacks, packed the car bag with a change of clothes, etc.), but then... out the door.  A little mental preparation goes a long way in warding off a Lego time-suck. 

Deer Run Trail, Green Lakes

Today felt a little off kilter.  When we checked WeatherBug this morning, rain was forecast.  Since I generally only take Frankie out hiking in fair weather conditions, we just hung around the house all morning.  I had been away for work most of the past week, and Frankie had a lot of plans for our Frankie-Mama day yesterday.  While that included a bike ride around the neighborhood (Frankie biking, me walking), these plans mostly involved Legos and other indoor activities.  By lunchtime today, when there was still no hint of impending storms, cabin fever set in.  I checked the radar and decided we could check out the western trailhead at Green Lakes State Park.

North Rim Trail, Pratts Falls

When we hiked at Pratts this spring, we took the Falls Trail loop down to see the full view of the waterfall at high water conditions.  By the time we got over to the western trailhead, Frankie's little legs weren't too fresh, so we just hiked the shorter Crossover Trail loop.  Today we went back to hike the longer North Rim Trail.

Great Bear Recreation Area

Erin's son Alden is 4 months old already.  Unfortunately, he is currently going through that phase of screaming in furious despair when riding in the car, that full on tomato-head, gasping and wheezing bawl that I remember so well from Frankie's babyhood.  It's the kind of thing that makes you want to avoid going anywhere that isn't absolutely necessary.  Still... fresh air is good for everyone, babies included.  To reduce the length of the potential torture session for both of them, I suggested we hike somewhere on their side of town.  Great Bear fit the bill and since Frankie and I hadn't been there since last fall, it rose to the top of the list under consideration. 

Jones Hill Via Spruce Pond

When I suggested a hike this weekend, Frankie was delightfully enthusiastic.  However, he had an unusual condition: he insisted we go somewhere new.  I suggested driving 2 hours to hike a fire tower in the Adirondack foothills, but he rejected the long drive, leaving me scrambling.  I had to think pretty hard before I finally came up with a couple of ideas.  [We hike much more than I record here, and he's already been to most of the places reasonably close by.  I've considered adding a monthly roundup of hikes that don't get a full length feature, but I just haven't got around to it.]