Lake George Wild Forest Backpacking Trip: Day 2

Lake George Wild Forest Backpacking Trip: Day 1

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Gulf of Slides

Very impromptu trip. This was not on my radar at all until I started looking at maps Friday afternoon. My original plan was to ski over the weekend, but decided instead to do some peakbagging. Looking at maps to make a plan I noticed that there was a network of trails to the east of Lake George that could be used to link together several peaks. It had also been far to long since I last slept outside. So I quickly mapped out a potential backpacking loop. I stayed up later later than I wanted Friday night preparing food and packing. 

Saturday morning I made the drive west to the Black Mountain trailhead. By 9:42 AM I hit the trail. The semi-frozen ground made for interesting conditions. In one place I stepped on what looked to be solid ground, but sunk up to my ankle in thick brown mud. Further up the mountain conditions were icy. A cell/radio tower lived on the summit of the mountain. The views looking down onto Lake George were wonderful!

I made my way down the south slopes of the peak and east towards the shore of Lake George. I followed a footpath along the sore for several miles. There were many campsites with picnic tables and outhouses. Although much of the lake had thawed, many of the inlets held ice. I saw two bald eagles and a mallard. 

Taking a trail from the shore to Shelving Rock Mountain, I saw a deer. There were several spots near the summit that provided more beautiful views of the dark blue lake speckled with islands. Slope-angle shading suggested that there might be a way to descent the peak along a gully to the south-west. Attempting this I was greeted with a tree at the top of a cliff that has clearly been used as a climbing anchor. Needless to say, I went a different way down, following the southern ridge. Along the way I stepped on a medium sized rock, that was not as stable as it appeared. The rock flipped, I fell and gouge my shin on the dislodged rock. It hurt pretty bad, and I soon felt the wetness of blood flow down my leg. I stopped to tape the gouge and then continued on my way. Eventually I rejoined a trail, which I followed down to Shelving Rock Road. I followed the road to the trailhead to Shelving Rock Falls.

The Falls were more impressive than I had expected, but the trail only lead to above the falls. I followed herd paths down to the bottom of the falls, but realized that the angles for taking photos would be better from the other side. I hiked back up the steep herd paths and along the trail to the top of the falls. I was able to easily cross a fallen log to a marshy island in the middle of the brook. There had clearly been much beaver activity, and looking toward the opposite bank I could see some places where the water was quite deep. Following the shore I eventually settled on a place to cross. I rolled up my hiking pants and walked across. The water was chilly, but fortunately not too deep. From this side I followed a trail back to the falls and made my way along herd paths to the bottom of the falls. 

After enjoying the falls I climbed back up to the trail and followed it South. I soon found myself on Shelving Rock Road again. Hiking along the road I was surprised to hear a pair of trucks coming up behind me; the road was supposed to have been closed. The first truck went by, but the second stopped. It was a state forest truck. It's window rolled down and a women asked me where I started from. I told her that I had started from Black Mountain. She paused, remarked about how that was quite away, and inquired if I had a "light source." I said "yes" and she drove away. I of course had a headlamp with me, but in retrospect I should have said "yes, the sun." 

I followed the road until reaching a trailhead for Buck Mountain... 


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Tristan Phillips

Lake George Wild Forest Backpacking Trip: Day 1

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Lake George Wild Forest Backpacking Trip: Day 2

Lake George Wild Forest Backpacking Trip: Day 1

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Gulf of Slides

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