Intro and a Question...

[b00tz]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Tim and I have been lurking on the board for a while now, wonderful board here! My brother and I recently (over labor day weekend) went on our first Adirondack backpacking trip. We stayed at the flowed lands and climbed Mt. Colden (started out late didn't quite make the top.) It was an absolutely wonderful trip and I am planning another with my other brother.

However, I was slightly unprepared as I was unaware of the "no fire for any reason" rule in the area untill we got there. For this upcomming trip I am hoping to head to the west where sitting around a nice camp fire at night will be possible/legal. My question is about where the boundary between east and west lies. I have since read it on a map defined as "the western high peaks consists of the hight of land west of the Indian pass trail." I was wondering if scott & wallface ponds would be considered western high peaks or still eastern? If it is eastern I will most likely head to duck hole which I've heard/seen so much of.

Thank you in advance for your replies, and I look forward to partaking in this fine online community!

Tim

[lumberzac]

Scott & Wallface Ponds are within the Eastern Zone. The line runs very close to Wallface Ponds as it goes over MacNaughton. There really isn't any good places to camp near the ponds anyway and the trail up there is very muddy. Duck Hole is definitely worth going to see and you can have a fire there.

[b00tz]

Scott & Wallface Ponds are within the Eastern Zone. The line runs very close to Wallface Ponds as it goes over MacNaughton. There really isn't any good places to camp near the ponds anyway and the trail up there is very muddy. Duck Hole is definitely worth going to see and you can have a fire there.

Hey,

Thanks for the speedy reply, I suppose duckhole it is! My only concern is that I have been watching the weather up there and it seems to have been raining quite a bit, with bridges out (I saw a posting for one out that way last i was up)ect what are the chances of comming across an impassable spot along the way?

thanks again,

Tim

[Rookie]

If you want to grab a peak while you're at it, check out the Sewards hike them from Blueberry or Ward Brook L/T's (Corey's Road).

[Bill I.]

This link takes you to a map of the High Peaks management zones. Unfortunately, it doesn't show too many terrain features so its helpfulness is limited.

I haven't been to Duck Hole this summer, but generally all streams in the Adirondacks that I've seen are running pretty low. I doubt that this week's rain has been enough to bring them back up very much. But yes, no matter which of the two trails you take to Duck Hole from Tahawus, you will have to cross at least one wide stream--however, there shouldn't be any lack of rocks to help you get across.

[Neil]

In terms of High Peaks you can have fires in the Santanonis, Sewards, and Dixes. Unless I'm wrong (and Wildriver can correct me ) fires are illegal everywhere else in the High Peaks Region.

The ADK trailmap is sold at the High Peaks Information Center (AKA the Loj parking area) and has the demarcation line drawn right on it as well as most of the rules you need to know written on it.

[lumberzac]

The bridge that you speak of has been out for a number of years. Crossing the stream shouldn't pose too much risk or at least no more of a risk than the stream crossing at Scott's Clearing to get up to the Scott & Wallface Ponds.

[lumberzac]

In terms of High Peaks you can have fires in the Santanonis, Sewards, and Dixes. Unless I'm wrong (and Wildriver can correct me ) fires are illegal everywhere else in the High Peaks Region.

The ADK trailmap is sold at the High Peaks Information Center (AKA the Loj parking area) and has the demarcation line drawn right on it as well as most of the rules you need to know written on it.

Add the area around Giant to that.

[lumberzac]

The line pretty much runs over the Street & Nye ridgeline, over to MacNaughton, and then down to Henderson Lake.

[DEEPFOREST]

The southern Bridge is "out" for all intensive purposes, it is broken up into sections and is spread out on the rocks beneith it.

WALK ON THE ROCKS BETWEEN THE BRIDGE AND THE POND. Don't walk on the bridge.

Myself and 2 other men all walked across a broken section that started to slide off ther rocks with us on it. It only slid about a foot and we all quickly jumped off onto the rocks. Not to mention we were all wearing 50lb packs and it was night time. Theres nothing holding these sections down and they will fall into the drainage in time.

[Bill I.]

In terms of High Peaks you can have fires in the Santanonis, Sewards, and Dixes. Unless I'm wrong (and Wildriver can correct me ) fires are illegal everywhere else in the High Peaks Region.

Fires are banned outright, anywhere and anytime, in the High Peaks Wilderness eastern management zone, including Indian Pass, Marcy Dam, Lake Colden, and Johns Brook.

In the western management zone, campfires are permitted below 4000 feet.

In the Dix and Giant Wilderness Areas, the proposed regulations seem to be the same as the western High Peaks. In other words, fires are OK below 4000 feet (although there are discrepancies in the UMP language).

But let me point out that these are just three of 18 designated wilderness areas in the Adirondack Park--and most of those other places neither need nor require such onerous restrictions. Duck Hole is by no means the only alternative to the eastern High Peaks.

[b00tz]

Got back a few days ago from duckhole. Boy do I wish there were a couple more bridges, it got dark before we got there and I fell right in the water crossing one streams and twisted my leg up pretty good. It was raining and we got soaked, but it was certainly well worth it once we got there. There were 3 people in the lean-to by the dam when we got there,who were more than accommodating and friendly, we had a good time. I just posted in another thread that I had also lost my sleeping bag on the way out somewhere along the trail, but it was a blast! I'm done for the year(it got plenty cold the second night, and I am not a fan of winter hiking yet) but I cannot wait to go back again!