Grave Site/Memorial near Wanika Falls

[Holdstrong]

Hi gang

A visitor to my website recently inquired about a "grave site" to the left of Wanika Falls with a granite stone marked with "Hunter Freckles"

I have neven noticed the grave/memorial in my trips through the area but my curiosity is piqued. Has anyone else seen this, or can anyway shed some light on it?

Thanks in advance

[gbrown@gdbrown.net]

Hunter Freckles.

Funny you should mention this... A group of friends and myself just hiked the NPT from Long Lake - Lake Placid this past fri, sat, and sun. We ran across the grave... Here is a link to the picture I took of it...

http://www.gdbrown.net/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=LL-LP&id=P1010101

Don't know much more about it..

Great area though.


Jerry

[serotonin]

Just a guess... Freckles was a hunting dog.

[Holdstrong]

Just a guess... Freckles was a hunting dog.

That seems to be the consensus guess right now. Thanks for the replies and the picture!

[rondak100]

A hunter died of hypothermia, in a lean-to somewhere in that general area. I thought it was more in the neighborhood of 4 years rather than 7.

Mike

[Holdstrong]

I thought it was more in the neighborhood of 4 years rather than 7.

Mike

Confused me a bit there. The dates on the plaque seem to indicate a 4 year span..... I think I assumed that was a Date of Birth and a Date of Death, which made me guess an animal companion of some sort. Is that what you were refering to by 4 and 7 years?

[redhawk]

A hunter died of hypothermia, in a lean-to somewhere in that general area. I thought it was more in the neighborhood of 4 years rather than 7.

Mike

Actually 2 years ago in November. The week I cut my through hike short at Blue Mountain because of the weather.

[serotonin]

Good question Holdstrong.
I better not comment.

[Boreal Chickadee]

OK, I'm confused.

I thought it was soemone's dog.

Now we're talking about a person???

Does anyone actually know or are these cryptic responses all guessing?

[redhawk]

My guess is that it as a hunting dog, probably a German short haired pointer (My astute Lakota insight and the fact the name was freckles).

It certainly wouldn't be a human gravesite (unless it's a memorial?). The hunter that died of hyperthermia recently did so in November, so the December date rules out a memorial to him and he died more South of Wanika Falls.

I'm also curious as to exactly where this plaque is located since I have never seen it and I usually notice anything out of place on the trail.

[gbrown@gdbrown.net]

I'm also curious as to exactly where this plaque is located since I have never seen it and I usually notice anything out of place on the trail.

Well, I might be able to describe it.

As you are heading on the side trail toward Wanika falls, you actually cross the creek, and come upon the first camp area. Here is a picture of what you would see when you cross the creek.

http://www.gdbrown.net/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=LL-LP&id=P1010115

It is up a small incline and to the left of where you see the people in the picture.


Jerry

[redhawk]

That memorial must be real new then. If you are talking about the little raised flat area just to the left where you cross the creek, two years ago November, I pitched my pup[ tent there and got stranded for two days in a storm. At that time there was no marker.

[rnc1968]

Freckles

Had an email from a visitor in the website, and also a couple of thru-hikers return from the trail asking about "freckles"?

Based on the dates and name, wondering if possibly a bald eagle?

- Freckles being the dark feathers in the crown.

- Usually migrate out of ny in December and return by the beginning of May.

A few years ago I read an article about eagles and someone who was tracking them in NYS by means of electronic devices and tagging (believe it was in a DEC site, I want to say the name was Nie or Nye).

I don't know the area, pouring rain when I went through in Oct 2002, and do not know if the area is condusive to small game and bird hunting for "hunter freckles" (dog) in that area.

Does anyone have a picture of the area in the winter?

Just curious, would like to know a little more.

[rondak100]

I just returned to this thread. sorry for the confusion. I read it hastily and came up with a date as opposed to a span of time.

Mike

[Boreal Chickadee]

rnc- That would be Peter Nye. He started doing research on the bald eagles in NY back around 1980. The eagle population has been rebuilt in NY using the very succesful hacking program. The last I knew Pete Nye was head of the endangered species unit.