Tweet
This is my first trip report and hopefully the first of many. After a quick change of plans when my sister cancelled, I decided to go forward with my backpacking plans alone to Cedar Lake. I got some good advice before the trip from Redhawk on how to arrange my pack. I set out from Rte 30 and took a dirt road called Perkins Hollow/Perkins Clearing quite a few miles into the wilderness area. What I didn't know at the time was that a low riding minivan is not the vehicle of choice for these dirt roads. Finally I arrived at a parking spot that was for wimp auto's like mine 1 1/2 miles from the trailhead. I thought this would be a minor thing and proceeded to throw in what I thought would be a few necessary extra things in my pack. At that moment a truck with 4 guys just back from their hiking trip pulled up and we exchanged hellos. I hoisted my pack on my back and almost fell over. It was a small embarassment as I was leaning heavily under the pack and so my ego told me not take anything out and I proceed on the first step of my 6 mile hike to Cedar Lake leanto #2.
The hike in was beautiful, the forest was lush, the trail was fairly easy to follow and not much in elevation. I scared up a couple of grouse on the way and their were a few wooden bridges over a marsh. When I arrived at Cedar Lake it looked like paradise. The lake was sparkling and the mountains surrounding were picture perfect. I saw the first leanto and decided it was way to sunny there and although my legs were like jelly and my back quite sore, I proceed another .5 miles to a bridge by an old beaver dam where I had read in one of these posts about a nice campsite. I found it back off the trail, up a small hill, with beaver pond down below. It was really nice. Another couple came along with a canoe they had found stashed by the lake somewhere and together we found the second leanto which was close by sort of hidden by the woods and really nice overlooking the lake. They took that and I stayed with my tent site. That night the stars were unbelieveable!!! I left the cover off my tent to gaze at the stars and listening to the loons calling to each other and fell asleep very happy. Sometime in the middle of the night I awoke to what sounded like someone doing cannonballs into the pond nearby. The next cannonball was right close to my tentsite and suddenly I realized it was most likely a bear. I started to get a bit frightened and that escalated to total shaking fear when that bear came up out of the water and was breathing/snorting heavily feet from my tent!!!. The only thing between me and that bear was may be 10 feet and some mosquito net of my tent. I've never been afraid of bears but that kind of closeness alone in the dark put things in another perspective. It scared the s--- out of me. But, he eventually left after several more frolics in the pond and breathing heavily close by. I didn't sleep more than an hr or 2 that night what with the company I had and the next day I hiked out and camped at Lewy Lake with a bit more human company (although that was debatable).
I have to forgive the guy I met at close to the trailhead who had his car right there and did not give me a ride down to where my car was parked. Evidently he had accidently sprayed himself in his pocket (possibly a very sensitive area?) with mace (not pepper spray) that he carries for the bears (along with electric wiring that he put around his leanto) and he was in a great deal of pain. That seemed to be overkill bear protection to me.
I also took a side trip, hoping to pick blueberries, to the moose lake recreation area. After a long but very beautiful drive down a dirt road call Cedar River Road, I found the spot near lost ponds with hundreds of blueberry bushes. After a quick inventory I realized that the bears and people had beat me to it and I was lucky enough to get 1 blueberry. A Ranger I met later told me I am about 2 wks late for picking, I'll have to come earlier next year. All in all it was a great trip and I must report the Hawk Vittle's were very delicious and filling.
I have a couple nice photos but I'm trying to figure out how to compress the images and I'll put them up later or, I think you can find them here, after the first 3 pics of some of my kids, check out #49 and #59, I think they're the best.
The hike in was beautiful, the forest was lush, the trail was fairly easy to follow and not much in elevation. I scared up a couple of grouse on the way and their were a few wooden bridges over a marsh. When I arrived at Cedar Lake it looked like paradise. The lake was sparkling and the mountains surrounding were picture perfect. I saw the first leanto and decided it was way to sunny there and although my legs were like jelly and my back quite sore, I proceed another .5 miles to a bridge by an old beaver dam where I had read in one of these posts about a nice campsite. I found it back off the trail, up a small hill, with beaver pond down below. It was really nice. Another couple came along with a canoe they had found stashed by the lake somewhere and together we found the second leanto which was close by sort of hidden by the woods and really nice overlooking the lake. They took that and I stayed with my tent site. That night the stars were unbelieveable!!! I left the cover off my tent to gaze at the stars and listening to the loons calling to each other and fell asleep very happy. Sometime in the middle of the night I awoke to what sounded like someone doing cannonballs into the pond nearby. The next cannonball was right close to my tentsite and suddenly I realized it was most likely a bear. I started to get a bit frightened and that escalated to total shaking fear when that bear came up out of the water and was breathing/snorting heavily feet from my tent!!!. The only thing between me and that bear was may be 10 feet and some mosquito net of my tent. I've never been afraid of bears but that kind of closeness alone in the dark put things in another perspective. It scared the s--- out of me. But, he eventually left after several more frolics in the pond and breathing heavily close by. I didn't sleep more than an hr or 2 that night what with the company I had and the next day I hiked out and camped at Lewy Lake with a bit more human company (although that was debatable).
I have to forgive the guy I met at close to the trailhead who had his car right there and did not give me a ride down to where my car was parked. Evidently he had accidently sprayed himself in his pocket (possibly a very sensitive area?) with mace (not pepper spray) that he carries for the bears (along with electric wiring that he put around his leanto) and he was in a great deal of pain. That seemed to be overkill bear protection to me.
I also took a side trip, hoping to pick blueberries, to the moose lake recreation area. After a long but very beautiful drive down a dirt road call Cedar River Road, I found the spot near lost ponds with hundreds of blueberry bushes. After a quick inventory I realized that the bears and people had beat me to it and I was lucky enough to get 1 blueberry. A Ranger I met later told me I am about 2 wks late for picking, I'll have to come earlier next year. All in all it was a great trip and I must report the Hawk Vittle's were very delicious and filling.
I have a couple nice photos but I'm trying to figure out how to compress the images and I'll put them up later or, I think you can find them here, after the first 3 pics of some of my kids, check out #49 and #59, I think they're the best.
Couldn't ask for better weather. Could be those cannonballs were a beaver slapping their tail in the water. I've had them do that to me when they find something new(me) in their neighborhood. Causes quite a racket till you get used to them. 
Never had them come out of the water though. 
Did you actually see the bear?
Comment