Just got back from our third annual trip to Duck Hole. Usually, we go in by way of Ward Brook, but this time we decided to switch things up a bit and go in from Upper Works by way of Preston Ponds. We got to the trailhead late wednesday evening, and hiked into the Henderson lean-to. Shared the lean-to with a man and a very friendly dog.
Got up the next morning and took the Preston Ponds trail to Duck Hole. I never realized there was a lean-to on the shore of Henderson Lake... I'm not a big fan of the design though, I prefer the natural style that the DEC uses to treated lumber (for the walls). The hike in via Preston Ponds was really nice, the notch just before the ponds was worth the trip alone. The trail is in pretty good shape, although some of the bridges need repair. A couple of muddy spots near Duck Hole as well, but nothing too bad. Shortly after arriving at Duck Hole (which we found to be devoid of hikers), we heard voices but never saw anyone... probably through hikers on the NPT. Went swimming that night in the lake, the water was cool but not too cold.
The next day, my friend Will wasnt feeling too well, so he stayed back at the lean-to while my friend Sam and I set out to climb Henderson Mountain. The trail between Duck Hole and Bradley Pond is one of my new favorite trails in the Adirondacks, particularly the flat part before you start gaining elevation. It follows an old road and seems to hardly get any use, so moss and ferns have grown in around the trail but it is still clear and easy to follow. The uphill section of the trail, however, is in dire need of some work... it is very eroded and washed out. We even saw the remains of a bridge from when it was a logging road. At Bradley pond, we saw a tent and a few packs in the lean-to, and four college aged guys wearing jeans and t-shirts setting up tents.
We pretty much went straight up hill from the lean-to. We took a compass bearing and checked it once on the way up, but just following the stream that flows by the lean-to (keeping it to our right, but not too close as it gets thick close to the stream) we came out right at the summit. There is a blue DEC trail marker near the summit that marks it. Henderson truly is a trailless Peak, not once did we ever see any true sign of a herd path, just the occasional foot print to show that others had there before. It was also really dense, probably some of the densest brush I've ever had the pleasure of bushwhacking through. We reached the summit about an hour after leaving the lean-to, and ate lunch. As soon as we left the summit, it began to pour, and pretty much rained for the rest of the day. We reached the lean-to a half an hour after leaving the summit, and from the lean-to back to Duck Hole took us an hour and a half.
We had Duck Hole to ourselves for the entire weekend. I think the rain must've scared people away, or kept them confined to lean-tos farther west along the Ward Brook Truck Trail. Sundays weather was amazing, we hiked back along the Preston Pond trail, and rather then head straight out to Upper Works, took the Calamity Crossover trail to Calamity Brook and then down to Upper Works. This trail hardly ever gets used, and it shows. I don't think a single person has hiked down it since the leaves started to fall. It is overgrown although not too hard to follow, and passes through some nice hardwood forests that look like they escaped the axe and crosscut saw.
Overall, an enjoyable weekend, and plenty of opportunities to visit some new places I've not hiked to before.
Got up the next morning and took the Preston Ponds trail to Duck Hole. I never realized there was a lean-to on the shore of Henderson Lake... I'm not a big fan of the design though, I prefer the natural style that the DEC uses to treated lumber (for the walls). The hike in via Preston Ponds was really nice, the notch just before the ponds was worth the trip alone. The trail is in pretty good shape, although some of the bridges need repair. A couple of muddy spots near Duck Hole as well, but nothing too bad. Shortly after arriving at Duck Hole (which we found to be devoid of hikers), we heard voices but never saw anyone... probably through hikers on the NPT. Went swimming that night in the lake, the water was cool but not too cold.
The next day, my friend Will wasnt feeling too well, so he stayed back at the lean-to while my friend Sam and I set out to climb Henderson Mountain. The trail between Duck Hole and Bradley Pond is one of my new favorite trails in the Adirondacks, particularly the flat part before you start gaining elevation. It follows an old road and seems to hardly get any use, so moss and ferns have grown in around the trail but it is still clear and easy to follow. The uphill section of the trail, however, is in dire need of some work... it is very eroded and washed out. We even saw the remains of a bridge from when it was a logging road. At Bradley pond, we saw a tent and a few packs in the lean-to, and four college aged guys wearing jeans and t-shirts setting up tents.
We pretty much went straight up hill from the lean-to. We took a compass bearing and checked it once on the way up, but just following the stream that flows by the lean-to (keeping it to our right, but not too close as it gets thick close to the stream) we came out right at the summit. There is a blue DEC trail marker near the summit that marks it. Henderson truly is a trailless Peak, not once did we ever see any true sign of a herd path, just the occasional foot print to show that others had there before. It was also really dense, probably some of the densest brush I've ever had the pleasure of bushwhacking through. We reached the summit about an hour after leaving the lean-to, and ate lunch. As soon as we left the summit, it began to pour, and pretty much rained for the rest of the day. We reached the lean-to a half an hour after leaving the summit, and from the lean-to back to Duck Hole took us an hour and a half.
We had Duck Hole to ourselves for the entire weekend. I think the rain must've scared people away, or kept them confined to lean-tos farther west along the Ward Brook Truck Trail. Sundays weather was amazing, we hiked back along the Preston Pond trail, and rather then head straight out to Upper Works, took the Calamity Crossover trail to Calamity Brook and then down to Upper Works. This trail hardly ever gets used, and it shows. I don't think a single person has hiked down it since the leaves started to fall. It is overgrown although not too hard to follow, and passes through some nice hardwood forests that look like they escaped the axe and crosscut saw.
Overall, an enjoyable weekend, and plenty of opportunities to visit some new places I've not hiked to before.
. On Friday we carried canoe to Lower Preston and Upper Preston, we checked out the cabin my friend and I had read about in an article by a X-country skier, whom had stayed there recently, but alas, it was locked up. So we 
from the windows, saw 6 beds with room for more, 2 wood stoves(one for cooking) and kitchen. A really nice place for someone to stay, and wondered what the plans for the dwelling were as I think it was purchased by OSI(open Space Institute)??? Picked up another friend whom had hike in from Wallface and hiked back to Duck Hole. On Saturday morning, we decided to move camp to make out hike out Sunday easy with weather uncertainties. Snapped some nice pictures of some lightly frosted peaks surrounding Duck Hole and then hiked to leanto at Henderson Lake, both leanto's(new one at Duck) were real nice. Hiked to other leanto at Henderson Lake that day, which was .8 miles from the leanto where we were staying, and discovered it wasn't all that close the Lake at all, located on a nice crystal clear stream, leanto however was not in the best shape, and in looking at it, could see how it put the lean into leanto. On Sunday, we canoed out of Henderson Lake, Unfortunately my camera was buried in my backpack, my friend's was not(had a disposable camera). Has to be one of the prettiest ADK fall scene's, as the top third of Wallface Mountain was snowclad, as well as some of the other surrounding peaks, those who have seen Wallface from Henderson Lake I'm sure can identify. Will look to post some pictures from trip within the next week or so.
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