We drove up from Greenwich, CT to Albany, NY on Friday night to cut the drive in half. We departed Albany, NY after making a stop at Uncommon Grounds for coffee and a bagel. We took 87 north to exit 28 and headed east on NY 74 for approximately 12 miles and made a right on Putts Pond Rd (39). It was a couple miles until we arrived at the gate of Putnam Pond Campground which luckily for us, was closed for the season so we did not need to pay the overnight parking fee. I think the fact you need to pay for parking here makes it a less desired access point to the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness area.
It took a couple minuted to find the trail head parking area and when we arrived we were encountered by two area locals: one was an outdoor photographer/bird watcher, the other were the Black Flies. The photographer greeted us with "doing the Adirondack wave, huh?" She was referring to us swatting at the Black Flies as we got out of the car. We immediately caught on and had a laugh with the woman. We geared up and headed to the trail head.
We were all geared up and ready to hit the trail head, I had planned a loop around Putnam Pond with the option for side trips. I thought of going to Grizzle Ocean but decided against it when I opened the register and saw three different groups that were spending some time there; I presume for Trout fishing.
The hike starts from the south east side of the campground parking area and the plan was to hike clockwise around the pond and the surrounding hills. I love the Adirondacks because of all of the granite that creates beautiful springs, pools, lakes and ponds. This area of the Adirondacks is south east of the Eastern High Peaks area but is very accessible from 87 which makes it a popular destination.
Immediately from departing the trail head we ran into a fast moving brook and a couple trees.
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After passing the brook we ran into a nice little pool.
After hiking 1.4 miles from the parking area we arrived at the intersection for Grizzle Ocean. We decided to head to Clear Pond to check out the lean to, pond and any campsites. On the way we took a little detour to get to the south western side of Putnam Pond. It was a 0.2 miles from the trail to the pond. We stopped here for a quick snack and water and were awarded this beautiful view. There was not a cloud in the sky and the breeze off the water was keeping the Black Flies at bay.
We enjoyed the view for about 45 minutes before deciding to keep moving. Soon after we ran into a Beaver Dam.
We hiked on a little farther and came upon Clear Pond, the lean to and a group of fishermen. It was trout season up there so it was expected we would run into some. Clear Pond is amazing, the water is crystal clear with a slight sapphire hint.
After Clear Pond we kept hiking north and ran into a couple hundred feet of climbing. Certainly the toughest part of the hike especially as the temperatures rose to the low 70s and the brush got much more dense. We were not sure where we were going to camp for the night but had our eyes set on either the Rock Pond or Little Rock Pond lean tos. We took the north east route and headed to Little Rock Pond and walked around the perimeter for a bit before we found the side trail to the lean to. We got there early, set up camp and gathered wood. The sun was going to go down in about an hour and the sound of a Black Bear climbing up a tree close by prompted us to get a fire going.
We kept the fire pretty small but tried to make noise around camp to keep away any unwanted guests in camp.
We had a delicious dinner of rotini pasta with olive oil, sun dried tomatoes and black olives with grilled sausage and Parmesan cheese. I pre-cut the ingredients and mixed them in a two and a half liter pot.
After dinner we hung our food, eating utensils and toiletries in the bear bag and hoisted up. Afterwards we headed down to Little Rock Pond to watch the sun set and pump some water.
The night was uneventful for the most part. We were awoken around midnight by the sound of coyotes
The morning brought crisp temperatures and a fantastic view of the pond. I headed down shortly after I woke up.
We saved some wood for a fire in the morning. As I learned on my hike in West Canada Lake, we payed it forward and stashed some dry wood we gathered under the lean to for other folks that might show up in the rain. We had some coffee and a light breakfast; Britt signed the lean to register marking our stay in this beautiful area.
View of Little Rock Pond panorama
I snagged a photo of the trail leading us away from the lean to adjoining the main trail that would take us back to the Putnam Pond campground. Not sure if I have mentioned this but I love conifers, their smell and ascetic beauty.
After leaving the lean to we ran into a bog, I think I remember seeing a camp ground on flat ground close by.
The remainder of the hike was fairly easy with some muddy sections. The photo below was taken at the junction where the trails for Rock Pond and Little Rock Pond come together. The mile marker showed the distance back to the campground at 1.4 miles.
Along the path we took a little detour to get to the northwest corner of Putnam Pond. It was a beautiful day and we stuck around for a couple minutes taking in the scenery.
Britt's pack was bothering her but she still managed to squeeze out a smile.
Britt grabbed a photo of me in front of the pond
We hauled it to the car and headed back down south for lunch at an old time favorite, the Washington Tavern. We met up with some old company, had some wings and were on our way downtown to the Albany Pump Station for a fresh brew (seen below).
All in all it was a great trip with many fond memories. It was Britt's first back country overnight trip and despite some rumblings of a black bear and the coyotes at night she had a great time (oh yea, with the exception of the Black Flies too).
Wilderness is an amazing thing, one of the best initiatives of civilized, modern man that existed long before without a name. The concept that natural, untouched beauty should be conserved for what it is despite the motivation to consume and manipulate it for our own liking. The desperate desire within each of us that yearns for the opportunity to get out there and experience it for what it is cannot be quenched by a mere taste; it merely sparks our interest, wets our pallets and provides motivation for the next excursion. One foot in front of the other, step by step...
