Newcomb

With a few days off after Christmas and no snow in the Champlain Valley, we decided to head into the Adirondacks in search of some outdoor fun. We snagged a reservation at the Hoot Owl Lodge in Newcomb, which is a great staging location for adventures in and around the High Peaks Wilderness. After checking in, we were told that the road leading to Great Camp Santanoni was snow covered. We strapped on our cross-country ski boots and headed to the parking lot.

It turned out to be an icy glazed snow, so it was certainly a noisy ski. We made our way steadily past the farm, but decided to return just before the hill started to climb. It would have been tricky with the ice, and we would then be pushing sunset. We returned to the lodge, ate our dinner and spent the evening playing pinochle and music.

The next morning, we awoke to frigid temperatures. With the mercury reading -2, we made a pact not to leave the lodge until it read double-digits. Luckily, we had a fantastic breakfast with the wonderful hosts of the Hoot Owl Lodge to fill our time (and bellies). We ended up on the trail from Upper Works by the crack o'eleven.

This trail was well trodden, but still icy. We donned our microspikes and carried snowshoes just in case. We headed on the Indian Pass trail, but turned west, towards Duck Hole. We had a picnic lunch at the lean-to on the northern shore of Henderson Lake before following the trail a bit further. We intended to hike to Preston Ponds, but again didn't want to be out after sunset. It was an excellent jaunt through the woods, and we were certainly able to find some solitude in the wilderness.

We headed to the Adirondack Hotel in Long Lake for dinner that night, and followed it with more music and games back at the lodge before bed. After another amazing breakfast, the next morning we were sorry to leave. We will be back though, with more Adirondack adventures in the New Year!

South Boquet Mountain

Since we seem to frequent the ferry from Charlotte to Essex, we have been eyeing a pair of mountains that seem to rise right behind the village. The Boquet Mountains are a pair of low lying hills in the Champlain Valley, and the southern one has some great views.

We parked the car on Brookfield Road and left the snowshoes in the car due to the recent thaw. We found some snow on the trail, but not enough to merit the heavy gear. We made our way up the trail through a young forest, trying to avoid stepping on the copious amounts of dog feces in the middle of the path. After a slightly steeper section, we were at the top with a fantastic view of Lake Champlain, Split Rock Mountain and the farmland of the Champlain Valley below. 

It was an easy hike that took just over an hour and a half. We will surely be back for warmer weather!