Pillsbury Pond
Where: Pillsbury Lake, Adirondacks
When: 4/29/94-5/1/94
With: Bill, Tom
This was to be an "ice-out" trip. The intention was to fish a remote pond just after the winter's ice had cleared, when the fish would be especially ravenous for some fresh food. I was up at 5, on the road at 5:30 and at Bill's at 8 after a rainy drive across Massachusetts. We picked up Tom in Delmar (he had just learned of the trip), headed west on the Thruway, then north on 30.
The whole time, we passed through occasional rain showers that turned to a downpour just when we decided to stop at rest area, but we managed to avoid being caught outside in the rain. This was significant because Ritz Brothers trips traditionally involve a good soaking. We hoped our luck would change this trip.
As we continued north, we started to see patches of snow. Finally, we passed through Speculator and started to look for the access roads. We passed the first because it was too small and rough for my little Integra, and headed to next. We found it just after passing a small lake. To our dismay, the lake was entirely frozen. So much for ice-out. The access road appeared passable though, so we headed in. There was a truck with a canoe parked at lake, which we thought funny given the ice.
The road was a dirt lumber road, but it was in good condition and we had no trouble driving it at first. Then we came to a ditch that cut across the road. We stopped, decided it was passable to one side, and continued on. A second ditch further on was more formidable. It was a good bit deeper and then was no way around it. We discussed turning back, but instead filled the ditch with logs and drove over.
The rest of the drive was interesting but uneventful (one bottom-out) and after a bit we were at the trailhead. We parked and started in. There was a good bit of snow at first, but it cleared. Good thing too. The snow made for tough walking. There was a snowmobile track that offered some support, but due to melting, we often broke through. When we didn't break through, it was like walking in sand, so we took advantage of every bare bit of trail we'd find.
Eventually, we arrived at a trail junction. At this point, all the bare spots had disappeared and a thick blanket of snow covered everything. A sign at the junction said the bridge over the dam down our intended trail was out. Given the weather conditions, we knew the stream there would be uncrossable and we wouldn't be able to get to a shelter in that area. We consulted the maps and decided to follow the other trail to Pillsbury Lake, since there was a shelter there also.
It turned out to be a very tough slog through constant snow. Fortunately, the temperature was not bad at all, and there was no rain. There was a little break at a clearing, but then more snow. Tom began to mutter something about murder, but fortunately, the lake appeared about this time. A short time later we arrived at the shelter. It was a nice, solid shelter, with an outhouse, in a clearing on a point of land. There was plenty of blowdown wood available, so a fire would be no problem. The shelter was fairly old...some carvings inside dated to 1956.
Unfortunately, like the lake back at the road, the lake was mostly frozen so our plans for fishing were shot down. No problem. We found a nice rock to hang out on, gathered some wood, and settled in. Some loons on the lake added music to the scene.
We had a big fire that night and dried out boots as best we could. We stayed up until around 10 and then turned in for the night. The overnight temperature was cool but not bad and we slept in 7-8.
We spent the next day exploring along lake, looking for open water (none), and mostly just hanging out. We spotted or heard sea gulls, Piliated woodpeckers, a beaver, and a hawk. The hawk actually flew at Bill when he was sitting on a rock by the lake. Bill looked up to see the hawk's nest in the tree above his head. It was a cool day, but sunny, and I took a nap in the sun on the roof of the shelter at one point.
Realizing we'd have to hike out through the snow the next day, we decided to try to make snowshoes. It made for a nice afternoon's activity, and the results appeared to be workable. Tom managed to cast a bobber into a hole in the ice off the shore from the shelter in one last attempt to get a fish, but no luck.
We ate dinner at 6, had another big fire, with marshmallow sacrifices, and went to sleep at 11. It rained all night, but stopped before we got up around 6-7 the next day, so our un-soaked luck was holding. In a bit of irony, the overnight rain and wind had managed to pretty much clear all the ice off the pond. Ice-out! We did a little fishing, but had no luck. After breakfast, we packed up and headed out.
The snowshoes we'd made worked at first, but soon disintegrated and we were back to slogging in snow. To add to the trouble, there were floods also. At one point I actually spotted a beaver swimming up the trail! By the time we finally got back to the trail junction, we were pretty wet and tired. Luckily the snow had disappeared from the trail at this point and we got some easy walking. At least, we noted, we'd managed to avoid being caught out in the rain the entire trip. Just then, the skies opened up and we found ourselves in a downpour!
Figuring nothing else could happen, we finished our trudge back to the car, drive out of the woods, stopped in town for subs & gas, and then headed for home. First stop was Delmar, then Bill's at 4:45. Bill had a dinner party at 5, poor guy! I made it home at 7:30.
When: 4/29/94-5/1/94
With: Bill, Tom
This was to be an "ice-out" trip. The intention was to fish a remote pond just after the winter's ice had cleared, when the fish would be especially ravenous for some fresh food. I was up at 5, on the road at 5:30 and at Bill's at 8 after a rainy drive across Massachusetts. We picked up Tom in Delmar (he had just learned of the trip), headed west on the Thruway, then north on 30.
The whole time, we passed through occasional rain showers that turned to a downpour just when we decided to stop at rest area, but we managed to avoid being caught outside in the rain. This was significant because Ritz Brothers trips traditionally involve a good soaking. We hoped our luck would change this trip.
As we continued north, we started to see patches of snow. Finally, we passed through Speculator and started to look for the access roads. We passed the first because it was too small and rough for my little Integra, and headed to next. We found it just after passing a small lake. To our dismay, the lake was entirely frozen. So much for ice-out. The access road appeared passable though, so we headed in. There was a truck with a canoe parked at lake, which we thought funny given the ice.
The road was a dirt lumber road, but it was in good condition and we had no trouble driving it at first. Then we came to a ditch that cut across the road. We stopped, decided it was passable to one side, and continued on. A second ditch further on was more formidable. It was a good bit deeper and then was no way around it. We discussed turning back, but instead filled the ditch with logs and drove over.
The rest of the drive was interesting but uneventful (one bottom-out) and after a bit we were at the trailhead. We parked and started in. There was a good bit of snow at first, but it cleared. Good thing too. The snow made for tough walking. There was a snowmobile track that offered some support, but due to melting, we often broke through. When we didn't break through, it was like walking in sand, so we took advantage of every bare bit of trail we'd find.
Eventually, we arrived at a trail junction. At this point, all the bare spots had disappeared and a thick blanket of snow covered everything. A sign at the junction said the bridge over the dam down our intended trail was out. Given the weather conditions, we knew the stream there would be uncrossable and we wouldn't be able to get to a shelter in that area. We consulted the maps and decided to follow the other trail to Pillsbury Lake, since there was a shelter there also.
It turned out to be a very tough slog through constant snow. Fortunately, the temperature was not bad at all, and there was no rain. There was a little break at a clearing, but then more snow. Tom began to mutter something about murder, but fortunately, the lake appeared about this time. A short time later we arrived at the shelter. It was a nice, solid shelter, with an outhouse, in a clearing on a point of land. There was plenty of blowdown wood available, so a fire would be no problem. The shelter was fairly old...some carvings inside dated to 1956.
Unfortunately, like the lake back at the road, the lake was mostly frozen so our plans for fishing were shot down. No problem. We found a nice rock to hang out on, gathered some wood, and settled in. Some loons on the lake added music to the scene.
We had a big fire that night and dried out boots as best we could. We stayed up until around 10 and then turned in for the night. The overnight temperature was cool but not bad and we slept in 7-8.
We spent the next day exploring along lake, looking for open water (none), and mostly just hanging out. We spotted or heard sea gulls, Piliated woodpeckers, a beaver, and a hawk. The hawk actually flew at Bill when he was sitting on a rock by the lake. Bill looked up to see the hawk's nest in the tree above his head. It was a cool day, but sunny, and I took a nap in the sun on the roof of the shelter at one point.
Realizing we'd have to hike out through the snow the next day, we decided to try to make snowshoes. It made for a nice afternoon's activity, and the results appeared to be workable. Tom managed to cast a bobber into a hole in the ice off the shore from the shelter in one last attempt to get a fish, but no luck.
We ate dinner at 6, had another big fire, with marshmallow sacrifices, and went to sleep at 11. It rained all night, but stopped before we got up around 6-7 the next day, so our un-soaked luck was holding. In a bit of irony, the overnight rain and wind had managed to pretty much clear all the ice off the pond. Ice-out! We did a little fishing, but had no luck. After breakfast, we packed up and headed out.
The snowshoes we'd made worked at first, but soon disintegrated and we were back to slogging in snow. To add to the trouble, there were floods also. At one point I actually spotted a beaver swimming up the trail! By the time we finally got back to the trail junction, we were pretty wet and tired. Luckily the snow had disappeared from the trail at this point and we got some easy walking. At least, we noted, we'd managed to avoid being caught out in the rain the entire trip. Just then, the skies opened up and we found ourselves in a downpour!
Figuring nothing else could happen, we finished our trudge back to the car, drive out of the woods, stopped in town for subs & gas, and then headed for home. First stop was Delmar, then Bill's at 4:45. Bill had a dinner party at 5, poor guy! I made it home at 7:30.
