I guess this post is a little over due. Sept 16 was the opening day of the early bear season in the northern zone here in NY. My brother and I go each year. We stay in the Old Forge area and hunt a different spot each year for the day. Then head back to camp about dark and meet up with the rest of the group and fix steaks over a camp fire, steam up 2 or 3 bags of clams along with salt potatoes and corn on the cob.
This year we decided to hike over Jones Mtn. A short drive to Minihaha, park the car, cross the river via a RR bridge and we are in the woods by 7 am. We followed the river a short distance to the base of Jones Mtn. The water is very dark and the rocks that crop out of the river bottom are large with smooth edges. Most are round like they have been rolling down stream for centurys.
A quick check of the topo map and compass shows that if we head due east it will takes us right over the Mtn. We take our time climbing up, stopping every little while to listen and enjoy our surroundings. This area has a lot of beech trees and the beech nuts seem to be pletiful this year. I picked up a few and pulled the 3 sided nut from the spinny catkin. I broke the shell open and found no seed inside. I checked quite a few with the same results. As we headed down off the back side of the mt. the slope became quite steep. The woods opens up a little and the under growth is very thick. I was only 30 yards from my brother but most of the time I could not see him. I would move down a little then stop and listen. There are some really impressive yellow birch trees in this area also. We came across one that had to be 36" thru at chest height. The under brush thinned out and the trees seemed to get smaller as we crosssed the bottom between Jones Mtn. and Little Round Top. There were some wet spots that we had to navigate around. One area was covered with the greenest moss I have ever seen. It was at least 6" thick and felt like you were walkng on a mattress. It sure made a nice backdrop for a gun picture.
We had made it to the pinnacle of Little Round Top by noon. The rocks made a good place to sit for lunch, and for the first time that day were able to see more than 30 yards ahead of us. Looking south you could see the next two ridges towards the Black River Wild Forest area. Looking at the topo map our lunch conversation came to a conclusion that next year we would explore that area, and try and make it to the top of Woodhull Mtn. As we got to the flats heading east down off from Little Round Top the woods wove together like a jungle. More times than not it was single file thru the brush. I would check my compass every 30 to 40 yards to make sure we were actually going east. It was so thick that more times than not we would be headed in the wrong direction. I could see where a fellow without a compass and good map could walk in circles for days. The black striped chipmunks are running around just in head of us from rock to downed tree and back to rocks. They don't see to be very affraid, as they will sit up on thier hind legs and look at us. I can only imagine what they are thinking "what the heck are you guys doing all the way out here". At 1:00 we decided it was time to head back to camp. A quick check of the map shows we can head due north and cut an old snowmoble trail that will take us back towards the river and the RR bridge. We find the trail at about 1:30. It's not kept well, but sure is better hiking than the thick woods we have been in most of the day. Along the trail we come across a few little ponds that are very peaceful and quite. I tried to get a good picture but it only show half of the real beauty.
With a good pace on it still takes us an hour and a half to get back to the car. Back at camp the fires are going and everything is smelling really good. I took a string and laid it out on the map of the course we walked. Then checked it against the legend. I figure we hiked about 5 linear miles. I wonder what the actuall miles were with all the elevation changes and zig-zaging we did??
Bears, you ask?? Well we didn't see any this year. Most years we don't. Bear camp to me is more like a mini adventure with my brother out into the great unknown with a backpack full of supplies and a compass and map in hand. It's one of the few times a year I actually get to spend quality time with my brother. We both have families and I work way to many hours a week. He only lives 9 miles from me but at time it's a couple months between visits. So in my mind bear camp is always a success weather we get one or not.
