Adirondack Sports July 2023

JULY 2023 13
PADDLING, HIKING & CAMPING Continued from page 11 folks will be satisfied with the short but
rewarding hike and head back. Continue
road heads south – this is 0.8 miles from
where we started the hike. The logging
road we had been following makes a turn
to the northeast and, soon after the small
clearing, there is a somewhat hidden trail
on the left that connects to another logging
road (the routes are shown reasonably
well on the USGS Mount Marcy map),
which we took for 0.2 miles to another
grassy clearing. At the northwest corner of
the clearing, an unmarked 0.1-mile path
leads to White Lily Pond. If your map and
compass skills are not up to snuff, just follow
the moose tracks as we saw many.
It is possible to hike from Four Corners
to White Lily Pond without paddling. Hike
or bike to the dam (biking is not allowed
past the dam) and enjoy the view – some
hiking northeast on a hardened dirt road
to a junction 1.75 miles from the dam –
take a left here. After going another 0.9
miles you reach the Boreas River, the inlet
to the ponds where we started our hike,
as described above. A round-trip to White
Lily Pond from Four Corners is about eight
miles without much change in elevation.
Much of the hardened roads can be visualized
using the satellite view in online maps.
Camping – As mentioned, as of early
summer of 2023, the only designated
backcountry campsite at the ponds is the
lean-to at the south end of the ponds. I
really enjoyed the peace and quiet there,
occasionally interrupted by a loon call
or the hooting of an owl. We also saw a
ruffed grouse and observed a snapping
turtle laying eggs in the clearing near the
lean-to.
You are allowed to camp on state
land using the 150-foot rule: you must
be 150 feet from any road, trail or water.
Be prepared to do a “bear hang” or use a
bear-proof canister for your food storage
and make sure you don’t leave anything,
especially trash, behind. The area is located
in the “Outer Zone” of the High Peaks
Wilderness so campfires are allowed but
should be restricted to designated fire pits
so as not to burn the forest down.
If primitive car camping is desired,
I noticed at least three sites along Gulf
Brook Road that have a fire ring and a
privy and at least one of them is handicap
accessible.
You can find a map of proposed
hiking trails and other info in the 2018
Amendment to the High Peaks UMP linked
here: dec.ny.gov/lands/107504.html.
A lover of wild places, Rich Macha
has led many trips for the Adirondack
Mountain Club, and has spent 20 years
in the paddle/snowsport business. More
of Rich’s adventures can be found at:
northeastwild.blogspot.com.
LOOKING NORTH FROM
BOREAS PONDS.
THE NEW LEAN-TO.
WHITE LILY POND AND
ALLEN MOUNTAIN.
PHOTOS BY RICH MACHA
THE BOREAS RIVER NORTH
OF BOREAS PONDS.