So I have been to Lake Pharaoh before but this time it was solo, a first for me for an overnight. About 7 miles in, a pack weight of around 30lbs and ready to go.
The Pharaoh Wilderness has a certain age to it, the woods felt old but when you drive into a thunderstorm getting to the trail head there is a certain ominous nature to it all.
Still by the time we were on trail the rain had turned to a trickle.
This is a land of bogs, so many swamps and lots of blood sucking insects. Originally I planed to stay at Crane Pond, leave my pack and hike Mount Pharaoh in and back to the lake but the campsites were all full and with the constant thunder it seemed unwise to be on a peak. So we continued onto Lake Pharaoh, racing the weather. Finally in the last mile the rain really picked up and moved as fast as I could to get to the site and set up the tent for shelter.
Sal was thoroughly impressed that upon getting to the campsite we immediately had to climb into the tent and wait for several hours through an intense rain storm.
This is what the site looked like sans rain. It was perched on a pennisela jutting into Lake Pharoah. There are several like this in the lake, some with lean-tos some with camping sites. This one the trail was blocked by downed trees from Irene, but a little climbing and I had it all to myself.
This is the view out with a small fire burning. I had to steal some dry pine needles from under a downed log to light it and even then everything was so wet it was hard to get it going.
After settling in, Sal and I wandered on the trail around the lake. I have been to the opposite shore but this side was new to me. After about a mile I came across another point.
There was a lean-to with building material next to it for re-roofing it. When it is done it will be a great place to stay.
I personally likes these two pans on the side. Gave the whole thing presence.
The light was very cool and my iPhone was taking some good shots when...
Sal wandered into frame...
Sniffed...
And then stood majestically to make this shoot, my favorite of the trip.
Like any Adirondack lean-to there are all sorts of carvings into the logs, some quite old.
So I added mine.
After a night of realizing my stove had no fuel, so having to cook everything on coals, which mean I burned half, spilled the rest into the coals when they resettled and tipped the pot. Still, sitting on the point with a crispy pot of food and one of my home brews, life was good.
I also dipped my feet in the lake and watched as the fearless fish nibbled on them. Even under water it felt like little wet kisses, very odd. I read for a bit and Sal asked to be let into the tent to go to sleep long before I felt inclined too. I watched the sun set, the moon rise and listened to the loons start to call. Then I too retired, read a little and fell asleep around 10:30...
And woken at 5:45AM by Sal wanting to be let out of the tent to chase something. It had gotten cold and I tried to share my sleeping bag best I could to keep him warm while the loons called out in the darkness.
The mist blocked the view of the far shore adn by 6:45 I was packed and ready to head out. No breakfast for me, the pot was so blackened I figured oatmeal wouldn't taste very good in it.
On the journey back I saw this dew covered web.
And this wild... lilac? Lilly? Flower. this wild flower.
And the lilly pads were blooming. Made the 7 mile trip in 2 hours and 4o minutes or so, the last three miles in about an hour so a damn fast pace. It felt good but when I got to the car I was ready. Sitting at my computer I can feel just how stiff everything is, but the good kind produced by hard worthwhile labor.
For my first solo overnight it was a good time even with weather and burned food. I am excited for more to come as the summer progresses.
