TR: Siamese Ponds Wilderness

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TR: Siamese Ponds Wilderness

Chris
August 9-11.
Jessie and I woke up and got in the car around 7:30.  Once we got up to the mountain we were stoked to see that only 5 cars were in the parking lot.  This meant no lift lines, and freshies all morning... Unfortunately there was no snow on the mountain, LUCKILY we had our packs full of supplies for a few days in the woods.  So we kept driving and found ourselves at the 13th Lake trail head.


To our surprise the updated map at the trail head had a lean-to @ Hour Pond, so this brightened our day that much more.

First thing on our radar was Peaked Mountain.  About a half mile up the shore of 13th Lake we hit a nice dense patch of blackberries.  We shook off our packs, dumped the water out of a nalgene and started picking.  It didn't take long to have the bottle full, along with a few handfuls straight to ourselves for the upcoming adventure.  We looked forward to munching on these once we reached the lean-to.


We got to the Junction of the Hour pond trail and headed toward Peaked mtn.  The trail followed a small drainage that flowed from a few beaver dams into 13th lake.


Once we reached the first beaver dam we took off our packs and headed for the summit of the mountain.  


It was a good steep ascent, with spectacular views.  From the top we could see the bushwhack route we would soon be taking to reach Hour Pond to spend the night.


After an apple and granola bars we headed back down toward our packs, hoping that the clouds in the distance didn't mean rain in the approaching afternoon.  On our way down we passed a beautiful Amanita Muscaria with a mystical peeper sitting on it.  


Once we reached out packs we got the compass, and map out took a peak at our to be journey throw the woods and headed toward Hour pond.  At first it was easy to pick up a hunting trail, but soon enough blow down and undergrowth pulled us away.  It was now a legit bushwhack.  

It took us 2 hours to get back in the trail.  We arrived at Hour Pond tired and ready to set up camp.  We got right to work because.  We brushed out the dirty/dusty beautiful new lean-to and organized our gear.  There was ample firewood around so getting ready for the evening was easy.  


After a quick camp set-up we made our way to the lake for a quick dip in its waters.  The water was beautiful and clean.
Really bad pano of the pond

With thunder in the distance we walked back up to our camp started a fire, and stashed wood in a dry place.  The evening was relaxing with a nice big fire, heavy rain and thunder.  We were glad for the newly built lean-to and not a 2 person tent!  We decided to stay in the lean-to the following night and just do a day trip.

On Tuesday we hiked East to the old farm clearing.  Along the trail there is some great spots to hang out along the brook, once very nice cascade of water falls, pool to pool dropping about 15-20 feet.  

We really didn't want to leave the special spot.  
After getting to the clearing we turned around and pointed to Puffer Pond.  We reached the Eastern lean-to and made lunch.  The pond was vacant of humans, the birds were chirping and life was good.  After some deluxe Mountain House lunches we made our way back to the lean-to for another relaxing night by the fire... Again thankful for the lean-to as the rain came down in sheets during the early evening.

On Wednesday we slept in till 9:30.  We had a lazy breakfast and slowly cleaned up the site.  


We were out of the woods by 1:00.  We stopped at the Ski Bowl Cafe for a fresh lunch on the deck.  After lunch we went over to check on the progress at the mountain.



We are both eager to get back in there.  So many interesting nooks and crannies.

A thanks to Harv for pointing us in the right direction!




The day begins...  Your mountain awaits.
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Re: TR: Siamese Ponds Wilderness

Darkside Shaman
Nice TR. The pics are awesome, especially the magic mushroom! Peaked Mt is one of my favorite hikes in the area. The Hour Pond Loop is an excellent ski tour for the winter as well.

Gotta go to know
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Re: TR: Siamese Ponds Wilderness

Highpeaksdrifter
Great trip report. Thanks for taking the time. BTW-that's one of the cleaner lean tos I've seen.
There's truth that lives
And truth that dies
I don't know which
So never mind - Leonard Cohen
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Re: TR: Siamese Ponds Wilderness

Adk Jeff
In reply to this post by Chris
Peaked Mtn is a great hike, one of my favorites.  One of the things I like about it is the option of paddling rather than hiking the first mile or so along the shore of 13th Lk.  That must have been a pretty tough bushwhack over to Hour Pond...  I've been in to Hour Pond, but never by that route and only in winter.  Also I've not been in there since the leanto was put in, which I beleive is within the last year or two.  Thanks for the report.  BTW, cool panoramic shot of Hour Pond.  Did you take that using a pano setting on your digital camera, or is it simply a crop of a standard photo?  I am guessing it is the former since there seems to be a bit of curvature to the pond surface... cool pic.
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Re: TR: Siamese Ponds Wilderness

Harvey
Administrator
This post was updated on .
In reply to this post by Chris
Glad this worked out so well. Looks fantastic.

Chris wrote
We got to the Junction of the Hour pond trail and headed toward Peaked mtn.
This is news to me. There was talk of the ranger cutting a trail on the bushwack you did, but ... do I have this right... there now a marked trail that connects the Peak Mtn trail to the Hour Pond trail?

Chris wrote
Love this pic everytime I see it. Smart to dump packs at the pond.

Chris wrote
... a beautiful Amanita Muscaria with a mystical peeper sitting on it.  

Awesome pic.

Chris wrote
At first it was easy to pick up a hunting trail, but soon enough blow down and undergrowth pulled us away.  It was now a legit bushwhack ... It took us 2 hours to get back in the trail.

Hope you weren't CURSING me at this point! She's a keeper for sure.

Chris wrote
We decided to stay in the lean-to the following night and just do a day trip.
Flexibility is the key to success.  

Sounds like a great trip into the woods.  Really glad I could help in a small way.

EDIT: I guess I did know about the "new" Hour Pond connector trail. Doh!
"You just need to go at that shit wide open, hang on, and own it." —Camp