On Sunday morning, the part of the group that met in Rochester got together and planned a menu for the first part of the week and did the shopping. After loading gear and coolers in the trailer, we headed out to the Adirondack Mountains for the week. We had to be at the campground around 6:30 PM to meet the other kids and their parents that were joining us from the Albany / Saratoga area for the week. It was the first time that we had campers from so far outside the Rochester area. We arrived on time and introductions were made and the kids went off to get acquainted. A little while later, the parents took off and we set up camp and prepared dinner. After a campfire we went to bed. Monday was going to be a very physical day.
Monday morning we woke, cooked breakfast and cleaned up and then headed over to Pitchoff Mountain for some challenging rock climbing. Two safety lines were set up on different parts of the rock face and the fun began. The kids took turns climbing the different routes and some learned to belay the safety lines. Whether it was the easier climb on the right, the crack or the jumbled rock start in the middle or the much more difficult overhang on the left, everyone gave it their best try and we were very impressed with everyone's efforts. Some of the kids climbed all the routes multiple times, trying slightly different holds each time while others stuck to routes they were comfortable with. Overall, everyone did GREAT, especially those that had never climbed before. At lunch time we broke to eat and swim in Lower Cascade Lake. It was a very good day with perfect weather. We finished with a campfire before bed.
On Tuesday we got up, cooked breakfast and prepared for our hike up Hurricane Mountain. We drove to the trailhead and started our hike through rich green woods traveling steadily upwards. At some point, some of the hikers decided that it was not something that they felt comfortable with and they headed back down with a counselor while the rest of us continued to the top. We broke out of the trees and climbed the bare rock summit and were rewarded with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. We hung around on the top for a while, having some lunch and then hiked back down to the cars to rejoin the rest of our group. Back to camp, showers and dressed in something clean and nice, we drove into the town of Lake Placid for dinner at the Fireside Steakhouse. After dinner we walked around town for a while, stopping to check out some of the great little stores along the main street.
Wednesday we repacked our gear for a canoe trip. We drove to Follensby Clear Pond and set out to find a campsite on an island for our base camp. We set up the heaviest canoe as a table. Swimming and good food filled the afternoon. The evening brought a beautiful sunset and a campfire before bed. Thursday, we packed lunch and personal stuff in the canoes and paddled north to begin a full day of exploring the many ponds and creeks in the area. The trip included 3 portages which were handled well through teamwork. Carrying 70 pound canoes across the portages was work but we managed it. That night after dinner, the kids played in the woods near the campsite and we finished with another campfire and a game Harry called "Red Knee" that required good observation and memory skills. Friday morning we packed up, paddled back to the cars and drove into the town of Tupper Lake where we met up with the parents of our Albany / Saratoga kids and said our goodbyes before heading home.
