T+23 Detour ahead

​T+23 (June 21, 2020)

Navigation Report:
starting location: Wildcat shelter (mile 1376.7)
Destination: Fingerboard Shelter (mile 1391.2)

Travel Log:
10:30 Break Camp
11:10 Lakes Road / Trout Brook (mile 1378.3)
11:30 Fitzgerald Falls (mile 1378.5)
12:15 Mombasha View (mile 1379.8)
12:45 Mombasha High Point (mile 1380.5)
1:15 West Mombasha Rd. (mile 1381.7)
1:25-3:20 Accidental Detour (off trail)
3:45 View (mile 1382.6)
4:15 Buchanan Mountain (mile 1383.2)
4:40-5:00 Little Dam Lake inlet (mile 1383.7)
6:45 View (mile 1386.3)
7:10 I-87 (mile 1386.8)
8:05 Island Pond (mile 1388.2)

Commander’s Report:
As usual, I got a late start today. Pretty much every time I want to make minor tweaks it precipitates 30 minutes of futzing about with equipment. Today was no exception.

First thing in the morning I traversed a VERY popular area of trail that took me past Fitzgerald Falls. There were a bunch of families and tons of little kids running around. So, I didn't dilly-daily to perfect my pictures. They'll have to suffice.

Fitzgerald Falls

​Immediately north of Fitzgerald Falls is a stairway leading up up and away.

Stairway to heaven?

​Owing to the terrain, many of the "views" are too obscured by foliage to be truly considered views in my book. Mombasha View almost made it into that category, but a bit of the surroundings can be seen.

Trees, trees all around me

​The views for Mombasha High Point were... underwhelming.

The horizon can barely be seen on the...horizon

​A bit over a mile north, and down from the mountain, the AT passes by Kloiber's Pond. Quite pretty, especially how the sky reflects off the surface.

Kloiber’s Pond

​At this point in time, I went for a bit of a detour. Between poor blazing and my inattentiveness, I ended up WAY off trail, like 1.5 miles off trail. You see, I thought I was walking around a lake further down the trail, not Mombasha, Lake. By the time I realized my mistake I decided that it was like 45 minutes back to the trail, so I decided to do the smart thing: jump in the lake, wash up a bit, and cool down. Almost worth the detour for that. (Almost...)

Mombasha Lake

On the detour, I came across these amazing mushrooms. The SEEK app says they're Eastern Jack O' Lanterns.

Eastern Jack O’ Lanterns

​After Buchanan Mountain, the trail runs roughly along a ridge line and has a few points to look out over the landscape. Here's a few pictures.

Late in the afternoon, the trail crosses I-87 by way of a local roadway's bridge. To me, this my entry into New England. I don't know why, but in my brain the interstate, not state lines, has always been the demarcation line. Perhaps that is because I-87 generally follows the Hudson River and thats a better geographic boundary to me than the nice straight line our founders settled upon.

​After I-87 I decided to pack it in at the first reasonable stealth camping spot. I picked a place in Harriman State Park. Just off the trail and close to Island Pond. I know it's not kosher, but not only was I not physically able to make the next shelter, it was closed due to problematic bear activity. 

Sorry for being "that guy"...