GLHC Backpacking Trip to the Ausable Lakes

GLHC (Geriatric Ladies Hiking Club) I was so happy to get the chance to go to the Ausable Lakes in 2007, never dreaming I would get another opportunity this year! The public has no access to the Ausable Lakes unless you know a club member and they are willing to rent a few days to you. I have a good hiking friend who knows one of the club members very well so voila! Off we went. This trip was to celebrate one of the group finishing the 4000 footers in NY. There are 46 peaks over 4000 feet and when one finishes they become a 46r...a very big accomplishment. (Many of these peaks are trailess and require good compass skills and lots of bushwhacking, not fun at all!!!!) The peak that she needed to finish was a mountain called Skylight. Hard but at least it had a trail! :) An interesting fact about this trip was the temperature. My first trip in 2006, same weekend, the weather was in the high thirties and low forties. This trip, 2008, the temperature was in the eighties, hot and humid!!! The trip begins here, through this gate, hikers can walk through here but if you are not a club member you cannot drive, and that means a four mile walk to get to the first boat house!!! The AMR on the gate, stands for Adirondack Mountain Reserve. When we arrived at the first boat house, you look at an awesome view of the lower Ausable Lake, we go by guide boat, and it takes about an hour and a half. After we traverse the Lower Lake, we arrive at the spot called the "Carry", it is a strip of land that separates the Lower Lake from the Upper Lake. We leave the guide boats at the boat house there. The warden takes our supplies and our packs by tractor to the next boat house, while we hike the mile along a lovely river to the next boathouse. At this point we arrive at the Warden's camp. Cool thing about this is they have an outdoor privy with a "flush" toilet...(I loved that!!!) At the boathouse here, we got canoes and paddled up the Upper Ausable Lake, this lake is smaller so it only took about an hour. The Lower Lake though very large is only about 16 feet deep, but the Upper Lake is about 60 feet. The camps along this lake are practically invisible when the leaves are on the trees. The only indication of habitation is an occasional wisp of smoke or a dock. We have now arrived at camp! Here is an example of the amenities: To say that there is utterly indescribable peace and beauty here is an understatement at best, but I have included a few photos to give you an idea. On the morning of our departure, at six am, the lake was like glass, not a sound to be heard but an occasional lune, or other creature. By nine am , when we were leaving camp, the wind had come up, the mountains were now obscured by mist, rain and fog. Here is our group just before we leave. With the effect from the hurricane rearing its ugly head, the weather changes from high humidity and stiffling heat, to howling rain, wind and rough water. We arrive at the Lower Lake boat house before the worst of the weather hits.
Here is our tired, thankful and happy group at the finish!