Jessup River Wild Forest

The Jessup River Wild Forest (JRWF) area consists of 47,350 acres of State Forest Preserve lands in the towns of Arietta, Indian Lake, Lake Pleasant, and Wells in Hamilton County. The unit is bounded by Route 28 to the north and Route 30 in the southeast, as well as three wilderness areas: West Canada Lakes Wilderness to the west; Siamese Ponds Wilderness to the east, and Silver Lake Wilderness to the south. The state lands in this unit border, or are in close proximity to, the communities of Indian Lake, Piseco, Speculator and Wells. Route 30 bisects the unit and serves as the main access corridor. Many people enjoy hiking to the fire towers on Pillsbury and Snowy mountains, snowmobiling between Piseco Lake and Indian Lake, canoeing on Fall Stream, or camping on Mason Lake. Hunting, fishing, and trapping are also popular activities throughout the unit but particularly in and around Perkins Clearing, the Jessup River and the Miami River.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/22599.html

Buy Nothing Day 2015 evening

Good evening. Talk about a remarkably nice day for the day after Thanksgiving. Currently 55 degrees and overcast. Rain is coming but probably not for a few more hours. I’ll be retired to my heated tent by then.

Rain showers likely before 3am, then a chance of rain and snow showers between 3am and 4am, then a chance of snow showers after 4am. Cloudy, with a low around 31. West wind 6 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Saturday will be cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 38. North wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable in the morning.

Today I hiked up Watch Hill, a 1 1/2 mile hike up a hill overlooking Indian Lake. It’s a nice hike but steep hill down to the lake. The trail was a bit slippery on the way down to the lake, but Indian Lake was quite beautiful.

Mason Lake

While my campsite was not right on the lake, it was across the road and a short walk down to the beautiful Masons Lake.

Taken on Sunday August 1, 2010 at Mason Lake.