I have been looking at the snow depth charts for the North Country and doubt I’ll be doing any snow camping anytime soon. They say there is over two feet of snow along the East Branch of the Sacandaga River, meaning that the snow banks are likely in excess of four feet high in many places. Last weekend there was much less snow up there, I think I missed my opportunity to get up there before the heavy snow came.

Now the question becomes what is next? Maybe a night or two of snow camping. There are local favorites like drag my tent on a sled back to Cole Hill State Forest. I’ve done that the past two winters. It’s relatively easy but still kind of work set up and take down and I so miss the colorful lights from truck cap camping.

NY 8 along the East Branch isn’t a bad thing if I can get several sunny, not so cold, not so snowy days up north there. But that’s easier said than done in the winter. If I plan early enough I can dig out a parking spot, drag my gear back. It’s kind of noisy with the traffic but it’s nice to get away.

I’ve always had my eye on going to Balsam Swamp State Forest in Chenango County as that campground road is maintained and plowed all winter for ice fishing so it would mean all I would have to do is dig out a campsite and I could camp and fish there.

I’ve also had a lot of interest in the Finger Lakes National Forest as I believe Potomac and Picnic Area Roads are plowed year around. Again I’d have to dig out the campsite but it’s very doable. I’d probably hot tent but I’d also have the solar from the truck to keep things fully charged.

It looked like one year Brown Road was plowed to the old school house but I don’t know if Brookfield does that every year and how often they plow. It’s also still a bit of a distance from the road to the campsites at Cherry Ridge but if we got a heat wave and some rain the lake effect snow could disappear in December. Latest models offer little hope for this but as warm weather saturates the mid west some could push east, and warm things up here.

Most other locations are difficult to access if the snow is deep. Honestly even when I pitch a tent, I like having my truck nearby for power and ease of loading and unloading gear. Sure I can drag gear back but it’s a lot of work, especially if the snow is deep.