Write-up: Mary Pat Connors
Leader: Mary Pat Connors
Co-Leader: Madonna Fellows

Four of us pre-hiked Chase Lake in the week ahead of the scheduled date.
This is located in the Shaker Forest near Bleecker NY, not to be confused with Chase Lake in the Independence River Forest near the Otter Creek Horse Trails.
Leaving from Middleville, it is about a 45-minute ride to the trailhead.

The trail was snowy and very wet, with several small stream-crossings and one large one at the Chase Lake Outlet. We were able to make it across this fairly easily due to a snow bridge. However, it was not an easy hike with the conditions underfoot. It was a constant balancing act, never knowing whether your feet would slide or posthole. We also added to the hike distance by making an unwanted detour that was heading us in the opposite direction. Thanks to Don and his GPS, we got back on track.

We made it to a very nice lean-to for a welcome rest. It was fully equipped with pots, pans, utensils, aluminum foil and plenty of firewood. However, the lake though pretty, just looked like a wide-open white field. Maybe this hike would be best done in summer or fall.

Then came the thaw in the days after, with record January temperatures nearing 60- degrees. This came with rains that created flooding conditions throughout the state.
The last dirt road to the Chase Lake trailhead had areas of deep mud that found us slipping and sliding across the road. So between the flooding, the mud, and the extremely high winds, the seven of us chose to err on the side of caution and change the hike to Nine Corner Lake. To quote Jim W., “Ever hear of Earth, Wind and Fire? Well this was Mud, Wind and Ice.”

The hike to Nine Corner Lake still had ice, so spikes were the footwear of the day.
It is a steady, rocky uphill to the lake. Madonna told us the story of tramps once taking kayaks up this trail. Another amusing story of the crazy things Tramps have done. With the icy gusts of wind and the dropping temperature we did not linger lakeside.

It was later reported that the Sacandaga River at Hope, NY, reached flood stage at seven feet at 3 p.m. Sunday. Chase Lake is only about 12 miles from there, so if we had tried the trail, it was guaranteed to be extremely wet, and perhaps impassable in places.

And according to the National Weather Service, gusts were predicted to hit 48 mph in the Capital Region. There were still about 11,000 people statewide without power as of late Sunday afternoon.

Though it was against the “Tramp nature” to change a hike due to weather, it was probably the smart and safe thing to do. Chase Lake will have to wait ’til another day.