Families Today - Hiking right in our backyard

Football season has just kicked off!

Basketball and hockey are right around the corner!

What a wonderful list of excuses to plop our fat duffs down and become an Olympic star quality couch potato.

Well, how about getting up off of that back end of yours, grab the wife and kids, pack a lunch and take a hike, and I don’t mean into the kitchen to open the fridge and pop another cold one.

We are so fortunate to have, right here in our backyard, a wealth of easily accessible hiking trails for all skill levels, and what a fantastic time of year it is to get outside. The days are crisp and clear with just a little bite of cool fall air and the leaves are just about ready to burst their glorious color upon us.

You don’t have to be a hiker who looks like they just stepped out of the EMS store loaded up with a ton of expensive hi-tech equipment. You don’t even need to make a special trip to any sporting goods store or even WalMart for anything special. All you need is a bit of energy to get up and go do it! So, next time you hear your wife say “take a hike,” it won’t mean you’re having marital problems. It will mean that she loves you and wants to spend some outdoor quality time with you.

Okay, some basic stuff. Ladies, don’t wear heels and skirts. Jeans or shorts will do just fine, weather permitting. Men, don’t overdo the amount of equipment you try to carry and the six-pack is limited to water only. You don’t have to be Mr. Macho and carry a 50-pound pack to be ready for a good time. A fanny pack or a small day pack will generally hold everything you need for a short hike of a couple of hours up to a full day.

The key piece of equipment is on your feet. You need to wear a sturdy pair of boots or good all around pair of, for the lack of a better term, tennis shoes. You’re looking for arch and ankle support.

And a compass! Never leave home without one. You don’t have to be proficient in land navigation, but you should at the very least have a basic skill level in the use of a compass.

Compass, water, food, a topo map if available, fire starting device such as waterproof matches or a Bic type lighter and an extra jacket for each person just in case of a quick change in temperature and you’re ready to go. Oh! and don’t forget bug repellant even at this time of year.

Now, where to go! As I said, we are very fortunate to have so much available right in our back yard. I personally think that the Buck Mountain area in Washington County offers something for every level of hiker and it’sonly a short ride away. Take the Northway to exit 20, turn left, go about half a mile and turn right on highway 149 east. Drive past the intersections

of Bay Road and Route 9L until you come to Buttermilk Falls Road. Turn left and begin to enjoy yourself. Oh! one more thing you don’t want to forget, a supply of toilet tissue. You never know when it will be needed.

First thing to look for is Buttermilk Falls. About a mile from Route 149, look carefully to your left and, if the local rainfall has supplied enough water, you will see the falls cascading down the rock face of the hillside just behind a grey house. Be careful if you stop, there isn’t much room to park and some of the locals drive a bit to fast for this road and remember, the falls are on private property. So be respectful.

Nine more miles down the road will bring you to a large state parking lot. You can’t miss it. At the entrance to the parking lot is a large map showing all the trails in the area. You can park here or continue driving on the narrow dirt road that exits the rear of the parking lot. That will take you another mile or two to an area known as Dacy Clearing. Along the way, you will see a number of trials branching off the road. Each has a large pipe across it painted red and State markers nailed to the nearby trees. Many of these trails are “loop” trails that will bring you right back to or close to the spot you started from. No matter which trail you take, you will be delighted. One trail will take you to the top of Sleeping Beauty Mountain (moderately difficult) and another will take you along its base (easy going). Either way, it’s well worth the effort. All of the trails in this area are easy to moderate and can be comfortably traveled safely by those with little experience of all ages.

For those of you who are afraid of getting lost, remember that compass I told you to bring along? Well, should you get turned around just remember the road is to the west of all the trails in this area.

For those of you who want a bit more of a challenge, instead of parking in this area, when you reach the large parking lot, continue on the main road curving to the left for about another three quarters of a mile and on your left you will see a trail head sign indicating the eastern approach trail to Buck Mountain. This trail will fool you and is not for the faint of heart. It begins at a very easy to moderate slope but, as you proceed closer and closer to the top of the mountain, there are a number of spots where it gets rather steep and narrow. Be sure to pack a lunch and plenty of water, this hike will take you a least a couple of hours to complete the round trip at a moderate pace and is best to plan as a half to full day’s hike especially if you want to enjoy lunch along the way or at the top.

You will know when you are nearing your goal when you are walking through a very narrow split in the rocks about shoulder width. Shortly after this, you will break the top of this trail; you will come to a bald rocky area. Be prepared to enjoy one of the most beautiful views you have ever seen in this part of the world. The Narrows of Lake George will be at our feet and you will feel as if you could dive off of the rocks right into the sparkling waters below you. The islands that cluster in the Narrows will be scattered in front of you and off in the distance to the south, you will see Lake George Village. Across the lake will be the Sagamore resort, its white coat sparkling against the lush green of its lawns and the forest behind. And if this isn’t enough, turn around and you will see Sleeping Beauty Mountain looming off to the east welcoming you to your next adventure. And on a real clear day you can almost see the north end of the lake some 20 plus miles away.

This is truly a spectacular place to take in and equally spectacular view of our back yard.

This is just one location nearby to your couch. There are lots of others within an easy drive that offer fantastic opportunities to enjoy yourself, your family and your friends. Every local bookstore has information about trails and many offer maps to help you plan ahead. The ADK and the New York State Forest Rangers can also supply you with a lot of information and make your time in the outdoors enjoyable and very rewarding.

And it is important to plan ahead. Be sure that you leave a “hike plan” with a friend or neighbor.

Be sure you list when and where you intend to hike, the time you intend to begin and the time you intend to return home. AND STICK TO THE PLAN! Don’t indicate you’re going to Washington County and end up in Washington, D.C. If you should ever get lost or injured along the way, this plan will greatly increase your chances of being found within a very short period of time. Without it, you could be faced with serious difficulty and possibly perish as a result. It isn’t called “wilderness” without reason. A “hike plan” could save your life.

It might not be a bad idea to wear some blaze orange this time of year.

Now, take a hike!

Dick Totino is the Saratoga TODAY outdoors columnist/writer. He can be reached at rtotino@nycap.rr.com.