Geocaching in the Gunks

For several years, I've been an avid "Geocacher". I've found over 100 "caches" hidden everywhere from "brick walls", behind "waterfalls", to hanging from tree limbs.

This morning, we took a "long" hike to find the "Lost City Cache". It took us ALL day to find this one and return to the Mountain House. The "round trip" distance was around 8 miles...

(this game isn't for wimps!)

This was probably the "longest" trek I've done to find a cache.

We took a hearty lunch with us and carried the "appropriate gear" (in case of an emergency). This is a "rocky" area and easily can turn into a survival trek.

The co-ordinates, for the hidden cache, are posted on the web (that's the easy part) but the "challenge" is "getting from "point A to point B". It takes a little planning (especially if you're in an unfamiliar area) to figure out the best "path" to the cache site. We found a "trail head" a few miles from the cache and followed the GPS signal to the "Lost City".

At about the four mile mark, I realized the cache was probably hidden in this "rock wall". The "satellite signal" bounces around a bit, in these close spots.

It's VERY important to have a partner close by in case of a slip on a wet rock or a loose hand hold.

I won't give away the "exact spot" (where the cache was hidden) but you can imagine the "hiding spots" on this rock face. I'll just say, "It's somewhere that takes a few feet of rope to find the prize". It took me a little over half an hour to find this hidden cache.

What a great excuse to spend a day outdoors!

An Early Morning Walk

Sometimes....... you're fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. That was the case when we hiked up to the "Lily Pond", one early foggy morning near "Smileys Tower". It's not a long hike, but the mist was thick as a light rain, and we could hear a chorus of frogs singing from many yards away. We were soaked by the time we got there.

The frogs sensed us immediately, and stopped for a bit, before deciding to continue the Symphony. (you can never be too safe in a natural area)

I've never heard a Symphony like this one, and have never heard another since then. I wish I had taken a recorder with me but you can't carry everything all the time.

It was Amazingly Supreme

The slightest movement would have interrupted the entire pond, so we sat absolutely motionless for almost 20 minutes before a deer brought the songs to a halt. It seemed like some of the frogs were large as a small squirrel. They sang the base notes....

The longer we sat, the more movement became apparent around us. Before hiking back down, we saw a porcupine from atop "Smileys Tower".

Treasure in the Woods

The real treasure at the "Mountain House" (to us) isn't in the house, it's in the woods. This entire area is both a "nature sanctuary" and one of the best examples of "harmony with nature" I've ever seen.

It's not unusual to see eagles, falcons, fox, bear, beaver, bobcats, and porcupines in this area. This is a VERY diverse place and hiking here can allow the early walker to see and experience it all. They have an excellent nature program here and we've been fortunate to view several different ones while staying here.

On our last trip , we were again fortunate enough to find this fellow giving a lecture and slide show: "Global Learning Inc."

Our favorite way to enjoy the Mountain House is to spend a day outdoors.

The shortest hike to a nice overlook is here.

Marilyn and I can spend an entire day hiking in these woods.

A Castle in the Sky

Our trip to Africa last year was cancelled because of "political problems" in that part of the world. We figured if we were lucky enough to land at the local airport, we may not be lucky enough to get back out, so we erred on the side of safety. Maybe some day we will return and enjoy that part of the world, where wildlife is the norm, instead of the exception.

But on a similar vein;

Marilyn and I visit relatives and friends near New York City several times a year, and when we're lucky, we spend a few days at this resort before driving back to West Virginia. This place, near New Paltz, is about the most comfortable place I've ever been on the face of the earth.

My first impression of this majestic "castle" beside a small lake, was of a luxurious European Spa, set in the mountains of France or perhaps Romania. But this place isn't in Europe....

The accommodations here can vary from "traditional" to "luxurious" and there's a "wonderful" indoor pool warmed by geo-thermal heating. The hosts here have gone to extraordinary lengths to make everything have the "feel" of nature in it....and that's what I like the most about the "Mohonk Mountain House".