Clear Pond with the Young Men

Posted on 25 Jun 2022 by Steve Markham

The young men are preparing for a 50-miler in the end of August, so they took Josh and me backpacking to Clear Pond this weekend. So Much Fun.

Frisbee, swimming, fishing, fire, and gorgeous weather
Frisbee, swimming, fishing, fire, and gorgeous weather

We met up around 2, got to the trailhead around 4, and were at camp by 5. This group moved fast and steady, which was a pleasure. The boys got only verbal help from adults. Setting up camp, cooking, etc. They mostly know their stuff already, so it was a relaxing trip for the adults.

5 hammocks, 3 tents, 1 lovely view

We did work up a bit of a sweat hiking in, so swimming was a higher priority than dinner.

I think four of us swam immediately, with a couple more going in before bed
I think four of us swam immediately, with a couple more going in before bed
The plan to eat fish for dinner didn't work out
The plan to eat fish for dinner didn't work out
I had mexican rice for dinner with Josh. The boys fed themselves:)
I had mexican rice for dinner with Josh. The boys fed themselves:)
When your fishing line gets caught, it doesn't matter that you didn't bring trunks
When your fishing line gets caught, it doesn't matter that you didn't bring trunks
The boys got along very well the whole trip
The boys got along very well the whole trip
Everyone knows that your catch looks bigger if you hold your arm straight out, but this fish will never look bigger than his thumb
Everyone knows that your catch looks bigger if you hold your arm straight out, but this fish will never look bigger than his thumb

We chatted by the fire until after dark, then shared favorite scriptures. I went to bed before 10. Apparently the boys stopped playing cards around 11 or 12 (I received conflicting reports). They didn’t go straight to bed, though, as one unfortunate young man’s sleeping bag rolled into the pond while he was setting up his sleeping pad. He went for a quick swim to retrieve it, and “it wasn’t that wet.” The rest of us slept warm, at least.

I got up just after four to look at planets. No Mercury, but Venus, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn were easy to spot, if difficult to photograph
I got up just after four to look at planets. No Mercury, but Venus, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn were easy to spot, if difficult to photograph
Breakfast was oatmeal and fried eggs for adults. The boys fed themselves:)
Breakfast was oatmeal and fried eggs for adults. The boys fed themselves:)
Such beautiful water at Clear Pond
Such beautiful water at Clear Pond

We hiked about 2 miles to the waterfall by Rock Pond. It’s a lovely spot, and we got back into swim stuff.

Lots of green dragonflies (damselflies, perhaps, I'm never sure)
Lots of green dragonflies (damselflies, perhaps, I'm never sure)
The boys decided to dam up the lower fall
The boys decided to dam up the lower fall
Which made more falls, of course
Which made more falls, of course
Josh took a bath
Josh took a bath
I took a shower
I took a shower
Eventually Kyle joined me at the upper falls
Eventually Kyle joined me at the upper falls
How do you like the new look of the lower falls?
How do you like the new look of the lower falls?

Based on photo timestamps, we hiked out 4.5 miles in about 90 minutes.

I enjoyed watching the fisherman do the limbo when we went under low limbs
I enjoyed watching the fisherman do the limbo when we went under low limbs

We stopped in Warrensburg to give a ride to a former member of the Ward out visiting family for his mother’s funeral. I was home by 3, and then went right off to Drew’s and Clyde’s joint birthday party. But you’ll have to watch Janet’s blog for those pictures.

Tagged with: outdoors

Keep the conversation going on Mastodon