Siamese BC, NY: 1/19/26 - Hooper and Billy Blake

[Harvey]

I've set some goals this winter, and I clearly going to have to revise them, to keep it interesting.

I started thinking about that today. It inspired me to put a legit day pack together and head out to see what I could do.

The most accessible BC ski in our neighborhood is a loop that starts at Garnet Hill Outdoor Center, to the Hooper Mine and then over to William Blake Pond. I wanted to know how my legs would react to a short sustained climb. I'd say it went ok, not bad, not amazing. My weakest move is now my snowplow.

I think of this route as a ski trail, but Garnet Hill clients seem to favor snowshoes when going off piste. At the end of this holiday weekend, every trail within 2 miles of the Outdoor Center was packed out by snowshoes. Still good skiing, just not what I remember when I used to ski this route regularly.

Here are my pics:

View of the New Ruby Mtn Mine from the Old Hooper Mine

Inside the Hooper mine

Inside the mine, there are well packed out snowshoe 'herd paths' in the snow. It's pretty cool rooting around in there.

I noticed how much deeper the snow is at 2200 feet vs our place (1900). Like twice as deep.

Veiled view of 13th Lake

Dynamite Shed

William Blake Pond

Once you get past William Blake Pond, the snowshoers have given up, all ski tracks from there.

I went up to the Beaver Swamp and skied across it.

Coming upon the Beaver Swamp

There is something I like about being alone in these woods.

Day 46.

 

[BRLKED]

Harv putting you on my contact list, we were out exploring the heights on the other side of Barton Rd .
The higher you go tour. No way to drop down any of the marked trails just yet.

 

[Brownski]

That is some cool shit. What gear were you on for that?

 

[Harvey]

What gear were you on for that?

Scarpa T4s, Voile Switchbacks and Rossi BC 110s.

 

[Campgottagopee]

Thanks for the pix, Harv
My Grandfather worked at both of those mines.

 

[Harvey]

Thanks for the pix, Harv
My Grandfather worked at both of those mines.

Do you know his stories? I'd drive to GP to buy beers to hear.

 

[Campgottagopee]

Do you know his stories? I'd drive to GP to buy beers to hear.

Just tidbits
My mom is really who you'd want to talk with
The one thing that always stuck with me, is when he first started there he'd ride his horse from Bakers Mills to the mines. He'd stay in man camps for the week before returning home. He also worked at the mine in Tahawaus. It really wasn't that long ago.

 

[Harvey]

He'd stay in man camps for the week before returning home.

I know there were worker cabins near the Old Farm Clearing at the end of the Halfway Brook Trail. I think they are gone now.

Actually many of the buildings on Garnet Hill were built for mine workers.

 

[tirolski]

Actually many of the buildings on Garnet Hill were built for mine workers.

Worker bee housing in the mountains FTW.

 

[Campgottagopee]

I'll share one other thing I remember most about him. He was born in a cabin on Edwards Hill Rd in Bakers Mills. He was 1 of 11 kids. He lived on that same road for 80 years. When Alzheimer's sucked the life out of him he and my grandmother had to move out of the mountains. Once that happened I knew he wouldn't last long. No mountain men do.