Backtracks

Lost Pond Snowshoe, Feb 21, 2026
A foot of snow the night before obliged us all to spend much of the next morning digging out. The roads were clear by 10 so we caravanned to Cranberry Lake, where we had to do some more snow shoveling to get into the parking lot. O frabjous day! Someone had snowshoed on our trail last night or early today. Snow clung to every branch, making for awesome scenery in the young hardwood forest making up the first part of the trail. About halfway around the north side of Lost Pond, our predecessor’s snowshoe track ended and our work began. The sun didn’t emerge, but the bright sky illuminated the beaver-flooded pond and its many snags. Our forest was predominantly large evergreens. There was an osprey nest, and the tracks of a snowshoe hare. We passed over little bridges at the west end of the pond and found a spot with a sitting-log on the south side for lunch, reveling in the mild weather and lack of wind. Shortly, we came upon the tracks of a big coyote. Some very large cherry trees. And a spruce punctured many times by a sapsucker. Completing our loop, we picked up our own nicely-packed trail and padded out easily, stopping to admire the cliffs and icefalls near the trailhead.
Pictured: TL John Omohundro, Laurentian Chapter members Jim Lynch & John Barron, 3 Northwoods Chapter members.

Gould Lake Conservation Area, Apr 25, 2026
We wended our way through an interesting network of trails, some segments moderate and others very steep and challenging. We had lunch at Blue Lake, by which time we had a feel for the difficulty and the time required and opted to use a short connector trail to follow an easier route to our exit. Excellent spring weather had brought a number of hikers and paddlers out to Gould Lake today.
Photos
Gould Lake. Photo John Barron
At Blue Lake: Toni Towle, TL John Barron. Photo Jean Giblin

Buck Mountain, May 2, 2026
We had great weather for this hike. The current trail was built in 2023 with a very large parking lot to accommodate a very large number of vehicles. I am sure the trail gets a lot of visitors during leaf peeping season. The trail starts out with a gradual grade which increases towards the top. There are many sets of stairs in the steep portion making with a very comfortable climb. At the peak you are rewarded with a fire tower that is taller than most. Great view, great company, great hike.
Photos by Jeff Miller
Participants Jeff Miller and Dana Chudzinski
Long Lake from the tower