Mud Pond Traditional Cache
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Size: 
(regular)
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Trail is located accross from fishing access west of Riverveiw. Trail is steep for the first .5 mile. Would not reccomend doing this in Winter. Fall should make for spectacular colors.
Mud Pond? Sounds like a place to be avoided! To me the name brought to mind a big pit full of boot sucking mud and Mosquitoes! In reality, this is a wonderful spot! It is an area teaming with Wildlife, Flowers and at times mud. It also has a story. Is this a true story you may wonder. Well, here is the story, you decide for yourself.
In the early 1800's, before the D&H ran their tracks from Plattsburgh over Lyon Mountain to Bloomingdale and on to Saranac Lake, what is now Route 3 was a wagon trail. The Stagecoach traveled from the Plattsburgh Railhead to the Tri-Lakes over this route. Riverview, being about the midway point, is where a Stage Depot and Transfer Station was built. Around this Depot Farms sprang up along with a Hotel. This story is about two Farmer Boys and their desire to catch Fish and Hunt to feed these hungry travelers.
One rainy fall evening, after their chores were done, these two youngsters decided that they would go hunting. They went into the hills above their Family’s Farms where they shot and wounded a Buck. Having been taught to never leave an animal they wounded to suffer they followed the trail left by the Buck. Rain turned to snow, as it does in the fall. The Boys traveled quite a distance and eventually came upon a large Pond. They couldn’t believe their luck! The only place that they had to fish and swim was the East Branch of the Saranac River. They longed for a calm Lake where they could fish and swim without having to worry about being swept downstream.
After finding the Buck they headed home. As Boys do, they made grand plans on how they’d make a raft to float on this Pond. They dreamed all Winter of all the Fish they’d catch.
When the warm spring weather came they put their plan into action. The Boys would disappear for hours cutting trees by their pond and making their raft. When the raft was built they watched the ice and snow slowly melt. Finally the big day came and they launched their raft!.
Fishing wasn’t very good in their pond. A few small Bullhead was all they caught. The boys figured that when the warm Summer weather came the fishing would get better.
Finally, after School was out for the year, the Boys hurried to their Pond for their first full day of fishing. When they got there they noticed that the water had seemed to left the shoreline. They had to push the raft out over the mud to get it to float. Once they got out in the Pond the warm Sunshine and lack of fish put them sound to sleep! When they woke they found themselves in the middle of Mud Pond! All the water was gone!
The current trail is an Adventure in itself! It has numerous switch-backs and stone stairs. On the Route 3 side of the Mountain the forest is primarily Maple and other hardwoods. On the Pond side, there is a pleasant mix of hardwoods, softwoods and Fern Meadows. Beavers have taken over the Pond itself. There is a large dam to the left (east). I caught a nice Trout while I was there resting.
Cache container is a large Rubbermaid jug with a screw top.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre n Ornire phg gerr.
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