Over the weekend, we went camping at Putnam Pond, near Ticonderoga in the Adirondacks. We had a couple of remote campsites on the water, and had a wonderful time catching up with old friends and enjoying the schizophrenic fall weather we’ve been having in the northeast in recent years. It was a gorgeous spot, and our friends have already reserved the same sites for Memorial Day weekend!

The first night we were there, I was a bit spooked about bears, and we had to lug all of our food back to the cars after dinner. The next day, we discovered a network of hiking trails beyond the sites, so we weren’t quite as remote as I’d thought (still, don’t be an idiot about bears). Saw lots of mushrooms and a few fun creatures on our hike, including the gorgeous garter snake above.

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I was really happy to encounter a couple of northern dusky salamanders. They’re around in Westchester, but not as common as many others.

We also had the pleasure of watching and hearing loons on the lake. While I was familiar with their long, low wail, a pair was making repeated tremolo calls the first evening. The tremolo is often a warning call, and in this case likely in response to a few kayakers coming too close.

I guess we’ll be back in late spring; excited to see this lovely place in a different season!