Bushwhack to and around Vanderwhacker Pond(Adirondacks)

Headed north to the Adirondacks again today to do a bushwhack hike from Boreas Road to Vanderwhacker Pond with my dad.  There is actually a rough, hard to follow foot path that leads the 1.1 miles into Vanderwhacker Pond from the small, unmarked pull off of the road.  Looking back near the start of the path.

  A more clear area of the path.

Low bushes and brush mark the way.

Entering a deciduous forest, we did our best to follow the path, which was buried under leaves.

The path crosses Vanderwhacker Brook three times on your way to the pond.  Due to a lack of any recent rains, water levels in the brook are very low, making it easy to cross.

The path is mostly level, with a slight elevation gain as it wanders through beautiful woods.

Another brook crossing.

We encountered a large beaver meadow where the brook meanders along.  Apparently this area must've been dammed up by beavers at some point, creating this meadow.

Foliage along the beaver meadow.

Fallen leaves in Vanderwhacker Brook.

Beaver activity has created a large beaver swamp and meadow just to the west of the pond.

A large pool area that the beaver's have dammed up.

Our first glance out at Vanderwhacker Pond.

We found our way to the pond's shore, where a superb view awaited us.

Ghostly skeletons of spruce line the perimeter of the pond.

We continued around the pond on a true bushwhack.  We had to find our way through branches, bushes, fallen trees, wet areas and uneven terrain.

Fall colors appear to be just past peak here, but still very nice.

Fallen trees line the pond, framed by a nearby unnamed peak.

Reflections.

Brilliant fall colors.

A downed tree on the northeast side of the pond.

There were a couple of areas that were extremely difficult to get through.

A clearing provides a glimpse across Vanderwhacker Pond

Returning back to the rough foot path through dense brush.

It was a nice hike to and around remote Vanderwhacker Pond, and no maintained trails provided a feeling of solitude.   Total mileage was about 3 miles RT.