Lessons Along the Trail

The "Big Eddy" trail

Silver Lake Wilderness Region

Southern Adirondack Mountains

Sept 2010

The trail above looks fairly straight, doesn't it? and doesn't it look easy?  It's wide....with no major rocks or blow-down(trees, branches, brush blocking the pathway due to storms, tornadoes, etc)

If one follows this trail to the very end, it is about 8 miles to an area of the Adirondacks called the Central Region.  However, this trail is in the Southern region.  At the end of the 8 miles, it picks up again to continue north to the High Peaks region.  The name of the trail is the "Northville-Placid Trail" and it is about 32 miles long in its entirety.  It is one of the more "famous" trails that seasoned hikers like to do. It usually takes strong hikers about a week to do the entire trail.  My husband and I have only done parts of it. I have done more of it than he has, either with friends or my sister.

However, this trail also has many other trails attached to it.  In this particular region, there are 2 other side trails one can take.  One can go a bit southeast and get to a very remote lake.  That takes another 7-8 miles with 2 other ponds/lakes to visit on the way to trail's end.  OR....there is a shorter trail that is just a 2 mile hike (one way) to a section called "The Big Eddy".  This is the trail I took with a friend and our 11 year olds last weekend.  The entire hike is about 4 miles.  Our goal, of course, was to see (and dip our feet into!) the "Big Eddy".  (a small whirlpool in the midst of a river).  The Eddy is in a very remote section of the West Branch of the Sacandaga River.  It is so remote that it is rare to see more than 2 or 3 other hikers during a day trip.  I have hiked one other time in this area and thoroughly enjoyed the remoteness of it.  We had my trail book and topographical map, plus our backpacks with lunches, water, and first aid kit.  I also had a whistle on and my husband knew our itinerary.  The sun was shining, the sky was blue, there was only one other car, indicating other hikers in the area, and we were all set to explore!

So....why am I giving you all this information?

Because last weekend, while hiking along on this remote trail, God showed me a spiritual lesson about what we were doing. It was actually the next day, during my "quiet time" that I heard the Lord speak to my heart.....He gave me a "picture" in my mind.

It was about the blow-down that we had to clamber over and around to remain on the trail.  The trail that, according to the book, was the correct one.  Here is a photo of the typical blow-down we ran into.  It was more than one time.  In fact, the trail was almost all blow-down for the last 1/4 mile!

Claire climbing over blow-down
along the trail to Big Eddy.
Sept 2010

Here's what happened:  we took the girls, as soon as we signed in at the registry, to the chimney leftover over from a boys camp from the early 20th century.  Here they are:

Marissa & Claire
Whitehouse
Silver Lake Wilderness Region
ADKS 9/10

Now this chimney is NOT on the trail that we wanted to hike.  It is a side trail to the remote lake that I mentioned in the first paragraph.  We took some pics and then proceeded back to the main trail.  Now, according to the trail book, put out by the Adirondack Mountain Club, of which I am a member, the trail to the big eddy is supposed to be a right off the main trail.  BUT...we encountered something different.  We came to a side trail on the LEFT...which made sense according to the topographical map.  It also made sense because the river was to our left.  Remember:  our goal was to get to the "Eddy" on the river.....about a 2 mile hike into the forest.  Most of the trail was supposed to be hardwoods with a clearing just before the remaining 1/4 mile of the trail.  The clearing was a group of fire-pits for backpackers to camp.  No lean-tos in this section of the wilderness.

We stopped, discussed what to do. I thought it was odd that there were no trail markers on this side trail until Claire discovered that there were red pieces of duct tape around a tree branch.  We ventured further and sure enough, there was another red tape marking.  This must be it so we decided to stick to this side trail which the book claimed would cut off about .2 miles of the trail to Big Eddy.  We figured maybe the book had a typo and should have read to the L rather than the R.  Although, I had never run into any typos in other books, or even in this book.  I had hiked almost every trail in the southern region and knew the book well.  I had never run into any mistakes.  The book did say we would have to "bushwhack" for about 1 mile to see the waterfalls just past the eddy.  We were NOT gonna do this.(bushwhacking is hiking where there are no trail markers....it is best to use a compass and guide and we had neither..I don't normally bushwhack)

Red duct tape!
Our "markers" on the side trail!

So...we hiked along, and finally, after a-lot of blow-down came to the clearing. And that is where the trail ended.  We ate lunch and decided to slowly re-read the book. 

Claire at fire-pit
where we stopped for lunch
in the clearing next to the
West Branch of Sacandaga River

 We did and discovered that we needed to bushwhack the 1/4 mile because yes....we were on the wrong side of the river!!  Although the trail matched the map, it did NOT match the side of the river we were actually on!  We bushwhacked the best we could (I sooo do not recommend this.....and it wasn't a real bushwhack since we did spy red markers every once in awhile....as long as we stayed along the river, we could not get lost).  We went as far as we could, but never did see the Eddy. But what a beautiful scene we enjoyed, anyways!  A quiet section of the raging river.

The trail's end...
before needing to bushwhack!

  On the return back, just after the clearing, we spied 2 young adults hiking and trying to cross the river. I shouted out to them and asked them if we were on the correct trail to Big Eddy. They said yes, but the wrong side.  We would have to cross.  Well, the girls weren't wearing hiking shoes...they only had sneakers on that were not water-proof so we had to just head back to the car.  We didn't mind because we had already hiked 2 miles with a long lunch rest.  It was just 2 miles back.  Unfortunately we still faced all that blow-down! but...we kept on, rejoicing that we had a glorious day.  We got back to the trailhead, headed over and under the suspension bridge to soak our feet and relax and then headed back to the parking area.  We even stopped to pray and thank God....my friend's idea...it was a wonderful moment and we were so refreshed physically and spiritually!

soaking my feet
 back near the trail-head!

What's the lesson here??

Well, sometimes on our journey in this life....our daily walk does have "blow-down".  We might get sidetracked by the storms of life. And just like we had to climb over some large hurdles right in our path, we, as moms, as wives, as friends, sometimes have to face large hurdles.  Problems.  Sometimes they are physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual.  But we all have to face them at some point on our walk.

What is our attitude going to be when this happens?  Are we going to just give up?

Are we going to get discouraged and turn away from the path God chose for us to walk?

Or are we going to persevere and plod on....climbing over the "blow-down" when needed and taking hands with someone when desperate......clinging to the path the Lord is directing us on even if the going gets rough?

We chose to be happy and thankful that day.  Yes, I was disappointed.  Claire was very disappointed.  But...we knew we could come back one day and stay on the main path and look for the other turn-off. It must be there.....we saw other hikers who attested to it.  It's not on the map.....but....we know somehow there is a way.  We will try an updated book and talk to one of the guides back at the mountain club office.  The point is:  we will try again!!

We chose to enjoy our surroundings and plod along admiring the things God created.  We were quiet and contemplative.  

That's what the Lord wants us to do when we see hurdles in our lives.  Thank Him for the things He has given you...for the blessings around you.  Maybe there are not a-lot of them....it doesn't matter.  He loves you and has you in the Palm of His Hand.

Don't let a little "blow-down" blow you down!!

Persevere and push through.  Just like we did.....you will see the other side and be amazed at how God can work through whatever it is you are facing.

He reminded me of this verse: "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."  Psalm 119:105

Look to His Word (the Scriptures). What is He directing you to do?

Just like we had to consult the map, and follow the red duct tape markings, we as Christ-followers, need to consult the Bible. It will direct our steps.  It will "light our way" like the red duct tape led us to the river.  Will it be the most convenient way?  Not always...God might show us something that we don't like!  Yet...we need to trust Him and let Him lead.

When we do this, He brings us peace!  There is a freedom in our soul....a peacefulness that transcends upon us when we allow Him to lead.  We were at peace on the trail because we were allowing ourselves to just trust the red trail markers....it was obvious someone wanted to mark this way....it was not the standard circle trail markers put there by the state of NY.....but...we knew we could trust this method.....and what peace that brought to me....yes, at first I was uncomfortable with it. I have been trained from an early age, to watch for the trail markers left by EnCon or ADK Club volunteers, etc.  But...for some reason, I just knew in my heart this way would bring us (almost!) to where we wanted to go.

Even through the blow-down and back......

How are you going to handle the "blow-down" that comes into your life??

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."  John 16:33