Pharaoh Mountain Caves?

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jbrown

jbrown

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I know there are many people more travelled and more knowledgeable about the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness, so I'm hoping that someone knows some information I'm looking for.

I'm planning a weekend hike to Pharaoh Mountain for some bushwacking around the SW side and maybe doing a little rock climbing. I have heard from a couple of people that there may be caves on the mountain somewhere and would love to explore them. (Rock climbing equipment including helmet, rope, 'biners, slings, headlamps, 1st aid etc. will be carried...) Anyway, if anyone knows a general area that I should be concentrating on I would love any suggestions.

I was thinking of starting with the small stream that empties into Pharaoh lake from the SE side of the mountain and later on working my way west along the south side heading toward the cliffs on the SW side.

Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance for any and all responses however helpful they are.
 
I'm not sure about Pharoah Mtn in particular, but I have heard stories about caves in this general vicinity for years. My mother's people were all original settlers in this area in the mid to late 1800s, at the north end of Brant Lake. My great great grandfather was a sort of locally famous character, there is a book about him (click here and scroll down to "Bears Bibles and a Boy"). His name was Edwin Roberts and he was the guy you called when you had bear problems...the stories are fantastic, he was bandy-legged old coot, fiercely religious and a man who knew how to get along in the woods. I wish I had a scanner at home, the picture of him on the back of the book is priceless, long beard and bear skin and all.

Anyway, I mention this because there were many stories handed down in my family about that valley...the valley where the Boy Scout Reservation now sits. Caves, ginseng, a great stand of sugar maple that the family sugared, and of course the wildlife large and small

So, I dont know about Pharoah Mtn, but there are supposed to be some caves up in that line of smaller mtns to the south (Big Hill, No.8 [which we always called Chub Pond Mtn], the Brothers, etc.)

Enjoy!

ADK Rick
 
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Hmmm, I didn't know about the ones near Grizzle Ocean. I know there are a couple of old mines on Rock Pond. One strip mine that left a big pit full of water that's great to jump into from the ledge, and one shaft? mine that goes straight in for about 100+ feet.

My information was that there is at least one "cave" on Pharaoh Mountain, so I guess we'll have some fun searching around and bushwacking.

thanks for the replies.
 
jbrown said:
Hmmm, I didn't know about the ones near Grizzle Ocean. I know there are a couple of old mines on Rock Pond. One strip mine that left a big pit full of water that's great to jump into from the ledge, and one shaft? mine that goes straight in for about 100+ feet.

My information was that there is at least one "cave" on Pharaoh Mountain, so I guess we'll have some fun searching around and bushwacking.
Click to expand...

Too bad I didn't see this thread a few days ago. I was working with Darwin (DEC guy in the area) this weekend. He was the one who showed/told me about the mines. Yeah, I may be thinking about the ones around Rock Pond. That's the place where we have to re-locate the privy each year, because there isn'T enough soil to dig a deep enough hole.

I'll be working with Darwin again in a few weeks. I'll try to remember to ask him about the caves.
 
I'll be working with Darwin again in a few weeks. I'll try to remember to ask him about the caves.
Click to expand...
Awesome, thanks, Pete.

(Additional thanks for the privy work, I've used that one a few times...)
 
I hope you keep us posted if you find the caves on Pharoah Mountain. There was a tower on top at one time. Often the old tower observers would locate caves near the summit to store stuff to keep it cool. We explored one last year in the Catskills although it was pretty small.

In the Pharoah Lake Wilderness there are caves near Lost Pond. It's a ways away from Pharoah Mt. on the eastern edge of the Wilderness area. I'm not sure if they are large enough to warrant your explorarion of them but may be worth checking out. There's actually a local legend of hidden gold in one of those caves. I expect a cut of the gold if you find it based on my tip...
 
Now that I think of it (and reviewed the Terraserver map)... maybe it was Rock Pond and not Grizzle Ocean. It was many years ago and all I really remember of the loop we did was the mine shaft, Grizzle Ocean(hard to forget that name), and the thousands of red efts.
 
The mine shaft is at rock pond (an old Graphite mine I believe). I only know of one there and I haven't heard of one at Grizzle Ocean. Look at the USGS maps, they still show old mines.

I was once told that there was supposed to be a cave in the area that lots of bats lived in and that at night they would swarm out. I was told this by a passing day hiker, I have no idea how true it is or isn't.
 
I remembered.

Just finished working with Darwin, the DEC op guy in the Pharaoh lake area. I asked him about caves on Pharoah. He told me he never heard of any caves in the area, only mine. He's been there 19 years, and says it's possible, but he never heard of them.

BTW, in that area, there is a lean-to with a new roof, 30 feet of bog bridge on the trail to Grizzle Ocean, 60 feet of rockwork and a mile of sidecutting on the way to Treadway, 30 pieces of blowdown removed around Bass Pond, and countless bottles of beer drunk. A very productive weekend.
 
Pete, did he mention if the Mill brook TH bridge is still on the schedule for this fall? I mentioned to my contact that most of the Pharoah Lake LT adopters had expressed willingness to help out if needed...

And nice to hear about the work accomplished. Good job! (as Always)
 
We never did find any real "caves," just some rather large splits in the rock up on the flanks of Pharaoh Mountain. The saturday we were bushwacking around was really hot and I was carrying a 60M climbing rope, harness, 'biners, helmet and my usual "10 essentials." We ended up cutting the day short and heading back down to the lake for some thermal reduction activity, i.e. swimming in the lake.
We stayed in leanto #2 friday night with the rudest guy I've ever met in the backcountry after bumbling around in the mist and rain until about 1 a.m.
Saturday night we stayed in #6 and had the whole peninsula to ourselves sunday. The swimming off the end of the peninsula is fantastic, I even swam out to the little island with the lone pine tree.
Great weekend.
We're going back in the fall for more exploring and rock climbing around the cliffs on Pharaoh Mountain. This time I'll remember to pull the camera out and actually take some pictures.
 
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Doc,

#6 is in great shape for such an old leanto, I think the oldest grafitti I read was dated 1964. There were a couple of small leaks in the roof during the storm that rolled through on sunday morning, though.

If there was a log book, I didn't see it. Kind of disappointing, I love reading the ramblings in some of them.
 
jbrown said:
Doc,

#6 is in great shape for such an old leanto, I think the oldest grafitti I read was dated 1964. There were a couple of small leaks in the roof during the storm that rolled through on sunday morning, though.

If there was a log book, I didn't see it. Kind of disappointing, I love reading the ramblings in some of them.
Click to expand...

Too bad about the log book. In my three years looking after this lean-to I've already replaced it twice. Now I can at least have one ready for my fall trip in. Maybe I'll chain it to the post!

As for the roof, do you remember the whereabouts of the leaks. There is a bit of roofing missing from the crown that I've told DEC about (the past three years) but would like to know any of the other leaky spots, if you recall. Supposedly I've finally got my oakum order coming, and they might even get me a privy door! We should be building the wood fired pizza oven this fall...
 
Doc McPeak said:
As for the roof, do you remember the whereabouts of the leaks.
Click to expand...

Dang it all, Doc. I wish I had spoken with you before heading down there. A lean-to had its roof replaced, but I don't know which one. I'm not that familiar with the area. It'd be a pain if you bring roof patching stuff, and find a brand-new roof.

So, Doc. remember this for next year. Mid-late August, we're working with Darwin in the area. Get your questions, complaints, requests ready and let me know.
 
I know one leak was very near the peak on the right side facing the leanto, probably about 3-4 feet from the wall. There was another on the left side facing the leanto, but I don't remember where exactly because my sleeping bag wasn't on that side.

We were there the weekend of August 19-21, so unless a new roof was put on #6 since then, it still leaks a little.

I forgot about the doorless privy until you mentioned it. It made for some very quick bathroom trips, I get a little self conscious. :eek:

Let me know when the pizza oven is done and I'll come give it a trial run!
 
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