The Saddleback Spur Series: The Camp In The Clouds
One day in late spring I decided to go for a hike. Luckily, the Saddleback Spur of the Fly Rod Crosby Trial is near my house, so I can scoot over there on a whim. This particular day I was feeling a little spunky and decided to stride out to Midway Pond via Bobcat Cut. I had my Gaia app which gave me confidence. “I don’t need a map,” my silly spirit said. I registered at the kiosk and headed off into the woods.
It is a magnificently easy hike out to the pond. I made it there in about 20 minutes. Standing on the water’s edge I saw a “fisherman’s path”, or game trail, headed around the north shore. My curiosity was piqued. “It wouldn’t be there if it didn’t go somewhere,” my adventurous mind contemplated. I hardly needed convincing and headed in that direction.
The trail was a lightly trodden, single-track trail that wound around the north shore of the pond. Blowdowns made it a bit difficult to travel, but nothing insurmountable. It is the kind of trail that makes you feel like an explorer rather than just following the blazes.
“Fresh sign,” I noticed hopping over one blowdown and seeing the fresh scar from some foot, or hoof, “I’m not the only one dumb enough to wander off the mapped trails.” Then I found orange flagging. “Someone made sure they could find this route again,” I thought. My excitement grew and with each flag I found I wondered, “Where will this trail lead?”
The trail took a hard turn from the shoreline and headed directly up the adjoining hill. I could see someone losing their orientation with the undulations carved into the landscape. As I climbed, I thought to myself, “No need to get lost out here. Keep an eye on the pond for reckoning.”
When I reached the top of the hill, I found out why there was a path. It was The Camp in the Clouds. All that was left was the chimney. In its day, this property would have a magnificent view overlooking Midway Pond and the expansive mountains beyond. The walls are long gone and the trees have overgrown the vista. Even still, it is truly a hidden gem. I spent some time poking around imagining what it would have been like to vacation here. I surmised that it was true bliss.
“Who built this? How did they get here? Who knows about it now?” So many questions flew through my mind. However, the light was fading, and my stomach was rumbling, so I decided it was time to hike back.
I would say it was a successful hike. I explored the area, learned something new, and left with a more intense wonder of the region.
While hiking out I asked myself, “What else is out here?”
