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Paradox Lake, Adirondacks, NY
_RP15858_910.
The walk across the black ice of Paradox Lake was creepy, even though it was plenty thick. The thud of giant bubbles vibrated through the sheet, as did occaisional cracks and sonar sounds as the ice expanded in the early morning. I comforted myself that if I could follow truck tracks, it must be safe. On the other side, in the woods, I followed the trail past Peaked Hill Pond, hooking westward towards the gentler west flank and then up to the summit. These were new views, for me; Peaked Hill is only accessible via the lake. Here, above the south facing cliffs, I looked out over Paradox Lake and Schroon Lake, farther in the distance, lying before Severance Hill and the foothills ranging below the Blue Ridge. The sense of wilderness is as strong or stronger here, a less-travelled area compared to the High Peaks lying to the northwest. Alone, with slim chance of anyone else even thinking about this destination, I enjoyed the silence, broken only by the slightest of breezes through the pines, and my footsteps over the rock and snow.