Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, 4/29-5/1/2005

Six campers shared three sites at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Westchester. We thought that we would only need two sites, but when we got to the park we were told that they allow only two tents on leanto sites. We later learned that this "rule" is not usually enforced; for example, the people on site 20 pitched four tents.

Ward Pound Ridge sites are expensive. Leanto sites cost $35 per night and tent sites are $25 per night.

According to weather.com, there was a 50% chance of rain on Friday, 80% on Saturday, and Sunday was supposed to be clear. It didn’t rain on Friday, it was on and off on Saturday, and there was more rain on Sunday. We all took home wet tents.

We enjoyed a beautiful outdoor campfire on Friday night, using some wood that we bought and some that we scavenged. The skies were mostly cloudy -- we only saw a couple of stars. I went to sleep at 11:45 PM, but before going into my tent I asked the people on site 21 to turn down their stereo system. They were drunk and friendly, and immediately turned down the music. I went to bed and the rain started shortly thereafter. At 2 AM, I arose to pee and the music from site 21 was playing as loudly as ever. Where are the rangers when you need them?

On Saturday, we hiked in two different groups. Lana, Sarah and I walked down to the Trailside Museum, then hiked up the orange trail to cabin 29, and then back down again. We ended the hike going through the fenced-in wildflower garden,

Lynn and Reeja walked outside the park to an antique store, where they bought some knick-knacks.

Because of the rain, we cooked dinner and built a campfire inside the leanto on Saturday night. Once the fire got going, the flue and chimney worked well and there was almost no smoke inside the leanto.

We packed up and left in a light rain on Sunday morning.

David Levner