In 2016, I traveled to the Boreas Ponds, a secluded section of the Adirondacks, for what I hoped would be some incredible ultra-wide photos. The Boreas Ponds has a spot where you can see seven of the 46 “High Peaks” of the Adirondacks in one spot. But to get there, you have to travel over miles and miles of ruts and rocks.
I made it through the first trip in 2016, although I returned feeling like I had just worn out every muscle in my body.
I returned in 2017, hoping to get some special nocturnal photography shots against the pond and the mountain range. All I got was sick … and worn out. I was in no condition to hike all those miles, I was in no condition to spend the night there, and I was just … well …
Okay. So my body’s not ready for all that hiking.
So I went back to the Boreas Ponds this year.
I didn’t get younger, and my legs certainly didn’t get stronger – diabetic neuropathy plus two foot surgeries doesn’t exactly turn you into Malcolm the Mountain Climber.
But the State of New York has re-plowed and re-graded the access road to the Boreas Ponds. Instead of parking at the Fly Pond parking site and hiking for miles, cars can now drive up to the LaBier Flow and park in a new parking lot. Oh, and that parking lot is less than a mile from the Ponds itself.
Let’s see what we can achieve.
I arrived at the Gulf Brook Road entrance to the Ponds, and – yes – the road now felt more conducive for vehicle travel. There weren’t gigantic undercarriage-crushing boulders in the middle of the roadway. There weren’t miniature ponds disguised as ruts in the roadway.
And as I arrived at the original Fly Pond parking lot … I noticed that what was once a locked gateway to continue on was now wide open. All right. Let’s do this.
I continued forward. And as I traversed the distance, I suddenly noticed that a pickup truck was following me on the one-lane route to the Ponds. Oh, great. We’re going to re-enact the scenes from that 1970’s movie Duel, aren’t we?
No. I may have traveled at 10 miles an hour, but the truck also traveled at that same speed and kept its distance. Nobody was challenged off the road.
And when I arrived at the LaBier Flow, I found the new parking lot. Fifteen spots available. Twelve were claimed. I snagged one of the remaining spots. The pickup truck parked in front of an outhouse next to the parking lot – one of the passengers got out and used the outhouse – then the passenger got back into the truck, and the truck drove back on the access route, leaving the Ponds. Okay. I mean … I went before I made the trip, but some people I guess just need to go when they need to go.
Time to grab my gear. The Ponds would be a perfect opportunity for the Buena Vista Panorama image series, so let’s see if I can pull this off. Rolleiflex with a pack of Fuji Velvia 100 inside. Tripod. Let’s walk.
And to be honest, I actually felt good about my journey. A short time later … and I’m at the Boreas Ponds.
Set up the gear. Let’s get the active shot.
I know the foliage isn’t perfect … heck, I think it’s past peak season up here … but dude, look at that incredible view.
Okay. The Rolleiflex is on the panoramic turret. As I’m setting up, an elderly couple walked their dog along the pathway. I snapped a few photos, then continued the panoramic swing.
The couple and I (and their dog) walked back to the parking area. They told me they were from the nearby town of Newcomb, and that they bought their house in Newcomb after living for several years in Indiana. They liked the peace and quiet of the Adirondack Mountains, and they enjoy walking their dog along the Boreas Ponds pathways. Awesome.
Okay. Film sent off. This batch of Fuji Velvia 100 went to The Darkroom, a processing plant in California that is one of two that I use for slide film development (I also use Dwayne’s Photo in Kansas for slide film).
Yesterday, I received an email that the roll of Fuji Velvia 100 was developed and ready to show.
I stitched five of the film frames together … and this came out.
Buena Vista Panorama. This one is now the “king of the mountain” for my super-panoramic photo entry in Competition Season 2024. This image is absolutely incredible. You get the pathway, you get the pond, you get the seven High Peaks in the distance … in a print that would measure 12×60. One foot tall … five feet wide. Heck, all you need to do is click on the photo and you can zoom in to see all the detail. Clouds, trees, everything.
I got it. This is what I’ve been hoping for. This is now the photo that all my other panoramics need to supersede. And if I can get something incredible from this …
Who knows what I can achieve next.
Chuck The Writer 
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