WiseAcre Gardens

Following the Red Sandstone trail of yesterday’s post brought me to the north entrance of the trail where canoe access to the Raquette River means climbing over the hydro pipe going to the Sugar Island power plant.

The Raquette River is dammed at numerous places as it rushes north out of the Adirondack Mountains to the lower level of the St. Lawrence River valley. A common site along the public trails are the turquoise hydro pipes leading from the dams to the power plants.

I don’t want anyone fixing the Potholes along the Red Sandstone Trail but I do think a couple of leaks in the hydro pipe running next to the trail should be fixed. It’s a bit disturbing to see leaks in a 13.5 foot diameter pipe that at peak flow delivers over 1100 cubic feet of water per second.

I think even Joe the Plumber would be a bit overwhelmed if he had to fix this little leak.

Any driver that gets remotely close to these potholes is going to need a new vehicle and their head examined. Yet no road crew will ever patch these holes. Why? Because you’d have to drive over a cliff to land anywhere close to them.

Glacial potholes are common in the north country. These where found in the river bed of the Raquette River below the dam at Hannawa Falls. If you want to see them in person I suggest parking at the Red Sandstone Trail’s southern starting point by the fire hall and following the trail to the ‘whitewater’. You’ll need to go down to the face of the dam and then follow the river downstream a little way. Caution is necessary. The dam can release water at anytime so stay on the high ground. It’s easy enough to see the high water marks so use a little common sense.

These holes where formed by rushing water swirling sand, gravel and stones. Over time the holes are carved deeper and deeper and the process is still happening. During spring runoff season the river swells and rushes downstream with unimaginable force.

I was surprised to find a ‘new’ pothole forming with the craving rock still in place. I can’t be the first person to find it and thank all that did for not removing the rock.

Did you notice the fleabane in the first photo. It was pretty unfocused but the photo was clear enought to see that it was growing out of a crack in nothing but bedrock. In both life and hardscape Nature has a way of inspiring awe. Except maybe in anyone who would take a scenic drive to see this landscape.

It would be easy enough to drive by the Raquette River Bison farm and not notice it. The Bison are often out of sight and except for a small sign there’s no clue there are Bison roaming pastureland along the South Canton Road in the Town of Potsdam.  It might be a roundabout way but the ‘alternate route’ between Canton and Potsdam will give you a chance to see Buffalo.

The images are linked to larger sized 1024 x 768 pics. Use them as desktop wallpaper if you like.