Mary Lake scouting trip.

I've always enjoyed having a quiet spot to lazy fish. Just to throw a line out on a summer evening or at daybreak when it's hot. I'm going to scout Mary Lake today to see if it fits the bill.

Mary Lake, is actually a pond. It's original name, which is still used by the USGS is Falks Lake. It was man made from the waters of Jenny Creek.

There's two ways to hike up to Mary Lake from my place:
1) Take Eureka to Ridge Drive up to Lakeside Drive a distance ~1.2 miles. or 2) Take Eureka to just before the cemetary and bushwack, following Jenny Creek to the pond also ~1.2 miles.

It wasn't a difficult choice.

Jenny Creek runs right behind my residence. I cross it via rocks when I'm heading east. Heading west I parallel it. The creek is crystal clear and a pleasure to have around. The water warms substantially in the summer so there are no wild trout present, but there may be a scattering of warm water species in the deeper pools. I'll leave them be.

Making good progress parallelling the graveyard on the right and private property on the left

Nice pool. Snuck up on it hoping to see a little life. Nope. I wishful thought that she was hidden at the top of the pool(deepest part) under the grass in the shade of the left bank.

What's all this then? Tulips? Will have to wait and see.

Well I think I'm getting close, better check my location to see if I'm on course.

Nice, almost there.

Up the hill and here we are.

Just your average pond, or is it?

There's concrete trails around some of the pond where the subdivision folks walk themselves and their dogs. There's also a longer West Side Trail that leaves the pond at the northwest corner and climbs a few hundred feet to a ridgeline. Should be good for a vista or two. I'll put it on my list.

I chose to get up close and personal so I walked the shoreline of the pond where I could.

The Wikipedia entry for the pond says in 2009 there were ~5 Beavers who lived here but they were found violently killed. At first the town blamed local kids, but further inquiry revealed that 2 River Otters also live here. It was concluded that the River Otters won the turf war. I wonder if newly arrived beavers, the otters, or the previous beavers built this den. The Canada Geese sure like it. I believe they are using it for nesting as well as for playing "king of the hill."

There are two feeders into the pond. An unnamed one above and Jenny Creek below. Pics are taken upstream of Lakeside Drive

Here is Jenny Creek feeding into the pond.

This was my favorite spot on the pond. It's to the right of the creek.

It's a shallow area at the head of the pond, I'm guessing it slopes gently downward.

My thought is that at daybreak, fish will come into the cattails to feed. Live bait would need little if any split shot.

Oh Oh, we're on the march. But where to?

Walking further I found the hangout.

Below the pond on the start home, blanched pic directly into the sun with the iPhone.

Not gonna bushwack home. I'll take the graveyard road down.

God bless them. Not for me all this fuss. Freeze me until the dead of winter then drop me in the woods so the animals have something to eat.

I don't know where he was going but he was way up there and makin' tracks.

So Mary Lake will be a nice spot to relax and lazy fish on a summer evening or morning :)