Beavers!

While we were busily improving the cabin, the wilderness was taking our measure and preparing to enforce Article 14 (the 'forever wild' section of the NY state constitution). The wilderness would do so on its own terms and at a time of its choosing.

That time arrived in June, 2003.

Here's a view of our driveway, you can see the rutted areas filled with water, dead-ending at a new beaver dam. A big one.

The next photos show the size and construction of the dam. These pictures were taken by our neighbor in the winter.

We drove up for an extended trip and discovered that our driveway was overgrown and under water. The beavers which we were thrilled to have on our property multiplied like the rodents they are. They worked like, well, beavers, cutting down hundreds of little trees and building amazingly sturdy dams all over the place. One of them bisected our driveway. That meant that we'd have to wade through water and hike a half mile from the road to the cabin, hauling everything such as drinking water, groceries, tools and laundry.

Knowing virtually nothing about what we were up against, we decided to breach the dams and restore the driveway. The 5 of us would work for hours busting up dams and clearing the driveway and the beavers would restore most of it overnight. Here's a picture of Stephen standing in the middle of what used to be our driveway and our adopted dog, Oreo, enjoying yet another swim.

Our ambitious plans to work on the cabin were ruined along with the driveway. We couldn't haul building materials up there anymore. But we were able to stay there, living in squalor but enjoying the wilderness.

It was becoming quite apparent that we weren't going to be able to transform this place into anything suitable for visiting, and we certainly wouldn't be able to retire here. By destroying our access, the beavers also destroyed the property value, provided we could even find anyone interested in buying it at all. Despite our hardships (which also included a failed transmission on the Suburban) we managed to have a good vacation.

And Suzy had an idea...