A quiet, humble pond tucked into the steep and folded flanks of Cartwright Mountain. The small circle of open water is ringed by tall and stately bulrushes. At the pond’s north end lies an aspen grove and beyond that, a talus slope. On the east side, a narrow grassy ridge hosts an ancient sentinel pine. In summer, the water is dense with tiny invertebrates, the very bottom rung of a lengthy aquatic food chain. In winter, adventurous teenage boys climb the steep mountainside for the privilege of a solitary, open air skate.