Adirondacks
-
Donaldson, Emmons, and Seward Mountain
With two of three difficult hikes behind us, the last long day in our quest was Mount Donaldson, Mount Emmons, and Seward Mountain.
-
Haystack, Basin, and Saddleback Mountains
One of the things my quest for becoming a 46er has changed in me is redefining possible, and these three mountains are proof of it.
-
Allen Mountain
“What type of mountain is Allen?” “Oh, just like any other mountain, only more so.”
-
Mt. Colvin and Blake Peak
When we summited Mount Colvin, the clouds were hovering just above the peaks, making for an awesome view. Colvin offers a wide vista of the snow-capped and majestic Great Range, from the Wolfjaws to Haystack and beyond.
-
Santanoni, Panther, and Couchsachraga Peaks
On the last day of summer, we did a loop hike of the Santanoni range: 4,606-foot Santanoni Peak, 4,442-foot Panther Peak, and 3,793-foot Couchsachraga Peak.
-
Dix Mountain
Hiking these mountains started on a whim, and I for one had never hiked anything, ever, before my first trip to Lake Placid. Over the course of these several years our hiking has taught us about ourselves, about overcoming obstacles, about completing seemingly impossible tasks.
-
North Meadows Sunrise
On my final ‘rest’ day, I decided that I wanted to get some pre-dawn shots from either near North Meadows (along Adirondack Loj Road) or from Keene Valley.
-
Esther and Whiteface Mountains
Five days of hiking out of six was more than we had ever done. Factoring in the difficulty/length of three of those hikes, we were looking for something simpler on day 6. Enter Whiteface & Esther.
-
Mount Marshall via Indian Pass
The Indian Pass trail was easily the best/most interesting lead-in trail we’ve taken. It’s much prettier (and softer) than the Van Hoevenberg or Phelps trails, and not nearly as boring as Lake Road.
-
Redfield & Cliff Mountains via Lake Arnold
Many (most?) people choose to climb Cliff & Redfield Mountains from the south via the Upper Works trailhead. From the Adirondack Loj, where Kathy and I started, the mileage is about the same, but our route skirts the 3,800-foot elevation Lake Arnold, adding several hundred feet of climbing both ways.
-
Tabletop Mountain
Heading straight for the summit of Tabletop at about 4 miles from the Adirondack Loj, the last mile was dark and muddy (but not shoe-stealing muddy) with relatively middling views.
-
Lower Dix Range – Macomb, S. Dix (Carson), E. Dix (Grace), & Hough
The Slide Brook and Lillian Brook herd paths were two of the best trails in the Adirondacks. They vary the terrain and direction enough that you don’t feel like you’re on an endless trail, and almost the entirety of both routes is soft underfoot and well-maintained.
-
Mercy Sunrise
You will not find a better rental than Mercy Cabin, inside the hamlet of Keene — centrally located to Lake Placid, Wilmington (Whiteface Mountain & skiing), and all the major trailheads for hiking the high peaks.
-
Dix Range Traverse – Dix, Hough, S. Dix, E. Dix, & Macomb
Wanting to finish my summer off in style, I made one last 800-mile drive to climb more mountains. Wanting to satiate my inner masochist, I chose a day hike of the 5-peak Dix Range.