craigscholl.com

On April 17, 2005, we set out to hike these two peaks on a very nice day.

This was another great day of hiking. It's funny how some days we describe as "epic," and others were just great hikes. This was one of those "epic" day hikes, as we all felt strong all day.

The 4 of us hiked these two beauties on a weekday, which has many advantages compared to a weekend. We would not see another soul until we returned to Algonquin from Iroquois peak. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the exact start time…

Ampersand Mountain is another popular hike in the Adirondacks and is part of the Saranac Lake 6 challenge.

The trailhead is off Route 3, a little over 7 miles west of Saranac Lake; on the right is the parking area, and across the road is the trailhead.

When we signed in, we were the only ones on the trail. We would not run into anyone until we were well down and on the way back out. We could bare boot the entire way but added micro-spikes at around 2,750 feet when it started to get icy/slippery.…

This was about a 6-mile round trip from the first gate at the top of the hill. Broke trail in snowshoes in about 6-10 inches of fresh snow.

It is well packed out now for anyone local interested in taking a nice snowshoe hike over reasonably flat land.

You will need a four-wheel drive to get to the first gate at the top of the hill. Dingo and I walked down through the marsh to the Ausable river and looped counterclockwise from the trestle, following along the river until it met up with an old tote…

Derek and I had initially planned to hike Gray, Redfield, and Cliff mountains. Like typical men, we changed our minds while en route. The dynamics of our hike changed from the previous high peak hike; we were off to a late start and snowshoes. This was the first time snowshoes were needed this season (required). We opted to make this a conditioning hike, downshifted, and took a nice walk into Avalanche and Colden lakes.

It was a 10.04-mile round-trip hike that offered some beautiful views. I…

This was a lazy day today. After sleeping in until 7:30 this morning, I had to change my plans. I knew I wanted to get out and hike something, so this little gem popped up on my radar.

I have been nonchalantly hiking the Adirondack fire towers, which isn't intended to achieve but appears to be moving in that direction. I intend to get my endurance back up and, with my son, finish the 46 high peaks this winter. We have nine left, so getting in shape is a top priority.

Azure Mountain is in Franklin…

Baker Mountain is a very popular and short hike as it is basically in the village of Saranac Lake and is really accessible in the area.

The most challenging thing about Baker Mtn. is perhaps finding the trailhead. From Route 3, I took Mckenzie Pond Road to Forest Hill Avenue on the left. Follow Forest Hill Avenue (aka Moody Pond Road) for a bit over 0.5 miles to the Baker Mountain Trailhead, which will be on the left at the north end of Moody pond.

You will start climbing almost immediately. The…