The Hiking Blog

Jenkins Mountain: There and Back Again

Posted on by Peter Minde

Rain poured out of the sky when I woke up on Sunday. Ugh, it would be a gym day. By the time I fed Ziggy and sat down to my own breakfast, it was sunny. Maybe a run was in the cards after all. Half an hour later, the sky clouded over. One thing I’ve learned since moving to Saranac Lake: If you don’t like the weather, just wait.

trail along Black Pond
Trail along Black Pond

The sun came out again; I checked the weather forecast. Fifty percent chance of showers. The heck with this, I was going out. I mixed up a batch of sports drink, made a recovery sandwich and headed for Paul Smith’s Visitor Interpretive Center — the VIC.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, Hiking3 Comments

Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge Hike

Posted on by David Paler

We’ve had some cool evenings and overnight frosts in Saratoga Springs, but the full effect of winter is still to come. In pursuit of an early taste of the season, my hiking partners, Dave, April, and I ventured into the High Peaks to visit winter.

The Dix Range
The Dix Range

The Adirondacks often see a frost up high, in November. It’d rained the previous day, followed by overnight temps in the 20s; we were confident we would find ice. We decided on a through hike, up from the trailhead on Route 73 to the summits of Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge, and then on to Route 9 in New Russia. It’s a 12-mile traverse, with 4,000 feet of elevation, and to some, it’s one of the most beautiful hikes in New York. We met at 5:30am to drive up in two cars, spotting one in New Russia.

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Tagged: Adirondacks, High Peaks, Hiking5 Comments

A Walk in the Woods at Plattekill

Posted on by Harvey

Thirteen years ago, a noted New York skier, a friend of mine, came up with the idea of recruiting lopper-wielding powderhounds to trim tree lines at Plattekill. He asked me to promote it and recruit volunteers on NYSkiBlog, and I agreed.

Route 28

We had a crew of ten volunteers that first year, and the numbers have grown. Now it seems we can count on 40 to 50 volunteers each year. I believe it’s really the right amount allowing us to split up into groups and spread out.

In my years of writing about Plattekill and promoting the work day, this is my first time contributing with loppers. My landscaping skills are limited compared to some others, but on the upside my enthusiasm runs high.

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Tagged: Catskills, Earning Turns, Hiking, Plattekill14 Comments