Ampersand Mountain, Adirondacks-August 2023
Nov 7, 2023 11:23:40 GMT -5
Post by anfhiker on Nov 7, 2023 11:23:40 GMT -5
In August, we spent about 10 days visiting the Adirondacks and Vermont (with a side day trip to New Hampshire). As the trip wasn't specifically a hiking trip and we stayed in hotels, there were no overnights in the woods...yet we did plenty of hiking and visited a number of fun locations and hiked nearly 60 miles. We did a few of the high peaks and once again, we weren't out to stretch ourselves, yet it did whet our appetite for more visits to this lovely place! We did a shorter trip on the High Falls trail on our way in, and then settled in for the night. The next day we visited an easier yet still stunning locale, Ampersand Mountain.
This one was advertised by a friend of mine as a good starter hike for the Adirondacks. We set off to hike the trail around 9:30 am, in no particular rush. We were quickly passed by a very fit hiker with an older frame style pack on. I wondered if he was practicing for a backpacking trip, or perhaps a trip out west. He was moving at a very solid clip. We passed a number of beautiful spring runs, one of which I did see a nice little 7" brook trout swimming in on our return trip. I brought the fishing pole along on the trip, but I wasn't planning to fish in the ADKs at least.
We moved along the path nicely, with the terrain gentle to rolling for the first mile and a half or so (this was supposed to be a 5ish mile round trip). We came to a spot where the trail began to slope upward a bit more, and then suddenly the incline began. We worked our way uphill slowly but surely, gaining about 1700 feet over the course of a mile and an hour of breathy hiking (this was to be the norm for our hiking, 3 mph on the approach, 1 mph on the climb, maybe a hair faster coming down). It was here that I realized that my summer hiking in PA had been little preparation for these types of hikes...yet I was thankful for what I had done. The overstory switched from primarily maples and birches in the lowlands, to coniferous trees as the treadway graded from dirt to more rocks and washouts. The trails on the entire hike were very wet, as locals said they had one of the wettest summers they can recall in the area. It wasn't uncommon to walk in a small rivulet of a spring run for a time, with rock hopping and root grabbing to boot. Thankfully, the stones were nice and grippy so we didn't do too badly. Eventually, we found ourselves above the tree line and at the 360 degree view. We basked in the sunshine at the summit, and tried our best to stay out of the breeze as we cooled off. We had lunch and made a quick phone call as it was my father in law's birthday and then took some photos.
The summit wasn't empty, but it wasn't crowded either. We stayed for a bit and talked with a few people, then made our way back down the mountain. I generally prefer ascents to descents, and this was little exception. It wasn't the most eventful climb down, but we were careful and made it to our car safely. That, and enjoying the beauty of God's creation, is of course the goal always. We spent the evening enjoying Saranac Lake and grabbed some local food, and were ready for another adventure the next day.
This one was advertised by a friend of mine as a good starter hike for the Adirondacks. We set off to hike the trail around 9:30 am, in no particular rush. We were quickly passed by a very fit hiker with an older frame style pack on. I wondered if he was practicing for a backpacking trip, or perhaps a trip out west. He was moving at a very solid clip. We passed a number of beautiful spring runs, one of which I did see a nice little 7" brook trout swimming in on our return trip. I brought the fishing pole along on the trip, but I wasn't planning to fish in the ADKs at least.
We moved along the path nicely, with the terrain gentle to rolling for the first mile and a half or so (this was supposed to be a 5ish mile round trip). We came to a spot where the trail began to slope upward a bit more, and then suddenly the incline began. We worked our way uphill slowly but surely, gaining about 1700 feet over the course of a mile and an hour of breathy hiking (this was to be the norm for our hiking, 3 mph on the approach, 1 mph on the climb, maybe a hair faster coming down). It was here that I realized that my summer hiking in PA had been little preparation for these types of hikes...yet I was thankful for what I had done. The overstory switched from primarily maples and birches in the lowlands, to coniferous trees as the treadway graded from dirt to more rocks and washouts. The trails on the entire hike were very wet, as locals said they had one of the wettest summers they can recall in the area. It wasn't uncommon to walk in a small rivulet of a spring run for a time, with rock hopping and root grabbing to boot. Thankfully, the stones were nice and grippy so we didn't do too badly. Eventually, we found ourselves above the tree line and at the 360 degree view. We basked in the sunshine at the summit, and tried our best to stay out of the breeze as we cooled off. We had lunch and made a quick phone call as it was my father in law's birthday and then took some photos.
The summit wasn't empty, but it wasn't crowded either. We stayed for a bit and talked with a few people, then made our way back down the mountain. I generally prefer ascents to descents, and this was little exception. It wasn't the most eventful climb down, but we were careful and made it to our car safely. That, and enjoying the beauty of God's creation, is of course the goal always. We spent the evening enjoying Saranac Lake and grabbed some local food, and were ready for another adventure the next day.
