A Six-Pack of Hills - Pharaoh Lake Wilderness - 2/14/16

This is perhaps one of the few areas where you can bag 6 or more names hills in a half day hike.  I started at the trailhead near the hamlet of Adirondack on the east shore of Schroon Lake.  My primary goal was No. 8 Hill, but I wanted to grab the other hills along the way (Pine Hill, Orange Hill, Franks Hill, No. 6 Hill and No. 7 Hill).

It was -20 degrees when I woke up, with a -30 degree windchill, so I waited at home until noon when it warmed up to 0 degrees with a -10 degree windchill.  I signed in at the trail register and immediately left the the Sucker Brook Horse Trail in favor of a bushwhack to Pine Hill.  I had a small puffy coat under my shell, but I shed that after 10 minutes.  I just don't get cold while I'm climbing (as long as I'm sheltered from the wind).    

Sign at the parking area.

  

On the way up Pine Hill

Looking back at Schroon Lake 

These hills are mostly hardwoods and they are pleasant to hike when the leaves are down.  You get a much better view of your surroundings.

Rev found a spine, probably from a deer and later found a deer leg (which she proudly carried around with her)! 

Animal spine  

Although it was cold, I was moving fast and actually had to occasionally take off my hat and mitts. The strong sunshine and blue skies were a nice perk. 

Rev... near the top of Franks Hill

This hike was nice because the snow conditions were perfect and the rolling terrain was easy to negotiate.  Most of the trees were on the small side.  I don't know if this area was ever logged, but there was evidence that parts of it had been farmed.  I saw rock piles in the middle of nowhere and stone walls and a foundation hole along the Sucker Brook Trail.

After I summited Pine, Orange, Franks, No. 6 & No. 7, I wasn't sure I would have time for No. 8, but I headed in that direction.  

Looking at No. 8 hill from the north side of No. 7.

I attacked No. 8 from the west and stayed left of the rock faces.  I ocntinued to move quickly and I reached the top of No. 8 Hill at 3:30.  This is an awesome summit!  If you want an easily reached open rock summit with a 360 degree view (including views of many High Peaks) this peak is for you. 

The summit of No. 8 hill.

Unfortunately with the cold and the lateness of the day, I couldn't linger.  I did snap a bunch of pictures though (see below).  This is a peak I'll come back to.  This peak reminded me of another great peak in the area that is similar - Stevens Mountain.

Pharaoh Mountain to the north.

Looking SW, Schroon Lake in the distance

Looking NW to the high peaks

zoom view

Rev looking eastward from No. 8 Hill.

Leaving No 8 Hill at 3:30, I had to chose the fastest way back to the car.  I retraced my steps down the west face of No. 8, then continued downhill to the Sucker Brook Horse Trail.  From there it was a 3.5 mile trail walk back to the car.  

The new style horse trail discs 

... and the old

old stone walls along the Sucker Brook Trail.

An old foundation hole along the Sucker Brook Trail.

All these hill are worth exploring, but make it a point to visit No. 8 Hill.  It is a special place.  I ran out of time and wasn't able to visit "The Dam Hill", but I'll visit that one too; perhaps when I go back to No. 8.

Hike Stats:

Hike Distance:  9.5 miles 

The route (click image to enlarge) 

The route on the Nat Geo map

Antwine Hill, Pine Hill & Meadow Hill - Pharaoh Lake Wilderness - 1/9/16

What to do on an overcast day with the possibility of rain moving in?  Stay close to home and grab some low hanging fruit seemed like the best course of action.  Rev and I were slow getting out and moving, so it was 10 AM when we arrived at the trailhead on Crane Pond Road.

There were several cars in the parking lot and there were tracks from someone pulling a pulk.  I was thinking it wouldn't be a very good night for camping, with rain coming in, but I soon saw the reason for the pulk.  When I reached the Crane Pond boat launch the people pulling the pulk had continued out onto the ice!  They were heading out to go ice fishing.  A little risky if you ask me.  Just days earlier there had not been any ice on local ponds.  I put a foot on the ice at the water's edge and it seemed pretty thick, but I wasn't about to walk out onto the lake.  I could see their tracks heading right out to the middle of the lake.  They were setting up tip ups.

I opted to walk around the perimeter of Crane Pond.  When I got to the east end, I saw the two guys out on the ice.  I still opted to stay on land.   It took some time to scamper over the rockpile at the east end of the pond, but I wasn't in a hurry.

Rev didn't mind going out on the ice.

The Bear Mountain rock pile extends down to Crane Pond.

The inlet to Crane Pond.

Once I got around the inlet to Crane Pond, it was time to start climbing.  I had my sites on Antwine Hill and Pine Hill.  They would be new peaks for me and they appeared to have open summits.  I wouldn't have great visibility, but that's how it goes.

The woods were open and my only small struggle was punching through the crust that protected a couple inches of powder.

I didn't know that bark could regrow...

I skirted around Burge Pond and soon found myself in the col between Antwine and Pine. Intermittent sleet were starting and I couldn't tell if the weather was going to get worse or not.   I headed for Pine Hill first.  I climbed the SW ridge and it was just as open as could be.

The ridge to Pine Hill

From Pine Hill there are views of Bear Mountain, Potter Mountain, Gooseneck Pond, Rock Pond, Big Clear Pond Mountain, Treadway Mountain and Pharaoh Mountain.  Others could be seen as well, but those were the ones I recognized. 

Potter Mountain in the distance.

Potter Mountain and Gooseneck Pond

Yes, Pine Hill has an open summit.

From Pine Hill I backtracked to the col, then climbed the few hundred feet vertical to Antwine Hill. The summit there was open as well, but it wasn't as attractive and there weren't any views of note.  I left Antwine and headed SW down to the shore of Crab Pond.  All was quiet on Crab Pond.  I reached the trail and there were no recent footprints. 

Crab Pond

Now it was 2:30 and time to head back.  I took the trail and soon arrived at Oxshoe Pond.  I stopped at the lean-to to have a drink and give Rev some food.  The Oxshoe Pond lean-to sits in a very pretty location.  I do have a bad memory from there though.  The first time I was there, I went for a hike around the pond.  It was summertime and the deerflies on the eastern side of the pond were the worst I've ever seen.

Oxshoe Pond from the lean-to

Oxshoe Pond lean-to

 We continued to head back and followed the trail past Glidden Marsh.  I then left the trail again to climb Meadow Hill en route to Goose Pond.  The summit was marked by a double ribbon and was surrounded by hardwoods.

Pharaoh Mountain from Meadow Hill

I went down the SW flank of Meadow Hill and arrived at Goose Pond.  I've heard loons on Goose Pond in the summertime, but not today.

Pharaoh Mountain from Gull Pond.

I walked partway around Goose Pond, but now it was 4 PM.  I followed the half mile trail back to the Crane Pond jeep road and back to the car by 4:20 PM.  The day turned out to be decent.  There were only a couple short spats of sleet on Pine Hill.  The rest of the day was dry.  It was good to get out in advance of the heavy rain that is predicted for Sunday.

Hike Stats:
Hike Distance:  11 miles
Hike Time:  5 hours, 45 minutes
Total Vertical Gain:  ~1900'

The route on the Nat Geo map

A closer look at the route.

Pine Hill (2187') - Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest - 6/4/15

My intention for this hike today was to climb Ledge Hill in Schroon Lake.  My start point was the end of Wamsley Road, which is a side road off of Trout Brook Road, which is a side road off of Hoffman Road (County Route 24).

I parked at the end of Wamsley at about 1 PM.  From there, an old road (Charley Hollow Road) makes it's way into the woods.  The road is no longer driven on, but it is part of the snowmobile trail network in the wintertime.  I followed the woods road to the height of land, then turned right to begin a bushwhack.

To get to the hills to the south, you have to cross Alder Brook.  A large portion of the brook in this area is flooded by beaver or marshy.  I had to go a little more southerly than I would have opted for in order to find a place to cross the brook.   

My crossing point for Alder Brook

 Once I got across the brook, I turned southeasterly to head towards Ledge Hill.  As I was walking, I began to think that Ledge Hill might be further than I wanted to go since it was now mid-afternoon. At this point, I was almost directly north of Pine Hill and I could shoot right up the northern ridge to Pine.  I changed course and headed for Pine instead.

The woods were easy to negotiate and the ridge was easy to follow.  At two point along the way, I passed slabs of rock where I could stand and get views northward.  

Texas Ridge and Hoffman Mountain in the distant background

After an hour and a half of walking, I was in top of Pine Hill (southern peak).  I hadn't expected much of a view of Schroon Lake because I thought Ledge Hill would be in the way, but I could see most of the northern half of the lake.  I also had a good look at Ledge Hill so I'll know how to tackle it next time.

There was a nice breeze here that kept the bugs at bay.  A couple deer flies had been after me but they weren't biting yet.    

    

Rev looking at Schroon Lake and Ledge Hill

A different angle of Schroon Lake and Ledge Hill

With this zoom view, you can see Pharaoh Mountain in the distance

an even closer zoom of Schroon Lake and Pharaoh Mountain

Looking SE from Pine Hill.  I-87 can be seen in the background.

And a zoom looking SE

The rock looked wet, but it was just brown moss.

Lots of ledges

Pine Hill has a double summit so I headed over to the northern peak.  At this location is a Verplank Colvin survey marker and eye bolts from an old survey station.  There wasn't much in the way of views from the northern peak.

Bolts from an old survey station at the northern peak of Pine Hill 

The Verplank Colvin survey marker

A cairn at the survey marker location

To head back, I dropped off the northern peak and angled my way back to where I had crossed Alder Brook.  I could tell when we reached the location of my ascent because my hound dog Rev picked up the scent and continued to follow it straight to the brook crossing.

Random boulders dot the hillside

A typical view of the hillsides

Once across the creek, I made a more direct line towards the car even though it was a little more hilly. This was an easy place to walk with the exception of finding a place to cross the brook.

On my next trip to this area, I'll head in the same way, but continue on to Ledge Hill to see what it offers.

Hike Stats:

Hike Distance:  7.1 miles

Hike Time:  4 hours

Total Vertical Gain:  ~2100'