Hiking the Adirondack 9ers
October 11, 2022Lake Placid 9’er is a hiking challenge created in 2018. The mission of this challenge is “…to attract seasoned hikers as well as those who are new to hitting the trails, offering a chance to explore some of the Lake Placid and High Peaks region’s smaller peaks, all of which can be climbed in a morning or afternoon. The peaks were selected to offer some of Lake Placid’s most breathtaking views, without taking the 4000+ ft climb that the popular Adirondack 46 High Peaks require tackling.”
As I was researching mountains to hike in the region I was overwhelmed by the vast number of hikes that were available to me. Looking around online, I stumbled upon this challenge and decided it would be a great way to see what the Lake Placid area has to offer. I was hoping to finish these hikes in three days, but time and weather got in my way and I ended up finishing in four. In those four days, I hiked a total distance of 29.3 miles with 8683 ft of elevation gain between the nine different mountains. This was my experience hiking each trail.
Big Crow Mountain
- Elevation: 2815 ft. / 858 meters
- Distance Hiked: 1.6 miles
- Elevation gain: 384 ft
I began my hike around 9 am, with the chill still clinging to the air from the night before. It was a short hike at only 0.8 miles to the top. Trail conditions were good and the incline was very gradual. There were a few areas with exposed roots and stones to step on, but it never became difficult. Big Crow offered a great view of some other Adirondack peaks as well as the valley below.
Baxter Mountain
- Elevation: 2440 ft. / 744 meters
- Distance Hiked: 2.9 miles
- Elevation gain: 790 ft
Getting to Mt. Baxter can be tricky if you aren’t watching out for the parking sign. The trailhead is a small turnoff on the side of the highway, coming up a hill. The trail is on private property and is very well maintained. It begins with a corridor through young evergreens, becoming denser as you approach the mountain. The trail then gets slightly inclined with a couple of switchbacks as well. My hike was just under three miles and at the end, I was rewarded with a great view.
Cobble Hill
- Elevation: 2332 ft. / 711 meters
- Distance Hiked: 1.6 miles
- Elevation gain: 384 ft
Cobble Hill was a great hike to begin my day with. There are two routes, one shorter but steeper, and one that is longer and more gradual. I chose to take the short and steep route. The trail begins just up a hill near the Northwood School. Turning into the woods I was immediately greeted by wet, sticky mud and many exposed roots. Elevation gain didn’t play much of a factor in the hike until the last few tenths of a mile. This is where the trail starts to slope up pretty steep and becomes a small rock climb. There is a rope to assist people up the hardest part but after that, the trail markers disappear and you’re on your own to make it up to the top. Reaching the summit offers a great view of Lake Placid and the High Peaks in the distance.
Mount Jo
- Elevation: 2876 ft. / 877 meters
- Distance Hiked: 4 miles
- Elevation gain: 961 ft
I hiked Mt. Jo on a Saturday afternoon during peak fall colors. This made for a very busy day and as I result I had to park about a mile from the trailhead. Similar to Cobble Hill, there are two trails to the Mt. Jo summit. One is longer and more gradual, while the other is shorter and steeper. I opted for shorter and steeper on the ascent and took the long way down the mountain. The trail starts on a gravel footpath near the Adirondack Loj before turning into a rocky footpath. You hike for a while before the trail splits in two. The short and steep route felt more like rock climbing than hiking. I climbed over medium-sized boulders and scrambled up large stone “steps” that made me feel like I was hiking through Middle Earth. The trail has a few intersections with creeks that run down the mountain so watch out for mud and wet rocks. At the summit is a beautiful panoramic view, with Algonquin Peak front and center. Below you can see a portion of Heart Lake near the trailhead. Hiking down the long path was almost as steep as the shorter route and after making it through, tripping over a few exposed roots, I realized that it might’ve been easier to take the short route back.
Mount VanHoevenburg
- Elevation: 2940 ft. / 896 meters
- Distance Hiked: 3.9 miles
- Elevation gain: 991 ft
Mt. VanHoevenburg has two trailheads. The original, off of South Meadows Rd just north of the Adirondack Loj, is a 4.3 mile out-and-back route with just under 900ft of elevation gain. I drove north to the Olympic Training Center where the East trailhead is located. Built by the NY Department of Environment and Conservation in 2018, the East trail is a shorter 3.2 mile route with just over 900ft in elevation gain. According to the 46er I talked with (an experienced hiker who has summited all 46 Adirondack peaks), the East trail offers some of the best views in the park on one of the easiest hikes. It begins on a gravel path leading to large stone stepswhich are quite uniform in size and shape. The trail continues like this for about half a mile before turning into a traditional dirt trail. It was one of the nicest, well laid-out trails I have ever hiked. At no point was I confused about where the trail was going nor concerned about difficult terrain. There is a wide variety of scenery on this hike. The forest canopy was aglow in the afternoon sun, casting orange shadows down on the trail as if the leaves were ablaze. Further up the path are large, moss-covered boulders you walk between before working up a few switchbacks to the top. Mt. VanHoevenburg’s summit has an immaculate view of numerous High Peaks. You can also see the West Branch Ausable River and many brooks and marshlands below.
Bear Den Mountain
- Elevation: 2650 ft. / 808 meters
- Distance Hiked: 3.4 miles
- Elevation gain: 1325 ft
Bear Den Mountain is located next to Whiteface, a popular mountain for skiing, snowboarding, and hiking. The Bear Den trailhead is just north of the ski area parking lot and begins with a path along some rolling hills with small streams flowing between. While the trail itself is not a very challenging one, I did find it hard to stay on the trail. A tragic lack of trail markers along with a forest floor covered in autumn leaves meant that I often had to stop and check my GPS to make sure I was heading the right way. As the trail progresses it gradually becomes steeper and eventually comes to the crest of the ridge where the trail continues through some trees before opening up to a rocky outcropping with a beautiful view of Whiteface Mountain and the many ski runs that flow down it.
Pitchoff Mountain
- Elevation: 3600 ft. / 1097 meters
- Distance Hiked: 4.3 miles
- Elevation gain: 1811 ft
When planning out my hikes, I vastly underestimated the time and effort that this hike would require. I set out for this 5.2 mile hike from the Pitchoff East trailhead (the shorter of two that lead to the summit) with roughly 3 hours of sunlight left in the day. On my previous hikes I maintained a solid pace and figured it would translate to this trail as well, putting me back at my truck just before sunset. Starting off on the trail, the dirt path winds between some trees before merging with the semi-dry creek bed which makes up the next mile of the hike. After scrambling up damp rocks and through the muddy terrain I made it to the first false summit. The trail continues on through a large stretch of muddy water before turning, requiring you to push through a thick section of tree branches, down steep rocks, and occasionally in circles as you look for where the trail continues. Like Bear Den, Pitchoff East suffers from a major lack of trial markers especially once you reach the ridge line and have to cross multiple peaks to reach the final summit. Running out of daylight, I was forced to turn around, unable to summit.
Catamount Mountain
- Elevation: 3166 ft. / 965 meters
- Distance Hiked: 2.7 miles
- Elevation gain: 633 ft
The Catamount trail is quite a unique and fun hike, beginning with a long, flat path that goes along a private easement. It then weaves through a few hills before ascending a decent amount. You’ll have to hike up exposed stone, sometimes requiring you to use surrounding tree roots as makeshift steps. Upon reaching the first false summit, the trail becomes much more difficult. Hiking along the well marked path, the false summit leads you to the base of a large rock, with a tight chimney that you must climb up. This hike requires skill, balance, and a good amount of upper body strength as well. After climbing up the chimney there are many more points before the summit that require rock climbing, going up and down massive boulders and between crags before reaching the summit. At the top you are rewarded with almost 360° views of the High Peaks.
Hurricane Mountain
- Elevation: 3694 ft. / 1126 meters
- Distance Hiked: 4.9 miles
- Elevation gain: 1404 ft
I arrived to the Hurrican Mountain north trailhead with as much sunlight as I had left when I hiked Pitchoff the day before. Determined to make it to the summit, I packed my headlamp and water and set out at a brisk pace. Luckily, the Hurricane Mountain trail was not nearly as rigorous as Pitchoff was and I made good time. The first mile is a very flat, dirt path. As I hiked this first section of the trail I was reminded of my days running cross country. The air was crisp and the path was not unlike those I used to run. After the mile marker is a small river crossing which can be done without getting wet by hopping between cobblestones resting in the water. From there, the trail begins to gain elevation, requiring you to hike up a creek bed before climbing through puddles of mud and over large, smooth rocks with little to grip. This continues for most of the rest of the trail. At the top of the mountain the trail splits, with one way leading down the mountain to the south trailhead and another which continues up the mountain towards the Hurricane Mountain fire tower. I hiked up a few rock faces and climbed the stairs up, reaching the tower to be greeted by some of the best 360° views in the entire Adirondacks. Inside the tower is a circular map of the region. Along the top of the “windows” are photographs with the various peaks labeled so that visitors can discern which mountains they are looking at. Overall, this was one of my favorite hikes of the week and a great way to end my journey in the Adirondacks.
If you are interested in learning more about the Lake Placid 9er challenge you can visit their website at https://lakeplacid9er.com/