The 2013 AMC Adirondack Adventure was a huge success
AMC group after ringing the 6er bell
There were six participants plus AMC Hike Leader, Leo Kelly and Broadwing Adventures Guide Doug. Six of the hikers achieved the goal of completing all of the Saranac Lake 6 and one hiker set many personal firsts, highest and best records. Everyone had a fantastic time hiking, staying at White Pine Camp and enjoying home cooked meals by Doug.
We have left this page up so you can see what the trip entailed. Once we get a chance to blog about the event we will remove this page.
The dates for the 2014 AMC Adirondack Adventure are set
Lodging at White Pine Camp has been reserved for June 15 - 21, 2014. The focus of the event will be a combination of paddling and hiking, Five mountain will be climbed, each requiring paddling to and from the trailhead.
We have left this page up so you can see what the trip entailed. Once we get a chance to blog about the event we will remove this page.
The dates for the 2014 AMC Adirondack Adventure are set
Lodging at White Pine Camp has been reserved for June 15 - 21, 2014. The focus of the event will be a combination of paddling and hiking, Five mountain will be climbed, each requiring paddling to and from the trailhead.
AMC Adirondack Adventure Trip - June 15-22, 2013
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Join the CT Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club and Broadwing Adventures for the Adirondack Adventure Trip; a unique opportunity to explore the beautiful Saranac Lake Region while staying at White Pine Camp, one of the Great Camps of the Adirondacks built over 100 years ago. |
White Pine Camp
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Saranac Lake 6’er Hiking Program
Celebrate the outdoors by completing Saranac Lake's
6'er hiking program. After climbing the six peaks that surround Saranac Lake: McKenzie, Ampersand, Scarface, Haystack, St. Regis, and Baker Mountains hikers will earn a patch and recognition certificate. On this guided exploration, participants will learn about the history, ecology and conservation of the area.
6'er hiking program. After climbing the six peaks that surround Saranac Lake: McKenzie, Ampersand, Scarface, Haystack, St. Regis, and Baker Mountains hikers will earn a patch and recognition certificate. On this guided exploration, participants will learn about the history, ecology and conservation of the area.
The group will hike each morning, enjoy lunch on the trail and return to White Pine Camp in the mid to late afternoon for relaxation and independent exploration. Dinner will be prepared by the group and there will be
a few optional evening activities. Meals provided. An open day for independent
exploration will occur in the middle of the week.
Dates: One week, June 15-22, 2013
Arrival: Saturday, June 15 @ 1:30 PM – Berkley Square, Saranac Lake
Departure: Saturday, June 22 @ 11:00 AM
Lodging: White Pine Camp, Paul Smiths, NY
Cost: $685 AMC members, $735 non-members, (10 % discount for couples)
Limit: 8
Leader: AMC Trip Leader, Leo Kelly
Support by Adirondack Guide, Doug Fitzgerald - Broadwing Adventures
Arrival: Saturday, June 15 @ 1:30 PM – Berkley Square, Saranac Lake
Departure: Saturday, June 22 @ 11:00 AM
Lodging: White Pine Camp, Paul Smiths, NY
Cost: $685 AMC members, $735 non-members, (10 % discount for couples)
Limit: 8
Leader: AMC Trip Leader, Leo Kelly
Support by Adirondack Guide, Doug Fitzgerald - Broadwing Adventures
Activity Level – Moderate
Participants will climb one of the six mountains each day. Although the hikes are moderate in difficulty, some of the climbs will be challenging and hikers must be in good physical shape and motivated to hike in changing weather conditions and with the ever-present Black Fly! Baker Mountain is the easiest hike with a round trip distance of 1.8 miles and an ascent of 900 feet. The most difficult hike is McKenzie Mountain at 10.4 miles round trip and an ascent of 2,240 feet.
Package Includes:
* Guided hiking of Baker, Ampersand, McKenzie, Scarface, Haystack and St.Regis Mountains.
* Lodging at White Pine Camp on beautiful Osgood Pond. The group will be staying in the Gate House Cottage. Click here to see a description.
* Meals to include 6 dinners, 6 trail lunches and 7 breakfasts. There will be one evening where participants will have dinner on their own.
* Daily transportation from White Pine Camp to the trailhead and return.
* Leadership by veteran AMC Trip Leader, Leo Kelly with local knowledge and logistical support from NYS guide Doug Fitzgerald of Broadwing Adventures
* Time for daily relaxation and independent discovery. An open day for exploration of the area.
* Optional evening activities.
* An optional short bushwhack hike to see the tallest trees in NY
* Lodging at White Pine Camp on beautiful Osgood Pond. The group will be staying in the Gate House Cottage. Click here to see a description.
* Meals to include 6 dinners, 6 trail lunches and 7 breakfasts. There will be one evening where participants will have dinner on their own.
* Daily transportation from White Pine Camp to the trailhead and return.
* Leadership by veteran AMC Trip Leader, Leo Kelly with local knowledge and logistical support from NYS guide Doug Fitzgerald of Broadwing Adventures
* Time for daily relaxation and independent discovery. An open day for exploration of the area.
* Optional evening activities.
* An optional short bushwhack hike to see the tallest trees in NY
To register or for more information contact:
Proposed Itinerary
Saturday, June 15
Arrive in Saranac Lake by 1:30 PM. We will meet at Berkley
Square in the center of town. After introductions we will car pool to the edge of town to climb Baker Mountain, elevation 2452 ft. Come prepared to hike with boots, rain gear, water bottles and day pack. Baker Mountain is considered the people’s mountain by the residents of Saranac Lake and
it is the easiest of the “6” that we will climb. On a clear day the other five mountains in the program can be seen from Baker’s summit. The trail is about a mile long with an ascent of 884 ft. Total round trip time for the hike should be less than two hours, depending on the amount of time spent on top.
After the hike, we will drive the 20 minutes to White Pine Camp and check-in. Dinner will be a barbeque followed by an evening program to discuss the week’s activities and to get to know each other better.
Square in the center of town. After introductions we will car pool to the edge of town to climb Baker Mountain, elevation 2452 ft. Come prepared to hike with boots, rain gear, water bottles and day pack. Baker Mountain is considered the people’s mountain by the residents of Saranac Lake and
it is the easiest of the “6” that we will climb. On a clear day the other five mountains in the program can be seen from Baker’s summit. The trail is about a mile long with an ascent of 884 ft. Total round trip time for the hike should be less than two hours, depending on the amount of time spent on top.
After the hike, we will drive the 20 minutes to White Pine Camp and check-in. Dinner will be a barbeque followed by an evening program to discuss the week’s activities and to get to know each other better.
Note – The itinerary for Sunday through Friday is designed for optimum enjoyment of the group. After the group meets on Saturday we will review the plan and the weather forecast and discuss with the group any modifications that may improve the experience.
Sunday, June 16
Kitchen open for breakfast preparation at 6:30 AM. At 8:15 AM we will meet to discuss the day’s hike and drive to the trailhead of 3352 ft. Ampersand Mountain. A fire tower stood on the top of the mountain from 1920 until 1977. The bare summit still affords magnificent views in nearly all directions. To the south are Ampersand Lake and the Western High Peaks, to the north countless bodies of water can be seen with the Saranac Chain of Lakes as the center attraction. We will adjust our schedule for the
week to best take advantage of these views.
Upon our return to “The Pine” we will relax and prepare for dinner. An evening program will be offered after clean up.
week to best take advantage of these views.
Upon our return to “The Pine” we will relax and prepare for dinner. An evening program will be offered after clean up.
Monday, June 17
McKenzie Mountain stands at an elevation of 3861 ft. The hike to the summit is 5.3 miles and ascends 2221
ft. This will likely be our most strenuous hike of the six and with limited views; it offers little reward for the effort. If there is a day in the forecast with poor visibility we will
likely climb McKenzie on that day instead. We will hike through open hardwood forests as we start on the trail and experience the feel of true
boreal spruce-fir forest as we approach the summit.
ft. This will likely be our most strenuous hike of the six and with limited views; it offers little reward for the effort. If there is a day in the forecast with poor visibility we will
likely climb McKenzie on that day instead. We will hike through open hardwood forests as we start on the trail and experience the feel of true
boreal spruce-fir forest as we approach the summit.
Tuesday, June 18
Three mountains down and three to go, time for a day off. If you want you can relax and prepare your own breakfast whenever you desire. There are so many options for things to do in this area of the Adirondacks you will likely have a difficult time deciding. We will discuss the many possibilities with you to help you discover something you will enjoy. Plan to have dinner on your own this evening, ask us for recommendations.
Wednesday, June 19
Back on our regular schedule, we will plan to hike 3088 ft. Scarface Mountain. This 3.4 mile trail is a pleasant climb. There are only partial views from the summit and we will need to poke around to find overlooks that give us better observation points to see the surrounding area. This will be an enjoyable day and a nice way to get back into hiking after
our day off.
An evening program will be offered.
our day off.
An evening program will be offered.
Thursday, June 20
Haystack Mountain between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid should not be confused with the other mountains of the same name. We will retrace our steps to McKenzie Mountain for the first 2.4 miles. From there we will
travel another 0.9 miles and climb 800 ft. to the summit. This steep climb
leads to an open rock face and ledge with 180 degree views of the High Peaks, Whiteface and the Saranac Lakes Chain.
Friday, June 21
As far as Leo and Doug are concerned we have saved the best for last. St. Regis Mountain is the crown jewel of the Paul Smiths area. We have been hiking on its’ slopes for almost 40 years. The 3.4 mile hike rambles most of the way through open hardwood forests before reaching more moderate slopes with a steep final pitch. There is a fire tower on the summit, but it is not in safe condition to climb. No matter, because the views are great without the added height. To the south we will see the entire St. Regis Canoe Wilderness Area and beautiful Upper Saranac Lake with the High Peaks in the distance. To the east and northeast we will see the St. Regis Chain of Lakes and Paul Smith’s College, with Osgood Pond and “The Pine” in the distance. Once we are back to our vehicles we will head into Saranac Laketo ring the “6er” bell and sign the register.
The final evening program will honor our accomplishments and reflect on the fun we had together.
The final evening program will honor our accomplishments and reflect on the fun we had together.
Saturday, June 22
After our final breakfast together we will check out of our accommodations. For those in the group that haven’t had enough hiking, Doug and Leo will lead an optional short bushwhack to see the tallest trees in New York State. This hike is a special addition to the Adirondack Adventure Trip for those that have a couple of hours to spend before heading home. There are no trails to the Elders Grove so few people disturb the area around these trees that are well over 300 years old. We will say our goodbyes at White Pine Camp to those not hiking.
We look forward to sharing a week of grand adventure with you in a beautiful location. This is a perfect opportunity to discover the Adirondacks and sample a little of what the
area has to offer, all at a price that is hard to beat.
area has to offer, all at a price that is hard to beat.
More information
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Adirondack Adventures Fact Sheet
View, download or print the basic information about this trip. |
Menu for the Adirondack Adventure
View, download or print the proposed menu for this trip. The ingredients for meals will be provided with some prep work completed in advance. Group members will setup, prepare and serve the meals then clean up afterwards. |
Information for Day Hikers - What to Bring and Wear
Be prepared - research your trip. Hike with a map and compass and know how to use them. Consider bringing a GPS if available. Carry a cell phone for emergencies, but don't rely on it as some location do not have signal and remember cell phone use can annoy other hikers. Bring water and extra clothes.
Be prepared - research your trip. Hike with a map and compass and know how to use them. Consider bringing a GPS if available. Carry a cell phone for emergencies, but don't rely on it as some location do not have signal and remember cell phone use can annoy other hikers. Bring water and extra clothes.
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Promotional Poster for the Adirondack Adventure
Download a copy of poster advertizing this event. |
Become a 6er
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AMC Adirondack Adventure Trip - Meeting Place
June 15, 2013 - 1:30 PM Berkeley Square 8 Broadway Saranac Lake, NY 12983 Driving From Albany, NY Take I-87 (Adirondack Northway) north to Exit 30. Follow Route 9 north to Route 73, west to Route 86, and west to Saranac Lake. In Saranac Lake turn left from Route 86 onto Main St. Berkeley Square will be on your right just past the library. Driving From Syracuse & points West Follow I-81 north to Watertown, then take Route 3 east towards Saranac Lake. In Saranac Lake turn left from Route 3 onto Main St. Berkely Square is at the intersection of Main St. and Broadway. Park on Main St. or in the parking lot adjacent to Berkely Square. Please do not park in the Hotel Saranac lot. |
