Mountain Time

Though the weather was predicted to be perfect on Thursday, and I wasn't too sore or drained from the long hike on Wednesday, I stuck with my plan to bike to some lower mountains and a swim at Heart Lake at Adirondack Loj.

After leaving the TMax-n-Topo Hostel in North Elba and riding about a half-mile to the Adirondack Loj Rd, my ambition for Friday was right in front of me, teasing in its clarity:  Hike over Mount Colden on the left, down into the gap to Lake Colden that separates it from the MacIntyre Range and up to Iroquois which is one of the bumps to the right of Algonquin, the highest peak of the range.  But that was slated for another day, maybe the next one, maybe on another trip in the future.

I biked to the Meadow Lane trailhead to Mount Van Hoevenberg.  NY spent a couple million dollars to build a new trail to the overlooks from the Winter Recreation Area.  Some people wish the money had been spread out over many trails in desperate need of improvements (I'd love it if just a little went to ladders on Saddleback), but this is a demonstration trail to show what they could be like, and it provides easy access to thousands of people to view the High Peaks without hiking something that would endanger them.

Really, people of almost all abilities should be given a chance to see these views.

The trail is incredible.  I'll be going back.

A bobsled frozen in time on the old track.

This really confused me when I saw it.  I couldn't figure out what kind of contraption they ride down the wooden platform on the side.  Then two guys walked down it as they serviced the new bobsled practice track.

This is in North Elba.  Did you know the 1980 and 1932 Olympics were not just held in Lake Placid?  The Saranac/Lake Placid/North Elba/Wilmington Olympics was just too long for a title.

I also went up Mt. Jo, which I'd climbed 26 years before.  It has a great view of Heart Lake and much of the High Peaks.  That's the MacIntyre Range closest, with Colden and Marcy to the left.

Some old trail building techniques are still visible on Mt. Jo.  Not exactly stairs, but some footing.

Mr. Joe and Mt. Jo.