Hurricane Mountain (3678'), NY
Date: 8/5/2006
Persons in Group: Brian and Greg
Weather Conditions: 75 degrees, Sunny and Clear.
Route: Hurricane Mountain trail from Route 9N. Up and back.
Notes: According to the ADK Guidebook, 13th edition, this trail is no longer maintained. It shows in parts...very wet and muddy all the way up. Aside from that - a pretty easy 2.6 miles to the summit, where the views were excellent. We left when the hordes of people started showing up - but after we located a geocache as well.
On our way down, I don't think I have ever ran into more whiney, "are we there yet" people anywhere in my hiking experience.
Our GPS route for the day.
We hit the trail at about 8AM from 9N. The summit is a short 2.6 miles from the road.
The trail is very wet, and very muddy. This was a very (uncharacticteristic) well laid out dry path.
From one of the bogs, we see the summit, and the tower on the right.
After a steady climb from the bog, we break treeline - and ascend to the open summit.
The firetower stands directly on the summit of the mountain. As you can see, the bottom two ladders have been removed.
Views from the summit - on the left, the Dix Range. Then Nippletop, Sawteeth and the Great Range.
Whiteface from the summit.
The Great Range, Marcy, Big Slide and Algonquin.
A closer shot of the above.
North to the Jay Range.
A closeup up Macomb, Hough and Dix.
An excellent view of Sawteeth.
Get in early - get out early. Thats our hiking motto. After we had been on the summit for about 30 min or so, it started to pick up, and the hordes of completely unprepared and clueless started staggering their way up.
On the way down, we ran into no less than 13 groups of people - each of which looked, and acted as though their lives were ending during this 2.6 mile hike....I don't know how many times I answered the question "Are we there yet" or "Is it steep the whole way?"!
Anyways, sweet views!