Armstrong, Upper Wolf Jaw, and Lower Wolf Jaw
The 22'nd, 29'th, and 30'th highest peaks in New York State with elevations of 4,400, 4,185, and 4,175 ft. 
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Armstrong, Upper Wolf Jaw, and Lower Wolf Jaw 29'th, 30'th, and 31'st High Peak Ascent
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Gothics and Sawteeth 27'th and 28'th High Peak Ascent
Gothics and Sawteeth
The 10'th, and 35'th highest peaks in New York State with elevations of 4,736 and 4,100 ft.
Climbed Saturday 7-12-14 with the newly weds, my son Josh and his wife Abbey. We left Speculator around 6:00 and arrived at the Weld Parking Lot only to find it was totally packed and not a parking space to be had. We parked across route 73 in the lot for Giant and hiked in and signed the log book at the AMR gate around 8:00.
On Spencer’s recommendation we took the Beaver Meadow Falls trail up towards the col between Armstrong and Gothics.
After the falls, which are much smaller than Rainbow Falls, but still impressive, the trail got steep in sections.
Surprisingly it was pretty dry so getting bogged down in the mud would not be a concern today. After the falls we continued up towards Gothics. It was a pretty uneventful climb and typical of most other trails we had been on. Surprisingly we made good time and even passed one group and two other single climbers on the way. I say surprisingly because it is usually me who is making way for other climbers to pass by. I don’t think we were going any faster than usual but I credited Abbey for setting and keeping the pace. We did have a little mud as we got towards the top but not a big deal at all.
There were a couple wood bridges and ladders which I always enjoy taking pictures of. There were even a couple ladders that we had to climb down along the way as you ascend the mountain.
Eventually you see Gothics rising before you on the left. At about 11:30 we reached the trail split and the sign post to choose Gothics to the left or Armstrong to the right. It is only 0.4 at this point to Armstrong so we considered a change of plans to include Armstrong but then thought better of it and stuck to our original plan. It was such a terrific weather day and we had heard of the impressive views on Pyramid so we didn’t want to potentially loose the opportunity to take pictures on this day from that point. After a quick bite at the col we headed up to Gothics. We passed several other groups coming down from Gothics and several more on the summit.
We stopped for a few minutes for the standard summit pictures, chatted with a couple other hikers, and then headed over to Pyramid around 12:15. The descent off of Gothics was pretty steep and we passed several other hikers headed up to Gothics. The views on Pyramid were impressive and before we knew it we were down at the junction to go either back to the road via the Weld Trail or up to Sawteeth.
We summited Sawteeth at about 2:00 and then had another decision to make. Would we head back down the way we came and exit to the road via the Weld Trail or go over Sawteeth and exit via the “scenic route”. We settled on heading back and exit via the Weld Trail because it was slightly shorter and because it passed by Rainbow Falls. The hike out seemed long, like usual, but uneventful. Rainbow Falls was impressive and before we knew it we were crossing the Ausable River and then on the lake road.
We tried to hitch a ride with the Ausable Club bus back out but were told since we weren’t members couldn’t ride. We knew that already but had to try.
We signed back out at the AMR trail register and were back at the car at about 5:30. After dinner at our favorite spot, the ADK café, we drove back to Speculator for a hot shower and a slice of Lemon Shaker pie from the café!
Climbed Saturday 7-12-14 with the newly weds, my son Josh and his wife Abbey. We left Speculator around 6:00 and arrived at the Weld Parking Lot only to find it was totally packed and not a parking space to be had. We parked across route 73 in the lot for Giant and hiked in and signed the log book at the AMR gate around 8:00.
On Spencer’s recommendation we took the Beaver Meadow Falls trail up towards the col between Armstrong and Gothics.
After the falls, which are much smaller than Rainbow Falls, but still impressive, the trail got steep in sections.
Surprisingly it was pretty dry so getting bogged down in the mud would not be a concern today. After the falls we continued up towards Gothics. It was a pretty uneventful climb and typical of most other trails we had been on. Surprisingly we made good time and even passed one group and two other single climbers on the way. I say surprisingly because it is usually me who is making way for other climbers to pass by. I don’t think we were going any faster than usual but I credited Abbey for setting and keeping the pace. We did have a little mud as we got towards the top but not a big deal at all.
There were a couple wood bridges and ladders which I always enjoy taking pictures of. There were even a couple ladders that we had to climb down along the way as you ascend the mountain.
Eventually you see Gothics rising before you on the left. At about 11:30 we reached the trail split and the sign post to choose Gothics to the left or Armstrong to the right. It is only 0.4 at this point to Armstrong so we considered a change of plans to include Armstrong but then thought better of it and stuck to our original plan. It was such a terrific weather day and we had heard of the impressive views on Pyramid so we didn’t want to potentially loose the opportunity to take pictures on this day from that point. After a quick bite at the col we headed up to Gothics. We passed several other groups coming down from Gothics and several more on the summit.
We stopped for a few minutes for the standard summit pictures, chatted with a couple other hikers, and then headed over to Pyramid around 12:15. The descent off of Gothics was pretty steep and we passed several other hikers headed up to Gothics. The views on Pyramid were impressive and before we knew it we were down at the junction to go either back to the road via the Weld Trail or up to Sawteeth.
We summited Sawteeth at about 2:00 and then had another decision to make. Would we head back down the way we came and exit to the road via the Weld Trail or go over Sawteeth and exit via the “scenic route”. We settled on heading back and exit via the Weld Trail because it was slightly shorter and because it passed by Rainbow Falls. The hike out seemed long, like usual, but uneventful. Rainbow Falls was impressive and before we knew it we were crossing the Ausable River and then on the lake road.
We tried to hitch a ride with the Ausable Club bus back out but were told since we weren’t members couldn’t ride. We knew that already but had to try.
We signed back out at the AMR trail register and were back at the car at about 5:30. After dinner at our favorite spot, the ADK café, we drove back to Speculator for a hot shower and a slice of Lemon Shaker pie from the café!
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Marshall 26'th High Peak Ascent
Mount Marshall
The 25'th highest peak in New York State with an elevation of 4,360 ft.
Climbed on Saturday 7-5-14 with my two sons Joshua, Nathan, and friend Evan. We left
Speculator at 6 and arrived at the Upper Works Parking Area and were on the
trail by about 8. It was a perfect weather day with temperatures in the low
80's and low humidity.
The first four miles of the hike into the Flowed Lands
was mostly flat with only some slight up and downs. The Flowed Lands is a very
pretty spot to stop and take a break.
Just before the Flowed Lands is a solemn spot at the Henderson Memorial. The memorial is a stone monument erected at the very spot where David Henderson was accidentally killed by a rifle that, as the story goes, went off while "half cocked". It is pretty impressive how this stone monument was brought in and set on this spot some 150 years ago shortly after the accident in 1845.
At the Flowed Lands leanto the trail bears to the left around the lake until in intersects with the heard path up to Marshall. From this point on up to the peak you basically hike up a running riverbed. The trail goes back and forth across the river which transitions from mud to stone but mostly rock slab. Some of the path itself is actually straight up the river. The rock is very slick in places where green moss and algae are growing.
There are not many views while climbing except in a couple places where you can see back over the tail climbed at Mount Iroquois.
The climb is steep but not all that hard and before you know it you are at the summit of Marshal and taking pictures of the sign.
There are a few spots past the summit to the rear and to the left and right of the summit where there are views. This is a wooded summit and does not have 360 degree views like some of the better summits we have been on but the views are not nearly as bad as almost all the trip reports I read online. I bet most people that have disparaged the views on Mount Marshal never went past the summit and therefore missed the views that this mountain provides.
The climb down was the same trail as we just climbed so we knew what to expect wet, muddy, and slippery. After the descent to the Flowed Lands nothing was left except the long, mostly flat, walk out.
On our drive out we stopped for a few minutes to read the placards and look at the remnants of the abandoned town of Adirondac 1826-1858. There is a lot of history hear of old days gone by and the early days of Adirondack commerce and a lot of connection with the early pioneers who were instrumental in climbing and naming many of the landmarks in the High Peaks region.
Since the Upper Works Lot is not really near any town we decided to just drive back to Speculator for dinner. When we got back we all went our separate ways and counted this a one of our more enjoyable climbs.
Just before the Flowed Lands is a solemn spot at the Henderson Memorial. The memorial is a stone monument erected at the very spot where David Henderson was accidentally killed by a rifle that, as the story goes, went off while "half cocked". It is pretty impressive how this stone monument was brought in and set on this spot some 150 years ago shortly after the accident in 1845.
At the Flowed Lands leanto the trail bears to the left around the lake until in intersects with the heard path up to Marshall. From this point on up to the peak you basically hike up a running riverbed. The trail goes back and forth across the river which transitions from mud to stone but mostly rock slab. Some of the path itself is actually straight up the river. The rock is very slick in places where green moss and algae are growing.
There are not many views while climbing except in a couple places where you can see back over the tail climbed at Mount Iroquois.
The climb is steep but not all that hard and before you know it you are at the summit of Marshal and taking pictures of the sign.
There are a few spots past the summit to the rear and to the left and right of the summit where there are views. This is a wooded summit and does not have 360 degree views like some of the better summits we have been on but the views are not nearly as bad as almost all the trip reports I read online. I bet most people that have disparaged the views on Mount Marshal never went past the summit and therefore missed the views that this mountain provides.
The climb down was the same trail as we just climbed so we knew what to expect wet, muddy, and slippery. After the descent to the Flowed Lands nothing was left except the long, mostly flat, walk out.
On our drive out we stopped for a few minutes to read the placards and look at the remnants of the abandoned town of Adirondac 1826-1858. There is a lot of history hear of old days gone by and the early days of Adirondack commerce and a lot of connection with the early pioneers who were instrumental in climbing and naming many of the landmarks in the High Peaks region.
Since the Upper Works Lot is not really near any town we decided to just drive back to Speculator for dinner. When we got back we all went our separate ways and counted this a one of our more enjoyable climbs.
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