Trip report

Split Rock Mountain Hike

Hiking/Walk DATE: 05/17/2015 - 05/17/2015

Trip/Event Location: Essex, NY
US

Trip Leader(s): shep5

Max # People: 10

Trip Guiding / Event Fee: No, I will not be asking participants for money

Difficulty Level: Moderate

The 3,700-acre Split Rock Mountain Wilderness area is located in the eastern foothills of the Adirondack Mountains along the shore of Lake Champlain. It comprises the largest tract of undeveloped Lake

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Driving directions to the location and spot to meet at:

FROM POINTS EAST:  Take the Essex-Charlotte Ferry ($10 per vehicle).  Once in Essex, turn left onto Route 22 and follow for 300 feet.  Continue straight onto Lakeshore Road and follow to the trailhead in 5.9 miles.  The parking area will be on your left.  ALTERNATIVELY, you may cross the bridge at Crown Point.  From here, you will continue on Route 185W for 3.9 miles.  Turn right onto Routes 22N/9N and drive for 14.1 miles.   In Westport bare right onto Champlain Avenue and continue for 0.4 miles until you reach Lakeshore Road.  Drive 4.3 miles to the trailhead.  The parking area will be on the right.

FROM THE NORTHWAY (I-87):  Use Exit 31 taking Route 9N S to Westport.  Make a sharp left onto Champlain Avenue and continue for 0.4 miles until you reach Lakeshore Road.  Drive 4.3 miles to the trailhead.  The parking area will be on the right.

Look for a gray Hyundai Elantra.

For GPS Users:  44.233778, -73.382876 (with an approximate address of 872 Lakeshore Rd , Essex, NY).


Trip Report/Photos
Featured Photo

On Sunday morning, I broke camp (Michael had left before I got up) and drove over to Essex on Lake Champlain.  The trailhead was just south of Essex and I arrived at about 8:30AM.  Since noone had signed up for the hike as of 9PM on Saturday, I just got ready and headed out (8:45AM).  It was warmer and it was a mostly overcast sky to start.

I initially headed for the Snake Den Harbor Overlook.  The trail was mostly flat as it meandered through the woods on what was also a snowmobile trail.  There were a number of trail junctions, but it was fairly easy to follow.  From the trailhead it was 1.8 miles to the this overlook and I had reached the first of several views by 9:20.  It had cleared up and there was increasing blue to the skies.  The views from these sheer cliffs were beautiful and just got better as I reached the end of the spur trail.  After this I backtracked to the last trail junction and I decided to descend to the water at Lewis Clearing Bay.  This was fairly steep, but well-worth the extra effort.  There were great views along the shore and out into Lake Champlain.

I re-climbed back up to the trail junction and then returned most of the way back to the parking lot, where the trail of up Split Rock Mountain began.  I reached this junction by 10:25.  This trail meandered a bit before it came to the loop trail junction...the North Rim and Robin's Run Trails.  I headed up the North Rim Trail to take advantage of the views and I would decide how to return when I got to the other end of the ridge.  This trail wandered around...and ascended and descended...alot.  Nothing significant, but later I would discover that it was alot more elevation than the 550 feet between the summit and the parking lot.  In another mile, there was a short spur trail out to the Ore Bed Overlook.  I reached this at 11AM and ran into a couple there.  Even though it was a little hazy, the High Peaks to the west could be seen.  There was also a view to the south along the range and to the lake.

I continued back to the main trail and proceeded north along the range.  Surprisingly, the actually summit was not along the trail.  I assummed that there was nothing to see there!  I continued to the end of the range, which I reached by 11:40.  Here there was another spur trail out to the Essex Outlook.  This was nice as I looked down on the town of Essex and Lake Champlain; however, the two openings in the trees were partly obscurred.  I looked around for additional views, but there were none.  I returned to the trail and decided to return via Robin's Run.  This was alot easier, but there wasn't much to see.  I made it back to the loop junction by 12:50.  From here it took another half-hour to get back to my car.

This was a wonderful hike with great views over the Lake.  This wilderness seemed to be largely under-utilized, since it had been over a week since anyone else had signed the trail register.  It was, however, a perfect end to a wonderful Adirondack weekend!

Distance and elevation gain:  10.1 miles with 3368 feet in total gain (except for the descent/re-ascent down to the Lewis Bay, this was hardly noticeable...but it sure added up).

  There are 26 photos in Album (Note: Move mouse pointer over larger pic and click on NEXT for better viewing)

Members That Participated

shep5

Outdoor Fitness Level: Very Strenuous


Jaffrey, NH


United States

Attended
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