They were already there when we arrived at 7:20. However the mud was on another level - slowed us way down and took us longer than anticipated in order to avoid slipping and being completely drenched. Started a 5:48, got to Esther by 8:30 and Whiteface but 10:45. Totally worth it all for the views, was beaming on the way down :) I started at 6 and got to the top by 1030 (went to the lookout on esther), finished at 2. Happy hiking! It was 16 degrees starting at the trailhead and 40 degrees when I returned, a perfect day! There are two different routes to hike up, or you can simply drive your car up the Whiteface Memorial Highway, which snakes its’ way up the Northeastern slope. Making a right onto the herd-path you will climb a bit to the summit of Lookout Mountain where you will have outstanding views to the north. After a quick 15 minute lunch and water break, Mike and Nick hung their packs on a tree split off to hike Esther Mountain while Teena and Lizzy continued their trek toward the summit of Whiteface. There is a plaque on the summit in commemoration of Esther McComb. There are no views the entire length of the Esther Mountain Trail. Esther was named after Esther McComb who, at the age of 15, made the first recorded ascent of the peak. This area is home to marked backcountry mountain biking trails, a rare sight in the high peaks region (right). It is a popular mountain to visit in the winter, by foot, by ski, and by board. In February 2019 I did my first winter hike and to say that I was "hooked" would be an understatement. Definitely slowed us down but the weather was great. Rock tower on which the Whiteface Memorial Highway is built … I hadn't yet climbed Esther, so this was a good chance to do them both. This is the herd path to Esther Mountain, which has no official trail. ski trails. - The first 2.5 miles is a great hike with soft footing through birch and maple trees with vivid red, orange, and bright yellow colors everywhere you look. Once you hit the road, microspikes are needed - very slippery. June 2, 2018ADK Trip. Whiteface Mountain Summit Trail is a 10.1 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Wilmington, New York that features a great forest setting and is rated as difficult. Esther is a High Peak located off the shoulder of Whiteface Mountain, a much bigger sister peak, and makes for an excellent and rewarding side trip on the way to climbing Whiteface. Posted on Posted on: September 21, 2020 by aoconnor. From Esther Mountain, backtrack to the junction. This area is home to marked backcountry mountain biking trails, a rare sight in the high peaks region (right). The past 3 years of hiking and 23 trips had resulted in just 2 peaks left. Esther- no views, in terrible condition due to the mud- but if you have good balance it’s fun to jump from rock to roots to keep from getting covered. Esther is often climbed with Whiteface Mountain. All three approaches can be accessed in winter. The Flume Trails from the Overflow Parking Lot, Corridor, Ridge, Marble Mountain, Whiteface Mountain Trail, Little Whiteface Mountain Gondola via Base Lodge, Bear Den Mountain from Lake Placid and Whiteface Mountain KOA. Then a short walk through a manmade passage, within the mountain, will bring you to an elevator which will deliver you to the visitor’s area near the summit. Follow this road around the one-way roundabout to the trail and parking on the right, just past a dirt road that descends into the woods. 7:45 hours later we were back at the car with a half hour stop at Whiteface and twenty minutes on Esther — this is truly a day hike… Perhaps the muddy conditions for the most part of the trail after the first mile and a half and the ice starting after the path next to the road made me a little distressed. In response to Kevin... we didn’t see your number on the box lol. This trip was very unique because there were opportunities to combine several forms of hiking and even skiing. I expected Whiteface Mountain to be the lamest of the high peaks. Follow here, go 2.4 miles to the Atmospheric Science Research Center Road on the left. WHITEFACE AND ESTHER WINTER HIKE! Headed on the Wilmington Trail Going right at the junction towards Lookout Mtn. Trail up Marble and Lookout was very icy but spikes handled it ok. Great day to hike! The main route along the Wilmington Trail is a 5.2 mile one way hike from NY 431 to the top of Whiteface Mountain with an elevation gain of nearly 3700 feet. Esther is often climbed with Whiteface Mountain. This time it was a much smaller group (not everyone could be convinced to do this one again) - just me, Hiking Buddy, her youngest son (doing a hike of this length for the first time) and my youngest, who is also working on his 46. Notice the great brick wall that holds the ground beneath the road. Below are brief descriptions of the two major routes. Total Mileage: 9.8 miles Trail head directions 44.394650,-73.857951. I hadn't yet climbed Esther, so this was a good chance to do them both. Primary Trailhead: From the four-way stop sign in Wilmington, take the turn onto Route 431 (Whiteface Mountain Road) toward the Toll Road. Marked on the Whiteface Mountain Trail by a very large cairn with an orange rod sticking out. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. This is a High Peak, meaning there will be significant elevation gain and rugged terrain that brings you to one of the tallest mountains in New York. Whiteface Mountain a popular ski resort with the greatest vertical east of the Rockies. Temps in the 30's to 50's, wind 20 to 30 mph. Whiteface is often climbed with Esther Mountain, another High Peak. Whiteface is separated from 44 of the other high peaks, standing seemingly alone to the northeast of Lake Placid. Only about 3-4 inches at the tops. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from May until October. Esther Mountain Esther was named after Esther McComb who, at the age of 15, made the first recorded ascent of the peak. Esther was named after Esther McComb who, at the age of 15, made the first recorded ascent of the peak. Hiked Whiteface and Esther. Proper winter attire and gear is critical here. We woke up at 5:45 and were out the door by 6:45 and heading to the Atmospheric Science Research Center (ASRC) to meet BillB and Eagleye for a trip to Esther and Whiteface. Was at the junction with the other trail up Marble (the Atmospheric Science Research Center) by 640. in the distance from the summit of Mount Esther. March 22, 2018, I started at the Atmospheric sciences research center in Willmington, NY. From Esther Mountain, backtrack to the junction. ... Bear Den Mountain Hike. Whiteface Mountain: 4867′ Esther Mountain: 4240′ Marble Mountain:2753′ Total Duration: ~8.5 Hours. through the trees from Lookout Mountain Summit of Mount Esther (Our 12th of the 46 High Peaks) Whiteface Mtn. Which meant climbing Whiteface again. There are no views the entire length of the Esther Mountain Trail. What makes Whiteface unique is the fact that there is a … Few places on earth can claim to be THIS CLOSE to this much. Esther – 12/46 – 4,239 ft. Whiteface – 13/46 – 4,865 ft. Posted on July 30, 2011. Your next adventure awaits you in your inbox! Description You can only access the Esther Mountain Trail by first taking the Whiteface Mountain Trail. Soon after, you'll pass a trail junction (marked by a massive cairn and orange post) with the trail to the summit of Esther Mountain (Esther Mountain Trail). Views down to Lake Placid are tremendous over the last half mile until the summit. At that point the trail becomes steeper and exposed as it reaches the summit ridge. Only Mt. It was overcast but milder. I chose the Marble Mountain approach for a few important reasons. Marble Mountain is rather steep and in the summer, if it's been dry, can have challenging footing. Another popular alternative is to hike the mountain via Whiteface Landing and Connery Pond, which is a mile longer and doesn’t have easy access to Esther, but is beautiful and enjoyable in its own right. Esther was our #46!!! Whiteface Mountain: 4867′ Esther Mountain: 4240′ Marble Mountain:2753′ Total Duration: ~8.5 Hours. So, decided to start at Wilmington Reservoir up Marble Mountain. Whiteface, Lookout and Esther Mountains is a 9.5 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Wilmington, New York that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. Once I got to the Esther-Whiteface intersection and I made a right to Esther things got muddy as hell. Esther was a 15-year-old girl who made the first recorded summit of the mountain back in the 1850s “for the sheer joy of climbing.” 6 days ago. Hiking stats at a glance: Trailhead: Atmospheric Science Research Center Miles Round trip: ~10 Total Elevation Gain: ~3,975 2 High Peaks: Whiteface (4,867 ft), Esther (4,239 ft) 1 Non-High Peak: Marble Mountain (2,753 ft) Weather: 40-50 Degrees, ~5 mph winds, Bluebird Day I climbed Whiteface and Esther for the first time in January 2015… Rock tower on which the Whiteface Memorial Highway is built … Awesome day. SHARE TWEET Growing up in Western Pennsylvania invited weekend retreats deep into the Appalachian Mountains for hiking, camping, fishing, canoeing, and more than a few bonfires. Many ADK 46ers make the trip to nearby Esther Mountainin order to hit two of the high peaks in one combined trip. From the top of Marble Mountain you will come to an intersection, left is the secondary trail outlined below. It is advised that hikers are … Bring layers and enjoy the beauty of the ADKs! Most that do the hike to Esther are ADK 46ers and hike to Whiteface Mountain as well, hitting both of these ADK high peaks with one trip. There are clearly many great benefits to hiking in the winter and I have experienced them all. WHITEFACE AND ESTHER WINTER HIKE! The round trip hike is 3.2 miles, vertical 1,432 feet. Intermediate | 3.2 miles | 2.5 hours The hike begins in the Bear Den parking lot. People without microspikes were slipping and falling the entire way up. I did Esther first, then Whiteface, and did a lot of extra nosing around.... had both peaks to myself the entirety of my stay on them, 10-15 in Esther (cool plaque), 45min -including a 20min power nap in the sun on Whiteface. The planning and organization of this trip was done by hiking acquaintaince Julie Moran. The first two miles were steep and constant, but no biggie. There are several trail options to choose from. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from May until October. While there are not many steep sections over this one mile trail, it is often filled with water and mud. 0450 started hike 0535 Marble Mountain summit 0645 Esther/Whiteface junction 0800 Whiteface summit 0815 left summit 1005 Esther summit 1015 left summit 1220 reached … Once past the junction for Marble Mountain the trail becomes wet and muddy, the usual for Adirondack trails. Enjoy! Good time of year to check Esther off as the usually muddy trail is all frozen over. All images are property of adktrailtalesandtails and may only be used with express permission. There are clearly many great benefits to hiking in the winter and I have experienced them all. The plan was for us to hike Esther from ASRC while my grandma, grandpa, mom, and sister would get lunch in Placid and drive up Whiteface to… I recorded a total of 9.7 miles and I started at 7:30 AM and ended by 1:50 PM, so 6 hours and 20 minutes total. The start of Esther trail was well erroded, but the rest of it, another 1.25 miles to the summit was quite pleasant, even in the foggy mist. Esther is a High Peak located off the shoulder of Whiteface Mountain, a much bigger sister peak, and makes for an excellent and rewarding side trip on the way to climbing Whiteface. Hiked Whiteface and Esther. SHARE TWEET Growing up in Western Pennsylvania invited weekend retreats deep into the Appalachian Mountains for hiking, camping, fishing, canoeing, and more than a few bonfires. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Wilmington Reservoir Trail Head. Wilmington Wild Forest - Whiteface and Esther Mountains ***Please respect private property.Stay on designated trails*** ***Practice Leave No Trace Principles*** ***Emergency contact 518-891-0235*** The Whiteface Mtn trail which ascends nearly 3,700 feet and traverses 5.2 mile from the trailhead to the summit of the mountain. Go 0.6 miles to Reservoir Road on the left, drive to the end and park. We got to the trail head around 7 am. Whiteface and Esther are the northern-most of the Adirondack high peaks, set well apart from the rest. and Mt. red shows where we walked...blue shows what we also considered as a route . It was overcast but milder. A friend and I hiked two of the Adirondack high peaks today: Whiteface and Esther mountains. Secondary Trailhead: From the four-way stop sign in Wilmington, take the turn onto Route 431 (Whiteface Mountain Road) toward the Toll Road. Notice the great brick wall that holds the ground beneath the road. Check out our new interactive Whiteface trail map below and discover what lifts and trails are open, find locations for mountain services like restaurants and ski patrol, and plan the best ski day EVER! trail as many hikers forgo the trail altogether and come up the closed road. Weathers turning ugly tomorrow, glad I got these in... I’ve now hit 10 peaks since starting Sept 23. Whiteface mountain ski and bike runs, and shopping in an artists' community. Lookout (I think that’s the name, regardless, where the trail splits for Esther or Whiteface), that first 2+ is a total slog/grind. Find More Hikes in Adirondack Mountains No need for microspikes since it was 70 degrees yesterday which was awesome. The trail is not labeled with a DEC sign. Whiteface was great. Esther has one single view of whiteface but that’s about it. I got to the trailhead around 8:30 on a Friday morning, the day after DEC lifted the mud advisory for the High Peaks. We reached a lookout near the top of Marble Mountain for a quick break and then joined the Wilmington Trail to head towards Whiteface Mountain. A third option for hiking Whiteface is a longer hike from the south, but it is not possible to climb Esther via this route. 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