Buck Mountain

Date:5/29/2010

Hikers:Frank, Mike (Dad), Me

Peaks:Buck Mountain (2334')

Trailhead:Pilot Knob

Trip Time:3.75 hrs (30 minute break on summit)

We left Lake Luzerne around 11:45 and head over to the Pilot Knob trailhead of Buck Mountain. Frank and I view the hike as a warm up to our quest in hiking the 46 high peaks. We arrived at the trailhead around 12:00, Frank signed us in and we began our ascent of Buck Mountain.

Buck Mountain Trailhead sign

The trail for a large portion of the hike was wide and well maintained. The climb was easy for the first couple of miles, crossing over a few small streams and passing a vine swing in the middle of trail, which Frank and I tried out on our hike out. We took a few small breaks along the way with my father telling us “all the hero’s here, are dead”. Pretty much meaning we don’t have to break any records, to slow down and pace ourselves. Frank and I were excited because we knew we were going to start hiking the high peaks region this summer and this was a training hike. A 2000’ ascent would help because some of the ascents in the high peaks region are around this height.

Mike (Dad) and Frank

After the logging trail the climb became a little bit more moderate with the trail narrowing and the accent becoming steeper. The hiking ascent started to have more of an effect on us and breaks were happening a little more frequently. We each only brought one frozen bottle of water and that was almost gone. Obviously we weren’t prepared.

Frank and Mike (Dad)

After the narrows the trail opens up to a false summit and you can start to get a good view of Lake George. We took a small pause and examined the view.

View from top of Buck Mountain Summit

We weren’t far from the summit and we could sense the end was near. Within the next 7 minutes we had reached the summit of Buck Mountain at 1:45. There was about 20 – 25 people on the summit and Lake George had a strong yellow tint to it from the high pollen count at the time but the view was spectacular. My first peak of 2010 and the first of many more!