Beautiful day to drive through the Adirondacks. Most of the leaves are down, but larches, our only deciduous conifer, were in full golden glory.

My Recreation Ecology class at St. Lawrence took a day hike up to the top of Blue Mountain (not Azure) on a perfect fall day. Blue Mountain Lake was looking beautiful surrounded by the vast array of colors on the trees down below.

Due to Azure mountain's close proximity to Canton, I'm able to hike this short, but rewarding mountain often. I have hiked to the fire tower in the winter months with micro spikes, in the spring before the leaves have grown, in the summer among the greenery, and this past Thursday afternoon during peak foliage in the Adirondacks. Each time the drastic changes in temperature, and flora make the experience feel like a new adventure.

My first visit to this area with friends/local climbers Adam Crofoot and Allison Rooney. The cliff is roughly 4 miles from the trailhead with a 1/4 mile bushwhack that I consider moderate. The geometry of the overhangs and slab of this 1/4 mile long cliff is astounding. Our climb was the first ascent of Adam's route, Dishin' it Out (rate 5.10b). It follows a huge overhanging corner for 100' to a slot at the top. Views include the lake to the south and the small pond below.

Gorgeous fall day for a big outing in the Great Range. From the Garden Trailhead went took Bennie's Brook Slide to Lower Wolfjaw, then Upper Wolfjaw, Armstrong, Gothics, Saddleback, and Basin before doubling back towards John's Brook Lodge. Temps in the low 60s down low, but frost and ice around the summits. Fall colors a week or two away from peak.

My solo hike up Giant began at 10am up the 3.6 mile trail to the summit. The trail was easy to follow and although steep at times was not too difficult. The trail did have one ladder, and a few areas where I was walking up rock slabs, but this just made the trail interesting. Giant is the westernmost high peak and the summit at 4,626 feet provides great views looking east of all the other high peaks. It was a windy day at the summit, but I embraced it after my hot sweaty climb up the mountain.

Some friends and I decided to go for a hike up Azure Mountain, fully expecting it to sprinkle. We weren't expecting it to rain steadily throughout the hike, and when we got to the top it was so foggy you couldn't see over the edge. While I didn't get the view I expected, the fog made me feel like I was on the top of the world! The fact that we had towels in the car was an added bonus.

A few St. Lawrence ladies hit the trail for a nine mile day to summit Street and Nye Mountains on first Saturday back at SLU. It was a hot humid day but it was amazing to be back in the Adirondacks with good company. The trail starts out along Heart Lake, a clear blue/teal tinted lake nestled in between many of the high peaks. From there the trail becomes unmaintained but the constant foot traffic makes the trail easy to follow. Just before the summit of Nye there is a rock on the left side of the trail where we could look out for a great view of Wright, Algonquin, and Iroquois Peaks.

With the car packed and everyone eager for the hike up Nye and Street mountain, the drive from Canton to Essex county seemed to last forever. So you could say we were more than grateful to find such a beautiful view and to have an excuse to stretch our legs and snap a picture.

Beautiful day hiking Donaldson, Emmons, and Seward