Peaked Mountain – A Climb in Two Parts

Peaked is a modest sized mountain located north-west of Thirteenth Lake.   It is very steep sided which affords great views of the surrounding forest, lakes, and hills.   The trailhead is at the parking lot for public access to Thirteenth Lake.   The lot is reached by taking Thirteenth Lake road off of NY route 28 north of North Creek.   For the start of the trip, you have two options.   Of course you can follow the trail which runs beside Thirteenth Lake, or in the summer you can canoe or kayak the first stretch (just beyond the bouldery shoreline near where a creek comes down into the lake), or in the winter you can walk the same route on snow shoes (if the lake is clearly totally frozen).

Just before the creek, the trail turns away from the lake and follows up the stream valley on a generally gentle grade.   This part of the trip is just a very nice walk in the woods.   In due course, the trail reaches the shore of Peaked Mountain Pond. This portion of the trail ascends about 500 feet in about 2.1 miles.   This view of Peaked Mountain across the pond indicates how the nature of the climb is about to change.   There is a trail around the east side of the pond to the start of the real climbing.   Or in the winter, you can walk carefully around the edge of the lake if you know where to find the trail on the far side.  

Once you start the final ascent, you climb steeply with a gain of 670 feet in maybe 0.4 of a mile.   On the climb when I took these pictures, breaking trail in snowshoes was an adventure.   On the other hand, the summit views were sensational.  By walking all around the summit, on a clear day you can see the High Peaks to the north.   I decided to use instep crampons on the descent to the pond.   I fell behind the other hikers at the start of the descent due to the time it took to put them on, but I caught them before reaching the pond because of their use.

This is a trip where strong hikers and less strong hikers can go part way together, and then split up at the pond. Each group can have an adventure that they both will remember fondly.

NOTE: For a more complete description of the trail, please see ADK's guide to ADIRONDACK TRAILS - Central Region, pp 52-55.

Have a great hike!
Bob Goodwin