Little Cathead Mountain(Silver Lake Wilderness-Adirondacks)

Finally had a nice weather day matched up with a day off so decided to head north to bushwhack Little Cathead Mountain, a small peak in the Silver Lake Wilderness with reputed good views.  I parked at the trailhead for the Northville Placid Trail on Benson Road(Hamilton County Route 125)and crossed the road heading north on the red blazed Woods Lake Trail.  Elevation to start was 1360 feet and there were no other people there when I arrived.  A mere 3/10 of a mile into the hike I arrived at the quiet shoreline of Woods Lake, with a perfect view north at Little Cathead Mountain, my intended target peak.

I quickly left the trail, following the edge of the water on rough herd paths and several campsites.  From the SE edge of the lake, looking NW across the beautiful blue water towards Three Ponds Mountain and Wallace Mountain.

Once across the wetter than usual inlet area I began a straightforward bushwhack up the steep, snow covered slopes.  At first there wasn't much more than a dusting but, as I gained elevation...

..the snow got a bit deeper..and the slopes got a bit steeper.  Couple that with rising temps up towards 50 degrees and I was making slow progress ascending through melting snow.

In the SW corner of the steep slopes below the summit is a wide open ledge with spectacular views.  Woods Lake can be seen spreading out in the foreground with the peaks of the Shaker Mountian Wild Forest filling the horizon.

Arriving at the mostly wooded 2090 foot summit of Little Cathead Mountain, where there were still about 5 or 6 inches of quickly melting snow on the ground.

2235 foot "Middle"Cathead and 2431 foot Cathead Mountain rise impressively from this vantage point to the east.

A zoom view towards Cathead Mountain's fire tower, which remains private and off limits.

An open view to the SE towards what I think might be a corner of Woodward Lake.

 

Wandering just below the summit area, I made my way over to a wide open rock slab. 

SE views from the open rock, with the many peaks surrounding Mud Lake covered in white.

A nice and easy descent brought me down the rapidly melting snow covered slopes.  Once back down below 1500 feet, most of the snow was gone and the drainages were running fast and hard.

A perfect little (mostly)off trail adventure in a quiet corner of the Adirondacks.  3.6 miles RT with 900 feet of total ascent on an absolutely beautiful spring day.   Red=Ascent   Blue=Descent