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Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Baldface Mountain(Crotched Pond Easement Tract/ Jessup River Wild Forest-Adirondacks)

Headed up to the Adirondacks this morning to check out some fall foliage on the east side of Indian Lake.  I parked along Big Brook Road(County Route 4) where it meets Crotched Pond Road(Elevation 1675 feet) and headed west, utilizing a state easement towards 2259 foot Baldface Mountain.  Immediately after leaving the car I crossed over picturesque Round Pond Brook, stopping momentarily to take in the view to the north.

 

Heading west on Crotched Pond Road, where the colors are coming along nicely, making for a pleasant conditions.

Followed the road for a little over 1.4 miles before heading into the woods, bushwhacking north up the mountain through mostly open hardwoods.

Baldface Mountain is actually made up of three separate summit knobs, and I first headed up to the westernmost peak, circling over to a series of steep west facing ledges,

 

Was pleasantly surprised to find some stellar off trail views from this western set of ledges.  Great views across Indian Lake from a clearing.

Zoom view towards Snowy Mountain across the lake.

From the west bump, I continued my bushwhack north, dropping slightly before picking up a red blazed DEC trail, which is only accessible from the lake itself.  This trail climbs steeply but briefly up to a broad set of open ledges.

The trail ends here, at an incredible open set of rock ledges, which offer even better views than the western ledges that I had been on.

Indian Lake views stretching to the SW, with foliage ablaze.

 

West views across Indian Lake towards the hamlet of Sabael and the multiple peaks of Squaw Mountain rising above, with Porter Mountain to the right.  Just beyond them are(R-L)Burgess and Panther Mountains.

After enjoying the killer views, I bushwhacked back down to Crotched Pond Road, which I then followed back to the car.  Even the road walk was gorgeous on this splendid fall day.

Didn't see another soul all day covering 5 miles RT with over 700 feet of elevation gain.

Map below.  Red P=Parking   Blue X=Trailed Vista     Red X=Off Trail Views





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