Off Trail Ledges near Giant's Washbowl & The Dipper(Giant Mountain Wilderness-Adirondacks)

Did some exploring both on trail and off trail along the lower slopes of Giant Mountain in the Adirondack High Peaks on a beautiful spring morning.  Parked along Route 73 and headed up the blue blazed Ridge Trail, passing several other groups also heading up the mountain along the way.

It felt good getting some climbing in, and I made pretty good time rising up to Giants Washbowl.

I skirted the south side of the Washbowl, taking in one last view back east across the water before I exited the trail and began my bushwhack.

The bushwhack was pretty easy, and I even picked up a rough herd path as I made my way over to a series of ledges directly over Route 73 and Chapel Pond below.

Open rock ledges and great views.

Spectacular views out over Route 73 to the southeast, with Round Mountain's rocky lower slopes to the right.

Views back up NE towards the next ridgline, and Rocky Peak Ridge beyond.

Circling around the open ledges, I was presented with wonderful vistas in several different directions.  The view west takes in (left to right)the lower slopes of Noonmark Mountain, the Great Range and the Ausable  Club deep in the valley.

Noonmark left and the Great Range right.  Hard to beat views like this.

After enjoying the off trail views, I headed back down to the Washbowl and the marked trail.  I was only on the trail for a few moments though, as I headed back into the woods, bushwhacking my way east towards the Dipper, a small body of water that sits in a bowl between ridges on the mountain.  The woods were quite easy to navigate and filled with fern glades until I got down near the Dipper.  Once there it got a bit gnarly in spots.

Views towards Rocky Peak Ridge across the Dipper.

West views across the Dipper.

One last view of the Dipper, before I headed down towards the nearby rushing water of Beebe Brook.

I followed Beebe Brook all the way back down off the mountain, stopping to check out several of the cascades along the way.  I knew there are a couple of larger waterfalls on the brook, but it was pretty rough getting down to them, so I took a pass on them today.

Further down the ridge, I actually picked up some on again, off again herd paths and easily made my way all the way back down towards the trail and my waiting car.  A fun area to explore for sure, with numerous opportunities for adventure.  I covered about 4 miles total, with 1000 feet of ascent.  

Map below.  Blue P=Parking      Blue star=Dipper.   Ledges labeled in red

Peaked Hill(Hammond Pond Wild Forest-Adirondacks)

Doing a little catching up on previous hikes I had done earlier this spring in the Adirondacks.  My first stop was a short bushwhack hike to 1890 foot Peaked Hill, a small peak in the Hammond Pond Wild Forest.  Peaked Hill can be reached via a trail on the south side of the mountain, but the trail itself is only accessible from the north shore of Paradox Lake.  It is also possible to reach the summit by bushwhacking up the north slopes of the mountain from a small area of state land on Johnson Pond Road, which would be my route today.  Parked on the shoulder of the road, elevation 1250 feet, and set out with bugs swarming me almost immediately, meaning I'd need to throw on the bug net.

From the car, I crossed the road and began climbing immediately through open woods.

The ascent was straightforward and steep, but never anything too crazy.  A last push up over a band of ledges brought me to the summit, which sits in a small clearing.

Once atop the hill, I found my way over to the trail, which drops down to a spectacular area of rock ledges.  Southwest views stretching all the way to Schroon Lake, with Crane, Eleventh, and Gore Mountains on the distant horizon.

West views towards Hoffman and Blue Ridge Mountain's across the Northway.

South views towards Pharaoh Mountain, with Paradox Lake below.

From the bottom of the ledges looking up.

One more zoom view towards Paradox Lake and Pharaoh Mountain.

I retraced my steps back up the hill on the trail, then an easy bushwhack brought me back down to my car.  Covered just over 1 mile total, with over 700 feet of climbing.  An easy, short off trail adventure.

Map below.   P=Parking.   Blue Dot=Views