Hike to the Summit of Ampersand Mountain

Lake Clear, New York

4.5/5

based on 2 reviews

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Details

Distance

5.2 miles

Elevation Gain

1775 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by The Outbound Collective

Enjoy a tranquil walk through the forest passing large boulders to an open rock summit featuring amazing views.

Ampersand Mountain is part of the Saranac Lake 6er Hiking Challenge. It is one of six mountains surrounding Saranac Lake.

The trail starts just across the street from the parking area. Though there is ample parking it can full up on a good day as it is a popular hike.

The trail begins over mostly flat terrain going over various streams and through the lush forest. Once you start ascending it can get quite steep though there are stone staircases in areas. The stone staircases are actually not there to make it easier on you, but built to alleviate the high amount of erosion. Once the staircase diminishes there is an area where careful footing is cautioned. You will then continue through the forest and past large boulders. Shortly after you will climb bare rock to the exposed summit.

The 3,352 foot summit is large, exposed rock, so even if it's busy, you can still find a quiet spot to take it all in. Views of Lower, Middle, and Upper Saranac Lakes can be seen as well as Ampersand Lake and the high peaks.

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Features

Snowshoeing

Hiking

Forest

Scenic

Hike to the Summit of Ampersand Mountain Reviews

Explorer

Shawn Grenninger

Explorer

Hike to the Summit of Ampersand Mountain

04/20/16

Completed this hike while paddling section 2 of the NFCT. We camped on Middle Saranac Lake taking a day off of paddling to get an elevated view of our paddling trail. The panoramic views were incredible. From the summit you can see in every direction and for us paddling the NFCT, we would see our start and end points and our path we would continue the next day.

5.0

Brandon Titus

Hike to the Summit of Ampersand Mountain

01/08/16

Not the most exciting hike, but the views are fantastic from the top. We did this in the winter and were thrilled with the views of the surrounding lakes. Make sure to bring microspikes for the trail up, it is through a creek and is very icy in the winter. We saw several groups turning around because they were not prepared for the ice.

4.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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Hike to the Summit of Ampersand Mountain

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Hike to the Summit of Ampersand Mountain Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Relax at Ampersand Beach

Camp at Fish Creek Pond

Hike to Mount Baker in Saranac Lake

Hike to McKenzie and Haystack Mountains

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Ice Skate Mirror Lake

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