Good Dog Trails?

[Tictac]

Hello, this is my very first post. You guys come highly recommended! Any ways I am looking for a good place to take my lab. I have been up the ADK several times and I have went with my dog three or four times. I am looking for an overnight place that is relatively easy to hike to and few if any people. Any info would be appreciated.

[mrbubbles]

My top choices:

St. Regis
Hurricane
Ampersand
DeBar

For Hurricane I recommend the steep path from Route 9, your dog will love it even if you have to pant a little. All of the above mountains have nice, bald summits with depressions in the rock that can double as dog dishes! So you need only bring water and iodine.

Regis has nice views of the lakes. DeBar is nice because it's so far north. I think if you do DeBar you have to pay a parking fee.

I suggest an early start, even though they're all relatively short, since dogs don't care for heat. Also, if you go up early you get the summit to yourself.

The drawback for Ampersand and Hurricane is that there are busy roads near the trailheads--more of an issue coming back down, so just be sure to have your dog leashed well before getting to the road. Pick some landmark about half a mile from the road, and remember it on the way down so you know to get the leash out.

Hope this helps.

[Kevin]

I am looking for an overnight place that is relatively easy to hike to and few if any people. Any info would be appreciated.

Siamese Ponds comes to mind. There are several spots along the lake, so if one's taken you can move on to the next with a 15 minute walk. There IS a trail along the lake even though it isn't on the map. Also check out the West Canada Lakes wilderness area. Both of these are in the central/southern adirondacks. Not nearly as crowded as some other parts of the park, but you will still see people this time of the year. If you want true isolation, point to a place on the map and bushwack there (and I mean that with sincerity ).

[Rik]

All of the above mountains have nice, bald summits with depressions in the rock that can double as dog dishes! So you need only bring water and iodine.

Mrbubbles,
Help me out with this one. If you bring water what do you need iodine for? And if you don't bring water do you treat your dog's drinking water? Mine drink from wherever they find water without ill effects. I do like when the rocks form dishes!

[Tictac]

Thanks for the suggestions...my dog thanks you!

[mrbubbles]

I might get thirsty too! Hence the iodine. At the top I pour some of the water from my bottle into a depression in the rock for Marla. Between us we go through a lot more water, which is why I need to replenish it.
Of course, if she gets to a stream, and starts drinking spontaneously, that's fine too.
But I stand by my choices for good dog mountains.

Edited in:
Since hunting season is coming up, you're probably better off on mountains.
Nothing against hunters, but it's probably safer for dogs since there are few hunters on mountains. Or at least have them wear orange.

[fvrwld]

Good advice mrbubbles. Once bear season opens I always put an orange doggie vest or a red pack on my black dog.

Tictac...most any trail outside of the high peaks is good for dogs. The only trail my dog ever had a problem on was the one up Crane mountain.

Many great overnight spots exist in the West Canada Lakes, Siamese Ponds and Pharaoh Lake wilderness areas. There are also some nice but popular ponds on the east side of Lake George. Its impossible to promise "few if any people" at any trailed overnight destination...especially on the weekend.

[gbrown@gdbrown.net]

Dog - Warm

On another note, now that the weather / nights will be getting cooler, just wondering how you keep your dog warm at night during fall hiking?


Jerry

[Rik]

On another note, now that the weather / nights will be getting cooler, just wondering how you keep your dog warm at night during fall hiking?


Jerry

On colder nights we all huddle together in the tent. Once in an October snowstorm we all huddled while several inches of snow fell outside. My dog who usually sleeps in the vestibule seemed very grateful for the invite. At 130lbs it was like have 3 men in a two man tent! On other occasions I have used one of those foil emergency blankets over him. He looks like a big baked potato with it on! Wish I had a picture.

[dog]

cold & dog

I give my dog choice, where to sleep , leaving an unzipped hole ( ~2" ) , which she can open with her nose and to get in-out .
Spring - fall she is outside, exept when it is rainy, and stays there until it is ~below 50 .

Getting colder...
I always carry a sheep skin in a bag from my old tent - it's ~ 1lb . She sleeps on it inside my tent ( or I use it as a pillow,wrapping a piece of wood or a stone for a shape & stability ). The hole is still there.

Getting colder...
I cover her with my wool sweater and parka. She get closer and puts sometimes paws and her head on me. So i do. It costs me to wake up few times for recover her. Never regret.

Getting colder...
I've never been with her, when it's far below 0 C.

Generally, than smaller a creature, than faster it loose energy. And dogs afraid to be trapped - our types of sleeping bag are not for them ,they need something bulky.

Of course a lot depends on what kind of dog you have. Mine is 8 y/o a mix of Rot $ Germ. Shep. She was found ~2m old , after somebody tried to hang her up on a construction place.

First sign of hypothermia for them is shivering. Like us, not only this, like us...