Hiking around Gore Mnt Help!

[myselfnjit]

Hi
I am wondering if anyone knows of some good hikes in the Gore Mnt area. My high school is going on a ski trip and I think that I might be able to tag along to do some hiking and a night of camping. Any info would be very helpful.
thanks

[fvrwld]

There is a hiking trail up Gore Mountain.

Nearby there is also a trail to a Whortleberry Pond.

From Thirteenth Lake you can hike into Peaked Mountain Pond and Peaked Mountain.

From the Old Farm trailhead you can hike into Hour Pond, Puffer Pond, Twin Ponds. Add some distance to those hikes because they don't plow all the way to the summer trailhead.

[Dick]

You might try 13th lake area. Perhaps camp at Peaked Pond, (13th lake area), with the option of climbing Peaked Pond Mt. Puffer Pond is another possibility from there. Also Crane Mt. is not too far away, either a loop or one way and back. I'm not sure about current snow/ice conditions at these places.

I understand there is a marked trail up Gore as well, though I haven't hiked it.

Dick

[Adkleaddog]

I'd be careful on Crane, the south face may be icy....

Take a ride down Rt 8 to the Siamese Pond trail, or as mentioned to Thirteenth Lake, lots of possibilities there.

[Little Rickie]

[QUOTE=myselfnjit]Hi
I am wondering if anyone knows of some good hikes in the Gore Mt

I have hiked part way up Gore via the Shaffer Trail that starts at the far end of the parking lot at the Ski Bowl area down the road from Gore Ski center and just out side of North Creek. You'll see a trail register a short distance up hill to the right of the ski/tubing slope. (I don't know if this is a tubing slope or an old small ski hill. You will see some ski lifts)

The trail goes through the woods, crosses a dirt service road, goes back into the woods & up to a lean-to. The peak is beyond this point. I don't know much after that because I ran out of time. I think round trip to the top is 5-6 hours? The part I did was a real nice hike and a heck of a lot better than antiquing. There are dirt bike, xcountry trails and service roads so its not a wilderness experience and you could always cheat and walk the service roads.

I found the trail tough to follow. The markers were far apart and the trail wasn't wasn't heavily worn. It was covered with snow when I hiked it so that made it more difficult to follow. No problems if you lose the trail, just walk down hill to the Road or to the Gore ski area.

I do plan to do the whole thing some day. My brother-in-laws have a place near by and when we have another family gathering I plan to get away from all that love for a long hike. Everyone will be impressed that I've done a long healthy hike up another mountain and I get to knock off a couple of beers to replace precious body fluids. I sit back, relax and hang out. It all makes a family gathering go that much better.

Little Rickie

[Kevin]

Val and I hiked Gore after last October's early snow storm and had a similar experience to little rickie, including not particularly liking the way in which the trails meandered in/out of roads and the poor placement of trail markers. We also only made it to the lean-to, which looked hardly used. Some nice views from the nearby cliffs. It's been added to my places for one night camping not too far from home. I'd also like to finish climbing Gore. We hit 12+ inches of snow at the lean-to and didn't have snow shoes so we were forced to head back.

[Rik]

I thought the top of Gore was off limits to hikers during ski season?

[Adk Keith]

Just a comment on the Shaffer trail. The as the trail nears the lean-to on Burn Ridge please don snowshoes or skis as this is part of the Gore back country trail system. Above the lean-to, wear snow shoes or skis and if going up hill beware. This is a popular locals (read not sanctioned by Gore) ski trail.

Beware of flying skiers

[Little Rickie]

this is part of the Gore back country trail system

Can you tell me more about this trail system?

There are several other mts near by. Do you or anyone else know if any of them have trails, lean-tos or campsites on them?

There will be more family gatherings that I may want to find some solitude from.

I too have dreamed of spending an overnight on top of Gore in the lean-to. I can imagine a quite summer night, dinner, brandy then crashing early. Then enjoy the sunrise with my coffee followed by a leisurely stroll down. When I get back to the family I'll tell everyone how rough I had it.

Little Rickie

[myselfnjit]

About the Gore Lean To...?

I have basically 1 night and 2 full days to work with as I will be arriving pretty early and leaving late.

If the Lean to is in a nice spot I would stay there. Would the trail to the lean to, and up Gore occupy me for this time or should I look for others near by?
thanks

[Kevin]

I have basically 1 night and 2 full days to work with as I will be arriving pretty early and leaving late.

If the Lean to is in a nice spot I would stay there. Would the trail to the lean to, and up Gore occupy me for this time or should I look for others near by?
thanks

That would be a prefect 2 days actually (which is what I intend to do). Your first day would be hiking into the lean-to, waking early on day two to summit gore, return for your gear and head out. Mileage isn't too bad either.

It should be noted that Gore is a ADK 100 highest and no walk in the park, so to speak.

[Adk Keith]

this is part of the Gore back country trail system

Can you tell me more about this trail system?

There are several other mts near by. Do you or anyone else know if any of them have trails, lean-tos or campsites on them?

There will be more family gatherings that I may want to find some solitude from.

I too have dreamed of spending an overnight on top of Gore in the lean-to. I can imagine a quite summer night, dinner, brandy then crashing early. Then enjoy the sunrise with my coffee followed by a leisurely stroll down. When I get back to the family I'll tell everyone how rough I had it.

Little Rickie

The lean-to is not on top of Gore but on Burnt ridge, between the North Side and Northwoods area. For a map, got to www.goremountain.com and open the trail map. Just to the right of the Northwoods Area label is the location of the lean-to marked "shelter" on the map.

I have heard of people doing "Lift Service Backpacking" in the summer to this location. When the gondola or Northwoods triple chair is running for mountain biking, pay for a single ride, load your backpack on the lift. Get off at the top, take a leisurely stroll mostly downhill to the lean-to. Then hike out back to the parking lot the when you are done.

There are open buildings at the top of Gore but they are not the cozy lean-to type.

[Lhakpa]

Gore Mtn

Gore has a nice trail that concludes at the summit with a firetower. There ius also a nice trail at Crane Mtn. and also at Camp Dippikill. I hiked Dippikill mid-February and did not need snowshoes or crampons. I did need trekking poles because I did encounter several icey patches. Do a quick Google for "Crane Mtn NY) and for Dippikill and you'll get complete directions, etc.