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| Round Lake, from Cascade Mountain Summit |
Many guidebooks label Cascade Mountain as the "easiest" peak on the Adirondack 46er list. Maybe. But on April 27, 2013 - one of the first warm spring days in the ADKs this year - that "easy" designation drew tons of hikers unprepared for the conditions.
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Split to Cascade Summit
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Predicting the crowds, K and I hit the trail early, around 7:30 AM, and happily found only one car in the parking lot for Trail 90 from Cascade Lades. An interesting older gentleman, who was heading up Pitchoff, warned us about hidden ice patches that had caught him off guard the day before. But we had micros and yak trax in our packs. No worries there.
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Bald Summit, Cascade Mountain
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The trail to Cascade is very short, only two miles, but quite steep. At this time of year, it was covered in mud and lingering ice and snow patches. Fortunately, we had the entire trail to ourselves on the ascent - encountering not a single hiker before reaching the open ledge below the summit that proved to be a perfect lunch spot. The only thing that broke our morning solitude was an odd, undecipherable sound - kind of like a motor starting. We never could trace its source.
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New Sporks
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From our lunch spot, it was only a quick climb up the the summit rocks. Indeed, the summit experience is the attraction of this hike for most. A bald, open summit offers complete 360 degree views. Pretty amazing on a clear sunny day.
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Panorama of Lunch Ledge, Below Cascade Summit
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The descent, however, was a different experience. We encountered a steady stream of people - I counted well over 60. Many were worrying aloud if they would get their white tennis shoes muddy. Others asked us "is the top much farther?" Still others were slipping and sliding on the ice patches. We stopped again and again to allow groups, couples, and individuals to pass us on their way to the summit "party" up top.
Good to see so many people enjoying the out of doors. Just a few too many for our liking.
I think we'll call this one "turnpike trail" from now on.
Peak: Cascade Mountain
Elevation: 4,098 feet (Gain: 1,940 feet)
Distance: 4.2 miles, up and back
Conditions: Sunny, 60 degrees F
