Esther from the Atmospheric Center

[Mark Driscoll]

Hi,

I have a meeting in Albany on Friday the 22nd and was thinking about heading up to the ADK after the meeting. I was thinking about Esther but would like to start at the Atmospheric Research Center. Is this unmarked trail up Marble Mt to the Wilmington trail hard to follow? After a meeting I do not want to do too much thinking!

Thanks for your help,
Mark

 

[mike1889]

Is this unmarked trail up Marble Mt to the Wilmington trail hard to follow?

Mark

No it is not hard to follow. It is not marked but very obvious. It goes straight up the old rope tow from the old ski area and passes a couple of concrete supports remaining from the rope tow.

 

[mavs00]

Ditto, VERY EASY to follow. As it goes up the "old tow line", complete with the concrete supports mentioned, it almost has a non-trail or tote road/path feel to it. Once on you get on top of Marble Mountain, you'll link up with the marked trail (at a non-marked intersection) and will head to the right towards Lookout Mt. It's pretty steep though and there ain't much warm-up

Marble Moutain has great and unique views at the junction and Lookout Mountain (which you'll pass) doesn't have squat.............. Go figure

 

[rondak46]

clarification....

... does the trail now go right over Lookout Mt? IIRC, just past the sled hut, there is a small clearing with blowdown and deadfall; possibly with a cairn. This is the turn off (right) for Lookout and Esther Mts. The Yellow trail continues on from here, but does not go over Lookout Mt.

Mike

 

[mavs00]

... does the trail now go right over Lookout Mt? IIRC, just past the sled hut, there is a small clearing with blowdown and deadfall; possibly with a cairn. This is the turn off (right) for Lookout and Esther Mts. The Yellow trail continues on from here, but does not go over Lookout Mt.

Mike

Mike, It always has gone over Lookout Mt. (check it -OUT- ). The herd path to Esther starts after you've passed the summit of Lookout. You are right that the herd path start is just past the sled house (that looks like a big doghouse) though.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Marble Moutain has great and unique views at the junction and Lookout Mountain (which you'll pass) doesn't have squat.............. Go figure

It used to have nice views. And that wasn't THAT long ago. Oh, I'd say 12-13 years ago the views there were as good as those of Esther... maybe better.

Things can change fast.

 

[Willie]

There are two starts for Esther - both relatively close to each other. There is the one that starts near the sled house (mentioned above). The second is about 0.1 miles further toward Whiteface (near the Lookout-Whiteface col) where a cairn is situated. Within a short distance of their respective starts, they meet.

But as they say, six of one, half-dozen of the other....

 

[Pete_Hickey]

One start, please.

There are two starts for Esther - both relatively close to each other.

Please, only use one. The one with the cairn. The UMP says that there should be a single path. One of those routes has been closed in with blowdown. Please don't take it or remove the blowdown. Take the other one.

 

[JeffAndrews]

I love this forum. I was just reading about this trail yesterday while planning for a trip I'm taking this weekend. I basically had the same questions as Mark, and then I logged on this morning and they were answered!

One related question, does anyone know how far the Research Center is from the Hungry Trout Motor Lodge?

 

[mavs00]

One related question, does anyone know how far the Research Center is from the Hungry Trout Motor Lodge?

6.4 miles








Just kidding, not sure of the exact milage, but I'd say not more than 10 minutes.

 

[Tom Rankin]

One related question, does anyone know how far the Research Center is from the Hungry Trout Motor Lodge?

It's about 3 miles from the H.T. to the beginning of the toll road. Then about 3 miles from there to the A.R.C.

 

[Willie]

The UMP says that there should be a single path.

I was unaware of that. Thanks, Pete.

The start on Lookout is the one that has (had) blowdown covering its start for a few years. Unfortunately, guidebooks other resources send hikers there.

 

[Mark Driscoll]

Thanks

Hi,
Thanks for all the replies. I forgot it is Iron Man weekend so now I will be looking for a motel.

Pete, thanks for all the trail work you do and I will make sure to use the correct trail.

Happy hiking,
Mark

 

[Mark Driscoll]

Hi all,

Did the hike up Esther Saturday and had a great time. I did not have any trouble finding the trail from the research center. The trail was nice and you could see how nature reclaims an area. I was surprised at the nice view at the top of Marble Mt. Pete and his crew did a great job on the trail to Esther one of the best trails I have hiked. I had to look very hard to find any of the old paths to the summit, good job hiding them.

Pete, for your information it did not look as if anyone was using anything but the approved trail. Keep up the good work.

Mark

 

[The Sikes]

We did the hike up Esther and Whiteface Sunday. Couldn't get to anything else that we intended and were headed home when I saw it. Esther was very easy to follow. There was a small patch of mud that was easy to get around. We went up by the science center just before the tolls. The heard path for Esther was marked by a very noticable cairn in the trail about 10 min or so from that dog house.