SpencerVT
Member
The hardest part of climbing Hamilton Mountain (in Lake Pleasant just south of Speculator) ended up being figuring out how to approach the climb.
I had heard that going up the old Firetower trail was definitely off limits, same with approaching it from Hamilton Lake.
I drove to Hamilton Lake, just to make sure there wasn't some way of whacking around the golf course, in order to ascend Hamilton from the West side.
It turned out that getting into a Federal Supermax prison would be easier than approaching Hamilton from the West side where Hamilton Lake is. The area where the old trail had been is heavily, heavily posted, - surveillance and everything. So that was a no go. Then the golf course around Hamilton Lake is private, gated, and way, way off limits.
So defeated by private property around the West side of Hamilton near the lake, I drove over to the Eastern side, where I approached from Gilmantown Road just South of Lake Charley.
Once I finally found a route and was able to get started, the whack was super easy. Open, forgiving woods, and very few conifers the entire trip.
I absolutely loved Hamilton. This mountain is a gem and it's too bad that a route can't be re-established and the overgrown summit re-cut.
I made it to the top and found many relics from the old Firetower which was removed in 1976. The top is all completely grown up now, and there are no views, and in a few years, the conifers will really take over the cap of this peak making the last part of the whack much more difficult. But for now, it was an easy whack and really cool to see the old relics up there. I liked the whole vibe of the mountain and the summit.
I took some photos and found a few historical photos as well, this is a great mountain!
Summit of Hamilton - footing where the Firetower used to be.
Old stone staircase which probably went to the cabin that was up there.
This is what the former trail near the summit looks like now. (I think this was it?!)
This old teapot was one of a number of relics around the summit
Hamilton USGS marker
1960s Royal Palm soda bottle
Former summit view all grown up now
Near the summit. Nice woods, but in a few years these currently short conifers will grow and make the whack near the top much more difficult.
Original wooden Hamilton Firetower 1913
Removing the Hamilton Firetower by Helicopter 1976
I had heard that going up the old Firetower trail was definitely off limits, same with approaching it from Hamilton Lake.
I drove to Hamilton Lake, just to make sure there wasn't some way of whacking around the golf course, in order to ascend Hamilton from the West side.
It turned out that getting into a Federal Supermax prison would be easier than approaching Hamilton from the West side where Hamilton Lake is. The area where the old trail had been is heavily, heavily posted, - surveillance and everything. So that was a no go. Then the golf course around Hamilton Lake is private, gated, and way, way off limits.
So defeated by private property around the West side of Hamilton near the lake, I drove over to the Eastern side, where I approached from Gilmantown Road just South of Lake Charley.
Once I finally found a route and was able to get started, the whack was super easy. Open, forgiving woods, and very few conifers the entire trip.
I absolutely loved Hamilton. This mountain is a gem and it's too bad that a route can't be re-established and the overgrown summit re-cut.
I made it to the top and found many relics from the old Firetower which was removed in 1976. The top is all completely grown up now, and there are no views, and in a few years, the conifers will really take over the cap of this peak making the last part of the whack much more difficult. But for now, it was an easy whack and really cool to see the old relics up there. I liked the whole vibe of the mountain and the summit.
I took some photos and found a few historical photos as well, this is a great mountain!
Summit of Hamilton - footing where the Firetower used to be.
Old stone staircase which probably went to the cabin that was up there.
This is what the former trail near the summit looks like now. (I think this was it?!)
This old teapot was one of a number of relics around the summit
Hamilton USGS marker
1960s Royal Palm soda bottle
Former summit view all grown up now
Near the summit. Nice woods, but in a few years these currently short conifers will grow and make the whack near the top much more difficult.
Original wooden Hamilton Firetower 1913
Removing the Hamilton Firetower by Helicopter 1976
