AntlerPeak
New member
I had posed the question inquiring if anyone had any info on this small mt on the ADK High Peaks board. This led me to the discovery the mountain is owned by the Fort Ticonderoga Association. The National Geographic Lake George/Great Sacandaga topo map shows a toll road going to the summit. One of the responses to my prior post reported that a toll is no longer charged. I did not verify this, perhaps I should have but for anyone who is truly interested a simple phone call to the owners should provide an answer. A call to the Fort Ticonderoga Association did advise me that hiking or skiing the road is allowed.
This morning we drove up rte 9n from Lake George Village. In short order we arrived in Bolton where at the Stewarts shop with coffee cup in hand and perhaps with a slightly more aware brain I noticed I had left my boots at home. The early discussion had centered around the possible need of snowshoes or if we would end up carrying them on yet another bare boot hike. In no way could I envision a sneaker clad hike so the grumbling began lasting the entire retreat down route 9n. come to think of it on the return my partner quiried a few times guessing how far along we would be if a certain pair of boots were not forgotten.
With hiking boots, snowshoes and poles in hand we set foot from the vehicle at the gated road. There was room to park several cars as no one else appeared to be on the mountain. One look at the bare black top road told us we did not need the Sherpas. Back into the trunk went the unneeded snowshoes and two hikers began their bare boot up the paved road, ( toll or not to be determined later ).
Mt Defiance is a low ridge between Lake George and Champlain with a wide view looking down on the Fort and across the bay to Independance Mt. The climb is about five hundred eighty feet from the gate at the road begining with less than two and three quarters miles distance. As our only direction was the map we did not wish to assume the road that appears to be two miles was drawn accurately.
An easy hike with excellent views and it proved to be a worthwhile way to spend a morning hike. The frustrating thing of it was I could have hiked to the summit wearing sneakers. The road was bare black top its entire distance to the parking lot a mere twenty feet below the summit. Live and learn but I did not want to be the idiot that climbed a mountain in the winter wearing sneakers. Imagine the possible goofups that could arise from that scenereo. With that said, this is an easy hike. You could do it in a wheel chair, but I regard any mt with an eye of respect and plan it that way. Afterall a mountain is a mountain and don't most accidents happen when we regard something as too easy?
There is a covered pavillion along with several Revoluntary War cannons on the summit along with an assortment of towers. It is reported the cannon were dragged up from the lake using an assortment of block and tackle to scale the cliffs by Benedict Arnold. It seems the Green Mt Boys were causing problems with their firing on the fort from nearby Mt Independance. Well at second thought we can safely conclude that Ben A. did not do any of the above mentioned heavy lifting.
The view of Lake George is blocked by a neighboring ridge. It can still be regarded as a good 360 degree view. We could clearly identify Haystack Mt fifty miles south in the Pawlette Hills of Vermont. To the west a good view was had of some distant high peaks and the Pharoah Mt Wilderness. Camels Hump was recognizable in Vermont, New Hampshire was shrouded in haze or clouds.
All in all this is an easy hike to good views. I think I'd avoid it when the road is open to traffic. Perhaps they disallow hiking when the road is open. We are unaware of any other legal approach to the mountain so my guess is it's road or nothing at all.
This morning we drove up rte 9n from Lake George Village. In short order we arrived in Bolton where at the Stewarts shop with coffee cup in hand and perhaps with a slightly more aware brain I noticed I had left my boots at home. The early discussion had centered around the possible need of snowshoes or if we would end up carrying them on yet another bare boot hike. In no way could I envision a sneaker clad hike so the grumbling began lasting the entire retreat down route 9n. come to think of it on the return my partner quiried a few times guessing how far along we would be if a certain pair of boots were not forgotten.
With hiking boots, snowshoes and poles in hand we set foot from the vehicle at the gated road. There was room to park several cars as no one else appeared to be on the mountain. One look at the bare black top road told us we did not need the Sherpas. Back into the trunk went the unneeded snowshoes and two hikers began their bare boot up the paved road, ( toll or not to be determined later ).
Mt Defiance is a low ridge between Lake George and Champlain with a wide view looking down on the Fort and across the bay to Independance Mt. The climb is about five hundred eighty feet from the gate at the road begining with less than two and three quarters miles distance. As our only direction was the map we did not wish to assume the road that appears to be two miles was drawn accurately.
An easy hike with excellent views and it proved to be a worthwhile way to spend a morning hike. The frustrating thing of it was I could have hiked to the summit wearing sneakers. The road was bare black top its entire distance to the parking lot a mere twenty feet below the summit. Live and learn but I did not want to be the idiot that climbed a mountain in the winter wearing sneakers. Imagine the possible goofups that could arise from that scenereo. With that said, this is an easy hike. You could do it in a wheel chair, but I regard any mt with an eye of respect and plan it that way. Afterall a mountain is a mountain and don't most accidents happen when we regard something as too easy?
There is a covered pavillion along with several Revoluntary War cannons on the summit along with an assortment of towers. It is reported the cannon were dragged up from the lake using an assortment of block and tackle to scale the cliffs by Benedict Arnold. It seems the Green Mt Boys were causing problems with their firing on the fort from nearby Mt Independance. Well at second thought we can safely conclude that Ben A. did not do any of the above mentioned heavy lifting.
The view of Lake George is blocked by a neighboring ridge. It can still be regarded as a good 360 degree view. We could clearly identify Haystack Mt fifty miles south in the Pawlette Hills of Vermont. To the west a good view was had of some distant high peaks and the Pharoah Mt Wilderness. Camels Hump was recognizable in Vermont, New Hampshire was shrouded in haze or clouds.
All in all this is an easy hike to good views. I think I'd avoid it when the road is open to traffic. Perhaps they disallow hiking when the road is open. We are unaware of any other legal approach to the mountain so my guess is it's road or nothing at all.
