Siamese Ponds Wilderness

halfmoon · Aug 8, 2005

My wife and I are going to explore the Siamese Ponds Wilderness this weekend, it is one of the last wilderness areas that I have not been to in the Adirondacks. Does anyone have any route suggesions for this area?

I was thinking about dayhiking Peaked Mountain on Saturday, then hiking into Puffer Pond to set up camp. Then on Sunday hike up to Chimney mountain, and then exit via Big Brook Road. Then we would ride our bikes back to our car near Thirteenth Lake.

I have a couple questions, hopefully you guys can help me...

1. Are the access road to Thirteenth Lake and King's Flow accessible by car, or will I need a high clearance vehicle?

2. Chimney Mountain is a 5th class scramble to the summit, does this require technical rock climbing gear?

3. Any other route sugegstions I should consider in this area, I am flexible at this point.

Thanks!

AntlerPeak · Aug 8, 2005

The road into the trailhead for Chimney Mt, Puffer Pond and Kings Flow is a good one, ( dirt ) , but ok for most any vehicle. There is parking there for a small fee $1.00 per day last year. This is on private property "Chimney Mt Lodge" and I don't believe you can drive past that spot.

Chimney Mt is a short steep hike in the woods. The trees continue to the summit but there are views. The Chimney on top looks exactly like a chimney but people don't necessarily climb it to say they climbed Mt. It is a very steep rock spire and well worth the effort to go see but climbing it is a different issue It would require some climbing skills and perhaps ropes. I never tried it.

The road out of North River to The Thirteenth Lake parking area is paved most of the way. The dirt portion is narrower than the one into Chimney Mt Resort but most of the time easily manageable by passenger cars. The road splits and is signed the right split leads you to the parking for Peaked Mt/ Puffer Pond.

If biking back to your car it is best to bike from Chimney back to North River as it is downhill mostly.

TCD · Aug 8, 2005

Sounds like a great trip!

A little more info:

Peaked Mtn. is very worthwhile. Nice rocky top, great views. We didn't have any trouble on the Thirteenth Lake Road with our ordinary car last time we went up.

I haven't been to Chimney. Be careful there. The mountain, as I understand it, is an easy hike. But periodically people are injured in falls climbing the little "chimney" on top. If you're not a climber, remember that climbing up is much easier than climbing down; you can get stuck. Also, there are caves up there, so watch out for cave entrances if you are scrambling around up there.

I don't know if you have any interest in adk 100 highest, but if you do, while you're at Puffer Pond it's a pretty easy stab up to the summit of Puffer Mountain. A little thick, but not bad going.

TCD

halfmoon · Aug 9, 2005

Thanks! Good info, I'll let you know how it goes.

SpencerVT · Jul 7, 2015

Heading out to Siamese Ponds Wilderness - I want to climb County Line Mountain and South Pond Mountain. South Pond appears very remote, with other peaks that generally must be traversed just to access it. Anyone done these? I was thinking of following the Robbs Creek from Robbs Creek road to get to the base of South Pond and then do the ascent. But alternatively, if I went in from Siamese Ponds to County Line Mtn I was considering whacking from there to South Pond. Not sure how that terrain is and it appears pretty far. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated!

SpencerVT · Aug 25, 2015

I climbed South Pond mountain and Big Range peak the other day. South Pond is mega remote - an awesome, beautiful mountain in my opinion though. I was able to follow a herd trail along the Robbs brook (anytime during a bushwhack you find a herd trail going the right direction for a prolonged period of time it is an awesome unexpected surprise) which petered out a little ways before a tributary flowing off of South Pond Mtn - then I took the tributary and bushwhacked to the summit. No sign of human activity anywhere. Awesome trip. I gotta go back and hit County Line now....first though I am planning on heading to Sentinel next weekend.

Mike P. · Aug 25, 2015

Peaked is a great almost 3K peak. Getting to the pond at the base of the cone is pretty easy. The trip up from the pond is pretty short but steep in places. As other's mentioned, the read is pretty easy on cars, I didn't slow down at all in my Forester. The middle has a bunch of small bumps, almost felling like a track vehicle has been down it.

SpencerVT · Sep 2, 2015

Thanks - I am just doing the NY 3Ks right now, but I have heard that Peaked is good. I gotta hit County Line Mtn soon. 12.6 miles round trip and that's only to the base where the Bushwhack begins!