Mt. Van Hoevenberg from Adirondak Loj, Lake Placid

Photos from a fall hike up Mt. Van Hoevenberg:

The trail began with a lovely flat section through a spruce forest. 

The berries of the Hobble Bush were turning from red to black
and the leaves were beginning to change color. 

Hobble Bush. 

A few bright maple leaves were sprinkled on the trail.
And it was only August 31! 

I love this mixture of different lichen types and moss. Gorgeous!

The summit was cooler and very windy.

These tenacious trees persisted and were able to make a life for themselves!

I happened to see a few fronds of this beautiful fern
that I at first thought was Maidenhair Fern but now see that it is not.
It's paired with a forest goldenrod, maybe Blue-stemmed?

Lush polypody ferns cover the rocks.

I loved this aster on the woodland floor.

The mountains were speckled with sunshine.

It was amazingly windy at the summit.
I can't imagine how strong the wind must be in the winter.
No wonder the trees were so stunted.

The Bunch Berrys were turning red
and the leaves were changing to a deep maroon.

A large wetland at the beginning of the trail
with Mt. Van Hoevenberg in the background.

Despite Gray Skies, A Beautiful Hike on Mt. Alander

My friend Janice and I climbed Mt. Alander recently starting at the Mt. Washington State Forest Headquarters in Mt. Washington. We had an interesting conversation with the ranger Adam, who was clearing some brush near the buildings. Janice asked if any moose had been sighted lately. The answer was no, although earlier this winter, a young moose carcus had been seen on the other side of the mountain, not near the trail. Adam surmised that the animal had been killed by coyotes who had the advantage in the deep snow.

We saw lots of deer tracks; also squirrel, coyote and small rodent. We were most excited to see very fresh and clear bear tracks crossing the trail and going down into a shallow revine with a small brook. The temperature was in the mid 30s allowing the bear to "wake up" and go for a walk, looking for water and food. Who knows, we might have just missed the animal by minutes!

How wonderful it was to enjoy the mountain!

Looking south into New York State to Rte 22 below.

A great view of the agricultural land and the hills beyond.

I love the open summit of Mt. Alander! (Photo by Janice Tassinari)

Hard to beat Mt. Alander! (Photo by Janice Tassinari)