By Mike Lynch
Figuring out what trips to do during the month of December in the Adirondacks can be difficult. The weather can be fickle and conditions are often not ideal for woods skiing or snowshoeing due to a thin snowpack and icy trails.
But there’s still plenty of trip options if you plan properly and scale back your expectations.
Similar to mud season, the lower elevations trails are often good places to visit this time of year. But these trails are often icy, so you’ll need some traction on your boots, such as microspikes. Snowshoes or skis would be appropriate if there’s fresh snow.
If you are looking for something more ambitious and are heading into the High Peaks Wilderness, you should definitely bring snowshoes since they are required when there’s more than eight inches of snow.
Wherever you visit, it’s important to bring your essential winter gear and keep track of the day’s weather forecast.
Ancient Oak Trail
Champlain Area Trails are often good options when conditions are variable because they are in the lower elevations. In fact, many are mostly flat and cross through farm fields, along rivers and through hardwood forests. One interesting trail is the Ancient Oak Trail just north of Essex in the town of Willsboro. Read Story
Cook Mountain
This trail system is located near Ticonderoga on the northwestern side of Lake George. The Cook Mountain Preserve is owned by the Land George Land Conservancy, which protects land in the Lake George watershed and has created dozens of trails. The trail to the summit view, which looks out to the water, is about 3 miles roundtrip. The mountain is modest in size at 1,217 feet but you do have to climb more than 900 feet in elevation to the top. Read Story
Tooley Pond Road waterfalls
Spring is a common time to visit waterfalls because they are often flowing due to runoff from snowmelt. However, hiking to frozen waterfalls in winter can also be quite fun. A good place to find waterfalls without walking too far is Tooley Pond Road in St. Lawrence County. Read Story
Adirondack Rail Trail
The state recently announced that the 10-mile stretch of this trail from Lake Placid to Saranac Lake has been completed and that it is officially open. This multi-use trail is a good place to go for a walk, a crosscountry ski, a fat-tire bike ride if the snowpack is thin. Once the snowpack gets deeper, snowmobilers will start sharing the trail. Read Story
Mount Jo
This popular mountain on the Adirondack Mountain Club’s property outside of Lake Placid received a trail upgrade that was completed this past field season. Because of the new trail’s sustainable features, it should be a good place to hike in early winter. The views from the summit toward the High Peaks are especially nice when the peaks are snowcapped. Read Story
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