I did not hike Porter with my kids because it was their first high peak and I didn’t want them to hate it by doing too much. The trail to Cascade climbs nearly 2,000 feet in 2.4 miles. Mountains hiked: Cascade Mountain and Porter Mountain, New York, USA Elevation: 1290m (4232 feet) and 1237m (4058 feet), respectively Hiking time: 4 hours (round-trip) Hiking distance: 5.6 miles or 9.0km (round-trip) Greetings! We actually debated if "this was it" as the summit of Porter is not exactly a grand summit of bare rock. Just shy of 6 miles total, it’s a relatively easy hike if you’re in reasonably good shape. After a short section of open views the trail returns to the woods, again climbing until the fork between Cascade and Porter. The trail is fairly easy and consistent up until the last tenth of the mile where the bald peak becomes visible and the real fun begins. No camping or fires allowed above 4,000 feet. Cascade, with a 4.8-mile round-trip from Route 73, is the shortest hike to a 46er summit and is therefore an attractive day hike for families and others eager to check a mountain off their 46er list. There were a lot of people just coming off the trail when I arrived. To reach the highest point, you will have to continue the trail following the cairns. 4 reviews | | DIFFICULT #23 hike out of 280 in High Peaks Wilderness | DIFFICULT. The Cascade trail primarily consists of a rocky dried up stream, challenging your ankles, knees, and hips. Hiking map for Cascade Mountain and Porter Mountain. Cascade Mountain Trail Stats. From there, the trail rose over a minor ridge, through the woods. The hike back to the junction was done in no time and we made great time. The last climb on cascade was a lot of fun. Facebook; Twitter; Email; directions Driving Directions. Cue Cascade and Porter, the easiest of the 46 High Peaks! This route is used when combining Cascade and Porter as a day trip and is a very busy trailhead. The close proximity of the 46 peaks gives the Eastern High Peaks an almost carnival-like atmosphere. Easy to find entrance to trail. Distance: 4.8 miles (+1.4 to include Porter Mountain) Elevation: 2,293 ft (data courtesy of AllTrails) Estimated Time: 4-5 Hours; Trail Markings: Limited; If you’d like to hike both Cascade and Porter Mountain, the split is well marked and was much farther up the mountain than we originally anticipated. From there, 0.7 miles to Porter summit. And even more cross country ski trails intersected my path, some with signs related to South Meadow Farms. Cascade / Porter Trail: 5.9 miles (2,250 feet elevation gained) Trip Report: - Christmas Eve I woke up early to do a quick hike before heading back to RI to spend time with my family over the Holidays. 3/4 of the way up you'll encounter the Porter Mountain trail … About … The Cascade Mountain Trail Might Just Be The Most Gorgeous Wintertime Hike In New York. We decided to set our sights on this much easier hike instead, and headed out on a sunny September morning. Rejuvenated, our group broke apart and continued up the mountain. Date of Ascent September 1, 2013 Hiking Companions check Weather Conditions warm, partial cloud Start/Finish Time 10:15 am/ 3:00pm (4h 45m) Trailhead Cascade/ Pitchoff (Hwy 73) This was our day two hike, after turning back on our way to Algonquin due to a thunderstorm the day before. Miles of clear plastic tubing threaded the hardwood tree trunks. The view is exceptional. Brook on Cascade trail was running Both ascents were moderate. Hubby and I are headed to Lake Placid soon for our anniversary weekend and I can’t pass up the chance to also get some hiking in! Trail starts out at the parking lot. This was listed as a half-day hike, and clearly I was the only one attempting it as an afternoon hike. Hiking boots a must! It's not as heavily traveled as Cascade and provides a nice short hike through dense woods. Starting with Cascade, you will find yourself on a rocky summit. While not the worst climbing in the region, the trail climbs pretty consistently. Directions To Cascade Mountain: For driving directions to trailheads near Cascade Mountain click a parking area on the map above, and choose Google Driving Directions. It leads to a bare, exposed rock with 360-degree views. We climbed to the peaks of Cascade and Porter in the morning, and then Street and Nye in the afternoon. The trail to Porter from the Cascade/Porter junction (see photo to the left) is only 0.7 miles (1.1 km). Secondary Trailhead: Leave Lake Placid following Route 73 through Keene and toward Keene Valley. Note that I have altered the route on the map below to reflect what I thought was the best route from my GPX tracks. The trail to porter was MUDDY. Typically recommended as a starting point for Adirondack High Peaks. From here you are hiking on bare rock, will be very exposed to the elements and will enjoy 360 degree views. It is the shortest hike for the best views. Cascade is 36th at 4098 ft., and Porter is 38th at 4059 ft. Porter’s long ridge on the left leads into Cascade’s pointy summit to the right. Address to Trail head: NY-73, Lake Placid, NY 12946 1 year ago. I’ve hiked Cascade twice. United States › New York › High Peaks Wilderness › Cascade Mountain via Porter Ridge Trail. If you plan ahead, you can also hike Porter. We spent a good amount of time enjoying the view on Porter before making our way back to the trail junction for Cascade. This popular hike affords views of Algonquin, Colden, and Marcy. Most hikers attempting to join the ADK 46er club start with these two mountains. We hiked Cascade and Porter in 4 1/2 hours. file_download GPX/KML . Most hike to the summit of Cascade Mountain and then take the side trip to Porter Mountain. Cascade and Porter Mountain Map (Download PDF) Other notes: Consider taking the side trip to the less-visited Porter Mountain. The summit of Porter had some lovely views of mountains in one direction and beautiful snow covered trees in the other direction. Only in places of course, and most had small accessory trails to get around the pits, but there were some that proved trickier than most. Muddy the whole way up. To find more information about this route, you can go to the main trip report page. Just past this intersection, the trail opens up and the bald, rocky summit dome of Cascade Mountain appears. By the time we reached the summit, we were drenched, and getting chilled. It is an extra 1.4 miles roundtrip, but you are already near 4,000 feet, so the elevation gain is much less. I tried to pussy foot through the mud by stepping on rocks. The trailheads for each hike were about 14 miles apart. Max- Cascade TH Elevation- 2217' Partly sunny to cloudy. Because of the high volume of traffic, the trail bed is rather wide. If you must do these two mountains, and you want to get anything out of your efforts, wait for a clear day. Below are some pictures from Cascade and Porter Mountains in Lake Placid, New York, within the Adirondacks. Cascade Mountain via Porter Ridge Trail . As I was driving from Lake Placid to the Cascade / Porter Trailhead it was still dark out but for the first time since arriving I could see clear skies! The hike back to the trail junction seemed to take no time at all. Close. The Cascade Mtn./Porter Mtn. The Hike Cascade Mountain & Porter Mountain Cascade: 1st Peak Hiked, Order #36, Elevation 4098' Porter: 2nd Peak Hiked, Order #38, Elevation 4059' Duration: 10 Hours Distance: 6.5 Miles September 17, 2002 I hiked Cascade and Porter on a whim while looking for a longer hike than the two hour treks that I’d grown accustomed to. Porter Mountain (4059’), another 46er, links up with Cascade Mountain via a .7 mile long trail. Trap Dike Table Top Mountain Herd Path Garden Trailhead Parking Area Connery Pond Road Garden Trailhead Shuttle Whiteface Landing Trail LAKE PLACID 2 S 2005 Snow Depth: 1" on Nov 19 South Meadow Road (CLOSED). The view from a clearing near the summit of Cascade Mountain Totaling 6.2 miles of trails and a total hike time of approximately 3 hours, including a leisurely lunch at the summit of Cascade Mountain, these two peaks are doable, even for beginners, in one day. You ascend Little Porter, and then very quickly come upon the real Porter Mountain. Back to Trip Report. You will go home not just with photos of the views of Cascade and Porter Mountains and the vistas that they offer but with skills to bring with you on your next adventure. The camera stayed packed away. I have hiked 2/3rds of the high peaks. Archived. The 4059 foot Porter Mountain is located in the High Peaks Wilderness of the Adirondacks and is one of the Adirondack Forty-Sixers. IT was awesome! After passing a large outcropping of rock the trail climbs slowly to a mostly open ridge: the summit of Porter at 4,059 feet. The intersection with the Porter Mountain trail appears with a sign saying the Cascade Mountain summit is 0.3 miles away. Porter has a wooded summit with an amazing view as well. Cascade -- at just 4,098 feet -- is a perfect hike for those looking for an entry point into the world of high peaks hiking. Following the trail to the right will lead to Porter, dropping steadily into a saddle before arcing left and upward. 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