We overshot the drive to the trailhead and… Mud in the saddle between the two peaks was mid shin deep in places. Cascade Mountain via Porter Ridge Trail . It's not as heavily traveled as Cascade and provides a nice short hike through dense woods. Porter has a wooded summit with an amazing view as well. 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. Cascade Mountain Trail Stats. We decided to set our sights on this much easier hike instead, and headed out on a sunny September morning. Hiking boots a must! 3/4 of the way up you'll encounter the Porter Mountain trail … Awesome hike up Cascade and Porter Mountain. Because they are so close, it is feasible to do both in one trip. Continuing your ascent, you will come across an intersection: on the left, the Cascade summit and on the right that of Porter. We actually debated if "this was it" as the summit of Porter is not exactly a grand summit of bare rock. 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. Note that I have altered the route on the map below to reflect what I thought was the best route from my GPX tracks. I tried to pussy foot through the mud by stepping on rocks. Porter- 4059'/1 Cascade- 4098'/2 808'/mi. Trail starts out at the parking lot. The summit of Porter had some lovely views of mountains in one direction and beautiful snow covered trees in the other direction. Facebook; Twitter; Email; directions Driving Directions. Close. GPX; KML 9.4 mi. 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 close proximity of the 46 peaks gives the Eastern High Peaks an almost carnival-like atmosphere. The view is exceptional. This hike was easy for my kids (though they were quite tired by the time it was done); they are aged 8 and 9. Because of the high volume of traffic, the trail bed is rather wide. We hiked Cascade and Porter in 4 1/2 hours. Cascade is a pretty great peak as it has a bare summit with some of the best views of the surrounding High Peaks. One of the core reasons that upstate New York is such a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts is the wealth of great hikes throughout the state. 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! Secondary Trailhead: Leave Lake Placid following Route 73 through Keene and toward Keene Valley. Hiking map for Cascade Mountain and Porter Mountain. No camping or fires allowed above 4,000 feet. Max- Cascade TH Elevation- 2217' Partly sunny to cloudy. Easy to find entrance to trail. Time to hike Cascade and Porter? Starting with Cascade, you will find yourself on a rocky summit. The hike back to the junction was done in no time and we made great time. There were a lot of people just coming off the trail when I arrived. Arrived early (8:30am on a weekday) and was able to find parking. Most hikers attempting to join the ADK 46er club start with these two mountains. 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. This route is used when combining Cascade and Porter as a day trip and is a very busy trailhead. To reach the highest point, you will have to continue the trail following the cairns. 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. Rejuvenated, our group broke apart and continued up the mountain. IT was awesome! Posted by. 2/12/2011: At the trail junction for Porter Mountain – A beautiful, snowy climb up Cascade and Porter Mountains in the Adirondack High Peaks Region, NY 2/12/2011: High Peak #2 for Regan! Look for Marcy Field on the right. The order in which to hike the mountains is a topic of much debate and … This ascent took 2 hours. The views we got where amazing! Use the map below as a guide for hiking Cascade Mountain and Porter Mountain in Adirondack Park, New York. 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. The 4059 foot Porter Mountain is located in the High Peaks Wilderness of the Adirondacks and is one of the Adirondack Forty-Sixers. From there, the trail rose over a minor ridge, through the woods. Hiking Time: 2-3 hours due to the elevation gain. We still took some time for photos….and even a VIDEO of the crazy conditions! file_download GPX/KML . The camera stayed packed away. Distance: 6.2 miles Elevation: Approximately 2900 feet Our Time: 3.5 hours Trailhead Location: Cascade Mountain Trailhead, Cascade Mountain Foot Trail, Lake Placid, NY 12946 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. Typically recommended as a starting point for Adirondack High Peaks. I am sitting here with a hot tea thinking about how to begin describing my recent winter adventure hiking in the Adirondacks last weekend. The trailheads for each hike were about 14 miles apart. No one had been up this trail before, so we all relied on my memory of having read about it; I recalled that there should be a junction sign at the split between Cascade and Porter, and after that it should be 0.3 miles. This was listed as a half-day hike, and clearly I was the only one attempting it as an afternoon hike. Address to Trail head: NY-73, Lake Placid, NY 12946 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 trail to Porter from the Cascade/Porter junction (see photo to the left) is only 0.7 miles (1.1 km). We spent a good amount of time enjoying the view on Porter before making our way back to the trail junction for Cascade. The Adirondack High Peaks is a geological phenomenon. The trail to Cascade climbs nearly 2,000 feet in 2.4 miles. 4 reviews | | DIFFICULT #23 hike out of 280 in High Peaks Wilderness | DIFFICULT. After a short section of open views the trail returns to the woods, again climbing until the fork between Cascade and Porter. The view from a clearing near the summit of Cascade Mountain It was very muddy in places, especially going over to Porter Mountain. Miles of clear plastic tubing threaded the hardwood tree trunks. Cascade and Porter are widely considered to be the easiest of the Adirondack 46 High Peaks. Highs in the lower 70s, lows in the low 50s/upper 40s? We took the Cascade Mountain Trail and then at the junction we took the Porter Mountain Trail to hit the summit of Porter first. Once there we hurried up the last 0.3 miles to the summit. 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. Because of the mud, this made the trail feel more difficult. 20mph gusts on cascade. It is the shortest hike for the best views. Less if you are comfortable hiking at such a steep grade. Following the trail to the right will lead to Porter, dropping steadily into a saddle before arcing left and upward. It is an extra 1.4 miles roundtrip, but you are already near 4,000 feet, so the elevation gain is much less. Muddy the whole way up. It leads to a bare, exposed rock with 360-degree views. Brook on Cascade trail was running Both ascents were moderate. This is one of the most climbed mountain in the Adirondacks. Cascade and Porter Mountain Map (Download PDF) Other notes: Consider taking the side trip to the less-visited Porter Mountain. The intersection with the Porter Mountain trail appears with a sign saying the Cascade Mountain summit is 0.3 miles away. link Copy Link. I was a little concerned about making it back before dark, since the trail had a steep elevation gain and about 2-3 inches of snow cover. About … While not the worst climbing in the region, the trail climbs pretty consistently. The last climb on cascade was a lot of fun. 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. 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! Go right at a junction at 2.1 miles from the road and continue 0.7 miles down and up to reach the summit of Porter Mountain. Just past this intersection, the trail opens up and the bald, rocky summit dome of Cascade Mountain appears. We got slammed by a thunderstorm on the summit of Cascade and Porter! Cascade -- at just 4,098 feet -- is a perfect hike for those looking for an entry point into the world of high peaks hiking. 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. Archived. The Cascade Mountain Trail Might Just Be The Most Gorgeous Wintertime Hike In New York. I’ve hiked Cascade twice. The hike back to the trail junction seemed to take no time at all. We climbed to the peaks of Cascade and Porter in the morning, and then Street and Nye in the afternoon. Below are some pictures from Cascade and Porter Mountains in Lake Placid, New York, within the Adirondacks. If you must do these two mountains, and you want to get anything out of your efforts, wait for a clear day. Time to hike Cascade and Porter? The trail to porter was MUDDY. I now passed through a sugar maple farm. u/nosuchthingaslost. Cue Cascade and Porter, the easiest of the 46 High Peaks! By the time we reached the summit, we were drenched, and getting chilled. This popular hike affords views of Algonquin, Colden, and Marcy. Back to Trip Report. If you plan ahead, you can also hike Porter. 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. And even more cross country ski trails intersected my path, some with signs related to South Meadow Farms. This trail goes by Porter Mountain. I have hiked 2/3rds of the high peaks. 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. The Cascade Mtn./Porter Mtn. Cascade and Porter are always hiked together if one is trying to complete the challenge, simply because these two summits share the same trail for the first 2.1 miles (3.34 Km.). United States › New York › High Peaks Wilderness › Cascade Mountain via Porter Ridge Trail. From there, 0.7 miles to Porter summit. 1 year ago. Just shy of 6 miles total, it’s a relatively easy hike if you’re in reasonably good shape. 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! The Cascade trail primarily consists of a rocky dried up stream, challenging your ankles, knees, and hips. 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. To find more information about this route, you can go to the main trip report page. There was only one other couple up there and we took our time enjoying the quiet and the beauty around us. Porter Mountain (4059’), another 46er, links up with Cascade Mountain via a .7 mile long trail. From here you are hiking on bare rock, will be very exposed to the elements and will enjoy 360 degree views. Most hike to the summit of Cascade Mountain and then take the side trip to Porter Mountain. share Share . Winter berries on a foggy fall day en route to Cascade and Porter. Cascade Mountain has a bare summit with an incredible 360 degree view. You ascend Little Porter, and then very quickly come upon the real Porter Mountain. 1.