Hannah the hiker

Haystack Mountain in Ray Brook is not one of the 46 High Peaks! This one is part of the Saranac Lake 6 and is about 2,000 feet shorter than the 46er one.

There are a couple different trails for this mountain. I took the Jackrabbit trail which is near the Whiteface Club and resort. This trail is only about 5ish miles with 1,000 feet of elevation gain. There is also an 8 mile hike for this mountain with 1,700 feet of elevation gain. Since I am just getting back into shape and working on strengthening my hip I chose the easier route.

I packed some stuff for camping since there is a lean to about a mile and a half into the trail. Cash and I set off around 2:30 pm on April 29th. He had his own backpack with his food and sleeping bag. I carried our bear cannister (they are required April 1st to November 30th), sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and some sleeping clothes. Our packs were pretty light since it was just one night.

We started off on the Jack Rabbit Trail which is very wide and maintained since it is used for cross country skiing. For about 2 miles we gradually went uphill but none of it had me out of breath like some of the other steeper hikes in the Adirondacks. At about the 2 mile mark we noticed a stack of rocks to the left of the trail. This was our cue to leave the Jack Rabbit Trail and head up the North Haystack Trail. From this point we only had about .7 miles to the top. We gained probably 300 feet in this last part. Nothing was too steep for me or Cash. The top had some nice views of Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. It was just some large slabs of bare rocks at the top. We took some pictures and headed back down since it was super windy and starting to rain again. We reached the top at 3:40 pm, so it really didn’t take that long. We took our time though so I wasn’t pushing myself (my hip) too hard.

We got back to the lean to around 4:30pm. The lean to was in good shape. It had a trail log, broom, and rake. I didn’t hear or see any signs of mice when we were there.

It was very early to be having dinner and getting ready to camp when we got back at 4:30. Even though I was only 1.5 miles away from the car we just stayed put since I haven’t camped much outside this year. We walked around a little bit and I did some writing before settling in. It ended up being a very cold night. It was sprinkling throughout the night and I think temperatures hovered around 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Cash laid on his sleeping bag for a little bit until he got very cold. I ended up unzipping my sleeping bag all the way and shared it with him. A 1 person mummy bag is definitely not made for a person and their big dog but we made it work and both stayed toasty through the night.

In the morning we headed back to the car around 7 am.

Overall thoughts on the trail

This was a really nice hike. It was super easy walking and had rewarding views. I would suggest going in nicer weather so you don’t feel like you are getting blown off the top! Even though its mud season I didn’t find this trail to be in particularly bad shape since its just above the 2500 foot cut off. Just make sure to walk through not around the mud. I saw one other person hiking when we were there, I am sure it gets busy in the warmer months though.

I think this hike would be good for beginners, young children, and dogs. There were lots of streams when I was hiking so I imagine water access stays pretty steady throughout the year.

Also, if you take this “express route” just make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the little rock pile about 2.2 miles in. This is the trail that will take you to the top quicker.

Also, from the Jack Rabbit Trail you can bag Mackenzie Peak which is another of the Saranac Lake 6.

What I brought

• 50 L backpack
• Rain pants
• Rain jacket
• 2 pairs of hiking socks
• Oboz hiking boots
• Wool long sleeve
• Leggings (sleep in)
• Beanie
• Cook pot and stove
• Small first aid kit
• Head lamp
• REI trailblazer 20 degree sleeping bag
• Therm a rest sleeping pad
• Bear Can
• Cash’s sleeping pad
• Dog bowl for water and food
• Sawyer Squeeze
• 2 1 L water bottles
• Dog rain jacket
  • Food!
  • Knorrs pasta sides broccoli cheddar rice (my favorite on the PCT!)
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter
  • Instant oatmeal
  • Peanut Butter
  • Cheez its
  • Dog food
  • Cheese (Treats for Cash)