Hannah the hiker

McKenzie Mountain was the last of the Saranac Lake 6 for me to hike. It was fantastic!

I completed this hike on July 28th, 2024 7:30 pm. I set off for this hike in the afternoon to try and beat some of the scorching summer heat. This was a wise choice because this was quite a sweaty hike. It could have been a combination of my out of “shapeness”, weather, and rugged trail.

Cash and I got to the trailhead around 2 pm, and parked on the side of the road. There isn’t a parking lot at the trailhead so it is just first come first serve on the Whiteface Inn Lane.

We got our gear ready and prepped ourselves for the work ahead of us. Cash, of course, was chomping at the bit with all of his energy that was pent up from the car ride. I tried to tell him how far and up we had to go, but that just made him more excited. We signed in at the trail register and settled into a nice pace. The trail starts from Whiteface Inn Lane and follows the Jackrabbit trail for about two miles. This is a great warm-up. The trail is wide because it is often used for skiing in the winter, and the grade is relatively easy too. It is a lot of loose gravel and dirt. There are a couple of streams to grab a sip from as well. After about 1.4 miles on the Jackrabbit trail there is a lean-to, and its a nice spot to grab a snack. I stayed there in the Spring of 2023 with Cash, we were cold but it was a fun night.

Since it was later in the day we only passed one couple on their way out, we seemed to have the trail to ourselves after that. It was funny passing them because their dog had a bear bell on their harness. So we heard them coming before we saw them, this was a neat warning, especially since their dog was off leash and not particularly keen on listening to them try to recall.

At around the 1.9/2.0 mile mark we reached a junction where you can either go to McKenzie Pond, route 86, or up to the summit. We went to the right to go up to the summit, and this is when things got real. There are a couple of steep climbs that just seemed like false summit after false summit.

I had done some research prior to this hike about whether or not Cash would be able to come with me. I looked at Facebook groups, Reddit posts, Adirondack Trail guides, and AllTrails reviews (I know, I know, I shouldn’t use AllTrails). There was a lot of advice out there. People said they brought their small dogs and they did just fine, some people said they would never bring any dog on the trail. What I gathered from all of the data out there, is that it is dependent on your ability and your dogs. If your dog is not already active and has never hiked a rugged trail in the Adirondacks, it is not a good idea to bring them. If your dog is active, has been on plenty ADK trails, is comfortable with you helping them on the trail, then maybe they are ready.

I had to help Cash up a couple of rocks, this involved verbally encouraging him and physically helping lift him up and over. I packed a doggie first aid kit and knew how to help him if something happened. He is a big dog but I knew I could carry him out if needed. Your dog is just like any other hiking companion and these are things to think about before you embark on any trail. All this to say, do your due diligence and come prepared.

So up the rock slides we went huffing and puffing. We were sweaty and stopping for many small water breaks. I think it is important to really pace yourself on these steep trails and allow yourself to have some breaks here and there to replenish your energy. The trail gains 1000 feet of elevation in just about half a mile, so it is steep hiking.

We made it to the top at 5:30 pm. We took a well deserved break, sitting on the sun-warmed rocks. Cash and I both drank a bunch of water and I gave him some extra treats for his hard work.

I decided to make this trail a loop and continued on past the summit onto the Wadsworth trail. Since this trail is not as popular it does have some overgrowth. Making this hike a loop also adds on about another 1.5 miles, so it will take a bit longer. It had a couple of steep sections, but in general was a bit easier to navigate than the other way up. We took our time just soaking in the forest around us. At this point Cash was not chomping at the bit, and followed my pace easier.

After a little while the trail turned into the SOA trail. These trail markers were red and white, it is important to be careful walking through this part since there might be some private property back there.

We reached Bartlett Pond which was magical. I sat there and appreciated the pond. I recommend saving a long snack break to stop here.

We continued on and were able to settle into a nice pace. There are quite a few properties near the trail so be sure to stay on the trail and follow the posted signage guiding hikers where to walk. You will have to go around a locked gate and skirt along some fencing. Please follow this signage because this respects the property owners, and ensures that the trail is accessible for people years to come.

The last part of the trail was a small road walk to the car. We finished around 7:30 pm. I changed into some dry clothes and wiped the dirt from Cash’s paws. We blasted the AC and some music and headed home. I got myself an ice cream cone and Cash a pup cup to celebrate completing the Saranac Lake 6.

My real gift came when I was halfway home and saw my first moose! It was on the side of the road just grazing. Cash and I both were excited and carried that feeling with us the whole ride home. Now every time I look at my Saranac Lake 6er patch I think about that moose!

This hike took me about 5 hours, and was just over 6.5 miles. This is a good reminder that sometimes we rarely go above a mile an hour on a hike, and it’s important to plan accordingly!

What I brought:

• Osprey Daylite pack
• Doggie first aid kit
• Two liters of water, and water filter system
• Garmin InReach Mini 2
• Map/compass
• Sun protection: sunscreen, sunglasses, hat
• Light jacket
• Altra Lone Peak trail runners
• Snacks
• Headlamp
• Mini first aid kit