Hurricane and Cheney

With a day to hike, we went back to one of our old favorites: Hurricane Mountain. We had last hiked it in 2012 but since then had read about a trail reroute and a refurbished fire tower. Since we had fond memories of our first hike, we decided to try the new route.

Right away, the trail included switchbacks which is a rarity for the Adirondacks. We appreciated the soil under our boots rather than the glacial erratics that we remembered. The trail was still steep and since we had been around the ocean for much of the summer, we were huffing.

Arriving at the top, we picnicked and enjoyed the panoramic views of the high peaks and Lake Champlain. We reminisced about the Nundagao Ridge hike that we had done last summer which was directly to the north.

The fire tower is looking good, except for the last step (a doozy) that needs a bit of repair. It's funny that it gives you a slightly higher view of the panorama that you have at ground level.

We found this guy while descending the trail:

On Sunday morning we wanted to complete a short hike before forecasted rain. We headed to Cheney Mountain in Moriah, which is a favorite of local chef and jack-of-all-trades Don Foote. The trail began over an old landfill and then climbed steeply. The "short and sweet" hike offered many interesting viewpoints along the summit ridge but the summit itself was forested. It was a great way to get some exercise in the morning and get to know a landscape that we travel frequently.