At the Adirondak Loj

We drove to the Loj on Wednesday July 7.  We took the Thruway to Utica, then up Route 12 to Alder Creek, then 28 to Blue Mountain Lake, 30 to Tupper Lake, and 3 to Lake Placid, where we turned off on Old Military Road to Adirondak Loj Road.  The Lodge is at the end of the road at Heart Lake.

We checked in and picked our bunks.  The Loj has 46 beds, one named for each of the High Peaks.  I got Ester.  We stayed in the co-ed bunkroom, which had about 20 bunk beds.  There are also private and family rooms.

We had registered for dinner, which was served at 6:30.  To our delight, and the delight of the other inhabitants of the co-ed bunkroom, the menu was corn, rice and beef and bean burritos.  With a good salad, excellent home-made bread, and strawberry shortcake for dessert, washed down with Adirondack Amber ale.  After dinner, there was a slide show of the Loj's history given at the outdoor amphitheater.

We had another beer at the car, and read in the great room for awhile, then headed for bed - quiet time is from 9 until 7.  I couldn't sleep, so I got back up and read in the great room, listening to the rain, and had the room all to myself.  After finishing my book, I got a few hours sleep, but got up at 6 for my last hot shower for several days.

We had a breakfast of excellent French Toast, sausages, and oatmeal, with pretty good coffee, too.  Then we headed for the trailhead.  We dropped my car at the Averyville Road trailhead, since the cooler was there with all sorts of liquid refreshment for the end of the hike.

We picked up some eggs and coffee on the way to Long Lake, parked Bob's truck at the Tarbell Road trailhead, and off we went.

Long Lake to Averyville Road

This trip was the conclusion of our hiking the entire Northville-Lake Placid Trail, founded and maintained by the Adirondack Mountain Club.    We started with a two-car drive from Syracuse to the Adirondak Loj on Heart Lake near Lake Placid, where we spent the evening of July 7.

The next morning, after breakfast at the Loj, we dropped my car off at the Averyville Road trailhead and drove Bob's truck to the Long Lake trailhead.  Then hiked from there to the lean-to at Plumley's Landing.  (Long Lake to Plumley's Landing)

On Friday, we hiked from Plumley's Landing through Shattuck Clearing and spent the evening on the Cold River at the Ouluska Pass Brook lean-to.  (Plumley's to Ouluska Pass Brook)

On Saturday we hiked from Ouluska Pass Brook to Duck Hole, planning to go on to the lean-to at Moose Pond.  Instead, we took a side tour toward Bradley Pond, and returned to Duck Hole for the evening.  (Ouluska Pass Brook to Duck Hole)

Sunday, we hiked 12.2 miles from Duck Hole to the Averyville Road trailhead, then drove back to Long Lake for Bob's truck, and then back to Syracuse.  We have now completed the Northville-Lake Placid Trail and have submitted our application for the patch.