CHESTER CHALLENGE

For many of us who love the High Peaks, the Town of Chester dawns in our awareness only as we approach the big sign at Exit 25 on the Northway. Before a hike, we may stop for coffee at the Stewarts on Route 8 a short ways in from the Interstate. After a hike, we may treat ourselves to a milkshake. Whatever our beverage or snack, our stay in Chester typically is brief and soon forgotten.

But this is changing. In 2015, Chester became a hiking destination in its own right. That's when the town launched the "Chester Challenge," a creative packaging of family-friendly trails modeled on the "Saranac Six," which encourages hiking on trails surrounding Saranac Lake. About 500 hikers -- many of them children -- qualify annually for the Chester Challenge pin or patch that's awarded for completing hikes at six of the eight featured trailheads. Many also do the winter Challenge between December 21 and March 21, for which there is a separate unique pin and patch.

To create the circuit, former town supervisor Fred Monroe negotiated licenses to open some of the town's most scenic private lands to the public. Dan Smith, at that time data collector for the town assessor’s office, constructed most of the trails, designed and installed most of the signs, and created the maps for the trailheads and trail descriptions for the Challenge brochure that can be picked up at no charge at the Chester Visitors Center at Dynamite Hill, which itself is a Challenge trailhead. Through its First Wilderness initiative, Warren County funded a recreational plan that proposed 25 options for hiking, biking and paddling. Monroe and Smith researched these and narrowed down the list to the present eight trailheads. Parking areas were created by volunteers, town employees and county work crews. Descriptive signs and maps on trailheads were funded by a state grant administered by Glens Falls Hospital.

Smith worked with the landowners in selecting routes that would minimize the impact on their woodlands and delight out-of-town visitors with a variety of easy and moderate hikes with great Adirondack scenes.

If you're a confident hiker, you can reasonably expect to check off seven of the Challenge's eight trailheads in a day. After picking up my map at the Chester Visitors Center at Dynamite Hill at 8 a.m., I completed by 5 p.m. a loop that took me clock-wise around wishbone-shaped Loon Lake. I found well-marked trailheads to be just five to ten minutes apart. Following a 1-mile meander through the Chester Creek Trails, I visited the historical museum on the second floor of the Town Offices and bought a tasty crepe at the farmers market that takes place every Wednesday during the summer on the building's front lawn. I lunched at the Loon Lake boat launch located at the intersection of Routes 8 and 9.

Indulging my interest in the historic but defunct Delaware & Hudson Railroad, I made a quick detour to the remarkably well-maintained station at Riverside before hoofing 1 mile into Palmer Pond. All three of the mountain hikes that surround Loon Lake -- Meade/Beckman, Kipp and Stewart -- offer stunning views that will substantially expand your mental map of the southern Adirondacks, providing new perspectives of Crane and Gore mountains.

For the Challenge’s most expansive views, you'll want to drive north to Pottersville for the 6.1 mile round-trip hike up Green Hill, which can be done in tandem with Catamount Mountain. The trail network that leads to these summits is maintained by the same friendly people who run the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves. In exchange for your $16.95 admission fee, they'll give you a laminated trail map that you'll wear on a lanyard around your neck and frequently refer to on your ascent. Looking southward from Green Hill's 2230-foot summit, you'll enjoy a vista of Loon Lake and the smaller peaks you hiked earlier in the Challenge. Looking north, you'll be treated to a stellar view of the High Peaks. A sign installed by Smith will orient you to the mountain skyline.

"Over my lifetime, my spirit has been inspired, renewed, refreshed during my times in these mountains," says Smith. "It's been like food for my soul, a special way of connecting with my Creator. I really wanted to give others more opportunities to experience that as well. It's been a real reward to read all the 'WOW!' and 'thank you!' comments in the trail registers."

To learn more about the Chester Challenge, go to www.townofchesterny.org/chester-challenge.html or search Chester Challenge Supporters on Facebook.

Dan Forbush

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