The Peaks of Loon Lake
As the winter of 2022-23 was nearing an end, and as the abundance of snow we had been awaiting finally arrived, Dan Forbush and I decided to take on the Chester Challenge – with the coveted “W” patch showing we had completed it in the winter.
For Dan, this was a return to these remarkable trails, having first discovered them in two days of hiking during the summer of 2020 in researching this piece for Adirondac.
The Chester Challenge was funded by state grant money awarded to the Town of Chester by the Glens Falls Hospital Health Promotion Center. Launched in 2015 and built due largely to the efforts of former town supervisor Fred Monroe and town data collector Dan Smith, the Chester Challenge includes 11 trails at eight locations in and around Chestertown.
The Chester Challenge "encourages hikers to explore the town's expansive regional trail network," and is "more of a family-friendly hiking challenge than others you may come across....created to appeal to hikers of all skill levels," according to the Challenge website. Those who complete any six of the trails are eligible to receive the Chester Challenge patch.
Prior to our day of hiking the three peaks near Loon Lake, we had explored the Green Hill and Catamount Mountain trail -- another of the Challenge hikes -- with Dan Smith, who constructed most of the Chester Challenge trails, designed and installed most of the signs, and created the maps for the trailheads and trail descriptions for the Challenge brochure. That day we learned a great deal about the processes and efforts that completed the Chester Challenge trails.
The outlook on Stewart Mountain, a mere 45-minute round-trip, will give you this remarkable view of Eleventh Mountain and what Paul Schaefer counted as its “five peaks.” He called it “Cataract Mountain” for its five waterfalls.
For our winter patch, we decided to tackle the six trails over a period of two days in the snows of mid-March. Appreciating, as we do, the views that Adirondack hiking can offer, we chose one of those two days to climb what might be described as the Peaks of Loon Lake – Stewart Mountain, Kipp Mountain, and Meade and Beckman Mountains – all of which offer fabulous vistas of Loon Lake and its environs, particularly Gore Mountain and Crane Mountain.
All of the mountains are easy hikes, each totaling two miles or less, each offering a different amount of elevation. A few days before the late winter day we chose, recent storms had dropped up to two feet of snow on the area, but we found the trails to be sufficiently packed for us to wear microspikes rather than snowshoes.
Starting with Stewart on a cold and crystal-clear winter Sunday, we trekked up the gradual hill for just under half a mile to the top for scenic views of the lake and the mountains beyond. The easiest and shortest of the three hikes, the out-and-back distance of Stewart was just under nine-tenths of a mile, with a 200-foot elevation gain.
What amazed us most atop Stewart was the unobstructed view of Eleventh Mountain on the western horizon. From no other peak have we found such a compelling illustration of what Paul Schaefer called its "five summits."
A short drive later, we arrived at Kipp Mountain. A similar walk through the woods of just over three quarters of a mile brought us to to the "Trail Ends" sign and expansive views of the lake, Gore Mountain, and Crane Mountain. Total elapsed round-trip time was just under an hour to cover a mile and three quarters, with a 441-foot elevation gain. You will find no more picturesque view of Loon Lake than this one from Kipp.
This is Loon Lake looking east from the summit of Beckman, which is so close to Meade that it’s misleading to think of them as separate mountains.
Of the three mountains, the Meade-Beckman trail is the longest and steepest climb. The trail begins at the Meade Mountain trailhead, and the Meade trail ends with an outstanding view of Gore Mountain that matches almost exactly the view Gore management provides on the printed map it gives skiers to help them navigate its many trails. Someone has thoughtfully posted the map for those who want to spot their favorite trails on Gore.
From the summit of Meade, we followed a short descent to another ascent up Beckman Mountain, which provides a panoramic view of Loon Lake and Blythewood Island, home to the historic Stone Lodge.
This combined hike involves an elevation gain of almost 600 feet, but about 500 of those feet are in the first half mile from the trailhead. Total round-trip distance is two miles, which we completed in an hour and 20 minutes.
On our way back down, we encountered the friendly landowner of the Meade-Beckman trail, who advised us that he intends to close the trail for a few weeks during mud season.
If you measure your Adirondack hikes by the quality of the scenic views you receive for the time and effort expended, you won't find a better deal than the Three Peaks of Loon Lake.