The Secret Views of Eleventh Mountain

By Bill Ingersoll

The Eleventh Mountain trailhead on NY Route 8 is one of the most popular access points for the Siamese Ponds Wilderness, and it is used by hikers almost every week of the year. Although this is not a region with many routes to choose from, the one excellent route that begins here – leading over the shoulder of the mountain, along the East Branch of the Sacandaga River, and up to the Siamese Ponds – is one of the most enjoyable backcountry hikes in all of the Adirondack Park, at any time of year. Within just a few hours of walking, it transports you from the side of a busy state highway into the wilderness core.

However, despite the official name of the trailhead, there is no trail to the mountain itself. This is an important point that has been known to confuse some first-time visitors!

Eleventh Mountain is a sprawling ridge bearing multiple summits, with a peak elevation of 3,290 feet. Its name derives from the fact that it is located in Township 11 of the Totten & Crossfield Purchase, one of the original great land transactions dating to 1771. (It has alternately been called Cataract Mountain due to the high-elevation waterfall on the east side of the mountain, visible from Route 8 near Bakers Mills.) It is an enormous mountain – if not in height, then in pure geographic sprawl – and even I cannot claim to have explored the whole thing.

However, the bushwhack suggested here is not to the mountain’s main summit, but to its southwesternmost bump. This is the portion of the mountain that dominates the view from the trail to the Sacandaga Lean-To. For a while as you hike that trail, you are passing very near the foot of its cliffs, and if you venture out to the banks of the East Branch Sacandaga River north of Diamond Brook you’re sure to find an enticing view of the mountain.

This outermost shoulder of the mountain has a maximum elevation of about 2,500 feet, but my favorite views are well below that point. They overlook the interior wilderness valley of the East Branch Sacandaga, all the way to a distant Snowy Mountain.

But lest you think I’m about to describe an easy hike to the shoulder of a shoulder of a mountain – not even the main summit! – let’s be clear: getting to the ledges requires some basic off-trail navigation skills, and there are places where the slopes are steep. But as wilderness bushwhacks go, this one is comparatively short, and it makes for a fine snowshoe outing.

Getting There

You will find the Eleventh Mountain Trailhead prominently located on Route 8 about 3.7 miles from the hamlet of Bakers Mills and 13.5 miles from NY Route 30 near the town of Wells. The trailhead can easily accommodate a dozen cars, and it is maintained all year long.

The Trail

There are several ways to approach these ledges, but unfortunately all of the most direct routes are very steep. The shortest way to the top is to bushwhack right from the trailhead. This entails a 730-foot climb in the space of just 0.5 mile – an exceedingly steep slope that will seem all the more daunting if the rocks are at all icy. I’ve never tried this approach, but a friend who did came back with a less-than-glowing recommendation.

My preferred approach is to follow the main DEC hiking trail over the height-of-land and down toward Diamond Brook, the first major stream crossing on the trek to Siamese Ponds. As the trail wanders away from the foot of the cliffs, leave it and contour around the westernmost corner of the mountain, well above Diamond Brook. From this angle you can then bushwhack up the ridgeline to the summit, exploring each of the ledges that you encounter.

With that in mind, begin the same way everybody else does: hiking the state trail as far as Diamond Brook. Following blue markers, the trail begins at the far end of the trailhead parking area and begins to ascend the shoulder of the mountain within minutes. Steep, rocky slopes rise to your right, and these are often covered in icefalls in the winter. Parts of the old roadbed have become eroded from water runoff. This may not be a new development, because as observant hikers will note there are multiple parallel roadbeds ascending the hillside, suggesting that the road builders were quick to cut a new route whenever the old one became unsatisfactory.

At 0.5-mile you reach the height-of-land, having ascended 260 feet from the trailhead. After a brief level stretch, the trail gradually begins to descend. During the cold half of the year, you can see the ledges on the southwest side of Eleventh Mountain to your right. Assuming that your sole destination are the tops of those ledges, then this is a good point to begin your bushwhack; as the trail veers away from the mountain, stray in the other direction, following the foot of the slopes.

The idea is not to go straight up the mountain – most people would agree that way is too steep. Instead, you want to round its corner, seeking out the somewhat more moderate slopes closer to Diamond Brook. Then double-back up the mountain, parallel to the ledge tops.

There are two openings you want to find, both with open views to the west – the panorama is astonishing! The views extend southwest through the Square Falls gorge and northwest across the heart of the Siamese Ponds Wilderness. You cannot see the ponds themselves, but you can guess their location in relation to the nearby landmarks County Line, Puffer and Siamese mountains. Humphrey Mountain is visible through the gap between County Line and Puffer, and beyond it you can see the distinctive profile of Snowy Mountain on the horizon, over 16 miles away.

The recommended descent is essentially the same. However, since you no longer need to hug the edge of the mountain to be sure you’ve found the best views, you can keep a short distance to the east and enjoy the open hardwood forest that extends much of the way to Diamond Brook.

Bill Ingersoll of Barneveld is publisher of the Discover the Adirondacks guidebook series: hiketheadirondacks.com. For more info, consult Discover the South Central Adirondacks or his recently-published 50 Hikes in the Adirondack Mountains (Countryman Press).