Finch Mountain

The High Peak of Blackbridge

By Bill Ingersoll

I first bushwhacked Finch Mountain many years ago, and I have returned there several times over the decades since – the lack of trails is hardly a deterrent. I’m not sure what I expected on that first ascent more than 20 years ago, but what I found was the most exceptional view possible over the wild valley of the West Branch Sacandaga River. This is by no means a bald mountain, and the one good ledge can be frustrating to find sometimes, but the rewards are so outstanding I cannot recommend this little-known climb high enough.

As a topographic feature Finch Mountain is somewhat anomalous, standing in the middle of a wide valley apart from the twin ranges to the north and south that define that valley’s spacious boundaries. However, this unusual positioning is what guarantees the unspoiled view: with no foothills or peripheral ridges in the way, the vista extends forward uninterrupted for several miles.

The nearest settlement is Blackbridge, a residential outpost on West River Road a few miles southwest of Wells in the southern Adirondacks. The firm of Bradley & Underwood began lumbering along the West Branch Sacandaga River in the 1870s, building an iron bridge over the stream near the home of Elias Kellogg. The town purchased this span, known then as Black Bridge, from the lumbermen in 1880 for $430. Today, Blackbridge remains a quiet rural neighborhood straddling the river; the current bridge – which is rust-colored instead of black – was built in 1991.

Although there are no state trails in the area, this does not translate into a shortage of places to explore – honestly, 2,010-foot Finch Mountain is just one of several draws that pull me back to Blackbridge almost every year. However, this is certainly one of the better winter hiking destinations, with no pesky stream crossings in the way. Just be sure to arrive at the summit in the morning, before the sun moves westward to spoil the view (photographically speaking).

The one drawback, though, is the lack of an obvious public parking area. Blackbridge Road does feature adequate state land frontage, but there is no shoulder for safe parking, and the road ends at a private driveway. None of this precludes public access, but unlike most hikes you may need to apply more deliberate thought about where to leave your car than a traditional hike with an established trailhead.

Getting There

To find Blackbridge, turn west from NY Route 30 in Wells onto Algonquin Drive, within sight of the Algonquin Lake dam. West River Road is a left turn 0.7 mile later. Drive over West Hill and down the other side, reaching the junction with Blackbridge Road 1.8 miles from Wells.

Cross the West Branch Sacandaga and continue south for 0.7-mile, to a point where the road crosses a small stream that flows through a corner of state land on the right. Note the NO PARKING signs and the absence of a road shoulder of any kind. If the weather is good (i.e., there is little chance snowplows will be out) and you can find a spot outside of the no-parking zone, then choose this as your starting point.

Blackbridge Road ends a very short distance later at a private residence on the Silver Lake Wilderness boundary. There is a public right of way into state land but no obvious parking area that doesn’t block private property. However, it may be worth inquiring with the landowner for permission to park here. Without divulging details that are not mine to publicize, it does seem an accommodation for public access is possible, with permission.

The Bushwhack

The shortest, most direct approach to Finch Mountain’s summit begins directly from the road and tackles the easternmost slopes. The land adjacent to the road was once a field, as attested to by the presence of hawthorn, shadbush, aspen, and stout white pine trees. Start by finding the small stream that flows through the state-owned parcel, being mindful of the remains of an old barbed wire fence nearby. This stream flows from the east side of Finch Mountain, and it is useful as a guide to the mountain’s foot.

Follow the stream west, crossing a branch that flows in from the south, and not far beyond you reach the mouth of a deep ravine. Although the slope is steep, you will want to climb up to the south rim of the ravine, where the forest will be much more open and the walking much easier. The rim of the ravine is clearly defined, and you can follow it west for nearly a half-mile. Where the stream and its valley start to arc more to the north, head due west toward the mountain. After about 45 minutes of walking, you begin the final climb up the mountain’s east side. Deadfalls and rock outcrops will be your biggest obstacles.

The summit is 925 feet above Blackbridge Road, and 1.2 miles west of it. Unlike many larger mountains, the top of this one is forested almost entirely with hardwoods. The summit itself has no open views, so you have to cross to the far west end and start to descend around the sequence of ledges you will find there. One upper ledge at about 1,950 feet in elevation offers so-so views of the valley, and it is easy to confuse this with your intended destination. However, if you continue down another 100 feet – some of it on the steep side, perhaps farther down than intuition advises – you should find an easily accessible ledge with the best views of all.

Here, the vista encompasses Dunham, Cutknife, Speculator, and Hamilton mountains to the north, Dugway and Swart above West River Road, and Three Sisters Mountain in the distant west. The valley of Ninemile Creek is clearly defined cutting through the ridge that borders the valley to the south. Not everything that you see is pristine wilderness; you can see parts of West River Road, a few houses, and some of the Scotch pine plantations that now occupy former farm fields. A few offsprings of those Scotch pines have taken root here on Finch Mountain. Curiously, though, there is little sign of the July 2024 tornado damage that swept through a portion of the valley to the west.

Anyone who has ever spent any time exploring the West River Road area will find this perch very enlightening. Photographers need to get here early, before the sun moves into your field of vision.

Bill Ingersoll is a co-founder and the vice-chair of Adirondack Wilderness Advocates, as well as the author of Wilderness Camping in the Adirondacks, published in 2024 by North Country Books. For more info, visit: adirondackwilderness.org.