Cascade Mountain Hike, Adirondacks

Basic Information

Day 1 of our Lake Placid get-away

Link to AllTrails website for Cascade Mountain

Date of hike: 08/26/2021

Difficulty level: hard

Distance: 4.4 miles round trip

Elevation: 4,098 feet

Elevation gain: 1,902 feet

Location: Lake Placid, Keene, Essex County, NY, Adirondack Mountains

About Cascade Mountain

Cascade Mountain, the thirty-sixth tallest peak in the Adirondack Mountains, is often considered one of the easiest, shortest, and the most frequently climbed peaks of the 46ers. It is recognized as having one of the best summits views in the Adirondacks, from which one can see 360 degree views of about two-thirds of the 46ers, Lake Placid, and Lake Champlain.

The mountain derives its name from a series of waterfalls on a brook near its base. The lake it flows into and the pass between Cascade and Pitchoff mountains also bear the name Cascade.

Cascade Mountain is often hiked in conjunction with Porter Mountain, which adds about an extra 1.5 miles to the round trip.

Cascade Mountain has a bare summit due to a 1903 wildfire that burnt most of the vegetation and caused the soil to erode.

The terrain in steep, muddy, and rocky.

Our Impressions

After 5.5 hours of driving for me and 7 hours of driving for Sheldon, this mountain was a great way to get our muscles moving. Despite its reputation as the easiest mountain of the 46ers, ascending it is no easy task. It is an extremely challenging and worthwhile experience with incredible summit views. Be ready to step into lots of mud. Hiking sticks are a must here. On the return trip, we even made friends with a local toad, who became the lead actor in our last video.

Since this was our driving day, we started the hike a bit late in the day so we decided not to visit Porter Mountain to avoid catching darkness on our descent.

Cascade Mountain Hike
Cascade Mountain Hike
Very Muddy Cascade Mountain Hike
Cascade Mountain Summit
Cascade Mountain Summit – Sheldon or Atlas?
Cascade Mountain Summit
Cascade Mountain Summit
Cascade Mountain Summit
Cascade Mountain Toad

Author

  • Meet Anna

    Anna was born in the former Soviet Union, the part that is now Ukraine. She came to the US as a refugee at the age of 8. She is an outdoor, fitness, health, and environment lover who found a way to express her passions through hiking. She enjoys exploring new places, seeking out adventures, and sharing her experiences with friends and family. Anna is also on a mission to help others feel young and healthy. She is a health and wellness coach that specializes in improving digestive health and IBS symptoms. Please visit her business page https://linktr.ee/anna.toyberman

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