Hiking in the White Mountains: Mount Esther

Date of Hike: 8/23/14

Connery Pond Trail: 6.0 Miles / Wilmington Trail: 1.25 miles / Esther herd path: 2.2 miles / Wilmington Trail: 1.25 miles / Connery Pond Trail: 6.0 miles
Total Miles: 17.0 miles (4,930 feet elevation gained)

Trip Report:
- Saturday, Diaz and I were supposed to hike the Macintyre Range but he woke up with a bad migraine, making him take a zero day. I decided it would be a good time for me to head back to Whiteface via the Connery Pond Trail. I had been wanting to hike Whiteface again and was really looking forward to heading in from the Lake Placid side.
- The trailhead is located down a narrow and windy dirt road. There isn't much space for cars, maybe four right at the gate where the trail starts. There are also small spots along the side of the road where you can park and walk to the trailhead.
- The first two and a half miles of the trail travels over a mostly flat dirt road as it passes by Connery Pond and over to Whiteface Landing on Lake Placid.
- From here the Connary Trail bangs a right and within a few tenths of a mile it travels near the Whiteface Brook and eventually leads past a lean-to. Past the lean-to the trail travels through a pine grove at the top of a small in-the-woods ridge. After this section, the trail, which has had great footing and gentle grades does a complete 180! The trail becomes more rigged and washed out then becomes steep as it travels over rocks and some big boulders. It had a definite White Mountain feel to it!
- Eventually, the Connary Trail pops out above the trees on the exposed southern ridge of Whiteface Mountain. Views down to Lake Placid are tremendous over the last half mile until the summit.
- From the summit I descended the Wilmington Trail down to the herd path junction for Esther Mountain. The herd path over to Esther is a mixed bag, unless you are peak-bagging there real is no reason to head to this peak. There are limited views and the herd path has some muddy sections. The highlight of the out and back is the summit plaque.
- Once I reached Esther's summit it was time to head back to Connery Pond. First, I had to head back over Mount Whiteface, which wasn't too bad of a back track. The eastern ridge has great views over the last few tenths of a mile to the summit.
- The hike back down to treeline was great as Lake Placid is in view the whole way. It's one of the coolest looking lakes around. If you get a chance, head up Mount Whiteface during foliage season.
- After heading back into the woods I made my way though the steep 'White Mountain' section and then trail ran back to Whiteface Landing where I took a short break before walking back to the car.
- Back at the car I changed before heading back to meet Diaz. It was such a great little out and back and was happy to finally get a chance to hike Whiteface from the Lake Placid side.

Start of the Connary Pond Trail

Connary Pond

Single Track on the Connary Pond Trail

Whiteface Landing Junction

First mud pit of the day was around mile three

Whiteface Lean-to. There were also plenty of spots to set up a tent here, too.

The Connary Pond Trail travels up through a beautiful Pine Grove

Moss and pine needle blanketed forest

Dogs on Whiteface!

Crossing a short steep side slab section

Mount Whiteface Summit

Mount Whiteface

Summit Marker

Heading down the Wilmington Trail

Looking at the Auto Road

Heading down to the Whiteface / Esther Col

Construction going on at one of the chair lifts

Herd path to Esther

Cool little bog bridge section

Esther Mountain and the summit plaque

Esther herd path

Esther / Wilmington Trail Junction

Wilmington Trail

The trail has a muddy section, these logs came in handy

Wilmington Trail

Heading back up to the summit!

Collage of pictures around the summit cone

Views from Whiteface Mountain

Whiteface Landing

Lake Placid

Route for the day, click here for details

Date of Hike: 10/5/11

Wilmington Trail: 3.5 miles
Esther Herd Path: 2.4 miles
Wilmington Trail: 6.9 miles
Total Miles: 12.8 (4,200 Elevation Gain)

Trip Report:
- The weather called for clear and sunny skies, unfortunately that didn't help much as the temperatures plummeted overnight into the 20's and the wind picked up above 4,000 feet making for one cold but beautiful hike up the northern-most of the Forty Sixers, Whiteface Mountain and Mount Esther.
- On trail at 7:45am, Esther 9:55am, Whiteface 11:20am, finished 1:30pm. Temps in the 30's to 50's, wind 20 to 30 mph.
- The first 2.5 miles is a great hike with soft footing through birch and maple trees with vivid red, orange, and bright yellow colors everywhere you look. Once past the junction for Marble Mountain the trail becomes wet and muddy, the usual for Adirondack trails.
- There are no views along the way to the Esther herd path so it was tough to get myself going. The herd path was one of the more annoying ones I've been on with lots of mud and standing water. The herd path lacks any really good views except for a couple over to Whiteface's summit. I didn't stay long at the no thrills summit before heading back to the main trail. Along with Street and Nye, Esther is my least favorite of the 46r's.
- The trail continued to be a muddy wet mess until reaching the bottom of a huge rock foundation wall which the Whiteface Memorial Highway sits above. The trail skirts the wall and pops up next to the road before rising above it through some scrub until coming out onto an open ridge about a half mile from the summit.
- It was very windy up on the exposed ridge but the views were spectacular and they kept getting better. Once at the summit I could see most of all the high peaks off in the distance and Lake Placid down in the valley.
- The Summit has a tower and a wrap around observation deck. After taking pictures I went inside and warmed up and had lunch. Whiteface Mountain is the Adirondacks version of Mount Washington where you hike up, look like hell, and get funny looks from the people who drive the cars up!
- Once I was warmed up I headed back down the open ridge taking in the views until I dropped back into the woods where I quickly hiked down passing by a few hikers heading up who were all smarter than me as they waited for the temps to warm up before hiking.
- Finally around 3,000 feet I was able to take off the last of my cold weather clothes and was back in a tshirt for the last couple of miles which flew by.
- It was a cold but fun hike, unless I do the ADK's in the winter I never see myself hiking Esther again but I definitely will hike Whiteface from the other side which I've been told is a much nicer hike. ***As of 2019 I have in fact hiked Esther two more times, once on a bitterly cold and rainy day with my friend Diaz as he was picking away at his 46 list.***

Pictures: Click here for all pictures