PILOT KNOB hiking

 

Seen from Diamond Island: Buck Mtn is on the left, Pilot Knob is on the right, in between is the unnamed ridge marked with red paint blazes northwest of Pilot Knob; the Schumann Preserve is well off the photo to the right.

To clarify, Pilot Knob is a 2,163' mountain south of Buck Mountain, its actual summit is on private land but state land exists east of the summit; as far as I know, there is no marked trail to the summit.  There is an unofficial trail marked with paint blazes to a ridge that lies northwest of the summit - you can reach it from the Buck Mtn trailhead on Pilot Knob Rd & is described in Discover the Eastern Adirondacks by Ingersoll.  About 2 miles south of the summit is the Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob, owned by the Lake George Land Conservancy, which has marked trails going up the ridge to a gazebo and waterfall.

Fri Oct 27, 2023 - PILOT KNOB NW hike. Started on a strip of state land that touches Pilot Knob Rd about 1 mile S of the Buck Mtn trailhead. Went around a gate (400' el) & up a leaf-littered old woods/logging road heading NE. Bushwhacked NE up past cliffs, stopped at a couple of ledges with views, & eventually ran into the unofficial trail with red paint blazes at 900' el. More climbing to the SE, lost the trail for a minute, more views. Views from the top of the ridge (1910' el) were very good as always. Went down on the red trail most of the way down then bushwhacked (woods are fairly open) WSW. Realized I was close to Stewart's Ledge so I went over there for more views. Bushwhacked S until I hit the old road back to start. Saw no one until SL, & 1 hunter at the end. Saw deer, mosquitoes. 5.1 miles, 4.4 hours.

Fri May 5, 2023 - SCHUMANN PRESERVE. Had a very rainy week so headed here for views, waterfalls, and wildflowers. Some wet/muddy spots. No vehicles in the parking area when I got there at 10am, 4 cars when I left. Up thru mostly open oak-hickory woods with a grassy understory. Got to the gazebo & then the waterfall without seeing anyone, saw 13 people on the way back. Mostly cloudy, temp in the low to mid-50s. Very light black fly activity - they were just in inquisitive mode rather than attack mode. Did the waterfall loop clockwise. Followed the waterfall brook a bit further upstream where there are more waterfalls. From the gazebo, could see snow on Gore Mtn. Wildflowers: bluets, saxifrage, violets, spring beauties, red trillium, sessile bellwort (wild oats). 4.9 miles, 1335' gross el gain, 3.4 hours.

  

Thu May 5, 2022 - SCHUMANN PRESERVE at PILOT KNOB hike.  It rained yesterday so I hoped to see more water at the waterfall.  4 cars in the parking lot.  The orange trail climbs 620' in 0.7 miles - the trail is designed well & was mostly dry.  Good views from the gazebo.  Continued on the blue trail which goes along old logging roads - some wet muddy spots were easy to get past.  The trail drops down a bit, climbs somewhat then drops down to the bottom of the waterfall.  Looped around to the top of the falls then back.  Saw 9 people.  Temp 55-60°F, mostly sunny.  Light black fly activity, especially at the falls - I did not use protection other than my socks were pretreated with permethrin - I had treated my pants & long-sleeve shirts a month ago but I was in shorts & t-shirt today - gotta remember to treat my summer wear this weekend.  4.2 miles, 1,250' el gain.  Wildflowers included bluets, spring beauties, saxifrage, violets; shadbush was in bloom.

Mon Oct 18, 2021 - PILOT KNOB NW loop hike.  Good fall foliage in the lower southern areas of the Adks this week.  Started out from the same trailhead as Buck Mtn.  Soon took a R on blue Inman Pond trail for ~0.4 miles, then R on unofficial trail marked with red paint blazes.  Steep climb thru hemlocks, fairly dry despite recent rain.  Several views before achieving the open rocky ridge at ~1,900' el.  High Peaks to the N (they got some snow overnight), Crane Mtn always stands out to the W.  Continuing further along the ridge going SE & views open up to Pilot Knob, the Helderbergs, & finally the Greens to the E.  Temp in the high 40's & breezy, so found a spot behind some rock to do lunch.  The loop trail back down to the NE has very little in the way of blazes but soon hits a very old logging road & I found it fairly easy to follow to the Inman Pond trail.  Took some off-trail scoots to get a closer look at the waterfalls & cascades on Butternut Brook.  Saw 2 people on the blue trail but no one on the unofficial trail.  6.4 miles, 4.7 hours.

    

Mon Sep 13, 2021 - SCHUMANN PRESERVE.  Spent 2 hours at the gazebo - elevation ~1,000'.  Only 3 cars in the parking area when I got there at noon, 6 cars when I left.  Ran into a woman who had lost her dalmation.  1 to 6 people at the gazebo while I was there.  Monarch butterfly, nuthatches, turkey vultures, red-tailed hawk.  No bugs, no mud.  Also went for a 25-mile bike ride.

Tue Sep 22, 2020 - SCHUMANN PRESERVE at Pilot Knob Ridge.  A fairly steep climb to the gazebo, rock steps & switchbacks help, also dry & fairly smooth, climbs 600' in 0.7 miles.  Good view of part of Lake George incl. Cleverdale & Long Island.  On the other side, Black Spruce, Cat & Thomas Mtns; further in the distance were Crane & Gore Mtns.  Continued on the blue trail & the waterfall loop - not much water going over it today but it is a cool spot.  Saw ~20 people on the orange trail, just 1 group of 7 on the blue trail - would not go here on the weekend.  4.2 miles, 900' gain, 3.2 hours.  Info.

Sept 6, 2020 - PILOT KNOB from Buck Mtn trailhead.  Short way up blue Inman Pond trail then a R on unofficial trail, axe blazes on trees, soon crossing dry streambed.  Then the path, marked with red paint blazes, started climbing with a vengeance thru open rocky nice-smelling hemlock & pine woods.  Lots of zigzags.  Good dry foot-tread helped me stay on course.  Several good look-outs above 1,500',  I got to the nubble at just under 2,000' & hung out - no-one else around (12 people went down as I went up).  Open area with blueberry & oaks.  Could see to the High Peaks, Crane Mtn to the W, Stratton & Snow in VT.  The actual 2,163' summit of Pilot Knob loomed closeby to the SE - I am not aware of any paths or trails that go there.  Scouted the trail going down to the SE but gonna leave that for another day.  The only real negative was the constant hum of motorboats on Lake George, otherwise an interesting fun hike.  Minimal bad bugs.  When I got back to the trailhead in mid-afternoon, there were 50+ cars in the parking area & 60+ more parked on the road!  Most folks headed to Buck.  4.6 hours, 1,600' elevation gain.

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