G LAKE hiking, skiing
Mar 7, 2016 - Still a foot of snow west of Piseco - skied in the G Lake area today.
Dec 26, 2011 - G LAKE skiing. 2-3" powder over 1-2" icy base - good skiing on the 2.1 mile unplowed dirt road, fair skiing on trails. G Lake Rd drops 100' in the first mile then climbs 200' in the next mile. From the summer parking area it is 0.4 miles N along an old woods road to a campsite at the E end of the lake - major windchill with a W wind. Explored the old road S of the lake - had some minor blowdown. Sidetrips on Alder Brook snowmobile trail & to Big Marsh. 3.3 hours. Adirondack lakes mostly iced over (Canada Lake had the most open water).
Nov 19, 2008 - G LAKE xc skiing. Piseco/Speculator region reported 6"-9" & more W of there; Boonville & Tug Hill area over a foot. So we drive up to Speculator - 2", head west on Rt.8 Piseco 5", things start to look real good west of Piseco Lake. ~6" at start of the unplowed (4wd vehicles have driven the first 2.1 miles) dirt road & ~10" around G Lake. Went around E & N side of lake (some ice on lake but mostly open) then down the outlet some - unmarked old logging roads & hunters' path. Had to take skis off to cross a couple of streams; not as much wet areas as expected, surprisingly good skiing. The 2.5 miles to the lake is novice/easy intermediate; rest intermediate. 7.8 miles, 4.7 hours. 
Dec 11, 2005 - G LAKE. 15" - good base & plenty of powder. Conditions good enough to try some turns thru the woods between unplowed road & Evergreen Lake. G Lake now totally frozen over. Went along S & W side until unmarked trail disappeared short of the lake's outlet; then around E side. Layed out the full-length Thermarest pad for relaxing lunch-stop. 7.5 miles, 5 hours. Fischer Snowbound skis. 
Dec 5, 2005 - G LAKE. W of Piseco Lake. 8" - nice skiing - I've skied here on less. Over 2 miles on unplowed dirt road past Evergreen Lake. Old logging roads from wilderness boundary - no marked trails - shown as trails on Piseco Lake USGS map. Easy intermediate skiing. Campsite on E shore is a nice scenic lunchspot if it isn't too windy. Trail along S of lake fairly easy to follow; "trail" around N of lake requires tricky crossings of 2 streams & may seem like a bushwhack to some. Lake still has some open water. 8 miles, 4+ hours. Fischer Rebound skis. 
Dec 6 - G LAKE xc skiing, west of Piseco Lake. Excellent skiing - average of 5" on unplowed dirt road & deeper in woods around the lake. Parked on Rt.8 2.45 mi. W of West Shore Rd. The dirt road heads N & drops 100' in the 1st mile then climbs 200' in the next mile ending at some boulders after 2.1 miles. It is then 0.4 miles along an old logging road to where a couple of downed trees block the unmarked trail & a path leads L down to a campsite on the E shore of G Lake. The lake is iced over (but not safe to ski on yet). Picked up the inlet just N of the campsite & bushwhacked alongside it upstream for about 0.5 miles to a 15' falls - water flowed over the rock behind a sheet of ice. Headed SW & soon picked up another old logging road (this one goes E-W; if you go E you can ski (or snowshoe) up Big Marsh Mt. especially if you are prepared to go around some downed trees) which I took back to the main trail/logging road near the lake. Skied S a bit then turned NW on yet another old road which approaches the S shore of the lake & continues around the W shore before petering out. A good side-trip is up the peninsula/island in the middle of the lake but be sure the ice is firm in the marshy area that connects it to the S shore. Discover the West Central Adirondacks shows a map on pg.25 with most of the trails I've mentioned except for the E-W one which passes to the N of Big Marsh Mt. Terrain is suitable for the novice (i.e. someone who can stay up on their skis most of the time & is working toward a decent snowplow to control speed on descents) skier. Snowing all the time I was out - 2" of new powder in my tracks on the return along the dirt road. Should be able to withstand a bit of rain Tue. & resulting base would need 2"-3" of new snow to make for good skiing by the weekend. 7.5 miles, 3 hrs. Madshus Kongberg skis with NNN-BC bindings/boots.
Dec 1, 2004 - G LAKE xc ski. 2-3" & barely skiable - W of Piseco Lake. 2.1 miles on unplowed dirt road then half mile on unmarked old logging road to campsite on E shore of the not yet frozen lake. From Rt.8 the road drops quickly then more gently. A mile in, you start climbing moderately, gaining over 300' in the next mile - this makes for a sweet novice+ downhill run on the return. More old logging roads & snowmobile trail can be explored in the area. 4 hrs. Piseco got another 3" after we left so skiing should be good for rest of week. Fischer Rebound . If the Rebounds were not my rock skis before this trip they are now - ouch.
Dec 8, 2002 - G LAKE xc skiing - don't often repeat trips this soon but conditions are just too good here. Few inches of fresh snow in our tracks from last week. Reclimbed some of the hills up to 3 times so as to enjoy another sweet downhill run. 7+ miles, 5hrs.
Dec 1, 2002 - G LAKE xc skiing. Over a foot of the white fluffy stuff W of Piseco Lake. Ski an unplowed dirt road 2.5 mi. to wilderness boundary - first half downhill (relax & enjoy), second half uphill (peel off the layers of clothing). Midway we take a short side-trip on snowmobile trail to Evergreen Lake. Had to get the 1st aid kit out to treat a hot spot on heel - don't forget the moleskin. Continue on old logging roads - no trail markers but they are shown as trails on the USGS Piseco Lake map. After 0.2 mi. forked L, around a couple of blowdowns & down to the SW corner of the lake (avoiding the wind) for lunch. Sunny most of the day but snow showered while we rested. Back to the fork, then N to E side of the lake where there is a campsite in the pines. The long downhill run on the return is real sweet - the final uphill assures that you arrive at the car warm. Novice skills will get you by. 6 miles, 5 hours. Fischer Outtabounds skis mounted with Rottefella Chili cable bindings - more ski than one needs on a trip like this except possibly for breaking trail but it's best to test a new combination in moderate conditions. The cable bindings are a little harder to get on & off than standard 75mm 3-pin bindings but hold the boot solidly over the ski allowing for greater control on the steeper downhills & there are no pins to tear out the holes in your boots.
Mar. 5, 2001 - G Lake did not disappoint again 1 to 2 inches of fresh snow over good base. Decided to use my waxable 10th Mountain Switchback skis with warm Universal glider on ends & universal klister under the foot with mixed results. With temp. around 30F could have maybe gotten away with Red or Yellow hard wax. Had great glide & the moderate hills were fast but had to apply extra klister to make the climbs easier. Others with me had nowax skis & no complaints. Breezy at the lake so we skied across the lake (ice felt good with some snow - little wet in short section) over to the peninsula, built a fire & took our time at lunch. Flurries accompanied us from time to time & the downhill run on the way out was enjoyable - wide trail, no sharp turns.
Feb. 29, 2000 - Stopped by Rockwood State Forest, met xc skier who said trails were icy hard & not much fun. Headed further north up Rt. 10 - W. Branch of the Sacandaga River was high but iced over. G lake is becoming the old standby - almost an inch of fresh snow over a good solid base. Snow depth was about 10" in trail & foot & a half in woods. Had better glide than on Sunday - sunny sections were a bit soft but shady areas were nice. Windy at G Lake - chilled down quickly - 30F. No wet stream crossings en route, saw some interesting small bird tracks - grouse? Took side trip west on snowmobile trail to first junction - good skiing here too. Still had daylight left so drove over to Mountain Home Rd. & took it as far it was plowed. Skied over a mile to Mad Tom Brook area at the border of W. Canada wilderness to scout out for another trip. The route took me past the Floe on the South Branch of the West Canada Creek - there's an Adirondack style name for you! Saw big bird tracks - saw about a dozen turkeys on the drive out - domesticated? Gorgeous not-a-cloud-in-the-sky type of day - remember to use the sunscreen.
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