Good Luck Cliffs - Adirondack Park

Post date: Jun 4, 2012 10:15:02 PM

After my first week back at a real job (go Dolphins!), I decided to head back to the Park and hit another of the Southern Peaks. This trip was to Good Luck Cliffs and I set out on a day forecast with rain. Given the impending weather, I only carried my older Kodak point and shoot camera instead of my full DSLR setup. Due to the varying weather conditions, the photos aren't quite as good, but you should still get a feel for the trail and trip. With that disclaimer out of the way, let's hit the trail! :-)

The first part of the trail is actually along a snowmobile trail that has many wooden bridges in place to aide the travel of the snow machines.

Once on the foot trail to Good Luck Cliffs, you start to climb. This was one of the consistently steep trails I've been on so far in the Park. Even a couple of days later, my leg muscles are "remembering" the journey.

Here, you cross one of the feeder streams to Good Luck Lake.

And immediately pass underneath a huge fallen tree. The trails continues to climb, climb, climb!

Through the trees you can glimpse some of the lower cliffs and you start to encounter some ledges, and caves. (I was hoping to spot a bat or two, but didn't find any this time around.)

As the trail continues to parallel the feeder stream, there are more little falls and cascades.

Here is the cave where I stopped to eat lunch, just as a downpour started. Two things I love about hiking in the rain are the sound in the forest and the fact that the rain drives away the bugs.

Just outside of my lunch spot, I spotted this clump of ferns and moss growing quite nicely on the sheer side of the granite.

Finally at the top, I noticed a temperature drop of 10-15 degrees and since I was already on the damp side, it made for a chilly summit. Across the valleys, you can see the mist rising due to the changes in temp.

And, the video of the summit and views:

Here is little close-up shot of the water dripping off of the pine branches.

And here is a cool tree that reminded me of those braided lucky bamboo plants you can buy.

On the way back down, I spotted this little slug out for a snack.

Here is a shot of Good Luck Lake from which the cliffs get their name, though they face the wrong direction to see the lake from the top. This was taken at a designated camping site where a small group were just setting up as I was coming down.

Just before reaching the bottom and the parking lot, a doe ran across the trail and I snapped a couple of photos, but sadly my little Kodak didn't give me enough zoom. All in all a hard but good hike.

Cheers!

-PHIL