Allen Mountain

[Akramitis]

In the past few years much land that used to be private was acquired by the State. These areas used to be closed but now they may be open to the public.

Does anyone know whether any of these acquisitions have affected the traditional route to Allen Mountain in the High Peaks area?

Where can I get more info on this?

 

[1ADAM12]

I just climbed Allen for the first time this past summer. The route went through private property and foot access is allowed just not camping. Private land turns into State just as you cross skylight brook and from there all the way to the summit.

 

[bridgeman]

i was planning on camping near skylight brook later this winter (early Feb.) and was curious about the same question.

Looking to hike in day 1 and summit Allen then camp out and walk out the next morning.

Thinking about Feb 2 and 3 if anyone else is interested.

 

[Doc McPeak]

In the past few years much land that used to be private was acquired by the State. These areas used to be closed but now they may be open to the public.

Does anyone know whether any of these acquisitions have affected the traditional route to Allen Mountain in the High Peaks area?

Where can I get more info on this?

No effect to the route. As David Byrne would say: "Same as it ever was..."

 

[bridgeman]

I understand that the route didn't change.

Did the private / public boundaries change? Is camping still only allowed once you hit state land near skylight brook?

 

[Daniel Eagan]

I understand that the route didn't change.

Did the private / public boundaries change? Is camping still only allowed once you hit state land near skylight brook?

The boundaries didn't change, just the owners. At this point the hunting and fishing club leases are still being honored, so, yes, camping is not permitted on leased property.

But really, you don't want to camp along that trail until you get to state land anyway.

 

[Peakbagr]

Isn't the route to Allen along the boundary line of the leased Finch-Pruyn property?
The old route to Allen was closed to avoid private property leased to the clubs, and rerouted to skirt it.

 

[Daniel Eagan]

Isn't the route to Allen along the boundary line of the leased Finch-Pruyn property?
The old route to Allen was closed to avoid private property leased to the clubs, and rerouted to skirt it.

I believe the "old" route to Allen was worked out in cooperation with the hunting clubs in order to direct hikers away from the woods roads and camps in the area. However, this route still crossed leased land.

The rerouting occurred after Hurricane Floyd, when Finch Pruyn wanted access to the large areas of blowdown. This reroute also crossed leased land. In fact, if you look at the ADK High Peaks map, all of the land on either side of the road to the Tahawus Tract trailheads is private, except for a couple of extremely narrow easements and boundaries.

The trail to Flowed Springs via Hanging Spears Falls does cross the boundary between land owned by the old National Lead Company and land previously owned by Finch Pruyn, but I don't think it's accurate to say it follows that boundary. It goes pretty deeply into private property.

 

[Whiteman]

NY did not acquire the land

Actually, the land has not been purchased by the State of NY, it was purchased from Finch Pryun by the Nature Conservancy. There is a lot of information about the great conservation purchase on the Nature Conservancy Website. There was also an article in the Nov/Dec issue of Adirondac (but I did not see that on line).

As mentioned above, old leases are being honored. A plan is being developed for the various regions included in the purchase (161,000 acres!). Some logging will continue.

My educated guess is follow the route that has been established for the last several years until further notice. We all know that lovely route, its 18 miles of glory, right?

Cheers

 

[BlackSpruce]

Climbers going towards Allen Mt. enter state land shortly before crossing Skylight Brook, not before. When heading towards Flowed Land via the Hanging Spears Trail, it's still about a mile on private land from the now famous wooded ALLEN sign intersection.

 

[TCD]

(slightly off topic)

You know, I kind of like that sign. I know it's garish, but it's on private land, it's not doing any harm, and it's good for a laugh, like the giant inflatable Santas that some folks have on their lawns.

 

[Raymond]

 

[tgoodwin]

The information that the hunting club leases are being honored by the Nature Conservancy is correct, so no camping until reaching state land just before Skylight Brook. The present route is only slightly different from the route before Hurricane Floyd - after the sand pit it swings further away from Twin Brook that the earlier route. Much of this route was cleared by the lease holders themselves in the summer of 2001 to stop hikers from using the old (pre 1980) route along the lumber roads and past the hunting camps. The marked trail through to Hanging Spear Falls is a deeded easement to NY State, but the path to Allen, when it is on leased land, is an informal agreement between the 46-Rs, the lease holders, and Finch Pruyn. Hiker trespass between Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and the reopening in 2001 caused many hard feelings and nearly resulted in the closing of the path to Allen. Thus good behavior on the private land is still important. (I believe I read of one incident last summer where people on their way to Flowed Lands left their overnight packs at the beginning of the path to Allen. They returned to find them gone and a note that they had been removed from private (finch,Pruyn leased) land to the gate near the suspension bridge that marks the boundary with National Lead land - now owned by the Open Space Institute.

 

[BlackSpruce]

"one incident last summer where people on their way to Flowed Lands left their overnight packs at the beginning of the path to Allen. They returned to find them gone and a note that they had been removed from private (finch,Pruyn leased) land to the gate near the suspension bridge"


That summer 2006 incident was unfortunate and removing the packs, for obvious safety reasons, was a mistake. I must report, as a member of the East River Club, that the last few years climbers have 99.99% of the time respected private property. A few still take to the roads summer and winter wrongly thinking it's a shortcut but more often than not they get lost in the maze. This past summer a small group of climbers chose to bushwhack down from Redfield summit towards Allen Mt. Exhausted, bruised, clothes shredded, starved and lost they finally, at 3:30AM, knocked at the door of an Opalescent Club Member who gave them a ride to the UW trailhead.


Christine

 

[AntlerPeak]

"one incident last summer where people on their way to Flowed Lands left their overnight packs at the beginning of the path to Allen. They returned to find them gone and a note that they had been removed from private (finch,Pruyn leased) land to the gate near the suspension bridge"


That summer 2006 incident was unfortunate and removing the packs, for obvious safety reasons, was a mistake. I must report, as a member of the East River Club, that the last few years climbers have 99.99% of the time respected private property. A few still take to the roads summer and winter wrongly thinking it's a shortcut but more often than not they get lost in the maze. This past summer a small group of climbers chose to bushwhack down from Redfield summit towards Allen Mt. Exhausted, bruised, clothes shredded, starved and lost they finally, at 3:30AM, knocked at the door of an Opalescent Club Member who gave them a ride to the UW trailhead.


Christine

Thanks for that info Blackspruce. In the past I encountered a few members of your club and found them to be cordial and nice people.

 

[rup]

Is there a map posted on line somewhere that charts the route to Allen? This old/new, do this/not that has gotten confusing.

 

[Raymond]

I know what you mean. I was pretty worried and thought I would have to hire a guide before I hiked it that first time. I even was looking into getting night-vision goggles for myself! But I finally just went and did it and it was one of my favorites. (Number 3 on my official 46er report.)

I understand that it is comforting to be able to visualize just where the heck you'll be going, so you can take a look at the maps that Joel (whose last name I'm currently drawing a blank on; sorry) has provided here.

If you know where the trail head is, you're halfway there already. The trail has been well-marked the two times I've done the hike, even along the herd path, with yellow coffee-can lids and the like nailed to trees. The only part I remember was a little confusing was along the long road walk, where there weren't enough markers to reassure me that I hadn't missed a turn somewhere. (I hadn't missed any turn, it's just a long way before you come to the turn, somewhere past a gate. I don't recall what it all looks like now.)

I wouldn't say you need to follow Joel's advice to do it as an overnighter; just get as early a start as you can and plan on 12 hours. Enjoy!