High Falls on the Oswegatchie River - Boreas Mountain - Stillwater Mountain

[Akramitis]

A while ago I came across an older edition (1st edition, 1980) of the Fifty Hikes in the Adirondacks by Barbara McMartin. There were six hikes in it that were not in the one I have (3rd Edition, 1997).
One of the hikes is titled “High Falls on the Oswegatchie River”. It starts just south of Wanakena, NY, and follows the fire truck route for the first 1.8 mile. At that point it takes a path that goes straight south until it meets the Truck Trail again. The foot path, most likely, is the Leary Trail and is supposed to be marked with blue markers. The ADK Guide I have mentions the Leary trail but warns that it has been abandoned and is, at some points, very difficult to follow.

Do any of you know what is the current condition of the Leary Trail? The foot path still shows on the USGS topomap. I am trying to decide whether to use the Leary trail and do a day trip or use the Fire Track Route and do the whole loop that ends just north of the Dead Creek Flow (a couple days backpack trip).


In the same edition there are two more hikes (both in NY) that I need some info:

Boreas Mountain - South West of Elk Lake. I know there is a lot of private property around Elk Lake. Is the trail to Boreas Mountain on public land? I have hiked that area and I never noticed a fire tower on top of Boreas Mountain. The old edition mentions a fire tower and so do the topomaps but I think that it has been removed. Is that so?

Stillwater Mountain - on the southwest side of Stillwater Reservoir north of Eagle Bay. I went there last fall but couldn’t find the trailhead. There was a lot of posted area around there and did not want to trespass. I spent about an hour in there (never crossing into a private land) reaching a small bump hoping to see the Lookout Tower or the telephone poles that the book mentioned but I did not see any.

If any of you have any info on these three hikes, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[Rik]

In the same edition there are two more hikes (both in NY) that I need some info:

Boreas Mountain - South West of Elk Lake. I know there is a lot of private property around Elk Lake. Is the trail to Boreas Mountain on public land? I have hiked that area and I never noticed a fire tower on top of Boreas Mountain. The old edition mentions a fire tower and so do the topomaps but I think that it has been removed. Is that so?



If any of you have any info on these three hikes, please let me know. Thanks.

No info on others but Boreas is on Elk Lake Lodge property and permission is needed to climb it which usually requires being a guest of the lodge. The fire tower is gone but the view is sensational.

 

[Nessmuk]

Stillwater Mountain - on the southwest side of Stillwater Reservoir north of Eagle Bay. I went there last fall but couldn’t find the trailhead. There was a lot of posted area around there and did not want to trespass. I spent about an hour in there (never crossing into a private land) reaching a small bump hoping to see the Lookout Tower or the telephone poles that the book mentioned but I did not see any.

If any of you have any info on these three hikes, please let me know. Thanks.

I recall a number of years ago there was a trailhead sign at the place shown on the topo map. I frequent Stillwater and points directly north and east, but I come in from the east and haven't driven past Stillwater on the Big Moose Road in a while, so I can't confirm if the trailhead sign is still there. Best bet is to call John, the ranger at Stillwater, 315-376-8030.

 

[lumberzac]

That area was hit very hard by the 1995 Microburst. It’s very likely that that trail was closed due to excessive blowdown. I don’t remember seeing that trail when I hiked the Dead Creek Flow, High Falls, Oswegatchie loop a few years ago. I followed the truck trail the entire way. The trail was also rerouted and no longer goes through The Plains, but cuts around to the south.

Boreas Mountain is on private property. I’m not 100% sure, but I believe the Elk Lake Lodge owns it and you have to stay at the lodge to hike the mountain.

I’m not sure about Stillwater Mountain.

 

[WalksWithBlackflies]

I was part of a group that did some lean-to restoration work at High Falls about a month ago. There are two "High Falls" trailheads at Wanakena. The first is approximately 9.5 miles long and heads southwest, then turns southeast. The second (past tennis courts) is approximately 7.8 miles long (sign says 6.5) and heads to the Dead Creek Flow, then Glasby Creek, before reaching High Falls. I took the second trail.

The trail portion near Glasby Creek has been re-routed... instead of paralleling the creek to the north as shown on topo maps, it has been rerouted to the south and goes over the pass between points 1760 and 2101. The trail is very easy to follow.There are only two obstacles: at the first beaver dam (halfway point?), go to the right and over two parallel logs to the other side; the second beaver dam (3/4 point?) is absolutely massive, and you must cross on top.

 

[AntlerPeak]

The Stillwater Mt trail is closed, and the TH sign removed. The old trail is still there but a quarter mile in or so you reach private land and it is clearly posted at that point.

Boreas Tower had been removed and it is on Elk Lake Lodge property posted to everyone but paying guest.

 

[C.Tracy]

The Leary trail is closed. The microburst of 1995 has made this route impassable. The old "truck trail" is one way to High falls, and the other is by way of Dead creek flow to Sand hill jct. and across the Plains trail which comes to the old truck trail. Turn left, and walk about 15 to 20 mionutes to the falls. There is a group of guys who have been trying to open the Leary trail back up from the truck trail end, but to my knowledge have not achieved this monumental task yet.

 

[RoySwkr]

The Stillwater Mt trail is closed, and the TH sign removed. The old trail is still there but a quarter mile in or so you reach private land and it is clearly posted at that point.

When I climbed Stillwater a number of years ago, the trail sign was gone but the private land wasn't posted, sorry everyone is getting jumpier.

 

[Akramitis]

High Falls

Thank you all for the information.

Boreas Mountain - Most likely I will sometime in the future stay in Elk Lake Inn just to hike this mountain or perhaps ask for permission to do so without staying in the inn. Most of the times I find people are ok with letting you hike through. The worst that can happen will be for them to say no and then I would have to stay at the inn for a day or two.

Stillwater Mountain - This is on a very low priority for now. Perhaps someday, I will go back and get the name of the owner from the posted notes and see if I can get permission to climb the mountain.

High Falls - I wanted to do this last weekend but was canceled and replaced by another hike the last minute. If I can, I will try this weekend as a 2-3 day backpack trip combining it with a hike to Wolf Pond and Sand Lake.

Again, thank you all for your input.