Seymour
View from near the summit
Yesterday was sunny and beautiful, so I decided to take the day off from work to spend it with Seymour. After a long ride to Tupper Lake and a bumpy journey down Coreys Road, I signed the trail register at 7:30 a.m. and was on my way. I’d been looking forward to hiking this one solo for awhile. I love hiking with other people, but sometimes it’s nice to move at your own pace and enjoy the solitude of the woods.
About 25 minutes in I realized I’d forgotten both my gaiters and my pole in the trunk. I couldn’t justify wasting all that time by turning around, so I kept moving forward. Though there was less mud and water than the last time I was in the Sewards, the trails are still pretty messy. The gaiters would have been nice, and the pole might have come in handy for testing muck depth. I took a boot-soaking misstep at the beginning of the Seymour herd path and caught the same spot on the way down, even though I had been carefully looking to avoid it.
The Ward Brook truck trail is a mostly flat walk in, pretty at this time of year with the leaves just starting to change colors. It’s a 5 mile walk in to the cairn marking the start of the Seymour herd path, just beyond the Ward Brook lean-to. The Blueberry lean-to is encountered first, at about 3.5 miles. Between the two shelters is the cairn that marks the path to Seward. I met someone near the Seymour summit who had been attempting to hike Seward but took the wrong path. He was making the most of it and enjoying the day.
I thought the Seymour slide was a lot of fun! I had been nervous about it, not knowing exactly what to expect. It’s definitely steep and challenging in some spots, but is also totally doable. I used my arms more on this hike than any other, I think. It seemed to go on forever on the way up, and seemed shorter on the way down – I guess I might have been moving a little more confidently, being that I’d already worked through the challenges. I liked Seymour’s summit; it’s wooded, but open with a ridge-line feel to it. The view from the overlook a little walk away is a must-see. I stayed up top for about a half hour, and probably would have stayed longer if not for the impending 3-hour drive home on a school night.
I signed out a little before 6pm, after a peaceful day. With the exception of my painfully blistered feet, I really enjoyed every minute of it.
Along the Ward Brook truck trail
More Ward Brook truck trail
Ward Brook lean-to
Starting up the Seymour herd path
After offering a tantalizing view through the trees for a stretch, the slide finally meets the path.
Lovely blue skies through the trees
More slide
My camera setting was off – sorry all my images are glowing white. The summit.
View from near the summit
View from overlook about a tenth of a mile from summit
Yeah, that’s a fresh bear print…
Adirondack46er 
Yeahhh! You did it. one to go !!
🙂
Congrats! Those boots looked like mine did after their dunking on Dix! Now it really is close! Any idea which weekend, yet or is it weather dependent?
Thanks, Karen! I was hoping to make those boots stretch until the end but no such luck. I’ll be enjoying a blistery walk up and down Colden. 🙂 Will send you an email about the details.
Looks nice. Would be so cool if you could do number 46 during a peak foliage weekend. Some of the photos show the colors starting. This has to be the perfect time of year for hiking up there.
I’m hoping for nice fall colors for the final hike – fingers crossed. It’s been a beautiful end of summer so far – hope the weather continues into fall.
Beautiful pictures and what great views!! Nothing like getting away from everything and just enjoying the beauty that surrounds you.
Thanks, Bernice! So much beauty in these mountains – I feel lucky to be close enough to visit them often.
Wow just one more left! Amazing job Pru… Looking forward to reading the last of the 46er climb. This adventure has been such a journey! Thanks for sharing it in your blog. What’s next???