Saddleback Mountain (Keene, New York)

Saddleback Mountain
Saddleback Mountain as seen from the southwest during the ascent of Basin
Highest point
Elevation	4,515 ft (1,376 m) NGVD 29[1]
Listing	Adirondack High Peaks 17th[2]
Coordinates	44°7.60′N 73°52.51′W[3]
Geography
Saddleback Mountain Location of Saddleback Mountain within New York Show map of New York Adirondack Park Saddleback Mountain Saddleback Mountain (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Keene, Essex County, New York
Parent range	Great Range
Topo map	USGS Keene Valley / Mount Marcy
Climbing
First ascent	August 5, 1894, by Newell Martin[4]
Easiest route	Hike

Saddleback Mountain is a mountain in the Great Range of the Adirondacks in the U. S. state of New York. It is the 17th-highest of the Adirondack High Peaks, with an elevation of 4,515 feet (1,376 m). It is located in Adirondack Park in the town of Keene in Essex County. The mountain was named for the outline of its ridge, which resembles a saddle, by Orson Schofield Phelps and Frederick Perkins.^[4] It is flanked by Basin Mountain, the ninth highest of the High Peaks, and Gothics, the tenth highest. Good views of the two higher mountains are offered from the summit of Saddleback.^[4] The mountain straddles the watersheds of Johns Brook and the Ausable River.^[4] The earliest recorded ascent was made by amateur climber Newell Martin on August 5, 1894. It was claimed that an earlier ascent was made by patent lawyer James J. Storrow and mountain guide Orlando Beede, but the date of this climb is unknown.^[4]

The State Range Trail travels over the summit of Saddleback. Beginning at the Garden parking lot west of Keene Valley, the Phelps Trail travels 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to the Johns Brook Lodge. The State Range Trail begins at the lodge and continues 3.1 miles (5.0 km) to the col between Gothics and Saddleback, then turns up Saddleback for the final 0.6 miles (0.97 km) to the top. The saddle-shaped ridge between the two peaks is 0.2 miles (0.32 km).^[5] Saddleback can also be hiked as part of a complete hike of the Great Range.^[6]

l to r: Gothics, Saddleback, Basin (in cloud); Big Slide (right middleground) — from Cascade

See also

• Adirondack High Peaks
• List of mountains in New York
• Northeast 111 4,000-footers
• Adirondack Forty-Sixers

References

1. Goodwin, Tony, ed. (2021). Adirondack trails. High peaks region (15th ed.). Adirondack Mountain Club. pp. 286–287. ISBN 9780998637181.
2. "The Peaks – Adirondack 46ers". adk46er.org. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
3. "Saddleback Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
4. Carson, Russell M. L. (1927). Peaks and People of the Adirondacks. Garden City: Doubleday. p. 117. ISBN 9781404751200.
5. Goodwin, Tony, ed. (2021). Adirondack trails. High peaks region (15th ed.). Adirondack Mountain Club. pp. 38–39, 48–49. ISBN 9780998637181.
6. Goodwin, Tony, ed. (2021). Adirondack trails. High peaks region (15th ed.). Adirondack Mountain Club. pp. 52–53. ISBN 9780998637181.

External links

• Peakbagger.com: Saddleback Mountain
• Summitpost.org: Saddleback Mountain