Mount Colden

Mount Colden is in the High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains, New York. The mountain is known for its distinctive Trap Dyke, a large crevice running up the center of the mountain which can clearly be seen from Avalanche Lake. There are two maintained trails up Mount Colden. The first, which approaches from the northeast, passes by Lake Arnold before ascending the summit after crossing over several false peaks. The second trail, which is steeper, approaches from the southwest, starting from Lake Colden. Both approaches can reached from the popular Adirondak Loj trailhead. Finally, the summit of Mount Colden can be reached by climbing the Trap Dyke from Avalanche Lake. This approach leads to a long slide and a short bushwhack to the summit. This last approach does not follow a maintained trail, is extremely steep in places, and should be used with caution. The Trap Dyke is a challenging backcountry ski descent only in the right conditions.