Region
Highlights
- Ampersand is unique because nowhere else in the Adirondacks is there so much contrast in the views. One can look directly into the Seward Range, many of the other more distant High Peaks, but also take in the beauty of the Saranacs and the lake country.
Routes
79 climbs • 4.9 mi • 1,662 ft gain • 4 hr 43 min
3 climbs • 5.0 mi • 1,795 ft gain • 3 hr 1 min
Latest climbs

"Picture perfect day. This trail must have recently had some work done, because it's in great shape (for an ADK trail). Still steep as hell for that last mile, but it's a mountain. No bugs. Very limited mud." — ndru-virus • Jul 26, 2024

"It was a pleasant but wet accent and, as always, seems longer than the last hike there, pretty uneventful until we got a few hundred feet from the summit and it was evident that the wind had picked up immensely. Now, on the summit got some great views other than haze and a bit cloudy with the impending weather but extremely windy with 65mph wind factor that allowed us to get a few great pics then we got our butts to some lower elevations for safety sake, Then the unpredictable...we'll let me tell you the sky's opened up to a complete monsoon down pour and with the water levels on the trail increasing to an all out water falls had to be very careful on the decent. Once away from the rock scrambles, the rain lightened, and we got back to the car, complete drowned rats, lol. Complete change of clothes at the car and then into Tupperlake for nourishment." — ramjet1963 • Jun 23, 2024

"An uneventful hike out and back on a -14 to -27c on the summit with light winds but a winter wonderland hike as part of the Saranac 6er challenge, Only hiker of the day out and back recorded at register on a beautifully snowshoe packed trail" — ramjet1963 • Jan 20, 2024

"Outstanding 360 view. Clouds cleared up on our way up and skies were mostly sunny on top. Climb was 6.0 RT. Just before reaching the summit the mark trail was sketchy to ascend. They are making a new path for the last few hundred feet, donut follow the red disks. The best way is once you see the tree with the 3 color markers look right. There are trees with red spray painted dots. Follow this path. Once you get to the first big boulder go to the left. The is a small ledge with hand hold from the tree roots. Once you pass this section your on top. " — Tree2topper • Sep 26, 2022

"this hike was so much harder than I thought. It also seems to need a little break from hikers as the erosion on the trail is obvious. However, it is a lovely combination of hike in the woods to technical climbing. The summit did not disappoint, but boy did i have a potty mouth on the way up. " — mom23ADK • Aug 5, 2021

"Awesome trip with Avery, Terry, Nala, Dirk, and Laura! Dirt trail start. Step stairs up the last steep part. Water pools for Nala to drink. 360 view! Seward range, Ampersand Lake, Middle Saranac Lake, " — lfrancois • Jul 11, 2021

"Solo. List finish! Saranac 6 Winters complete. 6/6.
Started out around 0745 with one other car in the lot. I forgot you have to run across the road to start the trail and how fast people travel on said road.
It was 18° and clear and windless when I started out, the trail was well packed and flat so I bare booted for awhile, barely leaving any prints. I averaged 2.6mph on the flats. I met a little deer who was hanging around the trail. Around 1.5mi in there is a slight uphill & I stopped here to throw on my spikes. The trail had been endlessly sledded by other hikers and more resembled a bobsled chute than a trail.
When the uphill began in earnest around the beginning of the second mile I took my time, running into another solo female on her descent and we stopped and chatted for awhile. I continued on my way, the temperatures were rising and I could hear the wind picking up. I noticed the trail has been re-routed since I was here last about six years ago and followed it with interest.
As soon as I broke treeline I knew I wasn’t going to be on the summit long. I’ve rarely experienced such gale force winds. I started up a quick video to send my brother, barely able to..." — kellieirene • Mar 10, 2021

"Gorgeous Winter day, been very mild this Winter so not much snow. We used our snowshoes up but the trail is well packed and pretty bare at the summit. We came down in the snowshoes and then swapped them out for micro-spikes at the base and walked the last couple of miles in those. It was sunny and mild a great day to finish our Winter 6er on." — hbotc • Mar 7, 2020
"Kim and I were staying at Fish Creek campground for the holiday weekend and decided to hike Ampersand to watch the sunset and maybe catch the Saranac Lake fireworks from the summit. We started hiking around 7:00pm and after a nice slow climb arrived at the summit around 8:15pm. The sunset was incredible with tons of color. We were pretty far away from the fireworks, but we were still able to see them along with tons of other amateur shows. We headed down around 10:15pm and arrived back at the car just after 11:00pm. " — LGH-Tom • Jul 5, 2019
"I wanted to enjoy the views on St Regis without freezing to death this time. So I went up there first. Then drove up to do Azure. Then drove down and did Ampersand to finish my Saranac 6. Incredible mountain to finish on. " — newenglandwarrior • Jun 23, 2019