Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain is a cliffy little mountain in the Adirondacks, about 15 miles due west of Shelburne. In this eleventh article in a series on the Adirondacks, we cover the hike to the fire tower on Poke-O-Moonshine’s summit, and give a brief overview of the rock climbing found there. The Adirondacks have plenty to offer hikers, snowshoers, backcountry skiers, cyclists, paddlers, and rock climbers. There are more than 40 summits over 4,000 feet in the High Peaks, dozens of lakes, a couple of long-distance ski trails, and many miles of lightly traveled roads. For paddling and canoe camping, the Adirondack Park ranks as one of the premier destinations in the country. Of course all this is well known to many Vermonters, but for many others, the Adirondacks, accessible as they are, are an unknown quantity.
HIKE SUMMARY
Roundtrip distance: 2.8 miles
Total time: 1-2 hours
Total elevation gain: 900 feet
Poke-O-Moonshine offers a brisk hike to an open summit with a restored fire tower. There are terrific views of Lake Champlain, Burlington, and Camel’s Hump to the east, and views of Whiteface and Giant Mountain to the west. It is a little unusual as hikes go, because it gets progressively less steep as you proceed upward. It is a very doable hike for kids, and the fire tower and the summit ledges should be ample reward for their effort. At this time of year the cabin at the top of the tower is closed, but you can still climb the tower.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
The trail leaves from the southern end of Poke-O-Moonshine Campground, on the west of US Route 9. From the campground gate, it is 0.2 miles to the actual trailhead, thus making for a total distance each way of 1.4 miles. From the sign-in kiosk, the trail starts off very steeply and continues in this mode for about 20-25 minutes until you reach a somewhat open ledge with the first views. Here, the red-blazed trail continues upward (to the left, not out along the ledge) at a more moderate angle. After about 15 minutes you reach a little dip in the ridge and the site (stone chimney) of the caretaker’s cabin. Bear right and continue upward. Just past the chimney there is an inviting slab of rock on your left that makes for a good spot to relax and enjoy the view of Whiteface. From here to the top, the trail passes through more open woods (pine and oak) as it arcs around to the north for its final approach. The last bit of trail walking is along ledge and is almost flat. Climb up the tower, relax on the open slabs, and take in the view before returning by the same route.
Note: There is a variation on the regular route (not done by this writer) that may offer some interesting scrambling. From the sharp right turn in the trail at the old stone chimney mentioned above, there is a barely discernable trail which heads upward just to the right of the main trail. This takes a more direct line to the top. If it pans out, this would provide a loop option for the upper part of the mountain. This trail is briefly mentioned in the High Peaks Region guidebook.
ROCK CLIMBING
Poke-O-Moonshine does indeed offer a fine hike, one of many great Adirondack hikes, but for rock climbing it is one of the best climbing venues in the Northeast. Most of the climbing routes are on the nearly vertical 400-foot-high Main Face that looms over the highway. Jim Lawyer and Jeremy Haas’ recently released Adirondack Rock—A Rock Climber’s Guide, devotes almost 100 pages to Poke-O’s cliffs and nearly 300 routes. The Main Face alone has 167 routes, ranging in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.13. The guide characterizes the Main Face as “the finest concentration of long, multi-pitch crack and face routes in the Adirondacks.” The beauty of Poke-O-Moonshine compared to many other Adirondack climbing areas is the short approach to the base of the routes; as little as 10 minutes. The Main Face is right above the campground.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
When approaching from the Burlington area, take the Charlotte ferry to Essex, or the ferry to Port Kent (from King St. in Burlington). From Essex, head north (right) on NY Route 22 through the village of Willsboro to US Route 9, a distance of 13 miles. Note: Don’t get on I-87 by mistake! Head left (south) on US Route 9 for about 3 miles to Poke-O-Moonshine Campground. If you opt for the Port Kent option, drive to Keeseville from Port Kent and pick up US Route 9 south. It is about 7 miles from Keeseville south to Poke-O-Moonshine. The campground is gated in the off-season, but you can park along the side of the road, off the roadway. When the campground is open, there is a day use fee for parking inside the campground area.
MORE INFO
Poke-O-Moonshine Campground phone: 518-834-9045, Regional Office: 518-897-1309, Camping fee: $14 (seasonal).
Check the Adirondack Mountain Club’s website for weather and trail conditions at www.adk.org or call 518-523-3441.
Call the High Peaks Information Center for up-to-date trail and weather information at 518-523-3518.
Contact the Lake Champlain Transportation Company for ferry times and status at www.ferries.com or 802-864-9804.
REFERENCES
High Peaks Region, 13th edition. Adirondack Mountain Club. Hiking guide published by the ADK. A topo map is included with the book.
100 Classic Hikes of the Northeast, 2nd edition by Jared Gange. Concise hike descriptions with 30 hikes in New York, 10 in Vermont, and 33 in New Hampshire.
Adirondack Rock by Jim Lawyer and Jeremy Haas. New, comprehensive rock climbing guide to the Adirondacks. www.adirondackrock.com.
Alpine Adventures, a guide service based in Keene, NY, offers guiding and instruction for rock and ice climbing, mountaineering, and backcountry skiing in the Adirondacks. For more information, call 518-576-9881 or visit their web site at www.alpineadven.com.
Jared Gange is a guidebook author and the owner of Huntington Graphics, publisher and distributor of outdoor and recreation titles for New England. He has written Guide to Vermont’s Day Hikes, Hiker’s Guide to New Hampshire and 100 Classic Hikes of the Northeast.
