Sawteeth with its serrated silhouette is just left of center.  

25 Photos

Route:

  • A loop on AMR land starting from Route 73.
  • Ascent of Sawteeth.

Peak View Rankings       Printable Sawteeth

Difficulty:  
This hike begins as an easy 4.2 mile hike along the Ausable Club's "Lake Road" across AMR land from the DEC parking lot on Rte 73 near the Ausable Club to the start of the Scenic Trail near the Boathouse.  (Visit a description of the Lake Road.)  The ascent of Sawteeth via Scenic Trail is difficult and strenuous.  It is steep to very steep.  Trail condition is excellent.  The descent is moderate via the Alfred E. Weld trail.  Here the trail is excellent and not particularly steep.  Return to the Ausable Club via the easy to moderate East River Trail.

Views Rating:  OUTSTANDING
Sawteeth has two very different sorts of views depending on which side of the summit you happen to be on.  On the SE or lake side of the peak there are excellent views of the Ausable Lakes and Colvin Range that persist from early in the ascent all the way up.  

Once over the top you are presented with views of the Great Range less than a half mile to the north.  These are outstanding, bordering on fantastic views that take in much of the Great Range with dramatic close-ups of the slides and anorthosite rock faces of Basin, Pyramid, and Gothics.  

 Overview:  
This is an excellent hike which provides access to some of the finest views in the Adirondacks.  "Scenic Trail" which ascends Sawteeth is where the views are.  The trail lives up to its name---no question!  You have three routes to choose from to get to the Scenic trail from the DEC parking lot.  We chose to take the fastest, easiest route, Lake Road, to travel in from the Gate at the Ausable Club to Scenic trail.  We returned via the East River trail, which parallels Lake Road and is much more interesting, but slower than Lake Road.  ERT affords views of the "canyons" (an extravagant exaggeration found in one guide book) through which the Ausable River runs.  A number of falls and rapids can also be viewed.  A third option, not covered here, is West River trail.  Like the East River trail and Lake Road this trail parallels the Ausable River, but takes a more mountainous course that, offers negligible mountain views, but provides a terrific Middle Earth sort of elflike wonderland of mushrooms, ferns, and other plant "stuff" that a botanist can explain, but I can't.  Take my word for it, the West River Trail is worthwhile!  

The hike up Sawteeth via Scenic Trail is steep, but worth every drop of sweat.  Periodically, during the climb, the trail conveniently detours to numbered overlooks that provide impressive views of the Colvin Range and the Ausable Lakes.  Bring a camera.  Even so, the real pay-off is just past the summit which you will reach only after considerable up and down hiking, traversing the "teeth" of Sawteeth.  These are an interesting departure from the continuous upward slope of most mountains; surely there is no other mountain in the Adirondacks that provides quite the variety offered by Sawteeth.

The view from the summit of Sawteeth is highly rated many experienced hikers dating back into the 19th Century. This acclaim comes from its spectacular close-up view of the Great Range, particularly the awesome slides that have increased in number and length since Hurricane Floyd.  I rate it one of the top three in the category of "bare rock views", taking into consideration the magnificent views of Mt. Colden offered by Algonquin Peak, and the the view of the Great Range from Mt. Colvin.  

Trip Alternatives: 
If you are fit, ready for a long day, and want to turn this into a loop recognized by some as the most scenic in the Adirondacks, then try the following variation on the above route.  
  1. Ascend Sawteeth via Scenic Trail as above, but  continue up Pyramid, then Gothics.  Some call this the most spectacular loop in the Adirondacks.  Sawteeth, in particular, is spectacular. 
  2. The hike will gain in credibility if, when you intersect the Range Trail near Gothics' summit, you head as though for Saddleback, but only far enough to stand in the open atop Gothics' western slope for the view of the Upper Range.
  3. From there retrace your steps, but remain on the Lower Range Trail which takes you over Armstrong and Upper Wolf Jaw into the saddle between Upper and Lower Wolf Jaws.  
  4. From the saddle descend to the Ausable Club.   


Trailhead Info for this Ascent:  Ausable Club

Sawteeth USGS Trail Maps 

Maps intersect as shown.  Hike in on Lake Road in lower right corner of Map 1.  Go to AMR for complete maps of Lake Road.  Above Lake Road on west side of Ausable River is the East River Trail.  It crosses to the east side on bridge shown. Copy of Map1.jpg (278411 bytes) Map 1
Scenic Trail follows the west shore of Lower Ausable Lake for 0.7 miles, then turns NW to begin the ascent of Sawteeth.  From summit, descend via the Weld Trail which head easterly returning to the river.  Return on ERT. Copy of Map2.jpg (289825 bytes) Map2

 

Please read these
IMPORTANT NOTES, TERMS OF USE, and DISCLAIMERS 

 

 Hike from DEC Parking on Rte 73 across AMR via Lake Road (ADK #25) to the start of the Scenic Trail (ADK #36 & #37, McM #97) 
 Sawteeth_fm_AC.jpg (49556 bytes)
 First view of Sawteeth from the Ausable Club
1

Leaving the DEC parking lot on Rte 73 on foot, one walks about 0.9 miles across the Ausable Club's grounds to the wooden Gate (below) which is entry point to the AMR.  As you pass the golf course, if you look to your left this view of Sawteeth appears.
 

Ausable_Club.jpg (31932 bytes)
Ausable Club
2

 

 The photo above and this one to the left were taken from about the same spot. Walking across these immaculate grounds one feels a bit awkward.  While we enjoy the beauty of the place, it is nice to get past the Gate and onto the Lake Road. 

 
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Trailhead to the AMC
3 		Sign in here, within sight of the lodge above, then proceed about 50 yds to the Gate below.  Home free!

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Photo courtesy of Elaine Serafini
4

          

This beautifully designed and constructed gate in the Adirondack style separates the Ausable Club's pristine grounds in St. Huberts from the Adirondack Mountain Reserve (AMR).  The Lake Road, East River Trail, and West River Trail run parallel to one another and to the Ausable River from here to their end at Lower Ausable Lake.                               
 

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 Lake Road
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  Lake Road has its moments.  One is the small dam on Gill Brook alongside the road. 

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 Courtesy of Kevin Rooney
7

  

Lake Road ends at the Boathouse which is at the foot of Lower Ausable Lake and just to the left of this picture about 100 yds.  According to the metric USGS map the Ausable Lakes are themselves a part of the Ausable River, more particularly, the East Branch of the Ausable River.  The photo is taken from the wooden bridge that spans the river by Kevin Rooney, a guy who takes better pictures than me. 

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 Dam on Lake Road
6


 Ascent of Sawteeth via the Scenic Trail (McM #97,  ADK #36 & #37) 

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Indian Head from
Scenic Trail
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Scenic Trail follows the north lakeshore of Lower Ausable Lake from the dam southwards until, after about 0.7 miles it turns west to begin the ascent of Sawteeth.  This section along the lake is quite pleasant, not the least for the excellent views of the opposite bank and the cliffs of Indian Head and Fish Hawk Cliffs.  This photo clearly shows the origin of Indian Head's name. 

 Rooney_Lower Ausable L 1.gif (742904 bytes) 
Lower Ausable Lake
9

 

 This is another photo taken by a contributor to Adirondack Journey, Kevin Rooney.  
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Lower Ausable Lake Shoreline from
Scenic Trail
10  

 

 The Scenic Trail runs south about 0.5 miles along the shoreline of  Lower Ausable Lake from its junction with the Weld Trail near the dam to its abrupt turn to the West where it begins its steep ascent of Sawteeth.  Lovely views of the lake are abundant.  Some, such as this one, remind us that the sun on the water creates a miniature beauty in a land of majesty.
 Photo courtesy of Elaine Serafini, Albany Chapter, ADK 

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Lower Ausable Lake
 from Overlook #2
11

 

 There are four or five overlooks, that are either on Scenic Trail or off short spurs.  This view of the lake is from the second overlook.  Note the rowboat in the shadow of Blake Peak.
 trail1.jpg (81521 bytes)
Scenic Trail
12

 

  Overall, Scenic Trail is very steep, however switchbacks and the up and down of the humps that form the "teeth" make for a number of level and downhill stretches.  Note the even, earthen foundation of the trail as opposed to the usual washed-out rocky trails that many describe hundreds of High Peak trails in the Adirondacks.  This is typical of AMR trails which seem to be very well maintained by ATIS.

 

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Colvin & Blake from
Scenic Trail Overlook
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 A good view of two members of the 46 that are unspectacular to look at except for their steep flanks that drop into the Ausable Lakes.  

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 Devastation on Noonmark
14

 

  

In 1999 a careless camper started a fire on the west slope of Noonmark.  The damage is visible in this photo.  Noonmark is the pointy peak dead-center in the photo.  Behind it from left to right are Giant Mtn and Rocky Ridge.  In front and to the right of Noonmark is flat Bear Den Mtn and the gradual slope that runs off the photo on its right border is Dial.

 

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Colvin Range
15

 

Blake rises on the left.  Most of the hill from center to right are unnamed.  Only Pinnacle, the tiny knob well right of center is named.
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Scenic Trail approaching summit
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 		A typical trail segment on the Scenic Trail to Sawteeth's summit. Panorama_L.jpg (49661 bytes)
Panorama 1 from Sawteeth summit WNW
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 Marcy is in the far distance at the left.  Basin is in the center and Saddleback is the peak to the right.  Notice that you can see the front and the back of the saddle, but they are almost lined up front to back at this angle.

 
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Panorama 2 from Sawteeth summit facing Northwest 
18 		Now Saddleback is in center.  Gothics' lower peak appears to the right, but in front of Gothics, showing enormous bare rock is Pyramid.  Panorama_R.jpg (57868 bytes)
Panorama 3
 from Sawteeth summit facing West
19  		Here is the view to the west.  At the left, the the lower peak of Gothics and its true summit is just behind Pyramid.  Armstrong is to the right just before the spruce trees obstruct the view. 

 Descent from Sawteeth via Alfred E. Weld Trail (ADK #35, McM #95);  return via East River Trail (ADK #26, McM #73) 

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Intersection of Scenic Trail with Weld Trail
20 

 Continuing on from summit of Sawteeth on Scenic Trail, it intersects the Weld Trail in the col between Sawteeth and Pyramid.  We followed Weld back down to AMR property and the East River Trail for the last leg of our loop. Rainbow_Falls1.jpg (39267 bytes)
Rainbow Falls
21

 

 Descending Weld Trail you can't miss Rainbow Falls which is located on near the lower end of Weld trail.  Probably several hundred feet high overall, the trail passes its canyon more than half the way up the falls' height and, while you can't see much of it in this photograph, the view downwards from where the hiker is standing is perhaps 150 feet.  We saw two climbers with ropes, etc. at the bottom of the canyon.
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 Rainbow Falls
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 		  One of the more accessible falls, Rainbow is well known.  You can view it from the Weld trail as shown here, or you can take the West Side Trail and look for a trail sign that points to the scenic route.  This passes the falls at a point directly in front of it, higher up than shown here.. East_River_Trail.jpg (68583 bytes)
 East River Trail 
at Lower Lake 
23

 

       East River Trail starts approximately here and returns to the Gate at the Ausable Club.  The East River Trail follows the Ausable River affording frequent pleasant views of the flowing water.  Sheer rock walls often accompany you, but the walking is easy: a 500 ft elevation drop, 3.3 mi, and about 2 hours. 
Beaver_Meadows.jpg (54455 bytes)
Ausable River at Beaver Meadows on East River Trail 
24

 

 My favorite view on East River Trail, looking upstream.  In the background is Sawteeth.  After this point the river descends more rapidly and changes to rapids. Falls_on_ERT.jpg (51908 bytes)
Falls on 
East River Trail
25		 From the ERT, this was the most interesting site to be seen.  Often the trail did not follow close to the river.  We wonder what we might have seen had we left the trail to follow the river itself along its entire route from the Lower Lake dam to the Ausable Club.
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This page was last updated 09/11/06 08:28:31 PM