Seward Range

Difficulty:
From a distance, the Seward Range has a pleasant, almost serene appearance. The Blueberry Foot Trail that takes you from the trailhead to the base of the range is a very easy and comfortable hike. But that's where the picnic ends. The Sewards comprise some of the most strenuous hiking in the Adirondack 46, particularly as you will probably want to climb all 4 in one trip. The Blueberry Foot Trail, which is the most common route to the base of the range, is an easy and picturesque hike of 4 to 5 miles, depending on which lean-to or camping site you choose. The ground is nearly flat at the base and the terrain is dry and solid.

But the mountains are a different thing. This should not be your first hike of the year after a winter of watching NFL football and drinking beer! Warm up somewhere else; save this one for later in the season when you're fit. Plan on one full day for Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons, another day for Seymour, and probably a day to get in and one to get out depending on driving distances, times of arrival/departure, etc. Since these 3 peaks are strung out on a ridge, you have to return over the same route you went out. That makes for a very strenuous day of about 10 to 12 hours R/T for most hikers from your lean-to or tent. You will want to start early, thus an attempt to hike in from Corey's and climb these three peaks in the same day is not a practical decision for most persons with the exception of those that use the Caulkin's Brook approach to Seward which has become an increasingly popular route since the time we hiked this range originally . (Note: Hiking by headlamp is inadvisable due to steep descents that dramatically minimize a headlamp's abilities.)

The Seward Range's peaks are among the "untrailed" peaks. In the language of the Adirondack 46, that is a substantial misnomer. The 46 are so well-traveled that that there are clear or very clear trails to every one. So, "untrailed" actually means "unmarked"; there are no disks or signs, but the trail is generally clear enough that a blind man can almost follow it. Nowadays, quite frankly, the reduced traffic that untrailed peaks tend to receive actually results in better trails on these summits than on some of those that are marked, DEC maintained, and, therefore, overused and abused. In the case of the Sewards, the herd trails are in good condition, are very well defined, but are often steep or very steep, particularly the stretch from Seward down to the saddle between it and Donaldson, and the upper third of the ascent of Seward. Handholds will be as vital as footholds. The pace will often be very slow and descents can sometimes be hazardous due to frequent tripping hazards, awkward handholds, or rubble. Yet, there are no dizzying descents and there are plenty of handholds even if you have to stop and think about a few of the thornier stretches and chutes.

As for Seymour, the majority of the ascent is very steep, but it is, nevertheless, not more than a 3 hour round trip from the base. You can easily combine it into a day including your return to the trailhead at Corey's.

Finding Lean-to's, Camping Sites, Cairns, and Trails:
We use the McMartin guidebook and both the McMartin and ADK maps. In the case of the Seward Range, these were somewhat confusing regarding information on lean-to's, and what is where, in general. But... we've now got it figured out!

First of all, there are 4 lean-to's that are very well positioned to serve the entire Seward Range. All of these are located on either the Blueberry Foot Trail (BFT) or the Ward Brook Truck Trail (WBTT):

All lean-to's are on dry, flat ground allowing the possibility for numerous tents. While we were there, there were 12 cars parked at the trailhead and we found Blueberry and Ward Brook lean-to's taken and all available tent space chock-a-block with tents. We decided to move on to Camp Four and found one lean-to free, the other taken, and 1 tent. Based on that data, if you want or need a lean-to, you should plan on a very early start from the trailhead to beat the later arrivals or choose a weekday for your trip. As a thumb rule, you should have a good shot at getting a lean-to at Camp Four if there are less than 10 cars at the trailhead. If there are more than 5 cars, and you want to use Blueberry or Ward Brook lean-to's, better bring a tent.

Finding the Lean-to's on the Maps: If you have the two-sided Barbara McMartin Tyvek™ map entitled "Eastern High Peaks" on its front and "Western High Peaks" on its rear the map shows all 4 lean-tos as black specks positioned in their correct location with respect to the trail and mountains. You have to look VERY closely, perhaps with a magnifying glass, to spot them! First, spot the tiny black dotted line (not McMartin's normal red, dotted trail line) that signifies the BFT and/or the solid black line that marks the WBTT, then look along them to find the VERY tiny rectangles that are the lean-to's. These are accurately placed.

The ADK map does not cover Corey's trailhead but does cover the Seward Range. The red lean-to symbols on this map are accurately placed.

Water:
Those hiking Seward-Donaldson-Emmons from Blueberry Trail must make special provision for water. Last water is very likely going to be in the final ascent of Seward, where, bit by bit, the brook you follow runs out, yet you still have a considerable hike out to Emmons and back. Our solution was to carry hydration units in our Camelback and Platypus daypacks, but even these were insufficient... although we'd found them ample on every other hike for the past several years. We supplemented the hydration units with a Scoop-and-Fill bottle filter by Sweetwater. It turned out that we needed it! Be careful!

If you run out of water, it would likely happen somewhere on the way back to Seward from Emmons. We found that on the return climb up Seward from Donaldson there was enough water dripping among the boulders that we could fill a quart bottle in 3 or 4 minutes.

Notes:
When you arrive at what appears to be Donaldson's summit (nice flat expanse of rock, beautiful views...) you will notice there is no sign. Ergo, it is not the summit! Take some pictures, but keep going on the trail until you come to a large boulder on your left right up against the trail. Climb it. That is the summit.

A Special Note: The Calkins Brook Route to Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons from John, a contributor to Adirondack Journey

Aside from the route described on this page, there are other unmarked routes to the summits of the Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons ridge. One of these is an ascent of Emmons by the slide on its E face (which we do not cover, although the McMartin guidebook does), and the other is the Calkins Brook Trail, an approach up Seward's west slope.

To take the Calkins brook trail you head out from the trailhead parking area as per normal and watch for a road that crosses both the Blueberry Foot Trail and the horse trail. (It is shown on the ADK map as a road, but is not numbered. The McMartin guidebook and map assigns it #27.)

Here is what John has to say about the Calkins Brook route. He has provided excellent detail. We have edited it slightly.

"My daughter and I just hiked this route to the Seward Range yesterday. There is now a cairn on your left at the intersection of the road and the herd path. [Edit: the herd path is, therefore, not beside the brook when the herd path intersects the road.]

"Shortly after the herd path comes to Calkins Brook for the first time, walkers need to cross the brook even though there is a discernable path that follows the brook without crossing it. There are cairns on both sides. You don't stay near the brook after the first 15 minutes on the trail. I couldn't even hear the brook after 20 minutes. The herd path goes much further south.

"Many small creeks cross the trail. No problem with water until you're almost at the ridge. The intersection with the Seward-Emmons herd path is flagged with pink ribbon. [Edit: True in 2004, but don't count on it as time goes by.]

"The trail itself is really nice! Most of it is walking on soft dirt, virtually no rocks, and not that much mud considering all the rain this summer. You walk through fragrant evergreens. As soon as you start back down again after the walking on the ridge herd path, you really appreciate its beauty. Probably it's such a nice trail because it's used so little."

"Even the walk on the road is nice - unlike the roads leading to Allen, this road is shaded and grassy. It was fast, too - It took us 3:15 to walk from the parking lot up to the herd path intersection [Edit: intersection of the Seward-Donaldson herd path with the Calkins Brk herd path], and 2:55 to walk from the herd path intersection to the parking lot.

"Hikers using this trail can easily do the Sewards (without Seymour) as a day-hike on a par with Allen or Redfield; and can also do just Donaldson and Emmons as a "not- difficult-at-all" day-hike.

Adirondack Journey thanks Jerry Bond for these excellent photos of the Calkins Brook route to Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons.

Trail Maps:
The trail maps below overlap. They cover the entire hike from Corey's to the lean-to at Camp Four, and to the summits of all four peaks of the Seward Range.

Access to the Seward Range: Corey's Road Trailhead off NYS Route 3
1	From the junction of Routes 30 and 3 in downtown Tupper Lake, drive E on Rte 3 for 8.0 miles. Or from the junction of Routes 86 and 3 in Saranac Lake, drive 12.5 miles W on Rte 3. Look for the usual brown and yellow NYSDEC sign that identifies Corey's Road. It will be on the right coming from Tupper Lake and on the left coming from Saranac Lake. Turn onto Corey's Road and drive 5.7 miles to the Seward Mountain Trailhead marked by this sign. (Corey's Road is safe for any passenger type vehicles.) It's a big sign and a big parking lot, but if, by chance, you pass it by you will shortly find the road ahead barred by a locked gate, and be forced to turn around.
2	The sign as you would see it approaching on Corey's Rd. The right turn is into the parking lot.
3	Acres and acres of free parking! Okay... maybe an acre.
4	Sign-in register.
Access to the Seward Range: Blueberry Foot Trail (ADK #129, McM #25) and Ward Brook Truck Trail (ADK #128, McM #25)
5	The Blueberry Foot Trail takes you past the base of Seward and Seymour, intersecting, consecutively, the herd path to each. It passes, also, all lean-tos and tenting sites.
6
7
8
9	Intersection of the horse and foot trails. Turn right here to follow the horse trail SSW for Calkins Creek (marked as a brook on the topo maps). Or stay straight and continue on the Blueberry Foot Trail for Ward Brook Lean-to as well as all the other lean-to's (top sign). The private property sign refers to the Ampersand property that lies ahead. In fact, the Blueberry Foot Trail that we're on borders the Ampersand property over about half its length. Frequent private property signs will remind us of that.
10	At 1.2 miles from the trailhead this trail sign appears on the Blueberry Foot Trail at a junction with a DEC maintenance road.
11	Blueberry Foot Trail
12	The beaver dams on Blueberry Foot Trail
13	Bridge over a tributary flowing into Ward Brook off Seward Mtn's west slope.
14	End of Blueberry Foot Trail at intersection with the Ward Brook Truck Trail. We've passed the Blueberry lean-to and are yet to encounter Ward Brook lean-to or the Camp Four (here called the Number Four) lean-to's.
15	On the Ward Brook Truck Trail. Across the bridge is the cairn that marks the herd path to the summit of Seward Mtn. This is the typical positioning for the cairns that mark the principal herd paths; they're next to the brook that the herd path follows and just off the Ward Brook Truck Trail fairly close to the bridge. Note that the bridges are in outstanding condition. The Ward Brook Truck Trail provides hikers and DEC access to the Ranger Station at Duck Hole. (No private vehicles permitted.) We continued onward past the Ward Brook lean-to and on to the Camp Four lean-to's. These proved to have an outstanding setting in an open glade. Worth the additional walk
Day 2: Ascent of Seward (McM #28)
16	The hike from the cairn to Seward's summit is a moderate to steep climb that crosses Seward Brook a number of times. The path is easy to discern. Occasionally, alternate paths exist, usually to skirt mud or blow-down. As the climb continues the birch gives way to conifers which make the going a little more difficult.
17	Typical herd path hiking during the lower half of the Seward ascent.
18	The occasional mud hole during the ascent of Seward. As herd path go, these are steeper and muddier than most. There are quite a few opportunities to break an arm or leg. Coming back down is worse.
19	The trail follows this brook toward Seward's summit until the brook runs out.
20	The brook on Seward's ascent.
21	During the last half of the ascent of Seward, the brook fails and the trail becomes increasingly rocky and steep. Obviously, this trail is not hard to spot. Throughout the ascent of Seward and even on the summits there are few competing herd paths.
22	Short climbs on the ascents of both Seward and Seymour abound. This one is typical.
23	The headwall almost at the summit. Well after leaving the source of Seward Brook behind, this short headwall is reached. In terms of altitude, is barely below the summit, but it is a 10 minute walk over to the summit itself once you find the spot where you scale the headwall. But we're getting ahead of ourselves; once you reach the headwall (where this photo was taken), turn left (the direction the camera is pointing) and walk until the headwall can be easily climbed. You'll see where others have scaled it, but select the spot where a lot of traffic has passed upwards---that's where the trail will resume. If you climb the headwall too early, you'll have to hunt for the trail above.
24	Once atop the headwall it's a bumpy 10 minute walk to the sign on the summit of Seward. Two members of the Adirondack Journey troupe atop Seward. UPDATE: All summit signs have been removed. Generally, you will find a trail disc pounded into a nearby tree to mark the summit.
25	Northerly views predominate at the summit.
26	From Seward's summit
27	Emmons (left) and Donaldson (right) from Seward
Seward to Donaldson (McM #28)
28	The descent from Seward into the saddle between it and Donaldson is rugged and steep. It hugs the E side of the ridge. The trail narrows and conifers close in tighter around you. Footing can be difficult.
29	View back toward Seward from the descent between Seward and Donaldson. This is an outcropping to the WSW from Seward's summit. Shows clearly on the metric USGS map. Much less accurately displayed on the older English system USGS map.
30	Same outcropping as above. The trail is running straight south in order to get low on the E side of the ridge out to Donaldson.
31	Looking SE out toward Couchsachraga of the Santanonis. The Sewards and the Santanonis share the distinction of being the most remote of the High Peaks.
32	Donaldson and, to its left, Emmons from down in the saddle between Seward and Donaldson.
33	Emmons and its slide as seen from the saddle of Seward-Donaldson. There is a herd path from Cold River up this slide.
34	Unidentifiable view from Donaldson
35	W from Donaldson. In these next few photos, we think we're on Donaldson's summit, but don't yet know that we aren't. There was no summit sign, but then, there hadn't been one on Marshall or Tabletop when we were there earlier in 2001. We would discover the summit on the way back after climbing Emmons.
36	NW view from promontory at W side of Donaldson.
37	N view from Donaldson. Seward's W flank is at right.
38	Seward from Donaldson. The rock outcropping 8 photos above is clearly visible.
Donaldson to Emmons (McM #28)
39	The descent from Donaldson as we start out for Emmons. The descent is short and takes us over to the W side of the ridge which we will follow, always staying W, to Emmons' summit.
40	A few chutes en route to Emmons.
41	Emmons ahead! The descent off Donaldson is not much. Now we've moved over to the west side of the ridge which we will follow to Emmons gradually climbing back to the ridge's center. We've found from long experience that the best pick-me-up on these trips is a product called Gu. We've each been using it for at least 2 years. Each of us carry 6-8 ketchup-sized aluminum foil packets of Gu in our pocket. A packet can't weigh much more than an ounce! This stuff is INDISPENSABLE out here.
42	Mid-afternoon after an early start and we're only halfway. Now we have to retrace our steps every inch of the way. Another route back from here might have been a descent of the Emmons slide and a return to our lean-to via the Northville-Placid Trail and Ward Brook Truck Trail. We saw no intersection with a trail that would have taken us to the slide and it was never our intention, in any case. ALL SUMMIT SIGNS HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
43	Emmons Summit
44	"My pipe, slippers, and smoking jacket, if you please, Sir!"
Return from Emmons (McM #28)
45	Seward from Donaldson. On our return route, we discovered when passing over Donaldson, that we had mistaken the location of Donaldson's summit on our outbound segment. Earlier photos from Donaldson had been from a nice promontory that sure looked like a summit, but was NOT the summit, explaining why there had not been a summit sign. We found a very large boulder (10 feet tall?) standing all alone on the side of the trail which turned out to be the real summit. Sign included!
46	Hey! We found it, the large boulder standing next to the trail, atop which is the summit of Donaldson. ALL SUMMIT SIGNS HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
47	Seymour from Donaldson summit. The summit of Donaldson looks generally E. It's the usual large boulder that one has to work a bit to climb.
48	E from Donaldson summit.
49	Water can be a major issue on the circuit of Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons. This is particularly true if you take the traditional route from Blueberry Trail (as opposed to the newer, easier Calkins Brook route). We each carried large hydration units that have always been adequate on any other range. As a back-up we carried a scoop-and-fill filter and drank from it until we left water behind early in the day before summiting Seward. In spite of that, two of us were out of water by the time we had returned to the Donaldson-Seward col on the way back. Fortunately, we found a trickle of water and filled the scoop filter. This shot got us over the top.

Day 3: Ascent of Seymour Mtn (McM #31)
50	The trail up Seymour Mtn was steeper than that on Seward Mtn. The trail stays to the right of a narrow slide; i.e., it is not on the slide but usually within sight of it. You do have the option of climbing the slide rather than hiking the trail. Neither is particularly difficult, but the slide is more conducive to a fall and if you fall you are more apt to get a few cuts and bruises before you stop rolling... so we saw no compelling reason to mess with the slide.
51	Near the summit of Seymour
52	Seymour's summit.
53	A promontory near Seymour's summit.
54	View north from the promontory.
55	View to the SE toward the Santanoni Range from Seymour.
56	Seward, Donaldson, and Emmons (R-to-L) from Seymour.
57	Moving left. Donaldson and Emmons from Seymour
58	Looking down from the promontory.
59	Seymour. (Note that the sign shown in the photo has been replaced by a new sign which is about 15 feet up in the tree.)
60
61	Looking south from Seymour
62	The descent of Seymour, though shorter than that of Seward, seems more difficult. This slide is one option and may be easier than following the trail which runs alongside it.