“Believe me, the view is worth the effort.” Those words of encouragement came from Lake George Land Conservancy volunteer Bill Hoffman as he led a group of hikers up The Pinnacle Trail in Bolton Landing Tuesday morning. The hike was one of 21 guided hikes offered as part of the organization’s 10th Annual Hike-A-Thon.
Conservancy Outreach Manager Sarah Hoffman (no relation to Bill) says that about 700 people registered to participate in the 2022 Hike-A-Thon, either joining on a guided hike, a paddle through the Northwest Bay Brook marsh, or a virtual hike. With the virtual hike option, an option that allowed the Hike-A-Thon to continue during the pandemic, hikers choose their own path and post photos on social media.
Two dozen hikers, spanning all age groups, followed Bill up The Pinnacle Red Trail, which is rated as a “moderate” difficulty level. The 1.5-mile hike to the summit had a few steep sections, with switchbacks on the trail, which eased some of the climb. The lower trail is wide and passes through a hemlock wood thick with ferns and dark under the canopy. The path narrows as climbers near the summit with birch and other hardwoods allowing in more light.
The Pinnacle preserve is a 73-acre tract on the West side of Lake George. It was purchased by the Land Conservancy with donations and sold to the town of Bolton in 2015. The sale included a conservation easement to protect the land from development. The Pinnacle Preserve lands are part of the Finkle Brook Watershed, a major tributary of Lake George.
According to Bill, The Pinnacle is one of the most popular trails among those maintained by the Conservancy, and one hiker in the group commented that it perhaps requires the least amount of hiking of any trail that leads to such a spectacular view of Lake George. The trail, round trip, is about three miles and can be completed in less than 2 hours. Most of the Hike-A-Thon group reached the summit in 40 minutes where they took a break to enjoy a view that overlooked the lake and its islands both north and south with Buck Mountain, Pilot Knob, and other prominent peaks along the lake’s Eastern Shore in plain view.
The Hike-A-Thon, held each July, is one of several activities hosted by the Lake George Land Conservancy as part of an outreach program to make more people aware of the organization’s work. A not-for-profit land trust, the Conservancy works to protect the waters of Lake George by protecting lands in the Lake George Watershed.
Following the hike, participants were invited to the Hike-A-Thon afterparty held at the Bolton Community Center on Edgecomb Pond Road in Bolton. The party included food, drinks, live music and children’s activities. Hike-A-Thon registrants receive a goody bag at the start of the hike that includes a Hike-A-Thon t-shirt. There is no charge to join a hike, however, donations further the conservation efforts of the Land Conservancy. Those interested in joining next year’s Hike-A-Thon can expect registration to open in March.
Photos: Hike-A-Thon 2022 at The Pinnacle
