September 30, 2026 — Every trip up to the Adirondacks, I always try to lock in a new High Peak if possible. The weather on this trip was throwing a major wrench into my plans, because there was no way I was hiking up Pyramid and Gothics if the summit were to be socked in with clouds. I had driven up a few days ago, escaping the Nor'easter that was pounding Long Island, and the storm system quickly worked its way up to the Adirondacks. I was anxiously checking the Mountain Forecast each day looking for the perfect opportunity to lock this hike in. After all, I was only doing easy hikes up the whole time I was up here, trying to save my legs for this. When I saw the perfect window open up, I was able to get an AMR permit the day before. The reality of a serious hike began to loom on me, and I finally went back into a serious mindset that had been very much lacking so far on this trip. The hike begins at the AMR lot, the same one used to reach Indian Head. After walking a couple of miles along the paved (and then dirt) road, you will spur off towards Beaver Meadow via the East River Trail, quickly connecting over to the West River Trail. The West River Trail section is not that steep, but is still quite rugged and requires mild route finding at times to avoid moving over even more rugged terrain. The river is always close by on your left as you work your way towards the A.W. Weld Trail. Once you reach the A.W. Weld Trail, the hike steepens significantly. For roughly 2 miles, the trail is mostly just steep Class 1 hiking, but you will encounter the "infamous slab" (44.12204240122644, -73.85238054073945) where the scrambling really kicks in. With the recent weather in the area, the slab and much of the scrambling near the summits of Pyramid and Gothics were over wet rock. At first glance, this slab can appear daunting because it is quite steep and flat. My Hokas are very grippy even over wet rock, so I just powered my way up this slab without any issue. The rest of the way up Pyramid involved a strong mix of hiking and scrambling, but was otherwise straightforward. Apparently people do miss the lookout from Pyramid, which is located at 44.123660463107036, -73.85620999999985. When I arrived here, the views within the valley below were socked in by clouds. The views were impressive, and I opted to wait about 15 minutes to see if the fog would shift or burn out. My patience paid off, and I was rewarded with amazing views of the fall colors in the valley below, and the daunting granite of Gothics. After enjoying the views at Pyramid, I worked my towards Gothics. I was a bit demotivated by the initial descent along the ridgeline towards Gothics, but my experience on other peaks reminded me that the vertical gain remaining was not as bad as it looked. Most of the hard work had already been done. There was an interesting scramble just below the summit of Gothics (44.125610201464625, -73.85798622311415) that required a small amount of thought on how to get up. I opted to head to the "backside" of the rocks and power up the slanted slab. The views from Gothics were outstanding, and waiting for the perfect (or most ideal) weather conditions was absolutely the right call here. The fall colors were vibrant, showcasing a wonderful display of reds and oranges, and dotted with golden yellows all around me. I couldn't decide which vantage point I liked best for photos, so I opted for panoramas that showcased varying perspectives. The way down Gothics via Beaver Meadow Trail is quite adventurous, involving an impressively large amount of scrambling down steep wet granite. I'm not afraid to admit I did the butt slide technique quite often here! You will encounter 4 ladders along this route as you work your way back to Beaver Meadow. Be prepared for strenuous terrain for the next few miles; it is relentless and feels never ending. Just before you work your way back to the Ausable River, there will be one final ladder, which you may have noticed on your way in. It would be a very steep and technical downclimb if you happen to miss this ladder. Once you are back to the river, you will quickly work your way back to the Ausable Club Road. You will still have roughly 2 miles from here back to the car, but you can rest assured all of the hard work is over with.
