Another one of the stories entered in this round of the Champlain Area Trails (CATS) writing contest is E. C. Hughes‘ Visiting Coon Mountain: A Walking, Hiking and Boating Adventure! If you haven’t yet, you should go vote in the contest. Voting ends today!
Hughes and a friend decide to travel to Essex, NY, to hike Coon Mountain. Taking the ferry to Essex, allows Hughes to see beautiful views of the lake. This opportunity is used to share a little of the ferry’s history, mentioning how it was run on horse power at one time among a few other tidbits.
Before traveling to the trail they decide to stick around Essex for a bit. After getting a sweet treat at Essex Ice Cream Cafe the two walk along Main Street enjoying the historical architecture and glimpses of Lake Champlain from the street.
When they decide to hit the trail, they only have to drive a short distance to reach the Coon Mountain trail head. When they reach the summit they are treated to more spectacular views, just from a higher elevation this time.
“After a half-mile or so, stone steps headed up a notch between two hills. It was refreshing to be walking among the north sided moss covered rock. The path then continued beneath steep rock walls, veered its way along the west side of the hill and then up to the summit. There we enjoyed the large flat rocks to have a late lunch on and gaze at the mountains to the west of Westport Bay. It was clear enough to see down the southern end of Lake Champlain, where it narrows. A few chickadees chattered among themselves and the winds were gentle. It was a very peaceful place to spend some time and we appreciated the quiet and soft, end-of-season sunlight…” Continue reading the story!
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