Today I finished the Lake George 12 on Black, and also started the ADK Fire Tower Challenge.

It was a chilly day with a little bit of ice and snow out, so this was kind of prep for winter hiking.  The trail in was a nice road most of the way up.  At the top, the views were lovely, but the tower was taken over by DEC radio equipment.  Maybe one day the tower will be open to the public again, who knows.  I made it a loop and came down the back side of the mountain and back around by a couple ponds.  Very lovely hiking throughout the area, just like on the other end of that part of the part by Erebus and Sleeping Beauty.

As I was reaching the junction with the trail I took up to the tower, I was greeted by a juvenile bald eagle crashing through the trees to land feet away from me.  He hopped around for a little bit and then took off down the other trail, inches above the heads of a couple hikers and their dog!  Sadly, none of us were able to get our phones out in time to take a picture.