Esther Mountain is the twenty-eighth tallest mountain in New York. Esther is a located off the shoulder of Whiteface Mountain and makes for an excellent and rewarding side trip on the way to climbing Whiteface from the north.
Distance: 3.9 miles to summit, thus 7.8 miles round trip without including Whiteface Mountain
Ascent: 3,020 feet
Elevation: 4,240 feet
Primary Trailhead: From the intersection of Route 73 and Route 86, follow Route 86 toward Wilmington. Continue into Wilmington to the four-way stop sign. Take a left onto Route 431 (Whiteface Mountain Highway). Follow here for 2.4 miles to the Atmospheric Science Research Center Road on the left. Follow this road around the one-way roundabout to the trail on the right, just past a dirt road that descends into the woods. The trail is not labeled with a DEC sign, and there are no signs or markers until one reaches the marked trail at the summit of Marble Mountain.
Trail Route: From the trailhead you descend a bit to a very long and steep climb up Marble Mountain. The Marble Mountain section used to be an old ski slope and you will be able to see that one way – old cement footers still line the trail.
From the top of Marble Mountain you will come to an intersection, left is the secondary trail outlined below. Right is the route you will want. After a short break on a flatter section you will start a demanding climb through an evergreen forest that opens up a few views along the way. After about 1.5 miles you will come to a rather large cairn at a trail intersection, this is the herd-path to Esther Mountain. Making this right onto the herd-path you will climb a bit to the summit of Lookout Mountain where you will have outstanding views to the north. From the summit of Lookout you will descend for a while to a col between Lookout and Esther. The climb out of the col isn’t too dramatic, but tends to seem to drag on a bit before it reaches the summit. Be sure to not stop at the false summit prior to final push, this can be easy to do when visibility is poor. There is a placque on the summit in commemoration of Esther McComb.
History: Esther Mountain was named after Esther McComb who at the age of 15 made the first recorded ascent of the peak. It was the only High Peak named for a woman until 2014.
Location: Esther Mountain is located in the Town of Wilmington, in Essex County, in the Northern region of New York State.