After a nice break on top of Owl Head Lookout, we returned to the North Trail, and continued our journey towards Giant. Having crested the wooded ridge, the trail began a long sideways traverse along a lower flank of Green Mountain (FYI, Green Mountain is one of the Adirondack's just barely-not 4000-footers). This whole section of trail - about a mile and a half's worth - is very nice in several respects: it is mostly on the level, with only slight ups and downs; it is for the most part soft, springy, and un-eroded; finally, the trail traverses beautiful open broadleaf forest - a walk through a spacious green space of ferns and maples and oaks.
Crossing Green Ridgecrest
Approaching a little meadow
Despite the clear evidence of light use, we actually encountered several large backpacking groups along our hike through here. Many of the hikers seemed quite young, and quite possibly they were all part of some larger related outing. Certainly my proclamations of how quiet and secluded this trail was were looking a bit hollow by now.
Then, after an hour or so of serene forest walking, we arrived at a gravelly open patch. This was High Bank, a glacial deposit high above the rushing waters of Roaring Brook, which we could hear - but not see - far below. The trail made an abrupt right-hand turn here. From this point, we'd be starting our ascent up to the Giant Mountain - Green Mountain saddle.
It's not all roses and petunias
The ascent of the North Trail to the Giant-Green saddle was actually quite easy. The grade never steepened past moderate and the tread of the trail was in reasonably good condition - although not as nice as the section between Owl Head Lookout and High Bank. As we ascended, the open broadleaf forest gradually gave way to the more typical dense coniferous brush of the higher elevations of the Adirondacks.
We stopped for our lunch right on the trail at the Giant-Green saddle. We needed to fuel ourselves for the next section: the steep ascent up Giant's north flanks.
A few minutes' worth of walking after lunch brought us to a tee junction. The trail straight ahead led to Hopkins and on down to Keene Valley - our final destination. At this point in time, however, our objective was Giant Mountain's summit, and for that, we needed to turn left and head uphill.
The first twenty or so minutes on the ascent up to Giant's summit was quite steep and rough. Fortunately, however, the grade moderated soon after, and an unexpectedly pleasant track - often directly on smooth bedrock - led upwards. This continued almost all the way to the summit, where a final steep(er) stretch brought us roughly to the level of the summit.
Soon after a limited viewpoint from an area of low brush, we arrived at the first of the viewpoints along Giant's most impressive feature - its west face. From atop this face, a broad panorama opens to the west.
