Mount Colden
#11
About Mount Colden
Mount Colden stands at 4,714 feet (1,437 m) and is the eleventh highest peak in New York. Located in the heart of the High Peaks Wilderness between Avalanche Lake and Lake Colden, it is recognizable by the prominent Trap Dike, a deep cut that runs up the northwestern face of the mountain. The summit offers spectacular views of the surrounding High Peaks, including Algonquin, Marcy, and the dramatic walls of Avalanche Pass. Colden is accessible from several approaches, including the Van Hoevenberg Trail from the Adirondak Loj, the Lake Arnold Trail, and the challenging Trap Dike route, which involves rock scrambling.
History
Mount Colden was named after David S. Colden, a friend of geologist Ebenezer Emmons who led the first recorded scientific expedition to the area in 1837. The mountain's most distinctive feature, the Trap Dike, was formed by erosion along a diabase intrusion—a type of igneous rock that is more resistant to erosion than the surrounding anorthosite. The Trap Dike has been a mountaineering route since the late 19th century and became more accessible after Hurricane Irene in 2011 scoured the upper slide, removing soil and vegetation. The mountain has been the site of numerous winter mountaineering accidents due to its steep terrain and challenging conditions in the Trap Dike and surrounding slides.
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