East Mountain Loop

East Mountain Loop is a cross-country ski route in New York, about 1.2 miles from the community of Shady Corner Curve. The loop is an out-and-back that climbs from a low point of 2,080 feet to a high of 2,328 feet, with a total elevation gain of 431 feet over a round trip of about 1.8 miles. The steepest stretch comes at roughly 0.58 miles in, where the grade reaches 16 percent. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Lake Placid show January highs around 23°F with lows near 6°F, and February is similar at about 27°F and 8°F. That station sits roughly 440 feet lower than the loop's high point, so temperatures on the summit run cooler. The Interloopen Trail and Skate Start both lie about 0.3 miles away, and the Ladies 5K is about 0.4 miles off. For a change of pace, the West Branch Ausable River offers canoeing about 2.4 miles away.