Fangorn Forest

Fangorn Forest is a cross-country ski route in the High Peaks Wilderness of New York, managed by the State Department of Conservation. The trail is about 0.44 miles from the High Peaks Wilderness boundary and lies within the High Peaks Wilderness itself. The route is an out-and-back that starts and ends at about 2,130 feet and rises to about 2,206 feet, for a total climb of about 138 feet. The steepest stretch is near the middle of the route, where the grade reaches about 7 percent. It is a short, hard ski that fits easily into a day spent exploring the surrounding network of trails. Winter is the natural season for this kind of outing. Typical averages from the nearby Lake Placid weather station run from highs of about 23°F in January to 27°F in February, with lows around 6°F to 8°F. The station sits a few hundred feet lower than the route's elevation, so temperatures up high run cooler. The most comfortable months are late spring and early fall, when typical highs reach about 62°F in May and 66°F in September. The station's figures are typical averages, not a month-by-month rundown. Outlet Brook Loop is about 0.3 miles away, and Southwest Corner, Speedway Cutover and Old Marcy Dam Trail are each about 0.4 miles away. For a change of pace, the West Branch Ausable River, a canoeing route, is about 2.4 miles away.