Part 3, Coney Mountain In The Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest

I'd carefully selected the trail up Coney Mountain for its reportedly moderate difficulty and length as well as its 360 degree summit views. The ascent had been as reported and was just right for my first experimental hike up a mountain to test my leg strength. I was doing fine, although Seamus needed to stop and rest occasionally:

And the summit was just ahead:

The last part of the hike was a bit steep, but so incredibly beautiful that I scarcely noticed:

And then the long range views began to open up:

Lowbush Blueberries were blooming wherever they could find a bit of shallow soil on that rocky summit:

And the view was free and unobstructed in every direction, looking out over the Adirondacks:

A summit marker placed there in 1942:

The dogs trotted out to a rocky overlook. That's Tupper Lake in the distance although the town was hidden by another mountain:

I swung my camera around, snapping photos in all directions:

And the happy dogs explored the summit:

I wanted to lie down and experience the quiet beauty, but first had to walk all around and see the sights. I'll post more tomorrow: