Disclaimer: This Summiting Prospect Mountain on Bikes recap contains affiliate links…

 

Discovering a Mountain and Planning a Route

Even though we were on a gravel grinding expedition in New England and the ride to the summit of Prospect Mountain was all paved, I knew that I wouldn’t be happy unless I attempted this ride. It wasn’t until the night before the ride after we had arrived in Lake George, New York that we discovered Prospect Mountain while planning our ride for the next day. I love a good challenge and this sounded like an excellent one!

After a little research, my husband put together a 36-mile route by modifying other similar Ride with GPS routes. Our plan was to climb the mountain for some spectacular views of Lake George before riding around the far side of the lake. Once off the mountain, though, traffic on the road going around the lake was heavy, fast, and had no bike lane so we turned around. To replace some of those miles we rode to the Warren County Bikeway for an out and back on the beautiful tree-lined trail and our planned 36-mile ride was shortened to 24 miles.

 

Climbing Prospect Mountain

Although I haven’t looked back on my stats from previous years, I’m pretty sure this was the longest continuous climb my husband and I have ever ridden. At 6 miles and 1,609 feet that’s 230 feet of climbing per mile. The steepest grade was 13.3%, but for most of the ride we seemed to hover in the 6 to 8% range. The steep grade certainly affected my average speed which had dropped to 6.7 MPH by the time I got to the top of the mountain.

What goes up, must come down and the descent was incredibly fun with my speed picking up to almost 36 MPH on a steeper section. Cars were not an issue in either direction; however, I was much more wary of them passing me while riding fast down the mountain.

Near peak leaf color with patches of evergreens had the mountain showing off in oranges, reds, yellows, and greens. The air was crisp and the temperature was fantastic, especially for the hard work that goes into climbing. Overall we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day for a ride.

 

Ride Overview
  • • Ride Name: 36-LakeGeorgeProspectMountain
  • • Location: Lake George, New York
  • • Start/Finish: Courtyard by Marriott Lake George
  • • Course Type: out and backs
  • • Course Surface: paved
  • • Bike: Salsa Warbird
  • • Distance: 36 miles (we shortened it to 24 miles)
  • • Time: 2:19:06
  • • Average Speed: 10.4 MPH
  • • Maximum Speed: 35.9 MPH
  • • Elevation Gain: 2,218 feet
  • • Elevation Range: 338 to 2,078 feet
  • • Weather: 55° and cloudy, 52° at the top of the mountain, climbing to 61° and partly sunny by the end
  • • Ride with GPS: Link to turn-by-turn navigation cue sheet
  • • Course Map:

 

Fun Pictures From Along the Way

Most of the following pictures were taken with my iPhone (affiliate link); however, a special shoutout goes to my husband who captured some stunning pictures with his small Fujifilm camera (affiliate link) he sometimes carries on our rides.

To ride to the summit of Prospect Mountain, we first had to pay $2 per bike to get onto Prospect Mountain Veteran’s Memorial Highway. Cars and vans pay $10, motorcycles $5, and buses $50.

 

Although there weren’t designated bike lanes, for the most part Prospect Mountain Veteran’s Memorial Highway had a wide paved shoulder on which we felt quite comfortable and out of the way of passing traffic. With the exception of one vehicle, we were given a very wide margin when being passed.


After quickly warming up about a mile into the climb, we stopped so I could remove my jacket, ear warmer headband, and outer gloves. With my fingers now exposed, I was able to easily take pictures while riding…

 

It was nice to see signs welcoming cyclists and reminding drivers to share the road…

 

First of three overlooks…

 

View from the first overlook…

 

While stopped at the first overlook, I asked a lady standing nearby to take our picture…

 

Continuing along while enjoying the colorful fall leaves…

 

Second overlook…

 

View from the second overlook…

 

Overlook selfie…

 

While taking the selfie, the lady who had taken our picture earlier, pulled into a parking space near us and offered to take another picture…

 

Third overlook…

 

View from the third overlook…

 

More beautiful fall color…

 

I found a leaf and clipped it under my headlamp (affiliate link). It stayed with me throughout the rest of the ride…

 

Parking lot for Prospect Mountain. Anyone driving would have to walk to the top from here, but we were able to ride our bikes on up…

 

Summit overlook of Lake George…

 

While enjoying the hard-earned view, we turned around and standing up above on a rock was our very own paparazzi who offered to take another picture for us, this time using her phone and texting the image to me…

 

From a slightly different angle with the lake in the background…

 

Views from a couple more locations near the summit…

 

After stopping one more time at an unmarked overlook, we put our jackets back on for a cold descent…

 

Steep grade warning and happy to have disc brakes…

 

We stopped a few times for pictures along the way back down…

 

Once we were off the mountain we rode to the edge of Lake George and looked back at Prospect Mountain…

 

From the lake we rode a few miles out and back on the Warren County Bikeway…

 

Coming back into Lake George and off of the Warren County Parkway as we neared the end of a fabulous ride…

 

Garmin Stats

Post-ride Garmin (affiliate link)

 

Garmin map and graphs…

 

Final Thoughts on the Ride

Even though this ride was on an all-paved surface during our gravel grinding adventure, it was my favorite ride of the trip. I love a good challenge and summiting Prospect Mountain on bikes was certainly challenging. From beautiful fall leaf color to fantastic weather, we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day for a ride.

 

Questions:
  • • Have you been to Lake George? ~ This was my first visit.
  • • Have you ever had to switch gears and change course in the middle of a run or ride because traffic? ~ Yes, we did on this ride.
  • • Do you stop and relax occasionally to fuel or take pictures, or barrel on through when on a long run or ride? ~ Pictures, always pictures, unless I’m racing!

 

Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on the blue product link and then make a purchase, I will receive a small commission for referring you. You will pay no more or less for the product; however, Amazon will show their gratitude for my referral by paying me.