tigerlilly - Jan 6, 2023 6:53 pm Date Climbed: Jan 5, 2023
Wet wet wet
Started off from the research center. We had rain here the past week and most of the snow was melted off. The start of the trail was quite wet, really a little fast moving river in the beginning(!!) with the rocks covered in white ice. Microspikes a must. Closer to the summit, there was about a foot of hard pack snow. Didn't need snowshoes. Weather held. 30F cloudy.
technicolorNH - Aug 24, 2016 5:56 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2016
First summit of the day
Two hours and twenty minutes from the Marble Mountain TH. The intersection on the trail is marked with a cairn and a sign so there is no missing the herd path. Good view of Whiteface and a plaque at the top.
lorothy12 - Jan 4, 2015 7:30 pm Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2014
esther/whiteface
Took a little detour from Whiteface to Esther. no views but a short addition.
JRaphaelson - Nov 9, 2014 10:21 pm Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2014
Esther and Whiteface
First time on a herd path, and it wasn't at all difficult to follow.
Cisco1974 - Sep 10, 2014 7:11 pm Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2014
Esther and Whiteface²
Tim Thomas and I summited Esther first then we moved on to Whiteface. This was my first time up Esther.
CRiedel2 - Aug 5, 2014 7:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2014
Esther from Resevoir
Hiked up Mt Esther from the resevoir. Nice day and the trail was dry except for up on top, plenty of mud! The first 1.3 miles was an easy stroll through the woods to a sign pointing to Marble Mt. From that sign it's a pretty steady 2.2 mile climb up to Lookout Mt, then an easy walk over to Mt Esther. Not many views from the summit, but it was cool watching a few cars go up the road to Whiteface Mt. Impending thunderstorms meant an early return to my car, but a great day while I was hiking.
Onager - Jul 27, 2013 3:58 pm Date Climbed: Feb 10, 2013
Nice trip
Hiked Esther mountain 4240' via the unmarked trail to the Wilmington Trail from the Atmospheric Science Research Center off the Whiteface Memorial Highway. We arrived early around 6am, and when we arrived at the ASRC the weather was beautiful. We had to hike the smaller Lookout Mountain, and once we summited Lookout we could see Esther and Whiteface staring at us. We broke a path with our snowshoes since a snow storm hit a day earlier, piling about 3 feet of snow in our way on the unmarked trail to Esther. We made the summit early, around 10am, took a quick break and headed back down, occasionally glissading our way down. Esther was as a great hike overall.
Couldn't see much through the clouds, but it was well worth the hike.
gintherj - Jul 16, 2013 8:46 am Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2013
Whiteface add-on
Meh - did it as a Whiteface side trip, but it wasn't really worth it. Would have preferred to take that extra time and pick out a different short climb.
I did this on a very misty, rainy day, so it made the view pretty non-existant. Lots of mud, but still a fun day on the trail.
Bkoziol3 - Dec 26, 2012 12:18 pm Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2012
With Whiteface
Climbed after Whiteface
Bark Eater - Sep 12, 2012 7:11 am Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2012
Beautiful early fall day
Started at the reservoir, up to Esther, then Whiteface, then down the south side of Whiteface to Connery Pond. #32 of the ADK high peaks for me. Perfect early fall day. Easy climb.
jpbourque - May 14, 2012 10:24 am Date Climbed: May 12, 2012
Whiteface and Esther
Hiked Whiteace then Esther on the way down. Started àt Wilmington Reservoir. Big day, tired ans sore afterwards. Nicest weather possible. Saw a cyclist going up on the Veteran Highway.
Rainy, cold, bad ... didn't see a thing on top. Loved every minute.
tioga - Jul 12, 2010 9:15 am Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2010
From Wilmington Trail
Started from the Science Center and climbed to the Wilmington Trail. After hitting the summit of Whiteface, my wife and I did Esther as well via the herdpath. Was a hot and foggy day.
JimWallace - Jan 12, 2010 10:46 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2009
rainy day with Whiteface
This was part of the climb up Whiteface via Wilmington trail.It was a muddy mess on this day.The dwarf evergreens were just pouring water onto me.There was no hard ground to walk on for the most part.Although alls I saw was a plaque on a rock,I felt great to have summitted.I guess it doesn't take much to make me happy.As long as I get to climb,I'm OK.The rain and mud just makes it dramatic....Jim W
TLP - Sep 9, 2009 10:26 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2009
Labor Day hike
I did Esther only from the Wilmington trail. It wasn't a clear day, and I needed to get back to NJ, so I'll save Whiteface for another day. That being said, Esther wasn't that bad. The herd path is easy to follow, and there's an interesting section of colorful moss along the way. I love the sign on the top. That Esther chick was cool.
tigerlilly - Jan 6, 2023 6:53 pm Date Climbed: Jan 5, 2023
Wet wet wetStarted off from the research center. We had rain here the past week and most of the snow was melted off. The start of the trail was quite wet, really a little fast moving river in the beginning(!!) with the rocks covered in white ice. Microspikes a must. Closer to the summit, there was about a foot of hard pack snow. Didn't need snowshoes. Weather held. 30F cloudy.
technicolorNH - Aug 24, 2016 5:56 pm Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2016
First summit of the dayTwo hours and twenty minutes from the Marble Mountain TH. The intersection on the trail is marked with a cairn and a sign so there is no missing the herd path. Good view of Whiteface and a plaque at the top.
lorothy12 - Jan 4, 2015 7:30 pm Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2014
esther/whitefaceTook a little detour from Whiteface to Esther. no views but a short addition.
JRaphaelson - Nov 9, 2014 10:21 pm Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2014
Esther and WhitefaceFirst time on a herd path, and it wasn't at all difficult to follow.
Cisco1974 - Sep 10, 2014 7:11 pm Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2014
Esther and Whiteface²Tim Thomas and I summited Esther first then we moved on to Whiteface. This was my first time up Esther.
CRiedel2 - Aug 5, 2014 7:04 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2014
Esther from ResevoirHiked up Mt Esther from the resevoir. Nice day and the trail was dry except for up on top, plenty of mud! The first 1.3 miles was an easy stroll through the woods to a sign pointing to Marble Mt. From that sign it's a pretty steady 2.2 mile climb up to Lookout Mt, then an easy walk over to Mt Esther. Not many views from the summit, but it was cool watching a few cars go up the road to Whiteface Mt. Impending thunderstorms meant an early return to my car, but a great day while I was hiking.
yadahzoemtn - Sep 1, 2013 11:41 pm Date Climbed: Apr 23, 2009
Whiteface and EstherBeautiful Day. Solo.
Onager - Jul 27, 2013 3:58 pm Date Climbed: Feb 10, 2013
Nice tripHiked Esther mountain 4240' via the unmarked trail to the Wilmington Trail from the Atmospheric Science Research Center off the Whiteface Memorial Highway. We arrived early around 6am, and when we arrived at the ASRC the weather was beautiful. We had to hike the smaller Lookout Mountain, and once we summited Lookout we could see Esther and Whiteface staring at us. We broke a path with our snowshoes since a snow storm hit a day earlier, piling about 3 feet of snow in our way on the unmarked trail to Esther. We made the summit early, around 10am, took a quick break and headed back down, occasionally glissading our way down. Esther was as a great hike overall.
Sjboatwright - Jul 24, 2013 4:54 pm Date Climbed: Jul 20, 2013
A Wet DayCouldn't see much through the clouds, but it was well worth the hike.
gintherj - Jul 16, 2013 8:46 am Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2013
Whiteface add-onMeh - did it as a Whiteface side trip, but it wasn't really worth it. Would have preferred to take that extra time and pick out a different short climb.
mancopa - Jul 8, 2013 1:59 pm Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2013
MuddyI did this on a very misty, rainy day, so it made the view pretty non-existant. Lots of mud, but still a fun day on the trail.
Bkoziol3 - Dec 26, 2012 12:18 pm Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2012
With WhitefaceClimbed after Whiteface
Bark Eater - Sep 12, 2012 7:11 am Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2012
Beautiful early fall dayStarted at the reservoir, up to Esther, then Whiteface, then down the south side of Whiteface to Connery Pond. #32 of the ADK high peaks for me. Perfect early fall day. Easy climb.
jpbourque - May 14, 2012 10:24 am Date Climbed: May 12, 2012
Whiteface and EstherHiked Whiteace then Esther on the way down. Started àt Wilmington Reservoir. Big day, tired ans sore afterwards. Nicest weather possible. Saw a cyclist going up on the Veteran Highway.
MattGreene - Dec 24, 2010 8:31 pm
Winter '08January 2008 - Summitted on the way to Whiteface.
LDuszer - Oct 6, 2010 10:38 pm Date Climbed: Jul 24, 2007
i remember the mudI climbed this one first before getting to Whiteface. I remember lots of mud.
mike_lindacher - Aug 30, 2010 4:58 pm
Esther in NovemberRainy, cold, bad ... didn't see a thing on top. Loved every minute.
tioga - Jul 12, 2010 9:15 am Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2010
From Wilmington TrailStarted from the Science Center and climbed to the Wilmington Trail. After hitting the summit of Whiteface, my wife and I did Esther as well via the herdpath. Was a hot and foggy day.
JimWallace - Jan 12, 2010 10:46 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2009
rainy day with WhitefaceThis was part of the climb up Whiteface via Wilmington trail.It was a muddy mess on this day.The dwarf evergreens were just pouring water onto me.There was no hard ground to walk on for the most part.Although alls I saw was a plaque on a rock,I felt great to have summitted.I guess it doesn't take much to make me happy.As long as I get to climb,I'm OK.The rain and mud just makes it dramatic....Jim W
TLP - Sep 9, 2009 10:26 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2009
Labor Day hikeI did Esther only from the Wilmington trail. It wasn't a clear day, and I needed to get back to NJ, so I'll save Whiteface for another day. That being said, Esther wasn't that bad. The herd path is easy to follow, and there's an interesting section of colorful moss along the way. I love the sign on the top. That Esther chick was cool.