Details
Bluff Island is a well known local jumping spot on Lower Saranac Lake with myriad jumping options ranging from 10ft-67ft.
Accessible only by watercraft or Michael Phelps.
All cliff heights and water depths posted here have been redundantly verified using Clifford™ (our trusty height/depth gauge), fishing boat depth meters, physics calculations using fall time gathered frame-by-frame from video footage and photographic comparisons of cliff to person height (values rounded to nearest foot).
Time stamps posted for each jump location refer to the following video link (https://vimeo.com/44405492) from footage filmed in 2008 depicting several jumping locations in Saranac Lake and Wilmington, NY.
•Directions•
Launch at Second Pond Boat Launch (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/76232.html): 44.287405,-74.184596
Directions: On Route 3, 3 ½ miles southwest of Village of Saranac Lake (Google Maps link from Saranac Lake, NY to Second Pond Launch: https://maps.google.com/maps
saddr=New+York+3+E&daddr=Saranac+Lake,+NY&hl=en&sll=44.29065,-74.
189279&sspn=0.014622,0.037594&geocode=FbTIowIdqgOU-w%3BFRhqpAIdvtiU-ylBH0MRMhDLTDGMFqLlVkHp_A&oq=Saranac+&t=m&mra=ls&z=14).
Put in at Second Pond Launch and travel N/NW through First Pond and snake your way out into Lower Saranac Lake (pink line on overhead diagram).
Upon opening up into Lower Saranac and looking North accross the lake (44.294674,-74.195223), Bluff Island and its cliffs will be staring you in the face (don’t get scared…get stoked).
If you have a kayak or a canoe, head over to the Western shore of the island (to the left of the cliff face) and dock in the little notch at: 44.298153,-74.198935 (item #1 on diagram).
If you have a larger craft, make for the Northern shore and drop anchor at: 44.298356,-74.198581 (item #2 on diagram). You will see a small day camp area at this location with a picnic table etc.
•Jumping Spots•
As you coast into port, you will see Mini-Bluff on your right (item #3 on diagram). Jump Mini a couple times as a good warm up (climb up is to the right of the cliff as seen from the water).
Mini Bluff: 10ft (up to 15ft)
Depth: 10+ft
Long/Lat: 44.29783,-74.19894
Time Stamps: 2:50, 2:57, 3:10
•Accessing the Main Cliff Face•
From Mini Bluff, you can access the main cliff face via a path heading East accross the island (orange line on diagram). The path is well trodden and easy to follow. You will come out at the top of the cliffs with a gorgeous, South facing view.
This photograph (http://adirondackexplorer.org/adventure-planner/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/SL1.jpg) shows the main cliff face. At left are Half Bluff/Upper-Half and Bluff/Super Bluff are at center (photographer’s vantage point denoted by camera icon in diagram).
Upon arriving at the top…
If you head to the right, you can hike down to Half Bluff and Upper-Half (item #4 on diagram).
Half Bluff: 32ft
Depth: 18-22ft
Long/Lat: 44.297546,-74.196998
Time Stamps: 3:15
Upper-Half: 40ft (up to 45ft)
Depth: 18-22ft
Long/Lat: 44.297546,-74.196998
Time Stamps: 0:28, 1:53, 3:31
If you head towards the left, you can access Bluff and Super Bluff (item #5 on diagram).
Bluff: 63ft
Depth: 18-22ft
Long/Lat: 44.297707,-74.196623
Time Stamps: 1:33
Super Bluff: 67ft
Depth: 18-22ft
Long/Lat: 44.297707,-74.196623
Time Stamps: Unattempted in Video
NOTE: Most of the face in between Half Bluff and Bluff is jumpable if 50ft is more your thing than 63ft.
The climb up for all jumps on the main face is to the immediate left of Half Bluff as seen from the water.
•Extra Spot•
If you are feeling up to it, there is another small spot to jump on the other side of Lower Saranac Lake, N/NE of Bluff Island over by Camp Guggenheim. Its a bit of a trek in a kayak but fun nonetheless.
Guggy Spot: 14ft
Depth: 10+ft
Long/Lat: 44.31953,-74.175788
Time Stamps: 0:35, 0:48
Jump Stats
Location
Media
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