Gore Mountain via Schaefer Trail

A hike up old roads, trails and ski trails to reach the summit. From the trail register the trail skirts the Ski Bowl and then head left into the woods following blue markers along a gentle grade towards Roaring Brook. About 30 minutes or so in you will see Roaring Brook and at about 1.2 miles in you will begin to lose topo as you descend a bit and then very quickly begin to ascend again around a few ledges. In another 0.2 miles you will reach the bridge - just look for the blue markers, you can go under via a rock hop or continue up and cross the ski trail if the water is running high. Soon you will see a wooded summit, this is a false summit. Continue on the Schaefer Trail and take a hard right at the intersection with the red trail. After this you take a small dip but then continue a climb again shortly thereafter. At 3.4 miles you reach the Ives Dam clearing (dry) and the trail turns left, crosses a meadow and here the real "up" begins. You will begin to cross back and forth over the ski trails and have some steep sections to climb until you reach 4.0 miles where the foot trail you have been following will end and you will turn right and follow the wide Lower Cloud ski trail until you reach the service road. The service road will take you the rest of the distance to the summit and the firetower just beyond. This is a developed summit where you can have your lunch at a picnic table.