Blake Peak sits at 3,960 feet along the Colvin Range in the High Peaks Wilderness, named for Mills Blake, Verplanck Colvin's assistant during the 19th-century survey of the Adirondacks. It holds a peculiar place among the 46ers: later USGS surveys found it to fall just short of 4,000 feet, making it one of four original peaks to lose their elevation credentials, though all four remain required for the list by tradition.
Almost every hiker reaches Blake by continuing past the summit of Mount Colvin, adding roughly 1.4 miles each way to an already substantial day. The standard approach from Saint Huberts via the Gill Brook Trail comes in around 14 miles round-trip; those wanting to tick off Dial and Nippletop on the same outing face a demanding 18-plus miles. The summit itself is heavily wooded with no views, and the high point can be difficult to locate amid the overgrown terrain. A longer alternative ascends via Pinnacle Ridge from Elk Lake, but this route involves considerably more mileage and elevation gain and sees far less traffic. Note that the most common approach crosses Adirondack Mountain Reserve land, where dogs have been prohibited for over a century. Winter ascents are best made via the AMR; the Elk Lake gate closure in winter adds several miles to that alternative route.
