The camping sites there look pretty nice and the meadow/basin you see from the top of the Pass when you start walking west on the PCT is such a nice view, a great place to plan to have lunch, but it was pretty windy. Have lunch behind that big rock (where you might also see some bear tracks if it hasn't rained).
On Sat, Chicken Spring lake was frozen fyi, and not much was flowing in that little effluent running down to the east.
Your mileage of ~3 mi sounds about right. I'd be interested to know where you will break off and turn for the peak. That southern slope that appeared to come off the trail seemed long, but not that steep.
The cross country route up due west from the lake was not a bad route and was very scenic, but a bit more cumbersome than the trail I imagine. Next time, perhaps I will do a loop - deadreckon up from the lake and down the trail on the way out.
I am a bit familiar with Saratoga...these days I am down state, though lived in the capital region for six yrs. Did you visit the Adirondacks when you were there?
