Algonquin Peak - High Peaks Wilderness - 12/25/2018

Our 2018 Christmas gathering was not on Christmas Day this year.  Too many conflicts with everyone's schedule.  Leesa and I chose to get out and climb a high peak.  It was cold and windy but sunny.  We opted for Algonquin Peak.

We got a pretty early start so there was only one set of footprints on the trail ahead of us.  The was a dusting of new snow that amounted to about 2 inches.  We started in snowshoes figuring the snow would get deeper, but we later switched to microspikes.  The middle portion of the trail was still mostly wet from heavy rains the previous week.

We thought about grabbing Wright Peak on the way up but the wind was fierce and we let it be for another day.  

As expected the trail was quiet on this Christmas Day.  We didn't see anyone until noon or so and perhaps only 10 people all day.

The Algonquin summit was sunny and beautiful, but the wind kept us from lingering up there for long.  Still it was great to get away from the holiday eating and get some exercise!     

Newly frozen...

The Wright Trail junction

Looking back at Wright Peak

Lake Placid down below

Ah, yes... 

I don't get tire of this summit...

Wright Peak again

Hike Stats:
Hike Distance:  ~ 8 miles
Hike Time:  5 hours
Total Vertical Gain:  ~3100'

Iroquois, Boundary, Algonquin & Wright Peaks - 6/24/12

Some of the most most accessible alpine terrain in New York lies in the Macintyre Range (Wright, Algonquin, Iroquois) of the High Peaks Wilderness.   Mount Marshall is also part of the Macintyre Range, but its' summit is below treeline.  Leesa and I had been on Algonquin and Wright previously, but had never continued on to Iroquois, so today was the day we decided to do that.

Wright Peak from the tree line of Algonquin

The weather forecast was good for the morning, but questionable for the later part of the afternoon, so we got on the trail about 7:15 AM.  The climb to Algonquin is short and steep with a vertical gain of about 3000 feet in 3.8 miles or so.  The trail becomes quite rocky and has one steep long rock slab that is also sometimes wet.  Wear some sturdy footwear with good traction.

Leesa going up Algonquin

We climbed pretty quickly, and we enjoyed the fact that we were somehow mostly devoid of bugs for the majority of the day (very un-Adirondack like, especially for June).  We reached the summit of Algonquin at 9:45.  The only person on the summit was an ADK summit steward.  He told us he had arrived at the summit  around 9 and that he had only seen one person before us at the top.

Mount Colden from the summit of Algonquin

We continued on and soon left the marked trail for the Iroquois herd path.  At the beginning of the herd path, there is a trail sign pointing to the left, and on it is written Iroquois with a right arrow (see picture below).  The herd path was easy to follow.  There was one muddy quagmire shortly after the start, but not too muddy after that.  

Lake Colden and Flowed Lands from the summit of Algonquin

We reached the summit of Iroquois at 10:45; an hour after leaving Algonquin.  What a great summit, and we had it all to ourselves.  We sat down to eat part of our lunch.  The weather was fantastic.  After owning the summit for awhile, we returned to Algonquin at exactly noon. 

Boundary Peak and Iroquois Peak from Algonquin

On the way back, I decided to climb Wright (so Rev could claim it!).  Leesa decided that she would slowly continue her descent, knowing that Rev and I would catch back up to her.  When Rev and I reached the summit, we talked with another summit steward.  There were about a dozen people on top of Wright when we got there.  We stayed for about 5 minutes and then dropped back down to catch up to Leesa.

Iroquois from Boundary Peak (Wallface Cliff at right)

We found her about halfway back to Adirondack Loj.  Once rejoined, we all made our way back to the car.  We had our boots off by 3:15 PM.  Still nice weather.   We didn't see any rain until 6 PM while driving home.

The start the Iroquois Herd Path trail

We unleashed Rev briefly to negotiate the mud on the Iroquois herd
path and gave her one moment of freedom on rock for a photo op

The summit of Iroquois

Rev getting some good snacks on Iroquois

Algonquin from Boundary Peak

Climbing back up Algonquin (from Boundary Peak) 

Heading down Algonquin (only to head up Wright Peak) 

Mount Colden from Wright 

Algonquin from Wright

Hike Stats

Hike Distance:  9.95 miles

Hike Time:  7 hours 45 minutes (including stop time)

Total Vertical Gain:  4660'

Trailhead Elevation:  2095'

Algonquin Peak Summit Elevation:  5114'

Iroquois Peak Summit Elevation:  4840'

Wright Peak Summit Elevation:  4580'

Our route shown in blue (click to enlarge)

My Iroquois, Algonquin & Wright Peaks GPS Track

Mount Marshall - 5/27/12

What a pleasant surprise this weekend's weather turned out to be.  Scattered storms were forecast but we only saw nice weather.  Saturday Leesa and I hiked in the northern most section of the Adirondack Park (Lyon Mountain and Silver Lake mountain), but I'll report on those tomorrow.

On Sunday, we decided to climb another Adirondack High Peak - Mount Marshall.  We parked at Upper Works, off of Blue Ridge Road.  We didn't get to the trailhead until 9 AM, but there was still quite a bit of parking space available.  We were surprised, since it was a holiday weekend.  We chose this hike to purposely avoid the most popular hiking areas.

We headed north from the trailhead towards Indian Pass and after .4 miles, branched right on the Calamity Brook Trail.  The trail travels northeasterly along the brook for 4 miles to Flowed Lands.  The trail is a great backcountry ski trail in the winter.  This was my first time on the trail in summer, and it looked entirely different without the snow.  It's a nice gradual 1000' climb in the 4 mile route.  Once at Flowed lands, the trail skirts around the western shore.  We saw 3 or 4 tents in the Flowed land area.

     

Looking North from Flowed Lands towards Avalance Pass.  Mount Colden is on the right.

A Leanto at the junction of Calamity Brook Trail and Flowed Lands

Flowed Lands

New footbridge - a few paces south of the Herbert Brook herd path

At the NW end of Flowed Lands is the Beaver Point Lean-to and the beginning of the Herbert Brook herd path to Mount Marshall.  There is a rock cairn marking the start of the herd path.  

Cairn marking the start of the Herbert Brook herd path

We stopped for a few moments at the lean-to for a snack before starting up the herd path.  We knew from looking at the map that we would soon be climbing about 1500' over the course of the next 1.5 miles.

Herbert Brook Lean-to 

View south from Herbert Brook Point Lean-to

Another view of the Herbert Brook Lean-to

One of many inviting water pools beneath a waterfall on the Herbert Brook herd path 

The Herbert Brook herd path is not an easy one.  It climbs rather steeply and has lots of roots and mud and also crosses the brook many times.  That said, it is a pretty trail.  The brook has many waterfalls and water slides.  There are also many inviting pools to cool off in during the hot weather.

The herd path crosses the Herbert Brook many times along the route

Very long water slides on Herbert Brook

Leesa and Rev on the summit.  Rev of course is hungry

We reached the summit around 2:30 and sat down for a bit to enjoy our accomplishment.  While on the summit, we met "Rockbiter" whom we had seen before on another hike (can't remember which one).  He gave Rev 4 pieces of beef jerky and she loved it.  She wasn't too polite though.  She barked for more.

Summit disk

As had been reported by others, Marshall doesn't have much of a view.  There is a limited view of Iroquois to the north, and if you walk slightly south from the summit, there is a decent view.  

View of Iroquois from Marshall

After a bit, we retraced our track back to the car.  We made better time on the way out and were back at the car at 6:30 (about 4 hours to return).  We quite enjoyed the nice day.  The weather was unexpectedly nice and there were no bugs!

Zoom in of Iroquois

A viewpoint (looking south) a short distance from the summit

From the viewpoint, looking east.  Mount Marcy on the left.

Zoom in view Looking towards Mount Colden

Hike Stats:

Hike Distance:  14 miles

Hike Time:  9.75 hours

Total Vertical Gain:  3185'

Trailhead Elevation:  1765'

Summit Elevation:  4360'

Our route shown in blue (click to enlarge)

Our GPS route to Mount Marshall