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| Hikers Relax in the DACKS |
On a sparkling crisp afternoon on the fifth of October, 2019 my daughter Molly and I are walking back to the trailhead after hiking to the top of Sawteeth (yes that's the correct spelling!) Mountain in the Adirondacks of New York. We catch up with a middle aged couple walking along, and as hikers often do, we start talking about the brilliant weather and where we had hiked. The man notices my hat, and comments ‘these Adirondack High Peaks must not seem like anything compared to the mountains in Colorado’. Well, actually....
Certainly, the Colorado 14ers tower over the "DACKS" in terms of elevation above sea level. Standing on the summit of Mt Marcy, the highest point in New York, you’d have over a mile and a half of rock over your head to match Mt Elbert, the highest point in Colorado.
But in terms of climbing effort, some of the hikes are surprisingly comparable. Take Sawteeth Moutain via the scenic loop trail that Molly and I just hiked:
Alltrails cites the hike as 14.2 miles long with 3,356 feet of elevation gain. Comparing Colorado 14er hikes that have approximately 3,300 feet of elevation gain: Mount Princeton is a 6.5 mile hike, Wetterhorn Peak is 7 miles, and Quandry is 6.75 miles, less than half the distance!
How about hikes for beginners?
Hikers looking for a first peak to climb in the Adirondacks are often directed to Cascade mountain.
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| Descending Cascade |
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| View from the summit of Mount Democrat See my trip report here |
From trailhead to summit, Cascade is a 4.8 mile round trip hike with 1,940 feet of elevation gain. Mount Democrat requires hiking 4 miles and 2,150 feet of climbing. Pretty similar number of steps and breaths : )
Towards the other end of the caloric consumption scale, Mount Skylight, Haystack, and Redfield, Donaldson, Emmons, and Cliff in the Adirondacks all require over 17 miles of hiking to complete the round trip. In Colorado, only Pikes Peak and Snowmass require over 17 mile hikes.
There are however several 14ers that require over 6,000 feet of ascending to reach their lofty heights. And there is the matter of those lofty and literally breath taking heights. At 14,000 feet above sea level, each breath contains 43% less oxygen than at sea level. Lack of oxygen is not a significant issue in the Adirondack High Peaks.
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Aside from distance, elevation gain, and the differences of altitude, how do the trails compare?According to Coloradoencyclopedia.org, "Colorado's combination of high elevation, midlatitude, and continental interior geography results in a cool, dry, and invigorating climate." Accordinging to their chamber of commerce: Alamosa, CO basks in sunshine 350 days of the year. Between the dry sunny weather and sandy gravely soil, many of the mountain trails in Colorado are nice and smooth...
Until you encounter scree and talus fields. Here are tips for how to descend scree. Or, try this method.
Summer climate in the Adirondacks is in a word, wet. Wet from rain (3"-5" per month), wet from humidity, wet from runoff and swampy conditions. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation actually urges hikers to avoid trails during muddy spring conditions. And all that rain comes from somewhere, namely clouds. According to the Farmer's Almanac, New York is the fourth cloudiest state in the US with Buffalo seeing just 50 some days of sunshine per year! Imagine our shock and drop in vitamin D when Lisa and I moved from Alamosa to Ithaca.
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| An Adirondack trail |
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In winter, conditions in the Adirondacks are pretty chilly. According to weather.com, the average low in January is 9 F. In February of 2016, the summit of Whiteface Mountain recorded a windchill of 114 degrees below zero. |
Chilly morning after sleeping in the car
at the NYSDOT High Peaks rest stop parking lot
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There are 46 mountains in the Adirondacks that rise over 4,000 feet in elevation. Sort of. You can read about the caveat here. Climbing all of the 46 High Peaks provides a means to experience outdoor adventures, build friendships, and appreciate the wonder of nature.My introduction to the High Peaks began in April of 2013. I was aware of the 46 High Peaks, but didn't seriously think about climbing all of them. So, assuming this first trip would be one of my few opportunities to experience the DACKS, I thought why not go big and see what it feels like.
In April, strong evidence of winter remains in the form of deep snow and cold nights. But day time temperatures are not as severe as in the dead of winter, and the lengthening days provide more time to hike without resorting to a headlamp.
With a forecast of favorable weather, I drive from Ithaca and arrive at the Adirondak Loj (yes that's the correct spelling! do you see a pattern here? The history of that spelling is actually kind of interesting and involves Dewey of the Dewey Decimal system!!!) after dark. The parking lot is empty, which I will learn later is a rare treat. I arrange my pack, pull on microspikes, and set off by the light of my headlamp.
After a pleasant walk along the gentle and easily followed Van Hoevenberg trail, I arrive at a lean-to near Marcy Dam, and startle a hiker cocooned in his sleeping bag. I apologize for the intrusion and spread out my two sleeping pads and the down sleeping bag I sewed in 1971.
In the morning, I meet Robert, a student at Rochester University. I learn that he has hiked some of these trails in the summer so I'm thankful for an experienced partner, and we team up to climb Mount Marcy. Robert stuffs a water bottle and some snacks into the pockets of his ski jacket, and proclaims himself ready. I load up my pack with enough extra clothes and gear to survive a night out and we start walking. When we stop for a break, his water bottle is frozen (in winter conditions you need to insulate the bottle with a sleeve or wrapped in clothing) so I pull out my second bottle for him.
Somewhere along the way, one of his sidewalk traction devices has parted company from his boot. Luckily, the snow on the trail is textured and not too slippery, and compact enough that snowshoes are not critical* (because Robert didn't bring any). We continue up and reach the tree line, where predictably, a gale sweeps unhindered.
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| Windswept Mount Marcy |
Now I learn that Robert doesn't have mittens or gloves, or eye protection. So I pull out my spare gloves and goggles, and we head up onto the windswept open slope. Luckily, the snow is in great condition, and he is able to make his way up without slipping too much. We arrive at the summit
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| Robert, with borrowed gloves and goggles |
The sun is warm enough behind a sheltering ledge to enjoy a break for lunch. Now I learn that he didn't bring a lunch! So...
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| Top of Mount. Marcy 1 of 46 : ) with my trusty red anorak |
We head back to the lean to and as we prepare for the night, I learn that Robert doesn't have a sleeping pad! So...
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* On my way down, a skier educates me about a rule that snowshoes are required whenever the snow is greater than 8" in depth to prevent post holing that would create a hazard for others.
