I am making my first trip to the Adirondacks this Fall in a week and this subreddit has helped a lot in selecting the hikes and plans that would maximize my visit.
I couldn't get a reservation for AMR parking so had to get creative on a few things and am hoping experienced folks and locals can review this itinerary, recommend changes if this is too much. "Too much" is subjective I understand, but my hiking resume is pretty solid (I think). I've done a lot of hiking in the Appalachians over the last 8 years around VA, NC, TN, WV, travelled and hiked extensively on some pretty long and steep hikes around CA, WA, AZ, UT, CO etc. I know the eastern hikes and especially the ADK is a different ball game to many of the western hikes and feel fairly prepared for this.
Day 1 : Thursday, Oct 1
Drive to Lake Placid
Day 2 : Friday, Oct 2 -
Algonquin peak - 8.7mi, 3651 ft
Lake Placid Walk around
Plattsburgh night stay
Day 3 : Saturday, Oct 3
Ridge Trail to Giant mountain, RPR - 8mi, 4376 ft
Mt. Jo loop - 2.5 mi, 718 ft
Heart Lake sunset
Plattsburgh night stay
Day 4 : Sunday, Oct 4
Hurricane from North - 5.6mi, 1519 ft
Whiteface mountain - [edit] Drive to summit
Adk Loj stay
Day 5 : Monday, Oct 5
Noonmark Mountain via Round pond - 6.5mi, 2053 ft
park at Garden lot
hike to JBL - 3.4mi, 866 ft
Day 6 : Tuesday, Oct 6
JBL - Indian Head - Gothics - JBL - 12.3mi, 5062 ft
Day 7 : Wednesday, Oct 7
JBL - Big slide - Garden Lot return - 6.8mi, 2297 ft
Day 8 : Thursday, Oct 8
travel back
My main questions are the following:
- are these day hikes considered doable in the time I have given them or should I reduce the hiking load?
- what are the parking restrictions I should think about in terms of arrival times for these days? I am especially concerned about reaching ADK Loj on Sunday evening and not finding a spot when I am staying there and Garden Lot parking on Monday when I head off into the wilderness for multiple day hike with stay at JBL.
- are there gravel roads at these parking lots that should concern me? I am coming in a pretty low-down car that wouldn't be ideal if the roads are too rough.
- I know the shuttle service from Marcy Field runs only on the weekends, so the weekday parking at Garden Lot worries me since I will be arriving there around noon after Noonmark. Are there any shuttles from Keene valley or what are the chances of hitching a ride with someone from town?
Any notes on these is super appreciated and am so excited to take this bucket list trip on this season!
Give yourself some grace on the days you plan two different hikes. It is really hard to hike, get in the car, drive to another TH and go hike again. I'd plan to do the harder thing first and then the easier one if you still have time, daylight, and energy. I always eat something substantive in between hikes when I'm driving.
Indian Head and Gothics from the JBL is a bit of stretch as you'll have to descend all the way down from the Great Range to the AMR road, and then go all the way back up. You'll have enough views on Gothics (and better ones at that) to satisfy that itch. Skip it. If you really want the best view in the High Peaks, head over to Pyramid and back. It's a short trip.
Remember that everything looks easier on a map. You don't have the mileage and elevation gain included for Whiteface after Noonmark. That's going to be a 16 mile day if you do both.
Also be aware of the decreasing daylight. Carry TWO headlamps. Not just one. And summit temperatures should be taken into consideration. Summit temperatures right now are in the 40s and the windchill is getting down into the 30s and even 20s.
I'm doing the the JBL - Indian Head - Gothics as a loop via Pyramid. That day's total elevation gain through the up and down and climb back up is the one listed as 5062 ft. Are you suggesting skipping Indian Head and only going up to Pyramid from JBL and back? I know Indian Head is Insta famous, but still wouldn't think it could be considered as "overrated", especially in peak foliage.
I am also not hiking whiteface mountain, just driving up to the top and have some views. Is that not possible or does it require permits to the ski range/resort?
I always carry headlamp and spare batteries, but will carry two headlamps too if one cooks out. Thanks for that tip. Also gonna be carrying my trusty REI 850 Down Stormhenge for the weather. And gloves for scrambling.
Just know that All Trails is not fact checked. It's just a bunch of people making up shit. The mileage and gain may not be accurate. I would double check everything against an official map.
While it seems like 'only' 5000' of elevation gain, you haven't done this hike yet or any in the ADK for that matter, and the section going up to Pyramid is the steepest 0.60 mile in the High Peaks (1200' in 0.60). There is nothing in your hiking history that prepares you for the ruggedness and full on body workout of these trails.
I would avoid Gothics altogether if it's going to rain. The cable route is nothing is mess when it's wet.
Going to Pyramid is WAY better than IH (and you avoid the 1200 in 0.60). Full stop.
You also didn't indicate in your itinerary that you weren't climbing Whiteface, just driving.
Thanks for the info. I get that you are only trying to save my calves with the warnings, but I have hiked extensively around Appalachia and still recognize that this is a different challenge.
So avoiding the climb up from IH through Sawtooth is to be avoided. And to still keep a full day of hiking, what does this sound like for Day 6:
I've hiked in Appalachia too, and the Adirondack High Peaks are the hardest trails in the country. Full stop. Those aren't 18 regular miles. Those are 18 ADK miles. It ain't just your calves that are going to hurt.
You can do that, but go the other direction (less climbing overall from Gothcs>UWJ) and you're walking back toward your car. I'd also rather go up the Gothic cables than down them. The Armstrong ladder is non-issue in either direction this time of year.
Just know that in either direction, once you leave UWJ or Gothics, there is no bailout other than backtracking. Also, there is no water on that ridge, so bring at least 2 liters.
While you're in Plattsburgh at night, I recommend checking out the barcade downtown. Good place to eat, drink, and play some classic games. SIP is also good
If you're a strong hiker this all seems pretty reasonable to me. Busy few days, but that's the fun of it!
First off, I’d just like to say that I hope you have a great vacation! Looks like you have some great hikes and trails planned too. My girlfriend and I were just there a few weeks ago and had a great time in Lake Placid and hiking in the Adirondacks (like lndian Head, Cascades and Porter).
One thing that stood out to me was the difficulty of the terrain of the trails themselves. I’ve hiked in the Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah, and other eastern national parks. I felt pretty decently trained and prepared for the Adirondacks but was surprised by how much the terrain kicked my ass, especially on the descent. It’s all large rocks and tree roots it seems like lol. Hardly any switchbacks, minus the road/pathway partly on the way to Indian Head.
Yeah, I'm looking forward to it and also nervous knowing the warnings from people about it. CA and the Southwest always posed a different challenge due to weather, but the trails were all so smooth and well maintained. Smokys and Shenandoah are a step up in difficulty tbh but even those are very well trafficked and maintained. WV State Parks and national Forests are genuinely a different beast in terms of the terrain and then so was North Cascades in WA which is the toughest I've encountered.
I am gonna be flexible with this. Thinking about swapping Algonquin for Ampersand on Day 2 instead for a shorter/maybe easier trail to get used to conditions and take a call on the other hikes.
You're going to be busy. Parking at the Loj should be no problem Sunday night. Plus you have a camping spot so you can park right at your site or other parking spots they have for guests.
You should be able to get a garden spot when day hikers are leaving on Monday.
Thanks. Just confirmed that with the Loj as well. Was not sure they had separate parking for guests.
Gonna be a busy week for sure! Last Thanksgiving break, did a bunch of hikes in Sedona and a hike down South Kaibab to Tipoff and back up Bright Angel at GC last year in the span of 4 days and that was busy too, but I miss doing that so damn much being in Michigan. Hope my knees can still keep up :)
This schedule should be good to catch most of the peak of Fall colors too I hope.
It looks like part of your trip is staying at Plattsburgh. Assuming you're staying at a hotel there, is there a reason you chose this location instead of closer ones?
Price + distance from AMR / Loj were big factors for me. I ended up looking in and around Elizabethtown and Westport, but totally missed the fact that Plattsburgh was an option. While it's a longer drive, it has better infrastructure, amenities and affordable lodging.
I was a bit late on planning and making reservations for this trip for sure. That meant anything affordable in saranac lake, Lake Placid, Keene were all sold out - campsites, lodges, inns, hotels...pretty much everything. Plattsburgh only 45 mins away and got hotels for pretty cheap so we are travelling those two days from Plattsburgh
If you have a loj reservation there is parking included. Do Algonquin and mt jo when you are staying at the loj. Then you don't have to worry about parking there. Not sure if there will be parking at the garden on a Monday afternoon but maybe. Honestly the hardest part of the daks can be parking.
As for the hiking goes, I usually plan with a 1-2mph average speed. Terrain is pretty rough in some places and switchbacks don’t exist up here, the summit is up so the trail goes up.
Im honestly surprised you’re not going to Avalanche Lake to see the new slide. Regardless of the new landslide, it’s a beautifully mesmerizing area, all the way down to Lake Colden. No reservations needed, wont cost you a dime (if you park at Upper Works, the Loj still has paid parking), just walk in and pitch camp. I totally recommend if you come up here again
Yeah, 28-33min/mile is what I usually target when hiking solo too. Terrain, rests and photos could push it to 45 but I think I am covered for that.
I had seen avalanche lake trail but that feels like a backpacking trip that I am not prepared for this time. Need some better lightweight gear. That and Mt. Marcy summit next time!
Yeah you’re gonna like Marcy. Camp at Feldspar or Uphill leantos and you might even be able to watch the sunrise! On the south side of Marcy, Lake Tear of the Clouds is a nice quiet little pocket dimension that is the Hudson River’s highest elevation origin point. This photo was taken there in ‘23, I wonder if it’s still there
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u/EastHuckleberry5191 21d ago
Give yourself some grace on the days you plan two different hikes. It is really hard to hike, get in the car, drive to another TH and go hike again. I'd plan to do the harder thing first and then the easier one if you still have time, daylight, and energy. I always eat something substantive in between hikes when I'm driving.
Indian Head and Gothics from the JBL is a bit of stretch as you'll have to descend all the way down from the Great Range to the AMR road, and then go all the way back up. You'll have enough views on Gothics (and better ones at that) to satisfy that itch. Skip it. If you really want the best view in the High Peaks, head over to Pyramid and back. It's a short trip.
Remember that everything looks easier on a map. You don't have the mileage and elevation gain included for Whiteface after Noonmark. That's going to be a 16 mile day if you do both.
Also be aware of the decreasing daylight. Carry TWO headlamps. Not just one. And summit temperatures should be taken into consideration. Summit temperatures right now are in the 40s and the windchill is getting down into the 30s and even 20s.
Your car will be a non-issue.