Some Mount Marcy Beta

Regional discussion and conditions reports for the Eastern US. Please post partners requests and trip plans in the Eastern US Climbing Partners section.
User Avatar
RyderS

 
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 8:53 pm
Thanked: 1 time in 1 post

Some Mount Marcy Beta

by RyderS » Mon Feb 06, 2012 4:57 am

I'm thinking about doing a winter climb of Mount Marcy with a friend or 2, since all of my previous Daks' plans have fallen through. Has anybody been up there recently? I'm looking for recommendations on trails for this time of year. I was thinking the John Brooks Trail or the Van Hoevenberg Trail, but I'm also curious about longer routes like the Haystack/Skylight/Marcy loop from Panther Gorge. Any recent conditions beta, too?

Thanks!

no avatar
MattGreene

 
Posts: 85
Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 10:33 pm
Thanked: 6 times in 5 posts

Re: Some Mount Marcy Beta

by MattGreene » Mon Feb 06, 2012 3:39 pm

I was just there on Saturday 2/4. My buddy and I began at the Garden, hiked over Marcy, Skylight, and Gray, then walked out to Lake Colden and down to the ADK Loj. It was as busy on the peaks as I've ever seen it in winter, so the trails will all be very well broken out if you get there soon. I'm not sure about the route from Panther Gorge, though. We used snowshoes and microspikes.

User Avatar
RyderS

 
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 8:53 pm
Thanked: 1 time in 1 post

Re: Some Mount Marcy Beta

by RyderS » Tue Feb 07, 2012 1:54 am

Cool. Thanks, Matt. Yeah, I was assuming it would be busy considering how little snow we have this year. yeah, I think I will end up attempting the summit as a long day hike because I have to be back for classes and I can't kill an entire weekend. Is it possible to pull it off as a one-day trip if we get an alpine start? Current forecasts say the weather looks good Saturday (but with mountain weather, you never know, right?).

User Avatar
nartreb

 
Posts: 2232
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2004 10:45 pm
Thanked: 184 times in 155 posts

Re: Some Mount Marcy Beta

by nartreb » Tue Feb 07, 2012 2:17 am

Yes, a one-day trip is possible. Something like six or seven miles each way by the most direct route (the Loj), if I recall correctly. (Minor additional detour added by damaged dam, if I remember the post-Irene news.)

User Avatar
Autoxfil

 
Posts: 558
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:40 pm
Thanked: 36 times in 29 posts

Re: Some Mount Marcy Beta

by Autoxfil » Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:06 pm

It's only 7.4 miles and 3k' from the Loj, and about 9 from the Garden. With current trail conditions it's probably 6-7 hours round trip from the Loj if you just keep moving. You won't need snowshoes until you're almost 1/2 of the way there.

For a full day the Haystack/Skylight/Marcy loop would be excellent. Haystack is a way cooler peak than Marcy anyway, and it would be nice to not fight the crowds on the Van Hovenburg both ways.


Return to Eastern US (New England, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast)

 


  • Related topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests