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Hi there, I hiked in Colorado last may and was wowed by the many breathtaking views from short hikes just off highways, which I guess makes me a little spoiled.

My friend and I are going to Lake Placid on June 13-14 and are looking for a single day hike. What we are looking for is a hike which is as much above the treeline as much as possible. I've done a little bit of research and found Algonquin Peak and Mount Marcy, as I haven't had as much time to research on this trip as I did Colorado, I thought about asking the more experienced climbers here in the area for some advice.

If you have limited time, I recommend hikes off the highway around Keene / Keene Valley. Giant, Cascade, Porter, and Pitchoff are quite spectacular. Pitchoff doesn't get much respect because it is not 4K, but it is a beautiful mountain. Also consider Owl's Head, which is only a 20-minute jaunt from the parking lot, but has some beautiful open spots. You can do a couple of these in a day if you are fit. Algonquin and Wright are very nice as well. Marcy is a fairly long day hike and doesn't open up to views until you are close to the summit. All of these have good pages on SP. Enjoy!

Neither Algonquin nor Marcy is "just off the highway" - from the trailhead, Marcy is about seven miles away by the usual route, and you don't hit treeline until the summit - which is the case for almost any summit in the East.

Whiteface mountain is right by the road if you go up the ski slopes, but what with the ski lifts and the summit road, probably not the kind of experience you're looking for.

Giant is an excellent choice, a moderate hike from the road to a classic ADK peak.

For something even more convenient, check out Pitchoff, a roadside peak very close to Lake Placid with lots of above-treeline area (by Eastern standards). And if it proves too easy, you can cross the road and do Cascade the same day - another bare summit that's extremely popular as a day hike from the Lake Placid area. (Porter is right there too, but not as scenic.)

Another small but right-by-the-road open peak that BE didn't mention is Rooster Comb, in Keene Valley. It ain't much, but there's a bare summit above a cliff.

I am interested in doing a winter ascent of Mount Marcy. Two or three friends and I would be looking to do this anywhere from December to March.

What do you think would be the best time do this? What Equipment is necessary? Crampons, snowshoes, beacons or radios?

We would be intermediate experienced backpackers and outdoorsmen.

Anyone have experience doing a winter ascent?

Mick, I did it on a New Year's Eve quite a while ago. If you have flexibility it's better to watch the weather and plan a few days in advance. Basically avoid a super cold and windy snap but also avoid a thaw and rushing swollen streams. Definitely bring snowshoes and crampons. If you are doing a standard route, e.g. - hiking trail, the avy danger is low. Van Hoevenberg Trail from the Loj is a day trip, even in winter, though you will need a headlamp due to the day length.

I went up Algonquin 14 times as a kid, including 4 times in winter. It's just about 3.5 miles from the Loj parking, and Wright (on the way) is pretty nice as well. Below timberline, the trail is a big wide mud slog, but not as bad when it is frozen.

Yer gonna.... DIE

Mick,

Definitely bring snowshoes, and bring some light traction (MicroSpikes) too. You probably don't need full crampons if your snowshoes are the aggressive type, but it's hard to predict conditions in advance.

If you've not hiked in winter before, get some practice. The main thing is to keep from sweating while still staying warm. For the summit, it's essential to have a face mask, goggles, hat, gloves, and windproof jacket and pants. Definitely bring a headlamp or two, with fresh lithium batteries.

Nobody's mentioned a radio or beacon yet, probably because few of us use them. Most of them don't work very well in winter temperatures - make sure you check the rating of whatever model you're considering. Here's a recent story where a beacon mostly worked, but simply turning around earlier would have been a better idea: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/ ... story.html The one use case that almost tempts me, is that some models let you send a prerecorded message. If your family are the anxious sort, you can prepare a text like "taking longer than anticipated, do NOT call for rescue."