Do people do ADK high peaks only?

[Adk_dib]

The last 6 weeks I have done Blue, adams, ampersand and snowy. All on the weekends. I met one person on snowy and one couple on blue and thats it . I know a couple of people at work say they only have so many free weekends. So they spend that time only on the high peaks. Is this why the peaks are so crowded and these smaller jewels go un-noticed?

 

[BorealChickadee]

I can't answer your question because I'm in the minority. Most of my hking is not in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. Maybe some of that is because the west central region is so much closer for me and there is a family home just south of Ti. I can be on a trail in the west central area in two hours form home so that's where you'll most likely find me. I hiked for years before finally go to the High Peaks about 8 years ago. And even when I'm in the Peaks, I'm not necessarily ON a Peak. I love the views but I also love the lakes and streams. Personally, I'd like to be in both places but I haven't figured out cloning.

The "lesser" mountains are all beautiful also, in their own way. And you will generally be more alone from what I hear. I say this because we usually go mid week to the HighPeaks so we seem to be pretty much alone or just meet a couple of people anyway. The most crowded top I've been on was Rocky Peak Ridge with 8 others to start who quickly left, Algonquin with about 6 others before they all left, Marcy just the summit steward and then finally a couple of others showed up. Dix four others because they were part of our group. Maybe I've just been lucky.

 

[Peakbagr]

The Adirondack Mt Club has a number of initiatives to spread hikers out away from the High Peaks. Thats how the Firetower Challenge started. Also the hike in each of the wild areas patch began.
Lots of people on the "lesser peaks", but there are so many of them that it may sometime seem that they are deserted.
Couple of friends I hike with from here, peak_bgr and bushwacker live up there. They are at #99 on the ADK HH. Hiking with them all of 2005, I didn't do a single High Peak. With the exception of the odd HP or two, they are in the process of climbing every single named bump, hill, hillock, ridge and peak, high or low in all the ADK quads. They've even finished some quads.
If you want to talk about "climbing elsewhere" they've written the book on it...or should.
There are many others who haunt the small peaks and unknown trails. Much more unnoticeable than the pounding the HPs take.

 

[Nessmuk]

I know a couple of people at work say they only have so many free weekends. So they spend that time only on the high peaks. Is this why the peaks are so crowded and these smaller jewels go un-noticed?

I happen to live much closer to the western "low peaks" and lake/pond rich side of the Adirondacks. So I'm much more likely to be far away from the crowded HPs, in wilderness where I can be unseen on a remote bushwhack pondhopping with Hornbeck canoe overhead as much as under butt.

 

[rhihn]

We've done hikes up Blue, Ampersand, and Snowy, but not Adams yet. It's actually been a while since we've done one of the 46. We'll get back there again this summer to do some of our favorites, but we've also been doing other hikes, including many hikes in the southern Adirondacks, a Grand Canyon trip, and the Northville-Placid trail are in the works for the summer. We're also planning to head south and do some more Catskill hiking. As for crowds, it really depends upon when you go. I've been on Marcy with 3-4 other people on top, and I've been there with over 50. The largest crowd on a mountaintop I've experienced (excluding Whiteface!) was a trip up Giant. We were sharing that summit with 15 or so people, when along came a venture scouting group of over 30! You could hardly find a place to sit! I've also been there when it was just the two of us and our son.

 

[mavs00]

Couple of friends I hike with from here, peak_bgr and bushwacker live up there. They are at #99 on the ADK HH. Hiking with them all of 2005, I didn't do a single High Peak.

I hiked quite a bit with this group too. Last year, I hiked 31 peaks, and of that number, only 5 were over 4000'. They were spread out in various areas of the park from lesser peaks in the HP area to much further out in the lesser-traveled regions. Lots of time bushwhacking and, in general, once you get outside the HP's it's pretty friendly whacking territory, not nearly as "thick and nasty" **

Some mighty fine places outside the high peaks, and to answer your original question; YEAH, I think that is exactly why the High Peaks are so crowded.

** - Relatively speaking of course.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

I know a couple of people at work say they only have so many free weekends. So they spend that time only on the high peaks. Is this why the peaks are so crowded and these smaller jewels go un-noticed?

I can relate to giving priority to the high peaks. It is a long drive for me. I only had time to climb a few small peaks around Lake George while working on the 46. Now I do most of my Adirondack hiking outside of the high peaks, and generally only go into the high peaks midweek which really reduces the crowds. I have climbed Snowy, Noonmark, Round, Snow, Rooster Comb, the Crows, Nun-da-ga-o, Goodnow, Pharaoh, Treadway, Hadley, most of the little peaks around Lake George, and probably a few others that slip my mind. A few of the smaller peaks (Hadley and Pharaoh) are occasionally crowded on nice weekends, especially autumn, but nothing like the 100+ I once saw on top of Marcy on July 4.

I do not intend to complete the HH. In the Adirondacks I generally stick to the peaks with good views and a trail (or at least a well defined herd path). Moose, McKenzie, Jay, Hurricane, Adams, Ampersand, Blue, Crane, and Poke-O-Moonshine are on my short list for future hikes. For scratchy whacks I will stick to the Catskills for the foreseeable future.

 

[rhihn]

...Hadley, most of the little peaks around Lake George, and probably a few others that slip my mind. A few of the smaller peaks (Hadley and Pharaoh) are occasionally crowded on nice weekends, especially autumn, but nothing like the 100+ I once saw on top of Marcy on July 4.

I forgot about Hadley. On one of my climbs I think it may have topped 50.

 

[Neil]

People tend to stick with what's known and/or easy and Marcy, Algonquin, Giant and Cascade fit those categories. But, some of the littler guys get a lot of traffic too. Hurricane and Noonmark for instance.
I bet it's a tall order trying to spread people around onto the lesser known mountains. Even Dix gets way less traffic, at least in my experience. As for Blake, well...

 

[percious]

Imagine my surprise after bushwhacking up Cliff (the hard way) to find 10 other souls (1 46er) sharing the summit with me.

I definitely think it is a function of people having time. I am hiking the 115, so when I go up to the dax, I am usually hiking one 46er or another. I only get about 6 trips a year, so if I want to reach my 115 goal in my lifetime, I have to concentrate on the 4Kers.

-percious

 

[TCD]

Available time is definitely one cause for the focus on the High Peaks. Lists, and the desire to complete things, and to belong, also contribute. Another factor is the American proclivity to want the "biggest" thing in every category, fom hamburgers to cars to mountains. Also, despite their protestations, ADK contributes in no small way. The High Peaks Region guide book is always the first one out, of the series. And the book opens with an intensive focus on Mt. Marcy, making it clear that that's the most worthwhile place to be.

TCD

 

[iceNsnow]

Berlin Mt

Howdy!
Yep I love to hike the High Peaks, and even did the ADK100 but today it is Berlin Mt!
Berlin Mt is an awesome peak accessible by bushwhack, snowshoe, mountain bike, dirt bike, ATV, 4WD truck; and it even has a down hill ski trail off the back side.
It is waaaaaaaay closer to my house and I am thrilled to be in the woods - where ever!
As for others I cannot say. Sometimes I wonder if the High Peaks are really used as much as folks say. Being a midweek hiker, I have yet to share a summit of any height and as a matter of fact, I rarely even have to share the parking lot???!!!

Caio!
Inge