July 5: Trail to Johns Brook Lodge: excellent condition
Orebed Trail: Excellent, except for 1 wet bit slightly above new stairs
Cables Route Gothics: Excellent except for short wet bit near the start, and wet, muddy patches along the flat part shortly before the summit.
July 6: Phelps Trail to Marcy: Mostly excellent, but on flat part about 0.3 miles prior to the junction with the trail from the Adirondack Loj parking, muddy and wet areas, which continue until the rocky section that leads to the summit.
Hopkins Trail to JBL: also mostly excellent, with a bit of mud here and there.
Bugs: The black flies found us on the way to Marcy when we stopped, but none on top (windy), none noted on Gothics. None at JBL.
Special equipment: waterproof boots practical for Marcy.
Comments: 3rd time up the Cables Route, and we descended over Armstrong and Upper Wolfjaw the other 2 times. This time we wanted something easier and faster, and so descended the Cables route. It was indeed easier and faster. We also did a jaunt to Pyramid, which has fantastic views (as does Gothics), and is minutes away, so worth the visit.
Hopkins Trail is a bit hard to follow a couple times, when it crosses the stream, about halfway down to JBL.
On our way down we saw what we presume is bear scat (it wasn't there on the way up, and chipmunks aren't that prolific) shortly after Hopkins meets up with Phelps.
Orebed Trail: Excellent, except for 1 wet bit slightly above new stairs
Cables Route Gothics: Excellent except for short wet bit near the start, and wet, muddy patches along the flat part shortly before the summit.
July 6: Phelps Trail to Marcy: Mostly excellent, but on flat part about 0.3 miles prior to the junction with the trail from the Adirondack Loj parking, muddy and wet areas, which continue until the rocky section that leads to the summit.
Hopkins Trail to JBL: also mostly excellent, with a bit of mud here and there.
Bugs: The black flies found us on the way to Marcy when we stopped, but none on top (windy), none noted on Gothics. None at JBL.
Special equipment: waterproof boots practical for Marcy.
Comments: 3rd time up the Cables Route, and we descended over Armstrong and Upper Wolfjaw the other 2 times. This time we wanted something easier and faster, and so descended the Cables route. It was indeed easier and faster. We also did a jaunt to Pyramid, which has fantastic views (as does Gothics), and is minutes away, so worth the visit.
Hopkins Trail is a bit hard to follow a couple times, when it crosses the stream, about halfway down to JBL.
On our way down we saw what we presume is bear scat (it wasn't there on the way up, and chipmunks aren't that prolific) shortly after Hopkins meets up with Phelps.
