Hiking info?

[Lefty E]

Hi NY folk: coming from NH to hike some 46 but only for a couple of days. So what would be the quickest/easiest/most interesting? Of course we have been poring over maps and books and have a good idea but we would like the natives opinion..and how about camp grounds or lodging ideas?? Thank Lefty E PS we are going to the Keene Valley area...

 

[Peakbagr]

Hope you enjoy your upcoming trip. What types of trips are you interested in?
4k peakbagging, scenic peaks & hikes, easy, hard ?
Really scenic hikes to 3k peaks: Noonmark, Hurricane, Pitchoff.
Easy 4k peaks with great views: Porter/Cascade(crowded), Big Slide
4k peaks with more effort but great views: Giant(crowded), Gothics, Colvin, Sawteeth
The Keene Valley area is beautiful. There are B&Bs, hiker places, motels.
If camping, you might consider staying at the Adirondack Loj campground. Its owned by the Adirondack Mt Club who also has indoor lodging there. About 20 min from KV area.

There will be others here who will have some ideas.

 

[Lefty E]

Guess both 4k peakbagging and smaller view peaks..thanks..looks like one day would be an "easy" day and the second day would be the "harder" day and day 3 travel back to NH!!

 

[teejay]

You'll get lots of suggestions, but here's my list of favorites. All these lodgings are run by hikers. The Ark Trail Inn between Keene and Upper Jay, http://www.arktrailinn.com/, Random Scoots Cabin just outside Keene, http://randomscoots.com/, Keene Valley Hostel right in Keene Valley, http://www.keenevalleyhostel.com/, Jackrabbit Hostel, closer to Lake Placid and Heart Lake, http://www.tmax-n-topo.com/. I've stayed at all of them and recommend any of them very highly. And there's Johns Brook Lodge and the lean-to and cabin options nearby, as well as the many options available at Heart Lake. http://www.adk.org/lodging/index.aspx If you're willing to go as far as Lake Placid, there are tons of motels and hotels available from bare-bones to luxo.

Hiking, try Cascade and Porter, the classic first ADK High Peak hike. Close, quick and spectacular (Cascade) if you don't mind crowds. Big Slide or any of the Great Range are also close by. And a few dozen others. You'll be close to almost everything in Keene/Keene Valley.

teejay

 

[PA Ridgerunner]

Teejay's recommendations are terrific! Also, a few moderate, non-4K peaks you might consider are Hurricane, Noonmark, and Hopkins. All are in the Keene Valley area and are fun hikes with expansive views of the high peaks.

 

[rhihn]

All excellent suggestions above. I would add Phelps for a relatively easy 4K peak.

 

[Lefty E]

Thanks for the useful responses!

 

[Tom Rankin]

http://www.tmax-n-topo.com/.

Tmax and Topo are both peak-baggers, they understand us!

 

[JoeCedar]

If you are staying in KV, there are some 4k hike out-hike in options such as Lower Wolf Jaw via the Roostercomb trail (beginning of the Great Range), or even LWJ and Big Slide, returning by the Brothers trail and down the road from the Garden. Another good 4k combo, from the Ausable Club trailhead, is Dial and Nippletop. Both these peaks have great views.

A word of caution: KV is the lowest High Peaks trailhead, at about 1000 feet. So any 4k peak means 3k+ ascent!

 

[TEO]

Another good 4k combo, from the Ausable Club trailhead, is Dial and Nippletop. Both these peaks have great views.

A word of caution: KV is the lowest High Peaks trailhead, at about 1000 feet. So any 4k peak means 3k+ ascent!

I'll second Joe's suggestion of Dial & Nippletop, though I'd do Nippletop first by way of Gill Brook & Elk Pass, then it's a long descent back to the Ausable Club over Dial, Bear Den (not an official 4k'er) & the Burn on Noonmark's SW shoulder. Nippletop is an outstanding summit.

Adding on Colvin, with it's spectacular views of Lower Ausable Lake & the Great Range, before summiting Nippletop is a good way to extend your day, without making it all that much more difficult. If you add on both Colvin & Blake, then you've got yourself a big day, but a very good one. IIRC, it's about 17 or 18 miles.

I also like Dick's suggestion of Phelps for an easy day trip. If you tack on Tabletop, it lengthens the day a bit, but doesn't make it too taxing for a fit person. Phelps or Cascade & Porter are excellent choices if your driving over and looking for an afternoon hike.

 

[Lefty E]

Yes things are looking good think we won't get lost!

 

[bubba]

If you have read up on the area - you'll know that the Garden is the close trailhead for the State Range Trail (peaks) as well as mentioned Brothers/Big Slide. Know that this is a rather small parking area and it fills up quickly. Parking for Cascade/Porter is along the road - usually okay and better if early. Heading into the Loj area (closer to LP)- parking is fairly plentiful. Here you can grab Phelps as mentioned [go left] as well as Wright Peak and Algonquin [go right] - some awesome high peaks in the McIntrye Range.

There is a campground at the log area and campsites in south meadow area (off Log Road). Just outside on Rt 73 is Tmax & Topo's Hostel and a bit up the road is a campground - Whispering Pines - conventional campground, but convenient. Cascade and Porter a bit further up the road.

 

[Lefty E]

Thanks to all for your tips! We were able to enjoy Cascade/Porter, Hurricane,
Wright/Algonquin/Iroquois, and Giant/Rocky Peak. Thankful for the constant cooling breeze on all summits. Ledges seem to be stickier than ole NH, blueberries just as good, but not as many "scenic views" from the highways as in NH, ME & VT. What a large amount of slide scars on the ADKs as opposed to NH WMs? Also did not see moose pellets anywhere!!! though some tracks about...Lefty E

 

[una_dogger]

> Just saw your post-- Guess I will leave this post for anyone else with same question>>>>>

My easy to hard to harder day picks with NH4k-like comparisons (because perception is An individual thing) are as follows:

Giant and Rocky -- Kinsmans, Tfw, Moriah, Cabot loop
Colden, Tabletop and Phelps -- WF Passaconnaway Loop, Twins and Galehead

Longer/medium gain
Marcy, Gray,Skylight -- Zealand/bonds (summer), full Franconia traverse, Madison/Adams/Jefferson (standard routes)
Algonquin Wright Iriqoius -- southern presis (Monroe to Jackson)
Dial, nippletop, Colvin, Blake- washingon to Jackson, wf pass sleepers tri's
Santas, couch, panther-- carter dome hight s and middle out imp


Hardcore
Great range traverse -- Presi traverse Inc Jackson
Great range plus Marcy- wildcats,carters Inc dome and moriah
Seymour and sewards-- wildcats, all carters and moriah

These would be my picks for peakbagging as dayhikes

Having hiked all NE 115 *and* folkowing your trip reports, I think the main difference you will feel coming from New England is alot more miles on easy grades (think 19 Mile Brook) and more final steep scrambling (think Black Angel, Madison Gulf, Tuckerman Ravine)

Bring a filter or steri pen

Feel free to pm me ;-)

 

[Lefty E]

Thank you that could be very helpful!! For example, looking at Walker Ravine from Kinsmans would there not be as many slide scars as looking at Colden from Algonquin?? Guess I got pics to compare!! And not as many water supply sources as in NE??

 

[una_dogger]

Thank you that could be very helpful!! For example, looking at Walker Ravine from Kinsmans would there not be as many slide scars as looking at Colden from Algonquin?? Guess I got pics to compare!! And not as many water supply sources as in NE??

Agreed, alot more visible slides and terrain more like Maine -- same can be said for water sources -- you often will have to go down into the cols to find them ( and no huts up high as water sources)