Keene Valley snowshoe suggestions

[adkayaker]

Route 73 snowshoe suggestions

If ability, time, weather conditions, safety, or desire do not allow for a High Peak ascent, is this a decent list of suggested shorter snowshoe uphill hikes along the Route 73 corridor, in perhaps order of easiest to more difficult? Am I missing anything for my own personal "where-to-go list"?

Baxter
Owl's Head (off 73, not 9N)
Mt. Jo
Giant's Nubble
Rooster Comb
First Brother
Blueberry
Hurricane
Round
Brothers 2 and 3
Hopkins

(ok I guess Cascade could get on this list!)

 

[Little Rickie]

(ok I guess Cascade could get on this list!)

and Porter. I haven't done it but Noonmark is climbed by a lot of folks.

 

[Jay H]

pitchoff, at least if you can do the car spot traverse...

Jay

 

[TCD]

Snow Mtn.
Crows

 

[adktyler]

My easy to difficult list would be as follows:

Giant Nubble
Mr. Joe
Baxter
Owl's Head
First Brother
Snow
Round
Crows
Rooster Comb
Blueberry
Hopkins
Brothers 2 and 3
Pitchoff loop
Hurricane

Edit: climbed Hopkins

It's hard to say, though, because of distance and elevation (duh, right?).

Hope you enjoy your hikes!

 

[adkayaker]

I'd love to start on the list with the Brothers, but The Garden parking lot in winter is confusing to me. I read that it does not get plowed at all, gets plowed a bit late, etc. If I show up at 8AM on a saturday morning well after a snowfall or just after a snowfall, I sense much uncertainly on what to find.

 

[PA Ridgerunner]

You could probably add Van Hoevenberg to your list. Elevation is about the same as Jo. Longer approach (although still very short, about 2.2 mi. to the summit).

 

[adktyler]

I'd love to start on the list with the Brothers, but The Garden parking lot in winter is confusing to me. I read that it does not get plowed at all, gets plowed a bit late, etc. If I show up at 8AM on a saturday morning well after a snowfall or just after a snowfall, I sense much uncertainly on what to find.

Yea, there is some uncertainty about what you'll find. I've parked at the Garden in winter a good 30 times at least, and it's always been plowed enough to park and such. I do know people, however, who have had to hike an extra little bit to get the parking lot, because it wasn't plowed.

If you drive up there right after a huge snowstorm, I don't know what you'd find. But for a small storm, or a little later in the day, you should be okay. The DEC uses that parking lot as well for patrols and such, so it's in their best interest to have it plowed.

 

[mirabela]

The Round / Noonmark loop is a great trip, out in the open a great deal of the time ... although if you're going to do that, it's not a much bigger investment to do Giant or Cascade. You'll want to pick your day right, as it can get very icy. But the views are to die for.

 

[Rik]

Mt. Jo is too hard to be on that list.

 

[adkayaker]

Mt. Jo is too hard to be on that list.

thanks for that.

 

[Rik]

thanks for that.

No problem. Just don't want anyone getting in over their heads.