Mount Marcy and fall foliage...

[velodurt]

Hi everyone, I am looking into climbing Mt Marcy next weekend (Oct 8th-driving from Ohio) and I was wondering if I could expect some good fall color. I would also appreciate any advice on trail choice...I have mainly been researching the Van Hoevenberg...would love to hear any recent reports from this trail. Any advice on this mountain would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks to all. Cheers!

Natural Born Hikers

 

[Puma concolor]

Velodurt -

The High Peaks of the Adirondacks should be showing some very good color when you visit next week. I can't say whether they will be peak or not but when I climbed Marcy on Sept. 22, some of the leaves were just starting to show some minor signs of color. Since then, there have been some chilly nights so things should be shaping up nicely for your visit.

This was my third trip up Marcy. I climbed the standard Van Hovenburg route and found it to be in very good shape. The first two miles or so from Adirondack Loj to Marcy Dam essentially give you zero elevation gain. There are some very minor ups and downs in this section but the trail is mostly flat. After crossing the Dam on a large footbridge, just keep following the signs for Marcy for the next five and a half miles or so. The trail is very good (a little rocky but not bad at all) and the ascent of about 3200 feet from the Dam is very gradual. There is a short side path to great outlooks of Algonquin, Iroquois and Wright at Indian Falls (about 2.5 miles from the Dam) and you reach stunted growth shortly after that. The only steep part is in the final reaches of the mountain and a plaque at the summit commemorates the first ascent. The USGS marker is just a few feet from the true summit.

I posted a trip report over on America's Roof. If you're interested, here's the link:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/message-198362-1127523399-Back+home+on+Marcy+-+09-22-2005

The roundtrip took me about six and a half hours but I was moving pretty good. Have fun and good luck.

 

[crazymama]

Hi Velodurt,

I hiked Big Slide today. Some of the trees have turned, but peak foliage is yet to come. Nevertheless, it was very fall-like, and absolutely gorgeous.

We were commenting that next weekend the foliage should be pretty nice. Usually Columbus Day coincides with the peak, but it seems that the foliage may be a little slower this year.

 

[Shewolf]

Higher elevations are beginning to show signs of change, but because of the REALLY WARM weather in the North Country this week, I suspect we won't be seening the colors peak this weekend. However, come Friday, highs in the 50s should start the color ball rolling again.

Velodurt, you may want to bring your warm woolies. Gonna be a cool one this weekend. Calling for rain out here on Thursday. Have fun!!!!

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Colours are late this year.

Each year, we run a trailwork outing the weekend before Columbusi(Thanksgiving) Day weekend. We always comment on the colours of the leaves around Round Pond. (We always work on the Dix-ROund Pond trail). There was no difference this year. We talked about the colours: "Look how green everything is this year."

I don't think they'll be peaking for two weeks.

Here's how green everything was Friday, Sept 30. A view of Algonquin from Colden, which is next to Marcy.

http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/tmpadk/algonquin.jpg

 

[mommabear]

I agree that generally by now, the foliage in the Adirondacks has peaked, but this year they seem to be a little slower than usual. Still, the weather and the scenery is especially unpredictable in the High Peaks this time of year. I can remember a few years back hiking Colden in a snow storm the first week in October and then next week, hiking the Algonquin range in about 70 degree weather.

 

[JPG848]

Should be very nice, we were in Elk Lake weekend of 9/24 and thingswere startingto turn. Just a note if you haven't hiked Marcy before, the rounnd trip is about 12 miles so plan at least 9-10 hours to hike it. Whoever said they did it in 5.5 hours must have been jogging.

 

[mavs00]

Don't get me wrong, Marcy is a great hike and you should do it, but to be honest, It's not the greatest "foliage" peak. Problem is, is that its so far in the interior of the peaks, that it is surrounded by miles and miles of boreal conifers.

If you had a second day to hike (more like a half day), I'd suggest a couple other hikes in the area that might offer a touch better COLOR , due to their proximity to the lower deciduous zones found lower.

Peaks like Noonmark, Ampersand or Moose. There are tons of choices. Just say the word and you'll get tons of informed choices. Like I said, Marcy is a great peak, just not what I would consider a prime "color" peak, ditto for most of the higher interior peaks. You'll surely see color, it'll just be pretty far away. Enjoy

 

[velodurt]

Thanks to all...

Great info everyone...thanks for the advice! My trip looks like it will be postponed until another weekend though...hopefully I am still able to get there this year. Thanks again for all the great posts. Cheers!