Mt. Marcy Winter DayHike

[JPD1600]

Looking for some input on how Mt. Marcy from Adirondack Loj is as a winter day hike. I'm planning on coming up later this week, and considering Marcy as one of my options. I understand the route, round trip is approx. 14 mi. from the Loj. I am planning on starting about 5AM, and would figure to return to the Loj in darkness. Has anyone out there done this as a day hike in the winter before? How strenous did you find the trip? How would you compare it to a winter day hike of Giant from Rt. 73 (either ridge trial or roaring brook trail)?

Thanks
Joe

 

[BobK]

go for it

If you leave early,you can make it. Bring face protection. Trip will be easier if trail broken before you. Some may leave from Marcy Dam early.

Much longer then GIant. Last few miles easily done in the dark (good batteries a must).

 

[teleskier]

Truth is, it's really a pretty moderate trip in winter unless the summit weather is really nasty. It's so popular with both skiers and snowshoers that you almost always encounter a well-packed trail all the way to the summit. Even at an easy pace on snowshoes, it takes most people at most 8 hrs for the round trip, so a 5am start is kind of overkill. If you were the very first one out after a big storm, of course, it would be different, but barring that, you'll find it a full day but not a death march. The last half-mile about tree line can be nasty on windy days, but if the weather cooperates, there's no reason you shouldn't make the summit and get back down in plenty of daylight.

 

[oldfogie]

I think it's easier in winter than summer. You don't have to rock-hop and the snow creates less impact on the feet. I did it in one day easy. Take extra batteries. Lithiums aren't affected by cold. At the Loj they often have a summit report posted of windspeed and temp. If it's gonna be windy take goggles to keep your eyeballs unfrozen. Have fun. It's a great hike in winter.

--Joe 3102w

 

[Skyclimber]

I would suggest that you bring your crampons, face mask as well. If it's not going to be a nice day, as far as cloudy, so forth, Marcy can be very scarey in winter in a whiteout. Be prepared for just about anything. I do also suggest that you do get an early start as you never know what can happen and you don't want to be worried about time getting out of there.

 

[shadowcat]

Dayhiking Marcy

If you've got a good base of well packed snow Marcy is way easier in the winter then any other time of year. You have all the rocks covered up and the trail is nice and smooth. I agree 5 am is wayyyy overkill unless you like being out that early. Not me - i opt for a later start and don't mind hiking out in the dark. A big part of the trail is pretty easy in the dark also whether it's am or pm darkness. Like has already been suggested just be prepared for drastic changes in weather on the summit. You can have calm and good temps all the way to the fork where you head up to it and then get blasted!

 

[Dennis C.]

If you're keeping track of your winter ADK 4000s, it is possible to do both Marcy and Gray Peak as an extended day hike. Consolidated snow conditions for the bushwhack would certainly help. However this usually doesn't happen until after a typical January thaw. So as not to harm the fragile upper alpine zone, we went down the trail in the direction of Skylight and then circled right near timberline around to intersect the ridgeline leading over to Gray Peak. One other thing: we had good visibility .... important.
REF: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat...s=50&size=l&symshow=n&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

 

[zeke]

Let me play the devil's advocate

It took me three attempts to get to the top of Marcy in the winter. I hiked all three times solo, which can have an effect on how daring you are and how much energy you need to exert. Each trip had its own challenges.

On the first trip, I turned around within a mile of the summit because no one had been up to the top of the mountain in a week, and I was breaking trail, alone and in deep snow, for more than a mile. It was very cold, I was by myself, and my energy level was starting to wane. Frustrated but cautious, I turned around.

The second attempt, a couple of weeks later, ended with me turning around again, this time because it started snowing so hard above Indian Falls that I could barely see five feet in front of me. I trudged along in this heavy snowfall for a while but made the decision to turn back when the volume just didn’t let up. I didn’t want to enter into whiteout conditions above treeline. Doing so would give me pause even in an experienced group because finding your way back down to the marked trail can be difficult and time-consuming. (You can't see, your snowshoe tracks have disappeared, etc.)

I made it on the third try, two weeks later, on a relatively mild day in early March, somewhere around 25 degrees F. This time, it was relatively easy to get to the top. The wind up there, however, was fierce. It knocked me over multiple times, despite my efforts to stay on my feet.

My point is that the conditions on Marcy are quite changeable and hard to predict. The route from the Loj is popular, and you’re likely to see dozens of people, especially on a Saturday or Sunday. The trail might be nicely packed all the way to the top. Then again, it might not be. I agree that in some respects Marcy is easier in the winter than in the summer. But it’s still a remote, potentially dangerous peak, and in shorter days, cold temperatures, and reduced visibility, the stakes go up considerably.

 

[oldfogie]

Zeke is correct. You can't just pick any day on the calendar and expect Marcy to be a piece of cake. Usually the weekend brings out groups which have the numerical power to pack down new deep snow. You've got to be a stickler on weather reports too. In the Daks, "chance of snow" means something completely different. I've had my share of aborted tries too like Zeke. Comes with the territory. But if your lucky enough to follow the prints of a lot of people before you, on a bright sunny winter day, you will experience heaven on earth.
-Joe 3102W

 

[DHeer]

My sister and I did Marcy on the first day of winter last year and were able to do it as a day hike. There was a lot more snow then but the conditions above 3500' were not the best. High winds and low visibility. Had it not been for meeting up with a solo hiker up ahead, we would have turned around. But deciding to continue with the three of us we were able to hit the summit and get out before dark. Use all of your winter precautions and equipment. Good luck!

 

[vballlady3]

I'm going to hike Marcy in a week, and I'm curious about the other half of the original question that didnt seem to be answered.... how does the hike from the Loj or Marcy Dam compare with the hike from 73 up Giant mtn.? I did Giant this summer as a dayhike and granted I was tired beforehand but it was hard (although did run a few miles after getting back to camp ). I know the Marcy hike is considerably longer than Giant, but is it as steep/ strenuous? Or just the last part to the summit? Thank ya much

 

[Oldsmores]

Most of the hike is fairly easy grades, only the last part to the summit is relatively steep, but that's a short section.