Trail Conditions: The trails were in excellent shape with a good firm base. I used bare boots to and from Marcy Dam; snowshoes worked for everything else. One half inch new snow at Marcy Dam, 2" at Lake Arnold and Lake Tear, maybe 4" just below tree line on Van Hoevenberg Trail. The trail from Lake Arnold to Feldspar Brook and the last half mile before Lake Tear are a bit rough due to branches and trees hanging over the trail.
Special Equipment: Snowshoes with a good cleat (unlike the ones I was using), poles, face mask.
Comments: You always encounter more hikers & skiiers when in the Marcy area and today was no exception. All trails had been broken but some needed to be re-broken because of drifting snow. I was able to stay somewhat on a track on Gray to about half way up. At that point I gave up trying to stay on a track and just headed for the summit. Going over to Marcy wasn't bad (no spruce traps!). I needed to angle to the north side (left) when climbing the dome to avoid the ice on the more sunny south side.
The views were incredible with a perfectly clear sky but the winds were pretty intense. I spent all of 2 minutes on Skylight, there is nowhere to hide. Gray wasn't too bad but I was in the wind for the whole traverse to Marcy. On Marcy you could find sunny spots to hide from the wind. Down in the trees it didn't even seem like there was a hint of a breeze.
It was just a great day to be tromping about in the ADKs. (9:50 hrs.)
Special Equipment: Snowshoes with a good cleat (unlike the ones I was using), poles, face mask.
Comments: You always encounter more hikers & skiiers when in the Marcy area and today was no exception. All trails had been broken but some needed to be re-broken because of drifting snow. I was able to stay somewhat on a track on Gray to about half way up. At that point I gave up trying to stay on a track and just headed for the summit. Going over to Marcy wasn't bad (no spruce traps!). I needed to angle to the north side (left) when climbing the dome to avoid the ice on the more sunny south side.
The views were incredible with a perfectly clear sky but the winds were pretty intense. I spent all of 2 minutes on Skylight, there is nowhere to hide. Gray wasn't too bad but I was in the wind for the whole traverse to Marcy. On Marcy you could find sunny spots to hide from the wind. Down in the trees it didn't even seem like there was a hint of a breeze.
It was just a great day to be tromping about in the ADKs. (9:50 hrs.)
