Where to Finish?

[1ADAM12]

I posted this on another site but thought I would post here too. It still will be another 2 years before i finish my first round of the 46 and need your help. Should I finish on Giant, Rocky Peak Ridge, or santanoni? Only 16 more to go....lol

Thanks for your help,

ADAM

 

[Rik]

All three are great peaks but I chose RPR as it is a personal favorite. Giant is often crowded but also a short hike if you plan to celebrate. How with 16 left did you narrow it down to these three?

 

[1ADAM12]

All three are great peaks but I chose RPR as it is a personal favorite. Giant is often crowded but also a short hike if you plan to celebrate. How with 16 left did you narrow it down to these three?

Rik,

From what i have heard out of the 16 left these are ones with the better views. I have done Couch and Panther and did not have enough time for Sant. I really liked it up there and cannot wait to get back to hit Sant. I also thought about Whiteface but i do not have enough family and friends that would be interested in riding a car to meet me on top. All my friends think i am crazy anyways for hiking. They just dont understand!!!!!!

 

[Rick]

Adam,
I strongly beleive it should be a peak that is more easily accessible to those who might want to celebrate your finish with you (mine was Big Slide in '98).
It should also be a peak that is forgiving of those who celebrate with spirits and might stumble slightly on the way down

I say this only because I started looking at maps recently to plan my NE 115 finish (I ONLY have 65 to go).

Also, it is easier if it is a dayhike so that those who don't camp can come along (plus do you know how heavy 2 magnums of brut are when backpacking them into a base camp?).
Finally, Timing could be an issue - In the fall, the Ridge hike on RPR is absolutely spectacular.

A thought could be that you finish on Giant and that way non-peak baggers can go up to Giant and lounge/enjoy the views while you trundle across to RPR come back and !!!Voila!!! Celebrate the final steps to Giant summit!!!!

Good Luck!!!

 

[NYBRAD]

My vote is for Santanoni because it sounds like you really enjoyed the area and the challenge of the hike.

A suggestion would be to celebrate with a hike into The Great camp for lunch the day after, to gaze on your accomplishment.

 

[vegematic]

I voted for Santanoni, but only because I like the name. I've never even been to the Adirondacks...or are those Catskills peaks that you're working on...

You might want to subtract 1 vote from the tally for Santanoni.
-vegematic

 

[lumberzac]

I voted for RPR, because I love the trail to the summit of that mountain from New Russia, but any one of those three would be great to finish on.

 

[Cloudsplitter]

RPR all the way

If you can, and I know this will involve way too much planning and a little luck...Hike RPR from the Elizabethtown side on a sunny day in early fall. James R. Burnside recommended this in his well known guide book (although he didn't finish his 46 there), and I followed his advice a few years back. One of the best hikes in the High Peaks. You won't be sorry!
-C

 

[Neil]

Rpr...

because that's where I'm finishing. I've only got 8 left and like most people my last ones are mostly toughies. I should be done before march 21, however I'm going to save Rocky until the summer so my whole family (3 kids, one of which hates hiking) and some friends will come.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

My vote is for Rocky Peak Ridge. Two of my kids finished on that, and it was a great trip. An old friend (poombah) finished there as well, with a lot of beer.

Do the traverse. start in New Russia, and go across to Rte 73. You may as well run up Giant after, since you'll be so close.

If you only have 1 car, stash a bicycle in the woods near route 73. It's almost all downhill to new russia. But make sure you have a good light if it is dark. I left a 10 and 12 year old, sitting in the dark, on the side of rt 73 for well over an hour once, while I searched for the trailhead with a weak bike headlight.

 

[Rick]

My vote is for Rocky Peak Ridge. Two of my kids finished on that, and it was a great trip. An old friend (poombah) finished there as well, with a lot of beer.

Woww Pete....
A blast from the past. What ever happened to Poombah? I remember she as on the AT and was getting a little down and out around the Midatlantic. Did she ever finish?

When was that 97? 98? What is she up to now? I remember when she was working on her peaks - Everytime I would pass a solo young woman, I would wonder - Hmm.... Is that Poombah?

 

[mavs00]

Adam,

Of your choices, Santinoni was my fav, but I wouldn't choose it to finish on it (the slog to BP is enought to kill the spirit of ANY hike). To me, Giant is waaaay better when viewed from other peaks than it is when taking in the view from it.

So I suppose RPR would be my choice. It was another fav of mine (in the top 6-8) anyway......... However, skip all that New Russia / Giant traverse crap do it "old school" and bushwhack straight up Dipper Brook past Dipper Falls to the RPR/Giant col and head up and finish from there. When you look down, you ought not see anything but..................... well, anything at all.

Let me know, I'll be happy to go along with you to any/either of the peaks on the list when the time comes.

 

[Head]

I'd say RPR from Rte 9 is a pretty awesome trip (thats if you did Giant before hand). There are tons of views on the way up from Blueberry Cobble to Bald and of course RPR. When Buglegs and I did it, we got caught in a electrical storm. We boogied out of there, real quick like, when the rocks around us turned a hazy blueish color and a bolt of lightening hit a tree about 100 yards from where we were standing! I wish you better weather if you do choose that one to finish on

 

[audrey]

I voted for Giant in case you wanted to have friends along - it's really special when you can celebrate with hiking buddies and that's the easiest to reach while toting a bottle of champagne.

Santanoni was definitely one of my top 10. We made a leisurely 3-day trip to bag those three wonderful peaks. Perfect weather and a dry season with minimal mud!

 

[rondak46]

Santanoni via Ermine Brook

You can avoid the Bradly Pond Sloppy Slog, and initiate yourself to your next mission, route finding on the trailless peaks.

Mike

 

[Mike P.]

I've been to RPR & Gia, both good, if spirits involved in celebration Giant may be quicker back to road.

I like the RPR Summit better but view in one direction is hindered by Giant. Giant view is better although a couple of trees on top require moving around but no other mountains block view accept for Dix across the street & then the higher peaks of the Great Range (Wiat they don't block the view, they are the view )

 

[mavs00]

I like the RPR Summit better but view in one direction is hindered by Giant....................

.......but no other mountains block view accept for Dix across the street & then the higher peaks of the Great Range (Wait they don't block the view, they are the view )

I'd beg to differ, the scarred East face of Giant doesn't hinder the view from RPR, IT MAKES THE VIEW . It's all a matter of opinion I suppose

 

[Mike P.]

Thanks for the wonderful reminder, it's been too many years since I've been, 1996. What I did remember was the down from Giant over to RPR & then the trip back up Giant.

 

[mavs00]

Thanks for the wonderful reminder, it's been too many years since I've been, 1996. What I did remember was the down from Giant over to RPR & then the trip back up Giant.

shhhhhhhhhhhhh. Lets not let him in on ALL the secrets . He'll discover that little secret soon enough.

 

[KZKlimber]

I'd side with the "RPR from New Russia" crowd. It was the first hike I made after finishing the 46.

I wouldn't want my view on my 46th peak to be Couchsachraga