Recommend you camp at Marcy Dam. After crossing over Marcy Dam, continue on the trail toward Avalanche Camps/Avalanche Lake (marked with yellow trail markers). It takes an hour of walk to get there from Heart Lake. Although there were 13 in our group, only five of us decided to climb Marcy. Marcy from Mt. Once, about halfway up, I came to a 4-way intersection in the trail at 3.6 miles. (2), New York State DEC Back Country Camping Rules. While this is not the shortest route to Marcy's summit, it may be the fastest. Once you pass the falls, the climb becomes less strenuous until you reach the tree line near the summit. Absolutely beautiful! As I quickly learned, the return trip down the mountain was harder than the climb up. Marcy . The incident also put a capstone on a summer season that has attracted a new demographic to the woods , as people have shunned beaches and air travel and searched for drivable vacation destinations. Left and right were labeled “ski trail only” and forward was labeled “to Tabletop Mountain”. Mount Marcy peak is the highest point in New York state within the High Peaks Region. Marcy the previous day in ideal conditions; nightly temps hovered around -15° F, but were no match for my Feathered Friends -60° sleeping bag and the 4 season Big Agnes Battle Mountain 3. Although we are avid walkers and pseudo runners, we had never hiked--not even one day of our lives! ©Marriane Perreault. Colden at the green arrow. Many thanks to my wife, Peggy, and to Heather, Dennis and Susanna; Ed and Marsha; and Mike, Ellen and Ian; and, of course, Jill, Bolgen, and Diane for the support and great laughs over the last four days! From Keene Valley we hiked in to Marcy Dam and set up base camp. Mt Colden and former Marcy Dam Lake It seems that most Adirondack runs have three phases – the approach, which is usually the best for pure running, then the transition, which is partially runnable, followed by fast hiking as the steeper rockier sections near the summit are covered. If solitude is what you’re looking for, why not consider camping the night before, and … The thunder and wind were so loud overnight. Took several Cub Scouts there just this November. Colde. Marcy before heading east on the Phelps Mountain Trail at a junction 1.0 miles from Marcy Dam. Marcy’s trail was becoming. The easiest way to shorten this distance is to camp at Marcy Dam. One good thing about the South Meadow Trailhead is that it’s less heavily trafficked. Took out the poncho to cover the whole body and backpack. The Van Hoevenberg Trail begins at the Adirondack Loj (near Heart Lake), and is a 15.4-mile hike to the summit and back. Yes, people did just go to Marcy Dam. All rights reserved. Afterward, many of the people we met at the Loj told us that we were "crazy" to make Marcy our first-ever hike. We would have to beat our climb time to make it to the Loj before it got dark. It was 7:00, only one hour more and our journey would be over! View from the dam. We stopped for a few photos and shared StroopWaffels, but it became quickly apparent just how busy Mt. The string of incidents prompted an all-hands-on-deck response from the DEC’s caretaker of Marcy Dam, a Mount Marcy summit steward, multiple dispatchers, several New York State Police helicopter pilots, an assistant forest ranger and 10 forest rangers — roughly 10% of … Location: 44.1531334, -73.9402695 Colden reflected in Marcy Dam Pond in the High Peaks, Adirondack Mountains, NY Mt Marcy, High Peaks Wilderness, Adirondack Park, New York. Now that the bridge over Marcy Dam is gone (as of fall 2011) the entire route is about 1min longer in total, so starting the clock on the other side removes this handicap. Retrace steps to your car. The morning light on Heart Lake, adjacent to the Loj, was spectacular, so I grabbed my camera and tripod to capture this gorgeous light and the stillness of the water. There are four routes for summiting Mount Marcy. Mount Marcy as seen from Marcy Dam. Starting from the Adirondack Loj follow the Van Hoevenberg trail 2.3 miles to Marcy Dam. When we arrived at the Loj at 8:00, we all celebrated the success of our journey. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. Ripple-free waters of Marcy Dam reflect the bare scars of Avalanche Pass on nearby Mt. At the Marcy Dam, the forest does begin to open up, and after crossing over the bridge on the dam, the elevation and topography of the trail itself begins to change dramatically. From this point, the hike continues to follow the Van Hoevenburg Trail to Mt. At times, my hiking boots felt like concrete blocks. Four hours later, we were happy to finally see Marcy Dam. This area has several first come, first serve lean-to’s making this a perfect spot to stop if you plan on an overnight. After you have passed the dam, you will begin climbing up boulders, with rocky terrain that lasts until you reach Marcys summit. Our goal was to climb Mt. Scott, you have some amazing photos here. To reach Marcy Dam, the driver had to go through a gate, which apparently had been left unlocked following a recent mountain rescue, and ignore signs against motorized use. Capturing this was easy; every view was incredible, and it didn't take much thinking or creative photography to get good shots. The view with Wright’s Peak did grace a holiday card this year for one of the Scout’s family. An hour into our hike, we crossed the scenic wooden Marcy Dam, taking in the spectacular cross-pond views of Mount Colden, Avalanche, Wright Peak, and Algonquin. For reference, Marcy Dam is shown on the map above at the red arrow, and Mt. Boulder-laden brook. We have always enjoyed the Adirondacks, but our past trips there have been mostly for sightseeing. Once you reach Marcy Dam, follow the Standard Route, the Van Hoevenberg Trail. Crossing a stream (there's also a bridge for crossing when the water is high) First clear view of Mount Marcy from the trail. As I stood there breathing in the razor sharp air of the night, and gazing up at the beauty of the of sky it occurred to me that I had suffered a panic attack brought on by the claustrophobia of a cinched up sleeping bag in a crowded tent. A popular camping option on the Mount Marcy trail is near Marcy Dam, which offers views of the high peaks and is only 2.3 miles from the Mount Marcy trailhead at Adirondak Loj at Heart Lake, part of the Adirondack Mountain Club. 19 designated campsites in the area and 4 lean-tos. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports. After much preparation they left and hiked into Marcy Dam. MMT005. All Rights Reserved. Just after crossing the Marcy Dam, we paused to perform our second registration task and then began climbing towards the Phelps Brook stream crossing at approximately 2.5 miles. Marcy Dam is a rustic camping area. Photo: Brian Mann It is a stunner of a fall day and I'm hiking in along the trail to Marcy Dam. After having a lunch of rice balls (onigiri) I made in the morning, I shouldered the heavy backpack and stated hiking. Our campsite at Marcy Dam, Adirondacks, NY. Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. Continuing on the trail, you'll get the heart rate up on a steep ascent to Indian Falls. © 2006-2020 SummitPost.org. Strong thunderstorms rolled in with heavy downpours. Marcy Dam (721 ft.). Parents with young kids, Old hikers who no longer could get up Marcy. Panorama Payoff We summited Mt. The shortest route to its cone-shaped summit is from the Adirondak Loj parking area. Aside from Marcy Dam, our first real waypoint came in the form of Indian Falls, a stunning vista carved out by a small stream a few miles below the summit. No yellow brick road here. It would have been another hour to the top and down, and seeing our time was limited, I wanted the photo time and the time to appreciate the incredible view. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. My sons and I took to the road for an overnight trip to the adirondacks. They slept in this lean-to - well half of them and cooked down at Marcy Dam- part of Wilderness Bear protection, do not cook where you sleep!!! Q: How many Mount Marcy trails are there? All the previous dams were temporary ones made out logs so they could be broken down and provide water to Marcy Brook to float logs down stream to the mills. Crossover the Marcy Brook and then bear right. This was all rugged Adirondack hiking and rock climbing. On the left, Phelps Mountain, 32nd highest peak. Our descent back down to the Adirondack Loj began at 3:00. For the next five hours, the terrain got more challenging, becoming much more than I expected. Up until there the trail is easy overall. Location: 44.1589050292969, -73.9515991210938. Climbing Mt. "Something about me stinks, something about me smells." This is a great factor if you want to avoid the crowds and hike the mountain in solitude. --Umphrey's McGee, Images From the base, it is roughly 7.3 miles to the summit of Mount Marcy, making it a very long day hike. They are beautiful and dramatic... All content © 2020 Scott C. Hooker Photography. Arrival in the Adirondacks on July 13, 2014 to begin our stay at the Adirondack Mountain Loj, outside Lake Placid, was very exciting. For the next five hours, we maneuvered over the same boulders we had experienced only a few hours before, yet this was more challenging and certainly required more of a work out. MMT004. Early in 2014, my wife, Peggy, and I agreed to join a group of our friends on a hiking trip in the Adirondacks. (14), Comments Scott C. Hooker - Rochester Wedding Photographer. Mount Marcy is the highest of the High Peaks, and its impressive presence commands the view from many other peaks. We arrived at Marcy Dam within the first hour. Entered into the trail in the forest. At times, my hiking boots felt like concrete blocks. Not just the Marcy pictures but all you others too. Marcy Brook at the base of Marcy Dam. Marcy Dam. Marcy Dam is the name given to the dam and the pond it created on Marcy Brook. The 2.8 miles to Marcy Dam are on a smooth dirt road, with few rocks. So, this goal seemed an impossible feat, but nonetheless, we were excited to give it a try. Marcy. Past Marcy Dam, the Van Hoevenberg Trail parallels Phelps Brook and becomes increasingly steep as it approaches Indian Falls. An early version of the dam was constructed by the Conservation Corps during the 1930s. However, the last reliable source of water is at Indian Falls where the Van Hoevenberg Trail intersects Marcy Brook (~3600 feet elevation). My son’s first High Peak area hikes included Marcy Dam & Mt. Jo. My favorite photos are found below. The reflections on the calm water tells the story. ... Gray Peak, Mt. Marcy Dam offer outstanding view of the surrounding High Peaks. Soon it started raining. The clarity of these photographs is unsurpassed. I dragged my camera along with me--probably not a good idea--to capture the hike and the view at the top. Marcy and Mt. We probably were, but we had great guides, a lot of encouragement, and the desire to make this "bucket list" experience a true success! Past the tree line, the peak of Mount Marcy is rocky and exposed. Panoramic view of Phelps Mtn, Mt Marcy and Mt. This was 15 minutes of fast shooting with little time for composing or thinking about what I was doing. Once you hit the trail, you will head up toward Marcy Dam, which if you're not camping at the Loj, makes for a good place to set up a base camp. View of Mt. Some of this advice was good, some not so good, some scary, and some that caused us to think if this was a good idea. This is partly because it leaves you starting about one mile further away from Mt Marcy, so it’s not as popular as the Marcy Dam starting point. Some of those photos are included here. Prior to our hike, we soaked up advice from experienced hikers. Marcy and Phelps Mtn. These photos are incredibly beautiful and truly capture the beauty and essence of the untouched wilderness. That easy trip from the Loj to the Dam in the early morning, suddenly became an exhausted hour-long trip that seemed endless. Starting on the Van Hoevenberg Trail from the Adirondack Loj or near Heart Lake, the trail is easy until you reach Marcy Dam. Don't be fooled by the relatively low milage of this hike — this is a steep, serious climb, especially during the last mile, which ascends the summit on open rock. It was rebuilt most recently during the early 1970s. We arrived at the Marcy Summit around 2:00. It takes less than an hour to get to Marcy Dam, and we did it in about 45 minutes. It was 7:00, only one hour more and our journey would be over! We arrived in rain and the forecast for the next few days was not expected to be very good, so our group began to think of alternative hikes in case we got rained out. Start along the trail until you each the Marcy Dam. Campsites on first-come basis. The trail up Marcy that begins at the Adirondack Loj at Heart Lake is also the shortest by 1.5 miles and starts with hiking a rolling to gradual trail for 2.3 miles to Marcy Dam. The rain was getting heavier as I was walking. In about 0.1 miles you will arrive at the Avalanche Pass and Van Hoevenberg Trail junction. If you are hiking with younger or less experienced hikers, they can accompany you as far as the dam … Marcy the following day, but weather put a damper on it. Round Trip Hiking Mileage: 16 miles A simple task. At 5,343 feet, Marcy is New York's highest peak. The clouds were amazing, and it was truly like being on top of the world. It's hard to put into words the feelings of the last few days. The steep terrain made it difficult to stay afoot; coordination and balance were key. This will cut 7,3 km to the distance. These are fantastic photos! Location: 44.1579819, -73.9506989. Follow trail R after crossing boardwalk-capped dam . Four hours later, we were happy to finally see Marcy Dam. Within the first hour past Marcy Dam, we were into some tough terrain over mountain streams, rocks and boulders. Hike for 2.3 miles on the Van Hoevenberg Trail through forested terrain and eventually come to the Marcy Dam. Mount Marcy: Mt. Colden, Avalanche Mtn., and Wright Peak. Hiking to Marcy Dam. Insider Tip: after crossing Marcy Dam, there is a register board for all hikers to sign. The sun finally filled the area where I was standing, resulting in a gorgeous view of some of the High Peaks. Mount Marcy, the highest peak in New York State, towers over the Adirondack region at 5,343 feet. You have quite a talent. We signed in at the Loj to begin our hike at 8:00 am not realizing what the next 12 hours would bring us. The summit ahead. The dam that is here now was completed in the 1960's and was the first permanent dam on the site. Yes. Last planks before the summit. The next five hours, however, were anything but simple. This was the stopping point for me, Peggy and Diane. This is one of the most popular hikes in the region, and its 3,300-foot elevation gain offers a number of unique and spectacular viewpoints. Work at Marcy Dam is expected to continue over the next five years. Our friend, Diane, was doing the hike in recognition of  her 50th birthday, and friends Jill and Bolgen, our fearless leaders and avid hikers, were there to guide us and give us confidence--which they did brilliantly! In fact, most of the times there really was no trail at all, just big boulders to climb over. Is there water access on the trail? Closest designated campsites (2) are 0.75 miles east of Marcy Dam. That easy trip from the Loj to the Dam in the early morning, suddenly became an exhausted hour-long trip that seemed endless. Marcy NYS This is the scene from late June as Boy Scouts went to ADK high Peaks to climb Mt. There is also a campsite between Marcy Dam and Indian Falls on the trail. This is the most popular route and leaves from the Adirondack Loj. Marcy Dam. This time, however, our goal was to climb to the top of Mt. Lean-tos and tent platforms surround pond with 180° views to Mt. 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