I’m planning an excursion to the Adirondacks in the summer, thinking of either doing a backpack or a few dayhikes on a long weekend. In the dayhike category, can someone tell me the routes to get to the Gothics, Upper Wolf Jaw and others in that range. I’m curious about mileage, challenge and so on. I’m figuring on a strenuous 14 mile hike. Am I far off?
Suvid
I don’t know your experience and fitness and such. But I can say that I went to the Adirondacks a few weeks after hiking the CT (I was very fit) and the Adirondacks kicked my butt. The trail conditions are pretty serious- straight up and down, no switchbacks and really washed out trail. 14 miles would be fine if you’re fit and take all day. But just remember the trails are deceptively hard- I thought they were a bit harder than the CT! Sure is beautiful up there though!
zach attack
Zach,
Excellent question, and I wouldn’t worry about fitness. I run and hike plenty. I went up Algonquin last year and it was definitely challenging but nothing that couldn’t be overcome.
The 'Dacks have not left my imagination since I’ve been there last, and I went in the middle of a deluge and if it wasn’t for the scenery it may have been the worst hiking experience I ever had.
Suvid
If you are looking for advice on the Adirondacks, then I suggest you post at Views from the Top
Peaks
If you go to the Adirondack mountain club website and you can use any of their guidebooks, I think that you will be set. Please excuse my dated information, I haven’t hiked in the dacks since I was teenager ten years ago, but I used these guides a lot then and they provided an accurate description and good maps. As someone who has put a bunch of miles under her belt, I can assure you that the Adirondacks is some of the most demanding, yet rewarding hiking I have done. If you are going up on the weekend, I would stay away from ADK loj, Marcy or John’s brook lodge are as they will be populous. The gothics, from what I remember, are not hikes (although the term “climbs” is more fitting!) that you want to do with a full pack. The hike I did up Algonquin- the trail that also goes up wright peak, was far easier than gothics.
Base camps and days hikes are very fitting for the high peaks region. However, gear and pack weight has changed so much from ten years ago when I hiked them, and because there is usually more than one route to the top of a peak, the trail system is advantageous to loop hikes. I have heard that bears are posing a problem up there, too, as with other over use problems. Overall, I think that the adirondacks are often overlooked for hiking and backpacking destinations for their lack of height and that many people classify them with the Appalachians. However, the Adirondacks are unique ‘cause they are geologically part of the Canadian shield, and not the Appalachians and in the largest park in the lower 48, and in the state that also contains the largest city in the country! Whatever you do I do not think that you will be disappointed.
Good Luck!
njw