The High Peaks Blog

Your mission, Jim, should you decide to accept it, is to get your a$$ up one of the 46 High Peaks before summer is out. If you fail, readers will deny any knowledge of your existence. This tape will self destruct in 30 seconds.

Eight months into my new life in Saranac Lake, I had yet to get out on one of the Adirondack 4000. I’ve been on all of them, some of them multiple times, but most of that was a long time ago.

Sunday had a sketchy forecast. Monday would be better, but my child would be driving up on Monday to spend the month with me, so Monday was out. Eeny, meeny, miney, mo. After looking at my options, Phelps Mountain came out on top.

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We’ve had some cool evenings and overnight frosts in Saratoga Springs, but the full effect of winter is still to come. In pursuit of an early taste of the season, my hiking partners, Dave, April, and I ventured into the High Peaks to visit winter.

The Adirondacks often see a frost up high, in November. It’d rained the previous day, followed by overnight temps in the 20s; we were confident we would find ice. We decided on a through hike, up from the trailhead on Route 73 to the summits of Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge, and then on to Route 9 in New Russia. It’s a 12-mile traverse, with 4,000 feet of elevation, and to some, it’s one of the most beautiful hikes in New York. We met at 5:30am to drive up in two cars, spotting one in New Russia.

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After two weeks of shuttling back and forth between states, I’m finally settled in my new place in Saranac Lake. It’s still unsettled, as I have more books than shelves. As many guitars as chairs. That can be easily rectified with the acquisition of additional guitars. Fear not, gentle reader: I have more skis in than guitars. I’ve set up the wax station in the basement.

Although the weather was sketchy, I’d be returning to NJ for band practice for the weekend. Wednesday seemed the day for an excursion to Big Crown and Little Crow mountains in Keene. Early October in the Adirondacks isn’t as benign as back in NJ. In the morning, I frittered away time rooting around for micro spikes, mitten shells, and other items that would come in handy above treeline.

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