Adirondack question

[nate]

i am planning a 3 night solo outing in the high peaks sometime this month, and i know bears are a common issue over there. i am definitely using a food canister, but do any of you ADKers know of specific locales that i should avoid due to bear activity? i'd like to reserve all my food for my belly only...

thanks

[byates1]

do not camp at: marcy dam or lake colden.

you may still have issues at feldspar lean-to, but that is a better choice.

the dix and giant wilderness are far better as far as bear habituation, you can also have a fire legally.

be super clean, and if possible, cook a fair bit away from where you are sleeping.

have fun!

[gpcharles]

I second what byates says above. My understanding is that the bear problem is worst around march dam/colden, and some of the eastern high peaks wilderness--and as he said, i have heard that giant has less bears than the HPW

the usual stuff though has always kept me bear free over there... cook at least 100 feet from your tent, keep the food in the canister at least a 100 feet from both tent and cooksite.

we also carry a cowbell if we're going to hike at night... who knows if it does anything, but we haven't had a problem... and it's fun to wear cowbells.

my .01 dollar: gothics is a really awesome mtn

[Woodlandclown]

anytime you can add more cowbell is a good time.

I have nothing to add, but will recommend Dix Wilderness as a place to consider your trip.

[lionelhutz]

Just got back from the ADK- bears are concentrated at marcy dam and lake colden but bear-proof food containers are needed in the all of the high peaks wilderness until november. I used the bear vault's latest model as it is MUCH lighter than the black bear canister and just as effective (save for one incident involving 1 super lucky lake colden bear.)
As for feldspar brook leanto area- that's pretty bear free BUT the lake arnold trail from the junction to colden down to feldspar book is a mess- slip off a log and you are in mud over your knees- take a different route.

Gothics is awesome- if you can set up a base camp and do the pyramid, gothics, armstrong, and wolf-jaws range hike- it's awesome and pyramid has the best views in the mountains.
As for other hikes- PM i'll fill you in on all the other trail data I have.

[gpcharles]

lol... i took the exact same pictures a few weeks ago... will be back in 2 weeks for a north face ascent

[lionelhutz]

Going up the north face ( and skiing down) is a dream of mine- better take some good pictures!

[Munch]

Looking at those pics, man, do I miss the ADXs.

[maznarak]

man, all of this is making me want to go back. seconded on marcy dam but there's so many people there anyway who wants that? gothics may be my favorite hike that i've done there, although when i did dix the visibility was somewhere between 7 and 10 feet and that's supposed to have the nicest views.

[Woodlandclown]

Just got back from the ADK- bears are concentrated at marcy dam and lake colden but bear-proof food containers are needed in the all of the high peaks wilderness until november. I used the bear vault's latest model as it is MUCH lighter than the black bear canister and just as effective (save for one incident involving 1 super lucky lake colden bear.)
As for feldspar brook leanto area- that's pretty bear free BUT the lake arnold trail from the junction to colden down to feldspar book is a mess- slip off a log and you are in mud over your knees- take a different route.

Gothics is awesome- if you can set up a base camp and do the pyramid, gothics, armstrong, and wolf-jaws range hike- it's awesome and pyramid has the best views in the mountains.
As for other hikes- PM i'll fill you in on all the other trail data I have.

I cant see your pics because I am blocked from many photo sites (but thankfully not TGR!) Anyway - so cool to meet you and holly!

[nate]

thanks for the info, everyone. and great pics.

i was planning on doing a loop out of heart lake including gothics, basin, haystack, marcy, algonquin. but hearing the advice i think i might drop marcy and algonquin, and do a loop out of the keene valley side to include dix and pyramid instead. looks fun

[lionelhutz]

The views from Algonquin are pretty stellar too...and marcy is a fun peak with great views from the indian falls area


Algonquin






Marcy/Indian Falls






Also- if you are camping beware that the Ausable Club doesn't allow camping on their land - which you have to cross to get to pyramid- so I would make sure to set your trip out of the John's Brook Lodge area and drop over to pyramid instead of come up over pyramid.
Dix is really it's own trip not well linked with other hikes on the great range.

[Woodlandclown]

thanks for the info, everyone. and great pics.

i was planning on doing a loop out of heart lake including gothics, basin, haystack, marcy, algonquin. but hearing the advice i think i might drop marcy and algonquin, and do a loop out of the keene valley side to include dix and pyramid instead. looks fun

if you decide on dix - you can go from round pond trailhead off of route 73 in keene valley. awesome lean-to somewhere around the base of dix before you start the climb. from that lean-to you can hike east dix, south dix, macomb, hough. can drop down into the elk lake lodge property. can also camp at some great spots around round pond, although they are only a mile in from the road. some of the quietest high peaks in the adirondacks. dix range is mostly herd paths so buy a book/compass if you dont have one at the mountaineer in keene valley before you go.

[lionelhutz]

And you can then finish the trip off with drinks with hookers and strippers at the Ausauble Inn in Keene Valley (at least that's what the locals say)

[Woodlandclown]

And you can then finish the trip off with drinks with hookers and strippers at the Ausauble Inn in Keene Valley (at least that's what the locals say)

if you are going to be looking at any hookers or strippers at the Ausable Inn, be sure to have MANY drinks beforehand, it helps ease the pain.

[nate]

haha thanks guys. after looking at a map more closely, i see that dix is indeed its own trip. will have to decide between the great range + algonquin or the dix range i guess. either way im pumped, the 'dacks are fantastic. strippers will also be taken into consideration...

[JohnF]

if you are going to be looking at any hookers or strippers at the Ausable Inn, be sure to have MANY drinks beforehand, it helps ease the pain.

They are not that bad. Some have teeth. They all shave their beards before going onstage.

[Dside11-11]

Definitely don't camp at the Long Lake Dump.

Nice high peaks stoke, peeps! Making me miss home!