High Peaks Lake Placid Day 1

The day was finally here. Heather and I have been itching to get up to the Adirondacks for a couple of months now. July was an absolutely crazy month for us and if you aren't familiar, the Adirondacks are pretty much inaccessible in June due to black fly season. We spent a few months trying to condition ourselves and at times we did really well in our training. However, in July I was pretty much knocked out with an inner-ear infection for 3 weeks and Heather had fun trying to get rid of a cold right before we left( and wasn't completely successful ). Needless to say we were not in tip-top shape to begin our adventure in the High-Peaks region.

The goal for us, beside beautiful views, serene forests and becoming a stronger couple, is to both become 46'ers. The 46'ers are an organization of hikers who have reached the summit of all of the Adirondack highest 46 peaks. These peaks are all above 4000 feet in elevation and require the hiker to be in great shape both mentally and physically. One of the good things about the peaks is the fact that no technical climbing is required. They can all be achieved without ropes and rock climbing ability. This certainly doesn't mean they are a walk in the park by any means though.

Our initial plan for this trip was to hit two of the 46 high-peaks on Monday, Cascade and Porter Mountains, then head to Saranac Lake on Tuesday, rent a canoe, and do some primitive tent camping on one of the many islands there. We left early in the morning on Sunday and made it to Lake Placid around noon. We stayed at the Northwoods Inn which was right in the middle of Main street in the village. We soon found out that check-in was not until 4pm( seems late? ) and walked down the street to the conveniently located EMS. I grabbed a portable water filtration system so we could have endless supplies of safe drinking water from any stream or lake. I also snagged some new thunderhead rain pants ( boy did these come in handy later on ) and some other essentials. After a quick dinner at a local pizza joint we tried checking in at 4pm but the room still wasnt ready. We however were rewarded with one of the suites on the top floor. Great view and a kitchen... woo!!

After getting settled we decided to go check out the Adirondac Loj and see the spot I have read about so many times. The road to get to the lodge is located off of Route 73 a bit outside of the village of Lake Placid. The view from the road down to the lodge is nothing short of breathtaking with many of the high peaks beckoning you to climb and sit on top of them. The Adirondac Loj is also the headquarters of the ADK Mountain Club. From here one can climb Mount Jo which overlooks Heart Lake near the Lodge or use this as a starting point for many of the high-peaks climbs via the Van Hoevenburg trail. There are tent camping spots as well as lean-tos all around this area. When we arrived it seemed like grand-central station for backpackers and hikers. Since it was around 6pm allot of hikers were returning from various peaks or setting off for campsites in the woods. It was amazing to see so many like-minded people and being the gear-head that I am, check out what people were using.

We went into the ADK store and had a look around. The girl at the counter was busy talking to another hiker describing in detail about the hike to New York States tallest peak, Mt. Marcy. At the time it was around 5:45, so I inquired about climbing Mt. Jo and if we had time to do it. Mt. Jo is a small but steep rocky peak and according to the guide book I read, has awesome views for the least amount of effort. The girl informed us that we should take the short trail ( .9 miles ) and come back down the long trail ( 1.1 miles ). If we got to the point where it was 7pm and we still werent at the top we should turn around. We were excited to get some of the hiking cobwebs out and get our first taste of hiking in the high-peaks so we geared up and took off to the trail head.

We reached the start of the trailhead, checked in, and started making our ascent. The trail was very muddy, wet and slippery. It was a very rocky and somewhat steep climb so we had to be cautious. It also started sprinkling which did not help matters much. Heather was unfortunately having a pretty rough time because her cold was causing her grief. Imagine doing something quite strenuous when your head is in the clouds and your nose is constantly running with a sore throat. She never complained though and made the best of the situation. This was also just a great warmup for the next couple of days. We made it to the top of Mt. Jo around 6:30 so we had a little bit to enjoy the views. The book was right. The views were absolutely fantastic for the short climb. We could see Algonquin and Mt. Marcy in all its glory( even though it was slightly covered in clouds). We met two gentleman at the top who helped point out the various peaks and who have climbed quite a few of them. Hikers can be some of the nicest people you will meet. But more on that later.

We spent a little while at the summit and continued down the long trail. Boy did it seem to take forever. The girl at the ADK store stated that the long trail was more of a gradual decline. She was full of it and it seemed just as steep but longer on the way down. We were hot, tired and sweaty but excited to have completed our first climb in the high-peaks and delighted with the view we saw. It was nice to head back to the hotel and grab a hot shower and clean clothes. We then had a nice dinner and a beer across the street from the hotel at Charlies Restaurant. I tell ya there really is nothing like an ice-cold beer in a chilled mug after climbing a mountain. We talked about the days adventure among other things and hit the hay early to prepare for day 2 and our first of the 46 high peaks.