With over 40 summits above the magical 4,000-foot level, the Adirondacks have a huge selection of hikes waiting to be sampled. This month I describe the hike up Giant Mountain. The road biking on the New York side of the lake is also superb, with generally good pavement and light traffic. From the ferry at Essex, you can find great rides by heading south, north, or west toward Lake Placid. For paddling and canoe camping, the Adirondack Park ranks as one of the premier destinations in the country.
As seen from the Burlington area, the rounded dome of Giant Mountain, together with the long, gradual ridge leading up to it from the left, is one of the most—if not the most—prominent Adirondack landmarks. The scarred slopes of Giant immediately catch the eye, especially in winter. Most hikers usually climb Giant from the “other” side, that is, from the Keene Valley side on the west. The hike described here ascends from the Vermont side: You ascend that long ridge that appears to the left of Giant, then drop down into the prominent col before climbing up and over Giant itself. This is an 11-mile point-to-point hike typically done by spotting a car at the end point.
HIKE SUMMARY
One-way distance: 11 miles
Total time: 7 to 10 hours for the complete traverse
Total elevation gain: 5,300 feet
This rather arduous trip is a great favorite among ADK cognoscenti, and the best time to do it is during fall foliage. The ADK High Peaks Guide gives it perhaps the ultimate endorsement: “… with fall colors at their height, this is probably the best hike in all of the Adirondacks.”
The route starts in New Russia on Route 9, a few miles south of Elizabethtown, and traverses two 4,000-footers—Rocky Peak Ridge (4,420 feet) and Giant (4,627 feet), before descending steeply off the latter to Route 73. This vigorous, up-and-down traverse will extract a full vertical mile of climbing out of you before it lets you go. Almost half of the time (about 5 miles) you are out in the open, hence the route’s great appeal. The unobstructed, in-your-face views of the slides on the east face of Giant from the summit of Rocky Peak Ridge are… shall we say… transporting. And while the full version of this route is a strenuous endeavor, the various subsidiary summits along the way (for example Bald Peak, at 3,060 feet) offer a number of shorter out-and-back options that are very worthwhile in their own right.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
The trail (East Trail, yellow blazes) wastes little time getting down to business, climbing over 1,400 feet to the open summit of Blueberry Cobbles (2,030 feet) in its first 2 miles. (Note the red-blazed summit by-pass trail.) After continuing in a more up-and-down fashion, the trail ascends Bald Peak (3,060 feet) at 3.9 miles, out in the open, on exposed rock. Immediately beyond the summit you pass by a huge glacial erratic plunked down on the bedrock. And at 5.4 miles, you pass across the summit of Rocky Peak (4,020 feet, but not an official 4,000-footer).
Pretty little Mary Louise Pond appears at about 6 miles. Contour around the pond before making the exhilarating climb over fairly open terrain to the high point of the ridge, Rocky Peak Ridge, at 6.7 miles from your starting point. While lower than Giant, the views from here are arguably better: it’s a full panorama with the slide-scarred east face of Giant right in front of you.
To reach the top of Giant, now only 1.3 miles distant, you have to descend 700 feet and then immediately climb about 900 feet. At the trail intersection just below the top of Giant, head right for the summit “balcony,” with its sweeping westerly views of the High Peaks. After a well-deserved rest, descend off Giant via the 3-mile Ridge Trail. This brings you down to Route 73 at Chapel Pond. It is at times very steep, along moderately sloped ledge.
Special note: Take plenty of liquids, as this is a dry and remote hike: on a warm day there could be hell to pay.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
When approaching from the Burlington area, take the Charlotte ferry to Essex, NY. Leaving the boat, head left on NY 22 before turning right almost immediately at the 3-way stop in Essex (50 yards or so), to stay on NY 22 South. Continue on NY 22 through Wadhams, 9 miles from Essex. Here, just past the Dogwood Bread Company, make a sharp right turn, and following County Road 8. Continue to US 9 at about 16 miles from the ferry. Head left on US 9 and proceed into Elizabethtown (gas, groceries). From the (only) traffic light in E-town, the New Russia trailhead parking area is 5.3 miles south along US 9, on the right. To place a car at the end point (Chapel Pond), continue past the New Russia trailhead for another 4.9 miles to Rt. 73. Here, turn right and drive four miles to the Ridge Trail trailhead on the right, where there is limited roadside parking. Bikes are great way to deal with the point-to-point aspect of this hike, since it is only nine (fast) miles between the two trailheads.
Jared Gange is a guidebook author and the owner of Huntington Graphics, publisher and distributor of outdoor and recreation titles for New England. He has written Guide to Vermont’s Day Hikes, Hiker’s Guide to New Hampshire and 100 Classic Hikes of the Northeast.
MORE INFO
From September 2 through October 14, the ferry departs every 30 minutes from Charlotte, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., and from Essex between 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. There are earlier and later departures hourly. After October 14, it is half-hourly between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Charlotte, and 9:30 a.m and 5:30 p.m. from Essex. To get over to the New York side without using the ferry, drive south through Vergennes to Route 17, cross the Crown Point Bridge, and head north through Westport and on to Elizabethtown, then continue as above.
There are Stewart’s gas stations (drinks, some groceries, sandwiches, ice cream, etc.) in both Elizabethtown and Keene (a few miles north of Keene Valley). There is also a supermarket in Elizabethtown. I recommend both the Dogwood Bread Company (bakery, sandwiches) in Wadhams and the Noonmark Diner in Keene Valley. The
Mountaineer in Keene Valley is one of the best sources in the Adirondacks for gear and information.
Check the Adirondack Mountain Club’s website for weather and trail conditions at www.adk.org or call 518-523-3441.
Call the High Peaks Information Center for up to date trail and weather information at 518-523-3518.
Contact the Lake Champlain Transportation Company for ferry times and status at www.ferries.com or 802-864-9804.
REFERENCES
High Peaks Region, 13th edition. Adirondack Mountain Club, a hiking guide published by the ADK. A topo map is included with the book.
100 Classic Hikes of the Northeast, 2nd edition, Huntington Graphics.
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