Mount Marcy Hiking & Camping Weekend

In New York City the push to get to the top can take years, sometimes decades. Why not take the opportunity to get to the top of New York in a weekend?

Come with us to climb Mount Marcy, the tallest mountain in New York State. At 5,344 feet it is only one of “the 46” tallest mountains in the Adirondacks. Take a look at a map of New York State and you will quickly see that the “’Dacks” cover a major portion of upstate New York. Adirondack Park comprises 6.1 million acres of streams, brooks, lakes, mountains and most famously Lake Placid, adjacent to the village of Lake Placid, two-time site of the Olympic Winter Games.

We will leave New York City on Friday evening, drive north, and head into the heart of the mountains to an area known as the “High Peaks.” This area contains some of the most magnificent and challenging peaks in the Adirondacks, with over 100 summits ranging from 1,200 to over 5,000 feet in altitude. We will tackle the highest of them all, Mount Marcy!

Upon arriving at the foothills of the mountains we will set up our tents and hit the sleeping bags. After enjoying our peaceful mountain sleep we will get a jump on a day of challenging hiking—15 miles of rugged terrain. Starting at the trailhead of the beautiful Adirondak Loj, we will climb over 3,000 feet in elevation to summit Mount Marcy. Along the trail we will negotiate streams, bridges, rocks and all the trees and roots you can imagine. As we begin the final ascent to the top we will push above tree line to enjoy a cool breeze and a 360 degree view from the top of New York State!

After lunch we will begin our eventful descent. First, we will hike past tiny Lake Tear-of-the-Clouds, the headwaters of the mighty Hudson River. Climbing ladders and crossing logs from the summit, we will traverse around the lake, past Marcy Dam and back to our trailhead and campsite.

Spend Saturday night resting up by the fire and reading a book or heading into one of the many quaint mountain villages for a drink or two. Sunday morning offers a chance to sleep in a little and then a tent-side breakfast. We will take our time packing up the campsite and then, depending on the weather, you will have the chance to go for a swim or a paddle around beautiful Heart Lake or possibly take a drive to Whiteface Mountain. We will take a short hike to stretch out our legs and get to the top of the fifth-highest, Dax Peak, for an amazing view of Lake Placid and the rest of the Adirondack Mountains. Afterwards, we will take an afternoon stroll through the town of Lake Placid for a late lunch before heading home.

Event details

• Friday Depart 73rd Street and Broadway at 5:00 PM
• Saturday Hike Mount Marcy
• Sunday Short hike up Whiteface Mountain and visit Lake Placid. Return home Sunday evening
• Need a Tent? Rent one from us for $15.

Want to share this event or trip?

Hiking Boots
Hiking Socks
Quick drying clothes: t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, pants, hiking shorts
Fleece top and pants
Warm hat
Lightweight gloves
Headlamp or small flashlight
Sleeping Bag – rated to at least 30 or 40 degrees
Sleeping Pad
Toiletries
Money for Friday dinner, Saturday drinks or dessert and Sunday lunch.
ID for drinks and/or canoe rental
Polypro tights (optional)
Trekking poles (optional)
Liner socks (optional)
Small towel (optional for canoeing or swimming)
Bathing suit (optional for canoeing or swimming)
Tent (or rent from us for $15)
Small pillow (optional)