Adirondack High Peaks, New York · October 2020
Mount Marcy and Algonquin
29.4 KM · 2 DAYS · 1,755 M
Mount Marcy and Algonquin in 2 days, plus my 3-day traverse.
Watch the film 24:32 · 381K viewsAt a glance
- Where
- Adirondack High Peaks, New York
- Distance
- 29.4 km (18.3 miles)
- Days
- 2. I did 11.6 miles on Day 1 and 6.7 on Day 2
- Climbing
- About 5,760 ft (1,755 m) up and the same down
- Season
- I went October 1 and 2, 2020, in the fall color
- Difficulty
- Not long, but rocky, rooty, wet and steep. Both summits are open rock above the trees
- Start and end
- The Adirondak Loj trailhead at Heart Lake
- When I went
- October 2020
Day 1Day 2Highest 5,330 ft (1,626 m)
Elevation, start to finish: highest 5,330 ft (1,626 m), lowest 2,090 ft (636 m).
My GPS recording on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts. The GPX files come with the guide.
Everything I made about it
The film
Photos
The view from the summit of Mount Marcy, Day 1. 
Lake Colden in the rain, the morning of Day 2.
The guide · 49-page PDF + GPX files · 2027 season edition
Do it yourself
Mount Marcy and Algonquin in 2 days, plus my 3-day traverse.
- Both days of the loop
- My GPX files
- My 2019 traverse
- Permits and rules
- Getting there
Free sample
Try Day 1 free
The whole Day 1, Adirondak Loj over Mount Marcy to Lake Colden page from the guide as a PDF, plus my camping packing list: the 42 things I carry, with a note on each. Both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.
Gear on this trip
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What I carried in 2020
- PackHyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 2400
- TentNEMO Hornet 1PI slept in the lean-to.
- QuiltUGQ Bandit quiltSimilar now: Hyperlite Mountain Gear 20° Quilt
- LinerOutdoor Vitals Sleeping Bag Liner
- Sleeping pada Therm-a-Rest mat
- PillowKlymit Pillow X
- StoveJetboil MicroMoNo campfires in the Eastern High Peaks.
- SporkSea to Summit Alpha Light long spoon
- FoodMountain House mealsAll of it in the canister.
- Bear canistera rented hard bear canisterRented in Lake Placid for less than $20.
- WaterKatadyn BeFree AC · 1L
- HeadlampSLONIK rechargeable headlamp
- Bear sprayCounter Assault bear spray
- Satellite messengerGarmin inReach Mini
- ShirtAmazon Essentials Quick-Dry Tech Hoodie
- SweatshirtAmazon Essentials crewneck fleece sweatshirt
- PuffyPatagonia Nano Puff JacketSimilar now: Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody
- Rain shellThe North Face Dryzzle jacketSimilar now: Arc’teryx Beta AR Jacket
- PantsPatagonia Terrebonne JoggersSimilar now: PATH Projects Killam PX Pant
- Shortsquick-dry hiking shorts
- Winter hatMuji boucle watch capSimilar now: PATH Projects Hoyt Merino Beanie
- CapZOWYA running cap
- SunglassesWarby Parker Barkley sunglassesSimilar now: Goodr OG Sunglasses
- SocksPeople Socks merino crew socks
- ShoesBrooks Cascadia 13
- In 2019a hammock, a clear plastic bear canister (the wrong kind: see Permits and rules) and a rain jacket that wasn't really waterproof. I wore my white hat and a light gray sun hoodie: very lightweight, and it dries quickly.
Filming kit
- CameraSony a6600
- LensSony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS
- MicRode VideoMic NTGWith a dead cat for the wind.
- Tripoda tripod
- Tripod headJoby ball head
- BatteriesSony NP-FZ100 batteriesTwo of them.
- Wrist strapPeak Design Cuff Wrist Strap
- Phonean iPhone 11 Pro
- DroneDJI Mavic Air 2Similar now: DJI Mini 5 Pro
What I'd take now
My current kit
- Sleeping padTherm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT
- Sleeping bagHyperlite Mountain Gear 20° Mummy Bag
- Rain shellArc’teryx Beta AR Jacket
- PolesBlack Diamond Alpine Carbon Z Poles
- MicrospikesYatta Life Ice Spikes
- NavigationAllTrails+
The Americas and New Zealand bundle
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Short answers
- How long is the Mount Marcy and Algonquin loop?
- My loop from the Adirondak Loj was 18.3 miles on my GPS, with about 5,760 ft of climbing, over two days in October 2020: up the Van Hoevenberg Trail to Mount Marcy, down past Lake Tear of the Clouds to a lean-to at Lake Colden, then over Algonquin Peak back to the Loj. I called it the 22-mile loop in my film.
- Do you need a permit to hike Mount Marcy?
- No permit or reservation was needed for the High Peaks Wilderness in 2026, but you sign the trail register. A 2026 state study recommends a daily limit at the Adirondak Loj from summer 2027, possibly with permits, so check DEC before a 2027 trip. Overnight campers in the Eastern High Peaks must carry a hard bear canister from April 1 to November 30, and campfires are banned.
- Where do you park for Mount Marcy?
- At the Adirondack Mountain Club's lot at the Adirondak Loj, at the end of Adirondack Loj Road near Lake Placid. In 2026 it cost non-members $25 a day or $120 for a multi-day or full-week stay, and it often fills before 6 a.m. on summer weekends.
- Can you camp at Lake Colden?
- Yes. Lake Colden has lean-tos and designated tent sites, first come, first served, and lean-tos are shared until full, normally 8 people. I slept in the Opalescent Lean-to. You can't camp above 4,000 ft, and between 3,500 and 4,000 ft only at designated sites.
- Can I bring my dog to the Adirondack High Peaks?
- Yes, on a leash: dogs must be leashed at all times in the Eastern High Peaks, and you must carry proof of a current rabies vaccination. I hiked the loop with my parents' yellow lab in October 2020. Dogs are not allowed on the Adirondack Mountain Reserve (Ausable Club) land, which this loop doesn't use.
- When is the best time to hike Mount Marcy?
- I went the first week of October 2020, in the fall color, and in early September 2019, when it rained a lot. In 2026 I LOVE NY reported peak color at Lake Placid from September 30 to October 6. October is also hunting season, so wear orange.
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