Algonquin & Iroquois Peaks: 10/03/2010

Driving towards Lake Placid on Saturday afternoon, it seemed that virtually every trailhead parking lot we passed was overflowing with cars. With beautiful fall weather and near-peak foliage, it was no surprise. We had reservations for the night at Adirondack Loj, located just footsteps away from the popular Heart Lake trailhead, and planned to climb Algonquin and Iroquois Peaks on Sunday.

Crisp morning at Heart Lake

There had been more than 4 inches of rain during the week, but the skies cleared out on Friday and Saturday. Sunday morning dawned frosty and clear – perfect weather for our hike. After a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, home fries, fresh fruit and lots of coffee served up by the Loj crew, we hit the trail by 8:45.

The trail up Algonquin ascends the cool north and northeast slopes of the mountain, and the air temperature never seemed to warm beyond the 30s despite the bright skies. Leaves at the lower elevations still had lots of color, but above 2500’ most of the leaves were already down. Somewhere above 4000’ in elevation we encountered the first ice on the trail, and as we climbed above that elevation the trail icing increased. We also encountered lots of mud at all elevations – essentially if you weren’t hiking on rock, you were in mud.

Birches along the Algonquin trail

Wright Peak (foreground) and Big Slide Mountain (the sharp peak on the right horizon line)

Trail cairn, Wright Peak, Heart Lake, and Whiteface emerging from the clouds

Approaching Algonquin's summit

The 4-mile hike to the 5,114’ summit of Algonquin, with 3,000 vertical feet of climbing, took us just under 3 hours, slightly longer than I had planned. After a quick lunch break on the summit, we started out for Iroquois at 12 noon, allowing ourselves two hours for the 2.2 mile round-trip traverse across the ridge.

Marcy and Mount Colden (with the slides) from Algonquin's summit

Iced cairn with Iroquois Peak beyond

Mount Marcy is also known as Cloudsplitter, appropriate today

Descending the southwest slope of Algonquin through extensive alpine terrain

The route descends the southwest slope of Algonquin’s summit cone through extensive, beautiful alpine terrain to the col between Algonquin and Boundary Peak (not considered a separate peak because it lacks the required .75 mile or 300’ vertical separation from Algonquin and Iroquois). At the col, an unmaintained herd path leaves the main trail and traverses the mostly open ridge over Boundary to Iroquois. Although route-finding is not an issue on the short herd path (it can be on some of the other 20 trailless high peaks), there’s plenty of mud, spruce thickets, and boulder scrambling.

Thick spruce along the herd path between Boundary and Iroquois Peaks

Scrambling on the final approach to Iroquois Peak with views of Colden, Marcy and the Great Range

Drinking in the vast wilderness view. The dramatic cliff is Wallface.

Algonquin Peak from Iroquois' summit

The reward on Iroquois: unsurpassed views of Indian Pass and Wallface, Avalanche Pass and Lake Colden, Flowed Lands, Mount Colden and Marcy. Algonquin’s summit towers above nearby. Solitude enhances the wilderness view from Iroquois and differentiates it from Algonquin’s summit. I would have loved to stay longer on Iroquois, but we knew we still had a significant effort ahead of us re-climbing to Algonquin’s summit and then returning to Heart Lake.

Beth's boots took a mud bath on the Iroquois herd path

Climbing back up Algonquin from Iroquois

Arriving back at Algonquin’s summit we encountered two Summit Stewards talking with some other hikers. The Summit Steward program is a partnership between the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK), the Adirondack Nature Conservancy and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Summit Stewards educate hikers to help preserve the rare alpine ecosystem found on Algonquin, Marcy and several other High Peaks. Many of the alpine plant species on these summits are rare or endangered, and all are susceptible to foot traffic. Leaving Algonquin’s summit for the final time, we began the long descent back to Heart Lake, arriving back at the trailhead at 4:30.

Alpine grasses below Algonquin's summit

For more information about the Adirondack Mountain Club, the Summit Stewards program and Adirondack Loj, visit the ADK’s website at: www.adk.org/.



If you’re interested in climbing the 46 Adirondack High Peaks, see the 46ers at: www.adk46r.org/. The 46ers' mission is to educate the public on responsible wilderness use and to encourage stewardship in the High Peaks Region.