Cascade Mountain, Lucky 7 Slide: 10/26/2015

If you’ve ever hiked a High Peak, odds are it’s Cascade. Being the easiest and most accessible of the 46, Cascade gets climbed far more frequently than any other 4000-footer. While the summit offers great views, you don’t hike Cascade for solitude or wildness. But thanks to Hurricane Irene in 2011, a new slide provides an alternate route for more adventurous, experienced climbers.

Gothics Mountain, cable route: 02/23/2013

Spectacular in any season, the High Peaks of the Adirondacks may be at their best in winter. No bugs or mud, fewer hikers, and the trails are smoothed out under a (hopefully) deep snow pack. But to me, the real appeal of winter climbing is the chance to experience the harsh conditions that are a reminder that this is a place where nature calls the shots and man is just a visitor. We got a nice taste of that climbing Gothics on Saturday.

New slides in the eastern High Peaks

Without a doubt, any of us would reverse the course of events that devastated New York and elsewhere on Sunday if only we could. The losses and pain inflicted by Irene are real, significant and widespread, and nothing can detract from that devastation.

However, Irene is also the most dramatic and stunning example of the dynamic nature of the Adirondack environment in our lifetime. Literally overnight, dozens of new slides have been created in the eastern High Peaks region, dramatically altering the landscape.

Earlier this evening, John Warren reported on Drew Haas' overflight of the High Peaks region in Adirondack Almanack, with additional images on Drew's Adirondack Backcountry Skiing blog. Both posts, linked above, are sure to be of interest to readers here.

Photo: Trap Dike on Mount Colden. Courtesy of Drew Haas, Adirondack Backcountry Skiing

Five Dixes in a Day: 07/23/2011

Following is another guest report from my wife, Beth. She is really racking up the peaks this summer! It is the third in a series of posts about women hiking the High Peaks of the Adirondacks.

Posted by: Beth Gelber

High Peaks panorama from Macomb

For years, a group of women from New Paltz, NY and their extended group of friends have descended upon Keene Valley for 2 nights in July, to share a day of hiking or other outdoor recreation in the High Peaks. What started out as a chance for a group of moms to get away for a weekend of camping and hiking has inspired many in the group to pursue climbing all of the 46 highest peaks in the Adirondacks. Now, each year, it seems that some of the women finish the 46, or at least get a little closer. I was lucky to join this group of women this year, and connect with a great group of hiking partners.

Lower Wolf Jaw Mtn: 08/20/2010

Marcy, Colden, MacIntyre Range from Lower Wolf Jaw

Our climb up the Bennie's Brook Slide to Lower Wolf Jaw mountain almost didn't happen. We made it to the trailhead fine (and scored the last available parking spot at the Garden trailhead), hiked uneventfully up the Southside Trail for three miles, and began ascending what we thought was the tributary that would lead us to the base of the slide...

Adirondack Slide Climb

Slide climbing can be an exciting way to explore the Adirondacks, combining elements of both hiking and rock climbing. The wide open expanses of rock provide outstanding views and as a bonus, many Adirondack slides become backcountry ski destinations in the winter, including the slides pictured here.

Our route ascends the third major slide from the left