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seeking advice on hiking Allen and Iroquois

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  • seeking advice on hiking Allen and Iroquois

    We are planning to hike Allen and Iroquois this fall. I have been reading about the trail to Allen via Opalescent trail. Is there a walk around Lake Jimmy or do you have to wade across?

    Have been thinking of taking the Calamity Brook Trail to Lake Colden and hiking Iroquois. Then go back thru the Flowed Lands, past Hanging Spear Falls and onto Allen. Then out through Opalescent Trail to the trailhead by the furnace at Tahawas. But, I cannot find much info on the Opalescent Trail. Would it be better to do it in reverse, climbing Allen first, then on to Iroquois?

    We will be staying 3 nights, so will have pretty heavy packs. Will this be too difficult with packs? Maybe we should hike Iroquois in and out in one day and do Allen by itself, staying 1 night in and out the Opalescent Trail?

    Any suggestions or recommendations?

  • #2
    Sounds like a good trip. If you are already familiar with Adirondack trails, you know they can be rocky, muddy, brushy, etc. Calamity Brook trail is rocky and muddy; the trail past hanging spear is brushy (sees little travel). The "road" sections of the opalescent trail are mostly good travel, as they were originally a properly built route. The "trail" sections going to Allen can be very muddy.

    It sounds like you would be carrying the heavy packs on mostly flat trails, not carrying them up mountains, so the route seems reasonable in either direction.

    Since the floating bridge has been gone for several years, the trail at Lake Jimmy now goes around the north end of the lake; no need to cross the lake.

    Bridges are in place at the Hudson and the Op, no need top wade those either.

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    • #3
      I would do both as separate day trips from Upper Works. As TCD says, the standard route to Allen has improved remarkably in the past couple of years with the bridge replacements and the trail reroute around Lake Jimmy.
      Exploring the US one mountain at a time.

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      • #4
        I did a trip similar to your plan but in the reverse order. Carried my 3-day pack to the Allen herd path, cached my bear can and overnight gear (separately) and carried a lightweight summit pack to the summit. Retrieved my gear and continued north on the East River Trail to camp near Flowed Lands, stopping to enjoy Hanging Spear Falls on the way. Next day, continued to Feldspar leanto, set up camp and day hiked to Gray and Skylight. Last day, hiked down to cache overnight gear at Hebert Brook leanto, hiked up to Marshall and back, picked up gear and hiked out to the car. Carrying a lightweight summit pack with essentials was much better than carrying full packs the entire time.

        EDIT: Correction - plan was to camp near Flowed Lands but my friend got lost coming down from Allen, so we camped at the designated site near the old Twin Brook leanto location because it was getting late in the day.

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        • #5
          thanks for the replies, they were very helpful!

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