Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Best way to Algonquin?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #16
    Originally posted by WinterWarlock View Post
    I seem to remember it on the right....
    If you walk backwards uphill it would be on your right.

    There's a lot to be said for the approach of camping at the Loj and just day hiking the entire range, which is highly feasable for slow hikers.

    It comes down to what type of experience one is looking for. Camping out in the woods, near a lake or a stream can be pretty nice.
    The best, the most successful adventurer, is the one having the most fun.

    Comment


    • #17
      Hey rickie,
      Isn't that on the left as you're ascending?
      Today 08:25 AM
      I recall one being on the left as well, ascending.
      WW & I were looking downhill when I wrote this.
      Let there be peace on earth and good will toward all.

      "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."

      William Shakespeare

      Comment


      • #18
        Well thank you all for the input. I suppose my question should now be: Where to set up base camp.

        I think we might not get started until later on Friday night, meaning a hike all the way to Colden is out of the question for that night.

        I guess we could pitch at the dam, then Saturday morning find a nice campsite along Colden, set up and then head up to Algonquin, Wright, etc. and then back down the same way.

        I suppose that's not too crazy a plan. While you're all providing your insight, about how long is it from Colden up to Algonquin/Wright and back again?

        Comment


        • #19
          StBonaAlum- Last year i did your exact route with the same exact intention, almost.. I was going to loop around from the Loj and after descending Iroquois I was going to come back via Avalanche Pass and camp at Marcy Dam with the intention of hitting a few more peaks the next day... Well, i can tell you that its a pretty strenuous climb with a full 30-40 pound pack but certainly doable if you're used to hiking with that much weight on your back! I wasnt so prepared. I made it up Wright and over ALgonquin but by-passed Iroquois.. came back through Avalanche Pass and being pretty much totally spent, I just hiked all the way back out to the car and drove home! No way was I going to be hitting any other peaks the next morning.. The trail from the Col btw Algonquin and Boundary Peak down to Lake Colden is steep but not too bad really. I had no problem with my pack, just adds a lot of weight! I would certainly just make it a day trip with minimal weight or camp below and climb with a light pack, unless you like to suffer!

          Comment


          • #20
            As an older, not so fast hiker, I agree with the one day go lite idea.

            I've been up there twice and fellow hikers have blown past me and easily got all three peaks in one day. (It annoys me when the Canadian girls are so much faster than me!)

            If you do Wright first, you can hit Algonquin, Boundary and Iroquois, backtrack and trail down to Lake Colden and hike out Avalanche Pass. If that seems like too much to handle at the time, you can simply back track all the way out as you came to the ADK Loj. If you can get on the trail by 4:30 or 5:00 am, you still have a very long day this time of year.

            Make sure you fill up with water at the stream crossing the trail to Wright / Algonquin at about 3,000 feet as that may be the last water you see for all three peaks.

            According to my map tool, from Lake Colden to up Iroquois, Algonquin and Wright and back is about 8 miles. You will summit Boundary X2 and Algonquin X2 if I understand your proposed route.
            Last edited by blueosprey90; 07-22-2010, 06:30 PM.

            Comment


            • #21
              Just home from a little trek in the High Peaks - part of which took me from Lake Colden up to Algonquin. That is NOT a trail I would recommend with a full pack (even though I had one today). Took me 3 hours to cover 2.1 miles - was spent enough by the col between Boundary and Algonquin that I passed on Iroquois.
              ADK 46er #7634
              ADK Winter 46 8/46

              Comment


              • #22
                This time of year, a "full pack" need not be very big or heavy. I did the Macs last September by hiking in to the lean-to near Herbert Brook (between L.Colden and Flowed Land). We hiked to Marshall (very muddy) that same day, then camped. On Day 2, we packed up everything and hauled our packs up the steep yellow trail to Boundary. It's not as steep as the guide book makes it sound, and we enjoyed all the waterfalls on the way up. We dropped our main packs at the col and went over to Iroquois (muddy!), then continued over ALGONQUIN, to Wright and back, then out to the Loj. I'm a slow hiker, so that took all day, but we enjoyed it.
                "Like" my FB page http://tinyurl.com/FB-BuffaloPaddles and visit my map ALGonquin Bob's "BUFFALO PADDLES" Paddle Guide

                Check out my "Mountain Blog" http://tinyurl.com/BobMountainBlog2

                46er #5357W

                Comment


                • #23
                  Another option is camp at Avalanche Camps, which is a small number of legal campsites near the fork in the trail where the trail to lake Arnold branches left and the trail to Avalanche pass breaks right. It is about a mile past Marcy Dam. The second morning, Leave your overnight gorp there, and take the trail into Avalanche Lake. Just past the lake is a trail up to the McIntire ridge, from there day hike Iroquois and Algonquin and return the same way. Pick up your gear and pack out late the second day or spend another day and pack out the 3rd day. Save Wright for another day. The disadvantages of this itinerary is avalanche camps may be full if you are arriving late on a Friday night, but that could be said of all the camping in this area. Personally, this range, aside from Iroquois, is so close to the trail head I assume you are camping because you like to camp. These are probably easiest as a day hike, since your pack is much lighter.
                  **** Best Regards, John ****

                  Comment

                  Working...
                  X