Mount Marcy
New York
Elevation: 5,344'
Vertical Gain: 3,200'
Date: June 30, 2006
Time: 11:25 AM
Weather: Cool, rainy, windy
Party: Bob, Kevin
I had solo hiked Mt Marcy in 2001 while Colleen and Kevin attended a soccer camp at Lake
Placid so I knew what to expect. This would be the  fourth highpoint in five days for Kevin and I
but we were feeling fine and ready to go. We camped at the Heart Lake campground at the
Adirondack Loj in order to get an early start from the Van Hoevenberg trailhead there. Rain
delayed us a half hour so we hit the trail at 7:25 and kept up a good pace with only a couple of
short breaks at Marcy Dam and Indian Falls. The rain held off until just before the summit
where we got pounded on and off again. We enjoyed the brief intermittent breaks with
sunshine in a spot out of the wind. For lunch we tried cold burritos (note to self - no more cold
burritos). The distance and very wet and rocky condition of the trail made for a long and tiring
hike back. Kevin stayed strong as he had been the whole trip which convinced me that he was
up to any hiking challenge I could do. I suspect he'll be setting the pace more often than not
from here on. The round trip hike on the Van Hoevenberg trail was 14.8 miles in 7.5 hours of
hiking time. We finished by 3:30, tired but happy and ready to head home.
One minute rain and the
next sunshine at the top.
Kevin at Marcy dam.
Bob at Indian Falls.