Pain Delays, Rain Delays, and Trailer Rallies

Day “?” of the Adirondack Six Pack of Peaks Challenge

Pain Delays. Rain Delays. And Trailer Rallies. So, after completing four of the six peaks last Saturday and Sunday, I was forced to take a day of rest to recover. My body just wasn’t having it. Then, the rain came! On Tuesday, I did a short quick hike in the rain to complete Cascade Mountain. I was hoping to do Algonquin Peak that day or the next, but I knew with the rain on Tuesday, it just wasn’t a smart choice to be on the rocks. It was bad enough just doing Cascade.

Well, the rain kept coming all week and the Trailer Rally I was attending began on Wednesday. So, long story short, I decided to not only enjoy the rain without hiking but also enjoy the rally. I drove almost 3,000 miles for it, so what the heck!

Today, Sunday and a week after my climb up Phelps and Marcy Mountains, I finally got out to finish off what I had started. Despite all the delays I had. The trailhead for this hike started at the same location as Phelps and Marcy. I arrived early, at about 0505. And again, the lot was almost completed full. Of course, there are several different trailheads surrounding the lot going to various locations.

I prepped my gear and headed out by 0525, hiking the first fee miles in the dark. I followed the same trail I followed for Phelps and Marcy for about a mile. I only had about 139 feet in elevation gain at this point. The route to Algonquin turned off the main trail. The sign (I believe) said, Algonquin Peak, 3 miles, and 2990 feet in elevation gain.

The trail to this point and going forward was wet and muddy. I wore my Oboz Bridgers today versus my Hoka Trail Runners. This kept my feet dry but did nothing to prevent slippage. And it was a bit slippery. My next mile (mile 2) only gained another 450 feet in elevation which meant, it was about to get steep and rocky.

Miles 3 and 4 each gained 800 feet and 1,175, respectively. And my final .38 miles to the summit gain an additional 475 feet in elevation. The summit was a little anti-climactic since it was socked in by low clouds. I didn’t stay long because I knew going down the wet rocks and muddy path was going to take a while. I ran into several groups of hikers along the way. Most heading up as I was heading down.

Another great day in the mountains in the New York Adirondacks. My 6^th peak of the Adirondacks Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge. Today ended with 8.89 miles and 3,209 feet in total elevation gain.