Giant Mntn from 9N, Adirondack High Peaks (plus Hurricane)

[una_dogger]

Spent last weekend in the High Peaks for my BIRTHDAY!

Friday July 15 we drove up and hiked Hurricane Mntn from Rt 9N.

Hurricane Trip Report:
An easy/moderate 5.2 mile round trip. Several interesting bog bridges and stretches of second growth fir at lower elevation. At about 1.5 miles the trail crosses a great stream and then begins a moderate to steep grade to the summit of Hurricane at 2.6 miles. The summit, although under 4000 ft, is bare rock and offers 360 degree views of the entire High Peaks Range, the Champlain Valley, the Green Mntns and north to Canada. This is an outstanding view!
Effort 2 stars
View 5 stars
Climb the fire tower, if you dare (I didn't!)

Giant Mntn from 9N
15 mile round trip
easy grades for the first 5.5 miles, steep and challenging to the summit.

We arrived at the Giant Mnt trailhead on 9N about 7:30 pm, having driven up to the area from the Hudson Valley of NY and hiked Hurricane as a half day hike. We hiked in about one an a half miles along very easy grades to the Split Rock Brook and then proceeded to some great campsites that are listed in the ADK High Peaks Guide. We ate in the parking area to avoid having to cook in our site, which we plan to use for two nights.
We packed our tent/bags in the morning and stashed them in the woods and lightpacked it up to the Giant Summit.
About 2.5 miles in from the trailhead is a GREAT overlook, approx .2 mile spur off the main trail, called Owl Head. Proceeding on the main trail, the hike works its way around the massif of Green mountain for the next three miles, undulating through gorgeous hardwood forests until it reaches a unique geological formation called High Bank. High Bank is large area of eroded stones and gravel at about 2600 feet elevation, high above the Roaring Brook. Across the ravine, the ridge that consists of Rocky Peak and Blueberry Cobbles (Giant plus this ridge makes an excellent through hike for those with two cars, I'd love to do this as there is a high alpine pond on Rocky Peak with a camping area just below 4000 ft). To the right the hulking shoulder of Giant comes into view with its many slides. The trail makes a sharp right here and begins to climb through absolutely gorgeous primitive conifer forests, crossing many small streams, until it reaches a spur trail to a great, secluded very little used lean too. The trip up to the lean too would make an AWESOME winter snow shoe trip and I plan to do it next winter. We broke at the lean too to have some lunch and then began our ascent of Giant. The ascent begins to climb steeply after the lean too. The trail climbs a fingerlike ridge projection that leads to the main hulk of the mnt. The terrain is bare rock and the trail is a narrow herd path. This entire stretch of trail is off the beaten path as most hike the shorter trail to Giant from Rt 73 near Chapel Pond. Scrubby fir with gobs of lichen hanging from thier limbs make this ascent a mystical one. The terrain is bare rock, with some steep scrambles, but nothing too insane. The ridge slackens and joins the main mountain at a small level area surrounded by moss and lichen. Its very primordial and boreal and really exemplifies northern wilderness areas. Just great!
Another very steep climb up to the summit, with a switch back near the top to circumnavigate a small, exposed cliff band. The trail to the summit follows a very narrow ridge and many lookouts to the left and right offer views. The sheer drop off from this ridge really gives one the sense of hieght! The trail passes closely to the edge for about fifteen feet, the sides are so steep that the tree tops just inches from either side of the trail are at eye level (I'm five feet tall), and this really gives one the sense of the narrowness of this ridge!
The summit is a huge expansive rock ledge where about fifty people could congregate. We saw only a handleful, as the clouds were coming in. The views to the sides of Giant were impressive and it was rewarding to see the terrain we had just crossed. Unfortunatley, that was the extent of our view that day, so we were happy to have hiked Hurricane the day before.
We hiked back to the stream and found our stuff safely tucked in the woods, and set up for another night in the deep woods.

Sabrina
& TerraFirma the traildog

[MichaelJ]

Woo-hoo! Happy Birthday, Sabrina!

Great TR - now I'm *itching* to get back to the ADK's.

[una_dogger]

now I'm *itching* to get back to the ADK's

They'll be there when you get there!

I LOVE the ADKs, may go again this weekend!

The price of gas is killing me, but HEY! I'ts summer and great hiking weather!!!

Sabrina

[MichaelJ]

Originally Posted by una_dogger

The price of gas is killing me, but HEY! I'ts summer and great hiking weather!!!

Oh, yeah. Me, too. I need to do more hikes that involve carpooling.

[Mike P.]

Great TR, I did Hurricane last year, that is one the under 4K jewels up there you can reachin just a couple of hours.

I have to leave myself enough time to do the classic Rocky Peak/Giant Trip from 9N. We car spotted back in 96 & did both from 73, one from Chapel & then went down the other trail to 73 across from Ausable Rd.

[una_dogger]

classic Rocky Peak/Giant Trip from 9N

Yeah, if you are talking about going straight through down Blueberry Cobbles to 9; its high on my list, too. Definately an autumn hike because the leaf views must be outstanding and the dry sunny exposure across the ridge from rocky pk to 9.

Sabrina