4th of July and far from the madding crowds

Hey All!
I want to do a 30 mile backpacking trip this upcoming fourth of July weekend and am looking for suggestions.
I was thinking of heading up to the ADK High Peaks friday night, staying over at the South Meadows and then sat am heading out the Klondike Brook Trail for a hike over Marcy and then around Calamity Ponds to a long walk back through Indian Pass. But then, I thought, hey! Fourth of July weekend + Adirondack High Peaks= nuts!

Anyone have any suggestions? I have only one car so looping is necessary. I'm kinda considering the Stratton Pond Area of VT Long Trail but that may be too tame and too short of mileage to get two really long days in. Also, when I was there doing the LT last summer there were a number of trail closures posted on the lye brook trials and so that further may limit the area.

My other criteria is my dog Terra, so that rules out the Cornell/Wittenberg/Slide/Panther/Giant Ledge mega walk from Denning in the Catskills due to LADDERS. I can't do long, vertical ladders with a dog without another person along to help with the pup belay.

Anybody got any suggestions for a moderate to strenous thirty mile loop hike within four hours drive of the Poughkeepsie, NY area that doesn't involve any steep vertical ladders or for that matter insane steep ledges such as those on Dix in the ADKs, they are just not my cup of tea when fullpacking it solo with a dog.

Thanks,
Sabrina
the Unadogger and
Terra Firma the Trail dog

Except for South Meadows (too close to Loj) and Marcy, I like the idea of escaping crowds in High Peaks. Thinking south of Marcy would be better, Panther Gorge area with trip on Blake, Colvin & rest of that Ridge (is that Pinnancle)

Any Loops avaiable in Eastern ADK's? I seem to recall at least a partial loop over there, maybe around Crane Pond?

I'd consider posting on VFTT also as they have a lot of ADK folks there. In fact that is where I go to post my ADK questions which I did earlier today....

I'm thinking of hitting owl's head on saturday and staying at 13 falls campground. leave the packs at the campground and hit galehead and the twins on sunday before hiking out.

first do you think this is doable in two days? second how busy does 13 falls get on the weekends? how about 4th of july weekend?

I can't decide whether to start from the Kanc or to start from haystack road and hit the twins and galehead before staying at 13 falls, any recommendations on which way to go?

Given that it's the holiday weekend, I would start from the Kanc and fly up the flat trails to 13 Falls as early as possible to ensure you have a tentsite, and then do your climb.

NYS Thruway

The traffic report for the NYS Thruway and Northway is horrendous, just as I feared.
I'm bagging the Adirondacks and heading to the Green Mnts

Everyone, have a great fourth of july and I look forward to reading the trip reports!

Sabrina