On July 5th, 2008, Koira and I left for a day traverse of Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge in the Adirondack High Peaks. We had a nice group of hikers on this trip. To get to Rocky Peak you will have to backtrack 0.1 miles to an intersection where there is a marked trail to the mountain. The traverse from W to E is about 11 miles and over 4,000 feet of vertical climb. New comments cannot be … Congratulations to Jim & Nancy. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The weather was unbelievable for a late November hike in the High Peaks. Diaz navigating the steep descent down the East Trail into the Giant / Rocky Peak Ridge col. A few nice sections of the trail between summits! Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. I headed down from the summit of Giant and quickly arrived at the fork to Rocky Peak Ridge. Heading up the rough and rugged lower section of the Zander Scott Trail, As the trail makes its way by the first outlook, the Great Range starts to rise above Keene Valley to the north, Heading up through the woods and over the ledges to the summit of Giant Mountain. Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse 2012-07-14 Last summer (July 2011), I enjoyed hiking from the New Russia trailhead, over Blueberry Cobbles, Bald Peak, Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant, to the Chapel Pond trailhead. Hikers can begin at the Roaring Brook or Chapel Pond trailheads to begin this hike. It was steep, wet, and fun. Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge Trail is a 9.2 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near New Russia, New York that features a lake and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. There are countless views… We passed on hiking Rocky Peak Ridge from New Russia a few weeks ago. We hiked down the back side of Giant and across the ridge before starting the ascent to Rocky Peak Ridge. Uneroded path. Jim C. and Nancy finished their 46 together on Giant! Either way, you'll arrive just 0.2 mile from the top of Giant before descending steeply to a col between the two peaks, after which it climbs to the summit of Rocky Peak Ridge. Leesa and I had been kicking around doing another Rocky Peak Ridge traverse. Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse Date of Hike: 6/27/15. The New Russia Traverse is a gorgeous 11.2 mile traverse in the Eastern High Peaks Region of the Adirondacks. We learned a lot on that first hike. It’s true I almost blew off the summit like Toto, but still!! Rory & I joined Nancy (High On Life) for a traverse of Bald Mtn., Rocky Peak Ridge (& Mtn.) I motored on up to the summit where I relaxed and waited for Diaz. The predicted heat made such an exposed hike unappealing. We got off to a slightly later start that we had hoped, but it was still early enough to get parking. To say the least, our maiden voyage hike to Cascade and Porter was a success. The parking areas for Giant Mountain often fill quickly, especially in the summer, and it is illegal to park along Route 73. Rocky Ridge Traverse Start. Join us as we hike this trail and watch Brian and Brittney achieve their 46th high peak!SUBSCRIBE TO THE ADVENTURE!Brian's Instagram - @Brian_Hikes_All_DayBrittney's Instagram - @Brittney_Hikes_All_DayMy Instagram - @JonathanZphotographyWebsite - www.jonathanzphotography.comSo much more amazing content to come! Just wondering if anyone has been up that way recently and has any idea of the status of the few water sources along the traverse. The mountain, only a couple hundred feet shorter than Giant, was clearly visible in the distance. This thread is archived. New Russia Traverse Via Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge - YouTube Good thing. Incredibly beautiful. - A few years back I wanted to do a Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse, my car spot bailed on me so I did a long out and back from the trailhead in New Russia all the way to Giant Mountain where I turned around and hiked all the way back to my car. The back side of Giant is somewhat steep, be careful. Rocky Peak Ridge, another ADK 46er, lies nearby, and can be summited in the a same-day outing. Posted on July 30, 2014 by mcfarljo1975. One Autumn day. This separation by the deep valley makes 4,627' Giant Mountain one of the most prominent peaks in New York. The ridge led to the base of Giant, and the climbing was very very steep and difficult, often straight up slides. It is located in the Adirondack, New York state, USA. You basically get a front row seat for viewing the High Peaks from south to north; The Dix Range, Dial, Nippletop, Sawtooth, The Great Range, Big Slide, Porter, Cascade, Whiteface, Esther. The traverse between Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge ranks among the nicest hikes in the Adirondacks. Very un-Adirondack Trail. As the trail makes its way by the first outlook, the Great Range starts to rise above Keene Valley to … There is one steep descent with bad footing coming down from Rocky Peak but other than that the footing is pretty good. The climb goes over various peaks: Blueberry Cobbles, Bald Peak, Rocky Peak, Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant. It's an excessively steep descent made worse by the beyond awful footing. With Rocky Peak achieved, it was time to turn our attention to the next objective: Giant Mountain, now looming less than a mile way to the northwest of us. As I’ve gotten more into hiking and mountaineering, my inner video gamer is drawn to arbitrarily defined sets of objectives. ... Trip Log List of all Rocky hikes List of all Giant hikes Rocky information page Giant information page GPS Data. share. ADK 46: Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge. A slight drop brought us to Lake Mary-Louise nestled among a … The map says Marie Louise Pond but this signs has it labeled as a lake. genevieve.pfeiffer11 1 year, 3 months ago Bald, Rocky & Giant (Dacks) Andrew 1 year, 4 months ago New Russia Parking Area, Elizabethtown to Chapel Pond Car Parking, Keene, NY, USA. They sit separated from the mass of the Adirondack High Peaks by Route 73. ... My second visit to Rocky Ridge Peak, and who knows how many for Ewart. Looking back up at Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant Mountain (top). Bald Peak Œ Rocky Peak Œ Giant Traverse, Adirondacks Introduction The Bald Peak Œ Rocky Peak Œ Giant Traverse is an interresting and somehow challenging day hike. Let me know what you want to see next. Just be sure to bring lots of water and lots of stamina. 9 in New Russia, NY, and follows the East Trail up to the summits of Rocky and Giant. The trail from Rocky Peak Ridge back to New Russia is mostly downhill as it passes through Dickerson, Hedgehog, and Mason Notch. - The hike between Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge is known for being one of the steepest and most tiring hikes between 4,000 foot peaks in the Adirondacks. All good until that last mile coming off Giant on the ridge trail. 11.5 mile. 1 comment. June 5, 2010 Got up at 05:00 after a somewhat fitful sleep during a very rainy night spent in the roof of a camper van. Sun-dappled trail. report. I was very familiar having descended into this col on three previous occasions so I knew what to expect. Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse. And, as I figured, Ashley (who turned 9 on May 13), was the best hiker in the group. Giant and Rocky Ridge stand as the 12th and 20th highest peaks in the Adirondacks. Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse to Route 9 Order in ranking, number 20. It is by no means an easy day hike, but I thought well within our collective comfort level. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until November. If you've never hiked this trail move it up to the top of your list and save it for a clear day. It only took us about 35 minutes to travel the 1.2 miles down giant and up Rocky. with my permission. The classic Adirondack hike! It descends steeply over very rough and muddy terrain to the G / RPR col, then ascends steeply over better but still rough footing to the open summit of Rocky Peak Ridge. Giant Mountain is the 12th highest peak in the Adirondacks; Giant can also be approached by first climbing Rocky Peak Ridge Follow Leave No Trace principles; Parking. The route begins at Rt. Almost all the elevation gain would be accounted for over the first 4.5 miles of the hike as the Zander Scott Trail ascends steadily up to the summit of Giant Mountain. There are great views from the open ledges down into the Boquet River Valley. Incredibly long. Eagle Slide on Giant is a classic and challenging slide route up the west face of the peak. Luckily for me I had a car spot this time as my friend Diaz was up for the weekend working on his 46 High Peaks list. The trail travels over many open ledges with incredible views to the west. Whatever it is, it sure is a nice spot! The experience left me with wonderful memories and I vowed to hike the route in the opposite direction. Towards the top, I passed a junction sign for Rocky Ridge Peak, saying the peak of Giant was 0.3 miles away. We collected enough black fly bites in the 30 minutes at the top of Giant to annoy both of us, so we took off after enjoying some bologna sandwiches and a thermos full of iced-coffee. Heading up the rough and rugged lower section of the Zander Scott Trail. Incredibly strenuous. We made quick work of the ascent to RPR and before I knew it… At 1:05 p.m., I achieved my 28th winter high peak with Rocky Peak Ridge!! You are more than welcome to link back to my blog, use in articles, email, social media, etc. Once on this ridge, it is a delightful walk among stunted conifers, cripplebrush, birches, mosses and other alpine vegetation. A clear, not-too-hot day, plenty of cheer and heavily laden with water. Our last one was on a perfect fall weekend in October 2011. On that trip, we started at New Russia and did Bald, RPR, Giant and Hopkins. Looking east there is a great view down to Rocky Peak (bottom), Looking down on Rocky Peak from Rocky Peak Ridge, Heading to Marie Louise Pond and Rocky Peak. It was a big trip with around 6000 vertical. #boysnight. -  From the summit of Rocky Peak Ridge we descended to Mary Louise Pond and over to Rocky Peak's summit. Rocky Peak Ridge via Giant Mountain. When an opportunity arose on Sunday and the forecast also seemed to cooperate, we had the additional good fortune of… The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. From the summit of Giant there are many four thousand footers in view! On the other hand this was all new to Diaz and a few times I caught him shaking his head at the rough trail but he did well and enjoyed the drop down into the Giant / RPR col.  From the col the trail up to Rocky Peak Ridge is still a grind but much more forgiving than the east side of Giant. Water Sources on the Rocky Peak Ridge/Giant Traverse? 16 miles and almost 7,000 feet of elevation gained later I was in love with the Rocky Peak Ridge and couldn't wait to get back. The Malachowski-Bajak family plus four did the rather arduous 11-mile traverse from New Russia up Rocky Peak Ridge (4,420 feet) and then Giant (4,627 feet) mountains on Aug. 14. It's a really beautiful hike over ledges with moss and shrubs off the trail. Consider choosing a less popular, and less crowded, trail. It is a alternative route to Rocky Peak Ridge instead of going over Giant first. Ridge Trail to Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge is a 8.9 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Keene, New York that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Rocky from my perspective: It’s also a grueling one because the elevation gain is substantial compared to its relatively short mileage; the total elevation gain for this hike checks in at a healthy 5,300 feet. It's definitely an easier hike heading east towards New Russia than the long steady uphill in the direction of Keene Valley. From the summit of Rocky Peak Ridge you can take in the views of the scarred wall of Giant Mountain to the west (top). ... pile into the other car and park at the Roaring Brook trailhead to Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge on Route 73. Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge. and Giant Mountain on Saturday, November 19th with Jim & Dave. On January 1, 2019 By Taylor In ADK 46, Trip Reports. The Ridge Trail to Giant Summit: 3 miles (3050' ascent)3 hours Round trip traverse to Rocky Peak Ridge: 2.6 miles (1400' ascent) 2 hours. Colors were vibrant, foliage was peak at lower elevations by Blueberry Cobbles. It's one of the most grueling descents off of a 4,000 foot peak in the Adirondacks. Rocky Peak Ridge features a 4000' high ridge that extends eastwards for about a mile. On Sunday I hiked the Rocky Peak Ridge to Giant traverse from New Russia. A few gentlemen were ahead of us on Rocky, which revealed the beginnings of a broken-out path. An early fall backpacking trip on a beautiful Saturday evening and Sunday morning in September. The best view of course is from the summit itself where we took a nice long break in the early morning mild temperatures. hide. All content, pictures, and text are property of Chris Dailey unless otherwise noted. Forecast was 80mph winds and partial clouds. Few who have climbed Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant from New Russia would dispute that it's one of the best hikes in the Adirondacks. If you have any questions please contact me at, Total Miles: 11.4 miles (4,565 feet elevation gained). Giant Mountain - Rocky Ridge Peak - Mary Louise Pond - Bald Peak - Blueberry Cobbles. The 10 mile trail over Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant includes 5300' of climbing, and 9500' for the 20 mile round trip. Total trip: 8.6 miles (4650' ascent) 8 hours. Content cannot be used, copied or distributed without my consent. The uphills on the way back to the car are relatively tame and come in short bursts of no more than a few tenths of a mile. Giant/Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse. The two most popular routes climb the southern ridge of the mountain, meeting up about a mile south of the summit. Rocky Peak Ridge stands as the high point on the ridge extending east from Giant. Sat, Dec 21, 2013, 5:00 AM: I think total rain for the day will be about 1/4"Giant ~ 3.6 miles ~ 3375' elevation gainRocky Peak Ridge ~ 4.7 milesRound trip without Traverse ~ 9.6 milesWith Traverse ~ Looking down to Bald Peak (bottom), Heading down into and out of Dickerson Notch, Just before reaching Bald Peak the East Trail passes by a well known glacial erratic, Heading down towards and past Blueberry Cobble, Hope you enjoy my blog, thanks for reading! We definitely made some rookie mistakes. As its name says, this is a traverse, that begins and ends at different locations, so it - We got an early start to be on the safe side as a monster of a rain storm was supposedly fast approaching. Between us and Giant, however, was a fairly significant dip: a col at 3700 feet, meaning we needed to descend about 700 feet down, then about 900 feet back up to the summit of Giant. The detour to RPR was not very long of a hike, but there was a lot of vertical involved: 800+ feet down to the col, followed by 600+ feet up to the summit. - From Giant Mountain we headed over to Rocky Peak Ridge's summit. What an incredible hike. For the most part the clouds blocked the view from the top but for a minute we were able to see Lake Champlain. save. ... East Dix, Hough, Dix, Giant, and Rocky Peak Ridge and is halfway to becoming a 46er! Zander Scott Trail:  3.2 miles  /  East Trail: 8.2 miles. 100% Upvoted. While the climbing makes for a challenging run, there is a great deal of open ridge running on this route, and the views are early, often, and expansive in both directions. Finally, after 3.2 hours of hiking, I reached the wiiiindy summit. Extraordinary! The Giant-Dix Traverse is a 25-mile point-to-point link up of six Adirondack high peaks: Rocky Peak Ridge, Giant, Dix, Hough, South Dix, and Macomb, as well as numerous smaller peaks. Rubber knees and pounding quads. 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