Trip report
Jun 28, 2020 — Mount Marcy, the highest point in New York, had some of the best summit views of any peak I've been to in the northeast, and the whole route was really pretty as well. I sort of expected a green tunnel, but there were plenty of distractions to keep the hike interesting.
I started from the Adirondak Loj parking area and took the very popular Van Hoevenberg Trail for a few miles to Marcy Dam. The dam redirects you to the north to a constructed bridge, though few seem to follow the trail and instead just cross the low water. The trail follows Phelps Brook, which provides wonderful naturey noises, before ascending steeply to the junction with Table Top Mountain, which I would be ascending on my return. Just after this junction is another junction with Indian Falls. I recommend taking the short detour for a really nice view above the falls. You could scramble down to the base of the falls, but I wanted to ensure I made it to Mount Marcy before fog rolled in.
A somewhat forgettable section of forest walking led to a small clearing with my first view toward Mount Marcy. Shortly after this, the trail became slightly more difficult with lots of rocks and short Class 2 scramble sections. Mount Marcy became visible for the last half mile or so as I ascended its eastern ridge on a the well-marked trail. Though slippery due to the ever-present mist of the day, I managed to only land on my butt once. I was fortunate to catch the late morning views before the clouds rolled in.
On my way back, I ascended Table Top Mountain, a particularly pretty trail that has been eroded to the point where the sides of the trail were sometimes waist-high. It was lush and green and the summit even had a decent view toward Mount Marcy.