Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant Mountain via New Russia Trail in Adirondack Park, NY

Hike Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant Mountain via New Russia Trail Adirondack Park, NY

Class 2 15.2 miles 6600 gain 7-10 hrs Out + Back Jul 13, 2024
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant Mountain via New Russia Trail GPX Track

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A few days ago, I hiked to Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge solo via the Ridge Trail, but I finished that hike feeling incomplete because I really wanted to reach these two summits via the New Russia Trail someday. I didn't expect it to happen so soon, but Adam drove up from NJ to meet me today, and after multiple plan changes we decided that this option worked out quite well. If you have the time and energy, this is a much better hike than the shorter options from the southwest via the popular Ridge Trail or Roaring Brook Trail. It’s a lot longer, but it includes a pretty pond, a short bald ridgeline, and many changes in the vegetation due to the range of altitudes. The New Russia Trail starts at a very low elevation relative to other trailheads for the Adirondack High Peaks, then follows a rolling ridge that racks up the elevation gain both on the way up and back.

Adam and I set out on the New Russia Trail, initially through lower-elevation deciduous forest with the occasional stream crossing, and mostly it was just a nicely forested trail that gained elevation gradually relative to the rest of the hike. The first minor summit on our way was Blueberry Cobbles. This is a completely avoidable side excursion since the trail bypasses it on the north, but it offered a nice view toward the ridgeline to come. We quickly passed over the barely notable Mason Mountain, a named nubbin along the way.

Our introduction to Class 2 for the day came on the way up to Bald Peak, but it was pretty short-lived. We made quick work up to Bald Peak, which had lovely views, and we now had a clear idea of how far away Giant Mountain remained. As we descended from Bald Peak into Dickerson Notch, we enjoyed a nice hike through a lush aspen grove before beginning the ascent to the false summit of Rocky Peak Ridge, its East Peak. About halfway up this ascent, the trail changed character and ascended much more steeply on rockier terrain, the typical Adirondack-style ruggedness. On the way up Rocky Peak Ridge – East Peak, we had a couple of viewpoints back toward Bald Peak.

The true Rocky Peak Ridge summit lies on the western edge of its pleasant and undulating extended ridgeline. We dropped down to Mary Louise Lake, a lovely pond nestled at the saddle, the trail assisted with boardwalks to work around the boggy perimeter. Our ascent from Mary Louise Pond to the summit of Rocky Peak Ridge was the most gorgeous section of the day, a combination of an excellent perspective toward the pond below and a bald ridgeline that provided views in all directions.

Last on the agenda was Giant Mountain, accessed via a gradual and relatively tame descent from Rocky Peak Ridge, followed by a much steeper ascent to the summit, complete with some nice scrambling. When we met up with the junction with the Ridge Trail, we were surprised at how crowded it was after being alone most of the day so far, but that makes sense since it's a popular one and this was a Saturday. Giant Mountain boasted impressive views. Of course, now we had to reverse the whole route. You could likely decrease the difficulty of this hike significantly by adding a shuttle car at either the Roaring Brook Trailhead or the Ridge Trailhead and just descend to that car, but we hadn't thought to do so and went back along the roller coaster of a ridgeline.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Blueberry Cobbles
2076 ft
155 rise
2
Bald Peak
3063 ft
289 rise
3
Rocky Peak Ridge - East Peak
4056 ft
109 rise
4
Rocky Peak Ridge
4406 ft
642 rise
5
Giant Mountain
4629 ft
2977 rise

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New Russia Trailhead.
New Russia Trailhead.
Some stream crossings along the forested trail.
Some stream crossings along the forested trail.
Pretty morning light in the forest.
Pretty morning light in the forest.
The trail ascends adjacent to a creek for a while.
The trail ascends adjacent to a creek for a while.
A junction, left leads up to Blueberry Cobbles, right bypasses.
A junction, left leads up to Blueberry Cobbles, right bypasses.
Blueberry Cobbles viewpoint toward Bald Peak and the ridgeline to come.
Blueberry Cobbles viewpoint toward Bald Peak and the ridgeline to come.
Some light scrambling on the way up to Bald Peak.
Some light scrambling on the way up to Bald Peak.
View back on our way up to Bald Peak.
View back on our way up to Bald Peak.
A view point on the way up to Bald Peak.
A view point on the way up to Bald Peak.
Bald Peak ahead.
Bald Peak ahead.
Summit of Bald Peak, view toward Rocky Peak Ridge ahead.
Summit of Bald Peak, view toward Rocky Peak Ridge ahead.
Close-up toward the false summit of Rocky Peak Ridge.
Close-up toward the false summit of Rocky Peak Ridge.
Back into the forest after Bald Peak.
Back into the forest after Bald Peak.
A nice aspen grove along the way.
A nice aspen grove along the way.
Lushness on the way up to Rocky Peak Ridge.
Lushness on the way up to Rocky Peak Ridge.
Viewpoint looking back along the way up Rocky Peak Ridge.
Viewpoint looking back along the way up Rocky Peak Ridge.
Close-up of Bald Peak.
Close-up of Bald Peak.
The trail gets rockier and steeper about halfway up Rocky Peak Ridge's eastern summit.
The trail gets rockier and steeper about halfway up Rocky Peak Ridge's eastern summit.
Rocky Peak Ridge - East Peak summit just ahead, view west toward Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant Mountain on the horizon.
Rocky Peak Ridge - East Peak summit just ahead, view west toward Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant Mountain on the horizon.
Along the way up to Rocky Peak Ridge - East Peak, view back east. You can see Bald Peak on the left.
Along the way up to Rocky Peak Ridge - East Peak, view back east. You can see Bald Peak on the left.
Now on the East Peak, moving onward toward Rocky Peak Ridge, left of center.
Now on the East Peak, moving onward toward Rocky Peak Ridge, left of center.
Some bogs with boardwalks along the way.
Some bogs with boardwalks along the way.
Mary Louise Pond.
Mary Louise Pond.
Mary Louise Pond, Rocky Peak Ridge seen ahead.
Mary Louise Pond, Rocky Peak Ridge seen ahead.
Some more typical Adirondack hiking past Mary Louise Pond.
Some more typical Adirondack hiking past Mary Louise Pond.
View back toward Mary Louise Pond and Rocky Peak Ridge - East Peak.
View back toward Mary Louise Pond and Rocky Peak Ridge - East Peak.
Higher up, view back toward Rocky Peak Ridge - East Peak. There was a beautiful bare ridgeline here that gave views in all directions as we ascended.
Higher up, view back toward Rocky Peak Ridge - East Peak. There was a beautiful bare ridgeline here that gave views in all directions as we ascended.
Almost on Rocky Peak Ridge, view back.
Almost on Rocky Peak Ridge, view back.
Rocky Peak Ridge summit, view south.
Rocky Peak Ridge summit, view south.
Rocky Peak Ridge summit, view east.
Rocky Peak Ridge summit, view east.
Rocky Peak Ridge summit, Giant Mountain seen ahead.
Rocky Peak Ridge summit, Giant Mountain seen ahead.
Descending toward the saddle with Giant Mountain.
Descending toward the saddle with Giant Mountain.
Nicely forested descent, pretty tame overall.
Nicely forested descent, pretty tame overall.
Then it was a steep ascent up to Giant Mountain.
Then it was a steep ascent up to Giant Mountain.
View back toward Rocky Peak Ridge.
View back toward Rocky Peak Ridge.
Trickier Class 2 scrambling on the way up.
Trickier Class 2 scrambling on the way up.
Nearing the junction with the Ridge Trail, a view back toward Rocky Peak Ridge.
Nearing the junction with the Ridge Trail, a view back toward Rocky Peak Ridge.
Summit of Giant Mountain, view south.
Summit of Giant Mountain, view south.
Summit of Giant Mountain, view north.
Summit of Giant Mountain, view north.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!