Gray and Skylight via the ADK Loj

 

Gray

4,926 feet  |  ranked 7/46 in height  |  33rd peak climbed 

Skylight

4,840 feet  |  ranked 4/46 in height  |  34th peak climbed 

 

In what has become an annual tradition, Erwin took Frankie for a summer visit to the beach and family in South Carolina, and I stayed home to work... and snuck off to the mountains for a solo hike.  I waffled a bit, indecisive about where I would hike.  Last year I car-camped off Corey's Road and felt a little self-conscious showing up at the alpine flora workshop afterwards so unwashed; Corey's is primitive camping with no running water, so I was several days without a shower, inclusive of climbing Donaldson and Emmons on a muggy day where I sweated buckets.  Irregardless of the baby wipe "bath", I surely reeked with a vengeance.  I thought perhaps I should stay somewhere with water this year.  Then I struck on the brilliant plan to stay at the Heart Lake.  The campground was already fully booked, but I could get a bunk at the Loj for two nights.  Sold!

I drove up after work Thursday, arriving just as darkness was descending.  I checked into the Loj and got settled in my room.  My six-person bunkroom had only two other guests, two women planning to hike Tabletop the next day.  They told me they planned to get up around 5 am, which was a huge relief to me, as I was also planning an early start and wouldn't have to feel guilty about waking them.  They kindly informed me that the Loj would set out an early continental-style breakfast for me if I signed up, so I did just that, then brushed my teeth and tried to get a little sleep.  This was not an entirely successful mission, as I rarely sleep well, especially the first night in a new place, but it wasn't too bad.  I enjoyed hearing loons on the lake in the night.

I wasn't particularly hungry, but forced down half a buttered bagel, along with some juice and tea.  Brushed my teeth, packed my bag, laced my boots, and stepped outside.  First distraction of the day!  I had to walk down to the misty shores of Heart Lakes; seriously, it did not feel optional.  So beautiful...

After a quick stop at my car to grab the two toasted and buttered English muffin and sauteed halloumi from the cooler in my car, I finally set off.  I signed in at the register shortly before 6 am, just one in a congo line of hikers queueing up to scratch in the book and scraggle off toward Marcy Dam. 

early morning light

I had decided that on this hike, I would try to make myself stop and eat a small snack every hour or so, in an attempt to manage my energy levels.  If I wait for hunger cues or scenic landmarks, it can be too late, and eating too much at once can also slug me out.  So small snacks it was.  At Marcy Dam, I paused long enough to eat some grapes, and felt good about lightening my load (grapes are heavy).

On past hikes, I might have not stopped again to Lake Arnold, the next landmark attraction, 2.6 miles from Marcy Dam.  The first mile or so, to shortly past the trail junction signed above, is flat and fast, but after that it's a steady climb.  I made myself take a short break for some halloumi, and then powered along.  I hopscotched with a couple in this section (they took the picture of me above at Marcy Dam) with them passing me when I snacked, and then me passing them when they snacked. 

With the recent break under my belt, I didn't pause long at Lake Arnold.  I detoured long enough to enjoy the view and snap a few pictures, but didn't need to stop and eat.  I was feeling good and excited to be moving into new territory.  Erin and I had hiked this same route when ascending Colden, but from this point forward, the trail would be unfamiliar.  The trail began the descent into the valley and it immediately felt more rugged and wild, more remote. 

I was super excited, but also slightly nervous about the infamous floating bridges.  I had a pair of lightweight water shoes strapped to the outside of my pack, and was prepared to change footwear and carry my boots across if that's what it took to stay dry.  However, my anxiety was all for naught: water levels were unusually low, and the "bridges" were much like many other similar features across the High Peaks.  A complete nothing... easy peasy.  I did talk to the counselors with a group of teens who said the water was a foot higher just a week ago, so I am fully aware of how lucky I was.  Anyway, it was a huge relief not to be hiking the remainder of the day in wet feet. 

My tension about crossing the floating bridges had delayed an scheduled snack stop, so once I passed the junction where I turned away from the Opalescent and began following Feldspar Brook up, up, up, I stopped where a tributary crossed the trail draining into the Feldspar.  Here I ate a bunch of sugar snap peas, for a boost to get me through the next section of steady climbing up to Lake Tear of the Clouds.  The cairn marking the herd path for Gray Peak is right at the outlet of Lake Tear, with the trail ascending to the left.  Before rock hopping across, I sat down on a boulder and at an English muffin.  On to Gray... 

This trail is a bit rough, but pretty standard for a High Peaks herd path.  There are a few tricky rock faces to negotiate; one almost stumped me entirely and I was slightly confused as to how I might get back down, but I made it up at last.  The true summit is wooded, with a partial view toward Marcy, but there is a really nice ledge before the summit with a panoramic view over Skylight and Marcy both.  It is not a grand, majestic rocky summit, and as such, doesn't get a lot of love, but that ledge view is really nice.  I took some pictures and sent out some messages alert Erin and Erwin to my progress, but didn't stay long by my standards.  This was a long hike and I wanted to save the bulk of my summit time for Skylight. 

view of Marcy from Gray's wooded summit

view from a ledge before the summit

Lake Tear of the Clouds

I quickly descended back to Lake Tear, which is absolutely gorgeous.  This little tarn sits at 4,293 feet elevation and is the highest lake in New York State.  It is also the source of the Hudson River.  And because it is 8 miles from the Loj trailhead (and a similar distance from other roads), it has a very remote feel.  I loved it here!  But I kept motoring onto Four Corners and then up Skylight. 

The Skylight trail is much easier than the herd path up Gray, and I soon passed into a world of dwindling krummolz, then left the trees behind completely and soaked in the glory of the rock garden.  As I approached the summit proper, I met an older couple descending and they informed me I would have the summit to myself.  What unexpected grace! 

The summit of Skylight is glorious!  I was so thrilled to be there.  I couldn't settle into anything: take pictures, sit down and snack (cherries and more halloumi), more pictures, another round of text updates, more pictures.  

mountain firmoss (Huperzia appressa)

 

The only thorn in my side was the stable flies - hundreds and hundreds of mean little bastards feasted upon me with abandon.  I had been warned by a father and son duo I crossed paths with several times; they said they'd planned on spending more time up there but couldn't handle the flies.  Another solo hiker ascended and lasted mere minutes, if that.  He never even took his pack of, just swatted wildly while snapping a few pictures, then dashing off.  I was not willing to concede the summit that easily, but eventually, I too succumbed and headed down.

three-leaved rattlesnake root (Nabalus trifoliata)

Many of the hikers I met encouraged me to return out over Marcy, and I had been seriously considering while planning, due to my pre-hike anxiety about the floating bridges.  Once I knew how easy they were though, I decided to return the way I came.  I have hiked Marcy before and will hike Marcy again (Frankie, Erwin, and Erin all want to climb it).  I am eager to see the back side, the trails less traveled.  However, this was my longest hike to date and I was hiking solo.  I knew the elevation gain on the return hike would be draining for me, and the ascent over Marcy (more than 1,000 feet gain from Lake Tear) is much greater than that required to climb back up to Lake Arnold.  I almost always prefer a loop hike to an out-and-back, but on this day, I decided returning the way I came was the right choice for me.  Hike your own hike.

So back past Lake Tear, down the Feldspar, across the floating bridges once again... Without the fear of a dunking, I really appreciated that area.  The low wet meadows tucked in a quiet valley.  It is stunningly beautiful!

large-leaved goldenrod (Solidago macrophylla)

The climb back up to Lake Arnold was indeed the hardest part of the day for me.  Once I gained that height of land and knew it was all downhill and flats for the rest of the way back to the Loj, I stopped for one more snack to see me through (another English muffin and more halloumi).  From here on out, I was able to motor along very quickly, by my standards anyway.  After passing Marcy Dam, I was really cruising, and had my fastest split pace of the entire day in that section.  The sign indicating 1.0 mile back to the Loj is a sight for sore eyes. 

MapMyRide tracked this hike at 18.3 miles with 4,272 feet elevation gain, starting from the Loj in the morning, but stopping at the Hungry Hiker on the way out.  Because, yes, even with all those snacks, I was hungry and thirsty both (I had run out of water on the last mile out).  This new facility is a marvelous addition to the Adirondack Mountain Club's offerings: friendly staff and excellent sandwiches.  A particular boon to those of us staying at Heart Lake; I had declined dinner at the Loj to avoid the pressure of getting back too soon, but was thrilled to have this option.

This is a spectacular hike and I was thrilled with having completed it so easily.  It built my confidence a bit for long, challenging hikes, which is good because many of my remaining High Peaks will be of similar length and difficulty.  Skylight is just amazing!