Algonquin

Algonquin

5,114 feet  |  ranked 2/46 in height  |  6th peak climbed (repeat)

This is the fourth consecutive Labor Day weekend that Frankie has wanted to climb a High Peak, so of course I was thrilled to take him up another mountain.  He really wants to do Marcy, just because it is the biggest, but the length of the approach intimidates him, so he decided to wait until he is 10.  But Algonquin is a short hike for such a big mountain and he was sure he could handle that.  I tried to steer him toward Wright, leaving Algonquin to pair with Iroquois later, but for various reasons, that did not work out.  But we did make it up Algonquin...

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!