Phelps Mountain, June 28, 2013, Adirondack Park

Summit of Phelps Mountain, Rain Clouds on the Way

After a several days of tremendous rainstorms up and down the East Coast, K and I figured that there would be lots of water up in the ADK. Indeed. As we drove into the High Peaks on Route 73, the north fork of the Boquet River was spilling its banks into the highway and water was cascading off of the mountains in places that are normally bone dry. It wasn't raining any longer, but the amount of rain that came out of the atmosphere was still finding its way down and out of the hills.

We therefore made sure to choose a hike WITHOUT any stream crossings, and decided on Phelps Mountain - a peak on the 46er list.

We started out from the Adirondack Loj around 8:30 AM. The place was jammed with hikers setting out into the High Peaks. Fortunately, however, the crowds thinned out once we got into the back country. By the time we reached Marcy Dam, we were having pretty good stretches of solitude. Also fortunate for us was the fact that they put a "high water" bridge in along the trail. Without it, the steam crossing would have been too much to handle.

Boardwalk on Trail 61 to Marcy Dam

After Marcy Dam, the Van Hoevenberg Trail (#61) starts a moderate climb along Phelps Brook before reaching a split with Trail 62  to the summit. The summit trail is steep in parts, including a few hand-over-hand, root-grabbing sections. The reward for the long slog is rocky summit with broad 180 degree views over to Mt. Marcy, the highest of the High Peaks. No time for relaxing with our lunch on the summit. A huge black cloud was poised ominously on Marcy. More rain on the way.

We stopped a short distance down the summit trail to eat, and that's when the rain came. Fortunately, we had full rain gear in the pack and needed it the whole way back. We stayed fairly dry despite the on and off, sometimes soaking, rain squalls... but most people that we encountered looked pretty miserable in their sopping wet shorts and t-shirts. 

To each his own.

Peak: Phelps Mountain
Elevation: 4,161 feet
Distance: Up-and-back, 8.8 miles round trip
Conditions: Party sunny in AM; rain in PM, 70 degrees F

Trail to Phelps Mountain, from Van Hoevenberg Trail 61