The Malachowski-Bajak family plus four did the rather arduous 11-mile traverse from New Russia up Rocky Peak Ridge (4,420 feet) and then Giant (4,627 feet) mountains on Aug. 14. It’s also a grueling one because the elevation gain is substantial compared to its relatively short mileage; the total elevation gain for this hike checks in at a healthy 5,300 feet. Let me know what you want to see next. hide. Rocky Ridge Traverse Start. I was very familiar having descended into this col on three previous occasions so I knew what to expect. As its name says, this is a traverse, that begins and ends at different locations, so it We passed on hiking Rocky Peak Ridge from New Russia a few weeks ago. This thread is archived. It was a big trip with around 6000 vertical. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until November. - A few years back I wanted to do a Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse, my car spot bailed on me so I did a long out and back from the trailhead in New Russia all the way to Giant Mountain where I turned around and hiked all the way back to my car. Diaz navigating the steep descent down the East Trail into the Giant / Rocky Peak Ridge col. A few nice sections of the trail between summits! It is by no means an easy day hike, but I thought well within our collective comfort level. Sun-dappled trail. It's definitely an easier hike heading east towards New Russia than the long steady uphill in the direction of Keene Valley. - We got an early start to be on the safe side as a monster of a rain storm was supposedly fast approaching. The classic Adirondack hike! They sit separated from the mass of the Adirondack High Peaks by Route 73. genevieve.pfeiffer11 1 year, 3 months ago Bald, Rocky & Giant (Dacks) Andrew 1 year, 4 months ago New Russia Parking Area, Elizabethtown to Chapel Pond Car Parking, Keene, NY, USA. The best view of course is from the summit itself where we took a nice long break in the early morning mild temperatures. Colors were vibrant, foliage was peak at lower elevations by Blueberry Cobbles. Extraordinary! For the most part the clouds blocked the view from the top but for a minute we were able to see Lake Champlain. Heading up the rough and rugged lower section of the Zander Scott Trail, As the trail makes its way by the first outlook, the Great Range starts to rise above Keene Valley to the north, Heading up through the woods and over the ledges to the summit of Giant Mountain. The climb goes over various peaks: Blueberry Cobbles, Bald Peak, Rocky Peak, Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant. Just wondering if anyone has been up that way recently and has any idea of the status of the few water sources along the traverse. Congratulations to Jim & Nancy. 1 comment. Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse. The Giant-Dix Traverse is a 25-mile point-to-point link up of six Adirondack high peaks: Rocky Peak Ridge, Giant, Dix, Hough, South Dix, and Macomb, as well as numerous smaller peaks. Jim C. and Nancy finished their 46 together on Giant! Bald Peak Œ Rocky Peak Œ Giant Traverse, Adirondacks Introduction The Bald Peak Œ Rocky Peak Œ Giant Traverse is an interresting and somehow challenging day hike. Forecast was 80mph winds and partial clouds. When he arrived we both took a bunch of pictures and refueled before starting the mostly 6.5 mile descent back to the Jeep at the New Russia trailhead. - The hike between Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge is known for being one of the steepest and most tiring hikes between 4,000 foot peaks in the Adirondacks. The traverse between Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge ranks among the nicest hikes in the Adirondacks. The Ridge Trail to Giant Summit: 3 miles (3050' ascent)3 hours Round trip traverse to Rocky Peak Ridge: 2.6 miles (1400' ascent) 2 hours. The ridge led to the base of Giant, and the climbing was very very steep and difficult, often straight up slides. Rocky Peak Ridge features a 4000' high ridge that extends eastwards for about a mile. The back side of Giant is somewhat steep, be careful. It was steep, wet, and fun. On January 1, 2019 By Taylor In ADK 46, Trip Reports. On the other hand this was all new to Diaz and a few times I caught him shaking his head at the rough trail but he did well and enjoyed the drop down into the Giant / RPR col.  From the col the trail up to Rocky Peak Ridge is still a grind but much more forgiving than the east side of Giant. Zander Scott Trail:  3.2 miles  /  East Trail: 8.2 miles. From the summit of Rocky Peak Ridge you can take in the views of the scarred wall of Giant Mountain to the west (top). A few gentlemen were ahead of us on Rocky, which revealed the beginnings of a broken-out path. Giant Mountain is the 12th highest peak in the Adirondacks; Giant can also be approached by first climbing Rocky Peak Ridge Follow Leave No Trace principles; Parking. All content, pictures, and text are property of Chris Dailey unless otherwise noted. share. It's one of the most grueling descents off of a 4,000 foot peak in the Adirondacks. The map says Marie Louise Pond but this signs has it labeled as a lake. Looking down to Bald Peak (bottom), Heading down into and out of Dickerson Notch, Just before reaching Bald Peak the East Trail passes by a well known glacial erratic, Heading down towards and past Blueberry Cobble, Hope you enjoy my blog, thanks for reading! It's an excessively steep descent made worse by the beyond awful footing. 9 in New Russia, NY, and follows the East Trail up to the summits of Rocky and Giant. We made quick work of the ascent to RPR and before I knew it… At 1:05 p.m., I achieved my 28th winter high peak with Rocky Peak Ridge!! To say the least, our maiden voyage hike to Cascade and Porter was a success. Hikers can begin at the Roaring Brook or Chapel Pond trailheads to begin this hike. The two most popular routes climb the southern ridge of the mountain, meeting up about a mile south of the summit. With Rocky Peak achieved, it was time to turn our attention to the next objective: Giant Mountain, now looming less than a mile way to the northwest of us. #boysnight. report. Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge Trail is a 9.2 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near New Russia, New York that features a lake and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. Ridge Trail to Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge is a 8.9 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Keene, New York that features a lake and is rated as difficult. While the climbing makes for a challenging run, there is a great deal of open ridge running on this route, and the views are early, often, and expansive in both directions. Incredibly long. It only took us about 35 minutes to travel the 1.2 miles down giant and up Rocky. What an incredible hike. One Autumn day. When an opportunity arose on Sunday and the forecast also seemed to cooperate, we had the additional good fortune of… Looking east there is a great view down to Rocky Peak (bottom), Looking down on Rocky Peak from Rocky Peak Ridge, Heading to Marie Louise Pond and Rocky Peak. Consider choosing a less popular, and less crowded, trail. Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse 2012-07-14 Last summer (July 2011), I enjoyed hiking from the New Russia trailhead, over Blueberry Cobbles, Bald Peak, Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant, to the Chapel Pond trailhead. And, as I figured, Ashley (who turned 9 on May 13), was the best hiker in the group. As I’ve gotten more into hiking and mountaineering, my inner video gamer is drawn to arbitrarily defined sets of objectives. ... pile into the other car and park at the Roaring Brook trailhead to Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge on Route 73. It is a alternative route to Rocky Peak Ridge instead of going over Giant first. Giant/Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse. Sat, Dec 21, 2013, 5:00 AM: I think total rain for the day will be about 1/4"Giant ~ 3.6 miles ~ 3375' elevation gainRocky Peak Ridge ~ 4.7 milesRound trip without Traverse ~ 9.6 milesWith Traverse ~ save. There are countless views… Eagle Slide on Giant is a classic and challenging slide route up the west face of the peak. Towards the top, I passed a junction sign for Rocky Ridge Peak, saying the peak of Giant was 0.3 miles away. 11.5 mile. Uneroded path. and Giant Mountain on Saturday, November 19th with Jim & Dave. Rocky Peak Ridge, another ADK 46er, lies nearby, and can be summited in the a same-day outing. ... My second visit to Rocky Ridge Peak, and who knows how many for Ewart. We learned a lot on that first hike. The experience left me with wonderful memories and I vowed to hike the route in the opposite direction. Join us as we hike this trail and watch Brian and Brittney achieve their 46th high peak!SUBSCRIBE TO THE ADVENTURE!Brian's Instagram - @Brian_Hikes_All_DayBrittney's Instagram - @Brittney_Hikes_All_DayMy Instagram - @JonathanZphotographyWebsite - www.jonathanzphotography.comSo much more amazing content to come! All good until that last mile coming off Giant on the ridge trail. Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse to Route 9 Order in ranking, number 20. Almost all the elevation gain would be accounted for over the first 4.5 miles of the hike as the Zander Scott Trail ascends steadily up to the summit of Giant Mountain. An early fall backpacking trip on a beautiful Saturday evening and Sunday morning in September. From the summit of Giant there are many four thousand footers in view! A slight drop brought us to Lake Mary-Louise nestled among a … It is located in the Adirondack, New York state, USA. with my permission. You basically get a front row seat for viewing the High Peaks from south to north; The Dix Range, Dial, Nippletop, Sawtooth, The Great Range, Big Slide, Porter, Cascade, Whiteface, Esther. Either way, you'll arrive just 0.2 mile from the top of Giant before descending steeply to a col between the two peaks, after which it climbs to the summit of Rocky Peak Ridge. We got off to a slightly later start that we had hoped, but it was still early enough to get parking. Content cannot be used, copied or distributed without my consent. If you have any questions please contact me at, Total Miles: 11.4 miles (4,565 feet elevation gained). ADK 46: Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge. Giant Mountain - Rocky Ridge Peak - Mary Louise Pond - Bald Peak - Blueberry Cobbles. Rocky Peak Ridge Traverse Date of Hike: 6/27/15. Posted on July 30, 2014 by mcfarljo1975. The New Russia Traverse is a gorgeous 11.2 mile traverse in the Eastern High Peaks Region of the Adirondacks. Giant and Rocky Ridge stand as the 12th and 20th highest peaks in the Adirondacks. ... East Dix, Hough, Dix, Giant, and Rocky Peak Ridge and is halfway to becoming a 46er! Looking back up at Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant Mountain (top). There are great views from the open ledges down into the Boquet River Valley. Between us and Giant, however, was a fairly significant dip: a col at 3700 feet, meaning we needed to descend about 700 feet down, then about 900 feet back up to the summit of Giant. If you've never hiked this trail move it up to the top of your list and save it for a clear day. On July 5th, 2008, Koira and I left for a day traverse of Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge in the Adirondack High Peaks. Finally, after 3.2 hours of hiking, I reached the wiiiindy summit. It's a really beautiful hike over ledges with moss and shrubs off the trail. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The trail travels over many open ledges with incredible views to the west. 100% Upvoted. Once on this ridge, it is a delightful walk among stunted conifers, cripplebrush, birches, mosses and other alpine vegetation. To get to Rocky Peak you will have to backtrack 0.1 miles to an intersection where there is a marked trail to the mountain. Few who have climbed Rocky Peak Ridge and Giant from New Russia would dispute that it's one of the best hikes in the Adirondacks. Rocky Peak Ridge via Giant Mountain. Incredibly strenuous. 16 miles and almost 7,000 feet of elevation gained later I was in love with the Rocky Peak Ridge and couldn't wait to get back. Rocky from my perspective: It descends steeply over very rough and muddy terrain to the G / RPR col, then ascends steeply over better but still rough footing to the open summit of Rocky Peak Ridge. Rubber knees and pounding quads. ... Trip Log List of all Rocky hikes List of all Giant hikes Rocky information page Giant information page GPS Data. Our last one was on a perfect fall weekend in October 2011. On that trip, we started at New Russia and did Bald, RPR, Giant and Hopkins. The weather was unbelievable for a late November hike in the High Peaks. Very un-Adirondack Trail. Rory & I joined Nancy (High On Life) for a traverse of Bald Mtn., Rocky Peak Ridge (& Mtn.) Heading up the rough and rugged lower section of the Zander Scott Trail. We definitely made some rookie mistakes. Good thing. The parking areas for Giant Mountain often fill quickly, especially in the summer, and it is illegal to park along Route 73. The predicted heat made such an exposed hike unappealing. Luckily for me I had a car spot this time as my friend Diaz was up for the weekend working on his 46 High Peaks list. June 5, 2010 Got up at 05:00 after a somewhat fitful sleep during a very rainy night spent in the roof of a camper van. As the trail makes its way by the first outlook, the Great Range starts to rise above Keene Valley to … The uphills on the way back to the car are relatively tame and come in short bursts of no more than a few tenths of a mile. Whatever it is, it sure is a nice spot! Water Sources on the Rocky Peak Ridge/Giant Traverse? On Sunday I hiked the Rocky Peak Ridge to Giant traverse from New Russia. I motored on up to the summit where I relaxed and waited for Diaz. There is one steep descent with bad footing coming down from Rocky Peak but other than that the footing is pretty good. This separation by the deep valley makes 4,627' Giant Mountain one of the most prominent peaks in New York. We collected enough black fly bites in the 30 minutes at the top of Giant to annoy both of us, so we took off after enjoying some bologna sandwiches and a thermos full of iced-coffee. -  From the summit of Rocky Peak Ridge we descended to Mary Louise Pond and over to Rocky Peak's summit. Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge. The traverse from W to E is about 11 miles and over 4,000 feet of vertical climb. You are more than welcome to link back to my blog, use in articles, email, social media, etc. Leesa and I had been kicking around doing another Rocky Peak Ridge traverse. The detour to RPR was not very long of a hike, but there was a lot of vertical involved: 800+ feet down to the col, followed by 600+ feet up to the summit. We had a nice group of hikers on this trip. - From Giant Mountain we headed over to Rocky Peak Ridge's summit. The mountain, only a couple hundred feet shorter than Giant, was clearly visible in the distance. The trail from Rocky Peak Ridge back to New Russia is mostly downhill as it passes through Dickerson, Hedgehog, and Mason Notch. Rocky Peak Ridge stands as the high point on the ridge extending east from Giant. A clear, not-too-hot day, plenty of cheer and heavily laden with water. Just be sure to bring lots of water and lots of stamina. Incredibly beautiful. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. We hiked down the back side of Giant and across the ridge before starting the ascent to Rocky Peak Ridge. The route begins at Rt. New comments cannot be … Total trip: 8.6 miles (4650' ascent) 8 hours. 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