Boy Scout Backpacking

[patcham]

Hi....I am the Senior Patrol Leader of a Boy Scout Troop in Rochester NY. We are looking to do a Backpacking Trek in the High Peaks Region next summer. I looked in the Guidebook and came up with a route but am not sure if it will be too difficult. Most of the boys have backpacking and wilderness camping experience and we will do a practice weekend on the Finger Lakes Trail. What follows is the route that I came up with.


Day 1: Depart Rochester for Heart Lake Adirondack Loj
Hike from ADK Loj to Summit of Algonquin Peak (5114 ft) 4.0 Miles
Algonquin to Lake Colden 2.1 Miles
Camp at lake Colden Lean-to area
Day 1 Total: 6.1 Miles

Day 2: Hike from lake Colden to Four Corners via Feldspar Trail 3.7 Miles
Summit Skylight (4926 ft) via Four Corners 1.0 Miles
Summit Mt.Marcy (5344 ft) via Feldspar Trail 0.8 Miles
Marcy to Slant Rock Lean-to 2.1 Miles
Day 2 Total: 7.8 miles
Day 3: Zero Day (Sort-of)
Slant Rock to Haystack (4960 ft.) via Shorey Short Cut 1.1 miles
Range trail to Haystack Summit 0.6 Miles
Day 3 Total: 2.4 miles

Day 4: Shorey Short Cut to Range Trail 1.1 Miles
Range Trail via Gothics (4736 ft), Saddleback (4515 ft) and Basin (4827 ft 5.2 Miles
Range Trail via Armstrong (4400 ft) and Upper Wolf Jaw (4185), 3.7 Miles
To Wolf Jaw Lean-to
Day 4 Total: 10.0 miles

Day 5: Woodsfall Trail to Interior Outpost 1.1 Miles
Big Slide Mtn. (4240 ft) via Slide Mtn Brook Trail 2.4 Miles
Big Slide to The Brothers (3721 ft) to Garden 3.9 Miles
Day 5 Total: 7.4 Miles
Am i dreaming too much in thinking we can do this?

Any advisement would be much appricated.

[adkdremn]

I learned one thing this summer when planning a trip. It sounds a lot easier, better on paper than what it really is! Sounds pretty ambitious to me! Plus, there is a limit on group sizes in the High Peaks. I forget the number off the top of my head. Have you considered possibly base camping at the Johns Brook Lodge and doing day hikes from there? I think they have an area for group camping. You could do the same thing from the Loj.

That would be a tough trip for a well seasoned High Peaks hiker, but then again kids are pretty resilient.

[adkdremn]

You also need to take into account weather conditions. Heat and humidity and/or rain can greatly hinder your plans. But, then again you're a Boy Scout, you probably already know that.

[Boreal Chickadee]

Are these kids used tjo carrying full packsfor hours?

DAy 1 is a killer only because you're going up and over Algonquin after 5.5 hours of driving from Rochester. And that trail off Algonquin down to Lake Colden is steep. Pain in the neck with a full pack. Just sounds like a bit much after the long drive. And they will have to eat before they hike.

Day 4: A full pack over Basin, Saddleback, Gothics and finish off the range? Where are you going to bail out when they poop out on you? That's a heck of a haul even for someone experienced in backpacking in the peaks even without a full pack.

Here's a suggestion: Before you take these lads on this journey of a lifetime (aka deathmarch) go up for a weekend in the spring and on day 1 (to make this fair you have to do this after driving) do the Algonquin, Lake Colden and back to the Loj loop. Day 2 go in from the GArden and do the Basin, Saddleback, Gothics, ARmstrong, Upper WJ loop. Then think (if you're still capable of thinking at this point) about whether you'd want to take the boys in with full packs doing the same. Better pack plenty of food because those boys are going to be burning off some serious calories.

[birdny]

I gotta say I've done some adventurous hiking in my days, and this sounds like a great adventure, but honest I think I'd be dead by the end, if I made it that far. Theres something to be said about spending time in the outdoors without bagging every peak in the area. I'd do day hikes from a single location and learn them the beauty of that area and the importance of our natural resource instead of putting up an endurance test. Theres a lot to learn from a small area, new trees, birds, plants, and a few summits are a great reward with new plants, trees (or lack of), birds and views.

[Dick]

Hi patcham, welcome to the forum!

I've been associated with and hiked with a scout troop for 15 years. Speaking from that limited experience (one troop), there may be some who could do this easily, but unless your troop is unusual, there could be many for whom this will be quite a challenge. Nothing wrong with a challenge, but as SPL, do consider the entire group in your planning. Also, the Finger Lakes Trail is not the Adirondack High Peaks.

Peanut Butter is correct -- the trail from Algonquin to Lake Colden is one of the steepest in the area, and your Day 4 is a killer hike, especially with full packs. Consider also that your Day 3 "zero day" is still a significant effort. PB's suggestion of a trial visit, if possible, is a good one. If you can base camp legally somewhere (Loj, JBL, I don't know their policy on that), and if you have enough leaders, consider the possibility of offering different destinations. You'll need to break up your group anyway, as groups are limited to 8 within the Eastern High Peaks. Depending upon when you go, you may encounter significant crowds, especially on Algonquin and Marcy. Also, as of this summer, you need to carry bear canisters.

Perhaps contact other troops for their feedback?

[Judgeh]

Here's what my 13/14 year olds in troop 3 did in 1999.

Day 1: drive to Camp Read near Brant Lake

Day 2: transported to Garden; backpack to Slide Brook campsite; Daypack to Big Slide/YArd Mt.

Day 3: Daypack to L/U Wolfjaws, Armstrong, Gothics; return to Slide Brook camp

Day 4: Backpack to Slant Rock camp; daypack to Algonquin, Basin, Saddleback; return to Slant Rock camp. (I skipped Basin/Saddleback...kids did not)

Day 5: Backpack over Marcy; daypack to skylight: continue backpack to Uphill Lean-to. We skip Mt. Colden due to exhaustion!

Day 6: Backpack to Upperworks where we were picked up and transported back to Camp Read.

Mostly daypacking except for Day 5. Keep the backpacking to a minimum. I will never carry a backpack over Marcy again!!! Very doable for our scouts who had some good backpacking experience on the Appalachian Trail before doing this. Nevertheless, they were totally worn out at the end. Very memorable for everyone and they all spoke about it at their eagle scout courts of honor four years later.

[patcham]

Thanks for the Quick replies. The Trip that the last poster suggested sounds much more doable with less Backpacking. Maybe we will do something like that with more daypacking. Thanks for all of your input.

[redhawk]

Gez, someone actually paying attention to the judges verdict. Whats this forum coming to?

[Judgeh]

Gez, someone actually paying attention to the judges verdict. Whats this forum coming to?

I'm stunned...somebody must have put something in the water. Contact Homeland Security immediately!

[dannyconor]

Shorey Short Cut is a real bear. It will make or break kids!

[RiseAboveHiker]

Also consider hiking the Northville Placid Trail. I take my Scout troop on it in 50-mile sections every few years. I'll take them on a dayhike up or an overnight in the High Peaks, but would not recommend a weeklong trip in the High Peaks -- it will be tough on them and may turn them off to backpacking/hiking forever. You want something that will test them, and challenge them, but which is also attainable and will make them thirst to come back. My suggestion is to hike the NP trail from Long Lake to Placid and then after a pizza meal in Placid take a stab at dayhike up a High Peak. I would suggest Cascade, but Algonquin from the Loj might not be bad one either.

[Judgeh]

Riseabovehiker...don't you think it depends upon age and experience?

My guys backpacked from Upper Works to Long Lake and canoed up Long Lake a year after their high peaks trek. Frankly they were bored. We all would rather have done more mountain climbing!

[chili willie]

I would agree with the posts in general, the original planned hike would be work with daypacks, never mind full packs. Having hiked with children of various ages and athletic shape, and having been on your route several times, I suggest that the boys might take away greater memories with a slightly less strenuous hike.

Remember you will need bear canisters for your food. Lake Colden is bear country!

Good luck.

[Wildernessphoto]

Hi Folks,
I think we already moved on to a different thread on this topic.
Try this one:

http://www.adkforum.com/showthread.php?t=3251