Another 3 Day Trip question

[Kyler]

I'm trying to figure out which itinerary to follow for a 2.5 day trip next week. Does anyone have any thoughts or other suggestions? The only requirement that I have is the option of a relatively flat hike out on day 3 if day 2 ends up being too strenuous.

The guy that will be joining me hasn't been to the Adirondacks before, but he is in shape and has done some day hiking in Colorado, so I don't think that he'll have a problem with any of these.

Option 1:
Day 1 - meet after lunch at the garden, hike into JBL area
Day 2 - hike loop of the Lower Range (Gothics, Armstrong, UWJ, LWJ), back to JBL area
Day 3 - hike over big slide and the brothers and back to the garden

Option 2:
Day 1 - meet after lunch at the garden, hike into Bushnell Falls
Day 2 - Hike Marcy and Haystack, and back to Bushnell Falls
Day 3 - hike over big slide and the brothers and back to the garden

Option 3:
Day 1 - meet after lunch at the garden, hike into JBL area
Day 2 - hike loop of the Upper Range (Basin and Saddleback), back to JBL area
Day 3 - hike over big slide and the brothers and back to the garden

Option 4:
Day 1 - meet after lunch at the loj, hike through avalanche pass to lake colden/flowed lands
Day 2 - hike to gray, marcy, skylight, and back to lake colden/flowed lands
Day 3 - hike over Colden and back to the loj

[jrbren]

Sounds like fun. Option 1,2 and 3 have the disadvantage (it would be for me anyway) that you have to carry all your camping crap up big slide and over the brothers. How set are you in hiking over the brothers ? I would amend that to up Big slide and back to camp, pick up gear and walk out. Option 4 has similar issue as written. Day 3 looks like the hardest day due to pack weight in all of your options.

[Kyler]

I've done a full pack over a few peaks, so it doesn't really bother me. The other one or two guys that go might appreciate not carrying all of the weight on day 3, so that's a valid point, and it makes JBL look more desirable as a base camp.