oops, , originally put this in lost and found...

[capper]

Sorry guys, im new here, and i accidentally posted this in the l"lost and found" thread, so heres where it belongs:
Hello everyone, ,
First off, , i wanted to say Kudos for the great community here. I found this forum accidentally as i was planning a trek for this summer, and i am hooked. I figured i would ask for some help on my trip...
I am putting together a 3-4 day trekk for me and a few buddies and the main goal is marcy, however, I also plan on hitting gray, and skylight. The questions i had were:

1) i want to hit avalanche pass (been through it before and want to show it to my friends) and i was curious to hear any routes you might think would be good. (i was thinking as a return route from marcy?)

2) How long can i stay in one place as a base camp. Is it unacceptable to stay in one of the leanto's for 2 or more days?

3) is there a trail, or how hard would it be to bush from grey summit to marcy summit?

Thanx again guys, any info would be appreciated.
..Capper..

[Kevin]

Welcome to the forums.

Since you got no replies (a rare occurrence!), that probably means you had this in the wrong section. We'll try it here in the ADK section since they seem to be specific questions about the high peaks area.

[hillman1]

Gray to Marcy has a herd path. I found it to be quite interesting in summer. If you do it, look for a blue case that holds my brand new eyeglasses that got ripped out of my pack when a zip pull came undone from catching a branch. It's there somewhere...everyday makes that hike seem better, but at the time, day 3 in the mountains solo in the rain, it didn't seem too fun.

[Skyclimber]

If you are returning from Marcy and want to go to Avalanche Pass, then go up the VanHoevenburgh Trail to Marcy, Skylight and Gray, return back over Lake Tear of the Clouds and when you get back to Avalanche Camps take Misery Mile up to Avalanche Lake. (about a 40 minute one way side trip)

Bushwhacking Marcy to Gray isn't real difficult, a little bit of thick spruce, but there may be several spruce traps along the ridge to get there.

I also don't see why you can't stay at a Lean-To for a couple of days, should be easier to get one this time of year, verses Summer.

[RonandJon]

Marcy, Skylight, Grey and Avalanche Pass

Try this From the Loj, Hovenberg Trail to Marcy. Then, either down the backside of Marcy to 4 Corners, up and down Skylight, 4 Corners to Lake Tear to Grey and back, (or bushwack over to Grey, down to Lake Tear, backtrack a little to 4 Corners and go up and down Skylight, then return to Lake Tear) and down to either Uphill Brook LT or Feldspar LT and spend the night. Day 2, if you are in the mood, climb Cliff and Redfield, back to the LT. Day 3, down to Lake Colden and out through Avalanche Pass, Avalanche Camp and back to Marcy Dam and then the Loj.

[capper]

thanx alot guys. And Hillman, If i see your glasses case, ill def let you know

[lumberzac]

I believe the limit is 3 nights at any shelter before you need a permit.

[capper]

i actually did find that out after i posted. i think ,maybe i was a little excited/hasty to make my first post!

[capper]

By the way, Last time i was in that general area (wich was a long time ago) we stopped at a place that we called "sliding rock" that was like a waterfall, but the rock was smooth, and angled so that you could sit at the top, and slide all the way down to the pond at the bottom. Anyone know what im talking about? or where exactly that is?

[Kevin]

Maybe the flumes on the Boquet river? You'd get there following a trail from rt 73 (the same route people use to climb East Dix).