Exploring the Majesty of Mount Marcy

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

It was such a two days trip for me. Spend one night approximately close to the summit. And left in foggy conditions all the way down. It’s pretty hard if you have heavy backpacks with you, specially if you want to carry it on with you. Other than that I think would be a great days I had.

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

worth it

Did not plan for trip accordingly! The hike was a lesson learned in the great outdoors, following an over ambitious hike leader, looking back - a risk taker who did not take in consideration the needs of the group. I hiked this mountain at age 18 with my friend and his older friend, who was an avid hiker. We had a few issues right out of the gate, we did not bring enough water and maybe only a granola bar. My boots were also new and not worn in. Midway through the hike, we stopped at a stream and attempted to clean some water after we had run out for several hours, using specialized but low quality equipment, I had enough for a few gulps and kept moving. We arrived on top of the mountain at 7 pm as the sun was setting.. our hike leader had pushed us to make it to the top no matter what. This might have just been a personal goal of his and he wouldn’t be held back just because we were slower hikers. As we turned around to go down, we walked around 6 hours in total darkness while sharing 2 flashlights among 4 people. I did not have my own so I had to walk arm to arm with my friend. My foot slid on a rock at some point and I hurt my ankle pretty bad, had to keep moving, traveling down rocks sometimes as big as me, it was hard to coordinate foot movements in rugged terrain in near total darkness. We were also concerned of the possibility of bears. Survival mode went into effect. By the time we reached civilization I was dehydrated and felt as if I was in a mental shock. I couldn’t talk, I just climbed in the car and we began the 5 hour trip home. Looking back, maybe I should have went to the hospital for dehydration. We stopped at a gas station and I got some water and a snack. We drove home, I fell asleep for around 24 hours. Woke up with bruises all over. Needless to say I am no longer friends with this person. My advice is to plan ahead. This is a serious trip. You should have an experienced and caring guide/leader if you have never hiked this distance or terrain before. And lastly, plan for the unexpected. Would I do it again today knowing what I know today? Yes.