Ascent of Big Slide Mountain on 2015-06-20| Others in Party: | Doug
| | Date: | Saturday, June 20, 2015 | | Ascent Type: | Successful Summit Attained | | Motorized Transport to Trailhead: | Car | | Peak: | Big Slide Mountain | | Location: | USA-New York | | Elevation: | 4199 ft / 1279 m |
Ascent Trip ReportBig Slide was the first of the "46" Adirondack high peaks that I tried to summit. This is a beautiful peak. It is hard to imagine a more magnificent view that takes in so many of the other Adirondack high peaks. The trail goes over the Three Brothers, 3 peaks on the way to Big Slide also offering spectacular views. With the walk from the car, our hike was exactly 10 miles. If you can find parking or don't mind the shuttle it is a 7.8 mile hike.
Parking was a challenge. The Garden parking lot was completely full by 8:00. This lot is very small considering the popularity of the trails that lead away from it. There is overflow parking with shuttle service near Marcy Field but we opted to park a mile down the road from the Garden parking area instead. This was a very good decision, as we did not see 1 shuttle pass us on the walks to and from the trailhead. This added about 2.3 miles to our day but it was better then waiting who-knows-how-long for a shuttle that may or may not have come.
Once through the parking lot, the trail to Big Slide starts gradually up. It was rocky and a little muddy. The climb to the first brother is pretty gradual. The first brother offers a stunning view on a clear day, with Giant Mtn. front and center. The hike to the second brother is pretty easy, and offering yet another great view. The hike from the second to third brother was a little tougher but still pretty easy. The third brother didn't have views as great as the first 2 but it did offer the first view of Big Slide. The ascent to Big Slide is the most challenging of the hike. Experienced hikers should have no problems though. There are sections where you must use your hands and some stairs/ladders to help you along. The top was a little crowded but not so bad for a Saturday in June. Breathtaking summit. There is a marker at the top but some chucklehead removed the USGS disc fro the top. People suck sometimes. But it's easy enough to spot.
After taking some photos, chatting, snacking and relaxing for a few minutes, we made room for others and descended the same way. There is a loop you can do but we opted for the way we came because we liked it so much. On the way up we saw a couple folks really struggling with their ascent. I hope they made it. The lot was still full when we finished and we made our way to the car.
Great Day Hike!!
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| Summary Total Data | | Total Elevation Gain: | 2800 ft / 853 m | | Total Elevation Loss: | 2800 ft / 852 m | | Round-Trip Distance: | 10 mi / 16.1 km | | Route Conditions: | Road Hike, Maintained Trail, Scramble | | Weather: | Pleasant, Calm, Clear
Perfect Day | | Ascent Statistics | | Gain on way in: | 2800 ft / 853 m | | Gain Breakdown: | Net: 2759 ft / 841 m; Extra: 41 ft / 12m | | Loss on way in: | 41 ft / 12 m | | Distance: | 5 mi / 8.1 km | | Route: | Big Slide Trail | | Start Trailhead: | Garden Parking Lot 1440 ft / 438 m | | Time: | 2 Hours | | Descent Statistics | | Loss on way out: | 2759 ft / 840 m | | Distance: | 5 mi / 8.1 km | | Route: | Big Slide Trail | | End Trailhead: | Garden Parking Lot 1440 ft / 438 m |
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