Mount Marcy
| Mount Marcy | |
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 Mount Marcy (photo taken from Mount Haystack, looking across Panther Gorge) |
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| Elevation | 5,344 ft (1,629 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Prominence | 4,914 ft (1,498 m)[2] |
| Listing | Adirondack High Peaks U.S. state high point |
| Location | |
 Mount Marcy
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| Range | Adirondack Mountains |
| Coordinates | 44°06′45.84″N 73°55′25.41″W / 44.1127333°N 73.923725°WCoordinates: 44°06′45.84″N 73°55′25.41″W / 44.1127333°N 73.923725°W[1] |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Marcy |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1837 by Ebenezer Emmons and party |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Mount Marcy is the highest point in New York State,[3] with an elevation of 5,344 feet (1,629 m).[1] It is a popular destination for hikers due to its stature and great views, and the peak can get very crowded in the summer months.[citation needed] Located in Essex County, the mountain is in the heart of the Adirondack High Peaks Region of the High Peaks Wilderness Area.
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[edit] History
The mountain is named after former governor William L. Marcy, who authorized the environmental survey that explored the area including its highest peak, known at that time as Tahawus. "Tahawus" is an Indian word that means "cloud splitter;" the local Indians, however, actually had no name for this mountain - the name Tahawus was given to the mountain by white settlers of the area.[4] The first recorded ascent of Mount Marcy was in 1837 by a large party led by Ebenezer Emmons. Today the ascent is easier due to existing trails that require no technical skills, allowing ascent and descent to be made in a day. Vice President (and former governor) Theodore Roosevelt had just finished climbing Mount Marcy when he learned that President William McKinley, who had been shot in Buffalo but had apparently recovered, had taken a sudden turn for the worse and would not survive his wounds.
[edit] Routes
Mount Marcy is one of the High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains. The majority of the mountain is forested, although the final few hundred feet is above tree line. The peak is dominated by rocky outcrops, lichens, and alpine shrubs. There are two plaques at the top commemorating the centennial of the climb as well as the mountain summit itself.
The shortest and most frequently used route up the mountain is from the northwest, the Van Hoevenberg Trail, which starts at the Adirondak Loj near Heart Lake. From there it is 7.4 miles (11.2 km) to the summit, a lengthy roundtrip which can nevertheless be done in a day. A large section of the trail is suitable for alpine skiing and snowboard on the way down, although there are a few locations where snowboarders will have to take off their snowboard and walk up a little.
Hikers starting up the Johns Brook Trail from the Garden parking north of the mountain in Keene Valley have a 9-mile (14.4 km) journey to the summit, and sometimes spend a night at Johns Brook Lodge in the process.
A lengthier southern approach can be made from either of the two major trailheads for the southern High Peaks, Upper Works or Elk Lake.
Mount Marcy is in the Town of Keene in Essex County.
[edit] Lake Tear of the Clouds
Lake Tear of the Clouds, at the col between Mount Marcy and Skylight, is the source of the Hudson River. Theodore Roosevelt was camped there on September 14, 1901 after summiting Marcy when he was informed that President William McKinley, who had been shot a week earlier, had taken a serious turn for the worse.
Roosevelt and his party hiked ten miles (16 km) down the southwest face of the mountain to Long Lake, New York where he hired a stage coach to take him to the closest train station at North Creek, New York. The route from Long Lake to North Creek has been designated as the Roosevelt-Marcy Trail.
[edit] Gallery
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Summit of Mount Marcy seen from near Little Marcy
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Mount Marcy summit
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Mount Marcy Summit Panorama
[edit] See also
- Outline of New York
- Bibliography of New York
- Index of New York-related articles
- Adirondack Park
- High Peaks Wilderness Area
- List of U.S. states by elevation
- Mountain peaks of North America
- Mountain peaks of the United States
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "Marcy". NGS data sheet. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=PG2096. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
- ^ "Mount Marcy". Peakbagger.com. http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=6048. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
- ^ "Elevations and Distances in the United States". United States Geological Survey. April 29, 2005. http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ http://www.highpeaksclimbing.com/ADKS/Marcy/Marcy.htm
[edit] External links
- Mount Marcy hike and trip report. June 2010.
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