MT MARCY vs. MT KATAHDIN

[1ADAM12]

I was just looking at the elevations of these two peaks and I see Marcy is a bit higher than Katahdin. In your opinion which one is a tougher climb? I know alot depends on the individual, weather conditions etc. I have never climbed Katahdin but I thought Marcy was a relatively easy climb when I did it. Also -HERE- is a really cool site that has all the high points for all 50 states.

Thanks,
Adam

 

[Mad Townie]

Katahdin's harder. You have to either make a reservation months in advance or sleep in your car the night before!

 

[twigeater]

The trail I took up Marcy was easy - like a path up to a certain point. Katahdin is definately harder, more interesting.

That's just my opinion about one trail up Marcy. However Katahdin has no "easy" trails.

 

[Peakbagr]

If you take the trade route up Marcy from the ADK Loj, I'd say thats an easier climb than Katahdin. Soft trails until you hit the tree line which is highter on Marcy.

Marcy from Elk Lake or The Garden would be more difficult due to the distances.

I feel that the above-treeline footing on Marcy is easier and of a shorter duration than Katahdin.
Hope this helps.

 

[Neil]

If you take the trade route

What's the origin of that name? Is that the Van Ho trail?

 

[lumberzac]

Kahtahdin is harder hands down.




*edit* Actually the second time I summited Marcy, I would have to say was harder than going up Katahdin, but I also had to climb over the entire Great Range to do it. I don’t consider that as a fair comparison though, because you are comparing a route where you climb one peak to a route where you climb 8.

 

[Artex]

I've done Marcy once and Katahdin 3 times (getting ready to be 4 and 5 next month... woohoo!). I'd say Katahdin has a greater overall "wow" factor, and the Dudley Trail to Knife Edge to the summit is flat-out exhilerating. That's not to say Marcy isn't pretty sweet in its own right though.

 

[Doc McPeak]

You can up the difficulty factor for Marcy considerably by heading across and up the herd path from Gray. This is my favorite way to climb Marcy, though not technically a "trail".

I must admit nothing looks like it would compare to the Knife's Edge. Next year will be a big trip to BSP. I hope to have my nerves in place for that traverse!

 

[1ADAM12]

I am going to climb Katahdin next year hopefully and was just curious as it is about the same elevation as Marcy. What route do you suggest for Katahdin? Sounds like the Knife Edge route is pretty awesome!

Adam

 

[poison ivy]

Interesting question! For me, Katahdin (via the Hunt Trail) was definitely physically more challenging since there was lots of scrambling and it was my first real hike.

That said, Marcy was more of a mental challenge -- the bugs were ferocious, the temperatures hot, the mileage the most I had hiked in a day. It was a difficult hike and I swore I'd sell my gear and never hike again after that one (okay, that resolution lasted like an hour.)

Despite it being more challenging I'd hike Katahdin again... it would be hard to convince me to do another dayhike of Marcy though!

-Ivy

 

[Artex]

I am going to climb Katahdin next year hopefully and was just curious as it is about the same elevation as Marcy. What route do you suggest for Katahdin? Sounds like the Knife Edge route is pretty awesome!

Adam

Depends on what you want. Knife Edge is indeed awesome! I highly recommend taking it to the summit, so long as you don't have major problems with vertigo (especially with the Chimney itself..whoa). The Knife Edge "starts" at Chimney Peak, and there are two ways to get up to that point: The Helon Taylor and the Dudley. The Dudley Trail is much steeper, but you'll be able to climb the infamous index rock. The Helon Taylor is much longer and more drawn out, but still a great hike.

 

[BorealChickadee]

Katahdin much harder than Marcy, even taking the "easiest" way up each of them.

 

[king tut]

Which route up katahdin? They are all very different hikes. I have done the hunt trail, abol slide trail, the knife edge, helon taylor, and the cathedral trail, the extremely steep one right up the ridge from chimney pond. It's hard to recommend just one, but for sheer excitement and views, i would say go up to chimney pond, take the cathedral trail over to baxter peak and then go across the knife edge and down helon taylor from pamola. This is not recommended for the vertigo challenged or faint of heart. I have a fear of heights and this climb is more of a mental workout for me than a physical one. But, any climb you do up big k is great, something different on each one

 

[Lawn Sale]

I've never been up Marcy, but I've done Katahdin 7 times, with #8 coming next month at the end of the 100 MW. The "easy" route up katahdin is the Saddle trail, which involved climbing up a rockslide using your hands. The knife edge is definitely a must, unless you don't like heights, in which case stay clear of it. From Baxter Peak looking towards Pamola it looks easy, until you get 1/2 way across.

Bring plenty of water...

 

[Puma concolor]

I concur with the above and will only add that the reason why Katahdin is harder is that most approaches start nearly 1000 feet lower than on Marcy and that the trails to the top are shorter (4-6 miles versus 7.5 miles) as well steeper/rockier. Many have described it as the only "western" peak east of the Continental Divide.

And if you like that link on State Highpoints, try this one:

http://highpointers.org

 

[1ADAM12]

I concur with the above and will only add that the reason why Katahdin is harder is that most approaches start nearly 1000 feet lower than on Marcy and that the trails to the top are shorter (4-6 miles versus 7.5 miles) as well steeper/rockier. Many have described it as the only "western" peak east of the Continental Divide.

And if you like that link on State Highpoints, try this one:

http://highpointers.org

Mark thanks for the site! That is a great link!!!!

 

[AntlerPeak]

Originally Posted by Mark S Many have described it as the only "western" peak east of the Continental Divide.


I fully agree with that comment. Somewhere in my pile of photos I have a slide of Winchester Mt in the North Cascades taken from a snowfield on Yellow Aster Butte. When my buddy and I first saw the wall on Winchester he yelled, "When did they move Katahdin here?" From the angle we were at the bare ridge of Winchester was almost a mirror image of the knife edge as it appears from the approach to Hamlin. As we had completed the NE 115 the year before this trip I commented Katahdin was the only Eastern Peak I knew of that could be dropped into the Cascades and appear as if it belonged.

 

[Mad Townie]

On Katahdin much depends on the side from which you approach it. From the west, a good loop is up the Hunt (AT) and carefully down the Abol Slide, for variety. That leaves you with a couple mile walk on the perimeter road.

From the East (Roaring Brook), it depends if you get reservations for Chimney Pond or are just doing a day hike. For day, I'd suggest Chimney Pond to the Saddle (or Cathedral if you like really steep), to the summit, across the Knife Edge, and down the Helon Taylor trail to the parking lot. If you stay at CP, you could go up the Dudley Trail to Pamola, across the Knife Edge in the opposite direction, then down the Saddle back to CP.

Of course, you could also go to CP, up to the summit, then down the northwest side of the mountain to Davis Pond, around to Russell Pond, and back to Roaring Brook. But to do that you really have to love the place.

Any hike on Katahdin is a good hike!

 

[Thunder Dan]

Katahdin's Knife Edge vs. Capitol Peak(CO) knife edge

Have any of you climbed Capitol Peak in Colorado? If so, how does it compare with Katahdin's Knife Edge? I am considering climbing that one on a trip to Colorado several weeks from now.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

I've only read about Katahdin, but I've been up Marcy from a couple different directions - I have to say that Katahdin is much more difficult. Also, there are virtually no restrictions on trail access for Mount Marcy - just show up and go. It's a relatively easy 14-mile RT day hike from the ADK Loj.