"Traditional" Route To Skylight

[DayTrip]

I've had Skylight, Gothics and Haystack on my "list" for quite awhile now and I'm thinking it is time to get some of these peaks. Gothics seems like it really needs to be done on its own with some of the other neighboring summits so I'm holding off on that one for now. I'm not doing the 46 4k's. I'm in it for the views on these summits, which all look spectacular from photos I have seen. They're all pretty remote and there doesn't appear to be a clear cut way to go in there. I know there are still some NY'ers on here so I was curious for some info. I lost my ADK High Peaks log in and was rarely going on there anymore so I figured I'd just try and get the info here on VFTT:

1) Are there "standard" or "traditional" routes for these peaks? My likely plan I think would be to do Skylight and Haystack coming in from Upper Works Trailhead via Calamity Brook and doing an overnight. Assuming it is not totally crazy terrain Skylight or Haystack is within my capabilities as a day hike for miles and vertical but I'd prefer to stay a night and enjoy it more.
2) How is Upper Works Trailhead parking nowadays? Never used that trail head before. Would likely do this on a weekday and would probably get there 7AM-8AM. Is that doable or is this like the Loj, Garden, etc. for craziness.
3) Are there any pitfalls on this route that aren't apparent just looking at the maps, i.e. scrambles better to go up than down, river fords, etc? I seem to recall horror stories of really wet terrain/awful bog bridges in the area of Opalescent river but it has been several years and I might well be remembering that wrong.

Appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: After some more map review I'm noticing Colden is in this general area, and is another peak on my list. Would a Colden and Skylight hike from the Loj be a more sensible approach? Lot of comfortable miles coming in from there but it brings the parking situation into question. That is a 4h 30m ride from my house so getting there early is a challenge.

 

[Yury]

1) Are there "standard" or "traditional" routes for these peaks? My likely plan I think would be to do Skylight and Haystack coming in from Upper Works Trailhead via Calamity Brook and doing an overnight.
Typically Skylight is not combined with Haystack.
Doing Skylight together with Haystack as a dayhike is not realistic for me.
YMMV.

 

[DayTrip]

1) Are there "standard" or "traditional" routes for these peaks? My likely plan I think would be to do Skylight and Haystack coming in from Upper Works Trailhead via Calamity Brook and doing an overnight.
Typically Skylight is not combined with Haystack.
Doing Skylight together with Haystack as a dayhike is not realistic for me.
YMMV.

No if it was a day hike it would just be Skylight. It is roughly 18 miles and 3700 ft of vertical via the Calamity route. Done plenty of worse hikes than that in the Whites. But it is more fun to overnight and not have the pressure of getting out of the woods.

 

[skiguy]

No if it was a day hike it would just be Skylight. It is roughly 18 miles and 3700 ft of vertical via the Calamity route. Done plenty of worse hikes than that in the Whites. But it is more fun to overnight and not have the pressure of getting out of the woods.

Not a peak but something to be said about Panther Gorge makes doing Skylight and Haystack together in the same trip. There is also Redfield and Cliff up for the grab too. Also Gray can be mixed in. Personally, a lot of the ADK for me was Backpacking and Camping. I live 5 hours if not more away from most of the High Peaks so am always more committed to staying awhile.

 

[DayTrip]

Not a peak but something to be said about Panther Gorge makes doing Skylight and Haystack together in the same trip.

From Elk Lake Road right? I almost did that 2 years ago but it fell through. I forget if it was the weather or some other life stuff.

 

[TCD]

I did mostly day hikes. Back when I had young knees, I did a lot of stupidly long day hikes in that area.

Gothics is easiest from the JBL side, via orebed brook and the cable trail. Also reasonable is Gothics from AMR, via Beaver Meadow, or (longer) via Pyramid. To get to Gothics from Upper Works or the Loj involves going over Basin and Saddleback, which is a lot of work.

Haystack is also easiest from JBL, via Phelps. It's a long grind into and out of Panther Gorge for the "south" trail to Haystack. And it's extra up and down from the Loj or Upper Works. I have not taken the south trail to Haystack, but reports are that it is VERY steep and rough.

But Gothics and Haystack are not practical to combine, even though they are both easiest from JBL. The best route diverge all the way down at JBL; there is no practical "link up."

Skylight is easiest from Upper Works. From JBL, you have to go over Marcy. From the Loj, you have to go either through Av Pass (really pretty, but time consuming) or through the Lake Arnold - Feldspar trail (an unmaintained mess; "dual sport" (hiking and swimming)).

So unfortunately, these three really are three separate hikes. If you wanted to combine two in a camping trip, I would camp near JBL and then do Gothics one day, Haystack another day.

 

[Daniel Eagan]

I've camped at Panther Gorge and looped Haystack, Marcy, and Skylight. Long but doable. Tough going up Skylight at the end of the day but it's only a 1/4 mile or so and the payoff is fantastic. Worst part was Elk Lake Trail.

Also camped at Feldspar Brook lean-to. From there Gray and Skylight are not bad. Opalescent is also a nice place to camp.

At this point I hate ascending Haystack from the south trail. Descending is even worse. Trail has been eroded and widened so much it's almost all a rock scramble.

 

[Cartophile]

The route up Haystack from Panther Gorge is said to be one of the steepest trails in the High Peaks. I haven't tried it. The route up to Skylight from Panther Gorge is steep but straightforward, with lots of boulders placed as steps. You've named lots of peaks that aren't near each other. If I were you, I'd try to work out an optimal route. And remember that Haystack isn't all that near any other peak, unless you count that route down into Panther Gorge. Even the route to Haystack from the van Hoevenberg trail involves a long descent to the head of Panther Gorge, followed by a long ascent. Coming up from JBL makes sense (though I've always hiked to Haystack, back and forth, from HPIC).

I find that, on average, trails in the High Peaks are more rugged (and as everyone notes, more muddy) than trails in the Whites. And there's a reason that the definition of a 46er requires a 300-foot rise from the nearest connecting col, not a 200-foot rise, as for a 4000-footer in the Whites (though in the Whites, the same definition was originally carried over from the Adirondacks).

Also, note the tradition that you have to carry a rock up from Four Corners to add to the summit cairn on Skylight or there will be rain. I do that. On one occasion, Hurricane Irene struck the day after I did so.

 

[DayTrip]

The route up Haystack from Panther Gorge is said to be one of the steepest trails in the High Peaks. I haven't tried it. The route up to Skylight from Panther Gorge is steep but straightforward, with lots of boulders placed as steps. You've named lots of peaks that aren't near each other. If I were you, I'd try to work out an optimal route. And remember that Haystack isn't all that near any other peak, unless you count that route down into Panther Gorge. Even the route to Haystack from the van Hoevenberg trail involves a long descent to the head of Panther Gorge, followed by a long ascent. Coming up from JBL makes sense (though I've always hiked to Haystack, back and forth, from HPIC).

I find that, on average, trails in the High Peaks are more rugged (and as everyone notes, more muddy) than trails in the Whites. And there's a reason that the definition of a 46er requires a 300-foot rise from the nearest connecting col, not a 200-foot rise, as for a 4000-footer in the Whites (though in the Whites, the same definition was originally carried over from the Adirondacks).

Also, note the tradition that you have to carry a rock up from Four Corners to add to the summit cairn on Skylight or there will be rain. I do that. On one occasion, Hurricane Irene struck the day after I did so.

I did see that tradition about carrying a rock in the High Peaks Guide! I'll definitely take one. Mother Nature is not my biggest fan...

I've done some hikes in the Adirondacks (maybe 8 or 9 of the 4k's) and I don't personally find it much worse than the Whites. The main routes in NY are probably tougher than the main routes in NH but there is plenty of comparable terrain in NH if you do alternate trails coming out of the ravines, which I almost always do. I also found the mud and bugs comparable to the Whites (I still rank Baxter in June and July as worst bugs ever of the places I've been) although with the rains NY has had the past few years it'll probably be worse than I remember. My last trip out there was actually a Winter climb of Giant.

The big difference between the Daks and Whites for me is the far longer approaches. You often walk 4-6 miles before you even start the climbs to the peaks. So you're talking 8-12 miles just getting in and out of the woods for many of these peaks. In NH that is pretty rare unless you take creative alternate routes. The trails most peakbaggers take in NH are far shorter. The cols are also much steeper and more severe in the Daks, which is probably the most challenging difference vs the Whites. I really like this combination of elements. The slow, steady, moderate grind that goes on for miles is mentally draining.

The ascent of Haystack from Panther looks to be about 1200 ft in 0.5 miles. Certainly a good climb but the Whites have a lot of ravine trails worse than that so that is nothing new. The HPG and a previous post here made it sound pretty washed out and awkward though. If I did somehow string together Skylight and Gray I would climb up that way, not down.

I'm seeing a lot of comments about flooding and washed out bridges in recent days on FB and the High Peaks website in the Flowed Lands, Calamity River and other places out there so the weather may be forcing my route or a postponement on this plan....again.

 

[skiguy]

I like looping from the Works approaches. The camping not just the hiking from there is a crown jewel of the NE if you have the time. I never have had much time to just day hike The High Peaks although I have. But my best experiences have been multi day efforts really because of the distance just to get to the trailhead for me personally to begin with.

 

[Yury]

Gothics is easiest from the JBL side, via Orebed brook and the cable trail.

Among my favorite ADK views are:
- Pyramid from Sawteeth
- Gothics from Pyramid
As a result I would recommend hiking Gothics from AMR side through Sawteeth and Pyramid, returning the same way or hiking to Upper Wolfjaw.

 

[DayTrip]

Among my favorite ADK views are:
- Pyramid from Sawteeth
- Gothics from Pyramid
As a result I would recommend hiking Gothics from AMR side through Sawteeth and Pyramid, returning the same way or hiking to Upper Wolfjaw.

Thanks. That is "on the list" too. With all the mentions of flooding and water problems I think this loop is percolating to the top....

 

[DayTrip]

I like looping from the Works approaches. The camping not just the hiking from there is a crown jewel of the NE if you have the time. I never have had much time to just day hike The High Peaks although I have. But my best experiences have been multi day efforts really because of the distance just to get to the trailhead for me personally to begin with.

Yah, that has been one of the big reasons I don't get out there as much as I'd like. I'm more of a day hiker and with trail head rides of 3h 45m to 4h 30m (with no traffic) it makes for a BIG day on top of those long routes. I have been backpacking more the past few years but it seems like from what I have read the rangers can be pretty suffocating with enforcement of rules. Can't say it has directly stopped me from doing it but it's always in the back of my mind.

 

[skiguy]

Yah, that has been one of the big reasons I don't get out there as much as I'd like. I'm more of a day hiker and with trail head rides of 3h 45m to 4h 30m (with no traffic) it makes for a BIG day on top of those long routes. I have been backpacking more the past few years but it seems like from what I have read the rangers can be pretty suffocating with enforcement of rules. Can't say it has directly stopped me from doing it but it's always in the back of my mind.

The rules are not that hard to follow. People say the same about Baxter until they actually immerse themselves in the experience. With that said I have hiked and skied all over the globe and have dealt with all kinds of rules, regulations and permits. The ADK is a piece of cake when it comes to all that. Don't let the Rangers deter you from having a good time.

 

[Daniel Eagan]

About the rocks on Skylight, the DEC is trying to stop that practice and rangers have begun dismantling the summit cairn. It's a big cairn and doesn't need any more rocks. It rains when it wants to, not when you want it to.

 

[Cartophile]

If you're not just bagging 46ers, I recommend a traverse to Jay Peak (the Adirondack one). Wonderful views along much of the route.

For a more rugged route that does take in a 46er and is at least as scenic, try the traverse to Rocky Peak (or, for more distance and another 46er, Giant of the Valley) from New Russia.

No connection with Skylight.

The DEC has the Adirondack Mtn Club to blame, at least in part, if hikers carry rocks to the summit of Skylight. I learned of the tradition from an earlier edition of their official guide.

 

[skiguy]

The DEC has the Adirondack Mtn Club to blame, at least in part, if hikers carry rocks to the summit of Skylight. I learned of the tradition from an earlier edition of their official guide.

LOL. Maybe all hikers that have been awarded a 46er patch and carried a rock up Skylight should have their membership revoked until they go back to the summit and retrieve the rock they brought up in the first place. That would reduce the pile significantly.

 

[DayTrip]

The rules are not that hard to follow. People say the same about Baxter until they actually immerse themselves in the experience. With that said I have hiked and skied all over the globe and have dealt with all kinds of rules, regulations and permits. The ADK is a piece of cake when it comes to all that. Don't let the Rangers deter you from having a good time.

Yes I am familiar with the regulations and they don't seem bad to me. I have no issues when I go to Baxter. I guess a better way to have phrased it was that the rangers in NY are bigger ball busters than other places. Push the letter of the law, intrusive, etc. Hiker Brian shared a trip here awhile back about his experiences out there and the "ranger element". I never have problems in Baxter with rangers. Always friendly and accommodative, within the rules.

 

[DayTrip]

If you're not just bagging 46ers, I recommend a traverse to Jay Peak (the Adirondack one). Wonderful views along much of the route.

For a more rugged route that does take in a 46er and is at least as scenic, try the traverse to Rocky Peak (or, for more distance and another 46er, Giant of the Valley) from New Russia.

No connection with Skylight.

The DEC has the Adirondack Mtn Club to blame, at least in part, if hikers carry rocks to the summit of Skylight. I learned of the tradition from an earlier edition of their official guide.

I've had several people recommend Jay peak here before and it is one I'd like to do at some point. I actually have done 95% of the traverse to RPR from Russia Valley but had a firm turn around time because I was camping with friends nearby and didn't want to mess up dinner and beverages. I think I stopped about 0.5-0.7 miles from summit. That is indeed an awesome hike.

 

[foulhooked]

I've had Skylight, Gothics and Haystack on my "list" for quite awhile now and I'm thinking it is time to get some of these peaks. Gothics seems like it really needs to be done on its own with some of the other neighboring summits so I'm holding off on that one for now. I'm not doing the 46 4k's. I'm in it for the views on these summits, which all look spectacular from photos I have seen. They're all pretty remote and there doesn't appear to be a clear cut way to go in there. I know there are still some NY'ers on here so I was curious for some info. I lost my ADK High Peaks log in and was rarely going on there anymore so I figured I'd just try and get the info here on VFTT:

1) Are there "standard" or "traditional" routes for these peaks? My likely plan I think would be to do Skylight and Haystack coming in from Upper Works Trailhead via Calamity Brook and doing an overnight. Assuming it is not totally crazy terrain Skylight or Haystack is within my capabilities as a day hike for miles and vertical but I'd prefer to stay a night and enjoy it more.
2) How is Upper Works Trailhead parking nowadays? Never used that trail head before. Would likely do this on a weekday and would probably get there 7AM-8AM. Is that doable or is this like the Loj, Garden, etc. for craziness.
3) Are there any pitfalls on this route that aren't apparent just looking at the maps, i.e. scrambles better to go up than down, river fords, etc? I seem to recall horror stories of really wet terrain/awful bog bridges in the area of Opalescent river but it has been several years and I might well be remembering that wrong.

Appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: After some more map review I'm noticing Colden is in this general area, and is another peak on my list. Would a Colden and Skylight hike from the Loj be a more sensible approach? Lot of comfortable miles coming in from there but it brings the parking situation into question. That is a 4h 30m ride from my house so getting there early is a challenge.

Many good answers upthread.

For Haystack/Skylight as an overnight (or 2 nights for maximum summit time), I would approach from Upper Works (weekday parking should not be an issue) and stay near Feldspar or Uphill camps (uphill has a reputation for rodents), hit Skylight first, then loop over Haystack and Marcy back to 4-corners and out (or back to camp). Panther Gorge has that fantastic remote feeling, and I'd rather take on the added elevation of Marcy than descend Haystack's steep south side.

Agree with other suggestions of ascending Gothics via Pyramid (could add Sawteeth for not much extra effort). I am not a fan of descending Beaver Meadow Falls trail though. It's not that bad, but I find it annoying. My preferred route to Gothics is completing the lower range from John's Brook via Bennies Brook Slide on Lower Wolfjaws. A fair bit more effort that way though.