Adirondack High Peaks
The High Peaks is the name for the 46 highest mountain peaks in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, USA, and the region around them. This group of mountains was originally believed to comprise all of the Adirondack peaks higher than 4,000 feet (1219 m). However, later surveying showed that four of the peaks in the group are actually under 4,000 feet (1219 m), and one peak that possibly should have been included was overlooked. However, due to tradition, no mountains were removed from or added to the group as a result of the revised elevation estimates.
All except four are located in southern Essex County, south of Lake Placid and Keene Valley. The others are in a nearby region of Franklin County. All the summits are on land owned by New York State as part of its Forest Preserve. Most are in a vast tract of nearly 300,000 acres (1,200 km²) known as the High Peaks Wilderness Complex, subdivided into eastern and western zones. Others are in the adjacent Giant and Dix wilderness areas. Whiteface, which doubles as a ski area and has a toll road to its summit, and Esther are set slightly to the north, near Wilmington.
The Adirondack Forty-Sixers is a club open to all who have climbed, or intend to climb, all the peaks. Neither Mount Marcy nor Algonquin Peak, the two highest, require technical skills, but Algonquin Peak is regarded as the more challenging climb. Twenty peaks have no official trail to the top, although rough informal routes, commonly referred to as "herd paths," have developed over the years and limited bushwacking is required on most peaks, although some are still quite primitive.
Atop the highest peaks, there is a total of 87 acres (352,000 m²) of extraordinarily fragile alpine ecosystem above the tree-line.
The region contains many alpine lakes and meadows, wetlands, streams, and forests. Unfortunately, the high number of visitors is degrading the natural beauty of some of the more heavily travelled areas of the region, and it has been necessary in recent years to more strictly regulate access and use.
The High Peaks
- Mount Marcy 5344 ft (1729 m)
- Algonquin Peak 5114 ft (1559 m)
- Mount Haystack 4960 ft (1512 m)
- Mount Skylight 4920 ft (1500 m)
- Whiteface Mountain 4867 ft (1483 m)
- Dix Mountain 4857 ft (1480 m)
- Gray Peak 4840 ft (1475 m)
- Iroquois Peak 4840 ft (1475 m)
- Basin Mountain 4827 ft
- Gothics 4736 ft
- Mount Colden 4714 ft
- Giant Mountain (4627 feet)
- Nippletop (4620 feet)
- Santanoni Peak (4607 feet)
- Mount Redfield (4507 feet)
- Wright Peak (4580 feet)
- Saddleback Mountain (4515 feet)
- Panther (4442 feet)
- Tabletop Mountain (4427 feet)
- Rocky Peak Ridge (4420 feet)
- Macomb Mountain (4405 feet)
- Armstrong Mountain (4400 feet)
- Hough Peak (4400 feet)
- Seward Mountain (4361 feet)
- Mount Marshall (4360 feet)
- Allen Mountain (4340 feet)
- Big Slide Mountain (4240 feet)
- Esther Mountain (4240 feet)
- Upper Wolfjaw (4185 feet)
- Lower Wolfjaw (4175 feet)
- Street Mountain (4166 feet)
- Phelps Mountain (4161 feet)
- Mount Donaldson (4140 feet)
- Seymour Mountain (4120) feet
- Sawteeth (4100 feet)
- Cascade Mountain (4098 feet)
- South Dix (4060 feet)
- Porter Mountain (4059 feet)
- Mount Colvin (4057 feet)
- Mount Emmons (4040 feet)
- Dial Mountain (4020 feet)
- East Dix (4012 feet)
- Blake (3960 feet)
- Cliff Mountain (3960 feet)
- Nye Mountain (3895 feet)
- Couchsachraga Peak (3820 feet)
Some surveys list MacNaughton Mountain at 4000 feet (1219 m), and some thus argue that it should be included in the high peaks. However, other surveys list the mountain at 3983 feet (1214 m), and members of the 46er club are reluctant to change the list because of tradition.