Steepest trails to ADK46 Peaks

JoeCedar · 03-19-2010, 09:23 PM

Some of you may remember a thread last year on this subject. Well, I did some more research and cleaned up the data and attached is a listing of the top 20 steepest peaks which lead to an ADK46 peak and are at least one mile long. This list does not include steep pitches less than one mile long or steep pitches which do not end at a summit.

In most cases there is no appreciable descent so I just used the altitude difference. In a few cases, I used altimeter data and corrected for ascent/descent. For the mathematically non-inclined, don't worry over the difference between slope and grade; for practical purposes in this case they are the same. I have additional data up to the top 35, where there are a number of trails all around 15-18% slope (or grade).

Dix takes the top two spots followed by Seymour, Allen, and Macomb in the top five.

pete_hickey · 03-19-2010, 10:39 PM

Interesting... I never thought of Macomb as being very steep.....

Perception is everything that math doesn't answer.

vieWseeker · 03-19-2010, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pete_hickey

Interesting... I never thought of Macomb as being very steep.....

Perception is everything that math doesn't answer.

LOL nice responce..

ALGonquin Bob · 03-19-2010, 11:24 PM

Is there a patch?

Dan J · 03-20-2010, 09:26 AM

Thanks for the interesting info....

ALGonquin Bob · 03-20-2010, 09:35 AM

It's interesting - many of them just didn't seem that steep, just beautiful. I've done 19 of those routes, with Hunters Pass eluding me. Time to revisit that side of Dix -thanks for the research.

masshysteria · 03-20-2010, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pete_hickey

Interesting... I never thought of Macomb as being very steep.....

Perception is everything that math doesn't answer.

Ditto! Perhaps being exposed on an open slide skews the brains steepness perception?
Also surprised at Seymour being #3, didn't think it was that bad. Conversely, I thought Nippletop would have been a lot higher than #15.

yvon · 03-20-2010, 07:53 PM

Thank you Joe, this is very interesting.

Joe H. · 03-20-2010, 08:49 PM

This is very interesting. Thanks for putting it together.

randomscooter · 03-25-2010, 08:01 AM

30.8%, roughly the same as Dix. Enjoy!

muddlermike · 03-20-2010, 10:08 AM

wow - Phelps is the biggest surprise to me.

PA Ridgerunner · 03-27-2010, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muddlermike

wow - Phelps is the biggest surprise to me.

Funny you should say that. Phelps was one of the first that we hiked when we started our 46er pursuit. We had originally hoped to tag it onto the end of our Tabletop hike, but we had lingered quite a while at Indian Falls, and by the time we got back to the TH we weren't sure we'd have enough daylight, so we chose to come back the next day. All I can say is that we were very happy we made that decision. Although we have climbed many "tougher" peaks since that day, I remember thinking, "damn, this is a steep little mother!" Took us much longer to ascend than we had expected, and it would have been a real pain descending in the dark with only a flashlight (no headlamp in the pack back then).

Joe, thanks for putting this up. Very interesting!

krummholz · 02-03-2012, 02:57 PM

I still don't see the original link/list. Is it possible for someone to cut 'n paste it or is it in a special format? I'm really curious to check it out!

BTW, based on the postings for this thread so far I can't believe that Haystack from Panther Gorge isn't in the top 5. I feel like I've heard from several sources that the trail is the "steepest" in the Adirondacks.......

Thanks in advance to anyone who can reproduce the link or list!!!!!

klip59 · 02-03-2012, 06:55 PM

http://forums.adkhighpeaks.com/showt...ighlight=slope

krummholz · 02-03-2012, 07:22 PM

Many thanks! Great thread.

On a non-scientific level, any time I find myself doing rest steps in the Adirondacks I'm a happy camper

Lake Colden to Algonquin ridge definitely fits that criterion.....

LionRoar · 03-26-2010, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeCedar

I have additional data up to the top 35, where there are a number of trails all around 15-18% slope (or grade).

Joe,

With regards to the grades, how did you figure it out - did you use a clinometer?

LR

JoeCedar · 03-26-2010, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LionRoar

Joe,

With regards to the grades, how did you figure it out - did you use a clinometer?

LR

I took the slope as the vertical ascent divided by the trail distance. From the slope, I calculated the angle. From the angle, I calculated the tangent (grade).

Believe me, it took a while for me to bring back my knowledge of high school trigonometry enough to do this!

TBPDPTI · 03-27-2010, 05:22 PM

I'd be curious as to where you were measuring when you referred to as distance. Obviously, you measured to the top, but what did you define as the "start" of the trail?

JoeCedar · 03-29-2010, 08:49 PM

I just took the summit and went downward > 1 mile (1.6 km) to a well established landmark (often in the ADK trail guide for distance) or if not in the book (such as Skylight Brook to Allen) I measured it from a GPS track. Allen would be even steeper if I started measuring at the base of Allen Brook (but I didn't have an accurate distance for that).

Yes, it is arbitrary, but most people would say that measuring ascent from trailhead to summit does not describe very well the difficulty of a climb.

gregpphoto · 04-09-2010, 12:35 PM

Beautiful list. I always consider 1 mile forward/1,000 feet up as being decently steep, so the list you compiled definitely complies with my parameters!

03-19-2010, 10:39 PM	#2
pete_hickey Slave Driver Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Hull, Quebec Posts: 3,640	Interesting... I never thought of Macomb as being very steep..... Perception is everything that math doesn't answer. __________________ Guinness: Goes in brown, comes out yellow.

03-19-2010, 11:24 PM	#4
ALGonquin Bob I found my thrill! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Tonawanda, NY Posts: 716	Is there a patch? __________________ "It's a beautiful day!" - Fellow hiker Shin Murnane's (5785W) last words at Marcy Dam 3/28/09 46er #5357W Check out my "MOUNTAIN BLOG" http://bvanhise.blogspot.com/ AND ALGonquin Bob's Paddle Guide

03-20-2010, 09:35 AM	#6
ALGonquin Bob I found my thrill! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Tonawanda, NY Posts: 716	It's interesting - many of them just didn't seem that steep, just beautiful. I've done 19 of those routes, with Hunters Pass eluding me. Time to revisit that side of Dix -thanks for the research. __________________ "It's a beautiful day!" - Fellow hiker Shin Murnane's (5785W) last words at Marcy Dam 3/28/09 46er #5357W Check out my "MOUNTAIN BLOG" http://bvanhise.blogspot.com/ AND ALGonquin Bob's Paddle Guide

03-20-2010, 07:53 PM	#8
yvon Northeast 111 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Montreal, Québec, Canada Posts: 1,349	Thank you Joe, this is very interesting. __________________ Yvon, Montreal, Quebec, Canada -------------------------------- Les randonnées de Annie et Yvon (Website)

03-20-2010, 08:49 PM	#9
Joe H. DC Correspondent Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: 1980 - somewhere in the High Peaks Posts: 1,171	This is very interesting. Thanks for putting it together. __________________ Be safe --- Respect the Earth --- Have fun --- Joe H.

03-19-2010, 09:23 PM	#1
JoeCedar Commander Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Keene, NY Posts: 1,996	Steepest trails to ADK46 Peaks Some of you may remember a thread last year on this subject. Well, I did some more research and cleaned up the data and attached is a listing of the top 20 steepest peaks which lead to an ADK46 peak and are at least one mile long. This list does not include steep pitches less than one mile long or steep pitches which do not end at a summit. In most cases there is no appreciable descent so I just used the altitude difference. In a few cases, I used altimeter data and corrected for ascent/descent. For the mathematically non-inclined, don't worry over the difference between slope and grade; for practical purposes in this case they are the same. I have additional data up to the top 35, where there are a number of trails all around 15-18% slope (or grade). Dix takes the top two spots followed by Seymour, Allen, and Macomb in the top five. Last edited by JoeCedar; 04-12-2010 at 04:09 PM.

03-20-2010, 09:26 AM	#5
Dan J Saddleback Mtn Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Amsterdam, NY Posts: 54	Thanks for the interesting info....

03-25-2010, 08:01 AM	#10
randomscooter Javamoonshine Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Keene, NY Posts: 2,779	30.8%, roughly the same as Dix. Enjoy! __________________ Scooting here and there Through the woods and up the peaks Random Scoots awaits (D.P.) *Random Scoots & Mercy Cabins* NPT Shuttle Service "Pushing the limits of easy." ™

03-20-2010, 10:08 AM	#11
muddlermike 16 down, 30 to go... Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Brewerton, NY Posts: 78	wow - Phelps is the biggest surprise to me. __________________ “May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” Edward Abbey My fishing/hiking blog: http://thewestcanadafreak.blogspot.com/

02-03-2012, 02:57 PM	#13
krummholz Consultant Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ithaca Posts: 167	any luck with recovering the link??? I still don't see the original link/list. Is it possible for someone to cut 'n paste it or is it in a special format? I'm really curious to check it out! BTW, based on the postings for this thread so far I can't believe that Haystack from Panther Gorge isn't in the top 5. I feel like I've heard from several sources that the trail is the "steepest" in the Adirondacks....... Thanks in advance to anyone who can reproduce the link or list!!!!!

02-03-2012, 06:55 PM	#14
klip59 Cats 35/32 25W Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mechanicville, avatar: Blackhead Mt Posts: 1,236	http://forums.adkhighpeaks.com/showt...ighlight=slope

02-03-2012, 07:22 PM	#15
krummholz Consultant Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ithaca Posts: 167	Many thanks! Great thread. On a non-scientific level, any time I find myself doing rest steps in the Adirondacks I'm a happy camper Lake Colden to Algonquin ridge definitely fits that criterion.....

03-27-2010, 05:22 PM	#18
TBPDPTI Self-committed ADK addict Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NY, IN Posts: 633	I'd be curious as to where you were measuring when you referred to as distance. Obviously, you measured to the top, but what did you define as the "start" of the trail?

03-29-2010, 08:49 PM	#19
JoeCedar Commander Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Keene, NY Posts: 1,996	I just took the summit and went downward > 1 mile (1.6 km) to a well established landmark (often in the ADK trail guide for distance) or if not in the book (such as Skylight Brook to Allen) I measured it from a GPS track. Allen would be even steeper if I started measuring at the base of Allen Brook (but I didn't have an accurate distance for that). Yes, it is arbitrary, but most people would say that measuring ascent from trailhead to summit does not describe very well the difficulty of a climb.

04-09-2010, 12:35 PM	#20
gregpphoto Barger Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: New Jersey Posts: 60	Beautiful list. I always consider 1 mile forward/1,000 feet up as being decently steep, so the list you compiled definitely complies with my parameters!

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