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For planning, prepping and execution, here are 9 key differences between hiking the Catskills and Adirondacks high peaks
This short Instagram Live talk takes you through nine crucial things you need to consider when hiking the Adirondacks High Peaks Region — even if you have hiking experience in the Catskills, or elsewhere.
Points covered include…
- Longer length of ADK hikes
- Increased elevation gain
- Very rugged terrain
- Navigation and sketchy blazing
- The extra driving you’ll need to do
- Your increased water requirements
- Your ADK pace (much slower!)
- Weather (including how it affects stream crossings)
- ADK mud!
I also offer two helpful solutions for tackling the Adirondacks.
Thanks to @rangerhikes over on Instagram for suggesting this topic!
Important disclaimers: 1) Do not hike any mountain without adequate gear, knowledge and skills. This talk is aimed at hikers who already have some mountain experience. Be sure to consult and follow all the safety advice you can find online and off. This website’s safety section is a good place to start. 2) This talk does not cover winter hiking issues or requirements in either mountain range. That’s definitely a whole other thing! I have not yet winter hiked the Adirondacks and have no plans to do so in 2021/2022.
Links to Stuff I Mention…
Hiking Pace Links
https://mountain-hiking.com/catskills-vs-adirondacks/
https://mountain-hiking.com/hiking-pace-formula/
Catskills Lists
https://mountain-hiking.com/catskills/high-peaks/
https://mountain-hiking.com/catskills-peakbagging-guide/
Adirondack Mountain Lists
https://www.adirondack.net/hiking/high-peaks/print/
https://www.lakegeorge12ster.com/
https://adk6pack.com/roster/
And, finally, a quick shout-out to my buddy Nikita who designed the ambigram teeshirt I’m wearing in this video: https://www.nikitaprokhorov.com/
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After I posted this, some comments came in via social media from hikers who find the Catskills bushwhacks to be more challenging than the Adirondack bushwhacks. I think this is because the ADK ‘whacks have a lot of fairly well established herd paths, whereas the Catskills still have many areas that are true bushwhack terrain — though that is changing, lately, with herd paths becoming more established among the Catskills high peaks in recent years.