Crew Team Takes on Mt. Marcy: A Peak Weekend Adventure

I’ve never been one to shy away from adventure. So, when the captains of the rowing team proposed, two days in advance, that we have a team hike to the top of Mt. Marcy, I jumped at the opportunity. Mt. Marcy is the highest point in New York state, with an elevation of 5,343 ft. I knew this would be a completely new (and very tall) challenge. 

Our Peak Weekend experience began very early on Saturday, at 4:00 am. The 11 of us piled into an SLU van and drove through the Adirondacks in the foggy dark, hoping to arrive in time to get a parking spot. Unfortunately, we did not get one, although we arrived at 6:00 am. However, we remained undeterred and parked about a mile from the trailhead. We walked four miles on flat ground and through trees with beautifully changing colors as the sun rose and the fog dispersed. We were feeling very positive–why would anyone say this hike is hard? However, after mile four, the elevation began to steadily increase, and the true hike began. 

The way up was difficult but very rewarding. We had five miles of upward motion to get done. The rock scrambles were fun, and the higher we got, the better the views. Our one difficulty was the water and mud. It had rained the night before, leading to slippery rocks and huge puddles of water that were challenging to avoid. There were definitely some funny falls. In fact, we kept track; there were at least 66 different stumbles and trips between the 11 of us.  

We reached the top around 11:30 a.m. and it made the entire 9.5-mile trek to the peak worth it. Mt. Marcy provides a 360-degree view of the Adirondacks. The weather was beautiful, so we had amazing visibility of the surrounding mountains and lakes during peak foliage season. We ate lots of snacks, took lots of pictures and rested our legs before the journey down.  

The hike down the mountain was much harder on our knees and feet than the way up, but we did it together as a team. After almost 20 miles and 10 hours of hiking, it was a relief to see the van. All of us agreed that we were so grateful for the experience. How many people can say they’ve hiked the highest peak in the Adirondacks? However, we also all agreed it was one of the hardest things we’ve ever done. None of us could walk on Sunday!  

My recommendation for people thinking about hiking Mt. Marcy is to just do it. If the rowing team can do it, you can too.