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Ascent of Mount Colden on 2011-07-06

Climber: David Fitch

Others in Party:

Greg Heckler

Date:

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Ascent Type:

Successful Summit Attained

Motorized Transport to Trailhead:

Car

Peak:

Mount Colden

Location:

USA-New York

Elevation:

4715 ft / 1437 m

Ascent Trip Report

Started around 7 AM from the parking lot of Adirondack Loj after having spent the night in a lean-to there. Followed the Van Hoevenberg Trail to Marcy Dam. The weather was pleasant, sunny, calm and importantly the trails were relatively dry since there has been a dry spell for several weeks lately. From Marcy Dam we took Avalanche Pass to Lake Colden. We were hoping to complete some 14ers out West later in the summer so we were choosing trails and ascents that would provide a more strenuous climb. Avalanche Pass is an enjoyable scramble with great vistas of steep mountains rising to the form the sides of Avalanche and Colden Lakes. We took the south trail along Lake Colden and missed the trail up Colden. We enjoyed a break and lunch at Colden dam and went back the .5 mile to the trail junction. The ascent was as strenuous as advertised. We got what we wanted. We took in the views on the summit and returned on the Porter Trail to Lake Arnold. There was a couple climbing the Trap Dike, exposed rock straight up the side of Colden. May try that one next time. Unlike the ascent trail, the return trail offered views along the ridge line of Marcy and other nearby mountains. We reached the Van Hoevenberg Trail and returned having completed our trip in 7 hours.

Summary Total Data

Quality:

6 (on a subjective 1-10 scale)

Route Conditions: