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Jul 11, 2024 — The night before, I was woken up by a weather warning siren after multiple flash flood and tornado warnings. The storm left behind wet rock, muddy trails, and high stream flows. I decided to steer clear of the many boggy trail options in the Adirondacks and chose the popular, high-prominence Giant Mountain, adding Rocky Ridge Peak nearby. These peaks can be reached via the much longer New Russia Trail or the Roaring Brook Trail, but I opted for the Ridge Trail today. It's the shortest and most popular route for approaching Giant Mountain. If you have the energy, I highly recommend taking the New Russia Trail instead to access these peaks, a long and more gorgeous approach.
I began my hike at the trailhead on Route 73 and headed into the forest, crossing a stream several times along the way, which was flowing strongly after last night’s storm. I reached a viewpoint overlooking Chapel Pond and its distinct slabs, with a glimpse of the Great Range in the distance. Shortly after, I arrived at the Giant’s Washbowl, a charming pond tucked beneath steep, forested slopes. Keeping right at a junction, the trail quickly turned steep and introduced plenty of large boulders strewn about, typical of the Adirondacks.
After more forest hiking, I emerged onto the first set of open slabs, where the trail scrambles up the bare rock of the mountain. I could see the Dix Range in the distance, as well as Rocky Ridge Peak to the northeast. Unlike many Adirondack peaks, much of the ascent from here offered expansive views unobstructed by trees. Cairns assisted at times when the trail up the slabs wasn't completely clear. The Ridge Trail eventually re-entered the trees and wrapped around the northwestern side of the ridge crest, with more fun scrambling along the way.
I passed the junction I’d take shortly to head over to Rocky Ridge Peak, but first, I wanted to summit Giant Mountain. The views from its cliffy high point were lovely, and the rain seemed to have kept many people away. I backtracked to the junction and descended over 600 feet to the saddle with Rocky Ridge Peak, a much steeper descent than most of the hike had been so far, including a trickier scramble. The ascent to Rocky Ridge was much more gradual, and its bald summit had great views back to Giant Mountain and toward the various nearby Adirondack peaks.
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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!
