- Mount Haystack
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Mount Haystack 
Mount Haystack from Little HaystackElevation 4,960 ft (1,512 m) Prominence 840 ft (256 m) [1] Listing Adirondack High Peaks Location Location Keene, New York, USA Range Adirondacks Coordinates 44°06′20″N 73°54′2″W / 44.10556°N 73.90056°WCoordinates: 44°06′20″N 73°54′2″W / 44.10556°N 73.90056°W Topo map USGS Mount Marcy Climbing First ascent 1849 by Orson Schofield Phelps and party Easiest route Hike Mount Haystack is a mountain in the Great Range of the Adirondack High Peaks in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. It is the third highest peak in the state, after Algonquin Peak and Mount Marcy. It gets its name from the resemblance of its rounded, conical peak to a haystack. It is north of Mount Redfield.
Despite this and the views offered from its bare, alpine summit, it is not visited by as many hikers outside of aspiring members of the Adirondack Forty-Sixers; it is rather remote from the nearest trailhead and the approach from either direction is steep and challenging.
The most frequent approach if Haystack is the main goal is to follow the Johns Brook Trail from the popular Garden parking area in Keene Valley to the Phelps Trail and then use Shorey's Short Cut to get over to the Range Trail. It is possible to combine this with an attempt on Marcy itself, but that makes for a long day and the approach from Panther Gorge is even steeper than that from the north.
Some hikers come along the Great Range itself, making the peak their last stop before Marcy itself, or combine it with neighboring Basin and Saddleback. It can also be approached from privately-owned Upper Ausable Lake.
One of the most famous elements of Haystack is the infamous "Devil's Half Mile". This stretch, which is technically three-fourths of a mile, is the extremely steep last stretch of the trail.
Gallery
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Little Haystack (left) and Mount Haystack (center), from Mount Marcy
Haystack is arguably the nicest of all the Adirondack Mountains. There are many approaches one can take to climb this mountain. One option is from The Garden via Johns Brook and Slant Rock. Basin Mountain could be included in this climb. It it could also be climbed with a hike of the entire great range. If climbing the entire Great Range, rather than going back to Little Haystack, just continue over Haystack to Panther Gorge and then climb Skylight and Marcy. Another option is climbing it from Elk Lake via Panther Gorge. Trail up from Panther Gorge is steep and exciting. Also it could be climbed from the Upper Works. A good loop is to do Marcy, Haystack, drop into Panther Gorge, and then go up Skylight. If there is extra time, Basin could also be climbed. All these routes are most likely overnight trips especially if multiple peaks are to be climbed. The best option for a Day hike is probably the Garden. Good places to camp along the Opalescent River or Feldspar Brook, Panther Gorge, Slant Rock or other places in the Johns Brook Valley. Haystack is one of the nicest mountains and should be saved for an exceptionally clear day.
Notes
- ^ Key col elevation between 1,250 and 1,260 m.
External links
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mount Haystack
- Peakbagger.com: Mount Haystack
- Summitpost.org: Mount Haystack
The High Peaks of New York's Adirondack Mountains Northern Adirondacks Esther · WhitefaceEastern Adirondacks Colvin Range Dix Range Northern High Peaks Marcy Group Other Great Range MacIntyre Mountains Santanoni Mountains Seward Mountains Street Range Categories:- Mountains of New York
- Adirondack High Peaks
- Geography of Essex County, New York
- Essex County, New York geography stubs
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