"The Mountains are calling...

…And I must go." I had that John Muir quote stuck in my head all week leading up to my solo hiking trip to the Adirondacks!

My goal for this trip was to log 20-25 miles in four days and I succeeded with 21.62 total miles and a total elevation gain of 3,698 feet. My GPS tracker was a little different than what some signs said for trail lengths, but overall it was fairly close.

​I was in the southern Adirondacks, so no high peaks this trip, but they are now something I definitely would like to go back and tackle some day! 

Day 1: Round Pond
I had big goals to go in and do a summit once I arrived to the area, but after driving all day I realized it would be smarter for a less strenuous hike. Therefore, I headed out for Round Pond. It was just under five miles and fairly easy with a few decent climbs. All the trails I went on were very well-marked, which I noticed and appreciated right away. This out-and-back trail takes you to a serene pond where you hear birds and the occasional loon and that’s it! It was very peaceful

A very sweaty selfie. This backdrop doesn't look real!

Day 2: Crane Mountain
I loved this hike! Most markers and sites list this loop trail as four miles, but mine was less. I always check out AllTrails comments before hikes, and I agree that counter-clockwise following red-blue-red markers was the way to go. The ascent comes quickly and it’s a rocky, steep climb to the summit, but the rest of the loop was easy with the last 1.5 miles trekking through the woods along a small stream. The view at the top is amazing and every bit worth the climb!
​
I will add, I was quite proud of myself on this hike because I do not care for heights. When I had to summit Mount Mansfield in Vermont I was a mess at the final climb, and it took me a while to get comfortable getting up treestands. I did my research and knew what I was getting into for this hike. A tall ladder is part of the trail towards the top - and I climbed it easily with no fear! Sometimes, if you fear something, you have to jump in and face it, and that’s what I did. Although I still won’t go near any edges on mountaintops, I am much more comfortable and confident throughout any part of the climb.

Day 3: Peaked Mountain
To be honest, this hike wasn’t my favorite. I think Crane spoiled me from the day before. This was a seven mile out and back and the summit didn't come until the end, and it seemed to take much longer to finally get to the top. The beginning portion of this trail was very tranquil through woods mostly following a small brook, so the sounds of water flowing over rocks accompanies you for a lot of the way. I ran into a flock of baby turkeys up near the top, so that was cool, but overall I probably wouldn’t do Peaked again.

Day 4: OK Slip Falls
I FLEW on this hike on my final day. It was a relatively flat trail that ended with a spectacular waterfall. I wasn’t sure where to go on the trail to get closer since the blue markers ended and there were some yellow painted hashes, so I stopped where the blue markers stopped and headed back out. I was a little antsy to get on the road, so I didn’t want to waste too much time trying to figure it all out. From what I read in my research, the trip down to the falls is extremely hazardous and dangerous, so that was another reason I stayed on the overlook and went no further. It was the perfect, easy trail to end my trip on. A great trail for beginners.

What I Brought
I am by no means a hiking expert; I’d say I’m very much an amateur, but I have learned some tips along the way. Here is my bag and what I brought, and I’ll share a little advice. My bag was a cheap purchase on Amazon. However, it has done wonders for me! It’s light but has a lot of different compartments and zippers to keep things secure and organized. It has always worked great on my hikes and was ideal when I did a 150 mile biking trip with all my belongings on my back.

​

1. Hydrate: I always carry two water bottles with me, one water and one Gatorade because I can be prone to cramping. It also helps even out my pack
2. Safety: A first aid kit was key when I used to hike with Lola. I was usually more worried about her than myself. I also always bring a knife and I grabbed a flashlight prior to this trip. Also be sure to sign in and out at every trail log, especially if you are hiking alone!
3. Clean: Wet wipes are always nice to have. I also packed toilet paper in a ziplock bag then grabbed Lola’s roll of poo bags to put the used tissue in. That way I could easily pack up and carry out without getting messy.
4. Bugs: The bugs weren’t as bad as advertised. I always keep a can of Off on-hand to be prepared. The little pink bracelet was an insect repellent and I’m not sure how well it worked, but it did smell fairly strongly so I wore it each day.
5. Navigate: No matter where I hike, I always print out a map of the trail to carry with me just to be safe. I use MapMyRun/Fitness to log all my activity and also have AllTrails to track and follow if needed. But, you cannot access those without internet access/phone service.
6. Footwear: This is perhaps most important. Make sure you have proper tread on your shoes!! I used to wear plain, old sneakers when I hiked and that was really stupid. I love these UnderArmour hiking sneakers and have put a lot of miles on them. Waterproof is also a must-have component of hiking footwear. I can’t imagine how awful it would be to hike with wet socks. They are broke in so I had no fear of blisters, but I wear tall, thick socks to help against that and to help keep ticks off my legs. In the future I will most likely get boots for more ankle support when going down steep areas, but I was perfectly fine with these on this trip.

Again, I am no expert, but for the casual hiker, these items have worked well for me and kept me feeling safe and well-prepared. Doing research before you go is crucial. I always read about trails I’m interested in before I do them so I am not caught off guard and know what to expect. I think that is another very important part of being a responsible hiker and outdoorswoman!