There are tons of excellent books, YouTube, and blogs you can check out to learn about hiking and preparation. Here are a few Adirondack specific tips. More educational videos are produced by the Adirondack Mountain Club.
Bring the Right Gear
Although you are eager to get on the trail, bringing the right gear is critical for your safety, as well as having fun. The 10 Essentials is a great way to make sure you have all the things! When I’m tempted to leave the raincoat or extra layer behind to save on weight, I remind myself that if I bring it, I won’t need it, but if I leave it, I will! Here are a few things to take along.
Two headlamps. This is an easy one to forget. Cellphones have convenient flashlights, but phone batteries often run out while they search for service. Seems like every week someone ends up in the Ranger Report for not having a headlamp. Even if you are going on a short hike, just keep it in your bag. There is always the possibility that something could happen, and the feeling of being without a light as the sun sets is not a good one. It also gets dark in the mountains sooner than out in the open. This also means one is not enough! Make sure your group has a spare. An added bonus, if you run into someone who is wandering in the dark, you can give it to them and be a hero.
Raincoat. Rain seems to come out of nowhere in the Adirondacks. It often is not even in the forecast. You will be on a gorgeous summit on a bluebird day - then see an ominous curtain of rain heading your way. Being damp and cold is a great way to punch all your fun tickets. Bring it along so you can focus on having a good time. They also work well as windbreakers, or to insulate you if you get cold.
Map and Compass. Purists are against Alltrails or other navigation apps. I like them - they are great for planning, trail condition updates, and knowing how much longer until the summit. However, they need to supplement a map, not be the map. Again, phone batteries die. Some of the mapping data is not correct. Buy a map in advance, or when you arrive at an outdoors store or bookshop. National Geographic covers the entire park, and the Adirondack Mountain Club High Peaks map features the herd paths for the unmaintained trails.
Extra Food. The hikes here are steep, and one granola bar rarely cuts it. Being hungry is a surefire way to put a damper on your day. It is important to bring extra in case you get lost, injured, or encounter someone who forgot their sandwich. It is better to be the one helping than the one to need help.
Picking out gear can be overwhelming. Try going to an outdoors store and talking to an associate. They can seem intimidating, but they are nice folks who love the outdoors, and are happy to help! If you are brand new to hiking, just let them know, and they will walk you through what you need. Added bonus is they will narrow down the options to save you time sifting through online reviews. It is also helpful to try clothes on in the store. Several brands, which will remain nameless, do not fit women with a “sturdy” frame like mine. Some stores offer special classes on selecting and packing gear. I really like REI, The Mountaineer in Keene Valley, and High Peaks Cyclery in Lake Placid. Attending REI’s women specific events on backpacking and tent camping helped me pick the perfect pack and tent.
Leave No Trace
Being in six million acres of park can make it easy to forget that small damages can do harm. Following the Seven Leave No Trace Principles can help you preserve the park for yourself and others. Click the button below to learn more. However, while I find the principles to be helpful, I think it is a little hard to translate them to the Adirondacks. Here are a few ADK specific applications!
Take all food waste back home. We can think we are doing nature a favor by leaving orange peels, peanut shells, and apple cores behind because they are ordinarily biodegradable. However, due to the unique attributes of the Adirondack climate and ecology, they are often not! You can often see little orange peel mummies on summits, and little puddles of pistachio shells from years gone by. An additional concern is attracting animals, such as chipmunks, who can become extremely pushy to get a handout. As in climb in your pack and nibble your fingers pushy. Please pack everything out and compost it at home. It’s nice to bring a little bag for trash so your pack doesn’t get sticky.
Be mindful with the bathroom. With six million acres, why do you need to worry when you have to “see a man about a horse?” It’s because a lot of people visit, and it can get gross! To keep things clean try to use the restroom before you go. On the trail try to wait until you get to a privy - they’re marked on the map. If one is not around, using a trail shovel (available at outdoors stores) to dig a hole 6-8 inches deep, and 70 big steps off the trail. Be patient - it can be hard to break through the mossy and rooty soil. However, keeping the trail nice is worth your effort! Pack out your toilet paper (dog poop bags work well) since it tends to magically emerge from the hole and blow away, giving a mushroom hunter an unfortunate surprise.
Let the bluetooth speaker hang out at home. I admit I’ll put in headphones when I’m tired and need a distraction. Or the sun is going down and every snapping twig is freaking me out. But please, leave the bluetooth speaker at home. For whatever reason this is becoming more common. While it could seem fun to make your hike feel like a party, it is extremely disruptive for your experience, others, and wildlife who do not share your taste. Less than 5 percent of the United States remains as wilderness, making the natural soundscape a rare resource. Try learning bird calls, chatting with your companions, or using headphones.
