If you love hiking in the Adirondacks as much as we do, then you’ve probably considered becoming an official Adirondack 46er. However, summiting 46 mountains, each with an estimated elevation of 4,000 feet, is no small feat. It requires a fair amount of preparation and planning. Before starting your journey to becoming a 46er, we recommend following these tips from hikers who’ve done it.
Build Endurance & Strength
If you don’t already have hiking experience, it’s a good idea to get some practice by hiking smaller mountains in the area, and gradually increasing your distance and elevation gain to build cardiovascular endurance. To strengthen your legs, make sure to incorporate exercises such as stair climbing, leg presses, lunges, squats and box jumps into your fitness routine.
While all of the High Peaks can be done as day hikes, several can take upwards of 12 hours. If you plan to overnight, you’ll also want to train with a weighted backpack (10-25 lbs.), even if you’re just walking on a treadmill, so you can get used to carrying a pack with extra weight.
Do Your Research
It’s important to familiarize yourself with the trails, elevation gains, and potential hazards of each peak, and to research trailheads, parking and potential water sources and campsites. Pick up a copy of the ADK High Peaks Map for detailed information about shelters, campsites, and reliable streams, and pair it with the ADK High Peaks Trail Guide – an excellent resource for the unmarked trails, which references the trail numbers used in the ADK map for easy navigation and orientation.
Pack the Right Gear
Bring plenty of water and energy snacks. Good hiking boots and socks are a must, but you’ll also want to pack a spare pair of socks, and dress in layers. Hiking poles can be a game changer, and lifestraws or a water filter allow you to keep your daypack light because you can pick up water as you go (just be sure to map out water sources ahead of time). Other necessities include your map and compass, a first aid kit, bug spray, sunscreen, a small knife and a headlamp with extra batteries.
Check the Weather & Conditions
It’s critical to check both the weather and the trail conditions before you head out. Every Thursday, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) releases an updated trail condition report for the High Peaks, including flooded areas, bear reports, closed sections of trail, and more. You can also find Mountain Point Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service, which more accurately forecasts weather on the mountain versus what you might find at the trailhead.
Start with Easier Peaks
While you might think it’s better to get the hard hikes out of the way first, it’s usually best to start with easier peaks to build confidence and experience before tackling the more challenging ones. Cascade Mountain is considered the easiest High Peak and a popular first hike for aspiring 46ers. It’s typically combined with Porter Mountain, since both peaks can be reached from the same trail.
Record Your Hikes
After each hike, record the details of your experience, including the date, time, weather, and a few brief remarks about other hikers or wildlife you encountered, trail conditions and challenges you faced, and any other interesting information. You can keep this information in a journal, use a spreadsheet, or start a blog, because you’ll need to reference it later when you complete the Finisher Form on the Adirondack 46er website.
Make it Official
To become an official Registered ADK 46er, you must register on the ADK 46er website, and pay the application fee. You will immediately receive a climber number, and can complete the Official Finisher Form. Once your form and fee are submitted, you will receive an “Official Letter of Congratulations” in a confirmation email, and you will be eligible to purchase merchandise and emblems in the online store.
Certificates of accomplishment are presented during the organization’s annual Spring Event, which is announced in the April newsletter and on the website. For those not able to attend, certificates are mailed soon after the event.
Purchase Land in the High Peaks Region of the Adirondacks
The High Peaks Region of the Adirondacks is a hiking mecca with more than 6 million acres and 2,000 miles+ of hiking trails. Hikers travel from all over the country and around the world to become 46ers, and we’re lucky enough to call the High Peaks our home. If you’re interested in purchasing land in the High Peaks Region of the Adirondacks so that you can be closer to achieving your dream of becoming an Adirondack 46er, browse our property listings, or contact us for assistance with your search.