Trans Adirondack Route Hike – 2015
In the summer of 2015, I set out on a hike on the relatively new Trans Adirondack Route in the state of New York. Although the route was set up in 2013, most of the trails it uses have existed for a long time. The Adirondacks are relatively close to my hometown and it's where I went on most of my first hikes. The Trans Adirondack route was therefore very appealing to me, as it would allow me to discover more of that beautiful park, including regions little traveled.
Spreading over approximately 237 miles at the time I hiked it, the route runs on hiking trails, snowmobile trails, roads and also off-route sections.
I found the route interesting and challenging, especially the off-route sections. Compass skills are a must on this route. Maps and a guidebook are available from the route's official website. You won't find any Trans Adirondack route specific signs or markers so the maps are a must if you want to follow the official route.
Traveling in September, I did not encounter many other hikers and no other through hiker. In fact most people I met had never heard of the Trans Adirondack Route. The route follows the Northville Placid Trail for some sections and most people thought I was hiking that trail.
The route crosses the Adirondacks High Peaks area where a bear canister is mandatory when camping. However, by planning your route accordingly, you can cross this section in a day, avoiding the bear canister requirement. I hiked with an Ursack food bag that I hung on a tree each night and I did not have any issues with wildlife.
Traveling in September, I did not encounter many other hikers and no other through hiker. In fact most people I met had never heard of the Trans Adirondack Route. The route follows the Northville Placid Trail for some sections and most people thought I was hiking that trail.
The route crosses the Adirondacks High Peaks area where a bear canister is mandatory when camping. However, by planning your route accordingly, you can cross this section in a day, avoiding the bear canister requirement. I hiked with an Ursack food bag that I hung on a tree each night and I did not have any issues with wildlife.
Things to know
| Resupply | I mailed a package to a store in Long Lake. More resupply locations are listed in the guidebook. |
| Useful information | - Little to no network coverage on the trail - Bear canister mandatory for camping in High Peaks region - Many lean-tos and campsites on trail, details in the guidebook |
Trip Details
| Length (2015) | 237 miles (381 km) |
| Date | September 2015 |
| Duration | 10 days 7 hours |
Disclaimer: Gear lists represent what I used on previous trips and are not necessarily representative of gear I would use if I was to do these trips again and/or if I had infinite funds to buy new gear.
| TOTAL BASE WEIGHT | 4995g |
| Packing System | |
| Zpacks 52L Arc Blast Backpack | 515g |
| Shoulder pouch, belt pouch and side pockets | 84g |
| Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Pack Liners Small 50 L | 87g |
| Shelter System | |
| Zpacks Duplex tent with 10 stakes and stake sack | 652g |
| Sleeping System | |
| ZPacks 20F (-7C) Regular, Long Down Sleeping Bag | 578g |
| Zpacks Cuben Medium Dry Bag | 26g |
| Therm-a-rest Neoair Xlite Pad, size regular | 356g |
| Food System | |
| Light my Fire Titanium Spork | 20g |
| Lightload Towel | 17g |
| Mini-Bic Lighter | 11g |
| URSACK S29 AllWhite Bear Resistant Bag | 217g |
| Water Storage | |
| Platypus Platy Bottle (2L) | 38g |
| Platypus Soft Bottle | 28g |
| Sawyer Mini Filter | 38g |
| Miscellaneous Items | |
| Wallet and passport pouch with passport and money | 80g |
| Deuce of Spades Trowel | 16g |
| Toiletry items | |
| Dermatone Skin Protector | 28g |
| Soap Bottle | 6g |
| Toothbrush + Travel size toothpaste tube | 20g |
| Ibuprofen and medication | 11g |
| Safety and Orientation | |
| SPOT Gen3 Satellite GPS Messenger Beacon | 135g |
| SealLine HP Map Case | 77g |
| Guidebook cut in half | 148g |
| Maps | 167g |
| Fisher Space Pen | 13g |
| FOX40 Whistle | 5g |
| Silva Forecaster 610 Compass | 15g |
| Electronics | |
| Iphone + charging cable + usb wall plug | 190g |
| Headphones | 18g |
| Portable charger + cable | 420g |
| Petzl Headlamp | 77g |
| Gear Repair | |
| Cuben tape and repair patches | 13g |
| Carried Clothing | |
| Marmot Essence Jacket | 184g |
| MLD Rain Kilt | 80g |
| Zpacks Challenger Rain Mitts | 27g |
| PossumDown Gloves | 43g |
| Arc'teryx Rho LTW Beanie | 30g |
| Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Hoody | 204g |
| MLD Cuben Fiber Pack Cube (3) | 66g |
| Patagonia Underwear | 30g |
| Sleeping socks | 38g |
| Long Johns - Arc’teryx Phase SL bottom | 92g |
| Patagonia t-shirt | 95g |
| Worn Items (Not part of base weight) | |
| Arc'teryx Palisade Pants | 245g |
| Asics t-shirt | 103g |
| Hiking Socks | 38g |
| Patagonia Underwear | 82g |
| Buff Headband | 35g |
| La Sportiva Ultra Raptor Trail Running shoes | 674g |
| Komperdell Vario 4 Ultralight Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles - Standard Length | 370g |
