The High Peaks of the Adirondacks #231472

Of course one cannot find any mountain which rises feet above the starting point, as do some of our Western summits. The greatest rise is in climbing Marcy from Keene Valley, and this is but feet. However, one who really wants to climb need not be contented with one mountain in a day. Close at hand are many other summits. We started one morning from the foot Of Haystack below Panther Gorge, and went over Haystack, Basin, Saddleback and Gothic, and returned that afternoon the same way. Here we had feet Of ascending and the same amount of descending. But we had advantages over those who climb but one very high peak in a day. We got four different views, we were not so high up that the whole landscape was a blur, we did not have to bother about ex treme cold or thin air, and we did not spend most Of our time climbing over barren rocks and snow above the timber line, but passed through de lightful spruce forests.