Adirondack High Peaks


The Adirondack High Peaks is the name given to 46 mountain peaks in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, United States that were originally believed to comprise all of the Adirondack peaks higher than. However, later surveying showed that four of the peaks in the group are actually under this elevation, and one additional peak that is close to this elevation had been overlooked. Due to tradition, no mountains were removed from or added to the group as a result of the revised elevation estimates.
All except four are located in central and northern Essex County, primarily south of Lake Placid and Keene Valley. The others are just to the west in Franklin County. All the summits are on land owned by New York State as part of its Forest Preserve. Forty-two are in a vast tract of nearly known as the High Peaks Wilderness Area, subdivided into central and outer zones. Nine of the peaks in the outer zone are in an area formerly known as the Dix Mountain Wilderness Area that was added to the High Peaks Wilderness in 2018. Giant Mountain and Rocky Peak Ridge are in the adjacent Giant Mountain Wilderness Area. Whiteface Mountain, which has a downhill ski area and a toll road to its summit, and Esther Mountain are set slightly to the north, in Wilmington.
Those who have climbed all 46 High Peaks are eligible to join the Adirondack Forty-Sixers club. Neither Mount Marcy nor Algonquin Peak, the two highest, require technical skills, but Algonquin Peak is regarded as the more challenging climb. Twenty peaks have no official trail to the top, although rough informal routes, commonly referred to as "herd paths," have developed over the years and no true bushwhacking is required on any of the peaks, although some are still quite primitive.
Atop the highest peaks, above the tree line, there is a total of of extraordinarily fragile alpine ecosystem; the amount of this ecosystem is constantly changing due to variation in the climate from year to year.
The region contains many alpine lakes and meadows, wetlands, streams, and forests. The Eastern High Peaks Wilderness area is the most regulated area. Fires are not permitted; dogs must be leashed; overnight groups are limited to eight people and day groups to 15; and bear-resistant food canisters are required from April through November.
: Pitchoff, Cascade, Porter, Big Slide, Yard, Phelps, Tabletop, Giant, Lower Wolfjaw, Upper Wolfjaw, Armstrong, Gothics, Saddleback, Basin, Nippletop and Dix, Hough, Marcy, Gray, Skylight, and Colden

The High Peaks

MountainHeight Prominence Rank
Mount Marcy5,344 / 1,6294,9141
Algonquin Peak5,114 / 1,5592,1002
Mount Haystack4,960 / 1,5128403
Mount Skylight4,920 / 1,5005784
Whiteface Mountain4,867 / 1,4833,1105
Dix Mountain4,857 / 1,4802,8306
Gray Peak4,840 / 1,4751027
Iroquois Peak4,840 / 1,4751518
Basin Mountain4,827 / 1,4717259
Gothics4,736 / 1,44469910
Mount Colden4,714 / 1,43787611
Giant Mountain4,627 / 1,4102,95312
Nippletop4,620 / 1,4081,38013
Santanoni Peak4,607 / 1,4042,43014
Mount Redfield4,606 / 1,40424215
Wright Peak4,580 / 1,39627016
Saddleback Mountain4,515 / 1,37638017
Panther Peak4,442 / 1,354275 18
Table Top Mountain4,427 / 1,34943019
Rocky Peak Ridge4,420 / 1,34764020
Macomb Mountain4,405 / 1,34358421
Armstrong Mountain4,400 / 1,3419822
Hough Peak4,400 / 1,34137423
Seward Mountain4,361 / 1,3292,03024
Mount Marshall4,360 / 1,32949325
Allen Mountain4,340 / 1,32364026
Big Slide Mountain4,240 / 1,2921,04927
Esther Mountain4,240 / 1,29230228
Upper Wolfjaw Mountain4,185 / 1,27628029
Lower Wolfjaw Mountain4,175 / 1,27366330
Street Mountain4,166 / 1,2701,28031
Phelps Mountain4,161 / 1,26820032
Donaldson Mountain4,140 / 1,26213833
Seymour Mountain4,120 / 1,2561,02034
Sawteeth4,100 / 1,25049035
Cascade Mountain4,098 / 1,2491,18036
South Dix4,060 / 1,23716437
Porter Mountain4,059 / 1,23733038
Mount Colvin4,057 / 1,23675039
Mount Emmons4,040 / 1,23110240
Dial Mountain4,020 / 1,22516441
Grace Peak4,012 / 1,22331942
Blake Peak3,960 / 1,20755843
Cliff Mountain3,960 / 1,20746644
Nye Mountain3,895 / 1,18713045
Couchsachraga Peak3,820 / 1,16425046

Some surveys list MacNaughton Mountain at, and some argue that it should be included in the High Peaks. However, more recent surveys list the mountain at.