Mount Haystack is a
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...
in the
Great Range
The Great Range is a mountain range in the Adirondack Mountains, near Keene Valley, New York, United States. It rises in the heart of the High Peaks region between Ausable Lakes to the southeast and the Johns Brook Valley to the northwest.
...
of the
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains ( ) are a massif of mountains in Northeastern New York which form a circular dome approximately wide and covering about . The region contains more than 100 peaks, including Mount Marcy, which is the highest point in Ne ...
of
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
. With an elevation of , it is the third-highest mountain in New York and one of the 46
High Peaks in
Adirondack Park
The Adirondack Park is a park in northeastern New York (state), New York protecting the Adirondack Mountains. The park was established in 1892 for "the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure", and for watershed protection. At , ...
. It is located in the town of
Keene in
Essex County. The first recorded ascent of the mountain was made by mountain guide
Orson Schofield Phelps in 1849, accompanied by Almeron Oliver and George Etsy. Phelps gave the mountain its current name based on its appearance to a
haystack
Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated ...
, and later cut the first trail to the summit in 1873. The summit is an
alpine zone above the treeline, which offers a view of nearby
Mount Marcy
Mount Marcy is the highest point in the Adirondack Mountains and the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, with an elevation of . It is located in the town of Keene, New York, Keene in Essex County, New York, Essex County. The mountain is ...
and Panther Gorge.
Two trails can be used to access the summit of Haystack. The mountain can be approached from the north by following the Johns Brook Trail from the Garden parking area in
Keene Valley to the Phelps Trail, passing the DEC Interior Outpost and Johns Brook Lodge, and then following the State Range Trail from a junction between the two. The northern trail to Haystack branches from the State Range Trail from the summit. The distance from Keene Valley to the DEC Interior Outpost is and Haystack is an additional , for a total distance of . It can also be approached from the south, starting at the privately owned
Ausable Club. This approach involves steep, rough terrain, and is not recommended for backpackers due to the risk of falls. This route is from Upper Ausable Lake to the summit, with an elevation gain of .
Ascents of Haystack are sometimes combined with several other peaks, including Marcy,
Basin,
Saddleback, or the
Great Range
The Great Range is a mountain range in the Adirondack Mountains, near Keene Valley, New York, United States. It rises in the heart of the High Peaks region between Ausable Lakes to the southeast and the Johns Brook Valley to the northwest.
...
.
Gallery
File:Little Haystack and Haystack Mt NY.jpg, Little Haystack (left) and Mount Haystack (center), from Mount Marcy
References
Bibliography
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*
*
External links
Backcountry information for Adirondack Parkat ''dec.ny.gov''
Mount Haystack hiking guideat ''lakeplacid.com''
Mount Haystack geographyat ''peakbagger.com''
at ''summitpost.org''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haystack
Mountains of Essex County, New York
Adirondack High Peaks
Mountains of New York (state)