LOCALadk
24 Spring 2015 LOCALadk Magazine
In order to put in as high as possible on the Opalescent, the team
began their hike at the Adirondack Loj, with arrangements for their
vehicles to be delivered to the takeout on the other side of the High
Peaks Wilderness: 60 miles via road, eight miles as the crow flies,
and 12 miles via trail. The trails were clear and dry much of the way
to Marcy Dam, and both Fisher and Keller were impressed with the
infrastructure in the park. As they neared Avalanche Pass, snow
covered the trail, but the frequent trail markers kept them on track.
Fisher was pleasantly surprised to find Avalanche Lake ice-free,
as his flight over the pass only days before had revealed a relative
tundra hidden in the shadows of Ampersand and Marcy. From here,
