Giant mountain in the winter
What up Road Trip Warriors!? Giant Mountain is one of the Adirondack High Peaks located near Keene Valley, New York. This mountain is a bruiser despite the short distance to the summit. It is steep, relentless, and that is when it is not covered in snow! Hiking Giant Mountain in the winter requires some extra prep, but the reward is worth the effort! Check out everything you need to know about summiting this High Peak below!
Summary of giant mountain
- Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
- Length: 6.6 miles round trip from Route 73 Trailhead
- Elevation: 4,627′
- Hiking Time: 7-8 hours round trip with snowshoes
- Elevation Gain: 3,050′ from Route 73 Trail
- Photo Opportunities: There is an overlooking viewpoint of Chapel Pond at 0.7 miles into the hike. This is a good spot for photos. At 1.5 miles you will be hiking open open rock (or snow/ice) and there are vistas here to capture. The summit of Giant is also a spot to take photos.
Giant Mountain Trailhead
The trailhead for the hike to Giant Mountain depends on where you would like to start the hike. There are numerous trails that lead to the summit of Giant Mountain, but the most direct way would be right off Route 73 on your way into Keene Valley. There are designated road side parking spots. If you are heading towards Keene Valley, the trailhead will be on your right. If you are heading towards I-87, the trailhead will be on your left.
an Immediate Ascent
After signing in to the trail register, the trail begins climbing. It stays this way for the first half mile to seven tenths of a mile. Then you will reach the overlook of Chapel Pond. This is a good spot to take a break, bring out the camera and gather yourself before moving onward. Below you can see the view of Chapel Pond from the overlook.
to Giant’s Washbowl and Giant Mountain’s open Rock
After leaving the overlook, you will continue to Giant’s Washbowl. There will be a trail sign here pointing you in the direction of Giant Mountain with blue trail markers. Once you are roughly 1.5 miles into the hike you will be on open rock. There will be open vistas of the Adirondack wilderness to your right as you make your way up the mountain. During the winter be careful on this part. There can be ice under the snow and it would be unfortunate to slip near the steep slides.
The climb continues…
The grade of the trail remains pretty steep, and if you are snowshoeing, your legs will be even more tired as you continue the trek. Roughly 2.5-2.7 miles into the hike (rough estimate but about a half hour hike from the summit), the summit of Giant Mountain can be seen through the trees. The impressive slides on Giant can be seen and it can look a little intimidating but keep pushing onward.
Summit of Giant Mountain
At an elevation of 4,627′, you will be on the twelfth highest mountain of the Adirondack forty-sixer challenge. The views from the summit of Giant are beautiful depending on the weather…see below for the foggy winter scene. However, it is about the journey and not the destination. Like mentioned above, be cautious walking on the summit as ice can easily be hidden by snow that has blown over it. Slipping here could cause serious injuries. Be careful, take some photos and hang out for a few before heading back down to the Route 73 trailhead.
Hiking back To Route 73 Trailhead
This trail can be taken as an out-and-back despite the numerous other trails up and down Giant Mountain. If you are hiking this trail as an out-and-back just head down the same way you ascended. Be cautious on the open rock, but the hike down should be straightforward.
dog-Friendly
The Giant Mountain via Route 73 hike is dog friendly although I do not recommend bringing your furry friend in the winter on a High Peak. The weather is unpredictable, your dog could get injured by slipping, and you could get injured holding your dog’s leash and falling on ice because of it.
Fam-Friendly
The Giant Mountain hike via Route 73 is family friendly, but I would argue against that during the winter. It is a steep hike without the snow and ice. Add those elements in along with snowshoeing, breaking down layers and re-layering, etc then it becomes more of a challenge.
Clothes/gear Worn on Giant mountain During Winter
- Beanie
- Long-Sleeve Underarmour
- Thermal Long Sleeve Shirt
- Marmot Winter Mittens
- Athletic Shorts, Joggers, Winter Snow Pants (in that order)
- Vasque Winter Hiking Boots
- Eastern Mountain Sports Mountaineer Wool Socks
- Atlas Mountain Snowshoes
Equipment/Food Brought
- 3L of water
- Granola bars, almonds, sandwich
- Extra wool mountaineer socks
- Bandana
- Extra shirt
- Emergency tent and blankets
- Knife
- Waterproof matches
- Lifestraw
- First-Aid Kit
- Garmin InReach Satellite Device
Links to Related Hikes
- Mount Colden Winter Ascent via Lake Arnold trail
- Tabletop Mountain: High Peak Twenty-Four
- Phelps Mountain: Halfway to Being a 46er
- Mount Marcy
RTW Note
Road Trip Warriors, thanks for taking the time to check out this hike in the Adirondacks! If you are looking for a good hike, or trying to be an Adirondack 46er, I hope this post was helpful. Giant Mountain is a short hike, but makes up in difficulty with its steep grade. If you enjoyed this post and/or the photos please share it, like it, comment etc! Stay safe and keep on adventuring!
