Haystack Mountain in New York is the third highest peak on the Adirondack 46 High Peaks list. It’s tucked in behind Mt. Marcy, 10 miles in from the parking area.

I was joined by my friend Andy Locke on July 21 for a trip into Haystack Mtn with an overnight stay at John’s Brook Lodge (JBL). JBL is an out-posted hut in the John’s Brook valley at the foot of the Great Range of the Adirondack High Peaks region. Haystack and Marcy are at the far south west end of the range.

We started out of the Garden parking area at 8am, the trail was muddy from the previous 5 days of rain, but the going was easy and we made it into JBL by 930. They had made our lunches and we pulled the daypack out of the overnight stuff, topped off our water bottles and headed out toward Bushnell Falls and Slant Rock lean-to.

The weather was perfect, cool and clear and no bugs!! Bushnell Falls was running high and the mist was bright in the sun.

We had to use the high water bridges pretty much the whole way in and despite the mud and slippery rocks we came to the junction of the Marcy and Haystack trails in good time. We discovered the last mile is very steep but except for a couple scrambles near the summit, it’s not too difficult.

The views of the cliffs on the side of Marcy were beautiful. We climbed over Little Haystack and zigged and zagged through the switchbacks down into the col to make the final push toward the summit.

We reached the top at 230 and were rewarded with a view that for 360° went on for miles!The wind was sustained at about 30mph and the air temp was about 50. We ducked behind some rocks with a view of Gothics and Basin and ate our lunch.

We went back down the way we came and made it back to JBL at 730, they had held our dinners, which were delicious, and we ate in silence as the food and aspirin soaked in. After breakfast in the morning we headed out, tired but satisfied, it was a great trip.

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