Giant Mountain (via Roaring Brook Trail)
Region: Adirondacks
Level: Moderate/Difficult
Giant Mountain is another 46er in the Adirondacks High Peaks region, number 12 on the list out of 46, standing at 4627 feet above sea level.
Giant's face from a distance. This was taken on a recent trip back from Lake Placid from the Ausable Club - April 2018.
Giant was my 2nd 46er, and seemed to be much more of a challenge than Cascade not only due to the elevation increase of almost 600 feet, but also due to the fact that it seemed a steeper overall climb. Giant is about a 6.0 mile round trip from the main trialhead, and about 7 miles round trip if you take the Roaring Brook trail (highly suggest given the great views from the falls - see pics), with a few rock scrambles and tough areas that require climbing on all fours.
View from the top of the Roaring Brook Falls
Despite the challenge, as always, the juice is worth the squeeze in the High Peaks. GIant has one of the coolest summits (in my opinion so far) because of the great vantage point looking over Keene Valley, viewing Marcy and a handful of other 46ers (see my first pic below with thumbs up, Marcy is the highest peak in the center right).
Summit shot. Look to the right and north of my head and you'll see the outline of Marcy, the biggest mountain in New York.
Giant is about 22 miles south of Lake Placid on Route 73, approx. 30 minute car ride. Again, like many of the 46ers, the trailheads are usually very busy and packed with cars in the main parking lot and along the road. Get there as early as you can to avoid having to hike an extra half mile to the trailhead from your vehicle.
I'm 2/46 as of February 2018. I've updated my goal of finishing all 46 to the end of Summer 2020.
-Kyle Holmes