| Algonquin Peak | |
|---|---|
 Algonquin Peak seen from road to Adirondak Loj | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,114 ft (1,559 m) NGVD 29[1] |
| Listing | Adirondack High Peaks 2nd[2] |
| Coordinates | 44°08′37″N73°59′12″W / 44.14361°N 73.98667°W /44.14361; -73.98667[3] |
| Geography | |
  Algonquin Peak Location of Algonquin Peak in New York | |
| Location | North Elba,New York,U.S. |
| Parent range | MacIntyre Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Keene Valley |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | August 8, 1837, byEbenezer Emmons and party[a] |
| Easiest route | Hike from theAdirondak Loj |
Algonquin Peak is amountain in theMacIntyre Range of theAdirondacks in theU.S. state ofNew York. It is the second-highest mountain in New York, with an elevation of 5,114 feet (1,559 m), and one of the 46Adirondack High Peaks. It is located in the town ofNorth Elba inEssex County and in theHigh Peaks Wilderness Area[4] ofAdirondack Park. The first recorded ascent of the mountain was made on August 8, 1837, by a party led by New York state geologistEbenezer Emmons.[a] It was originally named Mount McIntyre, afterArchibald McIntyre, but this name was eventually applied to the entire range.[5] SurveyorVerplanck Colvin added the name "Algonquin" in 1880. This name came from the peak reputedly being on theAlgonquian side of a nearby informal boundary between the Algonquian and theirIroquois neighbors, although no such boundary existed in reality.[7][8]
Algonquin Peak is accessible from two trails. Starting at theAdirondak Loj outsideLake Placid, the mountain can be approached from the north by following the blue-blazedVan Hoevenberg Trail 1.0 mile (1.6 km) to its junction with the yellow-blazed MacIntyre Range Trail. That trail continues the remaining 3.3 miles (5.3 km) to the summit, during which the route gets progressively steeper and rockier. The total distance is 4.3 miles (6.9 km) for an elevation gain of 2,936 feet (895 m).[8] The mountain can also be approached from the southeast via an even steeper trail which begins atLake Colden, which rises 2,350 feet (720 m) in just 2.1 miles (3.4 km).[9] From the summit, an unmarked trail leads 1.1 miles (1.8 km) southeast to nearby Boundary Peak andIroquois Peak.[8] A trail toWright Peak forks from the yellow trail 0.9 miles (1.4 km) below the summit.[8] The mountain's summit is above tree line. Views of the surrounding peaks are available in all directions, with particularly good views available of nearbyMount Colden and Lake Colden.[8] Algonquin is increasingly popular with hikers, with a 2021 study by Otak observing significant crowds on the summit of the mountain on popular summer days.[10]
An area of 23.5 acres (9.5 ha) surrounding the summit is analpine tundra zone, the largest found in the Adirondacks.[11] This area is home to many arctic plants, includingAmerican dwarf birch,bearberry willow,black crowberry,Bog bilberry,Cutler's alpine goldenrod,Diapensia,Lapland rose-bay, andlow rattlesnake root,[12] and contains a prominentbog.[8] The large numbers of hikers on the summit have in the past caused damage to the fragile plant life, and strict regulations have been put in place on the summit to protect it. Camping is prohibited above an elevation of 4,000 feet (1,200 m), hikers must remain on the trail in the alpine zone, and no dogs are allowed without a leash. The Summit Steward program places guides on Algonquin and other peaks to both remind hikers of these rules and educate them about the ecosystem.[13]
| Climate data for Algonquin Peak 44.1415 N, 73.9882 W, Elevation: 4,623 ft (1,409 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 18.2 (−7.7) | 19.6 (−6.9) | 26.9 (−2.8) | 42.2 (5.7) | 54.6 (12.6) | 63.1 (17.3) | 67.3 (19.6) | 66.1 (18.9) | 60.5 (15.8) | 47.9 (8.8) | 32.6 (0.3) | 23.5 (−4.7) | 43.5 (6.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 10.2 (−12.1) | 11.5 (−11.4) | 18.9 (−7.3) | 32.2 (0.1) | 45.0 (7.2) | 54.2 (12.3) | 58.7 (14.8) | 57.5 (14.2) | 51.5 (10.8) | 39.4 (4.1) | 26.2 (−3.2) | 16.6 (−8.6) | 35.2 (1.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 2.2 (−16.6) | 3.4 (−15.9) | 10.8 (−11.8) | 22.3 (−5.4) | 35.5 (1.9) | 45.2 (7.3) | 50.2 (10.1) | 48.9 (9.4) | 42.5 (5.8) | 30.9 (−0.6) | 19.8 (−6.8) | 9.7 (−12.4) | 26.8 (−2.9) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.70 (119) | 3.56 (90) | 4.39 (112) | 5.21 (132) | 5.62 (143) | 6.81 (173) | 6.23 (158) | 5.83 (148) | 5.62 (143) | 6.35 (161) | 5.07 (129) | 5.10 (130) | 64.49 (1,638) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group[14] | |||||||||||||
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clickingCoordinates (underLocation); copyLatitude andLongitude figures from top of table; clickZoom to location; clickPrecipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp; click30-year normals, 1991-2020; click800m; clickRetrieve Time Series button.
