Great Range Traverse

Great Range Traverse is a point-to-point hike in the Adirondack High Peaks, built around a line of big summits in the Great Range. The route covers about 30.1 km (about 18.7 mi) on the mapped GPX, and it’s commonly attempted as an extremely long, nonstop day when hikers have the time and stamina to move slowly over steep terrain.

The traverse is known for sustained difficulty: roughly 9,500 feet of elevation gain and 10–12 peaks (including Mount Marcy as the high point). Expect steep, relentlessly undulating climbing and descending, much of it rocky enough to demand hands-on scrambling skills.

A typical route direction starts at the Rooster Comb trailhead in Keene Valley and finishes at the Adirondack Loj via Mount Marcy; many hikers run it as a clockwise progression (lower peaks first, Marcy last). The high-elevation section is where pace usually collapses—late-day descents can be just as time-consuming as the uphills.

Major named peaks along the classic line include Rooster Comb, Hedgehog Mountain, Lower Wolfjaw, Upper Wolfjaw, Armstrong, Gothics, Saddleback, Basin, Haystack, and Mount Marcy, with additional short high-range connector traverses between them. The Great Range geography is what drives the route: a ridge walk through the core of the High Peaks region near Keene Valley.

Terrain features are what make this traverse “famous,” not distance alone. Route segments include steep slabs and ledges, ladders in exposed or near-vertical rock sections, and a cable-aided descent on Gothics; other difficult cliffy passages are concentrated around Saddleback, where footing can be technical and unforgiving.

Water and camping are constrained during the high-elevation part of the journey. Legal/high camps are limited (with Sno-Bird as the key exception mentioned in route planning contexts), and reliable water is described as scarce along the ridgeline stretch—so plan on carrying enough to reach the next dependable supply point or camp.

Time management is part of the route skill set. A common “big day” window is about 13–17 hours for hikers moving continuously through peak after peak, with early starts (often pre-dawn) used to avoid running out of daylight on the technical descents.

Weather sensitivity is high. The traverse is strongly affected by wet rock on steep slabs and cable/ladder sections; rainy conditions or recent rainfall can make the technical parts significantly more dangerous, so prioritize a dry weather window and be ready to adjust timing if conditions turn.

Bear canisters are required for overnight travel in this region, and black bears are active—pack planning should assume proper canister use rather than relying on hung food or other methods. If you’re running it as a day hike, the same preparation for cold exposure, heavy effort, and late-day scrambling still applies.

More information: Wikipedia, Hike The Great Range Traverse in Adirondack Park, Hike of the Week: The Great Range Traverse