Rethinking Mount Marshall

I started hiking Adirondack 4,000-footers as a teenager growing up in Saranac Lake in the late 1970s, when a friend sought a 46er patch for summiting them. Each weekend, he picked a peak and our small band of intrepid, backcountry adventurers rallied to accompany him. I loved the camaraderie of climbing with my friends, a whole day of picnicking and exploring new territory in our expansive, wild backyard—that is, until we went up Mount Marshall.

The history

Mount Marshall (4,360 feet) is the 25th-highest peak in the Adirondack Park. It’s the southernmost mountain in the MacIntyre Mountain Range, which includes three other 4,000-footers: Wright, Algonquin and Iroquois. It’s remote and trailless, or used to be. Four decades ago, my friends and I bushwhacked mile after mile until we found Herbert Brook, then climbed in the brook until it petered out. The forgettable summit had no view. When we finally made it back to the cars, I had only my