Henry Davis, from East Berlin, CT, looks out at Mt. Marcy after summiting Algonquin Peak in the Adirondack High Peaks, Jan. 22, 2022.Scroon Lake, NY, Davis packs his bag in the morning to get ready for the day after recieving a shortened night of sleep.Davis shows off the frost that accumulated on his hair and cap after the first 30 minutes of the hike. When he started, the temperature was below -20 degrees Farenheit, but the day warmed up substantially as the sun heated the mountains.A frost covered Cairn marks the trail for when conditions prevent painted markers above treeline from being visible. Davis is in the background taking the last steps of the ascent.The peak of Mt. Marcy, the tallest point in NY, stands at 5344 ft and is visible from the summit of Algonquin Peak (5114 ft), the second highest point. After summiting Algonquin, Davis descended over 2000 feet into the valley.Davis begins his descent down the Western side of Algonquin Peak over a sheet windswept snow and ice.A block of cheddar cheese is cut apart during a snack break to replenish some of the energy spent both gaining elevation and fighting the cold.Davis treks across Avalache Lake on his way back to the Adirondack Loj trailhead during the afternoon. Hiking across the frozen lake shaves some distance off of the hike and circumvents a mile of scrambling over boulders that give Avalanche Lake its name.
