Mt. Marcy

Route: from Cotton Creek TH
Posted On: 7/7/2023, By: ScottLovesRMNP
Info: Did the De Anza ---> Gibbs ----> Marcy loop. We saw no other parties the entire day. This is a remote area. We also encountered no snow, strong winds up high, and bad mosquitos down low while hiking out and near the trailhead. Numerous creek crossings, all supported by logs. Route stays above treeline for a long time, so storm-free weather is important for this and we were thrilled to get it. The loop is almost all Class 1-2, but don't be fooled: the trail sections are long, and the entire loop is about 21+ miles, with nearly 7,000 vertical feet of elevation. Deep saddles and lots of up-and-down between the peaks, which are far apart from one another. My biggest day out so far this year. 

Route: Gibson Creek TH to ridge
Posted On: 12/11/2022, By: Sbenfield
Info: Generally followed the route as detailed in Piper14er's trip report. Approached from Gibson Creek TH and bushwhacked up to the ridge. Then a long time on the undulating ridge until summit. Once on the lower part of the ridge, we found snowshoes useful until tree line. In the trees the snow was soft and sugary. This ensured slow progress on the steep forested section before tree line. 

Route: from Lakes of the Clouds
Posted On: 8/29/2022, By: HikerGuy
Info: Slept in car at the Gibson Creek TH, very quiet except for a heavy rain between 10 and 11pm. Started at 6am with clear skies, but the air was damp with moisture from the previous night's rain. Headed north on the Rainbow Trail for a short bit before turning off on the lower Lake of the Clouds Trail that heads up along Swift Creek to the lakes. Good trail until the upper lake where very tall (and wet!) willows obscure the path. The trail is there, but the willows are head high or taller, just have to push through. From there an ascending traverse beneath Silver Peak's east slope will take you to the saddle between Silver and Marcy. From there it is gentle and easy tundra walk to the Mount Marcy's summit. GPS showed 6.92 miles from TH to summit. 

Route: From Gibson Trailhead
Posted On: 10/16/2021, By: WildWanderer
Info: The snow on Thursday put snow on the trail, which turned to mud in the afternoon below treeline. I saw two seperate sets of bear tracks on the ridge below treeline, both heading towards Lakes of the Clouds. There's snow on the ridge until treeline, and then the ridge was either lacking snow, or snowshoes were necessary. I didn't use an ice axe, but relied heavily on my trekking pole, microspikes, and snowshoes. Several spots on the ridge required sustained class 3 climbing on snow/ice/cornices. This route will be a challenging way to summit after the next snowfall. There are small cornices starting to form on the final ridge to the summit. Final push to the summit dry. 

Route: From De Anza Peak A
Posted On: 9/1/2021, By: supranihilest
Info: From De Anza A's summit return to the saddle with Gibbs/Marcy and then cross the large tundra field en route to Marcy. There's a good chunk of sidehilling to reach the first rocky bump on the summit. There are a few more potentially difficult looking bumps on the now narrower ridge and they can either be scrambled (Class 2+/3) or bypassed on slightly easier terrain. They are steep and loose. After the bumps are over it's a tundra stroll to the summit. 

Route: Cotton creek
Posted On: 6/16/2021, By: 9patrickmurphy
Info: The Cotton Creek trail is in rough shape. Really great, cruiser trail until about 4 miles in at the 4th creek crossing: the logs are in a very precarious position so take your time. Immediately after the 4th corssing there is an impressive amount of fallen trees making the trail difficult to find. Once you find the trail, there are still tons of downed trees rather continusly for a few miles. I camped just after the 5th and final creek crossing at 10,200. More (lots more) deadfall to the Horsethief trail junction. The junction itself is blocked by about six massive downed trees, and the trail marker is very easy to miss, especially in the dark. Once on the horsethief trail (just bushwhack around the trees) there are a few more downed trees. Most maps don't accurately portray the amount of switchbacks and might make you skeptical you are going the right way, check out the most recent Forest Service topo, it is accurate (though it doesn't show the spur that heads East near some campsites near 10,900; don't take this). The horsethief trail is phenomenally well-built. I'm not sure of its history, but it seems the current trail replaced an older, steeper trail with less switchbacks. You'll find this trail from time to time and can take it if you like. Getting to DeAnza from the top of the horsethief trail is trivial. I continued on to Gibbs, Marcy, and "Silver", snow is either all gone or inconsequential in trail runners, all class 1 or 2. From the pass between Cotton and RitoAlto creeks, there is a good amount of snow on the Cotton Creek trail above the lake, then the trail is super wet for a while, then it's just very long. I saw fresh bear poop on the trail near the lake. I encountered more deadfall starting on the switchbacks below the lake, and then progressively more until I got to camp. I had planned on attacking the Mount Owen group from the same camp, but this day took so much out of me that I decided against it. The deadfall is obnoxious and this heat wave we're in makes for very fatiguing travel up high on a ridge. A bear spooked me around 7pm near camp, so I decided to pack out since I was really startled. Saw more bear poop on the trail on the way out. 

Route: Gibson Creek Trailhead
Posted On: 7/23/2016, By: JasonKline
Info: Snow-free summer conditions.