Wright Peak
Encyclopedia
Wright Peak is the 16th highest peak in the High Peaks of the Adirondack Park, and is located in the MacIntyre Range in the town of North Hudson
, in Essex County
, New York
. Named for N.Y. Governor
Silas Wright
(1795–1847), Wright is the northern-most peak in the MacIntyre Range, and is known to be one of the windiest peaks in the park. There are long slides from the summit that lead to Marcy Dam
which are often skied in the winter.
The usual approach to Wright Peak is from the Adirondak Loj
, heading 1.3 miles (2.1 km) up the Van Hovenberg trail, then ascending the steep MacIntyre Range Trail to the junction for Algonquin Peak
; a left turn takes the climber up the last few hundred feet of elevation through the alpine zone
. Wright is often hiked in conjunction with Algonquin and sometimes Iroquois Peak
by peakbaggers.
on a training mission crashed into Wright Peak, killing all four crewmen. Pieces of the wreckage can still be found on the summit, along with a plaque near the impact site. Some of the crash debris is quite large, and hikers making the trip to the summit have been known to take small pieces down with them as souvenirs.
North Hudson, New York
North Hudson is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 266 at the 2000 census. The town derives its name by being by the north end of the Hudson River....
, in Essex County
Essex County, New York
Essex County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,370. Its name is from the English county of Essex. Its county seat is Elizabethtown...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Named for N.Y. Governor
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
Silas Wright
Silas Wright
Silas Wright, Jr. was an American Democratic politician. Wright was born in Amherst, Massachusetts and moved with his father to Weybridge, Vermont in 1796. He graduated from Middlebury College in 1815 and moved to Sandy Hill, New York, the next year, where he studied law, being admitted to the bar...
(1795–1847), Wright is the northern-most peak in the MacIntyre Range, and is known to be one of the windiest peaks in the park. There are long slides from the summit that lead to Marcy Dam
Marcy Dam
Marcy Dam is a wooden dam on the Marcy Brook in the Adirondack High Peaks in North Elba, New York, USA; it impounds Marcy Dam Pond. It can be reached only by hiking; it lies 2.1 miles from the Adirondack Loj at an elevation of surrounded by Whales Tail Mountain, Wright Peak, Algonquin Peak,...
which are often skied in the winter.
The usual approach to Wright Peak is from the Adirondak Loj
Adirondak Loj
Adirondak Loj is a historic lodge near Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. The Loj, built in 1927, is currently owned and operated by the Adirondack Mountain Club. Located on the shore of Heart Lake, it is at the trailhead of the most popular trails to Mount Marcy and...
, heading 1.3 miles (2.1 km) up the Van Hovenberg trail, then ascending the steep MacIntyre Range Trail to the junction for Algonquin Peak
Algonquin Peak
Algonquin Peak is in the MacIntyre Range in the town of North Elba, in Essex County, New York. It is the second highest mountain in New York, and one of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks in Adirondack Park...
; a left turn takes the climber up the last few hundred feet of elevation through the alpine zone
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
. Wright is often hiked in conjunction with Algonquin and sometimes Iroquois Peak
Iroquois Peak
Iroquois Peak is 8th highest peak in the Adirondack Mountains in New York State, and is the southernmost peak of the MacIntyre Range, which also includes Wright Peak and Algonquin Peak. Although the mountain does not have an officially maintained trail, a well maintained "herd path" leads to the...
by peakbaggers.
B-47 crash site
In January 1962, a B-47 bomberBomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
on a training mission crashed into Wright Peak, killing all four crewmen. Pieces of the wreckage can still be found on the summit, along with a plaque near the impact site. Some of the crash debris is quite large, and hikers making the trip to the summit have been known to take small pieces down with them as souvenirs.