Packing List for April - October
First off, Lake Placid is a very casual town. This is NOT Aspen, the Hamptons, or Napa. Leave your “cute outfits” behind. Jeans are just fine for even the most expensive restaurants in town. In many cases, people wear hiking clothes straight from the mountain to dinner.
The biggest tip to remember is you’ll want to dress in layers. It can be warm in the sun, but cold at the top of the mountain, in the shade, and after dark. Avoid cotton clothes (more on that below). And be prepared for afternoon showers. Obviously, packing lists will vary depending on what activities you prefer and how long you plan to stay. And the shoulder months of April, May, September and October are cooler and less predictable in terms of weather. Following are my suggestions to consider. Most of the links I’ve included below are for women’s sizes, but you can find similar options for men’s clothing and gear.
Footwear:
For walking around town and walks in the woods on mostly flat trails, you’ll want comfortable walking shoes like a solid athletic shoe or trail shoe.
If you plan to try some of the hikes I’ve recommended (under 1000’ elevation gain and under 2000’ elevation gain) or basically anything with more than 500’ of elevation gain, then I recommend bringing a pair of trail runners or hiking boots. At least a good, sturdy athletic shoe with solid traction and tread. The issue is most trails have lots of tripping hazards like loose rocks and tree roots crossing the path, so you can easily roll your ankle if you’re not paying attention. But no need to buy expensive boots if you’re new to hiking. If all you have are everyday athletic shoes, just choose your hikes carefully and avoid trails that have a rocky scramble or skree.
For paddle sports you’ll benefit from having some form of water shoes that can get wet. This could be as simple as an old pair of boat shoes or Keds. Flip flops really don’t work because they can slip off in the water, get stuck in the mud, and aren’t good trail shoes if you’re paddling a route with carries. You want something with a rubber sole that does double-duty for walking through the woods, mud and shallow water. If you enjoy paddling and plan to go often, you might consider getting a dedicated pair of wet shoes. Options include Yalox, Seekway, Teva or NRS.
Optional: These are NOT necessary, but if you already own wool shoes, bring them. Eric and I both have multiple pairs of wool Allbirds which are super cozy year-round, and we both have Glerups for around the house. Certainly not required, but these are nice to have.
Clothing:
For most outdoor activities, avoid cotton clothes. Seriously. Cotton is especially bad for hiking and paddling because it absorbs sweat, stays wet, and will make you extra cold when the wind picks up. It leads to rapid body heat loss when wet, and nobody wants that. Ideally, bring quick-dry light-weight hiking pants or shorts (or athletic leggings for women). I prefer hiking pants (over shorts) to help protect against bug bites, scratches and mud. Everyone has their own preferences, but I like PrAna pants because they come in all sizes including short. Of course there are plenty of less expensive options. You’ll also want a couple quick-dry shirts. Look for materials like polyester. Amazon and REI sell a lot of hiking shirts in different styles for relatively cheap. Remember for hikes, it can be cold and windy at the top of the mountain. If you want to enjoy that amazing view, you’ll want to be warm. I most ofter wear light-weight long-sleeve hiking shirts, even in summer.
While I’m on the rant against cotton, it applies to underwear too. Avoid cotton underwear when hiking or paddling. Get the kind that are moisture-wicking. The REI brand has underwear for outdoor activities that’s non-cotton and relatively inexpensive.
Bring a fleece. I don’t care if it’s July or August. You will want a fleece top with you to wear at night and layer for hikes in the mountains. Even if you’re just going to drive to the top of Whiteface, you’ll want a fleece up there if you plan to get out of the car to check out the view. It can be cold and windy. Bring a fleece.
Pack a functional, light weight rain jacket with a hood. It rains in the Adirondacks. Frequently. Also, we often layer a rain jacket or shell jacket over a fleece for extra warmth on chilly mornings and evenings. If you’re willing to pay a little extra up front, any jacket made with Gore-tex will last a good long time. I think ours are 10 years old.
A hat or baseball cap is usually a good idea. I always take a cap with me hiking and paddling because it keeps the sun off my face and looks slightly better when I’m sweaty! Sunglasses are important too.
If you want to swim or take a dip in a hot tub, you’ll need a swimsuit.
I usually pack a pair of jeans and a basic top or sweater for dinner. One year I brought a pair of “cute shoes” (wedges) and never wore them. Now I just wear Allbirds or trail shoes with my jeans.
Optional: I love merino wool t-shirts, like Smartwool sport t-shirts, for hiking year-round. They’re soft, warm and quick-dry. Wool is just an awesome material for outdoors. Wool t-shirts can get pricy, so I wouldn’t recommend them unless you plan to do a lot of hiking on a regular basis. I also like fleece or merino wool vests for layering. And in the fall, I live in my lined hiking pants from Mountain Hardwear that have a thin fleece lining. In fact, I just bought a second pair. For Eric, his favorite layer is a moisture-wicking flannel (NOT cotton flannel). Outdoor Research makes a good one out of polyester. He also loves his light-weight puffy jacket. If you have any of this optional stuff already in your closet, then pack it for Lake Placid. If not, don’t worry about it. Remember, you can always pick up an extra layer or warmer shirt at the shops around Lake Placid if needed.
Gear:
The most common summer activity is hiking. If this is your one and only hiking trip, then you shouldn’t be up in the High Peaks (over 4,000’ elevation) and therefore you shouldn’t need to buy much gear. The most important thing, even for short hikes, is always carrying water, food, first aid, a paper map, pocket knife and flashlight in case you get stranded in the woods. For day hikes we use hydration packs from CamelBak which have enough space for water, food and supplies, but you can easily carry a water bottle on short excursions. You’ll also need to make sure someone in your group is the responsible person with a first aid kit and basic emergency supplies, which you can easily assemble yourself. (Note for friends and family: we have extra backpacks, hydration packs and all the safety essentials if you’re visiting us.)
Optional: Hiking poles were a game changer for me. I have some super light-weight, foldable poles designed for women, but there are much less expensive ones on the market. You can also rent poles from outfitters like High Peaks Cyclery for $10/day if you just want to try some out. I hike with two poles, and Eric uses one hiking staff. Basically, using poles takes some of the strain off your knees, and I’ve read that you actually burn more calories because you’re moving your arms more and yet feel less exertion. Win-win. Also, a couple of dry sacks like these are handy to stick in a backpack for hiking and extremely useful for paddling. These can also be easily rented from canoe outfitters. And we use IKEA bags on canoe trips to carry gear from pond to pond. (Note for friends and family: we have plenty of extra dry sacks and IKEA bags.)
For activities like paddling, camping, biking, golfing, fly fishing, etc., I’m going to assume that either you already own that specialized equipment or you plan to rent. Renting gear is very easy with lots of outfitters in Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and Keene. More on outfitters in a future post.
Supplies:
Bug spray and sun screen are generally good to have on hand. You can obviously purchase these once you’re in Lake Placid.
We stock shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion and moisturizer at our cottage. So you won’t need to pack any of these if you’re staying with us. We also have a hair dryer in each bathroom. Plus a washing machine and dryer.
