Mount Skylight, at 4,926 feet, ranks as the fourth-highest peak in New York State and one of the Adirondack 46ers. Unlike most High Peaks summits, the top is a broad, open dome with fragile alpine vegetation and a remarkable 360-degree panorama taking in nearly all of the surrounding High Peaks. Two large cairns mark either end of the summit plateau, though hikers are asked not to add to them to protect the delicate alpine environment.
Most parties reach Skylight by combining it with Mount Marcy and neighboring Gray Peak in a roughly 16-mile loop from the Adirondack Loj, or via a slightly longer approach from the Upper Works trailhead along Calamity and Feldspar Brooks; route details and distances for both approaches are available here. The final half mile to the summit climbs steadily through krummholz before breaking onto open rock, gaining roughly 600 feet.
Lake Tear of the Clouds, recognized as the highest source of the Hudson River, lies in the col between Skylight and Marcy and makes a natural waypoint on the approach. Snow can persist on the upper slopes into late May, and afternoon thunderstorms develop rapidly above treeline in summer, making an early start wise on any full-day itinerary.
