>>2203341lol, I've carried beer up quite long class 4/5 scrambles that required protection at points because ya gotta have a summit beer.
Dacks are great. Lots of solid climbing and grades aren't raped by grade inflation. Rodger's Slide has a fun as fuck approach (have to canoe in across Lake George) and gets you 700 feet of slab to climb, although I did find too run out for my liking. Wallface is sick.
Yeah, Lake George is a tourist trap and the High Peaks get gang banger by High Peaks is still absolutely stunning and the northern area, Franklin and Clinton county has plenty of backpacking routes where you'll see zero crowds. Probably my favorite place on the East Coast next to Baxter, but way more accessible.
Also, winter ascents of the High Peaks are a full mountaineering experience, honestly a bit more dicey than Rainier in my experience. The Whites in NH too.
