A quick reference for the five New York hiking challenges Empire
Summits helps track, plus the universal DEC wilderness regulations every
hiker is expected to follow regardless of which list they are chasing.
1. The Regular 46er Official
The baseline achievement — summit all 46 historically recognized High Peaks.
The Goal
Summit all 46 peaks listed in the original 1897 Verplanck Colvin survey.
The Roster Quirk: You must climb the original 46.
Modern resurveys later found that four of them
(Couchsachraga, Nye, Cliff, and Blake) are actually under
4,000 ft, while one mountain not on the list (MacNaughton)
is exactly 4,000 ft. The club kept the original 46 for tradition.
The Rules
You must ascend to the summit and descend under your own power.
No time limit — a single season or 50 years are both valid.
Summits completed in winter count toward this baseline list.
To be officially recognized, submit a finisher form (with the date for each peak) to the Adirondack Forty-Sixers organization and pay the registration fee. You receive a permanent climbing number.
2. The Winter 46er Official
The next official tier — same 46 peaks, but only winter ascents count.
The Goal
Summit all 46 peaks during the strict winter window.
The Rules
Date window: every peak must be summited between December 21 and March 21, inclusive. The club uses these fixed dates regardless of when the actual solstice/equinox falls in any given year.
Timeline: you do not have to complete it in a single winter — chip away across multiple seasons.
Recognition: upon completion and registration, Winter 46ers receive a "W" appended to their climbing number (e.g., #4500W).
3. The Fire Tower Challenge Official
A separate program — summit New York's historic fire-tower peaks across the Adirondack and Catskill Parks.
The Goal
Summit a qualifying set of the mountains that hold (or held) a New York State fire observation tower. Run by the Adirondack Mountain Club's Glens Falls–Saratoga Chapter — separate from, and not part of, the 46er club.
The Roster: Empire Summits tracks 32 fire-tower peaks — 27 in the Adirondack Park and 5 in the Catskill Park.
The Rules
To qualify: summit 18 of the 27 Adirondack fire-tower peaks and all 5 Catskill fire-tower peaks — 23 total minimum. (Reaching all 32 is the full "Master" round.)
Own power only: you must reach the summit under your own power. Riding a ski lift, gondola, or auto road to the top does not count (this affects peaks like Gore and Hunter that have lift service).
No time limit: chip away over any number of years and any season.
The tower itself: a handful of peaks have lost or closed their towers, but the mountain still counts toward the challenge.
Recognition: submit your completed list to the ADK chapter and pay a small fee to receive an official patch and certificate.
In the app, the Fire Tower toggle in Settings → Challenges turns this tracking on or off, and the
Settings → Fire Towers submission button generates a copy-paste-ready list (it enforces the 18 + 5 rule and excludes any ski-lift ascents).
4. The Grid Community
The extreme endurance challenge — every peak in every calendar month.
The Goal
Summit all 46 peaks in every calendar month, for a total of 552 summits (46 peaks × 12 months).
The Rules
No time limit. Most Gridders take many years.
A single hike counts for the month in which you stood on the summit.
Tracked by a separate community group / website rather than the official 46er club.
5. The Continuous Thru-Hike Community
A test of speed and massive logistics — all 46 in one single push.
The Goal
Hike all 46 peaks in a single, continuous, unbroken push.
The Rules
You cannot leave the woods or use motorized transport between trailheads.
All travel connecting peaks must be done entirely on foot.
The clock starts at the first trailhead and stops when you exit the final trailhead.
⚠ Universal DEC Wilderness Rules
Regardless of which challenge you are tackling, the
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
enforces strict rules for the High Peaks Wilderness that all climbers must follow:
Group Limits
Maximum of 15 people on a day hike.
Maximum of 8 people for overnight camping.
Elevation Limits
No camping above 4,000 ft to protect fragile alpine zones.
Above treeline, hikers must stay on bare rock to avoid crushing endangered alpine vegetation.
Bear Canisters
Mandatory for overnight hikers in the Eastern High Peaks from April 1 through November 30.
Winter Gear
By law, hikers must use snowshoes or skis when snow depth reaches 8 in or more.
This prevents "post-holing" (punching deep holes in the trail that freeze and create hazardous conditions for others).
