Any beta on Mt. Marcy. A buddy and I are going to hike up it this weekend...it's kind of a tune up for an Adventure Race we're doing. so we're looking for a route that we can move pretty fast, but also have some nice steep parts.

how many miles do you want to do? do you have maps i hope. i've only skied Marcy so from the Loj there are steep sections.

From the Loj you can count on 7 miles of mud.

If you want steep and less people blocking your way, go in from Elk Lake. Marcy is the most overused of all the High Peaks, with miserable trail conditions being the rule.

For a really beautiful, quiet trail with comparable elevation gain, climb Rocky Peak Ridge via the East Trail (from Rt 9 at New Russia, just north of "Malfunction Junction" on Rt 73).

not sure what route talus took from the Loj, but we hiked Marcy last November from Marcy Dam. I would say the route was very gradual, not very steep at all except for one shot near the bottom (would have been a technical ski section). There is a looong trail up direct from Keene Valley (Marcy Field, I think) that sounds like it might be more your speed if you're using this as training. I've never done this so I don't know about steepness, but it's a lot of miles and more vertical.

There are steeper peaks if that is what you are looking for - or is your goal to summit Marcy?

You could look at hiking up Haystack from Panther Gorge, approaching from Elk Lake. It is a good long approach and a steep climb up Mt. Haystack. It is a long dayhike, cannot remember mileage offhand. At least it would be far from the madding crowds on Marcy.