Simply mentioning “The Adirondacks” can be a great conversation starter, but there are so many Adirondack peaks, lakes, nooks, and crannies that you’ll be asked exactly where in “The Adirondacks” you’re referring to. And, in return, folks will likely have an Adirondack spot of their own to share — fishing the Independence for example, Canada Lake at dawn, a winter view of Moxham Mountain – the possibilities seem infinite. [Read more…] about Searching for Ligar’s Lake & Other Adirondack Postcard Mysteries
Horrendous Old Adirondack Roads and Buck Boards
The Adirondacks’ earliest highways — and by far its smoothest — were its major waterways. Until well into the 1900s, its roads navigating the land were memorable, but for all the wrong reasons. Early travel writers who otherwise loved the Adirondacks despised its roads.
In 1881 Nessmuk (George Washington Sears), wrote this about the first half of the “Old Road” from Boonville to Arnold’s Hotel and the nearby Fulton Chain of Lakes: “The route was not pleasant. Hills, hollows, sand up to the hubs, boulders, and six miles of corduroy road. Such was the first twelve miles … to Moose River.” [Read more…] about Horrendous Old Adirondack Roads and Buck Boards
Adirondack Landmarks’ Names: One Bad Luck, Two Goodlucks
For folks who hike to Adirondack summits, it’s fairly common to wonder about the names of surrounding peaks and waters. The sentences “What mountain is that?” and “I don’t know” have been paired for decades.
Verplanck Colvin, who in the 1870s famously began surveying the Adirondack region from up high on summits, was no exception. He certainly asked his local guides “What’s the name of that mountain / lake / landmark” well over a thousand times. [Read more…] about Adirondack Landmarks’ Names: One Bad Luck, Two Goodlucks