Wilderness in the Presence of History
The legal definition of wilderness in the Adirondack Park, since 1972, has in part read “an area of state land or water having a primeval character … [which] generally appears…
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Old Roads on Old Maps
We are on the south side of the stream, and there is no sign of the old logging road. All around us are open hardwoods: mature maples and birches arching…
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River of No Return
Over Lexie’s curled form, over the down sleeping bag and the spare coat that has kept us warm through the night, out of the tent and across the small campsite…
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Wilderness Is Essential
I am lucky to live with wild places right outside my front door. I have local trails on which I can hike, ski, or take my dog for a walk,…
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The Wilderness beyond Mohegan Lake
The snow before us was virginal, and it covered an entire road that extended for several miles into the backcountry. Beyond the mountainous snowbank that marked its beginning, the ribbon…
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On Russell M.L. Carson and Peaks and People of the Adirondacks
The following are excerpts from the essay, “On Russell M.L. Carson and Peaks and People of the Adirondacks,” published in Wander-Thrush: Lyric Essays of the Adirondacks (Ra Press, 2018) and…
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A Journey to Boreas Ponds
I find it most exhilarating to hike in the fall. Perhaps it’s the crispness in the air or the fact that the forest has opened up, offering views hidden by…
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The Sound of Silence
If you’re looking for a cross-country skiing destination this winter, might I suggest skiing Gulf Brook Road to Boreas Ponds?! While comparable in distance to traveling to Lake Colden in…
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South Pond
I might have abandoned the idea of reaching South Pond had I not caught a glimpse of it through the trees, right at that critical moment of decision. There it…
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Four Minutes
I hold the lighter to the rim of the stove, and a flame leaps to life. It is faintly blue at first, and then dingy yellow-orange as it bursts up…
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Truth About Age, Ability, Access and Wilderness
One of the points made repeatedly by those who want to see motorized access to the Boreas Ponds Tract is that “elderly and disabled” people should have access to the…
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