In the inaugural installment of AWA’s “Wild Thoughts Podcast”, some of our founding members discuss one of the most important attributes of wilderness: Remoteness.
EXPLORE! Ampersand Mountain
Ampersand Mountain is a former fire tower summit that now stands guard over the northwestern corner of the High Peaks Wilderness. No tower is needed here for a view, because the bald rock knob that constitutes the summit provides an outstanding vista in all directions.
EXPLORE! Bailey and Marion Ponds: A Study in Contrasts
Hoffman Notch is a noteworthy wilderness, occupying a niche between the high-elevation summits of the High Peaks and the dry, low-elevation slopes of the eastern Adirondacks. Thousands of people may drive past this wilderness every day as they travel the Adirondack Northway between Schroon Lake and North Hudson, but the wilderness itself is lightly trodden.
EXPLORE! John & Clear Pond Loop
Today, John Pond and its valley are the setting of a relatively short and easy hike. The lean-to near the pond’s outlet provides views of the rocky ridge that snuggles against the western shore, and the trail follows the course of the road that once led through the Little Canada settlement.
EXPLORE! County Line Lake
The destination is a shallow pond that falls along the boundary of Fulton and Hamilton counties, hence its name.
Ski Jenkins!
Beginning with the 2022-2023 winter season, the Jenkins Mountain Open Woods Ski Zone is open to backcountry skiers! These trails represent the first officially-maintained backcountry ski zone in the Adirondacks outside of Gore and Whiteface.
Lake George: A Mill Pond
If one looks back to the first years of the twentieth century, at Lake George, it is pretty obvious that an epic power struggle emerged between those who were eager to build roads and expand commercial operations at Ticonderoga, versus various far-sighted, preservation-minded individuals and organizations who wanted to keep the lake as peaceful and quiet as possible.
EXPLORE! Russian Lake
What if a large lake stood between you and the trail you wanted to hike? That is exactly the situation at Big Moose in the western Adirondacks.
EXPLORE! Second Pond near Gore Mountain
Second Pond is a little-known body of water tucked away behind Gore Mountain. Given its proximity to a popular tourist destination, it is surprising that relatively few people know of the pond’s existence.
EXPLORE! Moxham Mountain
Moxham is a multi-peaked mountain that straddles the Essex-Warren county line. At about 2441 feet in elevation, it is well off the list of the highest summits in the park—actually, its highest point is just about even with quite a few ponds in the central highlands.
Meet AWA at Albany Winter Sports Expo
Join Adirondack Wilderness Advocates at the 2022 Adirondack Sports & Northeast Ski Expo in Albany! AWA’s booth will provide information on many of our current advocacy efforts.