Travel: The Adirondacks

The charm of the ADIRONDACKS

One of the best things about visiting the Adirondacks is the delightful and scenic three-hour drive that takes you across the St. Lawrence Seaway at either Cornwall or Ogdensburg. The Seaway acts as the natural border between Canada and the United States and spectacularly splits Ontario and New York with its visual feast of rock and pine treed islands and tide pools peppered with palatial 19thcentury summer mansions, Norman Rockwellish towns and a low key easy atmosphere. If you want to get that peaceful easy feeling, then this is the drive.

As you cross into Upper New York you find yourself driving through some small towns and pleasant country roads that lead to the six-million-acre Adirondack Park, the largest boreal park in the contiguous United States whose landscape features mountainous areas covered by pines, spruces and larches. Its expansive pristine forests, lakes, rivers, and fall colours and winter recreation are an outfitters dream. Created in 1892 by the state of New York, The Adirondacks cover one-fifth of New York State with over 105 towns and villages, farms, working forests, businesses, and communities. The Park is also home for 130,000 permanent and 200,000 seasonal residents and hosts 12.4 million visitors yearly. Unlike a national park, there is no entry fee, as it not only contains public land, but private lands where people live yearround.

There is a rich Indigenous history here as The Adirondacks are the home of both the Mohawks and the Algonquins who were caught up in the French and Indian War and later the Revolutionary War. You can visit historical landmarks from that period along the shores of Lake Champlain that still stand today. The first European to visit the Adirondacks was Samuel De Champlain, and he discovered what is now Lake Champlain and the eastern border of the Adirondack Park. Slowly, colonization of the area began. The Adirondacks remained relatively

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: View of Lake

Placid from the peak of Whiteface Mountain — the highest peak in the

Adirondacks. Room with a beautiful view at Lake Placid’s famous AAA four diamond Mirror Lake Inn. Main Street in the

village of Lake Placid.

unexplored and unsettled until the 1830s. With the realization of the virtually unlimited resources in the area, there was massive deforestation and over hunting of animals for food and fur. In the 19th Century, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson published works that romanticized the wilderness. This led industrial age barons from the American East Coast to build great summer homes and mansions in the area to experience the outdoors. A railroad that connected New York City and Quebec in the late 1800’s provided easy access to the area for travelers.

Enticed by the prospect of clean country air, droves of vacationers retreated to guest houses and great camps along

Adirondack lakesides looking for a healthful and quiet retreat. As tourism was climbing in the Adirondacks, valuable timber and water resources in the area were be-coming degraded and mass deforestation caused erosion and flooding. In 1894 the State of New York protected the Adirondack Park as “Forever Wild” under Article XIV of the New York State Constitution. This means that the public land is constitutionally protected from being sold or leased by the state.

After World War II, the construction of state highway I-87 or the “Adirondack Northway,” changed the face of tourism in the Adirondacks. Tourists' taste for hotel and motel accommodations over guest houses took precedent. The region's brand and recognition only grew after Lake Placid hosted the winter Olympics in 1932 and again in

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: High Falls Gorge is open year round. Like a French château designed for the Adirondacks, everything at the Lake Placid Lodge is designed to complement the natural setting — including the bed post! The beautiful Great Hall Bar at the newly reopened 100-year-old Saranac Lake Hotel. Lake Placid’s Big Slide is one of many great brew pubs in the Adirondacks. The peak of Whiteface on a blue-sky

Adirondack day.

1980. Many Adirondack towns serve as year-round destinations for those seeking outdoor adventure sports or just a weekend away. Some of the most popular destinations for visitors are Old Forge, Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, and Lake George. But there are many other Adirondack communities that make an amazing weekend getaway such as the town of Newcomb, Tupper Lake, Inlet, Speculator, and Schroon Lake.

Today the growing local economy is driven by a younger generation of tek-saavy recreational and outdoors enthusiasts who choose lifestyle and quality of life first. Tourists are attracted to the area recreational sport, fishing, hunting outfitter, hospitality, and gastronomical adventures There are some incredible local craft breweries, distilleries and vineyards that are making a name for themselves in the region and beyond.

We drove down on a Thursday afternoon and our first destination was the lovely and picturesque town Lake Placid known for its popular and busy sites such as the Lake Placid Horse

Show Grounds, the Olympic Torch, the Ski Jump Complex, Craig Wood Golf Course, the ADK Loj, and the Bobsled Track. We spent several hours at the Lake Placid Olympic Center (and Museum and rink) which was also the site of the famous 1980 Miracle on ice victory of Team Mirror Lake Inn. Afterwards we did a walking tour of the town before heading to the Big Slide Brewery which offers 10 house beers on tap, with a wide variety of styles from Sours and Goldens to Pale Ales, IPAs, Porters, Stouts, and Belgian beers. The meals here are superb as Executive Chef Greg Sherman sources most ingredients locally to make delicious salads, sandwiches, brick-oven pizzas, and delicious entrées. There are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. We stopped at several other craft brew pubs while on our sojourn and recommend a visit to Lake Placid Pub and Brewery, Dack Shack and Adirondack Brewing Company.

We stayed two nights at the famous AAA Four Diamond Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa, conveniently located one block from the restaurants and shops on Main Street in Lake Placid. This is a luxury lakefront resort offering an authentic Adirondack experience and has rated Four Diamond for 36 consecutive years, offering both four diamond world-class cuisine and casual dining options, with impeccable service amid awe-inspiring views. The Inn's renowned Lake Placid spa pampers the body and refreshes the mind with a comprehensive menu of services. Make sure to have an exceptional dinner and enjoy a hearty breakfast at the Inn’s restaurant, The View. The Inn has a great snug-as-a-rug pub, and comfy couches that scream comfort. A superb place to be for a nightcap after your day of adventure.

The Adirondacks are a recreational paradise and there is nothing more enjoyable than a fall hike through the woods and the High Falls Gorge falls near Lake Placid. Afterwards be sure to stop and have lunch at Maggie’s Pub at the Lake Placid Lodge, followed by a tour of the Lodge. The Lodge hosts short- and long-term guests and like Mirror Lake Inn is one of the premier resorts in all the Eastern United States. When visiting Lake Placid there are multiple hiking/walking options: Mt. Jo is a steep but short (one hour up) hike with a spectacular view of the Adirondack high peaks; Heaven Hill trail has awesome views; walk around Mirror Lake; peninsula trails (for a view of Lake Placid).

We left Lake Placid and took the scenic fall drive to the historic Hotel Saranac which is the centre of the town of Saranac Lake. Constructed at the height of the Roaring Twenties, Hotel Saranac quickly became an icon of downtown Saranac Lake and the Adirondacks region. Following an extensive and complete restoration and renovation, the hotel was reborn in early 2018 to serve a whole new generation of visitors. The hotel has modern rooms and amenities, a stylish open lobby, and Great Hall bar. ‘The Terrace’ features close views of the downtown and the surrounding Adirondack Mountains. Drop in for a meal or nightcap at the Campfire Adirondack Grill + Bar. A block away is Fiddlehead Bistro which is perfect for any foodie who wants to partake in some of the region’s best gastronomy. We took in the play Athena at the Pendragon Theater was the perfect end to a perfect day.

In keeping with the recreational theme of our trip we opted to hike Mount Baker and then visit The Wild Center in Tupper Lake. The drive back to Ottawa is less than three hours via the Ogdensburg border crossing. We stopped in Ogdensburg to visit the Remington museum which was a delight.

This trip is so close and easy . . . put it on your bucket list! n

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