Farms of the Adirondacks

Farming in the Adirondacks

People have been faming in the Adirondacks since the first white people settled here. As food became more plentiful, farms got larger and there wasn't a need for farms in the Adirondacks. soon the Adirondacks had a lot of open fields and old farms that had been abandoned.

In the present day, Farming is coming back to the Adirondack Park in a new form. Organic and Environmentally Friendly farming practices. There are many farms even in the High Peaks region of the park. Some of the farms are veggie farms, dairy farms, and livestock farms. Some examples of these farms are Blue Pepper Farm , Mace Chasm Farm , North Country Creamery , Asgaard Dairy , and Essex Farm

Pictured here are Tyler Eaton, Shannon Eaton, and their two children Wyatt and Shepherd of Blue Pepper Farm











The Adirondack mountains are perfect for raising sheep and cows for dairy purposes. Animals don't require flat land to raise them and most often, animals are happier with some terrain differentiation and a diverse biosystem.

Adirondack Lakes

All of the most popular Adirondack Lakes

Lake George

Lake George is a 32 mile long lake in the South-East of the park.

Lake George is 3 miles wide at its thickest part.

Lake George is 200 ft deep at its deepest section due north east of Dome Island
Lake George is 28,360 acres

Lake Champlain

Lake Champlain is 120 miles long.

Lake Champlain is 400ft deep at its deepest point.

Lake Champlain is 14 miles across at its widest point.
Lake Champlain is 271,000 acres

Saranac Lake
Saranac Lake has three lakes. Lower, Middle, and Upper Saranac Lakes. Lake Flower is also part of the chain. These lakes are situated around Saranac Lake the town.
Saranac Lakes are 2,214 acres

Schroon Lake
Schroon Lake is a lake situated adjacent to Lake George.
Schroon lake is 9 miles long and 4,230 acres

The 46 Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains

The 46 High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains

The 46 high peaks are the 46 tallest mountains in the Adirondack Park. Most of these mountains are in the Lake Placid, Wilmington, Keene Valley region but there are others scattered about the park. In order for a mountain to make this list, it must be over 4,000 ft.

The tallest high peak is Mt. Marcy which is 5,344 ft tall.

The most difficult to climb is Gothics peak which has the segment called Trap Dike at the top.

for a link to the entire list of mountains and elevations, click Here

People hike the mountains all year long. There is even an organization of climbers who have hiked each and every peak called the Adirondack 46ers club. This is a very elite club and it is hard to accomplish. Others push themselves even more and try to do all the peaks in one season. There is such thing as a summer 46er and a winter 46er. Many people in the adirondack region hike as a recreational sport and many accomplish the task of hiking all 46 giants.

For a link to the 46ers organization, click Here

Lake Placid, Where life is simple and serene

Lake Placid

I have spent the better half of my teenage life in Lake Placid at boarding school. I first went to Northwood School when I was 14 and entering my freshman year. It was my first experience at a boarding school and my first experience living in Lake Placid. There was a lot to adjust to but I came to love the cool autumns and the freeze your butt off winters. I was a skier so I naturally had a liking for the cold temperatures and the icy snow. When spring comes around after a long and brutal winter, you have the best time swimming in what anyone from south of New York City would say was "Super Freezing Man" but we love it.

Lake Placid ADK

Autumn in Placid

When I first arrived in Lake Placid in the fall of 2012, I was mesmerized by the big dark mountains, the red, yellow, and orange colored trees, and the calm, cool waters. I fell in love, literally on the spot. We hiked some of the largest mountains in New York, swam in Mirror Lake, and ran the picturesque 2.7 mile loop around Mirror Lake. Lake Placid has a lot to offer in the fall such as renting a paddle board, Kayaking around the lake, Running Mirror Lake drive, and hiking the great 46 peaks. Many people come to lake placid to visit the olympic sites or to see the outdoors, it is truly amazing.

Winter In Lake Placid

Winters in Lake Placid are truly one of a kind. Winter kicks in full blow about a week after thanksgiving and doesn't give up until Easter. Winter is harsh and cold and we get about one to two weeks of -20*f conditions. Nonetheless, we learn to love it and we learn to cherish it. Whether you come to Lake Placid to ski, play hockey, figure skate, speed skate, ski jump, nordic ski, or any other whack winter sport you can invent, Lake Placid is the place to do all of the above. My favorite thing to do in Lake Placid in the winter is hike Cobble Hill and look out over town. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience. towards the end of winter, sugaring is a great way to get yourself some free Maple Syrup. Author pictured left celebrating an awesome day at Whiteface Mountain.

Spring In Lake Placid

When spring rolls around after a long winter, we seem to love it and want to hold onto it like you would a childhood friend you hadn't seen in 10 years. Spring makes us forget all about what a grueling winter we just experienced and everyone goes outside and walks the lake, plays tennis, and hikes. Spring is an extremely lively season here in lake placid. People hike, bike, paddle, run, swim, golf, and do so many more things. My favorite thing to do in the spring time is Whitewater Kayak on the AuSable river. Whitewater kayaking is not something anyone can just get up and do however so I will choose something that anyone could do. I absolutely love getting a sandwich from Big Mountain Deli then bringing that on a hike up a 46er. 

Summer In Lake Placid

Summers in Lake Placid are one of a kind. And yes, I'm aware that I've been saying everything is one of a kind in Placid for each season and it's actually true. You could not find anywhere in the world as magical and unique as Lake Placid. The LP Ironman is the biggest attraction of the entire summer and people train in Placid weeks prior to the event. Summer is jam packed with boating, hiking, running, and everything involved with being outdoors. If you aren't outdoors in Lake Placid, people will begin to assume that there is something wrong with you. So make sure to stay outside at all times.

Lake George, Where it all began.

Lake George, New York

Lake George is one of the most beautiful lakes in the entire park. Lake George is a 32 mile long body of water in the south east of the park. At it's widest, it is three miles wide. It has four towns situated on it's shores. Lake George Village, Bolton Landing, Hague, and Ticonderoga. Lake George Village is where you will find the majority of the tourism of Lake George. You can rent boats, go parasailing, go waterskiing, play at the arcade, and dine in the Village.

Lake George also has a steamboat company that has three large vessels. 

• Mini Ha-Ha (translates to Laughing Waters in Iroquois)
• Lac Du Saint Sacrament (Pictured Below, Named because the French were going to name the lake that back in the French and Indian Wars)
• Mohican. 

Fun Fact: The Mohican is the oldest passenger vessel in the United States and has been in continuous operation for 100 years. 

History of the Lake-

Lake George was first stumbled upon by a French jesuit missionary in the 1640s. He named the body of water "Lac Du Saint Sacrament" meaning lake of the holy sacrament.

The Battle Of Lake George-

The French were expanding their territory down south in to northern New York and this was already claimed by the British so they fought over the lake. The British had Fort William Henry which was in what is now Lake George Village and still stands and the French had Fort Ticonderoga which is in the northernmost point of the lake. The two countries battled over control of the lake for seven years and finally, the British pushed the French back into their land. If the British had not succeeded, Lake George may have been in present day Canada (Maybe not a bad thing with the threat of Trump becoming president).

Most Popular Things to do in Lake George-

• Rent a boat and go explore the nooks and crannies of the lake like Log Bay, Sandy Bay, Red Rock, Calves Pen, the Narrows, and Glen Island.
• Go cliff jumping at Calves Pen or "The Notch"
• Go to Glen island or "Candy Island" for a treat on your way through the narrows.
• Go camping on one of Lake George's 118 state owned islands.
• Have a Picnic by boat on Long Island at Speaker Heck.
• Attend "Log Bay Day" the biggest lake party in the North East. (3,700 Attendees anually)

Welcome to the Very Best guide to traveling the Adirondack Park

Welcome to my blog,

My name is Brendan Bette and I have lived in the Adirondack Park all of my life. I was born in Glens Falls, NY and I have had the privilege of living on the south east shore of Lake George. I spend most of my time in the summer out in my boat exploring the amazing 32 mile long lake. 

Pictured here is a view of Lake George from the top of Tongue Mountain by Carl Heilman

Through this blog, I will try to guide you through the amazing place that is the Adirondack Park. To me, the Adirondack Park is much more than a whole lot of mountains and lakes in upstate New York. The park is where I have spent my entire life. I have climbed it's mountains, swam in its lakes, traveled to its small towns, and camped in its forests.

I have spent the better part of my teenage life living in Lake Placid, A medium sized town in the north east of the park predominately known for hosting the Winter Olympics of 1980. I started skiing when I was only three years old and I have relied on Gore and Whiteface, New York state's largest ski resorts, to perfect the sport. When I was 9 years old, I got pretty heavily into Ski Racing and traveled out west to Colorado to compete in Nationals and I came back with a bronze medal in giant slalom. 

Enough about me, let's get into exploring the Adirondack Park.

Here are some educational websites that will teach you a bit more about the Park as a whole.

VisitAdirondacks

AdirondackParkAgency

NYSP