E-mail this page Reader Comments (below)

By Carey Kish Sunday, November 19, 2006

A couple of times each year I like to venture beyond Maine to sample the hiking opportunities in other areas of the country and abroad. My latest foray was in early fall when a friend and I traveled to the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. There we hiked the Northville-Placid Trail, a 122-mile path through the heart of the 6.6 million-acre Adirondack Park, the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States.

The Adirondack Park was created in 1892 by the state of New York to preserve rapidly dwindling water and timber resources. The park is a unique blend of cooperation and coexistence where 43 percent of the land is protected as "forever wild" forest preserve, while the remaining 57 percent is private land where people live and work.

Within its borders are 46 mountain peaks more than 4,000 feet high; 3,000 lakes and ponds; 30,000 miles of rivers and streams, and an amazing diversity of wildlife habitat and forest growth. It is jointly managed by the Adirondack Park Agency and the New York Department of Conservation.

The Northville-Placid Trail was the first major project undertaken by the newly formed Adirondack Mountain Club in 1922, and the original 135-mile route was completed in less than a year. Encroachment by civilization has altered both ends of the route so the trail now officially starts 10 miles beyond Northville in the hamlet of Upper Benson and ends in Averyville two miles south of Lake Placid village.

The NPT is primarily a woods trail that follows valleys and ridges over gentle grades. The trail gains a modest 10,500 feet of elevation along its length, with an average elevation of 2,000 feet and a high point of just over 3,000 feet. While the NPT may lack high mountain views, it is extraordinarily rich in wilderness character, passing by dozens of pristine lakes and ponds and crossing as many streams and rivers as it winds through five remote wilderness areas. An interesting note: 90 percent of all designated wilderness in the eastern U.S. is found in the Adirondack Park.

Thirty-six three-sided Adirondack log lean-tos dot the route and provide frequent and comfortable shelter from the elements. Numerous tentsites are also available. And the trail passes through two state parks that offer camping (Bonus: Lake Durant has hot showers!).

Given the geology of the Adirondacks, its thin layer of soils over solid bedrock, hikers must be prepared for the infamous Adirondack mud. And wet boots and smelly socks, of course. Add a little rain and some beaver activity and the trail can be quite a mucky challenge.

We chose late September-early October for our hike to take advantage of the autumn foliage and the cool weather, and hopefully to find an extra measure of solitude. The NPT rewarded us richly in each category.

Although the colors peaked about a week early this year, they were still outstanding. Daytime temperatures were perfect, ranging from the 40s to the 60s. Nighttime temperatures dipped into the low 30s, making for cozy nights burrowed in the sleeping bag. Best of all, we saw only eight other backpackers on the entire trip and had the shelters to ourselves every night. In fact, we saw more deer than people.

The only drawback was not being able to take full advantage of the myriad of great swimming holes, but I guess that'll require a summer return trip. Not too early in the year, though, as the Adirondacks are notorious for their biting insects.

We took 11 straight days to complete the hike, but I'd recommend an additional day for a rest or weather day. The hike is easily divided into three stages to help keep pack weight down to a minimum: 24 miles from Upper to Benson to Piseco, 60 miles from Piseco to Long Lake, and 38 miles from Long Lake to Averyville.

Food drops can be mailed to Piseco, where there is also a general store, motel and restaurant. Long Lake also has a post office as well as several motels and restaurants, laundromat, convenience store and Hoss's Country Corner Store, an Adirondack icon.

Highlights of the trek included the quiet of Spruce and Cedar Lakes, the sand beach on Tirrell Pond, magnificent Plumley's Point on Long Lake, Big Eddy and Millers Falls on the Cold River, and scenic Duck Hole. All in all the NPT is an enjoyable and highly recommended two-week backpack trip.

Essential to planning and on-trail navigation are the Guide to Adirondack Trails: Northville-Placid Trail and the Map of the Northville-Placid Trail, which can be ordered from the Adirondack Mountain Club at www.adk.org online or 1-800-395-8080.

Carey Kish of Portland is happy to share his "crib notes" on the Northville-Lake Placid Trail. He can be reached at maineoutdoors@aol.com