Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-04-30
The Adirondack wilderness,

1t las been said that the Adirondack re-
gion is "a geographical and chronological
anomaly" 1t belongs hardly by any reason
to the State of New York or to the latter
quarter of this century. 1t is savage for
est spread out over an immense area, given
over even at this time mainly to solitude,
and has no counterpart on this continent east
of the Mississippi. Mr.. Nerplanck Colvin,
superintendent of the Typographical survey
of this region, says that though the geograph-
ical centre of the wilderness may be readi-
" and easily reached in the light canoe like
boats of the guides, by lakes and rivers,
which form a labyrinth of passages for boats.
he core, or rather cores, of this wilderness,
extend on either hand from these broad
avenues of water and, in their interior, spots
remain to-day as untrodden by man. and as
unknown and wild, as when the Indian pad
died his birchen boat upon those streams
and lakes Amid those mountain solitudes
are places where, in all probability, the foot
of man never trod and there the panther
has his den among the rocks, and rears his
savage kittens undisturbed save by the growl
of bear or screech of lynx, or the hoarse
creak of raven taking his share of tho carcass
of slain deer.
That such a region as this should exist in
the largest and most densely populated State
in the Union, while none of the States of the
near West, such rs Wisconsin, or Iowa, or
Illinois, have any equal area given up to such
a wilderness, is almost freak of civilization.
The region is not all forest and mountain.
There are hundreds of beautiful lakes and
rivers, and green valleys identifying its will
dcrness and the pioneers of pleasure yearly
make miniature excursions into its recesses.
But the surveyors under Mr.. Colvin have
passed over hundreds of miles where the
foot of no other white man has ever trod,
and hundreds Of miles yet remain unseen
even by them.
THE ADIRONDACK PEAKS.
The highest peak in the Adirondack range
and in the State is Mount Marcy. whose
height, according to Mr.. Colvin's latest fig
urcs. is 1914 feet above the sea. Then
come in the order of their attitudes Mount
Mcintyre. SIZE feet; Haystack Mountain,
4.91S; Mount Dix. 4,9l6; Basin Mountain.
1905; Gray Peak, 1902; Mount Skylight,
Haystack Mountain, 4, 1866; Mount Golden.
4, 753 Gothic Mountain, 4,744; Mount Red
field. 4,6S9; Nipple Top Mountain. 1864;
Mount Santononi, 1874; Saddle Mountain,
4 ,536; Giant of the Valley, 1880; Mount
Seward, 4, 1884; Mount Macomb. 4,371; Rag
gcd Mountain. 4.l63; Mount Colvin. 4. 142.
These figures and the order of the peaks will
be news to many. persons who have obtained
their information from cyclopedias and
guide books.
Mount Marcy is perhaps the most inter-
esting, as well as the highest and the grand
est of the Adirondack peaks. Towering
more than mile above the sea level it slopes
grandy upward, with great mountain ridges
branching out from it in various directions.
The summit is usually white with snow ex-
cepting in June, July and August. The
slopes are covered with stunted growth of
evergreen forest. On every side rise up lofty
mountain peaks. conspicuous among which
are Mcintyre. Clinton, Wright, Haystack,
Skylight, Golden, the Gothics, and far in the
distance, Whiteface, Dix, the Giant, and
Macomh. Almost hidden among the gigantic
domes of Marcy. Skylight and Gray Peak,
and lying at an elevation of 1921 feet above
the sea, is the beautiful lake Tear of the
Clouds" where are found the sources of the
Huds0u