NY Adirondacks - 05/2009

[corax]

Memorial Day weekend in the Adirondacks was good. We camped at the Lake Placid/Whiteface KOA (http://www.koakampgrounds.com/where/ny/32131/) because my better half wanted to shower at some point (huge tent sites, very clean - could comfortably fit 5 tents per site). There is plenty of backwoods camping all over the place though, many of the back country sites we found were just as good if not better than the KOA (mius running hot/cold water and flush toilets) - so I'm thinking of dusting off the internal frame pack for the next trip up and leaving the cooler full of Guiness Stout at home :drink: with over 2,000 miles of hiking trails I shouldn't have any problems finding my own space

High Falls Gorge (http://www.highfallsgorge.com/) (private / pay to enter) - pictures just can't capture the awesome force of the water through the flumes and gorges of this area
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3157HighFallsGorge2.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3162HighFallsGorge.jpg

The Tahawus/McIntyre blast furnace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahawus,_New_York) - with all sorts of machinery scattered in the woods surrounding it
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3170Tahawusblastfurnace.jpg
I'd love to use that ore cart for a trailer, but it'd weigh more than the truck
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3169Tahawusblastfurnace.jpg
these are the giant bellows for the furnace (crushed duct work on top)
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3183Tahawusblastfurnace.jpg
some of the machinery that was used to drive the bellows
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3178Tahawusblastfurnace.jpg
the giant gear was probably ~50 ft diameter
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3179Tahawusblastfurnace.jpg
some of the buildings left at Tahawus (the only real ghost town in the Adirondacks, probably a dozen buildings - no vandalism, unsafe/don't enter and located right at a trailhead)http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3186Tahawus.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3201Tahawus.jpg

we also hit up the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves (http://www.stonebridgeandcaves.com/) park (private / pay to enter)
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3208NaturalStoneBridgeandCaves.jpg
in the summer they have "Adventure Tours" where they put you in an orange jumpsuit and you get wet spelunking - another goal for this summer
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3218NaturalStoneBridgeandCaves.jpg

Giant Mtn falls
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3240GiantMntnfalls.jpg
and the nearby campground (complete with outhouse, gorgeous site and hidden from the main trail)http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3245GiantMtncamping.jpg

Wilmington Flume
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk171/batardsalamano/09-05%20Adirondacks/100_3251WilmingtonFlume.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

looks like you and liz had a good time! absolutely beautiful up there and all that old machinery is AWESOME!!!

looks like a place ill have to hit up sometime if i ever make it out that way.

[reggie 00]

and leaving the cooler full of Guinness Stout at home :drink:


Blasphemy

For shame.

They make soft sided coolers.

Cool pic looked like a lot of fun.

[corax]

and leaving the cooler full of Guinness Stout at home :drink:


Blasphemy

For shame.

They make soft sided coolers.

Cool pic looked like a lot of fun.



drink of choice for backpacking is vodka/orange juice . . . it's healthier :D

[paddlenbike]

Wow, super nice pics--water features are one of my favorite things to look at. Being a native Californian I had no idea there was stuff like that in NY. It sure is on my travel list now.

[troyboy162]

really great pictures! i read bout Tahawus from the link you posted before and that must have been a cool place to check out. looks like a perfect trip!