Autumn in the Adirondacks (by Ian Plant)

The fall foliage of the Northeast is legendary, but one of my favorite places to shoot autumn color is just next door: the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. The Adirondacks have all the beautiful colors of the great north woods — including the oranges and reds of sugar maples, and the golden yellows of aspen and birch — as well as some of the most stunning mountain scenery in the Eastern United States. With a unique mix of rocky peaks, endless forests, swift-running streams and waterfalls, and innumerable mountain lakes, ponds, and alpine bogs, the Adirondacks are one of the finest places on earth to photograph the glory of autumn.

The rugged character of the Adirondacks adds to the drama of the scenery. Tall cliffs soar hundreds of feet above alpine tarns; waterfalls tumble down steep defiles into deep plunge pools; and glacial erratic boulders rest precariously on rocky summits. Because of the combination of high latitude and altitude, weather is highly unpredictible; autumn snowstorms are common, adding a sprinkling of white frosting over the autumn color. Early morning fog is common as well, adding an element of mystery.

Adirondack State Park is protected by the New York State Constitution, its lands to be kept “forever wild.” It is the only wild land preserve in the United States to have constitutional protection. The park is over six million acres in size, making it larger than Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Great Smoky, and Everglades National Park combined. It almost goes without saying: there’s no end of things to see and do in the Adirondacks.

I have been exploring the Adirondacks since I was a kid. I have hiked extensively in the region. I have backpacked the 130 mile-long Northville-Placid Trail, and I am an Adirondack 46er, having climbed the 46 highest peaks in the park. The Adirondack 46ers are the original “peak bagging” club in the United States. Originally, the challenge was to climb all the peaks above 4,000 feet, which numbered 46. Subsequently, 4 of the original peaks were shown to be just under 4,000 feet, but have been kept as part of the challenge nonetheless.

I am leading a Workshop in the Lake Placid region of the Adirondacks from October 1-4. There’s still a few spots open; hope to see you there! To learn more about places in the Adirondacks to visit, read my Article on the Mountain Trail Photo site.

~ by mountaintrailphoto on September 3, 2009.