AMC Adirondack Adventure Trip - June 13-20, 2015
The AMC Hike Leader has cancelled this trip for 2015.
It will be offered again in 2016, so please take a look at the information and plan to join us then.
It will be offered again in 2016, so please take a look at the information and plan to join us then.
Join the CT Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club and Broadwing Adventures for the third Adirondack Adventure Trip;
a unique offering that combines the beauty of hiking in the Adirondacks Mountains while staying at White Pine Camp, one of the Great Camps of the Adirondacks built over 100 years ago. |
Fire Tower Mountains Past & Present

Explore a beautiful corner of the Adirondacks by hiking five mountains in the Northern Adirondacks. All of these are Fire Tower Mountains, three still have the original structures and one of those is restored and climbable. On your guided exploration, you will learn about the history, ecology and conservation of the area.

The group will hike each morning, enjoy lunch on the trail and return to White Pine Camp in the mid to late afternoon for relaxation and independent exploration. Dinner will be prepared by the group and there will be a few optional evening activities. Meals provided.
Dates: One week, June 13-20, 2015
Arrival: Saturday, June 13 @ 4:00 PM at White Pine Camp
Departure: Saturday, June 20 @ 11:00 AM
Lodging: White Pine Camp, Paul Smiths, NY
Cost: $795 AMC & ADK members, $845 non-members, (5 % discount for couples) Limit: 6
Leader: AMC Trip Leader, Leo Kelly
Support by Adirondack Guide, Doug Fitzgerald - Broadwing Adventures
Arrival: Saturday, June 13 @ 4:00 PM at White Pine Camp
Departure: Saturday, June 20 @ 11:00 AM
Lodging: White Pine Camp, Paul Smiths, NY
Cost: $795 AMC & ADK members, $845 non-members, (5 % discount for couples) Limit: 6
Leader: AMC Trip Leader, Leo Kelly
Support by Adirondack Guide, Doug Fitzgerald - Broadwing Adventures
Activity Level – Moderate
Package Includes:

* Guided hiking of Ampersand, Azure, Debar, Loon Lake and St. Regis Mountains.
* Lodging at White Pine Camp on beautiful Osgood Pond. The group will be staying in the Gate House Cottage. Click here to see a description.
* Meals include 6 dinners, 6 trail lunches and 7 breakfasts. There will be one evening where participants will have dinner on their own. Participants will prepare their own breakfast and trail lunch. The group will assist in the preparation and clean-up of dinner.
* Daily transportation from White Pine Camp to the trailhead and return.
* Leadership by veteran AMC Trip Leader, Leo Kelly with local knowledge and logistical support from NYS guide Doug Fitzgerald of Broadwing Adventures
* Time for daily relaxation and independent discovery.
* Optional evening activities.
* An optional short bushwhack hike to see the tallest trees in NY
* Lodging at White Pine Camp on beautiful Osgood Pond. The group will be staying in the Gate House Cottage. Click here to see a description.
* Meals include 6 dinners, 6 trail lunches and 7 breakfasts. There will be one evening where participants will have dinner on their own. Participants will prepare their own breakfast and trail lunch. The group will assist in the preparation and clean-up of dinner.
* Daily transportation from White Pine Camp to the trailhead and return.
* Leadership by veteran AMC Trip Leader, Leo Kelly with local knowledge and logistical support from NYS guide Doug Fitzgerald of Broadwing Adventures
* Time for daily relaxation and independent discovery.
* Optional evening activities.
* An optional short bushwhack hike to see the tallest trees in NY
To register or for more information contact:

Proposed Itinerary
Saturday, June 13 - Arrive

Arrive at White Pine Camp by 4:00 PM. We will meet at the Gatehouse. After check in, we will tour the camp and then enjoy light refreshments at the boathouse and talk about the week ahead. Dinner will be a barbecue, followed by an evening campfire where we will get to know each other better. If you would like, bring a musical instrument or a story to share.
Note – The itinerary for Sunday through Friday is designed for optimum enjoyment of the group. After the group meets on Saturday we will review the plan and the weather forecast and discuss with the group any modifications that may improve the experience.
Sunday, June 14 - Ampersand Mountain

Kitchen open for breakfast preparation at 6:30 AM. At 8:15 AM we will meet to discuss the day’s hike and drive to the trailhead of 3,352 ft. Ampersand Mountain. A fire tower stood on the top of the mountain from 1920 until 1977. The bare summit still affords magnificent views in nearly all directions. To the south are Ampersand Lake and the Western High Peaks, to the north countless bodies of water can be seen with the Saranac Chain of Lakes as the center attraction.
Upon our return to “The Pine” we will relax and prepare for dinner. An evening program will be offered after clean up.
Upon our return to “The Pine” we will relax and prepare for dinner. An evening program will be offered after clean up.
Monday, June 15 - Azure Mountain

The trail to the top of 2,518-foot Azure Mountain is about a mile long with an ascent of 944 ft. Total round trip time for the hike should be less than two hours, depending on the amount of time spent on top. In 2002 a friends group restored the fire tower and it is now open to the public. Views of the northern Adirondacks are full of rolling terrain and countless mountains, along with numerous water bodies. This should be an easy day with time to relax and enjoy the camp in the afternoon.
No evening program will be offered. Relax and enjoy the camp.
No evening program will be offered. Relax and enjoy the camp.
Tuesday, June 16 - Debar Mountain

Debar Mountain stands at an elevation of 3,305 ft. The hike to the summit is 3.7 miles and ascends just over 1,600 ft. The fire tower that once stood here is gone, but there are still a few views left even though the summit is recovering from being completely cleared in the 1870s. The grade is relatively easy for the first 3.2 miles, where we'll reach a lean to. The last 0.5 mile we will climb 800 ft. on an extremely steep trail to reach the summit.
No evening program will be offered. Relax and enjoy the camp.
No evening program will be offered. Relax and enjoy the camp.
Wednesday, June 17 - Day off

Three mountains down and two to go, time for a day off. If you want you can relax and prepare your own breakfast whenever you desire. There are so many options for things to do in this area of the Adirondacks you will likely have a difficult time deciding. We will discuss the many possibilities with you to help you discover something you will enjoy. Plan to have dinner on your own this evening, ask us for recommendations.
Thursday, June 18 - Loon Lake Mountain

Back on our regular schedule, we will plan to hike 3,355 ft. Loon Lake Mountain. This 2.8 mile trail rises more than 1,600 feet and leads to an open bedrock summit providing views of Lyon Mountain, Whiteface Mountain, the High Peaks Wilderness Area, Debar Mountain and other nearby summits. Prior to October 2013 this trail was not opened to the public, so the summit has yet to be visited by many people.
This will be an enjoyable day and a nice way to get back into hiking after our day off.
We will dine back at White Pine Camp. Weather permitting, an evening campfire will be offered.
This will be an enjoyable day and a nice way to get back into hiking after our day off.
We will dine back at White Pine Camp. Weather permitting, an evening campfire will be offered.
Friday, June 19 - St. Regis Mountain

As far as Leo and Doug are concerned we have saved the best for last. St. Regis Mountain is the crown jewel of the Paul Smiths area. We have been hiking on its’ slopes for almost 40 years. The 3.4 mile hike rambles most of the way through open hardwood forests before reaching more moderate slopes with a steep final pitch. There is a fire tower on the summit, but it is not in safe condition to climb. No matter, because the views are great without the added height. To the south we will see the entire St. Regis Canoe Wilderness Area and beautiful Upper Saranac Lake with the High Peaks in the distance. To the east and northeast we will see the St. Regis Chain of Lakes and Paul Smith’s College, with Osgood Pond and “The Pine” in the distance.
Back at camp we will enjoy appetizers at the boathouse before our final dinner together. We’ll top off the evening with a campfire to honor our accomplishments and reflect on the fun we had together.
Back at camp we will enjoy appetizers at the boathouse before our final dinner together. We’ll top off the evening with a campfire to honor our accomplishments and reflect on the fun we had together.
Saturday, June 20 - Departure (optional hike to Elders Grove)

After our final breakfast together we will check out of our accommodations. For those in the group that haven’t had enough adventure, Doug and Leo will lead an optional short bushwhack to see the tallest trees in New York State. This hike is a special addition to the Adirondack Adventure Trip for those that have a couple of hours to spend before heading home. There are no trails to the Elders Grove so few people disturb the area around these trees that are well over 300 years old.
We will say our goodbyes at White Pine Camp to those not hiking.
We will say our goodbyes at White Pine Camp to those not hiking.

We look forward to sharing a week of grand adventure with you in a beautiful location. This is a perfect opportunity to discover the Adirondacks and sample a little of what the
area has to offer, all at a price that is hard to beat.
area has to offer, all at a price that is hard to beat.
More information
Adirondack Adventure Fact Sheet
View, download or print the basic information about this trip. |
Menu for the Adirondack Adventure
View, download or print the proposed menu for this trip. The ingredients for meals will be provided with some prep work completed in advance. Group members will setup, prepare and serve the meals then clean up afterwards. Vegetarian entrees available with advanced request. |
Information for Day Hikers - What to Bring and Wear
Be prepared - research your trip. Hike with a map and compass and know how to use them. Consider bringing a GPS if available. Carry a cell phone for emergencies, but don't rely on it as some location do not have signal and remember cell phone use can annoy other hikers. Bring water and extra clothes.
Be prepared - research your trip. Hike with a map and compass and know how to use them. Consider bringing a GPS if available. Carry a cell phone for emergencies, but don't rely on it as some location do not have signal and remember cell phone use can annoy other hikers. Bring water and extra clothes.
Getting Here
AMC Adirondack Adventure Trip - Meeting Place
June 13, 2015 - 4:00 PM White Pine Camp White Pine Road Paul Smiths, NY 12970 @44.458134,-74.22898 Driving From Albany, NY Take I-87 (Adirondack Northway) north to Exit 30. Follow Route 9 north to Route 73, west to Route 86, and west to Saranac Lake.. Follow Route 86 into Paul Smiths. Look for White Pine Camp's sign on the right hand side. Driving From Syracuse & points West Follow I-81 north to Watertown, then take Route 3 east towards Saranac Lake., to Route 30 towards Malone. Then take a right onto Route 86. At 0.6 of a mile on the left is White Pine Camp's sign. |
Promotional Poster for the Adirondack Adventure
Download a copy of poster advertising this event. |
Slideshow of the areas to be explored during the 2015 Adirondack Adventure
Previous Years
The 2013 AMC Adirondack Adventure was a huge success

AMC group after ringing the 6er bell
There were six participants plus AMC Hike Leader, Leo Kelly and Broadwing Adventures Guide Doug. Six of the hikers achieved the goal of completing all of the Saranac Lake 6 and one hiker set many personal firsts, highest and best records. Everyone had a fantastic time hiking, staying at White Pine Camp and enjoying home cooked meals by Doug.
The 2014 AMC Adirondack Adventure was enjoyed by all

There were five participants plus AMC Hike Leader, Leo Kelly and Broadwing Adventures Guide Doug. The trip featured five days of paddling and four mountain hikes, plus ACA certified paddling instruction. Everyone enjoyed the experience and staying at White Pine Camp.

Doug,
Great pictures - it brings back great memories of a fantastic week. Thanks again. - J
Thanks Doug!
I have been bragging to everyone about our spectacular adventure! I keep thinking about what a great time we had, and am so appreciative of all you and Leo did to plan this trip.
Hoping that next year's trip is another paddling/hiking adventure! - D
THANK YOU SO MUCH, Doug.!!!
Waking up back in frontcountry....Great Adventure.all your planing made all work well...
..thanks - L
Thanks for the best vacation !!!! S.... & I had a great time. - S
Great pictures - it brings back great memories of a fantastic week. Thanks again. - J
Thanks Doug!
I have been bragging to everyone about our spectacular adventure! I keep thinking about what a great time we had, and am so appreciative of all you and Leo did to plan this trip.
Hoping that next year's trip is another paddling/hiking adventure! - D
THANK YOU SO MUCH, Doug.!!!
Waking up back in frontcountry....Great Adventure.all your planing made all work well...
..thanks - L
Thanks for the best vacation !!!! S.... & I had a great time. - S