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October in the Adirondacks

By JIM NIGRO

This is a view of the Moose River as seen from the Route 28 bridge in McKeever, NY. Bill Moon and I arrived in Old Forge on a Thursday to do a bit of sightseeing and picture taking before canoeing the north branch of the Moose the following day. 

We drove further north to Inlet where Bill had bow hunted in the past. Old logging roads offered access well off the beaten path, with numerous campsites along the way. Here the late afternoon sun illumines towering spruce trees.      

Dead timber, colorful maples and spruce frame the shoreline of a placid pond.

A totally calm surface on Nick's Lake provides a mirror image along the shoreline. 

These canoes no doubt saw a good deal of use this year, but on this day not a soul around. 

Winterberry -- we would see plenty of this stuff growing along the north branch of the Moose River. There we would find it in huge clusters and already minus much of its leafy growth. Stay tuned -- the canoe trip was quite breathtaking.

C. M. Barons

Jim, growing up in Bergen, we had a neighbor- a couple doors down; his name was Wilson. ...Guessing he was in his seventies then. He used to tell stories of being a logger in the Adirondacks, likely in the 1920s. When he discovered that our family intended to vacation near Old Forge, he asked us to keep our eyes open for a huge outcrop of rock along the Moose River. He said it was called "Raven's Rock." I don't recall any explanation for its name. We followed Moose River Rd. which parallels the river for several miles, and photographed what our neighbor later identified as Raven's Rock. The locale is truly a natural treasure, and your photographs do justice to one of New York's great regions. Thanks for sharing.

If I can get my hands on a photograph, I'll post it.

Oct 23, 2011, 7:17pm Permalink
Gary Spencer

not sure why these are posted on thebatavian, I thought thebatavian was a local online news service....just asking, don't want to get anybody pissed off.......

Oct 24, 2011, 8:18am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Jim Nigro, a Batavia resident, has been covering the outdoors in local media for decades. Two or so years ago he offered to write for The Batavian. His posts have always been about a wide range of topics, from shark hunts to trips to Alaska. Jim has a big following locally for his outdoors coverage.

Oct 24, 2011, 8:26am Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Jim.....quick question. Its been over 20 years but the sand beach reminded me of a place I used to go to up there near Big Moose.....Is Nicks Lake also known as Darts Lake too? I know coming up from inlet towards Big Moose you passed the trailheads for Moss Lake, Blue Mountain Lake then Dart's Camp/Lake then Big Moose. It just looks so familiar I was just wondering.

Oct 24, 2011, 12:41pm Permalink
JIM NIGRO

C.M. - thanks for your comments and that bit of Adirondack history....if your ever come across that photo of Raven's Rock I'd really love to see it!

Oct 24, 2011, 9:38pm Permalink
JIM NIGRO

Kyle - I really couldn't say if Nick's Lake is known by another name ...but I will have a look see on the topo maps.

They are two different lakes - and your memory is good....Dart Lake is north of rt 28, just south of Big Moose as you said, while Nick's is south of rt. 28.

Oct 24, 2011, 10:41pm Permalink

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