Scenic Byways

Adirondacks, New York

As part of our trip through scenic roadways and byways of America, my wife and I drove to the alpine village of Lake Placid in the Adirondacks—home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Games—during the weekend of October 14. Our visit coincided with the peak fall foliage when the Adirondacks become a kaleidoscope of colours. 

The five-hour drive from our home straight north on Interstate 87 took us past Lake George_ nicknamed the Queen of American Lakes_ and through the shimmering slate faces of the mountains that got taller and taller as we drove by. 
The 6 million acres Adirondack Park is an all-season playground offering unparalleled outdoor recreation. It’s an odd park, though, for more than half the land within its boundaries is owned by private citizens.
The Adirondacks is home to dense forests, endless trails, rolling hills, majestic mountains, gaping chasms and precipitous gorges, roaring waterfalls, pristine lakes, ponds, rivers, whitewater rapids, streams and cornucopia of wildlife. All these attractions are easily accessible by scenic roads and byways.
Our jaunt started on a picture perfect day with a drive on the 2.7-mile loop around the Mirror Lake. The drive took us through a tranquil spot in the heart of Lake Placid from where we saw amazing fall foliage reflections on the glass-like surface of the lake. 
A visit to the Adirondacks is not complete without a drive to the summit of the 4,865 feet high Whiteface Mountain – New York’s fifth-highest. To go to the mountain, we had to drive to Wilmington, a small hamlet at the foothills of the mountain. The 12.5-mile drive on scenic Route 86 goes past the famous downhill ski slopes of Whiteface that have challenged Olympic champions and continue to challenge Olympic hopefuls and recreational skiers. The road also cuts through forests of maple, hemlock, beech and birch that exploded with red, yellow and orange colours. 
From Wilmington, we took the Veterans’ Memorial Highway that rises more than 2,300 feet over 8 miles. The euphoria of reaching the summit and the panoramic views of the Adirondacks, Lake George, Lake Champlain and mountains stretching as far as New Hampshire was the ultimate reward.
Next on our bucket list was the Ausable Chasm, also known as the ‘Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks’. Formed of sandstone 500 million years ago, it’s a place of wonder, an interesting illustration of rock fracture.  From the chasm, we drove to Lake Flower in Saranac Lake, 9.5 miles west of Lake Placid. This lake also beckons nature lovers to capture the brilliant colors of the mountains in the background.
On our way to home, the 32-mile drive on Route 73 between Lake Placid and Interstate 87 climbed through narrow passes flanked by towering mountains and Ausable River. The open valley of the river provided expansive views of the surrounding High Peaks of the Adirondacks. 

The writer is Professor of Physics at Fordham University, New York.

Photos: Writer & Mahjabeen Haider

Scenic Byways

Adirondacks, New York

As part of our trip through scenic roadways and byways of America, my wife and I drove to the alpine village of Lake Placid in the Adirondackshome of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Gamesduring the weekend of October 14. Our visit coincided with the peak fall foliage when the Adirondacks become a kaleidoscope of colours. The five-hour drive from our home straight north on Interstate 87 took us past Lake George_ nicknamed the Queen of American Lakes_ and through the shimmering slate faces of the mountains that got taller and taller as we drove by. The 6 million acres Adirondack Park is an all-season playground offering unparalleled outdoor recreation. Its an odd park, though, for more than half the land within its boundaries is owned by private citizens. The Adirondacks is home to dense forests, endless trails, rolling hills, majestic mountains, gaping chasms and precipitous gorges, roaring waterfalls, pristine lakes, ponds, rivers, whitewater rapids, streams and cornucopia of wildlife. All these attractions are easily accessible by scenic roads and byways. Our jaunt started on a picture perfect day with a drive on the 2.7-mile loop around the Mirror Lake. The drive took us through a tranquil spot in the heart of Lake Placid from where we saw amazing fall foliage reflections on the glass-like surface of the lake. A visit to the Adirondacks is not complete without a drive to the summit of the 4,865 feet high Whiteface Mountain New Yorks fifth-highest. To go to the mountain, we had to drive to Wilmington, a small hamlet at the foothills of the mountain. The 12.5-mile drive on scenic Route 86 goes past the famous downhill ski slopes of Whiteface that have challenged Olympic champions and continue to challenge Olympic hopefuls and recreational skiers. The road also cuts through forests of maple, hemlock, beech and birch that exploded with red, yellow and orange colours. From Wilmington, we took the Veterans Memorial Highway that rises more than 2,300 feet over 8 miles. The euphoria of reaching the summit and the panoramic views of the Adirondacks, Lake George, Lake Champlain and mountains stretching as far as New Hampshire was the ultimate reward. Next on our bucket list was the Ausable Chasm, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks. Formed of sandstone 500 million years ago, its a place of wonder, an interesting illustration of rock fracture. From the chasm, we drove to Lake Flower in Saranac Lake, 9.5 miles west of Lake Placid. This lake also beckons nature lovers to capture the brilliant colors of the mountains in the background. On our way to home, the 32-mile drive on Route 73 between Lake Placid and Interstate 87 climbed through narrow passes flanked by towering mountains and Ausable River. The open valley of the river provided expansive views of the surrounding High Peaks of the Adirondacks. The writer is Professor of Physics at Fordham University, New York. Photos: Writer Mahjabeen Haider