Wright Peak
1/800 sec, f/10, ISO 400
Tucked away into the northeast corner of New York State lies this massive area of highland and rock known as the Adirondack Mountains. Far enough from any big city, this lush expanse of nature feels untamed. Although it's popular with campers and hikers, the "walks" around here can be challenging, and plentiful enough that you'll never find yourself in a crowd. This wilderness area has no shortage of places to explore and feels truly remote, with just the right proximity to civilization. The perfect balance, if you're into this kinda thing.
Whether you're looking for a thrilling high altitude experience, a casual nature walk or something in between, this is the perfect place. As for the mountains - they may not be the Himalayas or the Alps, but the High Peaks are more than a challenge for someone who has mainly hiked distance rather than altitude. Leave plenty of extra time in the day for any round-trip walk (climb) and definitely bring extra clothes, food, and flashlights, just in case.
50 miles west of the state of Vermont and less than a 2-hour's drive from the Canadian border, this is our closest mountainous area, and probably the only one reachable by drive.
Heart Lake
1/800 sec, f/10, ISO 400
The views from any of the High Peaks are spectacular in all seasons. That little pond sitting in the center of the frame is Heart Lake - a quaint little body of water lying deep in the forest at the heart (no pun intended) of this beautiful region... Our campsite was down by its shore.
This was not our first climb but it was the highest and most challenging, although we were much more prepared for it than last time. The summit of Wright Peak sits at 4,580 feet.
High Peaks Wilderness
1/800 sec, f/10, ISO 100
It was about a 6.5 kilometer trek each way, with the last kilometer to the summit quite literally scaling rock... We had a little break and picnic up here before heading down to make it back before sunset, and get some highly anticipated dinner, rest and sleep.
At the Summit
1/640 sec, f/10, ISO 100