Links to people, places, and resources that have influenced this blog, from restaurants to great spots we’ve enjoyed visiting in our travels.

New York

The Adirondacks – Hiking & Exploring

Catch a glimpse of why we love these mountains in Blake Cortright’s stunning 2017 film, The 46ers.

The Keene Valley is a great starting point for the High Peaks, with abundant hiking and camping. Don’t want to camp? Tmax-n-Topo’s Hostel is an essential stopover for any aspiring 46er or outdoor adventurer. The proprietors are both 46ers and know these mountains intimately. Also in the Keene Valley is the Adirondack Loj offering lodging, parking, and camping right at the trailheads to multiple High Peaks. No trip to the Keene Valley is complete without a slice of homemade pie from the Noonmark Diner.

ADK Firetower Challenge – The 25 firetowers that make up this challenge offer stunning vistas of mountains and history, imagining the lonely lives of fire lookouts.

Ring the bell as a Saranac Lake 6er, completing all 6 peaks surrounding the beautiful mountain lake. For an extra challenge, become an Ultra 6er, hiking nonstop to finish in under 24 hours!

An hour west of Saranac Lake is another beautiful challenge: the Cranberry Lake 50 miler, a relatively flat backpacking loop around a wilderness marshland managed by resident beavers.

If you don’t want to hike but would like to immerse yourself in the culture of the Adirondacks, Lake Luzerne is a gem. Kevin spent a day at the Adirondack Folk School there in a photo workshop called Perfect Pictures Every Time with nature photographer Carl Heilman II. Interested in forging or making a live edge bowl? The Folk School offers many courses and a gift shop for locally-made art in a beautiful setting right next to the Hudson River. Staying overnight? We loved our stay at the A&E Bed & Breakfast in Corinth, just 10 minutes from the Folk School. Proprietors Eric and Ashley have created a backyard haven for their guests, with adorable cabins surrounding a huge fire pit.