Enjoy four stunning days in the Adirondacks with the League’s Excelsior Society.

This tour is now sold out.

Itinerary

Thursday, September 21 - We’ll meet at the Albany/Rensselaer Amtrak Station mid-morning and board a luxury coach to our first destination – Fort Ticonderoga and the newly opened and restored Pell Pavilion. Here we will be met by Fort Ticonderoga President & CEO Beth Hill, and for the next 2 ½ hours we’ll be treated to behind-the-scenes tours with Stuart Lilie, Vice President of Public History and Curator Dr. Matthew Keagle.

Highlights Include:

  • Preservation of the historic King’s Garden and 1826 Pavilion, from renovation in 1909, garden rebuilding in 1997, to the Pavilion's recent complete restoration led by the 2023 Pillar Award winning firm of John G. Waite Associates, Architects. Step inside to discover the legacy of stewardship and public service embodied by this National Historic Landmark.

  • The building and re-building of Fort Ticonderoga, an ongoing task from 1755 to the present. From the original construction during Ticonderoga’s primacy in the wars of the late 18th century, to its position as one of North America’s first historic restorations, and ongoing restoration efforts, learn more about Fort Ticonderoga’s central place in American history and memory.

  • A walk inside the Mars Education Center for a viewing of Fort Ticonderoga’s surviving ruins in the long room casemate, a space closed off to the general public.

Following our tour, we’ll re-board the coach and continue to the historic Ausable Club, our accommodations for the night.

The Ausable Club was built in 1905. It is a 3 ½ story clapboard building with Queen Anne details, arranged in two long blocks joined by a large octagonal porch. The National Register-listed building has experienced remarkably little change — inside or out — since it was built more than a century ago.

This evening, after a seated dinner, we will enjoy a fireside chat with Wes Haynes and Brad Edmondson. Wes has a long career in historic preservation, including stints with the League, the NY Landmarks Conservancy, CT Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Merritt Parkway Conservancy. Brad’s extraordinary book, A Wild Idea, tells the saga of the 20-year citizens’ campaign that resulted in the founding of the Adirondack Park Agency 52 years ago.

Friday, September 22 – After breakfast, our first stop will be to tour Camp Pine Knot. The architectural style known as the "Great Camp" originated in Raquette Lake with Camp Pine Knot. It was here that William West Durant began his “creation of a harmonious woodland architecture that epitomizes the Great Camp architectural style.” The boat ride to and from the Camp is a highlight in and of itself.

The Adirondack Experience on Blue Mountain Lake is our next stop. In addition to visiting the museum’s extensive exhibits on Adirondacks life, we’ll enjoy a private, curatorial tour of the brand-new permanent art exhibition Artists & Inspiration in the Wild (opens summer 2023).

Then on to the beautiful Adirondack League Club (ALC) which will be our homebase for the next two days. The ALC encompasses over 50,000 acres, making it the largest privately held preserve in the Adirondack Park. Its commitment to conservation and preservation has served members — and the region — extremely well for more than 125 years.

Tonight, we’ll be entertained by singer/songwriter Dan Berggren, “a tradition-based songsmith (who) writes with honesty, humor and a strong sense of place.” An Adirondacks native, Dan’s songs “explore the many dimensions of home, hardworking folks, taking care of our planet and each other.”

Saturday, September 23 – Today we’ll visit Great Camps Sagamore and Uncas. Completed in 1895, Camp Uncas was the second Great Camp built by WW Durant for his own use and is considered one of the finest examples of these homes. He employed 200 men to build miles of roads, cut local spruce for the buildings, and quarry nearby granite for fireplaces, foundations, and other structural elements. This was Durant’s most ambitious project and ultimately put him in financial distress. These difficulties forced him to sell Uncas to J. P. Morgan with 1,100 acres in 1896. In 2010, the 20-building complex was designated a National Landmark by the US Department of Interior and still houses some of the original furnishings today.

Sagamore, another Great Camp built by Durant between 1895-1897, was arranged in two complexes, the Upper where workers were housed, and the Lower, a guest complex. You’ll learn the fascinating story of how the League and a small group of activists saved the Lower Camp from demolition by the State of New York In 1983.

During our break for lunch, Erin Tobin, Executive Director of Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), will tell us about Great Camp Santanoni. Santanoni was owned privately by the Pruyn family for more than 80 years. Ultimately, the buildings and nearly 13,000 acres were transferred to the state of New York to be added into the State Forest Preserve. Today, this important Camp is managed in a partnership between AARCH, the Town of Newcomb, and the NYSDEC.

Upon our return to the ALC, we’ll be treated to a barbeque and bonfire, a longstanding Saturday night tradition.

Sunday, September 24 is a bit more leisurely. We’ll offer guided hikes and perhaps some boating in the morning. And if time permits, tours of some of this historic lakeside homes. Then on to Old Forge to enjoy the historic Old Forge Hardware Store, “the Adirondack’s Most General Store,” and a walking tour of the Old Forge historic district.

Our motor coach will return us to the Albany/Rensselaer Amtrak Station in time to make a mid-afternoon train back to NYC.

What’s Included?

  • Daily luxury motor coach transportation throughout our tour starting and ending at the Albany/Rensselaer Amtrak Station

  • Hotel accommodations at the Ausable Club and the Adirondack League Club (3 nights total)

  • Three meals daily (pre-dinner cocktails and wine with dinner included)

  • Generous snacks and water on board the coach at all times

  • Guided tours and private visits as described in the itinerary

  • One year membership in the League's Excelsior Society ($1,000 donation included in tour price is fully tax deductible)

What’s Not Included?

  • Transportation costs not included in the tour itinerary

  • Any extra costs incurred by you

  • Private transportation in the event of early departure

ADIRONDACKS RECOMMENDED READING

General Reading on the Adirondacks

Titles available via Bookshop.org:

Titles available at Amazon:

Titles available at Old Forge Hardware:

Reading About Fort Ticonderoga

Fort Ticonderoga Videos