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| view from Mt Marshall |
What started out as just another hike and high peaks mountain climb, turned out to be a most interesting history lesson on the the 10,000 acre Tahawas Tract. The New York State Adirondack Park Agency and the Open Space Institute acquired the Tahawas Tract in 2003. The tracts mining history dated back over 170 years when the early founders discovered iron. Mining operations fizzled out in 1857 because of an impurity in the iron and lumbering and game hunting became the primary uses of the Tahawas until mining resumed in 1940. During the non-mining years the beauty of this area even attracted Teddy Roosevelt, who ironically was climbing Mount Marcy when he found out that President McKinley had been shot and he would soon be president. The villages of Tahawas and Adirondac (also known as MacIntrye) sprung up around the various operations, and you can only see caved in buildings now. Although there has been some effort to maintain in 2003 the area because of it's historical significance, even the blast furnace seems to have been neglected as of late.
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| Strange silo along CR25. Found out later was most likely used to burn scrap wood. |
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| The blast furnace along CR25 in Essex County near the trailhead. Restored in 2003, showing signs of neglect |
Although we immensely enjoyed the beauty and serenity of this area of the high peaks we were also able to get a better historical perspective of the area we traversed and some of the sights we saw that day. I won't bore you with anymore history as there is plenty out there on the net if you are interested. Although the 14+ mile hike-climb was a bit of a grind going up Mount Marshall, it was well worth it as the beauty of this area (especially the Flowed Land) is spectacular.
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| view of the Flowed Land and in the distance Avalanche Pass |
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| directions! near the Flowed Land |
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| Going up Mount Marshall, the most difficult part of climb. Much natural obstacles, cris-crossing of creek and trying to stay on herd path. |
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| nearing the top of Marshall we were afforded some nice views of neighboring Iroquois Mt |
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| Henderson Memorial |
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| nice view of Mt Colvin from Flowed Land |
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Nolan and I atop Mt Marshall No 33/46 08.09.14
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