Fall Weekend by Boat & Boot at Indian Lake

This article along with others can be found at Pure Adirondacks. Please note this article was written in 2020.

Autumn is upon us, and the vast hardwood forests of the Northeast are putting on the annual show that rivals any natural spectacle in the world. While the fall season has always been a popular time for hikers and roadside tourists alike to get out and explore, larger crowds than usual are expected this fall due to COVID-19 and the fact that being outside is one of the safest ways to get away from home during these tough times. The Adirondack Mountains have long been a haven for stressed and overworked city dwellers to get back to nature, and unsurprisingly the ever-popular High Peaks region has been experiencing record visitation throughout the summer and early fall. Hoping to avoid the maddening crowds while simultaneously exploring a part of the Adirondacks that we had yet to properly experience, my wife, dog and I recently went on a canoe camping trip to Indian Lake that quickly became our all-time favorite camping trip.

Located in the Central Adirondacks, approximately a 70 mile and 90-minute drive southwest from Lake Placid, Indian Lake is a 12-mile-long reservoir that runs southwest from the tiny town of Indian Lake. While not quite as wild (the west shore has some development) as some of the more remote ponds and lakes of the Adirondacks, Indian Lake still has a relatively remote feel to it, especially on the eastern shore which is largely Forest Preserve land. The lake is peppered with several rocky islands, ranging in size from nothing more than a few boulders to over 1,000 feet in length. The best thing about Indian Lake is that it possesses the Indian Lake Islands Campground, which consists of 55 campsites (each with a picnic table, an outhouse, and firepit) spread along the lakeshore and islands that can only be accessed via boat. Sites can be booked up to 9 months in advance, and while they’re incredibly popular during the summer, as the temperature begins to drop in the fall, so does the visitation. Note: due to COVID-19, the DEC and New York State Parks have temporarily lifted the 9-month reservation window restriction for camping at New York State Parks, including Indian Lake Islands, and bookings for 2021 are currently being accepted.

While all of the campsites offer privacy and outstanding views, nothing can beat the experience of camping on your very own private island. Of the 55 campsites at Indian Lake, five of them are on an island with no other campsites. Of this handful of select sites, the most outstanding site might be campsite 2 on Kirpens Island, which offers several advantages compared to the other sites. Situated due east from Indian Lake Marina (518-648-5459), the campsite on Kirpens Island can be quickly accessed via a 20-30 minute, mile-long paddle if launching from the marina, as compared to the 8-mile-long paddle if starting from the access point and campground check-in center on the south end of the lake. Another plus of starting from the marina is that it makes renting a canoe or kayak easy if you don’t own a boat, although rentals for the 2020 season have been suspended due to COVID-19. Kirpens Island is also one of the largest islands on Indian Lake, with countless nooks and crannies along the shore to explore, as well as some informal trails that lead to the far reaches of the island from the camping area on the north side of the island. A number of smaller islands surround Kirpens and make interesting photography subjects, especially in the fall when the berry bushes, maples, and birches that are prevalent on the islands show off their fall colors.

What really sets Kirpens Island apart from the other sites at Indian Lake, though, is its proximity to the Baldface Mountain trailhead. The trailhead is a quick five-minute paddle east from camp into a quiet bay and is only accessible by boat. This difficulty of access greatly minimizes the crowds, and on a beautiful Saturday with near-peak foliage conditions, we had the trail and summit all to ourselves. After beaching your boat on the shore near a large boulder marked with white paint, an easy 0.8-mile-long trail with red trail markers and 550 feet of elevation gain weaves through the forest before breaking out on a rocky ledge perched just above the treetops, with the long blue swath of Indian Lake and its islands spreading out in the distance. Fall views don’t get any better than this, as the predominantly hardwood forest that surrounds Indian Lake bursts with a vibrant array of red, orange, yellow, and purple in late September to early October. After enjoying the view from Baldface, head back down to the lake and explore the islands near Kirpens, marveling at the banded metamorphic bedrock that the islands consist of, which makes for fantastic photo opportunities.

Once back at camp, cap off a spectacular day of autumn exploration in complete solitude by watching the sun set over Indian Lake and Snowy Mountain from an open ledge high above the lake on the west side of the island, and perhaps raise a glass of your favorite beverage to toast your own private piece of autumn heaven.

Fine Art Prints

To truly appreciate the colors and details of a stunning photograph, nothing compares to a fine art print. Prints not only provide a means to display a photograph at a much larger scale, they also allow for the photograph to be printed in an expanded color space beyond the sRGB of the Web. The result is a piece of art that fully captures the details, colors, and beauty of the scene as I experienced it.

Aluminum Prints
My personal favorite method of photo printing and display is to print my photographs on aluminum through a process known as dye-sublimation. The result is a print of unrivaled clarity, color, and beauty. Aluminum prints come ready-to-hang using a float mount, which sets the print 1″ off the wall, giving the print the appearance of “floating” off the wall. This striking and modern look eliminates the need for a frame, matting, and glass, reducing cost and glare.


Paper Prints
Traditional paper prints are an excellent and affordable way to enjoy my photography in your home or office. Prints are made on high-quality Kodak Lustre paper, which showcases the colors and contrast of the image and has a slight, almost pearl-like texture that provides added depth. This paper also has the benefit of possessing minimal glare, so that the print can be enjoyed in uneven lighting when framed.



Canvas Prints
Canvas prints come ready to hang, and their lightweight nature makes hanging them a breeze. The canvas is wrapped around a 1.25 inch thick pinewood frame, and images are printed on high-quality canvas that will resist fading for over 100 years.


Finishing Touches
All prints are digitally-signed, and include the year in which they were printed. While prints are typically signed in the bottom-right corner, occasionally the bottom-left will be signed if it fits the composition better. I also include a handwritten note with each print about the moment captured in the photograph, what it means to me, and what I hope it will mean to you.

Custom orders
Looking to purchase a print in a different style than aluminum, paper, or canvas? Please reach out to me via the “contact” header on this website and I’d be happy to work with you to meet your needs.

Photo of the Week

These days, it seems like everyone has places to go, things to do, and lists to check off. I originally had plans to climb a mountain on this fine October day in the Adirondacks, but after arriving at this pond en route to the summit, I scrapped my plans and spent the entire day relaxing, exploring, and photographing the pond and the surrounding forest. By doing so, I was able to appreciate things that I never would have even noticed had I hustled up a mountain. Things like sunlight filtering through the colorful forest canopy, birch trunks reflecting in the pond in a hypnotizingly serene manner, and flying squirrels poking their heads out of their tree trunk abode. This day was a reminder of the many benefits to slowing down and enjoying where you are, rather than obsessing over where you’ll go next. Prints Available.

Autumn Elopement In The ADK

This article along with others can be found at Pure Adirondacks.

The alarms go off early, and preparation for the big day begins in earnest. The bride-to-be and her bridesmaids are whisked away for hours of hair and makeup, friends and family are coordinated, and groomsmen shake off their hangovers just in time to throw on their tuxes for photos. The typical wedding morning can no doubt be a whirlwind, with places to go, things to do, and people to see. This past October, when it came time for my wife and I to tie the knot, we took a different route. One that reflected not only our love for each other, but also our love for the Adirondack wilderness and the part it played in bonding us together over the past year and a half. And what better place to celebrate all of these things than in a cozy cabin nestled in the mountains? The general chaos of a typical wedding morning was replaced with peaceful calm, as we kicked off the festivities by witnessing and photographing an incredible sunrise, with not another soul in sight. We watched colorful clouds roll over the summit of Whiteface while breathing in crisp morning air laced with the unmistakable scent of fall.

While cabins are found throughout the United States, in terms of quantity and diversity, there may be no better place in the country to experience the joy of the cabin than the Adirondack Mountains. Cabins of all shapes and sizes can be found throughout the six million acres of mountains, lakes, and charming towns that comprise the Adirondack Park. Some are small and rustic, whisking the visitor back in time to live the life of a homesteader, while others are large and grandiose, providing amenities and creature comforts that far exceed those that can be found at the finest hotels. No matter the cabin, though, the connection to the wilds that the inhabitant will feel and disconnection from everyday life will be achieved.

Adirondack cabins hold a special place in our heart, and my wife and I have commemorated several of our biggest moments at various cabins in the Adirondacks. We rang in our first New Year together at a cozy cabin in Jay, with the hum of the woodstove and rain tapping on the roof, replacing the sounds of a crowded bar filled with boisterous New Year’s Eve revelers. When the moment to propose finally arrived, I chose a cabin near North Creek as the destination, and we became engaged along the sunny banks of a pristine creek that ran right along the back of the cabin. It was then a no-brainer, really, to elope to an Adirondack cabin to become husband and wife. For each of these moments, the cabin was our haven, our private hideaway to immerse ourselves in the rejuvenating Adirondack wilderness and our love for each other.

After watching the sunrise and making a hearty breakfast, we had a relaxing morning taking wedding photos of ourselves and our “dog of honor,” Maggie, at our own pace. As the morning lingered on, the three of us picked out a pretty spot between the birches where we would exchange our vows. We were blessed with an exceptionally beautiful late October day, as puffy clouds filled the deep blue sky and bright sunshine illuminated the mountains and meadow that bordered our cabin. With Maggie as our officiant, witness, and dog of honor, we exchanged our vows surrounded by the Adirondack wilderness, and then popped some champagne and FaceTimed with our families to share our joy with them. We would spend the next three days reveling in our union, admiring our rings, and savoring the mountain views from the hot tub on the back porch of the cabin. While it may not have been the most traditional way to get married, it was uniquely us, uniquely Adirondack, and we wouldn’t have it any otherway.

Photo of the Week

Just after sunrise on a late September morning, I awoke at my backcountry campsite to find a beautiful combination of soft light, fall foliage, and morning fog from a rocky lookout. I utilized a long exposure to reveal the motion of the clouds streaking through the sky and the fog ever so slightly rolling over the mountain ridges. Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia. Prints Available.