New York State Museum Bulletin 



Application pending for admission as second-class matter at the Post Office at Albany, N. Y., 

 under the act of August 24, 1912 



Published monthly 

 No. 182 ALBANY, N. Y. February, 1916 



New York State Museum 



John M. Clarke, Director 



GEOLOGY OF THE LAKE PLEASANT QUADRANGLE, 

 HAMILTON COUNTY, NEW YORK 



By William J. Miller 



GENERAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY 



The area covered by the Lake Pleasant quadrangle (see map m 

 pocket of back cover) lies in the south-central portion of the Adiron- 

 dack region and wholly within southeastern Hamilton county. It 

 comprises an area of 216 square miles and is bounded by latitude- 

 lines 43° 15' and 43° 30' and longitude lines 74° 15' and 74° 30'. 

 The only villages are Wells, Lake Pleasant, Gilmantown, Benson, 

 and Benson Center. In most respects the region is typically Adiron- 

 dack in character, being rugged, densely wooded, sparsely settled^ 

 and with few traveled roads. In fact, an area of fully 125 square 

 miles, comprising the southwestern portion of the quadrangle and 

 immediately adjoining territory, is unusually difficult of access^ 

 being entirely devoid of traveled road or permanent residence. The 

 difficulties of doing detailed geological work in such a region are 

 impossible of appreciation by the uninitiated. 



The main road from Northville to Wells, Speculator, and Lake 

 Pleasant is much traveled, especially during the summer season, 

 there being many summer resorts around Sacandaga lake and Lake 

 Pleasant. These, and the nearby Piseco lake, are the three largest 

 lakes in the southern Adirondacks. 



All the drainage of the quadrangle passes into the Sacandaga river 

 which pursues a very circuitous course to the Hudson river at 

 Luzerne in Warren county. The main river drains Sacandaga lake 

 and Lake Pleasant and flows southward along the eastern side of 

 the quadrangle, being joined by the West Branch Sacandaga river, 

 which flows eastward across the middle of the quadrangle. 



Altitudes, vary from about 800 feet, where the Sacandaga river 



