THE ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS 2/ 



densely forested mountains, this is perhaps the most picturesque 

 lake region of eastern North America. Along the shores of all the 

 larger lakes there are many summer homes and hotels ranging 

 from very moderate cottages and boarding houses to magnificent 

 homes and hotels. Most famous of all are Lake George and Lake 

 Placid. Practically none of the lakes were in existence before the 

 Ice Age. 



As regards shape, there are several distinct types of Adirondack 

 lakes. One type, which may be called linear, is long, narrow and 

 straight. Such lakes occupy what were stream channels before the 

 Ice Age. Examples are Lake George, Schroon lake, Indian lake 

 and Long lake. Another type has an exceedingly irregular shore 

 line. Lakes of this sort occupy what were, before the Ice Age, 

 broad, relatively flat valleys or, more exactly, two or more adjacent 

 valleys, separated by only low divides, the waters backing up into 

 the side valleys and leaving rock islands and peninsulas. Good 

 examples of this tpye are Lower Saranac lake, Cranberry lake and 

 Raquette lake. A third type is comparatively round, many of the 

 ponds and smaller lakes especially belonging to this category. The 

 origin of the various types of lakes will be discussed toward the 

 close of the next chapter. 



Though the numerous lakes are scattered throughout the Adiron- 

 dacks, there are, nevertheless, certain more or less well-defined 

 lake belts or groups. Most conspicuous of all is the great lake 

 belt or district some 60 miles long and 10 to 20 miles wide extend- 

 ing northeast by southwest from Lake Placid and the St Regis 

 Lakes on the north to the Fulton chain of lakes on the south. This 

 lake belt lies almost wholly west of the main axis of elevation 

 through the Adirondacks. Not only are lakes and ponds notably 

 more abundant in this district than elsewhere, but also here are to 

 be found many of the larger and better known lakes as, for example, 

 Lake Placid, the St Regis lakes, the Saranac lakes, Big and Little 

 Tupper lakes, Long lake, Blue Mountain lake, Raquette lake, and 

 the Fulton chain of lakes. Most numerous of all are the lakes and 

 ponds in the Saranac-St Regis Lakes district, there being some- 

 thing like 150 within the 214 square miles of the St Regis quad- 

 rangle alone. By far most of the lakes of the great belt lie between 

 1500 and 2000 feet above sea level. Only a few of the most 

 prominent ones will be briefly described here, the problem of the 

 origin and destruction of the lakes being mainly reserved for dis- 

 cussion in the next chapter. 



