forest and s t ream 
175 
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An Adirondack Patteran 
“Follow the cross of the gypsy trail."—Kipling. 
The Nomadic Summer Life of the North Woods, In Camps, Permanent and Transitory 
By Warwick Stevens Carpenter. 
may be a blaze on the side of 
a tree. It may be a stick up¬ 
right beside the way, with per¬ 
haps one side hewn smooth and 
the direction marked with a 
pencil. Again a branch or two 
thrown crosswise of one fork 
will show which turn to avoid. 
With unfailing precision the tenderfoot will step 
lightly over this unobtrusive barrier and go ca¬ 
reering off in the wrong direction. More spe¬ 
cific, but less frequent, are the little signboards 
of associations, clubs and individuals, telling 
whither the path leads and how far. They add 
much to the facility of forest travel, but subtract 
measurably from the alluring mystery of the un¬ 
folding trail. Most difficult of all to read are 
those informal signs of the unfrequented by¬ 
ways. Whether a logging road leads out in a 
certain direction, or will end in an aimless con¬ 
fusion of snake roads and skidways, may be told 
by the angle of intersection of connecting roads. 
The little tell-tale signs which show where the 
heavy loads were hauled is another help. Thus 
many a trick of woodcraft may be brought to 
the unraveling of the forest lanes. Then at 
times one must leave all settled paths and proceed 
by dead reckoning or the compass. In a long 
journey in the Adirondacks will be found every 
sort of route indication, the gypsy patteran of the 
North Woods fraternity, or none at all, and he 
who would advance with certainty must be trail 
wise and a woodsman. 
From every vacation center in the mountains 
the routes radiate, and one may establish himself 
in any strategic location and for a whole season 
find exercise enough for his wandering foot. 
Others prefer to move from place to place, stop¬ 
ping only for a few days in one spot. While 
these errant ones miss many fine details of the 
wilderness, they nevertheless lay down a survey¬ 
or’s primary control of the whole North Woods, 
and may fill in the gaps wherever they find the 
country most to their liking. Thus' one will 
come back most frequently to a region of many 
lakes and fine fishing. Another, having sampled 
all the varied sports of the Adirondacks, will 
find his keenest pleasure in mountain climbing, 
and settle for a summer or two in the heart of 
the Great Peaks. Not in one season can he ex¬ 
haust all the wonderful possibilities of that mag¬ 
nificent assembly of aspiring slopes and cloud- 
sweeping summits. South of Keene Valley they 
swing in a long broken line from east to west, 
and from a permanent camp somewhere in their 
midst one can reach them all. Some of the 
climbs will require a night or two away from 
headquarters, but on such expeditions the im¬ 
pedimenta will be little. Indeed, one of the chief 
pleasures of climbing is to spend the night on 
some commanding summit and catch the first 
sVIw term for a s l gn Ieft at a crossroad 
st-.ow which way a party has traveled. 
The Singing Reel and a Heavy Creel. 
to 
break of day across the peaks and cloud-filled 
valleys below. 
Much of the land in the Adirondacks is now 
a part of the state forest preserve, and the Con¬ 
servation Commission has recently adopted reg¬ 
ulations permitting the erection of open camps. 
Prior to this only tents were allowed. Thus a 
much freer use of the preserve is possible. Ex¬ 
clusive use of the camps is carefully guarded 
against, and travelers may occupy any one that 
they find vacant. The Adirondack Camp and 
Trail Club have already built two or three lean- 
tos, and it is probable that in time the whole for¬ 
est preserve, and particularly the sections along 
the main trail routes, will be provided with these 
shelters, erected by either individuals or associa¬ 
tions. Then the light foot vacationist may go 
with light pack as well, in assurance that one of 
these comfortable camps will meet his necessity 
each night. The regulations of the Conservation 
Commission, adopted September 2, 1913, are as 
follows : 
1. No person, association or corporation shall 
build any trail or open camp upon state land 
without first obtaining written permission from 
the Conservation Commission. 
2. The location of such trails and open camps 
shall be fixed by the Commission. 
3 - Application for permission to construct such 
open camps shall state the source of supply and 
the character of the material to be used, and no 
such camp shall be constructed until the charac¬ 
ter of the material and the source of the supply 
thereof shall be approved by the Commission. 
4 - All such camps shall contain a conspicuous 
sign reading as follows: “This camp is property 
of the State of New York and is open to the 
public. Such sign shall be maintained at such 
camps by the person, association or corporation 
constructing the camp. 
5 - A suitable fireplace shall be constructed and 
maintained in front of such camp, the form and 
material thereof to be approved by the Com¬ 
mission. 
6. No such camp shall be occupied by the same 
party or persons more than ten days in any year, 
nor more than three nights in succession. This 
rule shall not apply to state employes while en¬ 
gaged in fighting fires. A copy of this rule shall 
be posted and maintained in a conspicuous place 
at such camp. 
7. The Commission may remove or discontinue 
the use of any such camps at any time. 
8. No building, camp or structure shall be 
erected on state land except as above provided. 
This action of the Conservation Commission is 
in accordance with the theory that the Adiron¬ 
dack forest preserve should be maintained and 
developed as a public park for the recreation of 
all the people in which the destructive and fire- 
producing effects of lumbering are prohibited by 
the constitution. With the forest cover guarded 
from despoliation by an express provision that 
timber thereon shall not be sold, removed or de¬ 
stroyed, the highest use of the forest as a con¬ 
servator of water supply and a pleasure ground 
for sportsmen and tourists is insured. The con¬ 
stitutional convention is now in session in Al¬ 
bany, and it is hoped that this essential measure 
of protection, which has been in force for the 
last twenty years, will not be abated. 
Elsewhere than on state land permission can 
frequently be obtained from the owners to erect 
small open camps, or space for more pretentious 
ones can be leased or purchased. For the ordi¬ 
nary short vacation, however, the open camp is 
preferable. It involves a minimum outlay of 
funds, is easier to keep in order, and may be left 
with little fear of injury. 
The typical Adirondack open camp is a log 
lean-to, with a sloping roof to reflect the heat 
of the fire. The back should be three or four 
