Old Postcard View of the Ausable Club

The Giant, as Seen from St. Hubert's, Keene Valley

The High Peaks region has a distinctly different character from that of other regions of the Adirondack Park. The focus must be on the unbelievable mountains that surround the towns in the area. In other places, the lakes seem to take center stage. Here, the "Giant" is seen from the Ausable Club in Keene Valley.

The Ausable Club/Adirondack Mountain Reserve

The clubhouse at the Adirondack Mountain Reserve, aka the Ausable Club, in St. Huberts, New York, is set among the High Peaks of the Adirondack Park. The club is private, but it permits hikers to hike through the lands. Small cottages surround this lodge, where there are dining facilities as well as rooms for members and their guests.

Adirondack Shopping: The Birch Store

There are more and more unpleasant shops in the Adirondacks: you know the kind - full of twiggy boxes made in China (check the bottom!) and all that ye olde country cabin stuff. The farther you get from the city, the less appealing the shopping becomes. But there are some gems among many duds, and The Birch Store in Keene Valley is one of them. In a charming little house, the store sells cool, modern, fun, edgy accessories for the home. The Birch Store is worth a stop if you get to Keene Valley, and it also has a home on the web for those virtual Adirondack travelers among us. The store is located at 1778 Main Street in Keene Valley.

Photo Credit: The Birch Store

Ausable Club, Keene Valley

This is the main clubhouse of the Ausable Club in Keene Valley, New York. It is set in the middle of the High Peaks region of the Adirondack Park and is a private club. My friend Jennifer and her husband Bryce held their wedding reception at the club. Their rehearsal dinner was held at The Casino on the grounds of the Club. The floors and stairs creak when you walk on them and it feels like it could be haunted. At night, its pitch black. These private clubs are scattered throughout the Adirondack Park. In Old Forge, there is the Adirondack League Club. It is said that William Weld is a member of the Ausable Club. Members have individual lodges on club land but share in common club dining and recreational facilities.