More Land for Fun Activities! Huzzah!

Last week, New York State acquired a 6,200 acre land tract adjacent to the High Peaks Wilderness Area known as MacIntyre East.  The state purchased the land, which includes parts of the Hudson and Opalescent Rivers between Mount Adams and Allen Mountain, for $4.24 million from the Nature Conservancy in a deal that Governor Cuomo announced as a part of the Earth Week celebrations (Brown 2015).  With the new purchase, outdoor enthusiasts can rejoice, as the now open-to-the-public land boasts hiking, hunting, fishing, climbing, and most notably paddling.  MacIntyre East contains seven miles of the Opalescent River, which is well known for its world class whitewater (and this adrenaline pumping gem of a paddling film: Whitewater Kayaking the Opalescent's Hanging Spear Falls - A Red Bull Film), and more than five miles of the upper Hudson, including a long stretch of flat water suitable for recreational kayaking and canoeing.

Though the land acquisition is great news for anyone who loves a good outdoor adventure, the yet-to-be-decided classifications for the purchase will determine the land's accessibility and if motorized activity is allowed.  Most environmentalists and naturalists want the tract added to the High Peaks Wilderness, which would prohibit motorized activity, while others want at least part of the land to be classified as Wild Forest.  A Wild Forest classification would allow some motor vehicles, and would increase accessibility to the more remote sections of the tract, such as Allen Mountain - a high peak (Brown 2015).  Currently, there is a dirt road within MacIntyre East that extends to within two miles of Allen's summit.  If the road is open to motorized traffic and a new trail is built, an ascent of Allen would no longer be an 18-mile roundtrip hike from Upper Works, but a much shorter and much more accessible hike from a dirt road.

The debate over the classification of MacIntyre East clearly demonstrates the challenge between balancing environmental protection and accessibility.  Prohibiting motor vehicles would have the environmental benefit of reducing accessibility and therefore use of the land.  More accessible trails and waterways tend to see the most environmental damage due to trail erosion, human-transported invasive species, and improper waste and garbage disposal.  However, increased accessibility to MacIntyre East might divert some of traffic away from the overly popular Marcy Dam and Johns Brook Lodge areas and lessen the environmental impact there.  Moreover, motorized vehicle access would allow more people to enjoy the beauty of remote areas of the Adirondack Park (though, technically by increasing accessibility to an area, one reduces its remoteness...).

Personally, I would like to see the state designate MacIntyre East a Wilderness Area.  Although motorized activity would allow more people to enjoy the land, it can also degrade the experience for others.  If motorized activity is prohibited, the road itself could still make the land more accessible by providing a gentle path for hiking/walking and a nice ski-approach trail to Allen in the winter.  If cars and snowmobiles were allowed, the land would ultimately lose its wildness.  Though it would be nice to drive a car up to within 40 feet of world-class whitewater or within a couple miles of a summit, it is not necessarily better than the sense of satisfaction of the physical and emotional challenge of exploring more remote places.  Perhaps it is the remoteness of the places we go that makes them so special and so worth traveling to.

MacIntyre East - shown in pink

Many thanks to the wonderful Laura Kwasnoski for her helpful comments and insight that made this blog post possible.


Brown, Phil. "State Acquires 6,200 Acres of Former Finch, Pruyn Land." The Adirondack Almanack. 23 April 2015. Web. 27 April 2015.