Indian Pass

Having both read a lot about Indian Pass recently and having hiked there on my AA trip, I've started to wonder about the history, origin and significance of the location. The pass sits between the steep cliffs of Wallface Mountain and Algonquin Peak, forming somewhat of a valley between two looming mountains. Yet the pass itself holds some amazing views.

View from summit rock - Indian Pass

Indian Pass was and is an amazing spectacle and its early romanticized descriptions were important for how the public perceived the park.

The early explorers of the Adirondack park were drawn to the remote high peaks region central in the park. Indian Pass provided an accessible location to bask in the glory of the Adirondack nature. Its accessibility, however, did not take away from its aesthetic intensity. This is where the romantic writers would talk endlessly about the raw intensity of the park, the endless jagged mountains colored green with billions of trees, etc.

Yet in my own experience, these overdone romantic works made so much sense to me. I thought the same thing from the summit rock in the pass. With the massive exposed cliffs of Wallface to my right and the long valley in front of me, the wilderness seemed endless and so free from human influence. It was one of the most fulfilling moments in nature I've ever had.

Another historical spotlight moment the pass had was with the following painting by Charles Cromwell Ingham in 1837. He was brought along on a Geological Survey with Ebenezer Emmons (who is actually in the bottom left corner of the painting) to provide visual enhancement to their study. Their plan was to hike Mt. Marcy but Indian Pass was a spectacle that they also appreciated fully and thus had recorded in the form of this painting.

The original name "The Great Adirondack Pass" eventually changed to "Indian Pass" as historians wanted to credit Native American tribes in the area. This, however, was very historically inaccurate. Few tribes ventured this deep into the Adirondacks. It was part of the pattern of naming that romanticized the role of Native American tribes in the park.

Indian Pass was an influential passage for explorers who discovered the perfect mining location in the High Peaks - the Tahawus Mine. This mine gave moderate economic prosperity, but proved how accessible the pass was in such a remote region.

The Indian Pass was a favorite Romantic Era destination and one can really understand why. It is accessible yet very impressive. All these years later, it hasn't lost any of its glory.

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