Adirondack Camp Culture Redux

I have always been intrigued by the Adirondack Great Camp culture, but the interest deepened this summer when I showed a few boat-access camps. Over the years I have been a guest at camps of all kinds throughout the Adirondacks. But now that I work in the real estate industry, I have the opportunity to see some interesting camps and learn about them in great detail. It is one thing to describe what an Adirondack Great Camp looks like, but another thing altogether to describe the elusive thing or feeling that means Adirondack camp culture. One of the first things I tell my clients who have not experienced Adirondack camp culture, is being at camp will be, at the very least, restful, restorative, and rejuvenating. I believe remoteness is integral to this mix. I was reminded of this last week when the last few miles of the trip to Upper Saranac Lake for an evening at the Great Camp home of a friend took longer than the 15 miles traveled on the highway. This particular property is a great example of modern-day Adirondack Great Camps. The owners/residents are the man and woman who designed and built the house last year. The home is undoubtedly singular. That is, the building itself is a work of art with many original and custom design elements. It is the location however, that is singularly spectacular. Three miles down a remote dirt road on the Upper Saranac Lake, you feel like you are in a special place in the world; secluded and surrounded by peace and quiet. It is also a simple statement of fact: the feeling derived from time spent in this home in that location cannot be duplicated. The thoughtfully designed buildings and surrounding twenty-plus acres exemplifies building in harmony with nature. The Italian class/dinner party we had there was an awesome use of the property, as are family getaways or corporate retreats. When I expressed my surprise that the owners are willing to sell this Adirondack Great Camp work of art, they reminded me that artists create and distribute their work all the time. Let me know if you are interested in owning a rather large piece of original Adirondack art.