Neil
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Book review of Life Under the Fast Lane
A Bushwhacker's Guide to Northway Access Routes, Exit 28 to Exit 31
by Tom Dubois (tcd)
I made my first trip under the Northway 5 or 6 years ago in order to access the South Dix Wilderness Unit and bushwhack Sunrise Peak, which is normally only accessible to paying guests of Elk Lake Lodge. In the process I discovered an entirely new world of trailless wilderness and multiple summits with fully exposed 360 degree views.
Since that time I slowly gained knowledge of other access points and maintained a file in my mapping program with GPS waypoints and descriptions of where to park, compass headings etc. Then Tom Dubois' 46 page (full color) guide book, Life Under the Fast Lane, came into my possession and, as they say, that changed everything.
Tom's book is a professionally researched and presented labor of love. He explains in the introduction that the Northway acts as a roughly 24 mile-long barrier to beautiful hiking and climbing terrain from exits 28 to 31. The zones he discusses include the Hammond Pond Wild Forest and the Hoffman Notch and Dix Mountain Wilderness Units. The culverts discussed in the book are primarily dry access points for wildlife and people and are big enough to walk upright or even drive a truck all the way through.
The book describes 13 access points in fine detail. Included are specific instructions with topographic maps and photos regarding how to drive to each access point (including exact mileages from key reference points such as freeway exits), where to park one's vehicle (obviously a very key element). The exact location of the culvert under the Northway is well depicted. Detailed notes regarding easements and private property are also included. If there is a trail or old road it is mentioned and traced onto the accompanying map. Color pictures of most of the culverts and the parking spots complete the descriptions. The Schroon River flows between many of the parking spots and access culverts and Tom has even included difficulty ratings for the crossings.
For each access point there is a brief description of the principal points of interest that await the hiker on the opposite side of the freeway. It is noteworthy that the great majority of the lands accessed by these routes are without trails. There are some old logging roads cum hunter trails but they invariably peter out. These lands are essentially paradises for bushwhackers and rock climbers.
This book is a veritable gem and targets a niche audience who will consult it regularly and gratefully. Thank you Tom for all your hard work, returning to each access point repeatedly in order to get it just right.
Available at The Mountaineer
A Bushwhacker's Guide to Northway Access Routes, Exit 28 to Exit 31
by Tom Dubois (tcd)
I made my first trip under the Northway 5 or 6 years ago in order to access the South Dix Wilderness Unit and bushwhack Sunrise Peak, which is normally only accessible to paying guests of Elk Lake Lodge. In the process I discovered an entirely new world of trailless wilderness and multiple summits with fully exposed 360 degree views.
Since that time I slowly gained knowledge of other access points and maintained a file in my mapping program with GPS waypoints and descriptions of where to park, compass headings etc. Then Tom Dubois' 46 page (full color) guide book, Life Under the Fast Lane, came into my possession and, as they say, that changed everything.
Tom's book is a professionally researched and presented labor of love. He explains in the introduction that the Northway acts as a roughly 24 mile-long barrier to beautiful hiking and climbing terrain from exits 28 to 31. The zones he discusses include the Hammond Pond Wild Forest and the Hoffman Notch and Dix Mountain Wilderness Units. The culverts discussed in the book are primarily dry access points for wildlife and people and are big enough to walk upright or even drive a truck all the way through.
The book describes 13 access points in fine detail. Included are specific instructions with topographic maps and photos regarding how to drive to each access point (including exact mileages from key reference points such as freeway exits), where to park one's vehicle (obviously a very key element). The exact location of the culvert under the Northway is well depicted. Detailed notes regarding easements and private property are also included. If there is a trail or old road it is mentioned and traced onto the accompanying map. Color pictures of most of the culverts and the parking spots complete the descriptions. The Schroon River flows between many of the parking spots and access culverts and Tom has even included difficulty ratings for the crossings.
For each access point there is a brief description of the principal points of interest that await the hiker on the opposite side of the freeway. It is noteworthy that the great majority of the lands accessed by these routes are without trails. There are some old logging roads cum hunter trails but they invariably peter out. These lands are essentially paradises for bushwhackers and rock climbers.
This book is a veritable gem and targets a niche audience who will consult it regularly and gratefully. Thank you Tom for all your hard work, returning to each access point repeatedly in order to get it just right.
Available at The Mountaineer
How much for an autographed copy? You can give the premium to the Foundation.
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