ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS, a group in the northeastern part of New York State, lying between the depressions occupied by Lake Champlain on the east, the St. Lawrence on the northwest and the Mohawk River on the south. TITE group is sometimes included in the Appalachian system, but physically and geologically the two uplifts are quite inde pendent. The Adirondacks cover an area of more than 12,000 square miles and include within their limits most of the counties of Clinton, Franklin, Essex and Hamilton, and portions of St. Lawrence, Lewis, Herkimer and Warren. They are formed by several folds arranged parallel or en echelon, with a north east-southwest trend; sloping on either side toward the narrow longitudinal valleys that separate the individual ridges. Most of the peaks have a rounded outline due to long-con tinued erosion, although in the northern part, where the highest elevations are found, the peaks are bold and picturesque and have bare rock walls rising several hundred feet in ver tical escarpments. Avalanche Pass, Indian Pass and Wilmington Notch are the most noteworthy of several passes formed by these escarpments. The summit of the group is Mt. Marcy, 5,344 feet above the sea, and there are many prominences exceeding 4,500 feet, in cluding Mt. McIntyre, 5,112; Skylight, Whiteface, 4,872; Santanoni, 4,644; and Nipple Top, 4,684 feet. Toward the south and west the elevations become less pronounced and rise but a few hundred feet above the level of the plateau, which stands 1,500 feet or more above the sea. The parallel ranges are interrupted frequently by gaps or passes; some of them, like the Avalanche Pass and Indian Pass, pos sessing beautiful scenic features. Gorges and waterfalls occur along many of the stream valleys, the Ausable Chasm being especially noteworthy.
Rivers and The Adirondacks form the water parting between the Hudson and St. Lawrence, both of which streams receive many important tributaries from this region. Most of the western region drains directly into the St. Lawrence through the Oswegatchie, Grass, Raquette and St. Regis rivers, but a small por tion is drained by the Black River, which flows into Lake Ontario. On the eastern side there are the Saranac and Ausable rivers and many short streams flowing into Lake Champlain. The Hudson River receives the waters of the Sacandaga, Indian and Boreas, and has its source in the interior of the mountains in the northeastern part of Hamilton County.
The lakes are perhaps the most attractive feature of the Adirondacks; they are distrib uted over the entire area to the number of many hundreds. The greater proportion lie in the larger valleys, to which they conform more or less closely in outline, being elongated along a northeast-southwest axis. Many, however, are nestled on the higher slopes at an eleva tion of 2,500 feet or more above the sea. Lake Tear of the Clouds on the crest of Mt. Marcy has an altitude of 4,320 feet. Lakes Champlain and George, the largest of the Adirondack lakes, are among the most attractive sheets of water in the United States. Among the smaller
lakes much frequented by tourists are Long, Raquette and Blue Mountain in Hamilton County, the Fulton Chain in Hamilton and Herkimer counties, St. Regis and the Saranaqs in Franklin County and Lake Placid in Essex County. Most of the lakes are of glacial for mation, the outlets of the old rivers having been obstructed by deposits of glacial material.
Geology and Mineral The strata of which the mountains are formed be long to the most ancient geological period, the Pre-Cambrian, consisting for the most part of crystalline formations which were uplifted long before the Appalachian ranges had been de fined. Gneisses, granites and basic igneous rocks predominate, although there are small areas underlaid by limestones and quartzites. One of the most prominent types is a basic feldspar rock called anorthokte, composed al most entirely of the mineral labradorite. It constitutes the highest peaks in Essex County. On the borders these ancient formations are overlaid by early Paleozoic strata of Cambrian, Ordovician and Silurian age, which have been little disturbed from their original horizontal position. The whole region was invaded by the great northern ice-sheet, which eroded and polished the rock surfaces and upon its retreat left a heavy mantle of drift covering all but the highest elevations. Valuable ores and min erals occur at numerous localities. The de posits of iron ores have been of great economic importance, although in recent years the indus try has suffered from competition with the Lake Superior and Pennsylvania ores, which can be extracted at much less expense. The mines of magnetite ore near Port Henry yield a large annual output, which is shipped to dis tant points for smelting. There are also de posits at Lyon Mountain, Lake Sanford and Benson Mines and other localities, which are not exploited at present. One of the richest graphite mines in the United States is located at Hague on Lake George. Garnet for abra sive purposes is mined in large quantities at North River, while extensive deposits of foli ated talc occur near Gouverneur. Marble, granite and other stones suitable for building and other purposes are the basis of a large quarry industry.
Pine, spruce and hard woods are found over extensive areas. Chestnuts are found in the lower and open valleys of the south and spruce is to be had only at an eleva tion of 1,000 feet or more above sea level. The mountains have been denuded of much of the larger timber and the principal lumbering in dustry is based upon the cutting of pulp-wood for paper manufacture. Spruce and poplar are most valuable for this purpose. The wholesale destruction of the forests has induced the State government to purchase extensive tracts with a view to forest-cultivation and to preserve the sources of the principal rivers. See ADIRON