Dear
Climber:
Life was simple once. You climbed a
In the last ten years the number of climbers has
increased exponentially. The final few
years that Grace was at home she finally asked for help. As time went on the helpers took over for
Grace. We developed a system where the
mail is sent to an office…the original letter is copied and then
archived. The copy is sent to the
climber’s correspondent who in turn answers the climber’s
letter. Because of the large volume of
mail, we ask your cooperation. We want
to hear from you. We want to continue
the traditions established by Grace.
Remember we are unpaid volunteers.
The Forty Sixers are unique as the only
mountain climbing organization that encourages its climbers to write about
their hikes and accomplishments. Writing
in your reports sets the Forty-Sixers apart. You are very important to us. Help us maintain our valuable traditions by
abiding by our guidelines.
·
Include your
name on the top of the letter.
·
Include return
address both on your envelope and in your letter.
·
Include the
total number of peaks you have climbed to date in the upper right corner of
your letter.
·
Your letter must
be addressed to your correspondent both on the envelope and the letter.
·
Write on one
side of 8.5 by 11inch paper.
·
Be sure your
letter is legible.
·
Your letters
should be signed and dated.
·
Use no staples.
·
Please do not
send Journal entries.
·
Limit the size
of your letter to what you can easily fit in a #10 (Business size) envelope.
·
Please use only
#10 business size envelopes as larger ones do not fit in our Post Office Box.
·
Each person must
send his or her own letter. Parents may write
for small children.
·
You may include
at most two photos. It is not necessary
to send pictures of trail and summit signs.
Send pictures of yourself. We
want to see what you look like.
·
Identify your
pictures on the back with your name and date.
Please be patient with us. If you do as we ask, then your letters will
be answered in a timely fashion. Even
Grace did not answer all the letters sent to her by climbers. We want to hear from you. Please write.
Thank you very much.
The Office of the Historian
Who Are the
The People
The Adirondack Forty-Sixers Inc. is a membership organization which recognizes
those who have climbed the 46
The Organization
In 1937, a
church school class from
The Club's mission is to educate the public on responsible wilderness use and to encourage stewardship in the High Peaks Region. We sponsor programs to promote safe hiking and preservation of the wilderness so hikers will be able to enjoy the region for generations to come.
The Adirondack Forty-Sixers is not part of the Adirondack Mountain Club, although many climbers belong to both organizations.
What are the purposes of the Forty-Sixers?
The purposes of the organization are the fostoring
and protection of the natural resources within the Adirondack Forest Preserve
of the State of
These purposes include, without excluding other appropriate means, educating the public by inspiring interest, encouragement, information and examples to those who engage in wilderness endeavor so they may be prepared to carry on their activities in a manner adapted to secure fullest enjoyment, safety and preservation of the wilderness.
How Do I Become an
To become an officially recorded Forty-Sixer,
you must climb the 46 mountains listed
in this page and you must report these climbs in writing (not by e-mail) to the Historian of the Adirondack Forty-Sixers by writing to:
The Office of the Historian
When you write to us, we start a personal climbing file for you. You are assigned a correspondent who records your climbs and answers your questions. To guarantee a response, please do the following when you send in your climbing reports:
· Write your own letter in letter format. Parents may write for small children. We do not accept e-mail reports.
· Include your name at the top of the letter.
· Include your return address both on the envelope and in your letter.
· Include the total number of peaks you have climbed in the upper right corner of your letter.
· Address your letter to your correspondent, both on the envelope and in the letter.
· Write on one side of 8.5” x 11” paper.
· Sign and date your letter.
· Use no staples.
· Use only #10 business size envelopes. Larger ones do not fit in our post office box.
· Include no more than two photos, preferably of yourself. We want to see what you look like.
· Write your name and the date on the backs of your photos.
· Tell us with whom you hiked, what you saw, how you felt and what the climb meant to you.
· Write to us at least once a year.
Twenty of the 46 mountains do not have marked, maintained trails. They do have summit signs; however, signs disappear from time to time due to theft. If you have difficulty finding a summit sign, don't destroy the fragile environment looking for it. Your word is sufficient that you have reached the summit.
You will receive a Questionnaire and a Mountain List when you are near or have reached your goal. You will be an officially recorded Adirondack Forty-Sixer when you return them to The Office of the Historian. Your climbing number will be assigned following the end of the calendar year and we will present you with a Certificate of Accomplishment at the following Spring Meeting.
In summary, you don't join the Forty-Sixers, you become one by
climbing the 46
What Are
the Membership Privileges?
Recorded climbers are entitled to wear "ADK 46R " patches and emblems. Only active members, i.e., those who have
paid dues, may vote on club matters and purchase pins, decals and other Forty-Sixer merchandise.
Active members receive the club's semi-annual publication, Adirondack Peeks (click for
subscription form), in addition to newsletters and announcements of
upcoming events. The club holds two meetings yearly, which are open to the public.
The spring meeting is held Memorial Day weekend and the fall meeting is in
early October, both in the
How Can I
Help the Forty-Sixers?
If you believe in "giving something back" to the mountains that have
given you such pleasure, you are welcome to join us in our volunteer trail
program. Several day-long and weekend projects are planned each summer in
cooperation with the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Projects range from trail clearing and general maintenance to lean-to
restoration. You don't have to be an experienced trail maintainer or a Forty-Sixer to participate.
You can find a work project schedule and signup form on the Forty-Sixer website, www.adk46r.org
What is "Leave No Trace?"
The Forty-Sixers believe in the principles of
“leave no trace”.
What are the Registers?
The Department of Environmental Conservation ( DEC ) maintains registers
at main trailheads and other locations.
For your safety, sign in, stick to your destination and sign out when
you leave. The registers are also used to compile statistics about wilderness
use and, thereby, help determine where and how the DEC allocates funds. Some sections of the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness
Area require Visitor User Permits. These are available at trailhead registers.
If you desire to camp within 150 feet of a road, trail or water supply, you
must camp in a location designated as a camping area by DEC. If you want to get
away from the crowds and commonly used camping areas, you can camp where you
like if you are over 150 feet from trails and/or water. In order to protect the
fragile environment of our summits, camping is prohibited above 4000 feet in
elevation in the
· Groups planning to camp in the High Peaks Wilderness Area are limited to no more than eight people per group.
· Camping is allowed at any location below 3,500 feet in elevation, provided the site is at least 150 feet away from any road, trail or water source and except where prohibited by a DEC sign. Within 150 feet of a road, trail or water source, you may camp only at a DEC designated site. These sites are marked by a yellow DEC disk.
· Between 3,500 and 4,000 feet, camping is allowed at designated sites only. These sites are marked by a yellow DEC disk.
· Camping is prohibited above 4,000 feet at any time of the year.
·
Many access points in the High Peaks Region are
on private property. Camping is not allowed anywhere on these lands. You are
responsible for confirming that you are on
·
Careless campers are a significant problem in
the
·
. Day hiking groups are limited to no more than 15 people in the High Peaks Wilderness Area.
. Camping groups may not be larger than eight people.
. Dogs must be leashed in many
. Glass containers are prohibited in the High Peaks Wilderness Area.
. The DEC webpage, www.dec.state.ny.us, has up-to-date regulations for the area.
How About Fires?
Open fires are not permitted in the Eastern Zone of the High Peaks Wilderness
Area. In other areas, they are not
recommended, but they are allowed without a permit in most of the Forest
Preserve. We recommend using lightweight stoves and discourage open fires.
Stoves are more dependable in inclement weather and cause less damage to the
environment.
…and Drinking Water?
The DEC recommends treating water from any backcountry source by one of the
following methods: an appropriate filter, chemicals or a timed, rolling boil of
at least two minutes. Never put anything in or near water that you would not
want to drink yourself.
…and Trash?
Trash visibly destroys the quality of the wilderness. Be guided by the ethic:
If you carry it in, carry it out. That includes food waste. The forest critters
have survived remarkably well without you to feed them. Your trash is your
responsibility. Do not burn it. Burying anything other than human waste is
prohibited. If less considerate people have littered, please do more than your
share and pack out their trash, too.
You may meet forest rangers or other DEC personnel on the trails. They will be glad to help you with search and rescue or with law enforcement. Most hikers you meet are also willing to offer information and help.
If you need emergency help, the Park-Wide Emergency Dispatch telephone number is (518) 891-0235. Do
not count on cellular telephone reception in the
The Division
of Lands and Forest of the DEC at
The 46 in Winter
Hikers who have climbed the 46 peaks in winter (December
21-March 21) and who have recorded their ascents with the Office of the
Historian receive winter recognition and are entitled to wear the Winter 46-R rocker patch. Only those who are in excellent
physical condition, properly equipped and skilled in winter techniques should
attempt this, as winter climbing can be demanding and exhausting. Parents
should be particularly careful in assessing the abilities of their children.
Winter climbers should be familiar with the peaks, weather and seasonal hazards.
To learn the skills and equipment needed for a safe winter outing, attend the ADK 's
And Finally…
The Adirondack High Peaks are beautiful and unique. The
vegetation is as fragile as the rock is durable. Treat the area with care and
respect so that future generations can enjoy it as you do. On all summits,
travel on worn paths and bare rock so as not to trample vegetation. Whether or
not you aspire to climb all of the 46
"We Forty-Sixers can take pride in our dual role of creative conservationists, of both helping new people experience the high summits and of helping them learn to preserve the high country through volunteer work and via responsible woodsmanship." -- E.H. Ketchledge, #507
"The hikers you meet are friendly
people. Speak to them. The Forty-Sixers are a
friendly group, on a first-name basis. Many lifelong friendships are made here.
We hope that you join the Forty-Sixers in a growing
stewardship for the
Books, Maps, Publications and Webpages
Adirondack Forty-Sixers, Inc.
OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP. A hiking
and camping skills workshop taught by experienced outdoor leaders and held at
the ADK Loj at
Website: www.adk46r.org
The New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation
The following brochures are available free:
NORTHVILLE-PLACID TRAIL
PUBLIC USE OF NYS LANDS
TRAILS IN THE HIGH PEAKS (with map)
NORDIC SKIING AND SNOWSHOEING IN THE NY
Website: www.dec.state.ny.us
USGS Information
Services
TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPS (also available at many book and camping stores)
Website: http://store.usgs.gov/
Phone: 1-800-HELPMAP
Adirondack Mountain
Club, Inc. (ADK)
Please write for current listing of publications and prices. Of special interest:
GUIDE TO THE ADIRONDACK TRAILS: HIGH PEAKS REGION. Includes topographical
trail map of the
GUIDE TO THE NORTHVILLE-PLACID TRAIL. With page maps for each section plus a topographical map.
WINTERWISE. "How-to" guide covering winter hiking and camping.
Website: www.adk.org
Website: www.adirondacks.org
Phone: 1-800-332-4100
Website: www.1nt.org
Good climbing!
|
Information presented on this website is copyright
protected and may be downloaded or copied only for personal, noncommercial
use. It remains the intellectual property of the |
This page
updated 14 Feb 08.
