A southern Adirondack forest located between the towns of Lake George and Warrensburg, offering an established, well built camp, easy access, inclusion of Phoebe Mountain, and adjacent to State wilderness lands.
Phoebe Mountain Camp is an easily accessible multiple-use property located in the southeastern corner of New York's Adirondack Park. The land is directly adjacent to the State's Prospect Mountain/Berry Pond Wilderness area, extending the recreational and hunting landscape beyond the property's 500-acre footprint.
This region is a popular vacation area which is anchored by nearby Lake George (9 miles to the south), considered one of the premier lakes in the US. The surrounding landscape is distinguished by its vast natural beauty, scenic mountains, and many rivers and streams. The property is situated 5 miles south of Warrensburg Village, a historic community nestled along the Schroon and Hudson Rivers, which acts as a 'gateway' to the Adirondacks' High Peaks Region. The many Victorian-style houses in and around the village are primarily year-round residences, while the outlying area quickly transitions into a rural mosaic of forests and interspersed residences. Hospital services are available in Glens Falls (18 miles to the south). Albany, the state's capital and home of the Albany International Airport is about an hour to the south along the Adirondack Northway.
With proximity to the Adirondack Northway (5 miles northeast), the property lies within a 3.5-hour weekend commute of the Greater NY/Boston metro regions.
Access is provided from two separate roads. First, access to the camp is provided along the private and gated Wilderness Way Road. This gravel road originates along Harrington Hill Road (to the south, it's known as Viele Pond Road) and runs +/-2,000' to the property boundary and gate. The camp and clearing are located just beyond the gate. At this point, the gravel road continues through the land, also serving as a right-of-way to the land beyond.
The other access road originates off Route 9 to the east (just a 5-minute drive from Lake George Village). This woods road runs 1.8 miles to the land, of which .8 miles are drivable with the balance suitable for ATV use until a culvert is repaired just shy of the beaver pond along the way.
The property covers a large landscape that spans nearly .85 miles from east to west and 1.2 miles north to south. This considerable footprint becomes vastly larger with the ability to roam on the adjacent Prospect Mountain/Berry Pond Wilderness, covering thousands of acres.
The summit of Phoebe Mountain is entirely on the property whose elevation is 2,029', nearly the highest peak in the area. The mountain is located at the land's center, creating two separate watersheds on the land, one to the north of the peak and the other to the southwest.
The terrain southwest of the peak slopes eventually to the location of the camp, which is the lowest elevation on the property at 1,340'. This section of the land has multiple, level ridgelines, small mountain streams, and abundant rock out-crops for exploring.
North of Phoebe Mountain, all of the terrain slopes to the property's eastern access point. The lower, more gentle terrain is wrapped by ridges to the west and east and was formally used as a homestead in the 1800s, as evidenced by the many stone walls and stone cellar foundation located in this area. The original farm road leading to the foundation exists today. The terrain above this area begins to become steeper toward the peak, but slopes generally remain easy to walk, enhancing this area's recreational amenity. Several impressive glacial erratics can be found in this area.
The timber resource is the most significant natural resource, given the entire property is forested. All forest stands are fully stocked, with the majority of species being hardwoods (maples, birches, cherry, beech, and ash). The limited softwood species (mostly white pine) exist at the land's northern end on the land previously used for agriculture. Harvesting last occurred +/-30 years ago with the current overstory trees about 70 years old and a growing stock crop having become established after the previous harvest. Income from thinning the forest can be expected within the next ten years.
No timber inventory is available at this time.
The camp is located within a small clearing at the beginning of the property, just beyond the last gate on Wilderness Way Road. Access to the camp from the beginning of this private road is excellent, allowing car entry (some of this road is not plowed during the winter, so winter access is limited).
The camp was constructed 8-10 years ago with high standard construction. The walls are 2X6" beams, and the entire camp is insulated. The camp is supported by reinforced steel posts and two eight-foot-high metal shipping containers used for storage. The steel posts are cemented in the ground offering a stable foundation for the camp. There is some movement of the footings, but otherwise, they appear quite stable.
The first-floor footprint is roughly 32' X 20' with a ceiling of 8'. This floor is mostly finished other than the ceiling, which has unfinished sheetrock. The floor plan is open with a kitchen, living, and fireplace area. A small storage room can someday serve as a bathroom once a septic system is installed.
The second floor is currently used for an open sleeping space which is fully insulated with unfinished walls and ceiling.
Access to the living area is provided by a wooden (pressure-treated) staircase to a deck and door entry. The opposite end of the camp also has a deck that is accessed from the living space.