Flying High Over the High Peaks

I spent quite a bit of time “adventuring” in the Adirondacks this summer. One of the most memorable experiences was a scenic flight over the High Peaks Wilderness Area.

My anticipation leading up to this flight was enormous. The sky had been raining for days but my family and I, seeing a short window of blue sky on our second day, scheduled a tour with Adirondack Flying Service out of Lake Placid.

The company said they put the “focus on family” during these trips, but glimpsing back at my commericial airline experience I had no idea what that meant. It became evident, however, when our pilot, Jim Bisson, asked my two young boys,”So who’s going to be co-pilot?”

No one believed it would be that easy to get the Most Coveted Seat, so my eldest said “I WILL!” He beamed with self-actualized pride as he rode shotgun, hovering his hands over the dials, switches, and controls, not daring to touch, but desperately needing to pretend he was Master Commander of his own Starfleet.

Our pilot was gentle and methodical as he strapped each of us into the six-seat Cessna. He taught us how to maneuver the headset and radio device so we could communicate over the engine noise. 

At this point, I started tweeting my adventure on Twitter (@lkamms):

Excited because we’re about to do an aerial tour of High Peaks with ADK Flying Service in Lake Placid!

Which to my surprise was answered by a local: 

UR going 2 Love the tour!

I was grinning ear to ear when I tweeted:

Can’t wait! in the plane now! Kids are stoked!

The company offers three 20-minute tours:  a lakes tour, a cultural tour over the Whiteface ski area and Olympic venues, and the High Peaks Wilderness tour. 

We opted for the latter tour, which lets your eyes feast on the rugged beauty of the High Peaks region. The prices are affordable at $40 per person with a minimum of two people (family discounts apply).

I felt the usual rumble in my belly as the plane left solid ground but I quashed those feelings as I took in the sights.

The ADK Park is six million acres, larger than Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks combined. It’s hard to fathom how vast the park is. But when you’re gliding over the High Peaks and a carpet of green stretches as far as the eye can see, you come to respect its magnitude. You realize how uncommonly LOST you could get in its second-growth forest if you ventured by foot.

As the pilot named the peaks and valleys below us, my Twittering continued:

Great cell phone coverage up here! Views R amazing! Mt. Marcy is killer

We flew over bald-top mountains that peaked above the alpine zone. 

And glided by scrapes and crevasses carved by ancient glaciers.

And dipped low to see the forest for the trees.

Band after band of mountain ridges stretched out to the horizon, challenging its finiteness.

While flying at 6,000 feet over the High Peaks Wilderness, I FELT the park’s enormity and its stark beauty. And I thanked my lucky stars that someone in the past sought protect it for others.

This flight was a major soul-tank filler and a great introduction to the mountains we’d soon climb. It was a reconnaissance mission, of sorts, that put geographical perspective on the rest of our trip. We went on to climb Baxter, Pokamoonshine, and Cascade Mountains that week, so having a bird’s eye view of the High Peaks at the outset was as valuable to us as our ADK map.

My last tweet? 

Ok, THAT was incredible! 

Three smiles that speak for themselves.

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If you go:

Adirondack Flying Service

http://www.flyanywhere.com

Lake Placid, NY | 518.523.2473

Flights are weather dependent between 9 am and 5 pm daily. Flights are scheduled on a first come-first serve basis. Call the company to discuss weather and options before you go.

Disclosure: I flew as a guest of Adirondack Flying Service.