Raquette Lake Winter Trek

Join AARCH for a winter exploration of Raquette Lake’s Long Point, which boasts a marvelous collection of rustic architecture, including the first Adirondack Great Camp, designed by William West Durant. We will meet at the Antlers, a cottage resort designed in 1886 by Durant’s friend, Saratoga Springs architect R. Newton Brezee. The Antlers now comprises part of SUNY Cortland’s William H. Parks Family Center for Environmental and Outdoor Education. From the Antlers, we will snowshoe or cross-country ski across Raquette Lake to another part of the campus, Huntington Memorial Camp, which includes Durant’s Camp Pine Knot. Started in the 1870s, Pine Knot established the features that are synonymous with Adirondack Rustic style architecture and what has become known as the “Adirondack Great Camp.” In 1895 Collis Huntington purchased the property from William West Durant and added more buildings to the site.

We will also visit St. Williams on Long Point, commissioned by Durant in 1890 for his Catholic employees. The Shingle-style church has been lovingly restored by St. William’s on Long Point, a nonprofit organization that hosts retreats and special events at the site. On the return trek across the lake, we will see Echo Camp perched on the end of Long Point. This meticulously reconstructed camp was designed between 1882 and 1883 for banker and Connecticut Governor, Phineas Chapman Lounsbury.

This tour is led by SUNY Cortland Outdoor Education Director Rhonda Pitoniak.

Please note that this outing will require snowshoeing or cross-country skiing over 2 miles across Raquette Lake and participants must bring their own equipment.

The fee is $70 for AARCH members and $85 for non-members. Lunch in Camp Huntington’s Fuge Dining Room is included. This tour is first-come, first-served.