Up the Chimney

Have I told you I love loons?

Every year we spend a week in the Adirondacks at Chimney Mountain, a small peak just outside of the village of Indian Lake.

“The Cabins at Chimney Mountain” are at the end of a country road that winds through the woods and mountains. It used to be a boy scout camp but the buildings have been renovated into lovely cottages. Most days you’ll see a handful of visitors whose goal is to climb to the mountain summit—the Chimney—or take the less strenuous hike to Puffer Pond. There are several caves near the Chimney as well as a rustic camping area. But my favorite part of the camp is King’s Flow, a small mountain lake that’s home to a family of loons.

The first time I heard a loon’s call, I was a teenager. Its haunting cry drifted across a mist-shrouded Adirondack lake.  I was spooked by what sounded like a genuinely crazy person;  my then-boyfriend assured me what I heard was a bird and not a human.

I wasn’t totally convinced.

Loons are territorial—you’ll only find one family on any given small mountain lake. The chicks aren’t welcome to stay once they’ve reached maturity. They fly off to find a lake or pond of their own.

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When we first came here there were just the two adult loons, but a couple of years ago we spotted a young ‘un. This year there are two chicks. (The pictures above were taken in late August.) What fun it was to watch the family swim around the lake with Papa running shotgun.

Chimney Mountain is our favorite Adirondack spot. If you love the boonies, you’ll want to visit too.