I found some old photos from a couple summers ago when I had the pleasure of climbing the second highest peak in New York State, Algonquin Peak in the Adirondack Mountain range. I drove more than 2 hours from Cambridge, NY in the Jetta, which was having some trouble at the time. The coolant system had been leaking, so I had to pull over every 20 minutes to pour water in the coolant tank. I watched the sunset from the peak, and then made my way down the mountain mostly under cover of night. I'd been careful to notice any other paths that had joined mine on the way up so that I wouldn't be confused on the way back, but I still missed a turn and found myself somewhat confused in the darkness. Luckily, soon after I realized that I was most assuredly on different terrain from that which I'd walked up on, I saw a sign for the Adirondack Loj, where I'd parked, and it was only another 30 minutes before I emerged from the woods. Of course, I had to keep filling the coolant tank on the two hour drive back to Cambridge. The next day I drove back to Manhattan, with the top two peaks (I'd done Marcy in 2010) under my belt.
As for the name "Algonquin," they were the Native American tribe from southern Canada which had frequented the area centuries before. The name either means "our relatives/allies of the fish-spearing place" or "they are good dancers." Samuel de Champlain, after whom my favorite body of water is named, cultivated alliances with them while he was exploring the area.
Of course, there is also the famous "Algonquin Round Table," a group of New York City writers, actors and wits who would meet at the Algonquin Hotel in the Jazz Age.
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