May 18, 1928 –
New York Herald Tribune – article written by JSA –
“Shelter on Mount Marcy”
Having climbed Mount Marcy several times on skis and at other times of the year on foot, under varying conditions, I am urged to express an opinion on the proposed concrete house as a life saving institution on top of the mountain. It seems fair to assume that there will be no food or fuel in such a structure, the nearest firewood being several hundred feet below and the distance for packing in supplies is several miles. Such a structure would encourage people to linger on the mountain when they should, if the weather is threatening, be on their way back to the timber line, where in a prolonged storm they can continue their journey. Unless the proponents of this house expect to have a road to the summit for the maintenance of the hut, it can easily prove a real danger.
It is important to consider both the location of the mountain and the relatively gentle character of the upper slopes. As we approach the timberline during the ascent we can see the weather conditions and soon learn if our equipment is suitable for the short half-hour climb to the summit.. Should our judgment prove wrong, it is a mere fifteen minutes back to the timberline, where shelter camps are located on each side of the mountain. Such a structure cannot be ‘tucked away among the boulders’ on this bare mountain without marring the wild beauty and the presence of such a house will most certainly stimulate the ever-present commercial desire for further development.
If we attempt to make our mountains entirely safe for foolish people we ruin them for every one else, and those who are seriously interested in preserving the charm of the wild forestland are very properly alarmed at any encroachment of this character.
- S. Apperson
Schenectady N.Y.