90th Birthday Get Together 2015: 10 Reasons Not To Leave White Pine Camp

Typically while in the Adirondacks, we like to alternate between physically challenging activities, like mountain climbing, and something more relaxing. This can be anything from dangling our feet in the nearest pond to visiting one of the park's excellent museums, like these two examples. While there are so many things we love to do in the Adirondacks, on or off the mountains, at White Pine Camp we have this tremendous urge not to leave camp in the first place. To maximize our in-camp time, we typically stop off in Saranac Lake to do our grocery shopping before checking in.

Here are ten reasons why you won't want to leave White Pine Camp, and don't have to …

1. Adirondack Chairs

If you are looking for a trademark image of the Adirondacks, the Adirondack Chair is as good as any.

2. Common Buildings

The buildings and architecture of White Pine Camp could be a list in and of itself, from The Japanese Tea House - the Camp's most famous structure, to the Old Boathouse - found on the Camp's logo, to the Great Room - complete with a massive fireplace, leather sofa and a collection of hunting trophies. But the list is incomplete without the "new" (1926) Boathouse - with deck and Ping Pong table, the bowling alley - complete with pool table, and my personal favorite: the tennis house.

3. Sports and Recreation

I have already mentioned bowling, ping pong and pool. The camp also has an ample supply of things to throw and games to play on the camp grounds, including among others: soccer balls, frisbees, volleyball, badminton, croquet, horseshoes and ladder ball.

4. Boating on Osgood Pond

Hmm, this activity poses the question about where White Pine Camp ends and The Rest Of The Adirondacks begins. Considering that the canoes, kayaks and rowboat are part of the camp's offerings, and considering that you can either see the camp itself or part of its massive shoreline from most of Osgood Pond, I'll count this activity as being part of White Pine Camp. Keep in mind though, that you can take an 18 km canoe trip through connecting rivers and canals that includes Church Pond and Jones Pond. Jones Pond and Adirondack Swim and Trip Camp will be the subject of a future post.

There is an excellent article on Adirondack Explorer by Phil Brown titled "Osgood as it gets," that I highly recommend, but you will need to set up an account to view it (you can do that in about a minute, using fake information). I am resisting the temptation to "borrow" the story or the useful map included in it.

5. Swimming

6. Fire!

Nearly every cabin and common use building has either a fireplace or wood burning stove. Add to that fire pits and charcoal grills, all completely stocked, and you have one of the most important raw materials for an evening at camp: FIRE. So snuggle up with a good book, marshmallow on a stick (best eaten as s'mores), or throw on a steak! Also good for keeping the billions of mosquitos at bay.

7. Nature Walks

As much as I love the sights, sounds and even the smells of camp, I am no expert on flora and fauna. And, there is a lot to be told about the natural surroundings at White Pine Camp and the Adirondacks in general. We have seen eagles, mergansers, beavers, chipmunks, deer and all forms of little critters. The White Pine namesake of the camp also has a special relevance to this place and its history. We have yet to have our first (live) bear encounter, and the long missed moose making its return to the Adirondacks has yet to pay us a visit. I won't even get started on fish as that would bring my lack of knowledge too much into focus.

Thankfully, there are others who are better in this department than I. The naturalist Ed Kanze gives an instructional walk each Tuesday morning.

8. Historical Camp Tour

One of the many things that can be said about White Pine Camp is that History Took Place Here. Dating back to 1907, the camp harks back to the era of the "Great Camp," where the industrialists and socialites of the day would spend their summer months. With its soaring rooflines, fascinating use of windows and "Brainstorm Siding," White Pine Camp's architecture has influenced building design throughout the Adirondacks. The camp also is referred to as the "Summer White House," because President Calvin Coolidge spent his summer here in 1926. White Pine Camp also played a cameo role in the diplomatic maneuverings leading up to World War I, complete with a whiff of scandal. I'll leave that story for the tour, which is offered Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Yes, Calvin Coolidge did sleep here!

9. Time Together

Up until now, White Pine Camp has been a special place for the-two-of-us to be together. We are very much looking forward to sharing it with a circle of friends and family, whether as the entire group en masse, with a few others touring about or spending time with the children - giving the parents some time to themselves.

10. Nothing

For all that White Pine Camp has, a significant part about what we love about White Pine Camp are a number of things that it doesn't have: television, telephone, traffic, street lights, reliable cellphone service. Camp is a 35 acre forested area with a long shoreline on Osgood Pond, two miles off the main road. How much is 35 acres? Hmm … about 140,000 square meters or just under 22 city blocks. I like the last comparison as it is the best contrast to what to expect at White Pine Camp.

As much as we are looking forward to sharing this place with others, we are also looking forward to spending some time alone, together. I am sure the others are, too.