Verplanck colvin biography of williams

Forever wild: The advocacy of Verplanck Colvin

By Justin Devendorf

A few dozen miles south of Tupper Lake is some of the most rugged and remote wilderness in New York State.

This is where Seward Mountain stands.

Remembering Verplanck Colvin: Stan-Helio to GPS

Named after Secretary of State William H. Seward, it's the 24th tallest Adirondack High Peak at 4,347 feet in height. After walking for several miles through a flat, dense forest, climbers can expect a very steep and challenging hike up the mountain's exposed bedrock in order to reach the tree-covered summit. And in 1870 it was an Albany native who became the first person to record a successful ascent of this formidable peak.

Verplanck Colvin was a lawyer -- but he'd become known as the Great Surveyor of the Adirondacks and an advocate for the preservation of the six million acres that now make up the Adirondack Park.

Seward Mountain as viewed from Donaldson Mountain to the south.

Early Life and Career

Verplanck Colvin was born in Albany on Janua New York State Historical Markers: It Happened Here - Blogger QIWEB