The popular open house ski weekends at Great Camp Santanoni have become an annual tradition. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), the Town of Newcomb, and the Adirondack Ecological Center have announced that historic Camp Santanoni will be open for three special weekends this winter.

Over these weekends, visitors can arrive at their leisure and enjoy a self-guided trip from the Gate Lodge, past the Farm and on to the Main Lodge. On the far side of the Lodge is the Artist’s Studio, where cross-country skiers and snowshoers will be able to warm up before the return trip. Staff will be on hand to answer questions, discuss the ongoing restoration and offer impromptu tours of the Main Lodge.

This year’s open house weekends are January 17-19, February 14-16, and March 14-15. Suggested hours of visitation at the Main Lodge are 10 am- 3 pm each day. Great Camp Santanoni is located off Route 28N in Newcomb, Essex County.

Santanoni was built for Robert and Anna Pruyn of Albany beginning in 1892. The estate eventually included 12,900 acres and nearly four-dozen buildings. The Santanoni Preserve is a State Historic Site, on the National Register of Historic Places, and a National Historic Landmark. AARCH has long been associated with the protection, interpretation and restoration of this regional treasure. The round-trip ski is 9.8 miles on a gently sloping carriage road. There is no fee and reservations are not required. For more information please contact AARCH at 518-834-9328, info@aarch.org, or visit the website at www.aarch.org.

Adirondack Architectural Heritage is the nonprofit historic preservation organization for New York State’s Adirondack Park. AARCH was formed in 1990 with a mission to promote better public understanding, appreciation and stewardship of the Adirondacks’ unique and diverse architectural heritage.

Photo courtesy of Nancie Battaglia.