The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has completed the purchase of more than 18 acres on the east side of Lake George in the Town of Putnam, Washington County, that provides public access to the 189-acre Anthony’s Nose tract.

With public access secured, the land is eligible for purchase by New York State for inclusion in the Adirondack Forest Preserve. According to LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown, Anthony’s Nose has been on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s protection wish list for many years because of its historical and ecological significance.

LGLC purchased Anthony’s Nose, which includes Record Hill, in December of 2000. Home to nesting peregrine falcons, the property’s rocky cliffs are an iconic feature in northern Lake George. The land also includes 3,350 feet of lake shoreline, and abuts the 244-acre Flat Rock tract to the north, which is already part of the Forest Preserve. This latest purchase secures Anthony’s Nose as the northern anchor in the Lake George Wildlife Refuge and the southern anchor for a possible ridge trail to Fort Ticonderoga’s Mount Defiance in Ticonderoga.

The newly acquired property consists of 15.5-acres adjoining the southeast edge of Anthony’s Nose, a 2.6-acre block on Schwerdtfeger Road, and a 50-foot right-of-way easement connecting the two.  The half-mile hiking trail to the summit of Record Hill is expected to be marked with blazes this spring; a parking area on Schwerdtfeger Road is expected to be constructed by the end of the summer. The preserve will now be part of LGLC’s annual Hike-A-Thon, which is held each July 5th.

A fundraising campaign is in progress to pay for the purchase, which was made possible with a private loan and donations from individuals, families, and foundations. LGLC recently received a $35,000 grant for the purchase from The Conservation Alliance, whose mission is to engage businesses to fund and partner with organizations to protect wild places for their habitat and recreation values.

More information about the project can be found at www.lglc.org/projects/anthonys-nose-access.

Photo looking north toward Anthony’s Nose on Lake George by Carl Heilman, II/Wild Visions, Inc.