Anyone who has ever spent a night camping in an Adirondack lean-to will be able to describe the joy of being woken up by the early morning sun accompanied by the fresh scent of balsam needles and the haunting call of loons. If you have ever come upon one of these unique three-sided structures deep in the backcountry and wondered how such a thing was constructed, or even fantasized about having one in your backyard, you are not alone. Building a proper lean-to requires a set of knowledge, skills, and experience that make it difficult for the average person to do on their own. The Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) had remedied this by offering a full lean-to building class as part of our “Adirondack Bucket List” series.
Almanack Contributor Ethan Johnson

Ethan Johnson is a steward at the Paul Smith's College Visitors Interpretive Center. He is a junior majoring in sustainability at Paul Smith's College.
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Latest News Headlines
- Housing advocates rally for Gov. Hochul's plan
- Old Forge assessor charged with spying on coworkers
- Lake Flower ice is dangerously thin
- Tupper Lake triad adds to community allure
- Animal tracks reveal secret side of winter
- William Shatner boldly returning for ‘Star Trek’ set visit
- The art of orienteering, on skis, in subzero temps
- Adirondacks' weather patterns, documented by locals over decades
- The rebirth of Adirondack Railroad’s trains to Tupper Lake
- Whiteface may see record cold

The Adirondack Almanack
The Adirondack Almanack is a public forum dedicated to promoting and discussing current events, history, arts, nature and outdoor recreation and other topics of interest to the Adirondacks and its communities
We publish commentary and opinion pieces from voluntary contributors, as well as news updates and event notices from area organizations. Contributors include veteran local writers, historians, naturalists, and outdoor enthusiasts from around the Adirondack region. The information, views and opinions expressed by these various authors are not necessarily those of the Adirondack Almanack or its publisher, the Adirondack Explorer.

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