Ausable Clob road to Ausable Lake

I was just reading Exploring the 46 high peaks by James R Burnside and he mentions there was a time when people would pay a small amount and be able to be bussed to the lake down the 3 mile road.

Has anyone even been able get a ride from someone down this very boring and mile adding road?

No free rides. The AMR folks "tolerate" hikers, and that's about all.

The bus ran from the circle at the AMR building to the Lower Lake, departing every hour until the last bus back from the Lake House at 4 or 4:30pm.

The protocol was that AMR members would fill the bus for free. Then, non Ausable Club members could buy tickets in the lobby.
Used to cost $2, then $5, then $10.

A number of things happened. Non members would crowd the Club members, and there was some rude behavior.
Eventually, the AMR got tired of offering a service to non-members for a revenue that really didn't mean much to them and ended it for non-members.

Like anywhere else, a few ruined it for everyone. The bus was nice if you were doing a REALLY long day and wanted that nice fresh start way up the road. It was also nice to be able to use the bus with hikers new to the sport or with children, and get them a 3.5 mile start up the road.

AMR Bus

There is a LEGAL way to ride the bus. You will have to be a member of Adirondack Trail Improvement Society (ATIS). They put out a listing of summer hikes that utilize the bus. this year there were two trips to Gothics, both utilizing the bus.

Another way is to be a guest of the AuSable Club.

MM

Does anyone know how to become a member of the club? Not that I have anywhere near the required anual fee, but I stayed in the club with a wealthy family when I was younger. It was a great time. The summer house was bigger then my normal house!

-percious

I once asked the ranger at the gatehouse how to become a member--he laughed at me, and said there are senators that can't get in that club. He did mention a brochure available at the desk, but I've never gone in to see...

I guess the family I was staying with was pretty well off then. They did drive BMWs.... If you have every hiked the upper ausable, you would understand that it is easy to be envious of club owners. They have very remote cabins, it is spectacular. Car ride->canoe ride->portage->canoe->cabin. Quite a trip for groceries.

I wish I knew everything then about the ADKs that I do now. I would have made a better time of my visit. I did get to play some golf, and had fun swimming at the local swimming holes. I told a friend of mine that he can only marry a girl if her family is a member of the club . I hope he listens to me.

-percious

You need to have money, LOTS of money in order to join. Over 25 years ago, I was told that just the golf membership was thousands of dollars a year. Thats for a very short ADK golf season. You then need to be recommended and referred.

AlpineSummit said:

Guess I'll be walking that road for a looooooong time!

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Unless some less than courteous hikers ruin that also. I'm looking forward to my first hike down that road and will remember to smile pleasantly at the tourists, er, members

I really dont think the members are "tourists" as you put it. Remember, it is due to these folks that a good chunk of the high peaks region has been preseved. We are lucky enough for them to leave their lands open to public use, and maintain the trails. Furthermore, if you visit the upper ausable, you will see that the cabins fit nicely into the scenery, IE the trees have not been removed from lakeside. Also, they disallow powerboats in a lake that could definately have them. The AMR is interested in preserving these lands as much as we are. They have set aside the most wild of these lands, and allow people like us to use them. Just something to keep in mind.

-percious

Courtesy is important and the AMR(Adirondack Mountain Reserve/Ausable Club) did safeguard all that area including their ownership of 13 of the ADK HPs for about a century.

For quite some time, NYS was negotiating with the AMR about either buying or getting an easement to the 13 high peak summits that the AMR owned since the turn of the last century. New York State did not feel that it was in the public's interest for a private club to own the summits of so many peaks. They tried everything, including a threat of eminent domain. Finally, in the 1980's NYS threatened to tax the land as real estate development property. The AMR, facing a forced a sale of some of the land or being driven into tax court, sold the land above 2,500' to NYS. In addition there were provisions for permanent hiking easements on certain trails, on the Lake Road, up to the new state land boundry. There are restrictions: NO dogs, hunting or camping on or THRU the AMR easement. No hiking on the private trails around the Upper Lake. This is for the privacy of the campers there and the security of the camps back in their.

Courtesy is a good thing. On the other hand, the easement is the easement and it does not have a "courtesy clause". It would be a shame for hikers to have confrontations with the AMR members who've taken such good care of the land over the years.
Continued access to AMR land, though, is not reliant on good will.

percious said:

It is easy to be envious of club owners. They have very remote cabins, it is spectacular. Car ride->canoe ride->portage->canoe->cabin.

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There are only nine cabins on the Upper Lake, and some have been in the same family since the land was purchased back in the nineteenth century. The club rents out two cabins to members, and some families make their camps available to their friends. But most club members never get back there themselves. Also, members aren't allowed to drive up to the Lower Lake in season, which is why they have a bus.

Every time I've been on the road there has been either private vehicle or snowmobile traffic. I've never seen anything resembling a bus.

Are there any restrictions on bicycles? I was thinking of swiping my son's bike, scooting up the road to the trailhead and ditching it in the woods. That would make the return trip easier.
(I know a purist would never think of doing this--so excoriate me kindly.)
Thanks.

No bikes allowed either. The walk isn't so bad.

thanks AlG

Thanks. That would have been wicked embarrassing.

percious said:

I really dont think the members are "tourists" as you put it.

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Sorry - a bad attempt at humor (as in "bus tourists")

I just hiked in on Lake road a few months ago and I was told it was 50 grand to join. How true that is I do not know but I would not doubt it a bit. Also we had numerous cars pass us on Lake roadand nobody would even wave. We almost got run over a few times

WE did run into a few folks on Nippletop that said they got a ride to the Gill Brook trail head. So I guess they were one of the lucky ones. IMO I enjoyed the walk up and back down Lake Road

They don't wave because they're not hikers - and we are. That's the difference. Wave first & give a half-smile. You ought to, you're the guest!

And be of good cheer, we walk the road and park for free while they pay to be members. They may be a tad upset by that fact too, so there's even a little more reason to be happy.

Personally, I've had nothing but positive experiences every time, with the only exception being diesel fumes from the stinky bus. Now that's nit-picking.....

They don't wave because they're not hikers - and we are. That's the difference

i've walked the rd several times to reach various trailheads and when i have seen someone they have always waived - or i have waived first! (why is it folks always comment about other people not waiving to them - waive first! maybe the person on the other end is thinking the same thing you are "why don't those hikers ever waive to us?" we let them use our roads and they don't even appreciate it enough to tip us a friendly gesture!" )
and the old guy who looks like "rip van winkle" he's such a sweet heart. hey he can come across like some grumbly old man but he's not, not if you are nice to him. and if you try to be nice and someone gives you the cold shoulder- let it pass. who knows why they are that way, maybe they're having a bad day or maybe they're just jerks - who cares, doesn't affect my world!