The High Peaks and Elizabethtown In The Adirondacks

On Christmas morning I made sure that all the stay-at-home animals had abundant food, water and greens. Then I loaded all six dogs into the back of my little red car and pointed it northward for a trip up to the farm. As the highway brought me into the Adirondacks, I saw mountains rising up ahead:

I made a stop at the high peaks rest area with its classic Adirondack architecture:

The dogs had to wait in the car which was parked at the foot of a small mountain. There was an area designated for dog walking, but I figured I'd have to leave that for those with only one or two pets. Leashing and walking six dogs is quite another thing altogether:

Even the entrance was marked with Adirondack twig art:
Inside was more Adirondack styling, including a birch tree:

There are so few roads through the mountains that I have not many route choices. But this time, just for variety, I decided to get off the main highway one exit farther north than usual. And shortly past the rest area I passed this natural stone peak in the median strip. You can get an idea of its size by the flag pole at the peak:

After exiting the northbound highway, I turned west on Route 9N directly into the high peaks area of the Adirondacks. Being Christmas morning, there was little traffic as I passed by small farms nestled in the mountains:

A snowy horse farm on a Christmas morning:

And through the little Adirondack town of Elizabethtown, New York. Though quite a small town, it is the county seat. But on this morning, I was almost the only one on the road:

I continued west toward the high peaks while clouds and small snow flurries danced across the tops of the mountains:

A small old homestead in the forest. It didn't look like anyone was home and I wondered if this was a vacation cottage or the owners were visiting family elsewhere for Christmas. I'll post more of my journey tomorrow: