Marcy Dam after it was partially washed away by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. (Wikimedia Photo)
Work is slated to begin shortly on the first stage of removal of Marcy Dam in the Adirondack High Peaks, according to an article on WAMC.org.
The log dam was a favorite photo and camping spot for generations of Adirondack hikers, who took in the view of mountains reflecting in the dam’s pond. But New York officials decided it would be too expensive to repair damage from 2011’s Tropical Storm Irene, which broke a notch in the dam and drained Marcy Dam Pond.
An earlier version of the dam was built in the 1930s, and it was most recently rebuilt in the early 1970s.
The dam, which can only be reached by hiking, lies 2.1 miles from the Adirondack Loj at an elevation of 2,362 feet, and is surrounded by Whales Tail Mountain, Wright Peak, Algonquin Peak, Avalanche Mountain, Mount Colden, TR Mountain, and Phelps Mountain. The area features a number of campsites and lean-tos, and trails lead from the dam to most of the high peaks.