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Please WAIT! Then SCROLL DOWN for RIDGE CAMP.    [ Are you in this picture? ]
RIDGE CAMP The culmination of our camp building projects in the 70's, Ridge is the prettiest, the most secluded--a perfect Adirondack Getaway. (Hikers Only!) CLICK & GO!  (On this page.)   An antique woods road . . .   Amenities Summary.   Safety First! & Guest Information   About access to Ridge.   Meet Our Guests at Ridge Camp.   The Ridge Camp Story--How it go that way.   Guest Notes:  "One thing would have made it better, it would've been a longer stay."   "The views, the peaceful setting , the sauna - absolutely incredible."   "Great trails and spectacular views! Dinner by candlelight."   More about Ridge Camp (on the next page).   Activities: Twenty-one things to do at Ridge Camp.   Ridge Camp: What it's like? & NOT LIKE.   Does Ridge Camp offer what you most value in an Adirondack Vacation?  

[Click on Photo For Larger Size]
An antique woods road follows a moderate grade uphill 1-1/2 miles through an open forest of mature hardwoods to the Cow Pond, a watering hole for cattle in bygone days. Ridge Camp is there, just below Rattlesnake Knob, with breathtaking views of the High Peaks. Nearby A short walk to Cookout Hill, Blueberry Hill and the summit of Rattlesnake Knob with more views of Whiteface and the AuSable Valley.
A mature design, the main building (600 sq.ft.) features an open design with cathedral ceiling (sitting/dining room and complete kitchen), a loft bedroom and a balcony that overhangs a screen room on the first floor. The camp is rented as three-building complex along with the "Guest Shed" (200 sq.ft.) and "Sauna" (280 sq.ft.) with wood-fired sauna, washroom, sleeping loft and porch overlooking Cow Pond. Root cellar. Privy. For location see Fourpeaks Trail Map label [RC] and CLICK HERE for the kind of secluded living offered at Ridge Camp.

Three buildings, five rooms, Non-smoking, Pets welcome, 1080 sq.ft. in all, max. 8 persons. Single or Double occupancy from $650/3days, $1300/week. 11% Sales/Occupancy Tax applies to all rentals of less than one week duration. A Deposit Payment is required to secure reservation. Cancellation fees apply.  See Guest Information for occupancy limitations and financial arrangements.

"Ridge Camp" Amenities Summary
Bedrooms/beds: One double bed (loft upstairs) and two single beds at the main camp. One double bed and two single cots in the "Guest Shed." Room for rollout mattresses for extra persons on the sleeping lost at "The Sauna." Blankets and pillows supplied. [CLICK HERE for Frequently Asked Questions about what to bring, including linens and towels.]
Full Kitchen:  Dry sink, full size cooking range with oven, 4 cubic foot refrigerator, dining service for 8 persons and a complete selection of utensils, dishes, silverware, pots and pans, including a toaster, a tea pot and 3 kinds of coffee makers.
Toilet: Outside Privy (outhouse).
Water/washing:  Hand pump at nearby Sauna/Well House with bathtub, washstand and gas stove for heating water. A startup supply of 12-14 gallons of water in dispensing containers is in place at camp for arriving guests. The containers may be refilled at the Well House. [CLICK HERE for Frequently Asked Questions about limited water at Fourpeaks Backcountry Camps. CLICK HERE for fun bathing ideas.]
Lighting: Gas lighting. No electricity. (Bring electric reading lamps, extra candles, if you like. No kerosene, gasoline or other lighting permitted.)
Fireplace/heating: Jotul woodstove on main floor, Vermont Castings Intrepid freestanding fireplace (parlor stove) at bedroom loft, Cauley-LeMay woodstove at the "Guest Shed." Firewood supplied. Gas utility stove for heating water at "The Sauna."
Porches:  Furnished screened porch with couch, table and benches. Open second story balcony off loft bedroom. Open Back Porch.
Additional: Wood-fired sauna. Outside picnic table. Hammock. Charcoal barbeque grill.
Miscellaneous: Dish soap, hand soap, sponge/pot scrubber, Comet cleaner, firewood, dish towels, toilet paper, trash bags, matches, candles, biscuit mix, honey, salt, pepper, sugar, etc. are all supplied.
Complete Amenities Summary and Room Plans.
Need some help deciding which Fourpeaks Camp is right for you? Use our complete Graphic Amenities Summary to compare fireplace, kitchen, water, showers, toilet, views and other amenities. For sleeping and dining capacities at each Fourpeaks place look at our Room Plans page.

Safety First!  & Guest Information. The buildings at Fourpeaks are spread out on a 700-acre property, 2-1/2 miles end to end. To maintain an orderly, clean and safe place to live, the good will and cooperation of our guests are essential. Prospective visitors must familiarize themselves with propane (gas) safety, fireplace/woodstove safety, water safety, housekeeping responsibilities, arrival arrangements, and other matters that will affect their personal safety and comfort at Fourpeaks. If you're considering a Fourpeaks vacation rental,  CLICK HERE  for our Safety First!  & Guest Information pages.

 Access to our Backcountry Camps. There's year-round auto access to The Cabin, Sugar Camp, New Camp, Gypsy Camp and Thoreau House. CLICK HERE for driving directions right to camp!
Spring, Summer and Fall, guests at our two remote camps, Wolf's Nest and Ridge Camp, meet us at our Camp Barn Office. There, we take their food and gear and jeep it up to camp. And we take it back down when they leave. There's no need for them to pack it themselves.
In Winter, and other times when road conditions are unfavorable, guests at Wolf's Nest and Ridge Camp must carry their stuff on their own (Wolf's Nest, 5/8 mile or Ridge Camp 1-1/2 miles). Firewood plus propane for lighting and cooking are already in place at camp. Wash water is at the Well House at Ridge, but wash water must be carried up for Wolf. A full orientation to camp precedes the visit. Extra backpacks and a cargo sled are available for loan. Visitors to Ridge and Wolf's Nest are not required to pack out trash on departure.
No guest vehicles. Except for short access roads off Stonehouse Road (to Thoreau House, Gypsy Camp, Sugar Camp, New Camp and The Cabin), the use of guest vehicles on Fourpeaks roads and trails is strictly forbidden.
[More about access at Frequently Asked Questions.]

 Meet Our Guests! The Fourpeaks Photo Guest Book. is a fun way to learn about our Adirondack backcountry vacations. Who came. Where they're from. Where they stayed. The Season. What they did here. Photos. Letters and Guest Book entries. CLICK HERE for Fourpeaks Photo Guest Book pages. Find John & Donna on Cookout Hill. Brian and Kelley climb Rattlesnake for the view. And more.
Pet-friendly vacations.   Romantic getaways.   Solo Guests    Families with Kids.

Discount Prices. We love to see guests come back. To make it easier, guests earn Frequent Flyers Points they can use toward Year-round Discounts. CLICK HERE to see our Reduced Rate Plans for Returning Guests.   Fourpeaks (almost) for free. Work here part-time on the trails or cleaning to pay your way. CLICK HERE  to learn about our Fourpeaks Work-Stay Program. Fourpeaks for free. Have a home or apartment in New York City? Plan your ideal Fourpeaks getaway and let us know what you have to offer in exchange. CLICK HERE to learn about a Fourpeaks Home Exchange.

The Story. Bigger and Prettier.
Back from a trip to France in '73 we admired the design of the Gypsy wagons so much I just had to build one. I told Merritt about the idea and his Dad Frank gave me the frame and wheels off an old Chevy truck he had fixed up for a woods wagon. Scaled down to just six by ten it was a perfect fit. It had a bed and kitchen with a little potbelly stove. Merritt and I built it over the Winter and we decorated it with paisley cloth from India--a nice touch.
It took a whole day to drag it with the tractor all the way to the Ridge. We stayed in it one Spring weekend hiking around the ledges with pretty flowers (native orchids and columbine) picnicking and enjoying the views. We remember the frog chorus from the pond on those Spring nights.
I started sketching plans for the new camp right away, using the open plan and loft ideas first tried at Sugar Camp--only bigger and prettier. Mark Shaw and his wife came up for a weekend with us and we showed them the site. My serious concern was just how close to the height of land to build it. We ended up a hundred feet down from the exact ridge line (marked with barbed wire fence years ago). I'm not sure what those people (clients of mine from the city) thought of those camp building involvements.
By Summer Bill Lincoln had dug out the shallow well and a root cellar. Shirley Wallace cut all the boards and dimension lumber full size from local pine. Bobby Wallace built it and the idea for second story balcony came about when the four by eight beams cut out even longer that I asked for.
It got done by Fall and Bobby and his wife joined us there for a Thanksgiving dinner. The dinnerware was Tennessee pottery from that year's Smoky Mountains visit and the silverware was the five and dime open pattern stainless we had bought over the years for our Chelsea Hotel home (both still there). CLICK HERE to hear what happened to the Gypsy trailer after Ridge Camp was built. (CLICK HERE to hear The Whole Fourpeaks Story--1967-2003, 7 camps, 3 barns, 1 Stone House, 700 acres and 40 years.)

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#1538 ". . . running ever since we got back from our honeymoon. one thing would have made it better, it would've been a longer stay."

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Subject: Guestbook Entry
To: fourpeaks@whiteface.net
Date : 10/11/1999
Name : Jean L*****er & Jim B**l
Email : v****@starpower.net
Location : Baltimore, MD
Comments : Re: Visit at the Ridge, 9/27/99 to 10/1/99
Hi, Martin!
Sorry to take so long in getting back to you but we've been running ever
since we got back from our honeymoon.
As for our visit, we had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed your place.
If one thing would have made it better, it would've been a longer stay.
Don't change a thing if you can avoid it.
We're already talking about when we'll be able to come back up and visit
with you, again. I'm sure we'll be in touch before too many seasons go by.
In the meantime, thanks for everything!
Jim & Jean

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#1558 "The views, the peaceful setting , the sauna - absolutely incredible."

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Subject: Guestbook Entry
Date: Tue, 02 Nov 1999
To: fourpeaks@whiteface.net
Name : Jim Ph****s - Len K****
Email : jp****@mail.calltech.com
Location : Columbus, Ohio
Comments : Martin
Thank you oh so much.
Our second visit to fourpeaks was so much more than we had expected. Staying
at Ridge Camp was the best thing we decided to do.
The views, the peaceful setting , the sauna - awe the sauna, absolutely incredible.
It was a break that we both needed to rest, relax and explore.
The only thing I would change at Ridge Camp would be to add a fireplace.
The dogs had a great time as well.
We will be back in the spring and this time we want Sugar Camp.
Take care and have a great winter season.
Jim & Len
WEBMASTER'S NOTE: Fireplace, well really parlor stove, added March 2000.

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#1045 "Great trails and spectacular views! Dinner by candlelight every night was a real treat."

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Subject: Guestbook Entry
Date : 11/5/2001
Name : Jon & Leslie R*****
Email : jlr***@vermontel.net
Location : Killington, VT
Comments : We had a wonderful few days of peace & quiet,
just what we needed. Ridge Camp was great, everything we needed was there
and having dinner by candlelight every night was a real treat.
Spent our days hiking and picknicking, great trails and spectacular views!
We will definitely be back.

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Are you in this picture? Fourpeaks hosts now welcome paying guests to a 700-acre rest and playground for vacations in the Adirondack Great Camp tradition. Couples appreciate Fourpeaks secluded settings. Adventure families have fun exploring our accessible wilderness. Folks with dogs enjoy the open spaces to run their pets. A private nature retreat, a place for restoring personal energies. Are you in this picture?  CLICK HERE to find out!    [More about this at Frequently Asked Questions.]

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