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Please WAIT! Then SCROLL DOWN for SUGAR CAMP.    [ Are you in this picture? ]
SUGAR CAMP Until recently a working sugar house, "Sugar Camp" is by the brook that runs year round the two mile slope from Ebenezer and Rattlesnake Knob. CLICK & GO!   (On this page.)   At the site of old Perkins Farm . . .   Amenities Summary.   Safety First! & Guest Information   About access to Sugar.   Meet Our Guests at Sugar Camp.   The Sugar Camp Story--How it go that way.   Guest Notes:  "We found a new world at Sugar Camp!"   ". . . a wonderful two weeks at Sugar Camp with our two little boys."   "I have some terrific memories from that (all too short) weekend . . ."   Has anyone seen the white lady?   More about Sugar Camp (on the next page).   Lilacs at Sugar Camp.   Sugar Camp: What it's like? & NOT LIKE.   Does Sugar Camp offer what you most value in an Adirondack Vacation?  
[Click on Image For Larger Photos in Interior and Exterior Views Series.]

At the site of old Perkins Farm, the oldest (1810) on the property, Sugar Camp is a place that blooms. With the first days of Spring the ground is covered with bloodroot, a low-growing wintery looking flower. Then trillium makes purple lights along the brook. (See photo link below.) The old farm lilac hedge blooms each year by the old cellar (restored). The crooked apples still bear. Lilies in Summer and asters in the Fall make a pretty show where the old garden used to be. For location see Fourpeaks Trail Map label [SC] and CLICK HERE for the kind of secluded living offered at Sugar Camp.

"Sugar Camp" is a lot in a small package. The main room is an open design with both a sitting area (bed, rocking chairs and a Franklin Stove) and complete kitchen/dining area. The small private bedroom doubles as a washroom with bathtub (functional '06) and water heater (non-functional). Screened porch. Water from pitcher pump at the sink and stand pump at the well. Privy. One building, two rooms, Non-smoking, Pets welcome, 620 sq.ft., max. 4 persons. Single or Double occupancy from $600/3days, $1200/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.

"Sugar Camp" Amenities Summary
Bedrooms/beds: One double bed in main room. Two single beds in washroom/extra bedroom. Blankets and pillows supplied. [CLICK HERE for Frequently Asked Questions about what to bring, including linens and towels.]
Full Kitchen:  Sink with pitcher pump, 20-inch cooking range with oven, 4 cubic foot refrigerator, dining service for 6 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:  Pitcher pump at kitchen sink, bathtub and gas stove for heating water in washroom/extra bedroom. 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 usinmg the pitcher pump in the kitchen or at the Well House or at Camp Barn any time. Running water from plumbed-in storage tank available as option. [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:  Franklin design freestanding fireplace (parlor stove). Firewood supplied.
Porches: Screened porch with couch.
Additional:  Outside picnic table with benches. Hammock. Adirondack chairs. 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.  Maple Sugaring.
I first met Dick Smith several years after I bought the Perkins lot from his Dad, Phil. I was interested in the falling down sugar house I found with a tin roof that was loose and slanted walls. Porcupines had it for a home. The rusty steam stack hung at a crazy angle over the wreck of the building. An old rusty pan was left there. He told me how they sugared with horses to draw the sap.
That old sugar shack was there as far back as anybody knew. The sugarbush ran all the way up the brook a half mile or more. He showed me on the old maples where they used to tap. Many of them were being shaded out from the sun by surrounding pines--bad for early sugaring. I'd have to cut the pines out.
We struck a fifty-fifty deal. I'd put up a new rig and supply the wood--he'd work it (while I was a work in NYC).
Bobby Wallace built it with me in '73. The foundation was concrete blocks. We stepped down the porches to make it easier. His Dad, Shirley cut the pine. Four-by-eight floor joists, four-by-four studs and two-by-ten flooring. It was only twelve feet wide!
Building a camp it's important to use up any materials you have around and not be fancy about it. I got the idea from Jim Melvin's building at "The Cabin." There he used old doors and the windows were just storm sash he found around. At Sugar Camp I got to use the old windows I saved from my first printing loft on 17th Street. They used to open awning style from the office out into the shop. And the door hardware came from a trip to Europe, collecting things for "camp" wherever we went. The door is out of the schoolhouse in Jay when the Fire Department got it from the town . (Another one of those old doors is at the Stone House by the garden.)
The rig came from Rutland. It was just eight feet. Dick strung out the tubing that Winter. The sap flowed in January and Dick boiled it carefully. Only a small quantity was clear--he put them up in fancy little bottles I bought. Most of it was amber in cans of various sizes. The darker it is, the better tasting--we learned.
We did this only two seasons--Dick left the area and took up trucking. A fellow in Keene bought the rig from me. The tubing is still up in the Camp Barn. We've been enjoying the syrup all these years and still have a supply in the Stone House cellar.
With the rig out of the way we closed in the porch, put in some beds and started to use it--"Sugar Camp."
(CLICK HERE to hear the whole story.)

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#1281 "We found a new world at Sugar Camp!"

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Date: 8/13/1999
Name: Fred and Willo St***t
Email: fst***t@mindspring.com
Location: New York, NY
Comments: Martin and Louise, We found a new world at Sugar Camp! It has been some time since we have been
really away from all this city and we found it invaluable. Our focus now is creating time to come again for
a much longer visit. Everything was letter perfect and you were marvelous hosts. We look forward to
seeing you again soon. Best regards, Fred and Willo

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#0236 ". . . a wonderful two weeks at Sugar Camp with our two little boys."

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Subject: Guestbook Entry
Date : 8/16/2002
Name : Tony F**** and Diana St.***
Email : tf*****@gi.com
Location : New York, NY
Comments : We had a wonderful two weeks at Sugar Camp with
our two little boys. It was so quiet and peaceful. The starry night sky
was especially beautiful and a few times we were treated to spooky howling
off in the distance late at night. We wondered if it was coyotes or wolves?
We did some local hiking but mostly we used Sugar camp as a base to tour the
Adirondacks. We visited the top of Whiteface Mountain. We visited John
Brown's grave in Lake Placid. We visited the Adirondacks Museum in
Elizabethtown. We drove to the ferry and crossed Lake Champlain to visit
the Shelbourne Museum (highly recommended) in Vermont. But our boy's
favorite activity was swimming in Lake Everest and a trip to the ice cream
stand in Wilmington.

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#0207 "I have some terrific and hilarious memories from that (all too short) weekend . . ."

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Subject: Re: Your Fourpeaks visit 08/03/02 to Sugar Camp
Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2002
From: LadyAn***@aol.com
To: VisitUs@4peaks.com
Dear Martin,
I don't know where to begin. Sudeshna and I had the most wonderful time at
Sugar Camp! I cannot thank you enough for letting us partake of the
experience.
I have some terrific and hilarious memories from that (all too short)
weekend in those breathtaking mountains which you've deemed 4 peaks.
On our first night there, for instance, Sudeshna had fallen asleep before I
did and by the time I was ready to catch some zzzs, I realized that it was
pitch black outside and I was too scared to go to the privy by myself! But
don't worry - my little bladder did NOT burst -- I made Brownie come along
with me and allay my fears. Thank goodness for good 'ol Brown! :)
And one afternoon (I can't recall which), I took your suggestion and had a
'bucket bath' right outside in front of the camp. I only had the guts to do
it because I thought our camp was pretty well hidden from the others. I
didn't realize that we were right on the way to one of the hiking trails
until the next day when some hikers stopped by to ask us for directions!
Boy - was I ever glad that they hadn't come by while I was hanging out in my
(no pun intended) birthday suit!
Before I forget, I just want to say that I'm really glad that you invited us
back. We tried our best to leave the camp in good shape. To be honest, we
kinda tried to make it even nicer than it was when we first arrived. In
addition to cleaning up after ourselves, we left a scented candle in the
'bath' room, a red-tinted glass candle holder (with green candle) in the
dining area, sandalwood incense and a pretty wood & brass burner in the
privy, wild blueberry & blackberry tea bags in the kitchen, and
wildflower-filled vases in each room.
Sudeshna, unfortunately, doesn't have any days off from school - except for
Christmas and New Year's which she'll be spending with family - but I'm
going to try and make another trip sometime in the near future. I know my
dad would love it there - he's been having some health problems (intestinal
cancer) and I think it would be nice for him to get away for a little
while. He's kind of a workaholic but I'll start workin on him now and if
I'm really persistent, I might even get him to agree to take a vacation
before winter arrives! (Just curious, how many frequent flyer points did we
earn???)
Also, I'm very glad you enjoyed the chutney I made. I do indeed have a
recipe but I'll have to do some digging to find it so I'll send it to you as
soon as I get a chance. As for the incense (isn't it great??) - you can
buy it online at http://www.sensia.com/nagchampa.html.
And just so ya know - I did check out SUNY Plattsburgh. Unfortunately, they
don't have a Master's Program in Social Work. (And I've already got a BA so
it just won't do!) Nevertheless, I'd still love to live in one of your
camps. You mentioned that Sugar Camp wasn't winterized but from your
website it seems that the cabins are available in the winter. Am I
misunderstanding the info provided? Would it be possible to live at camp
during the colder months?
(Love your poems, by the way!)
Well, I'm afraid I've written yet another tome - hope you enjoyed reading
all my stream of consiousness babbling!
Stay in touch if you have the time & take care, Anjum

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"Has anyone the white lady?"

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Guestbook Entry:

Date : 3/15/2005    Time : 7:59 PM
Name : Liz
Email : tigger198722@yahoo.com
Location : New York

Comments : Our trip dates back many years now.
We stayed in the Sugar Camp.
Loads of fun. Has anyone seen the white lady?
She might just appear by the fire place by night,
perhaps fancying a game of cards.
If you don't want a visit- leave your deck at home...

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A comment from Your Adirondack Guide.
This is not the first time Liz is talking about the White Lady,
but she won't say more.
Never mind. There are playing cards at every camp, so you can come,
sit by the fire, and see for yourself!!

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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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