Lake Placid New York website: History
A tourist destination since the late 1800s, Lake Placid has been the home to several major competitions such as the Winter Olympics, Ironman USA and the Goodwill Games.
Lake Placid Annual Events
Flaming Leaves Festival (October) - Come out and join us for our annual two-day celebration of Fall. Bring the whole family - there's plenty for all of you to enjoy. North America's top ski jumpers compete, soaring through the air while on the ground below live Blues bands play and barbecue chefs grill up ribs and burgers. Make sure to save time for a trip to the top of the 120-meter ski jump. A chairlift and elevator combine to get you there, and once your're there, you won't believe your eyes: the Adirondacks during peak Fall foliage - hills and mountains in every direction turned bright red, orange and yellow.
Saranac Lake Winter Carnival - The annual 10-day festival will include performances, sports, dances, parades and two sets of spectacular fireworks above the world-famous Ice Palace.
Wilmington/Whiteface 100K - The Adirondack Region in Northeastern New York is a recreational paradise of high rocky summits and breathtaking vistas - both of which factor into the sadistic mountain bike race known as the Wilmington Whiteface 100K, part of the Wilmington Whiteface Bike Fest. The race will start and finish at Whiteface Mountain and will explore the jeep roads near Jay and Saddleback Mountains before climbing up the front of Whiteface Mountain, which was the site of the 1980 Olympic Winter Games alpine ski events, and is, in fact, the greatest vertical drop east of the the Rockies. make it to the top for unparalleled views from the summit of the Olympic Mountain.
Lake Placid Marathon & Half (June) - 13.1 mile Half marathon run, 26.2 mile Marathon run. Each June, the Lake Placid Marathon and Half Marathon attracts athletes and spectators from all over North America and abroad. Hosting runners from over 40 US States, Canada, as well as runners from Bermuda, New Zealand, Panama, and Europe, the race typically fills early. This world class race, set in the Olympic mountain village of Lake Placid is in the beautiful High Peaks Region of Upstate New Yorks Adirondack Mountains.
Lake Placid/North Elba Half Marathon (September)
Lake Placid website: Adirondack Park
The Adirondack Park is one of the world's great wilderness frontiers. Forged by shifting glaciers more than 10,000 years ago, it's landscape is one of soaring mountains, sweeping lakes, mighty rivers, and dense pine and hardwood forests abundant with wildlife. At 6.1 million acres, it is America's largest state park outside of Alaska. Spread over nearly a third of New York State, the Park covers more ground than Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National parks combined. Lake Placid is set in the heart of the mountains, in the northeastern part of the Park.
The Adirondack Mountains are many and varied. The tallest are in Essex County, in and around Lake Placid. There are 46 peaks that rise above 4,000 feet. Called the "High Peaks" these mountains include Whiteface, Algonquin, and Marcy. At 5,344 feet, Marcy's summit is the highest point in New York State.