written By Robert C. Lawrence
Part of the "What's With Those Adirondack Mountain Names?" Series
[From the 2025 Holiday Magazine]
Photo by TelemarkMike, courtesy of peakery.com
While kayaking on beautiful Lake Durant near Blue Mountain Lake, NY, one June day, my wife Carol Ann asked, "Where does Blue Mountain get its name?" So we visited the nearby Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake to buy a place names book. But there was no such publication. So... I wrote What's With Those Adirondack Mountain Names?
In Essex County, within the Town of North Elba, McKenzie Mountain rises majestically to an elevation of 3,842 feet. As the highest peak among the Saranac Six Mountains, it is known for its towering height and rugged terrain. It presents hikers with a formidable challenge—comparable to some of the renowned forty-six high peaks in the Adirondacks.
In addition to McKenzie Mountain, the other five mountains of the Saranac Six—Ampersand, St. Regis, Baker, Scarface, and Haystack—each offer unique landscapes and hiking experiences.
To become a Saranac Lake 6er, a hiker must summit all six of these mountains. Upon completing the climbs, hikers are encouraged to visit Berkeley Green at the intersection of Main and Broadway in downtown Saranac Lake to ring "The 6er Bell."
Hikers can obtain the Saranac Lake 6er patch and a certificate with a unique number. Once a hiker has finished this challenge, he or she must register online and pay the fifteen-dollar registration fee. For those aiming for "Ultra 6er" status, participants must leave Berkeley Green, climb all six mountains within 24 hours, and then return to Berkeley Green.
Thomas B. Cantwell and friend on skis. Photo courtesy of The Thomas Barry Cantwell Family
The mountain was first climbed by Verplanck Colvin (Simply Saratoga Spring 2024), the Superintendent of the Adirondack Survey, in 1878. Colvin, known for naming mountains after descending them, likely named this peak in honor of his favorite guide, Rod McKenzie, who had recently passed away. Originally from Keene Valley, Rod McKenzie climbed Gothics with Colvin and Old Mountain Phelps (Simply Saratoga H&G 2025) in August 1873.
During the mid-twentieth century, a prominent figure from the village of Saranac Lake, Thomas B. Cantwell, was deeply impressed by McKenzie Mountain. A graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts and Albany Law School, he devoted himself to serving the Saranac Lake community in various capacities, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and service.
As a local attorney and civic leader, Cantwell made significant contributions to the community as a Masonic Lodge and Rotary Club member. He actively supported the Boy Scouts and established the first ski tow on Mount Pisgah.
Newspaper Headline Image In the third photo from the left Thomas Cantwell is holding up five fingers indicating a measurement of five feet on April 22, 1956.
Additionally, he played a crucial role in revitalizing the family-friendly annual Saranac Winter Carnival, which has since gained recognition. He also served on the Trudeau Institute and North Country Community College boards. In honor of his numerous contributions, "The Community Room" at the Saranac Lake Free Library was named after him.
Mr. Cantwell was also interested in developing a ski resort on McKenzie Mountain, as it was known for its abundant snowfall from autumn through May. In the 1950s, he regularly measured snow depths on the mountain and took many aerial photographs to create plans for ski trails and chairlifts.
He established a ten-member joint committee composed of individuals from Saranac Lake and Lake Placid who shared his vision for a ski resort on McKenzie Mountain. However, in 1958, Whiteface Mountain was developed instead.
Suggested Dodecagon, Summit of Mt. McKenzie
Image courtesy of The Thomas Barry Cantwell Family
Due to his father's connection to the mountain, T. Barry Cantwell and his wife, Peg, named their first child McKenzie, born nine months after Mr. Cantwell's death. Since then, McKenzie Cantwell Jones, the granddaughter of Thomas Cantwell, has not only climbed the mountain but has also become a prominent nurse practitioner at Latham Dermatology in New York's Capital Region. McKenzie is dedicated and compassionate as a nurse practitioner, following in her grandfather's footsteps.
Author's Note: Thank you to McKenzie Cantwell Jones for sharing her story and her grandfather’s photos.
Scan to read more about Verplanck Colvin in Simply Saratoga Spring 2024
Scan to read more about Old Mountain Phelps in Simply Saratoga H&G 2025