Written By Megin Potter | Photos PROVIDED
In this captivating, raw, and almost entirely unaltered collection of images, Ballston Spa author and Adirondack 46er Ken Marcinowski, Sr., celebrates the lasting beauty of the Adirondack Park.
Connecting insightful quotations and heartfelt poetry with snapshots in time spanning the last 30 years, May the Mountain Speak to You (The Troy Book Makers, 2023) captures indelible scenery that speaks to the heart.
The serenity of the mountain range, in its grandly wild way, shines sublime in Marcinowski’s memory. Through his photographs and the written passages from avid outdoor enthusiasts, activists, writers, and poets, he hopes to create a connection that inspires others.
“It’s the solitude of nature speaking to you. These are snapshots from the trail. Hiking was my main concern. I wasn’t going to stop and wait for the light to be just right.”
Inspired by The Indian Pass (1869), written by New York State Librarian and author Alfred Billings Street about his famous expeditions into the mountains, Marcinowski carved a collection of walking sticks with the phrase “May the Mountain Speak to You” before using it as the title for his book.
Featuring great vistas seen from high peaks including the Algonquin, Cascade, and Saddleback mountains, as well as vignettes from lesser-known locales, along with rushing waterfalls, pristine lakes, and a variety of wildlife, this book speaks volumes about the importance of maintaining wild spaces.
Although more crowded than in 1997 when Marcinowski became an Adirondack 46er, hikers are more respectful of the trails today than they were then, he said. Capturing images of now extinct features including Marcy Dam, along with the funny, sad, relatable stories that hikers once chronicled in waterproof trail canisters, he has created a collection of a time that no longer exists but will always be calling.
May the Mountain Speak to You: A Collection of Snapshots and Quotations is available at Saratoga’s Northshire Bookstore, other select local retailers, and online on Amazon.
