The Pepperbox
Wilderness Area
Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural), are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally re ...
, an
Adirondack Park
The Adirondack Park is a part of New York's Forest Preserve in northeastern New York, United States. The park was established in 1892 for “the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure”, and for watershed protection. The park ...
unit of the New York
Forest Preserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...
, lies entirely within the town of
Webb
Webb most often refers to James Webb Space Telescope which is named after James E. Webb, second Administrator of NASA.
It may also refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Webb Glacier (South Georgia)
* Webb Glacier (Victoria Land)
*Webb Névé, Victoria ...
in
Herkimer County
Herkimer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,139. Its county seat is Herkimer. The county was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. It is named af ...
.
Stillwater Reservoir
Stillwater Reservoir is a man-made lake located by Beaver River, New York within the Western Adirondacks. The lake has a large amount of recreational uses including camping, canoeing, boating, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and cross-country sk ...
and the Beaver River Primitive Area form the southern boundary, while the north bank of the West Branch of the
Oswegatchie River
The Oswegatchie River ( moh, Kaniatarahòn:tsi) is a river in northern New York that flows from the Adirondack Mountains north to the Saint Lawrence River. The Oswegatchie River begins at Partlow Lake in Hamilton County, New York. The river co ...
generally forms the northern boundary. The western boundary is the county line, and the eastern boundary is the Raven Lake Road and the
Five Ponds Wilderness Area
The Five Ponds Wilderness Area, an Adirondack Park unit of New York's Forest Preserve, is located in the towns of Fine and Clifton in St. Lawrence County, the town of Webb in Herkimer County and the town of Long Lake in Hamilton County. It inc ...
.
It contains 46 bodies of water on 270 acres (1.1 km
2) and 2 miles (3.2 km) of
foot trails.
The terrain is primarily flat, but for a few tinier, rolling hills scattered here and there. The three principal tree species found in swampland are spruce, fir, and red maple. There are also many of alder swamps, marshes, and beaver flows. The drier sites are vegetated with pole-size northern hardwoods. The entire area appears to have been heavily burned over and logged in the past and is not particularly scenic by usual standards. It is, however, ideally suited for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Several ponds are found in the area. They are generally of low productivity and some may even be sterile. The area is classed as wilderness because of its remoteness and also due to the extensive wetland ecosystems involved. The flora and fauna associated with moist ecosystems, such as found in the Pepperbox, seem to exhibit more species diversity than any others in the Adirondacks. Birdlife and small
mammal
Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
s are especially abundant.
There is very little human use of the area at present, except for light hunting. Access is moderately difficult because of the distance from public roads and the lack of a trail system.
Popular culture
The Pepperbox Wilderness Area was the initial inspiration for the StoneJam Game Jam, held in the
Stoneham Mountain Resort
Stoneham Mountain Resort is a ski resort, located north of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, in the municipality of Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury. It has a peak elevation of above sea level and a vertical drop of . There are 41 trails covering over four mou ...
on 10 July 2015.
See also
*
List of Wilderness Areas in the Adirondack Park
The Adirondack Park is a part of New York's Forest Preserve in northeastern New York, United States. The park was established in 1892 for “the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure”, and for watershed protection. The park' ...
References
* Adirondack Park Agency
"Adirondack State Land Master Plan" Updated 2001. {{dead link, date=August 2012
Wilderness areas in Adirondack Park
Protected areas of Herkimer County, New York