Brief Bio: Nate Pelton

Age: 42.

Birthplace: Albany (raised in Cobleskill).

Residence: North Creek.

Occupation: Owner/operator of North Creek Rafting Company.

Accomplishments: “My biggest accomplishment is operating a small business in the Adirondacks for over ten years, growing North Creek Rafting Company’s capacity from twenty customers per trip in 2007 to a hundred persons in 2017. As a licensed guide for twenty-one years, I have rafted the Hudson River Gorge over a thousand times, led three twenty-one-day Grand Canyon trips, and seven multi-day rafting trips in Idaho.”

Favorite hike: “Vanderwhacker Mountain is my favorite hike near North Creek. The fire tower on the summit gives great views of the High Peaks, Vermont, the Essex Chain Lakes, and the Hudson River. It is only three miles to the summit from the parking area, but the parking area is about five miles from a paved road (and so safe for dogs).”

Favorite paddle: “Besides the Hudson Gorge, my favorite stretch to canoe is the West Branch of the Ausable from the Adirondak Loj Road to the Olympic ski jumps, very windy, rocky, and continuous Class III rapids for about seven miles. In a raft, my other favorite is the Boreas River from Route 28N to the Hudson River, which has a great four-mile section of continuous Class III-IV whitewater.”

Why I live in the Adirondacks: “The Adirondacks are the best because there’s plenty of water and not too many people, but they’re not too far from services offered only in cities.”

Memorable wildlife experience: “One day while rafting the Hudson Gorge I spotted a fawn struggling to swim. I pulled it into the boat, and it rested on the floor next to me for the next rapid. When we stopped at the bottom of the rapid, it ran off after catching its breath.”

If I were in charge of the Park: “If I were in charge of the Park, I would classify the Boreas Ponds Tract as Wilderness and tax plastic bags.”