Until a couple months ago, I had never heard of the Santanoni Great Camp but now I'm quite interested in going which is possible this weekend through a DEC snowshoe/XCski trek in Newcomb to the camp.

My first introduction to the name of the camp, Santanoni, came when I started climbing the Adirondack's 46 High Peaks, since there is a Santanoni Mountain.

As it turns out, there is a lot more to the name and story which can be discovered this weekend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

More details, including where exactly and a contact number for other info:

The final Winter Open House Event for 2012 will be held this weekend, March 17 & 18, at historic Camp Santanoni, located in the town of Newcomb in Essex County, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced today.

The open house allows cross-country skiers and snowshoers access to camp properties to rest and view interpretative displays. The 9.8-mile round trip excursion on Newcomb Lake Road from the Gate House complex to the remote lakeside main lodge complex is a moderate ski and a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.

Visitors should expect spring skiing conditions with some snowless patches especially in the first mile between the trailhead and the Farm.

During Winter Weekend events cross-country skiers and snowshoers will be able to visit both the Gate Lodge and Main Lodge of Camp Santanoni, view displays about the great camp and take interpretive tours with Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) staff.

The Artist's Studio, a stone building near the main lodge on the shores of Newcomb Lake, will be open as a warming hut and will have coffee, tea and hot chocolate available.

Also, the Adirondack Interpretive Center will provide snowshoes to lend to visitors at the Gate Lodge.The Winter Weekend events are hosted by DEC, AARCH, the town of Newcomb and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry's (ESF) Adirondack Interpretive Center. In addition to the popular 9.8-mile round trip from the Gate Lodge to the Main Lodge, cross-country skiers and snowshoers are encouraged to take the half mile-trail that connects Camp Santanoni to the nearby Adirondack Interpretive Center's 3.6-mile trail system.

The Center's buildings will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. While people may visit Camp Santanoni 365 days a year, the buildings are not typically open to the public during the winter months. Due to the popularity of the previous Winter Weekend Events additional weekends are planned for next winter.

Construction of Camp Santanoni began in 1892 by Robert and Anna Pruyn and eventually consisted of more than four dozen buildings on 12,900 acres including a working farm, the Gate Lodge complex, and a huge rustic Main Lodge and other buildings situated on Newcomb Lake. Camp Santanoni was in private ownership until 1972.

Over the last several decades of state ownership, the camp has gradually been restored through a partnership between DEC, AARCH and the town of Newcomb. Santanoni is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. Camp Santanoni is considered by many to be the classic Adirondack Great Camp.

Reservations are not required but for more information, contact AARCH at (518) 834-9328.