Adirondack Ike’s home "HI-N-DRI”Brooks Bay, Town of Day
ADIRONDACK IKE COMES HOME WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOHN R. GREENWOOD
Ira Gray, October 18, 1886-August 1, 1982, was best known for being a skilled woodsman. He was also an author, storyteller, historian, and, more importantly, a well-respected citizen. I was 15 years old when I met Ira "Adirondack Ike" Gray at his home in 1970. His home called "HI-N-DRI" was in Brooks Bay on the Great Sacandaga Lake in the Town of Day. My parents were staying at a friend's camp across the road. My father brought me over to meet Ike and maybe hear a story or two. The two paperback covers taken from Jim Palmer’s paintings.
2000 Saratoga County Historical Marker in front of Ike’s home. 158 | SIMPLY SARATOGA | SUMMER 2021
On that day in 1970, Ike treated me to a handful of stories, some of which I would later read in his book, "Follow My Moccasin’s Tracks." His writings were short and anecdotal but always entertaining. He loved sharing his experiences growing up in the Adirondacks. With a twinkle in his eye, Ike turned his adventures into gold nuggets. He left no stone or log unturned in his many years hunting and fishing the mountains and streams of the Adirondacks and beyond. He was happiest when donning a pair of snowshoes, his checkered wool jacket, and carrying his favorite deer rifle. His stories make his early hard-scrabble years sound heaven-sent. saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com
