Northern New York's Adirondack Mountains and the six million acres of the Adirondack Park evolved from a rugged, forested wilderness into a playground for the wealthy. Grand hotels where wealthy tourists stayed in luxury and "great camps" owned by affluent summer residents stand alongside economically struggling communities. Although some look to the Adirondack Park as a model for preservation, others, especially year-round locals, are critical of the Park's blatant inequality marked by persistent poverty and shrinking populations. These disputes are imbedded in the history of the region, as the creation of the Park in the nineteenth century and its subsequent expansion led to layers of land use regulation, bureaucratic control and competing special interests. Local author Andrew Egan explores the Park's roots, how it became a rich man's paradise and the challenges facing the region's communities and natural ecosystems.