View source for Ausable River (New York)

{{Short description|U.S. river}}
[[Image:ausable river.jpg|thumb|250px|The Ausable River]]
The '''Ausable River''' ({{IPAc-en|ɔː|ˈ|s|eɪ|b|əl}}), also known as '''AuSable River''' and originally written as "'''Au Sable'''", runs in the U.S. state of [[New York (state)|New York]], from the [[Adirondack Mountains]] and past the village of [[Lake Placid, New York|Lake Placid]] and [[Au Sable Forks, New York|Au&nbsp;Sable Forks]] to empty into [[Lake Champlain]] (at {{coord|44|33|40|N|73|25|25|W |region:US |display=inline,title}}). It has an East and West branch that join at Au&nbsp;Sable Forks.  The river forms a partial boundary between [[Clinton County, New York|Clinton County]] and [[Essex County, New York|Essex County]].  The Ausable River is known for its [[Canyon|gorge]], [[Ausable Chasm]], located a few miles east of [[Keeseville, New York|Keeseville]].

The Ausable River is {{convert|94|mi|km|sigfig=2}} long and drains a watershed of {{convert|516|sqmi|km2|sigfig=3}}.<ref name=NRHP>{{NRHP url|id=64500443|title=AuSable River Valley Bridges MPS}}</ref>

It was originally named "Au Sable" (French for "sandy") by [[Samuel de Champlain]] when he first explored the region in 1609 because of its extensive sandy [[river delta|delta.]]<ref name=NRHP/>

==West Branch Ausable River==
[[File:Wilmington High Falls, Lake Placid, N. Y (NYPL b12647398-68529).tiff|thumb|278x278px|Wilmington High Falls]]
The West Branch of the Ausable arises from the [[confluence]] of the MacIntyre, South Meadow and Marcy Brooks, east of [[Mount Jo]] near the [[Adirondak Loj]]; it then runs {{convert|36|mi|km}} northeast to [[Au Sable Forks, New York|Au&nbsp;Sable Forks]] ({{coord|44|26|25|N|73|40|28|W |region:US}}), and is fed by [[Lake Placid (New York)|Lake Placid]] and the [[Chubb River]] along the way. At high water-levels, the upper end provides demanding white-water paddling opportunities. Further along, it runs through High Falls Gorge at the Wilmington Notch, a gorge formed by a fault zone, with {{convert|700|ft|m|adj=on}} cliffs on one side and {{convert|1700|ft|m|adj=on}} cliffs on the other.<ref>Jamieson, Paul and Morris, Donald, ''Adirondack Canoe Waters, North Flow'', Lake George, NY: [[Adirondack Mountain Club]], 1987, pp. 259–260. {{ISBN|0-935272-43-7}}.</ref>

==East Branch Ausable River==
The East Branch arises from Upper and Lower Ausable lakes in the Ausable Valley, which forms the south side of the [[Great Range]].  The first {{convert|4|mi|km|0}} are especially scenic, and can be viewed from trails on either side maintained by the [[Adirondack Trail Improvement Society]].  The river is then met by the Cascade Brook which flows from the Cascade Lakes, beneath [[Cascade Mountain (New York)|Cascade Mountain]], on its way to Au&nbsp;Sable Forks.<ref>Jamieson, Paul and Morris, Donald, ''Adirondack Canoe Waters, North Flow'', Lake George, NY: [[Adirondack Mountain Club]], 1987, pp. 270–272. {{ISBN|0-935272-43-7}}.</ref>

==See also==
* [[Carpenter's Flats Bridge]]
* [[Double-Span Metal Pratt Truss Bridge]]
* [[List of rivers in New York]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Ausable River (New York)|*]]
[[Category:Adirondacks]]
[[Category:Rivers of New York (state)]]
[[Category:Rivers of Essex County, New York]]
[[Category:Rivers of Clinton County, New York]]
[[Category:Tributaries of Lake Champlain]]