Our annual Adirondack Issue encourages Seven Days readers to go west. But this year, the region’s rich history and high peaks have been overshadowed by one of the biggest national news stories of the summer: the cinematic prison break at Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora. As of press time, almost three weeks after two murderers busted out, the coast was still not clear. Crime reporter Mark Davis went over to cover the coverage, and got pulled over by the cops. Once the cons get away — or caught —Adirondack life will presumably go on as it has for centuries.

In this issue, Ken Picard visits an erstwhile destination for tuberculosis patients, which is still doing medical research in Saranac Lake. Molly Walsh follows in the footsteps of artist Georgia O’Keeffe, who found inspiration in Lake George before moving to New Mexico. The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls, a museum built from a private collection that samples six centuries of art history, got Kevin Kelley’s attention. In truth, through, most people don’t visit the ’Dacks to see art. They go for the outdoor recreation.

With 6.1 million acres, the Adirondack Park is bigger than Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Glacier and the Great Smoky national parks combined. That’s lot of woods in which to hike, canoe and bike. Sarah Tuff Dunn did all three in her personal mini triathalon near Mirror Lake. Food writer Hannah Palmer-Egan followed the Adirondack Coast Wine Trail, while Ethan de Seife sampled the abundant barbecue at Lake Placid.

With so much land, and only 130,000 year-round residents, you’d think there’d be enough room for everyone. But conflicts between private and public interests continue. Alicia Freese wrote about a lawsuit — concerning waterway rights — that’s been in court for almost six years. Those Dannemora dudes could be paddling now…