In 2009, I found my happy place and purchased a half-built, affordable chalet on Lower Chateaugay Lake. The 1960s-era camp offered a natural sandy beach, a rarity in the Adirondacks, and clear water. Growing up in Saranac Lake, I dreamed of owning my own slice of lakeshore heaven. Now, after 15 years of sweat equity, my Chateaugay Lake property is a lot of work and less pleasurable due to Eurasian watermilfoil, an aquatic invasive species.
For my first few summers on the lake, my family, friends and I
