The Adirondacks are a large mountain country in the north-east of New York State, in the United States. People say "the Adirondacks" the way they say "the Alps": the name is almost always plural, and it means the whole place — high hills, thick forest, and a great many lakes — not one single peak. A huge part of it is set aside as Adirondack Park, a wild protected area, so visitors go to walk, camp, canoe, and look at trees and water. Though actually, it is not empty of people in every corner: there are small towns and old holiday hotels too. In American English the name is ordinary and a little proud; it belongs to that corner of New York, and you will not hear it much in everyday British talk. You may also meet Adirondack in "Adirondack chair", a deep wooden garden chair with a wide back, named after this place.