No Verizon coverage in central Adrondacks

Yesterday my wife and I drove from southern Saratoga County to Long Lake via I-87 to exit 23, then north on Route 9 through Warrensburg and then NW on Route 28 through North Creek, North River, Indian lake, and Blue Mountain Lake, and then north on Route 30 to Long Lake for a stay at the Adirondack Hotel. Today we drove back along Route 28N through Newcomb to North Creek and from there retraced our route through Warrensburg and on to home. I was using my new tri-band Nokia 6256i and expected at least analog coverage for most of the trip - except perhaps in Long Lake. However, once we left I-87 and Route 9 there was no coverage at all, except that on the way back, when we stopped at the High Peaks overlook in Newcomb there was a weak analog signal - the very first time I have ever seen the 6256i operate in analog mode.