Saranac Lakes Wild Forest: Oseetah Marsh
One of the perks of living in the Adirondacks is the lunch-hour hike or ski. In winter, I sometimes ski with sandwich in pocket to Oseetah Marsh. From Route 86 on the outskirts of Saranac Lake, I follow a trail through a pine forest for a half-mile to the edge of the marsh and then ski across the marsh. The marsh has fabulous views of nearby peaks, including McKenzie, Scarface, and the Sawtooth Range.
The trail through the forest and across the marsh happens to be a snowmobile route. This would not be noteworthy except that the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan identifies Oseetah Marsh as a “Special Management Area.”
All told, the plan lists eighty-nine Special Management Areas, selected for their scenic beauty or their geographical, natural, or historic significance. It’s kind of an odd list. For instance, seventeen summits were selected for their scenic beauty. I’ve been up all but two. They all have nice views, but there are other mountains with equal or better views. Why these seventeen?
Twenty-six places were singled out for their natural significance. They include patches of old-growth, two mountains (in addition to the other seventeen), a few bogs and marshes, and one pond—Church Pond. Of the three thousand ponds in the Adirondacks, what’s so special about this one?
The master plan gives the state Department of Environmental Conservation the authority to draw up management guidelines to protect these areas and, where appropriate, to install interpretive signs.
I wondered what special management Oseetah Marsh receives. I also wondered why, if this marsh is so special (it was chosen for its natural significance), snowmobiles are allowed to ride through it. I don’t know if the snowmobiles are doing ecological harm, but the machines do emit oil and gas.
As it turns out, Oseetah Marsh receives no special treatment. But DEC spokesman David Winchell said the agency will consider special guidelines as it draws up a management plan for the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest (the marsh lies within the Wild Forest tract).
As far as I can determine, few of the eighty-nine Special Management Areas receive special management. The High Peaks Wilderness Area, for example, contains more than a dozen Special Management Areas. Most receive no mention or only incidental mention in the 336-page unit management plan for the High Peaks.
APA spokesman Keith McKeever said the list of Special Management Areas was drawn up in the early 1970s by the APA and DEC. He said the purpose of the list is not only to provide management guidelines, but also to publicize these treasured places.
“It was to identify areas of the Park that are really magnificent,” he said, “so people can enjoy them and visit them.”
But my guess is that few people are aware of the list of Special Management Areas in the back of a rather obscure state document. Indeed, it seems to have escaped the attention of officialdom as well.
Photo by Phil Brown: snowmobile tracks at Oseetah Marsh.
16 Comments:
This is one of my favorite skies, perfectly scalable. You can go for a quick lunch outing, or really go, exploring bays and islands.
--Brian
All the "islands" in that area are private land aren't they? The owners are not there in the winter but that doesn't mean people can just "explore" at will? I own a camp that backs up to this area please stay on the lake unless you are sure the land is state land.
People who have camps on Oseetah use this route to access their camps by snowmobile in the winter. Cut this off to snowmobile traffic and you would have a serious rebellion on your hands. I have skied an snowmobiled this area all my life I have never seen any signs of any "ecological damage". Phil its sounds like you have been there a bunch did you see a problem? They allow them in Yellowstone national park for crying out loud. I know this is not the point of your article but you seem to have brought it up.
Anonymous, I agree people should stay off private islands. I ski to the marsh and sometimes the lake as well and turn around. A good destination for a longer outing is Pine Pond.
Paul, as I said in the post, I don't know of any ecological damage. It may be that snowmobiles are having no or only negligible impact on the marsh. My guess is nobody has looked at the issue. Perhaps it's too insignifcant to bother with. But if snowmobiles were damaging the marsh, I would hope riders would find other routes to the lake and camps. Perhaps via Oseetah Lake Road (I think that's what it's called)or the end of Kiwassa Road. Many riders seem to reach Oseetah via Lake Flower. If necessary, perhaps camp owners could be given special permits to cross the marsh to check on their camps.
Oseetah lake road (Lapan's Road as it is known locally) I believe is a private road maintained by the homeowner's on Lapan's point. I am not positive. Maybe now it is a town road. There is no parking out there anyway so that is not an option. In fact much of that marsh may actually be private land. As for Kiwassa, again no good. To go from there to the far side of Oseetah requires you to cross the channel. You would drown. Riders go on that side of the point because it is the only side that is safe (usually). I didn't think that you were serious, a permit system! The anon 9:33 was my comment also. I forgot to put a name. Thanks. I am curious Phil how do you ski from Lake Flower to Pine Pond without trespassing?
Paul, I just threw out those roads as possibilities. I have no idea how feasible they would be as alternatives if the marsh were being damaged. Again, I'm not saying it is, so this is all highly hypothetical. As to skiing to Pine Pond, I would take the trail that everyone else does at the end of Oseetah Lake. I believe this is used by snowmobiles as well. If this is trespassing, I am not alone.
Phil, the Kelly road is that a road you are not trespassing. Also snowmobiles leaving gas and oil? When was last time you were around a sled 1969??? They do exhaust combusted gas and oil. If they are 2 strokes, today four strokes are taking over quickly. But remember boats are all over in there far more than snowmobiles. Once again creating an issue to try to selfishly get rid of another user group so you can have it all to yourself. Pathetic.
Phil,
No I was just sharing what I know about that area. The trail that starts on a landing on Oseetah is on Forest Preserve land. That trail all the way in is state owned. Technically where it intersects with the trail to Averyville it becomes part of the McKenzie Mt. wilderness so motorized access is not permitted beyond that border. Obviously that is not a rule that is enforced. I was asking about the other end. I am trying to figure out where you start that doesn't require you to cross private land. Folks who read these stories are going to want to check out these cool places, you don't want to lead them astray. I know you don't advocate that anyone trespass. Brian, if you read this post where do you start the trip? Thanks.
Jim, you say I am creating an issue. I would say I am raising a legitimate question. If Oseetah Marsh is a Special Management Area, what is special about its management? The answer: nothing. If DEC were to manage it as a "special area," I assume they would at least look at the question of motorized access. I am not prejudging what they would decide. It may be that DEC decides the marsh doesn't need any special management.
Paul, I reach the marsh via the snowmobile trail that starts at the RR crossing on Route 86.
My family a cabin on Oseetah and I can't imagine the snowmobilers do any more harm to the area than the boats that travel these lakes and rivers in the spring and the summer.
If you have ever been on the lake you know that the winds pretty much blow west across it and so most of the oil slicks and litter end up at the very edge of the marsh. I think if we are all respectful these beautiful areas can survive
Phil,
Thanks. I see where you are getting in there. Jim, that is called the Kelly road? I had no idea. I grew up in Saranac lake and have a camp in that area. We always called it LaPan's road. Was it Jim LaPan that built that road? Thanks.
I have been to lot's of "special management" areas. I had no idea this marsh was one. None of them appear to me "managed" in anyway with the exception of a sign in a few cases. There are about 50 places just around these same lakes that have the same kind of marsh. Again, what is so special? Maybe if they just changed the name to "point of interest" that would fix the whole thing.
Paul, you're right that the name "Special Management Area" creates an expectation that the area in question will receive some kind of special management. Apparently, that is rarely the case. The guidelines do not require special management.They allow it if necessary to protect the area.
Anonymous, I agree we should be respectful of the marsh--and all marshes, not just those on this list.
Phil, I agree. So I assume that this area is state owned? What do they own there actually? Isn't that road considered private land or at least not state land? I don't get it?
Judging from the National Geographic map, the state owns most of the marsh (otherwise, it wouldn't be on this list). I don't know who owns the road. It could be private. Even if the state does own it, I assume the camp owners have a right of way.
Phil, that makes sense. Thanks. Yes, I am sure the folks on the point have an easement. It is strange. I hope there is a response to when the road was built. That must have been state land for a very long time. It was my understanding that the road was built back in the 70's or so. Even if it was built further back it is amazing that they folks who did it got the OK to build that road across state land? Anyone know the history of that road?
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