High Peaks Happy Hour: Olde Log Inn, Lake George

Located just north of Lake George Village on Route 9, The Olde Log Inn is open year-round for vacationers, campers and locals from Lake George and Warrensburg. As a restaurant and bar, The Olde Log Inn is a great place to escape the bustling village in the summer, eat a nice lunch or dinner, and sit on the patio and enjoy the mountain view and late afternoon sun.

As the name implies, The Olde Log Inn is of log construction inside and out, but has been remodeled recently enough to not appear "olde". Originally Lanfear's Country Tavern, the business has been in existence since 1976 and owned by Mike and Gigi Shaughnessy since 1999. The glossy pine bar seats about 15 patrons and is partitioned from the dining room by a windowed half wall that doubles as a bar counter, seating six, and close to the bar. The U-shaped bar allows for easy banter back and forth across the bar, and we became engaged in several conversations during our visit. Additional seating on the patio includes four pub tables for four each and five picnic tables, all equipped with shade umbrellas for use in the warmer seasons.

The cozy interior features checked country valances over the many windows, creating a homeyness which softens the predominantly rustic log interior. Currently decked out in holiday style, the canoe over the bar is trimmed in lights. Evergreen wreaths, swags and a tree tastefully invite the holiday spirit with your spirits. Windows on three walls allow plenty of light into the space, countering competition from the surrounding pine.

A stone fireplace in the dining area warms the far corner of the open floor plan. The dining room is an intimate space with seating for about 40 in closely spaced tables with appropriately rustic chairs. The Olde Log Inn caters to a healthy lunch crowd with its tempting offerings of sandwiches, salads, burgers, soups and appetizers all at reasonable prices. Dinner is served from 5 to 10 p.m. Entrees include pasta, steaks, ribs and chicken priced between $13.99 and $17.99. Their full menu is available online.

The Olde Log Inn's Happy Hour is immensely popular with locals of all kinds and is offered from 4 to 6 p.m. daily. Though no unique drink specials are advertised, a light assortment of flavored vodkas inspired Pam to create a mixed drink with a huckleberry vodka base, which she dubbed the Huckleberry Crush. A handful of beers on tap include Smithwick's, Stella Artois, Bud Light, Sam Adams Seasonal (Winter Lager at the moment), and local craft favorites Bear Naked Ale from Adirondack Brewery and Davidson Brothers Brewing Company IPA. Most popular domestics are available in bottles. The bar is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Sunday noon to 11 p.m. The kitchen is serving lunch, dinner and light fare Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 10 p.m. Quick Draw is available at the Olde Log Inn as well as wi-fi so you can follow our blog or look up one of our drink recipes.

Summer tourists can find solace in the hum of traffic on the nearby Northway or perhaps a cool afternoon breeze from the patio. Campers on the other side of Flat Rock Road might find comfort in the cleanliness and hot running water in the bathroom. Snowmobilers may huddle by the fireplace to warm up and peel off some snowy layers. Local professionals and contractors can meet up with their friends, or make new friends, and seasonal workers from the village shops can hide out, leaving behind the over-stimulated parents and children vacationing in Lake George. Bikers might escape the crowds of Americade or stretch their legs after a long ride in the Adirondacks. The Olde Log Inn is a year-round destination.

Kim and Pam Ladd's book, Happy Hour in the High Peaks, is currently in the research stage. Together they visit pubs, bars and taverns with the goal of selecting the top 46 bars in the Adirondack Park. They regularly report their findings here at the Almanack and at their own blog, or follow them on Facebook, and ADK46barfly on Twitter.

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Dan Crane: Adirondack Lean-to Etiquette

Lean-tos are three-walled shelters scattered throughout the backcountry of the Adirondack Park. Typically, they are conveniently located near picturesque lakes, ponds or streams. They are often convenient substitutes for tents (except during bug season) and especially popular with backpackers on a rainy day. Unfortunately this popularity often leads to overuse and sometimes downright abuse.

For example, this past summer I visited and revisited the Sand Lake lean-to within the Five Ponds Wilderness during a bushwhacking trip. Over the eight-day period the lean-to went from clean and well-kept to having garbage strewn within the fireplace and abandoned equipment scattered all about.

Obviously there is a need for some rules of lean-to etiquette. These rules need to be adopted and promoted by all backcountry adventurers. They should be posted on an attractive sign in a prominent place on each lean-to to remind those users that seem to forget their obligations when visiting the backcountry.

Below are my suggestions for some basic standards of conduct around lean-tos. These guidelines can act as a basis for lean-to etiquette while camping at these shelters in the backcountry of the Adirondacks via its extensive trail system.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) guidelines specific to the use of lean-tos on state land is a good place to start developing rules of lean-to etiquette. These guidelines pertain to the use of the structures relative to other backpackers and hikers.

The first DEC guideline states lean-tos are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no system available to reserve a specific lean-to. This also precludes “calling” one at the trailhead.

The second DEC guideline is that no exclusive use of lean-tos is allowed; they must be shared with others. This rule should be referred to as the kindergarten rule, since that is where most of us should have learned it. Typically, lean-tos can accommodate up to six individuals, although some can easily fit more. Courteous campers should always offer to share the lean-to with others. From my experience few ever accept this offer regardless of how heartfelt it is delivered.

Many of the other DEC rules governing the use of state land can be applied specifically to lean-to use for the purpose of establishing proper etiquette. These rules include packing out everything packed in, not vandalizing state property, the burning garbage and cutting only down and dead wood.

“Pack it in, pack it out” has long been the motto of the leave no trace movement. The implications of this are clear with regards to lean-tos: under no circumstances should anything be left in a lean-to when vacated. This includes any leftover food, candles, matches, aluminum foil or any other equipment regardless of its possible utility to future occupants. Although these considerate individuals probably convinced themselves the goodies being left behind are for the benefit of others, the true motivation is to lighten their own load instead.

Proper lean-to etiquette requires leaving a clean and orderly shelter upon your departure. If anything is present in the lean-to upon arrival then consider packing it out. If a broom is present, consider sweeping out any natural debris or dirt that may have accumulated.

Many lean-tos have a register in the form of a bound notebook. These notebooks are available for writing one’s thoughts or registering one’s progress on a trip. They tend to be maintained by volunteers from the Adirondack Mountain Club; the same individuals who maintain and clean the lean-tos.

Although the registers are present for share one’s thoughts or impressions, proper etiquette would dictate keeping the musing appropriate for a general audience. Vulgar and other inappropriate language (or thoughts) should be avoided since it is impossible to anticipate who may read it at a future date.

Under no circumstances should any pages be ripped out of these registers. These bound notebooks tend to lose pages when even a single one is removed. A courteous hiker brings an ample supply of toilet paper on even the shortest hikes, or uses a natural substitute if necessary. Save the paper for writing and come prepared.

Carvings on walls appears to be a favored activity at lean-tos. These carvings can provide some amusement to anyone bored on a rainy day. Unfortunately, this activity is nothing more than a romanticized form of vandalism. Although some have artistic merit, the carvings are often idiotic and often unsightly (or down right vulgar). Instead of defacing public property these individuals should be out enjoying the outdoors, presumably the reason for visiting the lean-to in the first place.

Avoid burning garbage in the fireplace, if at all possible. Although paper can be burned; plastic, aluminum foil, glass and tin cans are not completely combustible, except in the most intensely hot fires. It is best to just pack out what is packed in. Do not leave half-burned garbage in the fireplace for someone else to deal with at a future date.

Lean-tos are public property and therefore any activity not typically performed in public should be avoided. If any activity requiring privacy or potentially embarrassing to oneself or others is anticipated, including any romantic trysts, please find a remote campsite off the trail. Almost everyone will be happy you did.

Do not build any permanent extensions or enhancements to the lean-to. Tables, chairs or shelves have no place in a lean-to. Leave the construction to the professionals. If you find yourself with extra time on your hands then go for a hike, watch birds or go fishing.

Good lean-to etiquette extends beyond the structure itself. Since the area around the lean-to is a high-use area, extra care is needed to prevent it from becoming any more degraded than is absolutely necessary.

When getting up in the evening due to nature’s call, please be considerate of present and future occupants by journeying a significant distance away before urinating. Of course, this applies mainly to the male half of the human race, since the other half probably uses the more convenient privy or outhouse. Seeking a safe distance from the lean-to is especially important in the winter time. No one wishes to see a mine field of yellow snow surrounding the lean-to when looking for some snow to melt for water.

A different residue is more of an issue in the summer months. Although I commend anyone practicing proper backcountry hygiene by brushing their teeth twice a day, it is especially important to spit out the toothpaste a great distance away from the lean-to. After spitting out the toothpaste be sure to dilute the resulting mess with some extra water, if possible. If there is no water to spare, pee on it instead.

Only dead and downed wood should be used for burning. Many lean-tos are often surrounded by numerous stumps where individuals decided to burn standing trees. This activity is illegal everywhere on public land but it is especially unsightly when frequently practiced around lean-tos.

The above are some suggestions for those desiring to show the proper backcountry etiquette around the many lean-tos in the Adirondack Park. Practicing these basic guidelines should result in a better experience for all yet minimizing the impact on the surrounding area.

Photos: Wolf Pond, Sand Lake and Big Shallow Pond Lean-tos by Dan Crane.

Dan Crane blogs about his bushwhacking adventures at Bushwhacking Fool.

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Annette Nielsen: Lofty Thanksgiving Leftovers

Tamar Adler’s op ed piece in the New York Times last week struck a chord – eating like we eat during Thanksgiving all year round: “Thanksgiving Thrift: The Holiday as a Model for Sustainable Cooking” (November 22, 2011). Her premise is simple – we prepare a nice holiday dinner (typically with lots of leftovers), and spend many days eating and recreating turkey and many side dishes, ‘shopping’ our refrigerator for breakfast, lunch and dinner options.

So while we’re inspired on Thanksgiving, as well as other upcoming holidays, to eat with enthusiasm from our leftovers, we can use that mindset throughout the year – each week, in fact, if we’re creative.

Planning out menus for the week (coordinating with school or meeting schedules) means you’ll ultimately spend less on food. Additionally, not as much food will go to waste, and you may just have a more satisfying dining experience each night, without having to think about what to make, whether you have the appropriate ingredients, and who will be making it to the dinner table.

Ideas for Thanksgiving turkey (a large roasting chicken might provide similar reincarnations) start with the carcass – still with some turkey meat and maybe some skin on it (add neck and gizzard if it hasn’t been used previously) – while the dark and white meat is reserved for other dishes.

Make a large vessel of turkey stock – you won’t be sorry – add some fresh carrots, onions or other vegetable scraps you may have been saving in the freezer. After you strain the stock, the first day can give you turkey soup with some leftover vegetables (maybe Brussels sprouts or green beans), adding either cooked noodles or bulghur wheat for variation. Include a salad and there’s a simple supper. Store the remaining stock in freezer, making certain to label the container and date (most frozen items start to lose their nutritional value after six months).

That same day, you might take pumpkin (or squash) puree and create a curried squash soup with some of the turkey stock (freeze for another time, perhaps), or use your cranberry compote with miniature pumpkin muffins.

Turkey pot pie can make great use of the stuffing, corn, and gravy, too or stir fry turkey pieces adding a few more vegetables and wild rice.

If you still have turkey meat to spare, add a garlic mayonnaise and top with fresh greens for a great sandwich. Trim any extra turkey pieces and place in freezer bags, ready for another quick meal a few weeks from now.

While those of us living in remote parts of the North Country, where there might not be easy access to grocers or specialty food stores are aware, having a game plan is what it’s all about.

Ribollita

½ pound dried cannellini beans (about 1 cup) soaked overnight in cold water to cover
6-8 cups chicken or turkey stock
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely minced (about 1 cup)
3-4 garlic cloves, finely minced
¼ cup finely chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch of kale, center stalks removed, coarsely shredded (about 6-7 cups)
3 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely diced (about 2 cups)
3 celery stalks, coarsely diced (about 2 cups)
1 large boiling potato, peeled and coarsely diced (about 2 cups)
½ small head Savoy or regular green cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped (about 2 ½ cups or substitute more kale)
1 bunch Swiss chard, green leaves only, coarsely chopped (about 7 cups)
1 28-oz can Italian plum tomatoes, with juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5 thick slices 1- to 2-day old crusty Italian bread, broken into small pieces

Place beans in a medium pot, cover with chicken or turkey stock (start with six cups) and bring to a boil over medium heat. As soon as water begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until beans are tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The beans can be cooked a few hours ahead of time; set aside.

Heat 1/3 cup oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and stir until pale yellow and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and parsley and stir a minute or two; add kale, carrots, celery, potato, cabbage and chard. Stir for a few minutes and add tomatoes, the beans and their cooking liquid. If needed, add more stock or water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, approximately 45 minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in bread and remaining olive oil; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

A few hours before serving, put soup back on low heat and simmer another half hour, stirring often to prevent sticking. At this point, the soup will have “reboiled” (thus, ribollita) and will have a thick consistency.

Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve hot with a few drops of additional olive oil if desired.

Annette Nielsen is a food writer, editor, community organizer and activist on behalf of regional agriculture. She recently edited Northern Comfort and Northern Bounty, two seasonally-based cookbooks for Adirondack Life Magazine. A native of Northville, she lives in Salem, New York with her husband and son.

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Adirondack Family Activities: A Cold Fort Ticonderoga

For the first year Fort Ticonderoga is providing a unique experience with “Hot Chocolate at a Cold Fort.” On December 3, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Fort Ticonderoga will have a special opening allowing guests to witness how soldiers celebrated Christmas in 1776.

One way to snap children out of their glassy-eyed “I wants” from the onslaught of daily catalog deliveries is to experience an 18th century Christmas celebration at Fort Ticonderoga.

There will be opportunities to learn of past traditions and the winter hardships of limited resources. Fort Ticonderoga is only open during the winter months on special occasions, so this will be an interesting treat.

Stuart Lilie, Fort Ticonderoga Director of Interpretation says, “We hope this event will demonstrate how people were celebrating Christmas in 1776. On a basic level the goal is to show what the solders' lives were like during the American Revolution to how we celebrate Christmas now.”

“At that time people did not have all the traditions that we have now. I think that true comfort of Christmas at that time and the other saint’s holidays was the camaraderie with the people around them,” says Lilie. “It was enjoying a simple meal that was perhaps better than they were used to. It was something as simple as a nice cut of meat. There was more focus on those around them. The simplicity.”

The event starts with a tour of the historic fort and will make use of re-enactors portraying Colonel Anthony Wayne’s Fourth Pennsylvania Battalion. The English and Dutch Christmas traditions of these Pennsylvania soldiers will be demonstrated. Colonel Wayne’s soldiers will also work around the mess hall to make hot meals for the officers, the sick and to try to find ways to feed the rest of the battalion.

Museum Curator of Collections, Christopher Fox will be on hand for the tour of “The Art of War: Ticonderoga as Experience through the Eyes of America’s Great Artists” exhibit. This exhibits brings together 50 of the museum’s most important artworks with works including Thomas Cole’s “Gelyna.”

The fort tour will attempt to tackle such issues as shortage of clothing, medicine and how the long transportation from Albany, at the time, was an overwhelming challenge. Through it all the soldiers manage to make a festive gathering with very little.

Of course there will be a musket demonstration, as those soldiers need practice in case of a winter raid. There will be an opportunity to see how muskets work and learn how they were the main weapons during Colonel Wayne’s command.

So with a bit of history and a fun day at the fort we can witness how the Fort Ticonderoga soldiers appreciated what they had in a cold winter in 1776.

Throughout the weekend there will also be the 2nd annual Ticonderoga North Country Christmas with other children’s activities throughout the weekend.

Photo by Diane Chase.

Diane Chase is the author of the Adirondack Family Activities Guidebook Series including the recent released Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks Your Guide to Over 300 Activities for Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Keene, Jay and Wilmington areas (with GPS coordinates), the first book of a four-book series of Adirondack Family Activities. The next book Adirondack Family Time Plattsburgh to Ticonderoga will in stores summer 2012.

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View Presents Cinderella The Enchanted Edition

The performance of the classic musical “Cinderella The Enchanted Edition” by Rogers and Hammerstein will be performed by the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts at View at 3PM on December 3rd.

This timeless enchantment of a magical fairy tale is reborn with the Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm and elegance. As adapted for the stage, with great warmth and more than a touch of hilarity, the hearts of children and adults alike soar when the slipper fits. This Enchanted Edition is based on the 1997 teleplay. Adapted for the Stage by Tom Briggs From the Teleplay by Robert L. Freedman.

As a kingdom celebrates its Prince’s decision to give a ball for the express purpose of finding a bride, Cinderella’s two stepsisters and their mother enter. This less-than-lovable trio is followed by what seems to be a large pile of packages, but in fact is Cinderella carrying the ladies’ ball gowns, frills and frou frou from a successful shopping spree. Cinderella, it becomes apparent when they arrive home, will have the formidable job of making the Stepmother and Stepsisters beautiful for the ball—in addition to her other jobs, which include cooking, sewing, cleaning, washing and everything else imaginable. Although she won’t be allowed to go to the ball herself, Cinderella is happy for the others. She always tries to be cheerful and never complains. Sometimes, however, she retreats to her “own little corner” and dreams of a more exciting life.

The Queen and King are not in complete agreement about the Prince’s ball (which should in fact be called the Queen’s ball, since it is entirely her idea). The King doesn’t want to have it at all, since it will be a great deal of trouble, a large expense, and why would a red-blooded boy want to get married in the first place? But the Queen has her heart set on it, and neither the King nor the Prince (who dreads the whole idea) can bear to disappoint her. The preparations continue.

On the night of the ball, Cinderella helps her Stepmother and Stepsisters get ready. After they leave, she sits alone in her corner and imagines what it might be like at the ball. She’s not alone for long, however, for her Godmother appear at the window. Despite this lady’s sensible looks and practical manner, she is no ordinary godmother, though Cinderella doesn’t suspect this. With help from the Godmother’s “fol-de-rol” and “fiddley dee,” Cinderella is magically transformed for the ball. Her carriage, changed from a pumpkin, drawn by horses that were mice a moment before, whisks her to the palace.

The ball is the ball that everyone remembers from their storybooks, and Cinderella is the most beautiful of Princesses. Does she captivate everyone at the palace? She does! Do she and the Prince fall in love? They do! Must she flee at midnight before her carriage changes back into a pumpkin? She must!

Please note that 3pm is the correct time, View apologizes for any confusion. Tickets are $15/$10 members/$5 children under 12 with a paid adult. Please call the View Box Office 315-369-6411 to purchase tickets with a credit card or visit View at 3273 SR 28, Old Forge, NY to purchase them by cash, check or credit card. View is a multi-arts center located at 3273 State Rt. 28 in Old Forge, NY. To learn more about View programming, including other upcoming performances, visit www.ViewArts.org or call 315-369-6411.

Photo: Colleen Pine as Cinderella and Lucas Greer as Prince Christopher.

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2,900 Acres of Adirondack Timberlands For Sale

Last week the Watertown Daily Times reported that Lassiter Properties had put on the market nearly 2,300 acres in and near the Adirondack Park.

In 1988, Lassiter bought more than ninety-five thousand acres in the North Country, but it has since sold most of its holdings to the state and to other timber companies.

Most of the 2,300 acres now on the market are located on three tracts just outside the Park in St. Lawrence and Lewis counties. The largest tract, some 1,930 acres, includes a stretch of the West Branch of the Oswegatchie River.

A fourth tract, comprising nearly ninety acres, is located just inside the Park on the Number Four Road east of Lowville. It includes a small pond.

The Adirondack parcel has not been on the radar screen of conservationists. The Commission on the Adirondacks in the Twenty-First Century did not recommend that the state either purchase the land or protect it by conservation easement. It is zoned Low-Intensity Use, which allows for more development than is typically permitted on timberlands.

Lassiter is selling the four tracts (dubbed the Oswegatchie Forest) for $2.6 million through LandVest, a real-estate company that deals in timberlands throughout the Northeast.

Click here for more details and photos on the LandVest website.

As it happens, LandVest also has two other large tracts of Adirondack forest on the market, totaling more than 2,800 acres.

The Burnt Pond Forest tract comprises 2,257 acres bordering state land near Poke-o-Moonshine Mountain. The Twenty-First Century Commission did call for state acquisition of some of this tract on its Open Space Protection Map, issued in 1990. The Adirondack Council made the same recommendation in the third volume of its 2020 Vision reports.

In its report, written by the guidebook author Barbara McMartin, the council said Poke-o “is just one of a cluster of mountains with exposed rock ledges, the nucleus of what could be a splendid hiking and climbing area.” All told, the environmental group recommended the state acquire 3,660 acres to the north and west of Poke-o.

Both the commission and the council suggested that the land, if purchased, be classified as Wild Forest (like Poke-o-Moonshine Mountain).

Champlain Area Trails (CATS) has been trying for a few years to protect the Burnt Pond parcel. Chris Maron, the group’s executive director, said the land is ideal for hiking and cross-country skiing.

“In the best of all worlds, I’d like to see it become part of the Forest Preserve,” Maron said. “The second alternative is to keep it in private hands with a conservation easement.”

Maron said the tract could provide another hiking route to the fire tower on the summit of Poke-o-Moonshine Mountain, starting from the west on Trout Pond Road.

LandVest is offering the Burnt Pond tract for $2,275,000.

The other tract on the market is near Jenny Lake in the western Adirondacks. It borders parcels of state land that are part of the Aldrich Pond Wild Forest.

LandVest says the 580-acre tract includes nearly a thousand feet of Jenny Lake waterfront and nearly five thousand feet of frontage on Jenny Creek, a trout stream. It is selling for $475,000.

Neither the Twentieth-First Century Commission nor the council’s 2020 reports called for state acquisition of this tract. However, the Jenny Lake tract is zoned Rural Use, one of the strictest land classifications in the Park, and the commission recommended preserving the open-space character of all Rural Use lands through easements and other conservation tools.

Given the state’s finances, it seems unlikely that any of the LandVest tracts will be purchased for the Forest Preserve.

“Some of these seem to be desirable for state ownership, but they’d have to stand in line for funding,” remarked John Sheehan, spokesman for the Adirondack Council.

Photo by Phil Brown: inside the Poke-o-Mountain fire tower.

Phil Brown is the editor of the Adirondack Explorer newsmagazine.

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Adirondack Wildlife: Snowfall and the Varying Hare

The recent snowfall that allowed Whiteface Mountain to open this past Thanksgiving weekend proved to be a most welcome weather event for both our region’s alpine skiing community and the multitude of varying hares that reside in those areas of the Park impacted by this late November winter storm.

In early October, the varying hare, also known as the snowshoe rabbit, (Lepus americanus) starts to develop a new outer coat of white fur. These lengthy hairs contain numerous air chambers that increase their insulational value while also allowing them to more effectively reflect light, which gives them a brighter, bleached appearance. As this layer of guard hairs develops, it allows this small game animal to better retain its body heat while also gradually changing its appearance from a brownish-gray to an ivory white that closely matches snow.

Around the time of Columbus Day, only areas on this creature’s lengthy ears and around the lower part of its massive hind feet show the presence of these white hairs. As October progresses, white fur starts to appear on the hare’s legs and along its sides, and by early November, the head and back show the presence of these white, soft-textured fibers. By the time Thanksgiving arrives, most varying hares in the Adirondacks have their dense coat of brownish-gray underfur completely covered and totally concealed by this layer of longer white guard hairs.

The exact time of the start and completion of this change depends upon the location of the individual hares. Those animals that inhabit the dense spruce-fir forests covering the uppermost slopes just below the tree line are the first to experience this process of pelage color change, as do snowshoe rabbits that exist much further north. Individuals that reside in the lowland swamps and alder thickets near the periphery of the Park, or in places that lie outside the traditional snow belt areas, are often several weeks behind in this color transformation.

The relative length of daylight to darkness is the environmental factor primarily responsible for triggering this change in color of the varying hare during the autumn. Such an internal response to a specific length of day is known as photoperiodism, and this type of external stimulus is known to initiate or regulate numerous other events in various forms of wildlife.
Over centuries, the process of natural selection has allowed only those individuals that have developed a certain response to a change in the environment to survive, reproduce, and pass this genetic information along to their offspring. In the case of the varying hare, the fact that the ground typically develops a lasting cover of snow by early November at higher altitudes, and late November for most other sections of the Park has strongly favored those snowshoe rabbits that complete their color change at these corresponding times of year.

While there are always years when the snow arrives early, or fails to form on the forest floor until much later in the season, these occurrences tend to be weather anomalies and are usually followed by more normal snowfall patterns in subsequent years. A contrasting background places the varying hare at a much higher risk of being detected by one of its many natural enemies, however, this animal is extraordinarily adept at eluding predators and avoiding capture. Inevitably, enough individuals survive these periods of adverse weather to reproduce and pass along to their offspring the genetic information for changing color at the “normal” time in autumn.

The recent article by Mary Thill indicating a delay in the onset of the winter season may seem to be bad news for our varying hare population. However, it is impossible to say how much of an impact it will have on our snowshoe rabbits. Researchers have not yet studied how this rate of change in the prevailing weather patterns will affect a change in the photoperiodism of a member of the wildlife community. It is possible that the hare will, over generations, adapt to compensate.

Our currently warm autumn has been great on the heating bill, nice for putting up outside Christmas decorations, and ideal for doing those end-of-the-season yard chores, but it has not been welcome by skiers and hares.

Photo: A Snowshoe or Varying Hare in Winter (Courtesy Wikipedia).

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Noted Local Philanthropist Nettie McCormick

In 1835, in the small community of Brownville, a few miles west of Watertown, was born a young girl who would one day impact the lives of countless thousands. Nancy “Nettie” Fowler, the daughter of store owners Melzar and Clarissa (Spicer) Fowler, was the victim of tragic circumstances at an early age. In the year of Nettie’s birth, Melzar’s brother convinced him to move 13 miles northwest to Depauville, where trade was considerably more active at the time.

While on a business trip to Watertown, Melzar’s team of difficult horses caused problems for a hotel hostler, who found it too dangerous to enter the stall to feed them. When Fowler himself tried, one of the horses reared and struck him in the head with its hoof.

The family was summoned, and three days later, Melzar died from his injuries. Nettie was less than a year old (her brother, Eldridge, was two). Clarissa ran the family business while raising two small children, but seven years later, she died as well.

Nettie was raised in the home of her grandmother and uncle in Clayton, on the St. Lawrence River. The household’s strong Christian bent would have a lasting effect on her future.

Uncle Eldridge Merick’s lifestyle—daily toil, active community support, and deep involvement in (Methodist) church activities—influenced Nettie’s own life choices. In an era when women were generally expected to be homemakers, Merick’s prosperity provided other opportunities for his niece.

Following local schooling, and beginning in her teen years, Nettie attended Falley Seminary in Fulton, Emma Willard’s Troy Female Seminary, and the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary in Lima, New York. She was active in the missionary society and taught for a year at the little school she once attended in Clayton.

Hard work, luck, and serendipity guide most lives, and so it was with Nettie Fowler. The world of high finance seemed the unlikeliest of possible components of her humble life, but on a trip to Chicago, she made the acquaintance of a man by the name of McCormick.

He was a strong Presbyterian, while she was a Methodist, and at 49, he was more than twice her age (23). Despite those differences, the two hit it off. Within six months, she began attending his church, and in January 1858, a year after they met, Nettie Fowler married Cyrus McCormick.

Yes, THAT Cyrus McCormick. The one who, as we learned in grade school, was the inventor of a machine that changed the world (the mechanical reaper). His business had made him a very wealthy man.

Both were considered very strong-willed, but disagreements and difficulties aside, young Nettie became her husband’s silent business partner. Together, they forged forward in industry and shared many philanthropic efforts aimed at churches, schools, and youth.

In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed the McCormick Harvesting Machine plant. While Cyrus was discouraged, Nettie insisted they rebuild and took the lead in the resurgence of the company. Seven years later, Cyrus’ health issues left Nettie running the business, which she did for six years. He died in 1884, leaving a will that provided for division of the company at the end of five years, and specified various philanthropic work as well. The estate value was estimated at $5 million (equal to $118 million in 2011).

Eventually, Cyrus, Jr., officially took over the company, but Nettie remained deeply involved financially and in business decisions. She also expanded her own charitable work on behalf of the poor while providing financial support to several organizations with the same mission. Nettie’s childhood influences of “giving back” were coming to bear in a very positive way.

The McCormick business remained successful, but competition, particularly from Deering Harvester Company, began to make solid inroads. By the turn of the century, a merger between rivals was in the works.

One of Nettie’s sons, Harold, had (in 1895) married Edith Rockefeller, daughter of John D., the world’s richest man. When the decision was made to merge McCormick and Deering (and a few smaller companies) into a new entity called International Harvester, the family connection to the Rockefellers was used to ensure that the McCormicks remained in control.

On paper, they were the directors, but in reality, the entire business was owned and operated by J. P. Morgan, who had provided backing of $120 million ($3.1 billion in 2011) to finance the deal and direct the company’s future. That high dollar assessment seemed to vastly overvalue the new conglomerate, but Morgan knew well the path he intended to take.

The McCormicks were mere figureheads while J. P. ran the show. In no time at all, he managed to sully the McCormick name by incorporating the shady practices he and Rockefeller (and many others) had used to control most of the nation’s important industries.

The Morgan and Rockefeller banks, which provided monthly funding for payroll and other necessities to so many businesses, informed several farm implement companies that funding was no longer available. They faced sudden financial ruin—or they could sell to Morgan. They sold.

For those who resisted, the next step was denying the use of Morgan and Rockefeller-owned railroads for transporting the farmers’ products. The two men, of course, controlled most of the major transportation routes.

How successful were those tactics? They had already made J. D. Rockefeller the wealthiest man in American history, and had done much for Morgan as well. Two years after the harvester merger, with the competition removed, the prices of farm machinery more than doubled.

Such monopolistic practices (like the Rockefeller oil business) led to a stranglehold on commerce. Trustbusters battled against the financial titans for years, and the monopolies were finally forced by the government to dismantle.

After years of complaints from farming states, the feds finally took action in court against Morgan’s International Harvester Company. In 1912, control of business operations was returned to the board of directors (the McCormicks).

Eventually, the Supreme Court forced the breakup of the company due to Morgan’s monopolistic and illegal practices. In a remarkable turnaround, Cyrus McCormick’s business was restored, eventually regaining its good name and returning to the philanthropic efforts of the past.

By the time of his death in 1884, Cyrus had given away $550,000 ($10–15 million in 2011), a mere drop in the bucket compared to what wife Nettie donated as the company grew in value over the years. Her focus on philanthropy surged in 1890, and by the time of her death in 1923, Nettie McCormick had given away more than $8 million ($125–200 million in 2011). She supported private schools and institutions, plus missions and churches.

Beginning in 1887, McCormick donations had funded several buildings of Tusculum College in Tennessee, where Nettie was deeply involved in teacher selection, expansion of the curriculum, and many other aspects of college life. In her honor, every year since 1913, the school holds Nettie Fowler McCormick Service Day, during which faculty and students join in all sorts of charitable works and improvement of the school grounds.

She was fortunate to have married a very wealthy man, but in life, you play the hand you’re dealt. Many people in similar circumstances have done little to help others, and she could have settled comfortably into the ranks of the idle rich.

Yet, from the time she was in her early twenties, Nettie worked on behalf of the underprivileged, supported women’s rights, handled a major corporation, financed schools and theological institutes, and forged her own path.

On top of that, the great majority of her philanthropy was done anonymously, as evidenced by Nettie’s obituary, which cited donations to six institutions when, in fact, the record later revealed she had supported forty-six. Her estate was valued at $15 million ($192 million in 2011).

In her final will and testament, $1 million ($13 million in 2011) was designated for certain charities. The remainder was divided among the McCormick children with the understanding that they would be likewise generous in giving.

In 1954, when Nettie’s daughter, Anita, died, her holdings were value at $35 million ($284 million in 2011). Of that total, she donated $20 million ($162 million in 2011) to various charities. Mom would surely have been proud.

Photos: Above, Nancy Maria “Nettie” McCormick; Middle, McCormick Hall on the Tusculum College campus; Below, Nettie McCormick (Mathew Brady, 1862).

Lawrence Gooley has authored ten books and dozens of articles on the North Country’s past. He and his partner, Jill McKee, founded Bloated Toe Enterprises in 2004. Expanding their services in 2008, they have produced 19 titles to date, and are now offering web design. For information on book publishing, visit Bloated Toe Publishing.

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Dave Gibson: Important ACR Testimony Excerpts

Today I select what I consider to be important excerpts from the testimony in the public adjudicatory hearing on the Adirondack Club and Resort. These particular excerpts come from testimony contained in the official hearing record delivered by four experts in the fields of wildlife science, conservation biology, and the ecological sciences.

These experts are Dr. Michael Klemens, Drs. Michale Glennon and Heidi Kretser, and APA scientific services staff director Dan Spada. In future posts, I plan to cite hearing testimony from experts in fiscal and community impacts and economics. The testimony was provided during the 19-day long Adirondack Club and Resort adjudicatory public hearing which spanned the period between late March and late June, 2011.

This testimony is part of the hearing record, which closed in late October. The members of the Adirondack Park Agency must make a determination about the project based solely upon that official record. The members anticipate reaching a decision at their January, 2012 meeting. Their deliberations continue during the APA’s December 15-16, 2011 meeting, which is open to the public.

ACR is the largest subdivision and development proposal to come before the APA in 35 years. It’s comprised of 706 residential units, 332 buildings, a new ski lodge, restaurant, gymnasium, marina, equestrian center, and 15 miles of new roads, sewer, water and electrical lines spread over 6235 mostly undeveloped acres on rugged, forested terrain several miles from the Village of Tupper Lake.

Some of the testimony that I cite is pre-filed written testimony, and some is direct testimony and response to cross-examination during the hearing.

Dr. Michael Klemens, conservation biologist

During the April 27, 2011 hearing in Ray Brook, attorney for the applicant cross- examined Dr. Klemens about how extensively he had reviewed the application. Dr. Klemens responded:

“I looked at the overall layout of fragmentation on the site created by the distribution of the proposed uses, which snake all over the site, which are -- basically I call sprawl on steroids. What you call the Great Camps, I call not-so-great camps. They're basically large scale sprawl. I looked at the interface of the roads and the houses packed onto steep slopes above wetlands basically without any understanding of the biology, the ecology of the site. Yes, those things can occur on the site, but are they in the right place on the site? We don't know because you haven't provided us with any kind of information to make an informed planning decision based on science. This site reflects basically the hopes and aspirations of the developer, not any scientific understanding of the site.”

Asked how Dr. Klemens would define the term “ecological footprint,” Dr. Klemens responded on April 27 as part of the following Q&A:

“It's the zone of impact and influence …-- which will disrupt the
environment writ large by a development. You can put -- for example, …-- a road is a great example. A road is a rather linear impact. It has a cleared area. It has swales or underdrains, and that. But the impact of a road, depending on the intensity of its traffic -- and there've been lots of studies on this -- the impact can extend a quarter to half a mile on each side of the road through road mortality, noise, and disruption. So that's what impact analysis is -- to understand how a layout on any development project or any use will actually spill over through lighting, through noise, through all those other variables into the ecosystem.”

Q. In looking at the materials that you did review concerning this
application, can you describe in a little bit of detail what you perceived in your expert opinion to be the ecological footprint of this project?

A. It's extremely large. I haven't calculated, but it's large because of the amount of roads and the amount -- and the way the development is spread across the site.…-- it's a fairly large footprint. And again, that footprint will vary dependent upon also the species. The species respond -- if you're talking about wildlife, they're responding at different scales. Birds respond at a different scale to amphibians, to a different scale to area sensitive carnivores. So it's not -- the impacts are at different scales. But this is a fairly spread out development. I mean basically to me …-- it is sprawl. It is sprawl -- the Great Camps are what I consider very, very large lot residential subdivisions in a sense. They're very large. There's one that's actually – maybe approaches what? A thousand acres? But these things generally --…-- it's not unlike many suburban developments. These large dispersed developments give people the illusion …-- of greenery and ecological integrity. In fact, they spread the impacts out with a huge amount of edge effect and a huge amount of impact. And -- … that's why you want to think about trying to make it more compact. And we heard excellent testimony yesterday about how making the development more compact would -- … meet a variety of objectives.”

“There are large zones of influence on wildlife which will be disrupted by the project. People look at wildlife. They think wildlife moves in corridors. Wildlife moves across the landscape almost like sheet flow of water. There's movement all through the landscape. And that continues for some species, less effectively in a logged landscape, but it continues, and there's recovery. Once you put on a hard landscape of roads, development, and other amenities, you fragment that sheet flow of wildlife and organisms across the landscape.”

“I would anticipate based on my rapid amphibian assessment that there would be at least fifteen species of amphibians breeding on the site. For their small size, amphibians pack an ecological wallop because they control so much of the energy transfer in and out of ecosystems. Amphibians are bi-phasic, meaning that they breed in vernal pools and move to uplands the rest of the year. Wetland protection alone will not protect these species. The habitats of these animals are linked to uplands.”

Drs. Michale Glennon and Heidi Kretser, ecologists for the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Adirondack Program in Saranac Lake

Asked whether the proposed ACR would create an undue adverse impact on Resource Management lands, Dr. Glennon answered “Yes.” She wrote in prefiled testimony:

“An alternative design which reduced the spatial extent of the development associated with the great camp lots would have a much higher likelihood of reducing negative impacts to wildlife.”

“Biotic integrity is very likely to decline on the project site, and will decline more so than it would if development were primarily directed at the Moderate Intensity lands within the site.”

ACR is “likely to result in an increase in human-adapted, generalist species, with a concurrent decrease in those species which are more specialized and most likely those which are rare in New York State.”

“Cumulative impacts are significant.”

“Those species which tend to be negatively impacted by residential development are those which the APA Act intends to protect, such as species which are generally rare, many of them restricted to the Adirondack Park within NYS.”

“The proposed ACR development will negatively impact the majority of large forest blocks present on the RM lands because the large lot sizes associated with the great camp development result in the sprawl of homes and associated roads and driveways across a large proportion of the site, and in large core forest blocks being divided into smaller areas.”

“Among rare songbirds in NYS, more than half are forest birds and the majority of them are boreal and conifer specialists which are confined to the Park within NYS…They are iconic of the region, they are rare..and they are specialists on boreal and core forest habitats. Because we know they occur on or near the ACR property, the project will impact Key Wildlife Habitats.”

Asked whether there would still be undue adverse impacts even if the large eastern Great Camp lots were on “substantial acreages,” Dr. Glennon replied on June 24 as part of the following Q&A:

“Yes, I think it's possible.”
Q. And based on the current state of the science?
A. Yes.
Q. Would the impacts from those eight houses, if they were located on resource management lands, be significantly reduced if they were located so that their zones of ecological impact -- I believe you called it -- overlapped with each other and they were on short driveways close to a public road?

A. Yes, very definitely. And there's probably lots of different ways in which they can be condensed – with fewer impacts on the landscape.”

Asked if the project as designed met the basic purposes of Resource Management lands, Drs. Glennon and Kretser both replied “No.”

Dr. Kretser wrote:

“The project as designed does not meet the basic purposes of RM lands. As evidenced by my colleague’s testimony, it does not protect the delicate physical and biological resources. The proposed project does not encourage proper and economic management of forest because the entire property is divided into smaller parcels…The proposal does not maintain the unique character of the Adirondack Park. The number of residential structures being proposed…represents more than have been added to the majority of townships in the park in the years between 1990-2004.”

Daniel M. Spada, biologist and staff director of NYS Adirondack Park Agency’s resource analysis and scientific services division

Asked on June 23 about the impacts to natural resources, and whether alternatives could be developed that avoided those, Mr. Spada replied:

“My current concerns on the resource management parcels, both on the large Great Camp lots and the smaller Great Camp lots is that those impact zones have not been collapsed. They haven't been overlapped to the greatest extent possible, in my opinion. There are still some areas, I think, where driveways can be shortened, dwellings can be moved closer to roads, to existing roads, and that sort of thing.”

Mr. Spada was then asked “Are there other modifications that you think could reduce the impacts?” He responded:“Certainly. A reduction of the number of units.”

Q. Reduction of which units would you recommend as reducing the impacts?

A.”If you look at this map, Exhibit 244, and the resource management areas, it becomes been pretty obvious where there's a high density of units in a given area. For instance, with the west face expansion, with the next seven hundred and fifty foot zone, it -- it pretty well blocks out that area as far as being of utility for wildlife habitat. So that might be a spot where either units could be reduced in number or they could be reconfigured…I think we need to balance the number of units, the configuration of the units, and resources on the project site.”

Q. And to your knowledge, were those types of alternatives evaluated by the sponsor?

A. Not to my knowledge.”

In his pre-filed testimony, Mr. Spada wrote:

“While I agree that existing development and use of the project site already affects wildlife habitat, in my opinion the proposed project would increase the significance and duration of the impacts…the impacts from the changes to the existing roads in amount and seasonality included increased levels of habitat fragmentation and direct wildlife mortality.”

“The Great Camp Lots are arranged across the landscape in a relatively uniform configuration and the three-acre development envelopes are relatively widely separated from each other as in classic exurban development. To adequately protect the forest resources, the development should occur in a configuration that reduces impact zones from the development by overlapping them.”

Mr. Spada goes on to define Ecological Impact Zones (EIZ), assess the extent of impacts on wildlife, and discuss alternatives to the ACR layout. He writes:

“When the actual footprint and its EIZ for the components of this project are considered, the amount of wildlife habitat that would not be impacted by the project is considerably less than the amount of open space reported by the Project Sponsor…Over the entire site, 63% of existing wildlife habitat will be preserved.”

“In my experience this process (of identifying alternatives) can be short-circuited by identifying a preferred alternative prior to conducting the analysis. That is what has occurred in the case of this proposed project. In my opinion, the analyses noted above do not constitute a true alternatives analysis. Different scenarios were not described and impacts were not compared…In my opinion there has not been an organized and rational discussion of reasonable, potential alternatives.”

“Good design collapses and overlaps the zones of impact from the development activities to minimize negative effects…The twenty-seven small Great Camp Lots in RM are not clustered as tightly as possible, nor are their zones of impact overlapped to the greatest extent possible.”

“One alternative would be to eliminate the eight large Great Camp Lots east of Simon Pond, and reduce the size and spatial spread of the smaller western and eastern Great Camp Lots in RM. It’s possible under such a scenario that the eight large Great Camp Lots eliminated from east of Simon Pond could be relocated closer to the small eastern and western Great Camp Lots and closer to the ski resort. This would reduce road mileage and infrastructure costs, minimize loss of open space, minimize habitat fragmentation and allow for continued effective sustainable forest management east of Simon Pond. This alternative scenario, although suggested by Agency staff, was never proposed by the Project Sponsor nor was it evaluated to the same level as the existing proposal.”

Asked whether he agreed with the project sponsor’s contention that the area is currently highly fragmented by logging activity and the proposed development will decrease habitat fragmentation because logging activities will cease, Mr. Spada replied:

“No. The broad statement about the current state of the property is not supported by data and the conclusion that habitat will be improved is not justified by current research or scientific understanding. Logging disturbances are temporary, whereas structures and roads are permanent. Logging disturbances are also periodic and on discrete sites within the property, not constant and evenly distributed. There is one major logging road through the part of the property east of Simon Pond. The road is and will remain unpaved. It is used sporadically and traffic volume is low. It is unclear whether the proposal to access the eight larger Great Camp Lots on a year round basis has potential for greater impact than existing road use by two hunting clubs with many members on a typically seasonal basis.”

“Based on my experience and my review of recent research concerning habitat fragmentation [Exhibit 90, APA hearing staff response to Protect the Adirondacks, Discovery Request, Item 11: Glennon and Porter (2005) Trombulak and Frissell 2000, Hansen et al. 2005)], it is my opinion that bird community biotic integrity is not influenced by forest management as generally practiced in the Adirondacks. I believe that biotic integrity does respond positively to roadlessness and negatively to development. It is my opinion that long roads dividing undeveloped areas are of concern for fragmenting wildlife habitat. These impacts can be mitigated by minimizing the length, width and frequency of use of the roads and locating them near the periphery of undeveloped blocks of land. In reviewing this proposed project, Agency staff have asked the Project Sponsor to consider modifications to the proposed project and alternatives to the proposed project that would minimize these impacts.”

Photos: Above, from Mt. Morris looking at Tupper Lake; below, from Mt. Morris looking toward the Village of Tupper Lake.

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Adirondack Forest and Trees Field Guide Reprinted

The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) has released a revised reprint of Forests and Trees of the Adirondack High Peaks Region by the late Edwin H. Ketchledge. First published in 1967, this modest little field guide found favor with Adirondack hikers and naturalists and quickly became a classic. The new printing opens with a biography and tribute to Ketchledge, who died June 30, 2010, at his home in Potsdam.

An acclaimed naturalist and educator, Ketchledge set out to photograph and describe 34 species of Adirondack trees in response to a challenge from Jerome Wyckoff, a geologist and ADK member. The first publication of what was then called “Trees” prompted Ketchledge to expand the volume to reflect his own significantly broadened interests -- interpreting the role of these species in the region’s ecology. Thus “Forests and Trees” was born, and with it a greater interest in “reading” the landscape. (Wyckoff’s own book, The Adirondack Landscape, was also published by ADK in 1967.)

“Forests and Trees of the Adirondack High Peaks Region” is 176 pages, 4 ½" x 6", and includes over 70 photographs. It is available in softcover for $9.95 at book and outdoor supply stores, at ADK stores in Lake George and Lake Placid, and through mail order by calling (800) 395-8080.

The Adirondack Mountain Club, founded in 1922, is the oldest and largest organization dedicated to the protection of the New York State Forest Preserve. ADK is a nonprofit, membership organization that protects the Forest Preserve, state parks and other wild lands and waters through conservation and advocacy, environmental education and responsible recreation. For more information about ADK, visit www.adk.org.

Note: Books noticed on this site have been provided by the publishers.

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This Week's Adirondack Web Highlights

Saratoga Skier: Gore Snowmaking Behind the Scenes

Outtakes: Groups Spar Over Lake Placid Train

ADE Editorial: Shares in Big Tupper? Could Happen

Christopher Schmidt: SUNY Adirondack and Renewable Energy

Mike Dave America: Fall Break - Adirondacks

Alan Gregory: After 24 Yrs, Hiker's View Unmarred

John Brown: Tony Horwitz's Midnight Rising Reviews

Development Councils: North Country Region Priorities

On Friday afternoons Adirondack Almanack compiles for our readers a collection of the week's top weblinks. You can find all our weekly web round-ups here.

Subscribe! More than 7,500 people get Adirondack Almanack each day via RSS, E-Mail, or Twitter or Facebook updates. It's a convenient way to get the latest news and information about the Adirondacks.

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Adirondack Events This Weekend (Nov 25)

Visit the Almanack on Fridays for links to what's happening this weekend around the Adirondacks.

The Almanack also provides weekly backcountry conditions and hunting and fishing reports for those headed into the woods or onto the waters this weekend.

Region-wide Events This Weekend

Lake Placid Region Events This Weekend

Old Forge Area Events This Weekend

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This Week's Top Adirondack News Stories

2,000 Adirondack Acres On The Market

Comments Sought on Crown Point Site

Adk Architectural Heritage Supports Multi-trail

Riehle Wins Town of Webb Supervisor

Matthew Brady Birthplace Discovered?

DEC Won't Rebuild Duck Hole Dam

Regional Economic Councils Meet Deadline

Lowe's Closure Triggers Assistance Programs

Final Deliberations of ACR Project Begin

New Head of High Peaks Hospice

Each Friday morning Adirondack Almanack compiles for our readers the previous week's top stories. You can find all our weekly news round-ups here.

Subscribe! More than 7,500 people get Adirondack Almanack each day via RSS, E-Mail, or Twitter or Facebook updates. It's a convenient way to get the latest news and information about the Adirondacks.

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Adirondack Fish and Game Report (Nov 24)

Adirondack Almanack provides this weekly Hunting and Fishing Report each Thursday afternoon, year round. The Almanack also provides weekly backcountry recreation conditions reports for those headed into the woods or onto the waters.

Listen for the weekly Adirondack Outdoor Recreation Report Friday mornings on WNBZ (AM 920 & 1240, FM 105 & 102.1), WSLP (93.3) and the stations of North Country Public Radio.

SPECIAL NOTICES FOR THIS WEEKEND

** indicates new or revised items.

** WINTER CONDITIONS
Winter conditions exist throughout the area. Snow, ice, and cold temperatures can be expected. Be prepared by wearing appropriate footwear and outerwear including a hat and gloves or mittens. Dress in layers of wool and/or fleece (Not Cotton!) clothing. Drink plenty of water as dehydration can lead to hypothermia and eat plenty of food to maintain energy levels and warmth.

** SNOW DEPTH REPORT
A winter storm on Tuesday night into Wednesday left between 8 and 14 inches throughout the Adirondacks. Snow cover is deeper at higher elevations, and along the eastern and northern parts of the region. Prepare accordingly, pack snowshoes or skis and crampons and use them when conditions warrant. The use of snowshoes or skis is required in the High Peaks Wilderness and encouraged elsewhere to prevent "post-holing", avoid injuries, and ease travel on snow.

** ICE ON WATER
Ice has begun forming on water bodies, especially in smaller ponds, higher elevation waters, bays and backwaters. At this time no ice is safe. Ice that holds snow may not hold the weight of a person.

** WATERS RUNNING AT NORMAL LEVELS
The level of the rivers and streams across the region has returned normal for this time of year. Consult the latest streamgage data if you our venturing onto the region's waters.

BACKCOUNTRY ROAD CLOSURES
The Haskell-West River Road along the West Canada Creek from Route 8 into the Black River Wild Forest is closed with no current timetable for reopening (though it is likely to reopen next year). A few roads in the Hudson River Recreation area are open but have significant washouts and should only be accessed by 4-wheel drive and other high clearance vehicles, these include: River Road; Buttermilk Road north of the Town line; and Gay Pond Road before Campsite #13. The following roads or sections of roads remain closed to motor vehicles due to damage caused by Hurrican Irene, they are passable on foot: Buttermilk Road Extension north of the Gay Pond Road; Gay Pond Road past Campsite #13; and the access road to Darlings Ford Waterway Access Site. In the Moose River Plains all roads designated for public motor vehicle use are open and in good shape. The public should use caution as the road is also being used by log trucks to haul forest products from League Club property. The Otter Brook - Indian Lake Road is open to Squaw Lake which is the permanent termination point for motor vehicle usage in accordance with the approved Moose River Plains Complex Unit Management Plan. A temporary barrier has been placed just past the Squaw Lake Trailhead, a gate will be installed in the future. DEC Region 5 has updated the Moose River Plains Wild Forest map.

NUISANCE BLACK BEARS
DEC has received complaints of nuisance bears getting into garbage and destroying bird feeds. Homeowners should take down all bird feeders and take steps to secure garbage to prevent problems with bears. New regulation prohibits feeding bears, people that leave out bird food, garbage, pet food and other substances that bears may feed upon can be ticketed after a warning.

MOTORIST ALERT: WHITETAIL DEER
The peak period for deer-vehicle collisions is October through December, with the highest incidences occurring in November. This corresponds with the peak of the annual deer breeding cycle when deer are more active and less cautious in their movements. Approximately 65,000 deer-vehicle collisions occur throughout NYS each year and two-thirds of the annual collisions occur during this three month period. Most of the collisions occur between 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Motorists are advised that the best way to avoid a collision with a deer is to reduce speed and be alert for their presence on or near the highway.

MOTORIST ALERT: MOOSE
There are upwards of 800 Moose in the Adirondack region, up from 500 in 2007. Motorists should be alert for moose on the roadways at this time of year especially at dawn and dusk, which are times of poor visibility when Moose are most active. Much larger than deer, moose-car collisions can be very dangerous. Last year ten accidents involving moose were reported. DEC is working to identify areas where moose are present and post warning signs.

** KNOW THE LATEST WEATHER
Check the weather before entering the woods or heading onto the waters and be aware of weather conditions at all times. The National Weather Service (NWS) at Burlington and Albany cover the Adirondack region.

** Fire Danger: LOW

FIREWOOD BAN IN EFFECT
Due to the possibility of spreading invasive species that could devastate northern New York forests (such as Emerald Ash Borer, Hemlock Wooly Adeljid and Asian Longhorn Beetle), DEC prohibits moving untreated firewood more than 50 miles from its source. Forest Rangers have been ticketing violators of the firewood ban. More details and frequently asked questions at the DEC website.

ADIRONDACK HUNTING REPORTS

** Basic Archery Program to Be Offered
The Warren County 4-H Shooting Sports program will be holding two archery classes in December at the Dunham’s Bay Fish and Game Club on December 2nd from 6pm to 9pm. The Basic Archery class, which will cover proper stance, how to nock the arrow, drawing motion and technique, and matching equipment to the archer, is open to ages 9 to 18 years old and limited to 18 participants. An Archery Science program will be held December 3rd from 9am to 1pm. This advanced program, which requires completion of the Basic Archery course, will use chronographs and Velocitip technology to measure and record the speed and energy of an arrow fired from a bow. This class is offered to ages 10 to 18 years old and is limited to 8. Warren County instructors are either State or nationally certified. There is a $5 fee per program or $7 for enrollment in both programs. All participants must be fully enrolled 4-H members OR they must enroll the night of the event at an additional cost of $5 per youth, $10 per family or a $25 family inclusive plan. Each program requires separate registration by calling 668-4881 or 623-3291 OR by e-mailing mb222@cornell.edu

Deer Management Plan Now Available
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that it has adopted a five-year deer management plan. The final plan, which has been revised based on public comment on a previously released draft version, is now available online. DEC has prepared an Assessment of Public Comment as a brief overview of what seemed to be the principal issues identified with the draft plan, and including their responses to those issues.

DEC Preparing UMP for Clinton County State Lands
Efforts to develop a unit management plan (UMP) for state lands in Clinton County outside the Adirondack Park have begun. The plan will cover 15 parcels comprising more than 4,800 acres of state lands managed by DEC. These include the Macomb State Forest in the Town of Schuyler Falls, Flat Rock State Forest in the Town of Altona, Cadyville State Forest in the Town of Plattsburgh, the Gulf Unique Area in the Town of Mooers, and 11 parcels of detached forest preserve lots in the towns of Clinton and Mooers. Interested individuals and organizations that would like to be on a mailing list for information about development of the UMP or who want to submit comments are encouraged to contact forester Dan Levy by mail at NYSDEC, PO Box 296, Ray Brook, New York 12977-0296, by phone at 518-897-1291, or by e-mail.

Santa Clara Tract Conservation Easement Lands
Public access to and use of the easement lands is prohibited during the regular big game hunting season which is currently open. The big game hunting season closes on Sunday, December 4. Public use will once again be allowed beginning Monday, December 5. Also public hunting is prohibited until the end of the year. Public hunting will once again be allowed on January 1, 2012.

Lewis Preserve WMA
The Brandy Brook has jumped its bank creating a braided stream channel across the main foot trail adjacent to the existing foot bridge. Users should use caution while attempting to cross this new stream channel as it is very deep and swift moving.

Kings Bay WMA
A section of the access road to the parking area off Point Au Fer Road has washed out. The damaged road is still passable but very narrow. The washed out section is marked with an orange barrel at each end.

DEC 2011 Deer Hunting Forecasts Now Available
The DEC's 2011 deer hunting season forecasts are now on their website. They include brief descriptions of the landscape and deer population trends within each Wildlife Management Unit.

Some Small Game Seasons Open
A number of small game seasons are now open including: Grey, Black and Fox Squirrel, Crow, Snipe, Rail, Gallinule, Ruffed Grouse, Cottontail Rabbit, Pheasant, Woodcock, Coyote, and Varying Hare (Varying Hare in all Region 5 WMUs, except 5R, 5S & 5T where it opens December 12). Fox, Raccoon, Skunk, Opossum and Weasel seasons are now open. Bobcat season is open in all Region 5 WMUs, except 5R which does not have a season. See the DEC Small Game webpage for more information on seasons and regulations.

** Fall Turkey Season Closed
The fall Turkey season is closed. See the DEC's Turkey Hunting webpage for more information on rules, regulations, safety and hunting tips.

Canada Goose Hunting Seasons
Canada Goose hunting seasons in the Northeast Hunting Area has reopened (it will close there December 5); the season is open in the Lake Champlain Hunting Area until December 3. DEC Canada Goose hunting info is online. Note that the boundary between the Northeastern and the Southeastern Waterfowl Hunting Zones now runs east along Route 29 to Route 22, north along Route 22 to Route 153, east along Route 153 to the New York - Vermont boundary.

Regular Bear Season Open (WMUs 5A,5C,5F,5G,5H & 5J)
Early bear, and bear bowhunting and muzzleloading seasons have closed; Regular season has opened and closes December 4. See the DEC's Big Game webpage for more information on seasons and regulations.

Northern Zone Deer Seasons
Bowhunting and muzzleloading seasons are now closed; Regular season is open and closes December 4; Late Muzzleloading season opens December 5 and closes December 11 in Region 5 WMUs 5A, 5G and 5J. See the DEC's Big Game webpage for more information on seasons and regulations.

** Waterfowl Seasons Now Open
In the Lake Champlain Waterfowl Hunting Zone Snow Goose season closes December 29; Brant season is now open until November 30; Duck season has reopened and closes December 22. In the Northeastern Waterfowl Hunting Zone Duck season closes December 10; Snow Goose season is open until December 31, then reopens February 24 and closes April 15; Brant season is now closed. Note that the boundary between the Northeastern and the Southeastern Waterfowl Hunting Zones now runs east along Route 29 to Route 22, north along Route 22 to Route 153, east along Route 153 to the New York - Vermont boundary.

2011 Duck Season Outlook
Most duck populations in New York are doing well this year due to excellent habitat conditions across the continent for waterfowl nesting and brood-rearing. However, breeding populations of eastern mallards and wood ducks - the two most commonly harvested ducks in New York – were lower this spring than in 2009, and Atlantic Flyway biologists are concerned about a long-term decline in eastern mallards that became more apparent in recent years. Sixty-day duck seasons were approved by federal and state authorities for another year, but this situation will be closely monitored in the future. Bag limits for all duck species will be the same as in 2010-11 and can be seen at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28888.html.

2011 Goose Season Outlook
September Canada goose seasons have just ended, but hunters can look forward to another 45 days or more (depending on area) to pursue these popular game birds later this fall and winter. Resident geese remain abundant in many areas of the state, and migratory populations that pass through New York were estimated to be higher last spring. Hunters are reminded that Canada goose seasons are set for different geographic areas of the state than other waterfowl seasons; therefore maps should be closely reviewed. A special spring season for snow geese will continue for the fourth year in all of upstate New York. These birds have become so abundant that they are causing harm to wetland habitats throughout their range. Special spring seasons have been established in many eastern states and provinces to increase hunter harvest and help reduce this population. The daily limit for snow geese is 25 per day.

Migratory Bird Hunting Requirements
Hunters 16 or older must have a 2011 federal duck stamp to hunt during any of the 2011-2012 seasons. Federal duck stamps cost $15 and are available at most post offices and some sporting goods stores. They are also available by calling toll-free 1-800-852-4897 or at www.duckstamp.com. Stamps must be signed across the face by the hunter before they become valid, but they do not have to be attached to the hunting license. All migratory game bird (waterfowl, woodcock, snipe, rails and gallinules) hunters, including junior hunters (age 12-15), must register with New York's Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) prior to hunting in any of the 2011-2012 seasons. Hunters must register every year and for each state in which they plan to hunt migratory game birds, and also must carry proof of compliance whenever going afield. To register in HIP, call toll-free 1-888-427-5447 (1-888-4 ASK HIP) or visit www.NY-HIP.com.

Waterfowl Consumption Advisory
The New York State Department of Health (DOH) periodically evaluates data on chemicals in wild waterfowl to ensure that hunter harvested birds can be eaten without concerns about adverse effects on human health. The current advisory states that “Mergansers are the most heavily contaminated waterfowl species and should not be eaten. Eat no more than two meals per month of other wild waterfowl; you should skin them and remove all fat before cooking, and discard stuffing after cooking. Wood ducks and Canada geese are less contaminated than other wild waterfowl species and diving ducks are more contaminated than dabbler ducks. The latest DOH advice on consumption of waterfowl and other game can be found online.

Trapping Seasons Now Open
Fisher season closes December 10 in all Region 5 WMUs; Marten season closes December 10 in all Region 5 WMUs, except 5R, 5S & 5T where there is no trapping season; Bobcat season closes December 10 in all Region 5 WMUs except 5R where there is no trapping season and in 5S and 5T where it closes February 15; Mink and Muskrat season closes April 15 in all Region 5 WMUs except 5R, 5S & 5T where it closes April 7; Coyote, Red Fox, Gray Fox, Raccoon, Skunk, Opossum and Weasel season closes February 15 in all Region 5 WMUS. The use of bait or lure is prohibited with body gripping traps set on land between December 11 and February 15 in all Region 5 WMUs, except in WMUs 5R, 5S & 5T. Otter season closes April 7 in all Region 5 WMUs except 5S and 5T where it closes February 28 and in 5R where there is no trapping season. Beaver season closes April 7 in all Region 5 WMUs.

ADIRONDACK FISHING REPORTS

** Water Temperatures
Water temperatures in many of the Adirondack waters have dropped into the upper 30s, colder water temperatures can be expected in higher elevation waters.

** Ice Fishing open - No Ice Yet
Ice fishing season is officially open however even at higher elevations the lakes and ponds have not yet begun to freeze over.

** Black Bass Season Closing
Anglers are reminded that November 30 is the close of black bass season. Catch-and-release fishing for bass is allowed in the following Region 5 Counties; Clinton, Essex, Warren, Washington, Saratoga, and Fulton Counties.

Special Fishing Seasons Remain Open
The statewide trout season is closed but there are some exceptions to this regulation. The catch-and-release areas on the West Branch of the Ausable River, Saranac River and the Battenkill remain open as well as a few ponds such as Mountain Pond, Lake Clear & Lake Colby in Franklin County; and Connery Pond in Essex County. Lake Champlain and sections of its tributaries are open all year for trout and salmon fishing. To find out which waters near you still have trout fishing opportunities, check the special fishing regulations by County.

Currently Open Fishing Seasons
Open seasons include Pike, Pickerel, Tiger Muskie, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Crappie, Sunfish, Muskellenge and Black Bass (largemouth and smallmouth bass, until November 30). For catch and size limits view the freshwater fishing regulations online.

DEC Preparing UMP for Clinton County State Lands
Efforts to develop a unit management plan (UMP) for state lands in Clinton County outside the Adirondack Park have begun. The plan will cover 15 parcels comprising more than 4,800 acres of state lands managed by DEC. These include the Macomb State Forest in the Town of Schuyler Falls, Flat Rock State Forest in the Town of Altona, Cadyville State Forest in the Town of Plattsburgh, the Gulf Unique Area in the Town of Mooers, and 11 parcels of detached forest preserve lots in the towns of Clinton and Mooers. Interested individuals and organizations that would like to be on a mailing list for information about development of the UMP or who want to submit comments are encouraged to contact forester Dan Levy by mail at NYSDEC, PO Box 296, Ray Brook, New York 12977-0296, by phone at 518-897-1291, or by e-mail.

Milfoil Infestation in South Bay
Variable-leaf watermilfoil, an aquatic invasive plant, has been found in the South Bay of Lake Champlain. Watermilfoil crowds out beneficial native aquatic plants and can impair recreational uses including boating, fishing and swimming. Boaters, anglers and other recreational enthusiasts should take precautions to avoid transporting this and other invasive species to other waters or other parts of Lake Champlain. More information on the infestation and the responsibility of recreationists to limit its spread can be found here.

Chazy Lake Boat Launch
The Chazy Lake Boat Launch is essentially unusable due to the water level draw down by the Town of Dannemora. The concrete ramp ends several yards from the water's edge.

New Warren County Invasive Species Transport Law
The Warren County Board of Supervisors voted almost unanimously to pass an invasive species transport law following a public hearing. The law makes the introduction and transport of aquatic invasive species into Warren County waterbodies illegal. It is the first county law of its kind to pass in New York State. The law imposes a fine of up to $5,000 and up to 15 days in jail for violators. Some marina owners opposed the law; Chestertown Supervisor and Executive Director of the Local Government Review Board Fred Monroe was the only no vote.

Ausable and Boquet River Changes
Due to the recent Tropical Storm Irene anglers should be advised that there was significant debris washed into both the Ausable and Boquet Rivers. Anglers should be aware of new hazards underwater. Also some changes in the river course and topography may be present. New pools may formed where there was previously riffles and riffles may be found where there was previously pools.

West Lake Boat Launch
The West Lake Boat Launch in Fulton County is presently not suitable for launching of trailered boats. Storm runoff resulting from Irene deposited a large quantity of gravel in the area of the ramp. Car top boats can still be launched.

Hudson River Rogers Island Pool Boat Launch
The floating dock has not been installed Rogers Island Pool.

Lake Clear
The gate for the road to Lake Clear Girl Scout Camp is open, but due to the condition of the road until further notice it should only be used by pickup trucks, SUVs and other vehicles with high clearance. This road is used to access Meadow and St. Germain Ponds.

Kings Bay Wildlife Management Area
The gate to access Catfish Bay has been closed. Road improvement work and logging to improve habitat are underway.

Use Baitfish Wisely
Anglers using fish for bait are reminded to be careful with how these fish are used and disposed of. Careless use of baitfish is one of the primary means by which non-native species and fish diseases are spread from water to water. Unused baitfish should be discarded in an appropriate location on dry land. A "Green List" of commercially available baitfish species that are approved for use in New York State has now been established in regulation. A discussion of these regulations and how to identify approved baitfish species is available online. Personal collection and use of baitfish other than those on the "Green List" is permitted, but only on the water from which they were collected and they may not be transported overland by motorized vehicle. Anglers are reminded that new regulations for transportation of baitfish are currently under consideration, and these proposed regulations can be viewed online.

Preventing Invasive Species and Fish Diseases
Anglers are reminded to be sure to dry or disinfect their fishing and boating equipment, including waders and boots, before entering a new body of water. This is the only way to prevent the spread of potentially damaging invasive plant and animal species (didymo and zebra mussels) and fish diseases (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) and whirling disease). Methods to clean and disinfect fishing gear can be found online.

Lake Champlain Anglers
Warmwater anglers on Lake Champlain are requested to report any catches of sauger to Emily Zollweg at the DEC Region 5 office in Warrensburg at (518) 623-1264. The status of sauger, a close relative of the walleye, has been unknown in the lake for a quite some time, until a single sauger was caught in a DEC survey last spring. Sauger can be distinguished from walleye by the three to four saddle-shaped dark brown blotches on their sides, the distinct black spots on the first dorsal (back) fin and the lack of a white tip on the lower lobe of the tail fin.

Health Advisories on Fish
The NYSDOH has issued the 2010-2011 advisories on eating sportfish and game. Some of fish and game contain chemicals at levels that may be harmful to human health. See the DEC webpage on Fish Health Advisories for more information and links to the Department of Health information.

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Warnings and announcements drawn from DEC, NWS, NOAA, USGS, and other sources. Detailed Adirondack Park hunting, fishing, and trapping information can be found at DEC's webpages. A DEC map of the Adirondack Park can also be found online [pdf].

The DEC Habitat/Access Stamp is available for $5 at all outlets where sporting licenses are sold, on-line and via telephone at 1-866-933-2257. Stamp proceeds support the DEC's efforts to conserve habitat and increase public access for fish and wildlife related recreation. A Habitat/Access Stamp is not required to hunt, fish or trap, nor do you have to purchase a sporting license to buy a habitat stamp.

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