From now until the New Year we’re counting 2020, looking back month by month at the most popular stories that ran in the Almanack. In October, land-use issues dominated the headlines, such as high peaks use and discussions around the feasibility of hiker permits in the High Peaks Wilderness.

Here are the top five posts from October (ranked by number of comments made), with three of the five stories related to high peaks use.

1. PREGNANCY CENTER: Commentary against controversial center slated for Saranac Lake. https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2020/10/locals-say-no-to-heartbeat-international-in-the-adirondack-park.html
2. HELLO, IT’s ME: Commentary from a millennial visitor who hopes to one day be a resident. From a longtime reader, first-time contributor. https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2020/10/a-few-words-from-a-young-city-visitor-also-your-neighbor.html
3. SPEAKING OUT AGAINST PERMITS: Readers weigh in. https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2020/10/readers-speak-out-against-hiker-permits.html
4. SIENA POLL ON HIGH PEAKS USE: Survey finds support for limits. https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2020/10/siena-poll-shows-support-for-limits-on-high-peaks-use.html
5. LIMITS ARE WITHIN REACH: Dave Gibson argues we could start testing “limited entry” in 2021. https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2020/10/dec-is-capable-of-testing-limited-entry-for-high-peaks-in-2021.html

In case you missed it, here’s a review of January’s top stories.

And here are the top five from February

• And March.
• April, 
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September

Pictured here: Crowding on Cascade Mountain, eastern High Peaks Wilderness by Dan Plumley

Melissa Hart

Melissa is a journalist with experience as a reporter and editor with the Burlington Free Press, Ithaca Journal and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. She worked as a communications specialist for the Adirondack North Country Association and runs her own New York State Women owned Business-Enterprise Bootstrap Communications, which includes digital marketing, strategy and design. She enjoys hiking, camping and other outdoors activities, and spending time with her husband, their twin daughters, and rescue animals -- two dogs and a cat.

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