Thursday, February 7, 2019

Icy, Wet: Current Adirondack Outdoor Conditions (Feb 7)

CompassThis weekly report of outdoor recreation conditions in the Adirondacks is compiled each Thursday afternoon and fully updated by Friday afternoon.

Contribute Your Knowledge: Add a comment below, or send your observations, corrections, updates, and suggestions to adkalmanack@gmail.com.

Learn and practice the seven Leave No Trace principles. Carry out what you have carried in. Do not leave gear, food, or other items at lean-tos and campsites. Do not litter. Take the free online Leave No Trace course here.

BE PREPARED! Start slow, gain experience. Always carry proper safety equipment – including plenty of food, water, flashlights, space blanket, emergency whistle, first aid kit, fire making tools, extra clothing layers and socks, and a map and compass – inform someone of your itinerary, and be prepared to spend an unplanned night in the woods in freezing temperatures. Just before entering the backcountry or launching a boat check the National Weather Service watches, warnings, and advisories here. Follow Adirondack weather forecasts at Burlington and Albany and consult the High Elevation, Recreation, or Lake Champlain forecasts.

February 7th, 2019 – SPECIAL NOTICES » Continue Reading.


Thursday, February 7, 2019

Adirondack Harvest Regional Meetings Planned

The Annual Regional Meetings of Adirondack Harvest is set to be held on Tuesday, February 12th and streamed live to local chapters.

Adirondack Harvest’s goal is to further sustainable agriculture in the Adirondack region and surrounding areas.  » Continue Reading.


Thursday, February 7, 2019

17th Annual Frozen Fire and Lights Set for Inlet

February may be the shortest month on the calendar, but around the Adirondacks it is a month packed with winter celebrations.

The 17th Annual Frozen Fire and Lights is the perfect place to round out a month of festivities. Always scheduled the last Saturday in February, Inlet’s event has grown from a firework display to a town-wide affair. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Disappointing Personal Lessons in Racism

The arrival of Black History Month (also known as African American History Month in the US) is a time to discuss and celebrate the achievements and lives of many brave souls who came before us. On a personal level, my thoughts turn to a dichotomy of experiences: pride that historically, New Yorkers in general have stood on the side of civil rights and equality for all, but dismay at several personal recollections when racism unexpectedly reared its head right before my eyes. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Depot Theatre Announces 41st Season Lineup

Depot Theatre in Westport, NYThe Depot Theatre in Westport on Lake Champlain has announced its 2019 main stage season, which includes a revue of well-known musicals, a play, and a fan favorite musical featuring a 50s-era boy band.

The lineup is the first chosen by the Depot’s new Producing Artistic Director Kenney Green. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Adirondack World of Edna West Teall at ADKX

Adirondack Experience, The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake (ADKX) annual winter Cabin Fever Sunday Series is underway, featuring seven events that look deeper into Adirondack history and culture.

The next event, The Adirondack World of Edna West Teall with Laura Rice and Elizabeth Folwell, is set for February 10th, at 1:30 pm. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Beneath The Ice: The Quiet Parlor of the Fishes

ice skating When I’m skiing or skating across a pond, I observe the shoreline, surrounding hills, islands, maybe a woodpecker or blue jay winging its way to the opposite shore. I look up at the sky, the clouds, swirling snowflakes. But there is a world beneath my feet that I don’t see, in what Henry David Thoreau called “the quiet parlor of the fishes.”

Beneath a layer of ice up to three feet thick, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and tiny invertebrates are going about their winter business. For most of these creatures, this means slowing their metabolism down to survive with reduced light and oxygen. They move less, eat less, and breathe more slowly than in warmer months. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, February 5, 2019

DEC Releases New York Hunting Safety Statistics

hunting related shooting incidentsDepartment of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that the 2018 hunting seasons in New York tallied the lowest number of recorded hunting-related shooting incidents (HRSIs) and tied the 2016 mark – 13 – as the safest on record.

DEC documented five tree stand incidents and zero tree stand fatalities in 2018, down from 12 tree stand incidents the previous year. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Parade Saturday

Saranac Lake Kiwanis Club floadThe Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Gala Parade will take place Saturday, February 9, starting at 1 pm. The parade starts at Broadway and Main Street and travels from Ampersand Avenue to Lapan Highway. The parade features many creative floats, quirky performers, community members and more.

Parade performers will be judged in several classes covering businesses, civic or volunteer groups, youth groups, school groups, independent groups and animal units. Trophies will be awarded to the top two entries in each group that most conform to the “Prehistoric Park” theme, as well as the Louis Fobare Trophy for Best of Show. » Continue Reading.


Monday, February 4, 2019

Viewpoint: Adirondack Trapping and Your Pet’s Safety

raccoon trappingDuring the winter season, New York trappers will continue setting leghold and “Conibear,” or body-crushing, traps throughout the countryside. Their goal is to capture coyotes, foxes, bobcats and other wildlife.

These devices are frequently placed around trails and roads enjoyed by hikers, nature enthusiasts and their companion animals. Unfortunately, pet owners remain largely unaware that such devices could lie in wait, threatening our dogs, cats and other unintended targets. » Continue Reading.


Monday, February 4, 2019

Paul Hetzler: Playing Your Brains Out

common ravensBody-surfing monster waves in Australia; snowboarding down rooftops in Alaska on improvised boards; tobogganing into deliberate pileups at the bottom of steep hills — the range of unsupervised play that youngsters can get into is jaw-dropping. That’s not to mention the dangerous romping and horseplay, as well as rude games like spit-soccer in the pool. Honestly, they are such animals.

Biologists have long pondered why so many animal species evolved to play, occasionally at their peril. And to some extent, they are still wondering. Juvenile play in primates such as humans and apes is well-documented, and other mammals such as dogs and cats clearly play as well, but it turns out a surprising array of animals engage in frivolous games. » Continue Reading.


Monday, February 4, 2019

Waterkeeper Chris Navitsky Wins Statewide Award

Lake George Waterkeeper Chris Navitsky has been selected as the recipient of a statewide award for his work using the study of algae near the shore of the Lake to identify and prioritize potential sources of pollutants.

Navitsky will be formally presented with the Linn H. Enslow Memorial Award from the non-profit New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA), a statewide organization of leaders in water quality management, at the Association’s annual meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 6, in New York City. » Continue Reading.


Sunday, February 3, 2019

Tyler Socash: An Eagle Mountain Wilderness Preserve

A future Willsboro Wildway

Think about the last unexpected mammal, bird, or amphibian that you crossed paths with in a wild space. Perhaps it was a black-backed woodpecker near a bog. Maybe it was an unassuming spotted salamander among the fallen leaves. I once saw a frolicking family of fishers on a walk in the woods.

Anecdotal wildlife encounters help to remind us we aren’t alone in this world. We share natural landscapes with thousands of species who call them home.  But look at a map of the Eastern Adirondacks and a few things stand out: Lake Champlain’s massive coastline, the Adirondack Forest Preserve closer to the Park’s interior, and the Adirondack Northway (I-87), splitting the region in two. » Continue Reading.


Sunday, February 3, 2019

Comments Sought on Changes to Remote Wilderness Area

Pepperbox Wilderness with Trails and TrailheadsThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking public for input prior to developing a revision to the Pepperbox Wilderness Unit Management Plan (UMP). A public meeting will be held on February 27, in Lowville, Lewis County. » Continue Reading.


Sunday, February 3, 2019

Adirondack History Museum Seeking 46er Summit Canisters

46er Summit Canisters The Adirondack History Museum is starting a campaign to gather as many Adirondack 46er summit canisters as possible to incorporate in their Hiking the Adirondack High Peaks exhibit.

The Museum currently has four canisters, from Seward, Marshall, Santanoni, and Esther. Their goal is to be the repository for the entire collection, to be permanently displayed at the Adirondack History Museum. » Continue Reading.



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Adirondacks Events

The Adirondack Almanack

The Adirondack Almanack's contributors include veteran local writers, historians, naturalists, and outdoor enthusiasts from around the Adirondack region. The Almanack is the online news journal of Adirondack Explorer. Both are nonprofits supported by contributors, readers, and advertisers, and devoted to exploring, protecting, and unifying the Adirondack Park.
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