Historic Saranac Lake is set to host a presentation, “Saranac Lake, Science, and Space Exploration,” by Barry Ressler on Saturday, July 20th, from 7 to 8 pm, in the John Black Room at the Saranac Laboratory Museum.
Ressler will share about his family’s roots in Saranac Lake and his own fascinating career in science, medical technology, alternative energy, artificial intelligence, and space exploration. » Continue Reading.
Protect the Adirondacks is set to hold its annual membership meeting at View Arts, located at 3273 State Route 28 in Old Forge on Saturday, July 20th. The meeting provides an opportunity to get an update on the major issues the organization sees facing the Adirondack Park, see PROTECT’s priorities for the year ahead, and meet the staff and Board of Directors.
The annual meeting includes the Conservation and Advocacy report, financial report, membership report, and election to the Board of Directors. » Continue Reading.
I recently visited the rest areas on Northway that have been hyped as information hubs for the Adirondack Park as a tourism destination and as locations that will guide the public about hiking in the Forest Preserve, especially the High Peaks. These facilities are newly built and function adequately as typical rest areas with bathrooms, vending machines, and places to stretch your legs.
Unfortunately, there is scant information about hiking in the High Peaks or the Forest Preserve. As they stand now, these centers, especially the Northway northbound “High Peaks Center” between exits 29 and 30, and the major new tourism information center on the Northway northbound lane between exits 17 and 18, are major missed opportunities. » Continue Reading.
The Lake George Land Conservancy’s (LGLC) annual event, the Lake George Hike-A-Thon, took place on July 5, 2019, with nearly 550 hikers, paddlers, and volunteers taking part. Organizers say that seven years in, the event continues to show strong support from participants as well as sponsors.
The LGLC put out a survey after the event to get feedback from participants. Of 70 entries received to date, 96% said they were “very satisfied” with the Hike-A-Thon, and 97% said they are “very likely” to participate again. » Continue Reading.
Lakes to Locks Passage is set to host a public informational meeting for the Champlain Bridge Roadway Improvements Project on Thursday, July 18, 2019, from 4 to 7 pm, at the Crown Point State Historic Site Pavilion.
This is an opportunity for the public to attend an open-house style informational meeting. There will be multiple displays of project information and the draft design approval document presenting the proposed project. There will also an opportunity to provide input and written comments. » Continue Reading.
Ausable River Association (AsRA) and Cycle Adirondacks (CycleADK) have announced the 8th Annual Ride for the River is set for Sunday, July 21st. The family-friendly event is a fully supported road cycling tour featuring four distance options, all showcasing the Ausable River watershed. » Continue Reading.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has issued guidance to reduce the potential for human-bear conflicts.
Conflicts between people and bears typically increase in summer months due to the dispersal of young bears from family groups, the onset of the breeding season, and a lull in natural food availability prior to the ripening of local berries and other natural food sources.
These conditions occasionally cause bears to travel through unfamiliar areas. Bears will take advantage of anything they consider a food source as they travel, adding to the potential for conflict. The most common attractants are poorly stored garbage, bird feeders, messy grills, and pet food left outdoors. Once a bear finds these foods, it will often continue to return to the area in hopes of finding the same food again. » Continue Reading.
Burlington-based songstress Kat Wright will headline the inaugural year of Northern Current, a new, daylong music festival that will continue the tradition of Hobofest.
The sultry soul singer and her band take the stage at Saranac Lake’s Riverside Park alongside an eclectic mix of music on Sunday, September 1st, for the free, family-friendly day of fun. » Continue Reading.
Roughing It
I remember cold backpack mornings in Augusts
in the Adirondacks in the late 1960s, hanging-in
our sleeping bags long after waking from sleep
on our tarps only to watch for the longest time
while sunlight clambered down from tree tops
to give us the warming inspiration to crawl out
our snug sleeping bags and launch the new day.
Once with my late sister Karen in an open-front
lean-to shelter along Diamond Mountain Brook,
where a side trail leads to the Siamese Ponds,
the weather had been so warm that we took
our summer bags, only to find the lean-to floor
bare of the expected insulating balsam boughs.
Just barely past midnight we both awoke
bone-cold, deciding to sit up in our bags, our
feet propped on our backpacks, keeping them
off the cold lean-to floor. It reminded me how
Karen and I once rode eastward from college,
home for our Christmas break in the back seat
of a classmate’s car whose heater didn’t work.
At five degrees, we wore our gloves on our feet,
while we sat on our hands to keep them warm.
Baldface Mountain (2,230 feet), part of the Jessup River Wild Forest, is located in Indian Lake and is a great sunny day adventure that includes paddling and hiking. » Continue Reading.
The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) has announced the launch of the new LakePlacid.com, a revamped, mobile-friendly website designed to promote tourism to the region.
The site features listings of local lodging and dining options, special events, entertainment options and an emphasis on outdoor activities for all seasons. The site also includes direct hotel bookings, videos, and prominent event listings. » Continue Reading.
More than half of the trail mileage in the Adirondack Park’s central High Peaks Wilderness Area is too steep to remain stable and fails to meet the modern design standards for sustainable trails that apply to other state and federal lands, according to a new analysis funded by the Adirondack Council.
“It’s well known that Adirondack foot trails are in crisis with overuse and huge crowds of people hiking on these too-steep slopes,” Adirondack Council Executive Director William C. Janeway said in a statement announcing the analysis sent to the press. “We are seeing wider paths, deeper ruts, trampled plants plus loss of wildlife habitat. Too much soil is moving downhill into streams and lakes.” » Continue Reading.
This 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 adklmanack@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. Carry proper safety equipment and weather protection and bring plenty of water and lights, and a map. When on the trail, stay together, monitor the time, and be prepared to turn back. Accidents happen to the most experienced people. Be prepared to spend an unplanned night in the woods in cold temperatures. Always carry food, a space blanket, emergency whistle, first aid kit, fire making tools, extra clothing layers and socks, a map and compass, and the knowledge to use them. Inform someone of your itinerary and 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.
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