The Adirondack Almanack -

Saratoga Springs, NY – Get ready to enjoy some foot-stomping bluegrass music while supporting a great cause. Local land trust, Saratoga PLAN (Preserving Land and Nature), will be hosting a bluegrass concert at the historic Wm. H. Buckley Farm on Friday, June 2 to support land conservation efforts in Saratoga County.

Nestled among rolling hills with a view of Ballston Lake against the backdrop of the Green Mountains, the rustic charm of the conserved Wm. H. Buckley Farm promises to be a picturesque setting for music enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Weekly news round up

by Melissa Hart

A collection of interesting reads:

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Crown Point Banding Station: New birds, beautiful sunrises, and cuckoo flowers

by Gary Lee

2 Comments

Here I am again at the Ticonderoga Library, getting a break from the Crown Point Banding Station after catching some nice birds this morning [May 16.] [We will be] looking out for some thunderstorms this afternoon, which should knock down some birds that have been flying right over us for a couple days. We caught some new birds (for this year) to band this morning, [including] Tree Swallow, Canada Warbler, and a Brown Thrasher just before I left (which is the bird on the cover of the bird list for the Crown Point Historic Site.)

Saturday, May 20, 2023

LGLC Awarded $68,300 from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program

Bolton Landing, NY – The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has been awarded two grants, totaling $68,300, from the 2023 New York State Conservation Partnership Program (NYSCPP), which is funded through New York State’s (NYS) Environmental Protection Fund. The Land Trust Alliance administers the Conservation Partnership Program in coordination with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

A $44,500 grant will fund improvements at Peggy’s Point, the LGLC’s beloved waterfront park in the Town of Hague. The work will redevelop the trail and add amenities to make the park and waterfront more accessible. Educational signage will enhance the visitor experience, and native plantings will strengthen the shoreline against erosion from storm events.

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Thanks for everything, Robert!

by Guest Contributor

By Emily Martz, Executive Director, Great Camp Sagamore

At Great Camp Sagamore, we believe that everyone should have the chance to experience the transformative powers of connecting and learning in the remote Adirondack mountains. For the last seven years, Great Camp Sagamore’s retiring Historian, Robert Engel, has been integral to this vision. As he retires, we ask you to join us in thanking Robert for his dedication to historic preservation and life-long learning, and for all that he has done to inspire staff and tens of thousands of visitors over the years.

For Robert’s first two seasons at Sagamore (2016 & 2017), he was camp’s sous chef. “Despite my History Museum Studies degree and 30+ years working in the field,” Robert says, “including as Director of the Rensselaer County Historical Society, my dream was to create the best restaurant in the Adirondacks. Great Camp Sagamore’s kitchen was practice for that. Then, I became the historian – phew!” We will miss Robert’s sense of humor rooted in his desire to help make everyone feel welcome.

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Herkimer County Soil & Water Conservation District Hosts 2023 Envirothon

Those with the Herkimer County Soil & Water Conservation District were pleased to report that the 28th annual Herkimer County Envirothon was a huge success. The event took place on Wednesday, May 10 at Herkimer College. Event organizers expressed gratitude to all generous donors and volunteers for contributing to the 2023 event. This year, Central Valley Academy, Mount Markham, Poland, and Herkimer County BOCES Conservation all sent teams.

Friday, May 19, 2023

“I’m new at this, what’s your excuse?”

by Robert Engel

1 Comment

Guest playing tennis and ball boy, Sagamore Lodge, ca. 1913.

By Robert Engel

Great Camp Sagamore’s Historian from 2017 – May, 2023

Margaret Emerson Vanderbilt loved to compete. She also expected her guests at Sagamore to engage each other on the field of battle, be it croquet, tennis, or canoe racing. As a guest of Margaret’s, you didn’t have to win but you did have to play. Did the actress Gene Tierney and the business magnate Howard Hughes confront one another on Sagamore’s tennis court? Sure they did, maybe. Did General George Marshall play Madame Chiang Kai-Shek in a croquet match on the Main Lodge lawn while discussing the fate of the world? Why not?

Competition was Margaret’s way of drawing people together. The idea was that if you met someone new at Sagamore and then spent the day either teamed together, or competing against one another, you would have plenty to talk about at dinner.

The best part was that famous guests did not need to discuss the work that made them famous. They could instead talk about missed wickets and sizzling backhands. At Sagamore, they had the rare opportunity to feel and act unaffected by their fame. How wonderful.

There’s a favorite moment near the end of the history tour at Great Camp Sagamore. The guide has led his or her group out of the Playhouse, where Margaret’s guests might have competed at pool, ping pong, dancing, and martini mixing, not necessarily in that order. Now, at the closed entrance of the last building on the tour, the guide will recap Sagamore’s gaming traditions as they ask first-time visitors to guess the function of the building they are about to enter. Does anybody know?

That’s right, the Vanderbilts bowled.

Friday, May 19, 2023

What local water quality concerns do you have? WQCC meeting announced!

by Caitlin Stewart

LAKE PLEASANT – After a yearlong hiatus, the Water Quality Coordinating Committee (WQCC) will hold a meeting on June 5 at the Lake Pleasant Public Library from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. During the meeting hosted by the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District, attendees will learn about impending invasive species, well water programs, and provide input on their local water quality needs and concerns. Experts from these fields will discuss issues and offer potential solutions and input.

Erik Reardon is an Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and will present on the invasive Round Goby. Florence Braunius previously worked with the Village of Speculator Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and will present on a Well Water Program. Following will be an open discussion of water quality needs throughout the county and refreshments will be served.

Both in person and virtual meeting options are available.

Friday, May 19, 2023

Outdoor Conditions (5/19): Fourth Lake Boat Launch in Inlet opens May 20

by NYS DEC

The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information

NEW THIS WEEK

Adirondack Rail Trail

The section of trail between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake is currently closed for construction. Use of this corridor during the construction period is prohibited.

Friday, May 19, 2023

Latest news headlines

by Melissa Hart

Here’s a look at news from around the Adirondacks this week:

Thursday, May 18, 2023

Did the APA Learn a Lesson?

by David Gibson

7 Comments

Did the APA learn a lesson in May? Apparently so, though only one person around the APA’s table would say so in public. That admission came from the non-voting representative of the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board, Jerry Delaney. “We’ve had a lesson in how important the people take their opportunities for public comment,” Mr. Delaney said. I am glad he said it because I suspect most were thinking it.

The senior APA staff, hit with hundreds of negative comments from diverse directions since March, including from some of its own members and from groups like mine (Adirondack Wild) and the Review Board, caved in May on their intention in March to ram through restrictions on public comment opportunities and subjecting future Agency policy and guidance documents to rapid decisions during a single meeting.

I was glad the staff caved. Act in haste, regret at leisure. It was certainly audacious of the senior staff to think over the winter that cutting down on public comment opportunities and on the time for consideration for changes to APA policy and guidance documents would not be noticed and needed no notice. The question is, why did they propose such changes to begin with?

Thursday, May 18, 2023

North Country Juneteenth Colors of Freedom Community Award nominations accepted through May 31

This year the North Country Juneteenth Colors of Freedom celebration of the region’s role in the fight against slaver which highlights the Underground Railroad work in the area and avid abolitionist, John Brown, will be held on June 17, 18, 19 and 20. As part of the celebration, an individual, business, organization or politician will be recognized with a North Country Juneteenth Colors of Freedom Community Award. This award will be given to a person(s) who has honored an individual or organization in the Adirondack/North Country region who has made a positive impact on African American members in the community and actively promoted the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Thursday, May 18, 2023

Adirondack Land Trust Receives $174,300 in Grant Funding for Cobble Hill Trail Improvements

Keene, NY — The Adirondack Land Trust has received a $99,300 grant from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program and a $75,000 grant from the North Elba Local Advancement and Enhancement Fund for a total of $174,300 in funding for trail improvements at Cobble Hill, a popular Lake Placid hiking destination.

“These generous grants support the work of people coming together to solve problems for community benefit,” says Adirondack Land Trust Stewardship & GIS Specialist Becca Halter. “These funds will help to improve this beloved community hike with a beautiful view of the village, Mirror Lake, and the surrounding area.”

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Adirondack budget wins

by Gwendolyn Craig

5 Comments

We have a budget!
New York finally has a state budget for 2023-2024 tapping in around $229 billion. It was over a month late, but the final budget had some notable differences from Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposed earlier. For one, carve-outs for Adirondack projects were put back in the $400 million Environmental Protection Fund.

You can read our round-up of some of the funding highlights for the Adirondacks here.

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Whiteface Mountain region to host race events this June

Wilmington, NY – The Whiteface Mountain region of upstate New York is gearing up to host a series of race events this June. The Whiteface Mountain Uphill Bike and Foot races, along with the Wilmington Whiteface mountain bike race, take place in early June. The Wilmington Whiteface Whiskey Run takes place a few weeks later, closer to the end of the month.

According to Michelle Preston, director of the Whiteface Visitors Bureau, the events entice participants from throughout the Northeast who love the region’s natural beauty and challenging courses.

“We are so excited to host these events again this year,” she said. “The races provide an opportunity to showcase the area’s rugged backcountry terrain, beautiful scenery, and abundant forests, allowing participants to immerse themselves in nature and enjoy the great outdoors while participating in a sport they love.”