The Mountaineer in Keene Valley, is set to host the 17th Annual Adirondack Backcountry Ski Festival the weekend of March 15-17, 2019.
Backcountry skiing combines all of the elements of touring, climbing and downhill skiing into one winter mountaineering experience. » Continue Reading.
Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute and the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District have collaborated on a study detailing long term trends of the water quality in 21 Hamilton County lakes.
“The State of Hamilton County Lakes: A 25 Year Perspective 1993 – 2017” was developed to deliver a countywide assessment of the current and historical water quality status and in hopes of guiding future watershed management decisions. » Continue Reading.
The Champlain Valley Film Series is set to present the documentary Free Solo, with special guest renowned climber, author and Adirondack guide Don Mellor in Whallonsburg, March 16th.
Mellor, author of four Adirondack rock and ice climbing guides, and other books. He has climbed El Capitan and other Yosemite walls and will answer questions after the film » Continue Reading.
Saranac Lake based Northern Power & Light, Inc. has gained approval to operate under a new program created by New York State that allows electric customers to purchase a share of the electricity from a small renewable generator.
The company operates a a 700 kW hydroelectric plant, Azure Mountain Power, in St Regis Falls. » Continue Reading.
I’ve taken to wandering the night lately – one of the pleasures of having a puppy. Willow, my pup, and I walk at all hours, from twilight to midnight and into the shadowy early morning. Some nights we walk under the cover of stars and moonlight, and other nights the world is so dark my black dog disappears and I wonder what exactly is on the end of my leash.
Void of visual stimulus, any earthbound glimmer of light is noteworthy. One night I saw the glow of two small eyes, like gold coins caught in the arc of my headlamp. I watched the weasel – a long small body, and bold shimmering eyes – disappear down the crevice of a stonewall. Since then I’ve become obsessed with eyeshine. » Continue Reading.
At Plattsburgh’s Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration in 1990, Chairperson Vivian Papson shared a personal recollection of Jackie Archer with the Press-Republican’s Anne Smith:
“The first time I made contact with Jackie was in 1987. My introduction to her was a firm yet musical voice on the phone saying, ‘I’m Jacqueline Archer. I live in Plattsburgh and I think that this community needs to have a way to celebrate Dr. King’s birthday. I would like to organize a commemorative gathering; would you be interested in working with me?’ Everyone is very proud of Jackie. She is confined to a wheelchair but has tremendous spirit and interest in the community. She is unbelievably active.” » Continue Reading.
Wild, is your nature,
Yet, in infinitely perfect
Balance.
There was a time,
When I might have taken you
For granted,
But never now,
Now, is when every minute with you,
Breaks my heart,
Both with my human transience,
And the permanence,
Of your beauty.
I cannot capture you,
Here, or
Ever.
I can only be,
In you,
As you are in me,
Here, and
Now.
Reservations for the new Frontier Town Campground, Equestrian and Day Use Area in the Adirondacks began on March 1st.
The DEC-managed campground at the site of the former Frontier Town theme park includes 91 campsites to accommodate a range of camping and visitor experiences, including: » Continue Reading.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents in the Adirondacks. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from the Adirondack backcountry.
What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers in the Adirondacks. » Continue Reading.
Jack Drury’s recent essay promoting the use of E-bikes opens with the challenge facing an older but reasonably well conditioned body attempting to keep up with younger bicycle riders.
Jack articulates well what many of us baby boomers are feeling as we take up a ski, paddle, hike, or bike with younger friends and colleagues. We think we are reasonably fit, but how to keep up? Especially, as Jack wondered, on the uphill sections? » 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 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. Carry proper safety equipment and weather protection and bring plenty of water, lights and a map. When on the trail: keep the group together, watch 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 freezing temperatures. Always carry food, a 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 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.
It may be difficult to believe with all the fresh fallen Adirondack snow and freezing temperatures, but spring is right around the corner, along with the sweetest time of all – maple sugaring season.
Making sugar from maple tree sap is weather dependent (typically temps over 40 during the day and into the 20s at night are best). In the Adirondacks, the season can be short, it can stop and start, or seem to go on forever any time from mid-February and mid-April, depending on the location of the sugar bush. But March is always the best time in the Adirondacks to get into a sugar shack and take home some treats. » Continue Reading.
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, has announced that the Adirondack Land Trust has been awarded accreditation, a distinction signifying that the organization meets national standards for land and water conservation.
The Adirondack Land Trust is celebrating its 35th year of protecting farms and forests, undeveloped shoreline, scenic vistas, and lands and waters contributing to the quality of life of Adirondack communities as well as the wildness and rural character of the Adirondack Park. The land trust has protected 23,887 acres to date. » Continue Reading.
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