Posts Tagged ‘Adirondack Mountain Club’

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Peter Bauer:
Governor Cuomo’s Role in Forest Preserve Classification

Essex ChainGovernor Andrew Cuomo visited the Adirondack Park on Thursday September 26th and devoted a full day to discussions with various parties about the looming decision by the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) on the Forest Preserve classification of 21,000-acres of former Finch Paper lands along the Hudson River and around the Essex Chain Lakes.

I give the Governor high marks for making the trip and holding these meetings. (In the interest of full disclosure no one from Protect the Adirondacks was invited to these meetings. We are, after all, suing the Cuomo Administration with two pretty big lawsuits.) With Joe Martens, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in tow, the Governor met at Follensby Pond (his second trip there) with the Adirondack Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, the Adirondack Council and ADK. Those most closely aligned with the Cuomo Administration, who supported for the Adirondack Club & Resort project and/or the NYCO land swap, get to go fishing with the Governor.

The Governor then went to Gore Mountain and met with seven local government officials as well as Senator Betty Little and Assemblyman Dan Stec. At Gore, the Governor held a press conference. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, June 20, 2013

Dave Gibson: Fighting For A Wild Upper Hudson, 1968-2013

Proposed Gooley Dam Reservoir c 1968This week’s Adirondack Park Agency public hearings in Minerva and Newcomb about the classification of new Forest Preserve land along the Upper Hudson River, Essex Chain of Lakes, Cedar and Indian Rivers were well attended and informative. At Minerva Central School, there was no applause, no heckling. Folks listened to differing viewpoints respectfully, and several speakers noted a fair amount of common interests.

While most speakers favored a Wild Forest classification which would allow motorized access through an area long closed to public use, one former Finch, Pruyn manager noted the damage done to the roads by all-terrain vehicles. There was only one speaker in Minerva who favored unrestricted, unregulated, all-out motorized use from the Goodnow Flow to the Cedar River. Most appreciate the havoc this would cause to a region they know, or wish to get to know.
» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Willie Janeway to head Adirondack Council

wjanewayThe Adirondack Council has hired William “Willie” Janeway as its new executive director, starting in May. He is now the head of the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Region 3, which encompasses the lower Hudson Valley and the southern Catskill Park.

Janeway will succeed Brian Houseal, who resigned in October. Diane Fish has been serving as the acting executive director since Houseal left. She will return to her post as deputy director.

Janeway graduated from St. Lawrence University in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and environmental studies. Before hired by DEC, he worked for the Adirondack Mountain Club, the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission, the Hudson River Greenway, and the Nature Conservancy. He co-founded the Friends of New York’s Environment, a coalition of more than two hundred environmental, farming, and other community organizations.


Friday, January 18, 2013

Programs Highlighting Sportsmen, Outdoors Enthusiasts

Two program series set to begin this month in Newcomb and Keene offer events for sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts. The Adirondack Mountain Club’s 2013 Winter Lecture Series will take place at the High Peaks Information Center, while the Adirondack Interpretive Center (AIC), formerly the Newcomb VIC, will offer a variety of programs highlighting the role that sportsmen in the Adirondacks play in conservation and game management.

The AIC’s programs will begin on January 26, with a focus on white-tailed deer. Future AIC program topics will include trapping, and preparing, cooking and enjoying fresh game. This month’s program will be led by Jeremy Hurst, a certified wildlife biologist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Hurst specializes in managing New York state’s big-game populations.
» Continue Reading.


Monday, December 3, 2012

Rescuing A Lean-to Before The Damage Is Done

What follows is an e-mail recently sent by Paul Delucia, of Lean2Rescue, one of several volunteer organizations who work to build and maintain facilities in the Adirondack Park’s backcountry.

Rarely do we get a chance to rescue a lean-to before the damage is done.

On Thanksgiving, Hilary Moynihan (ADK lean-to adopter coordinator) and I were notified that somebody had chopped down a tree at the Gull Lake lean-to (Black River Wild Forest). Sadly, it was live spruce tree (about 60 ft tall) left hanging precariously in a smaller cherry tree. It threatened both the lean-to and anybody that might visit it. I sent out a broadcast to all that might be in the Woodgate / Old Forge Area on a moment’s notice. By Saturday, a crew of eight from Lean2Rescue arrived with nearly 150 lbs of equipment (ropes, climbing gear, saws), and a tree climber (me). After about an hour, the tree was safely down and the lean-to standing unharmed.
» Continue Reading.


Saturday, November 3, 2012

Adirondack Paddling: 60 Great Flatwater Adventures

The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) and Lost Pond Press have released Adirondack Paddling: 60 Great Flatwater Adventures, a full-color guidebook that offers recommendations for canoeing and kayaking trips throughout the  Adirondack Park.

Written by Phil Brown, Adirondack Almanack contributor and editor of the Adirondack Explorer newsmagazine, the guidebook gives detailed descriptions of more than 60 trips on the region’s lakes, ponds and rivers. It also includes GPS coordinates for put-ins and takeouts, driving directions, color maps and more than 150 color photos of landscapes, wildlife and wildflowers. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, October 25, 2012

A New Trail To Jay Mountain Ridge

A newly constructed 2.5-mile trail to the western end of the Jay Mountain Ridge is complete and available for public use the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced. The trail bypasses the steep and eroded sections of an existing herd path that had been the primary access to mountain’s summit.

“The new Jay Mountain trail is safer and easier to hike and will allow more people to hike to the summit and enjoy the views. It should also serve to attract more visitors to the nearby communities of Jay, Elizabethtown, Keene and Keene Valley,” DEC Regional Director Robert Stegemann said in a statement issued to the press.
» Continue Reading.


Thursday, September 20, 2012

Adirondack Mountain Club Revamping Guidebook Series

HIgh Peaks Trails guidebook published by Adirondack Mountain Club.The Adirondack Mountain Club has issued the fourteenth edition of its popular High Peaks Trails guidebook, and some might say it’s bigger and better than ever.

No one can dispute that it’s bigger. The new edition measures 5½ inches wide by 8½ inches tall, whereas the previous edition measured 5 by 7. This continues a trend toward larger: the twelfth edition measured roughly 5 by 6¼.

It’s part of ADK’s plan to revamp its Forest Preserve series of guidebooks. For years, the club has published six guidebooks that together cover the entire Adirondack Park (in addition to a separate book for the Northville-Placid Trail). ADK is reducing the number of books from six to four, meaning each book will cover more territory. Hence, the larger format. » Continue Reading.


Saturday, September 8, 2012

Lost Brook Dispatches: Hal Burton’s Peak

When I first set out to explore Lost Brook Tract one of my burning curiosities was to discover what views there might be.  After all I knew the land was situated on the side of a high ridge surrounded by significant mountains; surely there had to be some great sights.  Like everyone reading this I love my Adirondack views, so I could hardly wait to go hunting. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Local Events Promote Raquette River Awareness Week

This year the Raquette River Blueway Corridor’s Advisory Committee will be hosting several events throughout the corridor during Raquette River Awareness Week (Saturday, July 28th through Saturday, August 4th) to highlight the assets the Raquette River has to offer.

A variety of events held in communities all along the river will feature the grand opening celebration of a canoe access trail to the Raquette River near Moody Falls in Sevey Corners and will be punctuated with three screenings of “The Raquette River Experience”, a travel documentary on the Raquette River produced by the Raquette River Blueway Corridor’s partner, WPBS-DT, Watertown, NY. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, June 19, 2012

ADK Lecture Series Focuses on Outdoors, Environment

The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) summer lecture series at the High Peaks Information Center (HPIC) will focus on the glories of the natural world and serious environmental threats that could greatly alter that world.

The Saturday evening series will include talks on climate change by author Jerry Jenkins and hydraulic fracturing by ADK Executive Director Neil Woodworth; presentations about the Northern Forest Canoe Trail and the backcountry of New Zealand; and even a night of music with the eclectic sounds of Annie and The Hedonists.

Saturday evening lectures at HPIC begin at 8 p.m. All programs are free and open to the public. HPIC is located on ADK’s Heart Lake property on Adirondack Loj Road, about 8 miles south of Lake Placid. » Continue Reading.


Sunday, June 3, 2012

ADK to Mark 90 Years with Roaring Twenties Gala

The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) is celebrating its 90th anniversary with a Roaring Twenties-themed event. “Black Fly Affair: A Hikers Speakeasy,” ADK’s 16th annual gala and auction, will be held from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Saturday, June 9, at the Hiland Park Country Club, 195 Haviland Road, Queensbury. The Black Fly Affair is the Club’s signature event and largest fund-raiser of the year. Proceeds will support ADK’s environmental conservation programs.

ADK boasts one of the largest silent auctions in the region in addition to its very lively live auction. Both offer an opportunity to shop for original artwork, outdoor gear, rustic furniture, jewelry, weekend getaways, tickets to cultural events and much more. There will also be opportunities to bid on unique gift baskets prepared by ADK chapters. A preview of auction items is available online. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Volunteers Headed to Adirondacks for National Trails Day

Dozens of Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) volunteers will be heading to the southern Adirondacks for National Trails Day on Saturday, June 2.

Under the leadership of ADK’s trail professionals, volunteers will work on trail maintenance projects in the Ferris Lake and Shaker Mountain wild forests near Caroga Lake. Workers will clear drainage ditches, trim brush, remove blown-down trees and perform other maintenance work on six hiking trails. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Dan Crane: Constructive Backcountry Convalescence

Hiking injuries happen from time to time.  That is one of the many risks of journeying into the Adirondack backcountry while carrying a heavy, bulging backpack.  The only thing worse than a hiking injury, is an unexpected and unrelated injury preventing one from the opportunity of getting a hiking injury.  Despite the source of the injury, the recovery period can be very difficult.

How should an outdoor enthusiast spend their convalescence?

Although it is easy to descend into an abyss of negative feelings, avoid this at all costs.  Instead of closing the window blinds, watching hours of Game of Thrones episodes, and listening to psychedelic Pink Floyd music, make the most of this down time and do something positive. Like preparing for future adventures, or at the very least, revisiting previous trips in an attempt to lift one’s spirits.
» Continue Reading.


Thursday, April 26, 2012

Chainsaw Training on Sunday Near Albany

The Northville-Placid Trail Chapter of Adirondack Mountain Club is sponsoring a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) approved 3-hour chain saw safety course on Sunday, April 29th, from noon to 3pm in Colonie, near Albany. This is the course that is required as a minimum chain saw training to obtain a chain saw certification for chain saw use on state land. This is for trail stewards and other trail workers who have chain saws and want to use them during the chain saw window from April 1 to May 24th each year.

the training will be held at the Littles Lake cabin in Colonie, at the south west corner of Route 377 (Van Rensselaer Blvd) and Route 378. Participants should bring their chain saws and safety equipment. The training will include outside hands on training. The cost is $30 and participants will receive a certificate of training to provide to the DEC forester for your section along with your first aid, blood borne pathogens and cpr certifications (not being provided at this course) that are needed for chain saw use on state land.

If you plan on attending contact Tom Wemett, Chair of the NPTrail Chapter at [email protected]mett.com, or call 518-524-8875.



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