The Mt. Adams trail is typical of old fire tower access trails that head straight up the mountain. It leaves the East River Trail at the Observer Cabin and goes directly to the 3,520-foot summit. Mt. Adams provides an amazingly unique view of the High Peaks from below, while towering over the historic mining area and looking down at the Hudson River. » Continue Reading.
Posts Tagged ‘DEC’
Featured Hike: Mount Adams, Newcomb
5 Adirondack Searches, Rescues Last Week
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.
Free New York Safe Boating Course in Ray Brook
A free two-day boater safety course will be held at New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Region 5 headquarters in Ray Brook on July 28 and 29.
Anyone born after May 1, 1996, must pass an approved boater safety course to legally operate a motor boat. In addition, New York State Law requires a boating safety course for the operation of personal watercraft (PWC). » Continue Reading.
Tips to Avoid Starting Wildfires
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has encouraged residents in the North Country and Adirondack Park areas to use caution during dry weather and avoid starting wildfires. Although the State’s burn ban ended on May 14, several open burning regulations are still in effect across New York year round.
Residents are encouraged to use caution when burning brush and other legal materials. In towns with populations under 20,000 people, residents may burn brush and tree limbs unless prohibited by local law. In towns where the population exceeds 20,000, brush burning is not allowed at any time.
Residents that live in townships inside the Adirondack Park or that adjoin the park, must obtain a DEC permit to burn brush and other legal materials. Residents should always check with local authorities to find out if local law requires a permit or prohibits open fires in their area.
DEC recommends these fire safety tips when burning: » Continue Reading.
Featured Paddles: Saranac River, Saranac Lake, Moose Pond
The Saranac River offers a calm, winding river with views of the High Peaks, great for a half-day paddle meandering along Route 3 towards Bloomingdale. It flows along the western and northern borders of the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness.
Put-ins are located at the Saranac River Hand Launch or the Pine Street Hand Launch in Saranac Lake. A second car can be parked at the Moose Pond trail head on Route 3 near Bloomingdale. » Continue Reading.
Recent Adirondack Forest Ranger Wildlands Rescues
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.
Wakely Mountain Fire Tower, Adk’s Tallest, Reopens to Public
The 70-foot tall Wakely Mountain Fire Tower, the tallest fire tower in the Adirondacks, has reopened to the public. A storm brought the tower to near collapse in December 2017, and the area had been closed to visitors over safety concerns.
The public can once again hike to the summit of the mountain, climb the fire tower, and enjoy the 360° panoramic views of the central Adirondacks from the cab of the tower. The tower is located in the Wakely Mountain Primitive Area in Hamilton County. » Continue Reading.
Star Lake Steel Company Clean-Up Meeting Set For July 20
The State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), St. Lawrence County, and the Development Authority of the North Country (DANC) have announced a public meeting has been set for Friday, July 20, 2018, to provide the public with a comprehensive presentation of cleanup efforts at the former Jones and Laughlin (J&L) Steel Company site (Benson Mines) at Star Lake.
The Magnetic Iron Company began developing the area on top of what they believed would be a valuable ore body in the late 1880s. The Benson Mines Company started open pit mining operations at the site and produced magnetite and non-magnetite ore intermittently until the mine closed from 1919 to 1941.
Recent Forest Ranger’s Respond: Three Rescues, One Still Missing
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.
Adirondack Search Underway For Missing Man
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New York State Police are seeking information from the public in their efforts to locate a missing man.
DEC Forest Rangers, State Police, and others have been searching for Bruce Waite, 48, of Bangor, who was last seen on June 18, 2018 in St. Regis Falls.
He was last seen wearing a flannel shirt and blue jeans. Waite’s car, a 2004 Buick Century, was located on July 5, on Slush Pond Road in Paul Smiths. » Continue Reading.
Ensuring Even Greater Success at Camp Santanoni
We appreciate Dave Gibson taking an interest in the future of Camp Santanoni (“Bill Would Wrest Away Santanoni Success”) and there’s much about his piece we agree with.
There are also a few significant errors that should be addressed and, most importantly, we’d like to try to answer the question posed by the recent, proposed Santanoni legislation – why might OPRHP be a better state steward than DEC? » Continue Reading.
Featured Waters: Lake Lila in Long Lake
Lake Lila is found entirely within the William C. Whitney Wilderness area and is located west of the Village of Long Lake.
This remote lake has both excellent warm and cold-water fishing. Lake Lila is a large, windswept wilderness lake where motor use is prohibited. » Continue Reading.
DEC Adopts Major Update to SEQR Regulations
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has adopted a rulemaking package that will make the first major update to State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) regulations in more than two decades.
The updates to SEQR will take effect on January 1, 2019. According to DEC, the new rules will “expand the number of actions not subject to further review, known as Type II actions, modify thresholds for actions deemed more likely to require the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS), and require scoping of an EIS. Additional highlights regarding content of a draft EIS, are the consideration of measures to avoid or reduce an action’s impacts on climate change-induced conditions such as sea level rise and flooding, as well as enhancements to make acceptance procedures for EIS more consistent. ” » Continue Reading.
Featured Trail: Grandmother Tree Trail, Warrensburg
The accessible Grandmother Tree Trail is located at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry’s Pack Demonstration Forest in Warrensburg, Warren County.
The moderately level mile long trail is completely accessible to those using wheelchairs. The trail traverses a 50-acre natural area and old-growth hemlock-white pine forest including the historic Grandmother Tree. The enormous white pine is about 175 feet tall and over 300 years old. » Continue Reading.
Ausable Point Campground, Santa Clara Easement Improvements
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the completion of $214,000 improvements to the Ausable Point Campground and the Santa Clara Conservation Easement Tract.
DEC staff installed a new playground and paved the entrance road at the Ausable Point Campground in the town of Peru, Clinton County. The new natural wood “Bears” playground is designed for children ages 5-12. The main structure includes slides, bridges, climbing wall, sliding poles and more surrounded by a soft, woodchip covered surface. Nearby bouncy rides and a swing set have sand surfaces. The new pavement begins at the bridge approximately 200 yards from NYS Route 9N and ends at the entrance booth to the campground.
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