The state Department of Transportation estimates that it would cost about $20 million to convert 70 miles of rail corridor between Big Moose and Lake Placid to a recreational trail.
Joe Hattrup says he can do it for free.
Hattrup asserts that the sale of the rails and other steel hardware would cover the costs of removing the tracks and creating a trail that could be used by snowmobilers in winter and cyclists in other seasons. The trail would have a stone-dust surface suitable for road bikes.
State Department of Environmental Conservation wildlife technician Ben Tabor said his department had a high number of calls about nuisance black bears in Lake Placid this summer, leading DEC officials to host an informational meeting on the topic at the Lake Placid Pub and Brewery on Thursday, Oct. 16.
Tabor said there were about six bears feeding in dumpsters in Lake Placid, including some on Main Street. The DEC started receiving calls about them in early July, and the complaints continued into September.
The goal of the meeting is to educate business owners and local residents about ways to curb the problem, Tabor said. He said removing nuisance bears isn’t the solution because others will replace them. » Continue Reading.
The first-ever Lake Placid Bluegrass Jam will be held on Saturday, October 25th, in the 1932 Rink at the Olympic Center, and discounted pre-sale tickets are available now.
Co-headliners are Grammy winners Sam Bush and The Del McCoury Band. Sam Bush, a bluegrass mandolin player, is considered an originator of the Newgrass style. He has taken home Grammys for Album of the Year, Best Country Performance by a Duo and Best Pop Instrumental Performance. The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has named Sam Bush Mandolin Player of the Year four times in 1990, 1991, 1992, and 2007. » Continue Reading.
On September 6th, a special History Train will leave from Saranac Lake Union Depot at 6:00 pm.
The History Train calls on the talents and expertise of a number of representatives of our historic area, with a unique venue provided by the Adirondack Scenic Railroad. It promises to be a fun and informative ride from Saranac Lake to Lake Placid and back, engaging the community with the history of the Adirondack Tri-Lakes area.
Art and athletics may not seem to go hand in hand, but Lake Placid Center for the Arts (LPCA) Executive Director James Lemons wants people to look at art in a new light. For the first year LPCA will be hosting a popular “color run.” On August 16, LPCA welcomes one and all to their first annual “Run the Colors of the Arts” 5K (3.1-miles) at the Lake Placid Horse Show Grounds.
Color Fun Runs are not to be confused with Holi, the Festival of Colors. Color Festivals started in India as a celebration of spring. Color races are also not new with such foot races as Rainbow Race, Color Me Red and The Color Run. Participants run along a race course and at predetermined areas food-safe, colored cornstarch is tossed around the racers. » Continue Reading.
The Adirondack History Center continues its weekly summer lecture series at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evening, August 5th, at the museum in Elizabethtown.
“Building Lake Placid’s Sports Culture” will be presented by Lake Placid and Olympic sports researcher Jim Rogers, a resident of Lake Placid.
“Lake Placid has a long and noble tradition within the world of winter sports,” said Director Diane O’Connor. “The area has a remarkable reputation as an incubator for winter Olympians and outdoor sports enthusiasts. This culture continues to influence both the history as well as the economy of the Adirondacks.” » Continue Reading.
On Saturday July 19th, several people around the Lake Placid Airport witnessed the final moments of a small plane as it attempted a landing. The single-engine Mooney may have stalled, spiraling 200 feet to the ground before bursting into flames. It will be some time before the NTSB releases its findings. Investigators have already been to the scene and the plane has been removed from the crash site, just 40 feet from the River Road. This tragic event that took the lives of three people drew comparisons to a crash that occurred in the same vicinity 25 years ago.
On the March 1, 1989, pilot Paul Ffield departed from the Lake Clear airport for a very short flight to the Lake Placid airport in his twin engine Beech Baron N1729Q. He was forced to abort a landing at Lake Placid, just as happened last week, but in this case the cause was poor weather. It was believed Mr. Ffield turned to the south but no other landing attempt was observed. Lake Placid Airport manager and pilot Steve Short went airborne just a couple hours later to look for the plane. He returned without success, finding no sign of the plane or an Emergency Locating Transmitter (ELT) signal. » Continue Reading.
The New York Bicycling Coalition has kept a low profile in the debate over the future of the Adirondack rail corridor, but its proposal for the 119-mile corridor is similar to the one set forth by the state.
Last September, the coalition’s executive director, Josh Wilson, wrote the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to call for removing the tracks between Lake Placid and Tupper Lake to create a trail for biking and other non-motorized activities in spring, summer, and fall.
“NYBC believes that such a trail would be unparalleled in New York State and the Northeast,” Wilson wrote Raymond Hessinger, director of DOT’s Freight and Passenger Rail Bureau. “A trail on this segment of the Corridor would serve to connect three ‘hub’ communities of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake with multiple other access points in between.” » Continue Reading.
If you’re seeking excitement this summer, the Olympic Jumping Complex, in Lake Placid, has you covered with Extreme Tubing. Hop in and hold on as you rocket down the landing hills of the 90 meter, 48 meter and 20 meter ski jumps, approaching speeds of up to 50 miles-per-hour.
Extreme Tubing will be available Tuesday through Saturday from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Additional hours are also being offered Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from noon- 2 p.m. » Continue Reading.
Supporters of the Adirondack Scenic Railroad continue to push for keeping the tracks at the Lake Placid end of the rail line and for creating a “rails-with-trails” option for bikers, hikers, snowmobilers, and others who want to use the state-owned corridor.
The Adirondack Railway Preservation Society, which operates the railroad, said in a news release last week that a multi-use travel corridor best serves the public interest. “Rails and trails can exist and work successfully together,” it declared.
On Monday, a volunteer group called Trails with Rail Action Committee (TRAC) also voiced support for this idea. TRAC says it has been working with state officials “to identify recreational trails within the existing Remsen to Lake Placid travel corridor and looks forward to contributing to realizing the full economic potential of this important asset in the Adirondacks.”
State officials hope to hold public meetings on the future of the Adirondack rail corridor this fall, the state’s environmental conservation commissioner told Adirondack Almanack.
Known as scoping sessions, the meetings will be held to solicit the public’s ideas for the 90-mile corridor between Old Forge and Lake Placid.
Following the meetings, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and state Department of Transportation will analyze the public comments and develop a draft management plan for the corridor. The departments will hold public hearings on the draft before issuing a final version of the plan.
DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said he hopes the final plan will be adopted sometime in the second half of next year.
A striking old black and white photograph of a Forest Ranger posted on the NYSDEC Twitter feed recently caught my attention and captivated my imagination. The tweet read “Ranger w/pack basket putting up Canoe Carry Trail sign. Raquette Falls in the (Adirondacks) 1949.”
The ranger had a striking pose, wearing a Stetson, boots tightly laced half way to his knees. The ranger’s face was hidden from view, not surprising for a profession, that – especially then – toiled in the outdoors, their daily routine invisible to the public. I quickly tweeted back “Do you know who that is?” Unfortunately no one did. » Continue Reading.
June 20-22, 2014 will mark the beginning of a new music experience as Lake Placid plays host to the inaugural Lake Placid Blues and Heritage Festival presented by Miller Lite.
During this first-time event, the village will sway and rock to the sounds of 20+ notable blues bands from throughout the northeastern U.S. Spread out at nearly 10 different venues.
The festival will celebrate exceptional music and the rich heritage of the Lake Placid area and include local and regional bands. Some of the local entertainment groups include Spring Street, Lucid, The Harbingers, the Back Porch Society, Sven Curth and friends, Big Slyde and Fade to Blues. Regional and national acts include The Roxy Perry Blues Band, George Boone, Rhett Tyler and Early Warning, George Kilby Jr. with special guest Barbecue Bob, Murali Coryell, Jerry Dugger, and many more. » Continue Reading.
Stick with this review, kids: Liquids and Solids is something else.
A couple of weeks ago I took a whirlwind weekend trip with my in-laws from Wisconsin to the Adirondacks to look at a house we’re considering. We rose at 3:30 AM on a Friday and drove straight to Lake Placid, arriving late. We were tired in that road-weary way that invites impatience along with fatigue.
We desired a good late dinner without any more driving, so I suggested the always-reliable Lisa G’s right down the block. Unfortunately it was closed for cleaning. But I remembered that on a recent visit to Lisa G’s the waitperson had recommended Liquids and Solids across the street. “Their stuff’s really good,” she had said. So we made our way to the other side of Station Street in hopes of being rewarded with decent food. » Continue Reading.
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