Posts Tagged ‘Moose River Plains Wild Forest’

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Bauer: State Ignoring Lessons of Class II Snowmobile Trails

Public comments were illuminating at the public hearing in Raquette Lake on November 28th. Held at the Raquette Lake School, the hearing took comments on the state’s proposal to build a new 4-mile section of a 9-12-foot-wide community connector snowmobile trail through the northern edge of the Blue Ridge Wilderness Area where it borders NYS Route 28 between Raquette Lake and the Marion River Carry.

I attended the hearing and made comments. I was the only environmentalist among the crowd of 40 or so snowmobilers, local government officials, local residents and representatives of the NYS Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). » Continue Reading.


Friday, August 17, 2018

Featured Hike: Cathedral Pines Trail, Eighth Lake

Cathedral Pines LoopCathedral Pines Trail, located in the Moose River Plains is a 0.1-mile loop on the north side of State Route 28 through a stand of large old growth white pines.

There is a monument dedicated to Malcolm Blue which was erected in 1946. Second Lt. Malcolm L. Blue served in the U.S. Army Air Forces – 491st Bomber Group during WWII. » Continue Reading.


Sunday, August 12, 2018

Poetry: Moose River Road

Moose River Road

moose river roadStrange how alone and
ignored they are. Like
mildewed beams in a
scrapyard, somewhere
along the Moose River
Road, the doe’s loins
lay untaken and twisted.
Washed in burgundy,
soaked on the crimson
gravel, her belly still gasping
as we smash into the electrical
softness of distant headlights.

Photo of Moose River Road.


Wednesday, March 8, 2017

APA To Consider Moose River Plains Changes, Bridges Guidance

APA Building in Ray Brook NYThe Adirondack Park Agency (APA) will hold its monthly meeting at its headquarters in Ray Brook, on Thursday, March 9th beginning at 10 am.

The Full Agency will come to order Thursday at 10 am for Executive Director Terry Martino’s monthly report. At 10:30 am, the State Land Committee will come to order to determine if the proposed amendment to the Moose River Plains Wild Forest Unit Management Plan conforms to the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan (APSLMP). » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Moose River Plains Mountain Biking Plan Comments Sought

The Adirondack Park Agency (APA) is accepting public comments on Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan (APSLMP) conformance for new development proposed in an amendment to the Moose River Plains Wild Forest Unit Management Plan prepared by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Plans being reviewed include expanding universal access for persons with disabilities, adding motor vehicle parking facilities, and increasing mountain biking opportunities in the Moose River Plains. DEC seeks to construct single-track mountain bike facilities, and make bicycling connections to trails at Eighth Lake Campground, Great Camp Sagamore, and nearby communities. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, June 9, 2016

DEC Seeks Major Expansion of Moose River Plains Bike Trails

The main road in the Moose River PlainsThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has released for public review a plan to significantly expand recreation opportunities in the Moose River Plain Wild Forest by building a 25-mile mountain bike trail network and rerouting and improving others; improving bridges; “clear[ing] vegetation from existing overgrown trails”; building two more parking areas along Route 28; and closing sections of new Seventh Lake Multi-Use Snowmobile Corridor Trail to mountain bikes.

The plans are laid out in what a Draft Amendment to the Moose River Plains Wild Forest Unit Management Plan. » Continue Reading.


Monday, September 28, 2015

National Scenic Trail Route Approved Through Adirondacks

North Country National Scenic Trail MapAfter 10 years of planning, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has approved the Adirondack Park Trail Plan for the North Country National Scenic Trail (NC-NST), effective October 10.

The plan routes the projected 4,600-mile National Scenic Trail through the middle of the Adirondack Park. The NC-NST traverses the northern tier of the United States between Crown Point State Historic Site on Lake Champlain and Lake Sakakawea State Park on the Missouri River in North Dakota.  About 2,700 miles of the trail have been completed so far.  Within the Adirondack Park, the trail is expected to be about 158 miles long when complete, between Forestport in Oneida County and Crown Point. » Continue Reading.


Monday, July 20, 2015

Black River War Lessons For Preservationists Today

DSCN5968In 1892 the New York State Legislature created the Adirondack Park and in 1894 placed “Forever Wild” forest protection into the State Constitution. Thus began a process of wilderness protection for what today covers thousands of lakes and millions of acres of forests.

During the following sixty years however, there were scores of determined efforts by developers, local governments, and subsequent legislatures to weaken that protection to promote mining, logging, hydroelectric power, roads, commercial recreation and off-road access by jeeps, snowmobiles, floatplanes and motorboats. To repel these threats, America’s first modern grassroots wilderness protection campaigns began. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, December 4, 2014

DEC Seeks Mtn Bike Trail System In Moose River Plains

DSCN5970The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking comments to amend the Moose River Plains Wild Forest (MRPWF) Unit Management Plan to improve its mountain bike trail system.

“The 2011 Unit Management Plan called for DEC to create a working group consisting of mountain bikers, local governments and other interested parties to develop a comprehensive mountain bike plan for Moose River Plains,” Stegemann said in an announcement sent to the press. “A meeting of stakeholders in July 2013 resulted in DEC contracting with the International Mountain Bicycling Association to create a mountain bike trail system concept plan. The concept plan has been completed.”

The next step in the process to develop a  mountain bike trail system in the Moose River Plains Wild Forest is an amendment to the UMP. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Adirondack Moose Festival This Weekend

_MG_8077The 5th Annual Great Adirondack Moose Festival will be held in Indian Lake this weekend, September 27 and 28, 2014. The Moose Festival features programs, games, contests, exhibitions, guided tours and hikes and shopping.  The half-ton Moose is making a come-back in the Adirondacks, and this weekend is an excellent opportunity to spot one. Most festival activities are free and do not require advance registration.

The Moose Calling Contest continues to be one of the Festival favorites and will be held with fun and sometimes bizarre and authentic hooting and hollering moose calls from adult and children contestants. Naturalist and author Ed Kanze will return as the contest master of ceremony and one of the official judges. The contest will be limited to two categories; adult and children, and will be held at the Indian Lake Theater. Pre-registration is encouraged.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, August 31, 2014

Wilderness 50th:
Howard Zahniser And The Black River Wars

Howard Zahniser at Mataskared, Crane Mtn in backgroundHoward Zahniser knew he needed two things when he came to the Adirondacks in 1946. The two things could help him prove himself to his national wilderness mentors—now his new employers—at the Wilderness Society. They could also help him build the practical and functional organization needed to pursue a national wilderness preservation system. First, Zahnie, as he was known, needed honest-to-goodness wilderness in reasonable automobile vacation reach of Washington, D.C. for our family. Even this was a two-day car trip then, and we would camp overnight on the way. Second, he needed to leave his professional comfort zone of public relations and public information and journalism work. He needed to expand into grassroots political organizing and consensus building. That is, he needed to learn to operate in the larger world that would become the environmental movement twenty-five years later.

The Adirondacks and their Edwards Hill setting—soon to be Mateskared—met the first need. Paul Schaefer met the second. Paul was my father’s ticket out of his own comfort zone. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, August 28, 2014

5th Annual Great Adirondack Moose Festival Planned

The Adirondacks, with its vast expanses of wilderness forests, abundant stretches of pristine wetlands, waterways and rugged mountain terrain, serves as home to many forms of wildlife. While all of these creatures have uniquely appealing traits and exhibit their own brand of personal charm, few possess the backwoods’ magic and allure of the moose. Part of this beast’s popularity lies in its massive size, which can range from several hundred pounds for a juvenile to 700 and 800 pounds for a healthy adult. The moose also wins affection with its unusually lanky body features, long snout, and awkward gait.

In an attempt to spotlight and honor New York State’s largest wildlife resident, the Indian Lake Chamber of Commerce in the Central Adirondacks, will be holding a celebration, The Great Adirondack Moose Festival, (GAMF) the weekend of September 27 and 28. » Continue Reading.


Monday, February 25, 2013

Why PROTECT Is Going To Court Over Connector Trail

MRP-Snowmobile-Trail-3Why PROTECT is suing the state over its policy, design and construction of new road-like snowmobile trails

Protect the Adirondacks has started a new lawsuit against the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Adirondack Park Agency (APA) to challenge recent snowmobile policy and trail construction practices in the Adirondack Forest Preserve. » Continue Reading.


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Moose River Plains Multi-use Community Connector Opened

Seventh Lake Mountain Multiple use Trail (Moose River Plains Connector)The 12.8-mile Seventh Lake Mountain Multiple Use Trail (the Moose River Plains Connector) between the communities of Inlet and Raquette Lake through the Moose River Plains Wild Forest in Hamilton County is now open for public use.

The trail will provide a four season trail connection (including snowmobiles and mountain bikes) between the communities of Raquette Lake in the Town of Long Lake to the towns of Indian Lake and Inlet. The new trail connects with the existing Moose River Plains Wild Forest trail system which connects to Newcomb in Essex County and Old Forge in Herkimer County. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, January 3, 2013

New Snowmobile Trail Through The Forest Preserve

Late December snow makes it likely that a good base will develop for snowmobiling throughout this winter. A new 13-mile snowmobile (and hiking, possibly biking) trail has been established, a so-called community connector trail between the Moose River Plains Road (Limekiln-Cedar River Road) and Raquette Lake.

Nearly a dozen alternate locations for this trail were included in the Moose River Plains Wild Forest Unit Management Plan approved by the NYS DEC and APA in 2011. One was chosen as the preferred alternative, deemed most in compliance with the state’s Snowmobile Trail Guidance approved by DEC and APA in 2010. The new trail is nearly completed as it reaches the north end of Sagamore Road near Raquette Lake village, utilizing DEC operations and other staff pulled in from all over the state. Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve investigated the trail construction in mid-October. » Continue Reading.



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