The elusive and endangered Peregrine Falcon calls the craggy cliffs and mountainsides of the Adirondacks its home. Peregrines dive at incredible speeds and can be seen sailing along the sides of high rock faces throughout the early summer. The fascinating birds are monogamous, have long lifespans, and often return to the same nests year after year with their chosen partner.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.
NEW THIS WEEK
Lake George Wild Forest
Town of Lake George
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On May 2 at 6:50 p.m., Forest Rangers Carabetta and Donegan responded to a call for an injured hiker on the trail to Prospect Mountain. Rangers reached the pair of hikers by 7:30 p.m. and stabilized the ankle of the injured 23-year-old from Latham. Rangers assisted the hikers back to the trailhead and then to their vehicle. The injured subject chose to seek further medical attention on her own. Resources were clear at 8:10 p.m.
Moose Recovery – Adirondacks
On April 6, ECOs Favreau and Fadden assisted DEC Wildlife employees with the extraction of a dead yearling moose from a heavily forested area in the Adirondacks. DEC had fitted the moose with a GPS collar in 2022. The collar recently gave off a signal indicating the animal was no longer alive. The Officers and Wildlife employees managed to get within 500 yards of the moose carcass by snowmobile and UTV before hiking the remaining distance through two to three feet of snow. Once they reached the moose, the group loaded the animal onto a sled and pulled it back to the snowmobiles. The recovered animal was sent to DEC‘s wildlife pathology laboratory in Delmar for a full necropsy.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information
NEW THIS WEEK
Saranac Lakes Wild Forest:
Independence River Wild Forest:
All are welcome to participate in the 12th annual I Love My Park Day event on Saturday, May 6, 2023. Parks & Trails New York (PTNY), in partnership with the NYS DEC and State Parks, hosts the annual event and invites volunteers from across the state in cleanup, improvement, and beautification events at New York State parks, historic sites, and public lands.
Town of Lake Luzerne
Warren County
Public Outreach: On April 25, Forest Ranger Lieutenant LaPierre and Ranger Temple spoke at the 2023 Wilderness Medicine Conference at the Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne. Rangers provided doctors and other medical professionals with a real-world perspective on the complex nature of medicine in a wilderness environment.
As the weather warms up, it’s common to encounter local wildlife while walking, hiking, or biking. When you see these critters, leave them be and do your best not to disturb their natural routine.
Fawns are a great example of animals that may appear around your lawn, garden, or local trails. Newly born whitetail deer spend many of their early days hidden and protected among tall grass, leaf litter, or other natural and man-made shelters. You may find them laying in a flower bed, alongside a trail, or even curled up in an open field. Mother deer will return to their fawns regularly to nurse but may delay their next visit if they detect human activity nearby.
On April 21, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced that spring turkey season opens May 1, in all counties north of the Bronx-Westchester County boundary and, new for 2023, in Suffolk County on Long Island (Wildlife Management Unit 1C).
“Opening a spring turkey season on Long Island is a success story for wildlife conservation,” Commissioner Seggos said. “After their translocation to Long Island in the 1990s, turkey numbers in Suffolk County increased to a level where these birds can now be responsibly and sustainably harvested through recreational hunting. DEC encourages turkey hunters throughout the state to act responsibly, follow regulations, and adhere to the cardinal rules of hunting safety for a safe and enjoyable season afield.”
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information
NEW THIS WEEK
High Peaks Wilderness:
On April 21, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Office of General Services (OGS) announced the start of 2023 construction on the Adirondack Rail Trail between Station Street in Lake Placid and Broadway in Saranac Lake. This trail segment is now closed to all users during construction.
The world-class Adirondack Rail Trail is a 34-mile multi-use recreational path for outdoor adventurers between Tupper Lake and Lake Placid. OGS is leading the trail‘s design and construction with the intent to make it accessible to people of all abilities to the maximum extent practicable. Upon completion of construction, DEC will assume day-to-day management of the trail working closely with stakeholders and municipalities. Estimated timing to complete the Rail Trail is dependent on multiple factors including contract approvals, permits, and coordinating with State, Federal, and local entities. Construction of the compacted stone dust surfaced trail will be undertaken in stages. The work now underway is part of phase one of the Rail Trail project and is anticipated to be completed in the fall.
Read more about final construction of a segment of the Adirondack Rail Trail between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake by checking out Tim Rowland’s Adirondack Explorer story at this link: https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/adirondack-rail-trail-work-resumes
Village of Oriskany
Oneida County
Training: On April 18 and 19, Forest Rangers Kennedy, Martin, and Virkler attended a two-day Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) training in Oriskany. The training was held in conjunction with the Flood Incident Strike Team “FIST,” a multi-agency team equipped and trained to respond to a variety of swift water and flood events.
UAS pilots refreshed swift water skills and terminology before being embedded with FIST teams for a full-day exercise on the Moose and Black rivers. UAS pilots provided FIST teams with assistance locating subjects, scouting river conditions, and monitoring deployed resources. UAS pilots from New York State Police, New York State Fire, New York State Park Police, and DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement all participated.
On Tuesday, April 25, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced temporary closures of Lake Flower and Lake Placid boat launch sites over the next two weeks for routine maintenance and cleaning.
The Lake Flower boat launch will close from April 25 to 27 and the Lake Placid boat launch will close May 8 to 12. Boaters can access Saranac Lake at the Upper and Lower boat launches. For more boat launches nearby, go to DEC’s website.
Photo at top courtesy of the NYS DEC/Adirondack Almanack archive photo.
On April 21, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced that the fishing season for walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskellunge begins on May 1.
“Early spring can be an exceptional time for fishing in New York, with species like walleye and northern pike becoming more active and aggressive as water temperatures rise,” said Commissioner Seggos. “I encourage all anglers to find the time to get out on the water this spring to enjoy, and share with others, the great fishing that can be found here in New York.”
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information
NEW THIS WEEK
High Peaks Wilderness:
Until conditions improve, hikers are encouraged to responsibly explore low elevation trails or enjoy other forms of recreation
Latest News Headlines
Latest News Headlines
The Adirondack Almanack is a public forum dedicated to promoting and discussing current events, history, arts, nature and outdoor recreation and other topics of interest to the Adirondacks and its communities
We publish commentary and opinion pieces from voluntary contributors, as well as news updates and event notices from area organizations. Contributors include veteran local writers, historians, naturalists, and outdoor enthusiasts from around the Adirondack region. The information, views and opinions expressed by these various authors are not necessarily those of the Adirondack Almanack or its publisher, the Adirondack Explorer.
General inquiries about the Adirondack Almanack should be directed to editor Melissa Hart.
To advertise on the Adirondack Almanack, or to receive information on rates and design, please click here.Catch up on all your Adirondack
news, delivered weekly to your inbox
Help us keep bringing you the Adirondack information you value.
Email
Twitter
RSS
Facebook
Recent Almanack Comments