Posts Tagged ‘Outdoor Recreation’

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Expect a busy Memorial Day Weekend

 

Adirondack Outdoor Conditions Report from NYS DEC for May 21:

Memorial Day Weekend

Expect large numbers of vehicles at trailheads and boat launches, and large numbers of people on trails. Recreate close to home with members of your household. Practice social distancing and wear a mask when you are close to others. Be prepared with three or four solid backup plans. Park only in parking lots and not along roadsides. If the parking lot is full at your desired location, move on to your backup plans until you find a less busy location. If all parking lots are full, head home and come back another day. There will be increased law enforcement presence along the Route 73 corridor this weekend. Parking will be strictly enforced.

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Thursday, May 7, 2020

Adirondack Outdoor Conditions (5/7): #RecreateLocal still in effect

This weekly report of outdoor recreation conditions in the Adirondacks sent out from the NYS DEC.

For the safety of all visitors and to reduce the community spread of COVID-19, DEC and State Parks are undertaking steps to reduce public density:

  • Closing all playgrounds, athletic courts and sporting fields until further notice;
  • Canceling all public programs and events at state parks, lands, forests and facilities until further notice;
  • Closing all indoor visitor facilities, such as nature centers, environmental education centers, visitor centers, and historic houses to the public until further notice;

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Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Permethrin key to avoiding ticks

Deer TickAnyone paying attention to the rapid rise of tick-borne diseases has heard the advice on avoiding tick bites. The advice we are hearing is not wrong, just very incomplete.

Most information to the public suggests wearing light colored clothing, tucking your pants into your socks, and checking your body carefully after possible exposure. The intent is to keep ticks away from your skin, and to remove them promptly if they succeed in attaching. This was sufficient when Lyme disease was the only real worry, since research has shown the Lyme disease organism is not transmitted until the tick has been attached for hours.

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Thursday, April 30, 2020

Adirondack Outdoor Conditions (4/30): Look for trails less taken

This weekly report of outdoor recreation conditions in the Adirondacks sent out from the NYS DEC.

General Conditions

  • HIKE SMART NY by always being prepared for your trip, variable trail conditions, and unexpected weather when you go out on the trail.
  • Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has recommendations for responsible outdoor recreation (leaves DEC website) during the COVID-19 public health crisis.
  • Town of Keene now prohibits non-residents from parking on Johns Brook, Market, and Adirondack Streets in Keene Valley during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Violators will be towed.
  • Issuance of backcountry camping permits for groups of 10 or more, and for more than 3 days at one location is temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 public health crisis.
  • DEC’s Lake Flower Boat Launch in Saranac Lake is closed to trailered boats due to construction at the site.
  • Adirondack Mountain Reserve (aka Ausable Club) is immediately reducing the parking capacity on its lot near the intersection of Ausable Road and State Route 73 to a maximum of 28 vehicles in response to COVID-19. Parking is not permitted along Ausable Road, on Ausable Club lands, or along the nearby stretches of State Route 73.
  • Adirondack Mountain Club’s High Peaks Information Center will remain closed through May 14 in response to COVID-19. Parking at Adirondak Loj Trailhead remains open to the public for a fee. The restrooms on the back porch of the High Peaks Information Center are also open.

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Thursday, April 16, 2020

Adirondack Outdoor Conditions (4/16): Closures abound

This weekly report of outdoor recreation conditions in the Adirondacks sent out from the NYS DEC.

DEC Boat Launches

Use of all DEC, Canal Corp., and State Parks-owned boat launches is temporarily suspended for recreational boaters to limit the community spread of COVID-19.

For the safety of all visitors and to reduce the community spread of COVID-19, DEC and State Parks are undertaking steps to reduce public density:

  • Closing all playgrounds;
  • Limiting access to athletic courts and sporting fields;
  • Canceling all public programs and events at state parks, lands, forests and facilities until further notice;
  • Closing all indoor visitor facilities, such as nature centers, environmental education centers, visitor centers, and historic houses to the public until further notice;
  • State Parks has closed all State Parks golf courses;
  • DEC is closing access to DEC-controlled fire towers to the public. Trails and the summits to the towers remain open, but the towers themselves present a potential risk with multiple people climbing the stairs, in close quarters, unable to appropriately socially distance, and using the same handrails; and
  • Limiting parking. If the parking lot is full, visit a different location to recreate responsibly. For visitor safety and the safety of others, do not park on roadsides and only park in designated parking areas.

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Thursday, April 9, 2020

Adirondack Outdoor Conditions (4/9): Rock Climbing Route Closures

This weekly report of outdoor recreation conditions in the Adirondacks sent out from the NYS DEC.

DEC has closed certain rock climbing routes in the Adirondacks to protect nesting peregrine falcons. Status of rock climbing routes:

  • Chapel Pond Area
    • Upper Washbowl Cliffs – CLOSED
    • Lower Washbowl Cliffs – CLOSED
    • Spider’s Web – OPEN
  • Wilmington Notch Area
    • Moss Cliffs – OPEN
    • Notch Mountain – CLOSED
  • Poke-O-Moonshine – The climbing routes between and including Opposition and Womb With View are OPEN, all other routes are CLOSED.
  • Crane Mountain – All climbing routes are OPEN, except the Amphitheater section of the Black Arches Wall is CLOSED including Torcher, Eatin Tripe and Lichen It, Hang Time, and Black Arch Arete
  • Shelving Rock – All routes on the Main Wall are CLOSED which includes routes #11 Lunar Manscape through #37 Princess Bride. All other routes on Shelving Rock are OPEN.
  • Potash Mountain – All routes are CLOSED.
  • Sleeping Beauty Mountain – All routes are CLOSED.

Once peregrine nest sites are determined, climbing routes that will not disturb nesting will be reopened. We anticipate reopening by the beginning of May although in some years it has taken longer to confirm nesting. Routes that remain closed will reopen after the young have fledged. Thank you for your cooperation. For more information please contact the Bureau of Wildlife at (518) 623-1240.

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Saturday, July 22, 2017

Dan Crane Reviews The Solo Stove Lite

Cooking stoves are crucial backcountry gear. They allow for cooking those high-calorie meals, the lifeblood of any hiker after spending hours trudging through forest, field and/or wetlands. However, stoves are only as good as their fuel, for without some type of combustible material, they are just a useless trinket cluttering up your backpack.

Determining the amount of fuel to carry is often more art than science – not enough, you have to force down soggy uncooked oatmeal, too much, and you beat yourself up for carrying the extra weight. Fortunately, Solo Stove has solved this dilemma by creating an attractive line of stoves that burns a fuel that is so readably accessible in the Adirondacks that there is almost never a reason to carry it.
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The Adirondack Almanack's contributors include veteran local writers, historians, naturalists, and outdoor enthusiasts from around the Adirondack region. The Almanack is the online news journal of Adirondack Explorer. Both are nonprofits supported by contributors, readers, and advertisers, and devoted to exploring, protecting, and unifying the Adirondack Park.
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