On September 14, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Essex County, town of Keene, and Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) announced the Route 73 shuttle system launched in 2021 will return on Saturday, Sept. 23. The shuttle system helps manage safe, sustainable visitation along the busy Route 73 corridor in the Adirondack High Peaks region. The free shuttle system will operate on Saturdays and Sundays from Sept. 23 through Oct. 8, and will also run Monday, Oct. 9.
Schroon Lake, NY – The SchroonLake Chamber of Commerce, Town of Schroon, SchroonLake Association, and Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) have joined forces to create a new event for paddling enthusiasts and nature lovers alike: the Schroon Paddle Challenge. The challenge will officially launch on June 10, with an inaugural paddle along the Schroon River to the beach at SchroonLake.
Beginning at 10 a.m. on June 10, those taking part in the paddle will be able to drop off their boats at the Schroon River launch on Route 74, just off Exit 28 on the Northway, east of Route 9. There is a sign indicating “Town of Schroon Canoe / Kayak Launch,” located on the north side of an unpaved road, not to be confused with the DEC Fishing Access lot.
Lake Placid, NY – The fifth annual Lake Placid CommunityDay celebration will take place on Sunday, June 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the North Elba Horse Show Grounds. The event features live entertainment, exhibits, activities and refreshments. Residents, seasonal homeowners, those who work in the town and those who volunteer their time and effort for various events are encouraged to attend.
The annual celebration features live music by locally based band Quantum Cosmic, featuring members of Annie and the Water. Representatives from more than 30 not-for-profit organizations will be on-hand to share information about their work within the community. Food and beverages will be provided throughout the day by representatives from the Lake Placid Olympic and Paralympic Training Center, along with a number of community-based establishments.
Keene, NY — The Adirondack Land Trust has received a $99,300 grant from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program and a $75,000 grant from the North Elba Local Advancement and Enhancement Fund for a total of $174,300 in funding for trail improvements at CobbleHill, a popular Lake Placid hiking destination.
“These generous grants support the work of people coming together to solve problems for community benefit,” says Adirondack Land Trust Stewardship & GIS Specialist Becca Halter. “These funds will help to improve this beloved community hike with a beautiful view of the village, Mirror Lake, and the surrounding area.”
Wilmington, NY – The WhitefaceMountainregion of upstate New York is gearing up to host a series of race events this June. The WhitefaceMountain Uphill Bike and Foot races, along with the Wilmington Whitefacemountain bike race, take place in early June. The Wilmington Whiteface Whiskey Run takes place a few weeks later, closer to the end of the month.
According to Michelle Preston, director of the Whiteface Visitors Bureau, the events entice participants from throughout the Northeast who love the region’s natural beauty and challenging courses.
“We are so excited to host these events again this year,” she said. “The races provide an opportunity to showcase the area’s rugged backcountry terrain, beautiful scenery, and abundant forests, allowing participants to immerse themselves in nature and enjoy the great outdoors while participating in a sport they love.”
Lake Placid, NY – The RegionalOffice of SustainableTourism (ROOST) has begun its efforts to assist local businesses, communities, residents, and visitors in planning for the solar eclipse, taking place next April. The Adirondack region anticipates increased visitation leading up to this celestial event. Solar eclipses have proven to be a significant draw for visitors who travel to experience being in its “path of totality.”
During the afternoon of April 8, 2024, the moon will pass between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun and creating a shadow over much of the Adirondacks. Most of the region will be in this “path of totality” meaning that the most significant part of the moon’s umbra, or shadow, will be directly over the region, plunging it into darkness during the normally bright afternoon hours.
TupperLake, NY – The Town of TupperLake is hosting its annual BrewSki event on Saturday, February 25 from 12 to 4 p.m. at the TupperLake Golf Course.
BrewSki features 17 local and regional breweries that offer samples and the opportunity to learn about regionally produced beers and the breweries that produce them; while skiing, snowshoeing and riding along the trails. Event organizers also arrange fire pits at which to rest along the trail and fat tire bike rental from High Peaks Cyclery. The event culminates with an after party at Raquette River Brewing featuring live music with Mickey and Claire.
LAKEPLACID, NY (December 23, 2022) – The LakePlacid Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism will host a LakePlacid 2023 FISU World UniversityGames public information session on Thursday, January 5 at 5:30 p.m. at the North Elba Town Hall. Area residents and business owners are encouraged to attend.
Presenters include officials from Adirondack Sports Council along with the NYS Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), community event planners and the LakePlacid Police Department.
Information about local and regional businesses, community impact, and visitor engagement during the LakePlacid 2023 FISU World UniversityGames will be discussed. Topics will include village and business-related information, venue information, volunteer opportunities, updated and finalized schedules, traffic impacts, and local celebration venues and activities. There will be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions about the games and related events.
LAKE PLACID, NY – The Town of North Elba is awarding more than $600,000 to several local organizations through its North Elba Local Enhancement and AdvancementFund (LEAF).
Projects that will receive LEAF funding were submitted by the following organizations: Adirondack Film Society, Adirondack Rail Trail Association, Adirondack Sports Council, Essex County Industrial Development Agency, Homestead Development Corp., John Brown Lives!, LPSA, Inc., Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute, Saranac Lake Civic Center, Inc., and the Town of North Elba.
LEAF grants are available to nonprofits, local governments and public sector organizations within the Town of North Elba. This is the fourth round of grants made available to local organizations since the program’s inception in 2020.
LAKE PLACID, NY (November 15, 2022) – The Lake Placid Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism will host a Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games information session on Monday, November 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lake Placid Conference Center, second floor. Area residents and business owners are encouraged to attend.
The event will share information about regional plans and preparations for the 11-day international, multi-sport and multi-location event taking place from January 12-22, 2023. Presenters include representatives from Adirondack Sports Council along with the NYS Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA).
LAKE PLACID, NY – The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is seeking feedback from residents and business owners within Essex and Hamilton counties, along with the villages of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake regarding their perception of how tourism affects the region.
The survey will capture business owners’ and residents’ perceptions and opinions about a number of topics as they relate to tourism within the region. It seeks to better understand sentiment regarding tourism-related activities and impacts that contribute positively to the local economy and social environment within the region, along with topics that may be a source of concern.
LAKE PLACID, NY – The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism has released the results of its 2021LeisureTravelStudy, which analyzes non-business travel to Lake Placid, Essex and Hamilton counties, along with the adjacent communities of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake.
The leisuretravelstudy is conducted each year to identify travel trends, gauge the impact of marketing initiatives and implement data-driven decisions.
“We base our marketing decisions on available data, insights and trends so that we can optimize results,” said James McKenna, CEO, Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism. “This survey continues to provide information that allows us to better understand leisure travelers in our region.”
LAKE PLACID, NY (July 27, 2022) – An overnight shuttle program for hikers seeking multi-day excursions in the High Peaks Wilderness region of the Adirondacks will be offered on August 8 and August 15 as part of the Essex County Route 73 Hiker Shuttle program. The multi-day shuttle allows visitors to easily hike and camp for up to four days and three nights in the High Peaks Wilderness region, without the cumbersome vehicle logistics required for a through-hike.
This special schedule gives easy access to the most popular trails in the region and allows for multi-day “through-hikes” beginning at one location and ending at another, without the need for hikers to drive their vehicle to a regional trailhead. Overnight and multi-peak excursions often require multiple trips and multiple vehicles left at trailheads so that hikers can access their vehicles at the beginning and end of their trip. The multi-day shuttle alleviates this requirement.
The shuttle transports visitors from the Frontier Town Gateway parking lot in North Hudson (Exit 29), often referred to as the ‘A-frame,’ to the Adirondak Loj in North Elba, where hikers can access some of the most popular hiking trails to the most remote peaks, including Marcy, Haystack, Colden, Panther Gorge, Wallface, and Indian Pass.
LAKE PLACID, NY (July 12, 2022) – The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is promoting the growing network of mountain bike trails in the region by arranging for travel writers and video content producers to visit the area. YouTube personalities Mo and Hannah, along with a writer from Singletracks, visited the region at the end of June.
Mo Assoum and Hannah Binder, also known as Awesome MTB, produce travel-related mountain biking and paddling videos that they share on their YouTube channel, blog and social media accounts. They visited the region from June 27 – July 2 to ride trails in Lake Placid, Wilmington and Elizabethtown. They also spent time paddling, exploring the communities and speaking with local residents to learn what makes this area special.
The mountain bike duo rode the Hardy trails in Wilmington with a group of local mountain bikers and the Blueberry Trail System in Elizabethtown a few days later with riders from that community. “I think the Blueberry trails are our favorite in this part of the Adirondacks,” Mo said. “But the Hardy trails were incredible, too. The entire mountain bike community here is pretty special.”
Lake Placid, NY- Stewart’s Shops and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) are continuing their partnership to educate visitors about the importance of being prepared before beginning their Adirondack adventure. The campaign encourages people to visit a Stewart’s Shop to help prepare for their outing.
The “Go Before You Go” campaign comprises videos, along with audio messages and print materials. Video and audio will be seen and heard by those who visit Stewart’s Shops throughout the Adirondacks.
Campaign videos explain the importance of being prepared, encouraging people to stock up with supplies and to visit the restrooms at trailheads or other public spaces before accessing the trails. Audio recordings, played on the Stewart’s Shops outdoor speaker system, share similar messages for those filling their tanks at the gas pumps.
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