A survey of birds on Whiteface Mountain has found that many species have moved uphill in the past forty years, possibly in response to climate change.
New York State Museum curator Jeremy Kirchman and Alison Van Keuren, a volunteer, conducted bird surveys on the 4,867-foot peak in 2013 and 2014. Their work replicated surveys by two University at Albany biologists, K.P. Able and B.R. Noon, in 1973 and 1974. » Continue Reading.
There will be one more weekend of skiing and riding on spring conditions at Gore Mountain in North Creek and Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington. Both will open Saturday and Sunday, April 18-19, for what will likely be the last runs of the 2014-2015 season.
Gore plans on opening about 40 trails and four lifts (Northwoods Gondola, the Straight Brook Quad, High Peaks Chair and Topridge Triple), with a special rate of $30 per person. Beginner terrain is expected to be limited; last weekend only intermediate and expert terrain was available. At Whiteface, adult lift tickets will be $48, tickets for teens $38, and $28 for juniors. At press time Whiteface was not reporting what facilities they expect to have open, but visitors should expect about 40-50% of their terrain open with beginner, intermediate and expert terrain; the Cloudsplitter Gondola has closed for the season. » Continue Reading.
Preparations by the Adirondack Forty-Sixers are underway to recognize Herb Clark, and Bob and George Marshall’s first climb of Whiteface Mountain (their first High Peak) in 1918 with a 100th anniversary celebration planned for August 3- 5, 2018. On Saturday August 4th, hikers (encouraged to wear period dress and gear) will summit of all forty-six High Peaks at the same time.
Preliminary plans also include a night of Adirondack films outside in Saranac Lake, a barbeque, and a celebration at Whiteface Mountain, plus more is in the works. Throughout the weekend, the Saranac Lake Free Library will highlight their George Marshall collection. » Continue Reading.
Whiteface and Gore mountain ski areas will be open Sunday, November 16th, the second year in a row the Whiteface has opened before their planned start date. Lift tickets will be discounted and terrain will be limited. The first lift will leave at 8:30 am. After this weekend, both resorts will close Sunday, at 4 pm, and re-open Saturday, November 22. Full-time operations are slated to begin on Friday, November 28. (Photo from the Whiteface Cam, Courtesy ORDA).
Skiing the Whiteface Memorial Highway early in the season is a ritual for many skiers in the Lake Placid region. The toll road was skiable from top to bottom for the first time late last week. This photo was taken Friday evening in the fading light.
If you’re a skier or snowboarder, the best time of year is almost here. With overnight temperatures dipping below freezing, ski areas around the region have begun firing up their snowmaking equipment to prepare for the start of the 2014-15 ski season.
Crews have been busy with projects all summer and fall, here’s a look at what they’ve been up to. » Continue Reading.
In partnership with SUNY Albany’s Atmospheric Sciences Research Center at the Whiteface Mountain Observatory, The Wild Center will host North Country Climatology: Global Weather Patterns and Impacts on Tuesday, August 5 at 7 pm in the Flammer Theater as part of the Falconer Lecture Series.
Two Meterologists from NOAA’s National Weather Service in Burlington, Vermont, Conor Lahiff and Brooke Taber, will unravel the mysteries of weather in the North Country. Why was last winter so cold? How are Adirondack weather patterns connected to more global weather events and to climate change? What kind of weather predictions are being made for the coming years? This event is free and open to the public. » Continue Reading.
With a mix of uphill, downhill, serious competition and family fun, the 5th Annual Wilmington Whiteface Bike Fest is set for June 20-22. The weekend will feature the Wilmington/Whiteface 50 and 100K mountain bike races, the 13th annual Whiteface Mountain Uphill Bike Race, a beginner mountain bike program, the popular jump jam with the Krusher Stunt Team, a “poor man’s” downhill, beach party, food, games, lives music, a “best calves” contest, and more.
The bike fest is designed to promote and showcase the variety of cycling opportunities in and around Wilmington which includes the Whiteface Bike Park, the Beaver Brook Mountain Bike Trail System (on Hardy Road), the Flume Trail System, and others. » Continue Reading.
During our recent spring adventure to Lost Brook we enjoyed three uncommon views that celebrated the prominence of three dominating Adirondack Peaks, plus a fourth view that is common but remains one of my favorites. The common view was Blue Mountain from the crest of Highway 30 between Tupper Lake and Long lake. I love this view because it is a true vista, which gives a greater sensation of size and vertical. Vistas are rare in the Adirondacks, at least vistas that render a higher mountain in all its glory. Blue was already largely snow free but its characteristic bulk from that Route 30 vantage point never fails to draw a breath from me in any season.
The other three views benefited from the calendar. This time of year enhances the sense of a mountain’s scale, with earth tones and green on the lower slopes and plenty of white on high. The Adirondacks may not be perpetually snow-capped, but in late April or early May we can imagine they are and they seem much more lofty for it. » Continue Reading.
Whiteface Mountain officially opened its 87th trail for skiing and riding when the ribbon was cut on Tuesday for “Rand’s Last Stand.”
Whiteface Mountain enthusiasts James Hunter, Jeff Tompkins, Brian Winfield and Jack Yanchitis each helped to name the glade when the mountain held a Facebook trail naming contest last August. The 4.7 acre and 1,500 foot long expert glade, named for former Whiteface Mountain general manager and 1968 Olympic ski jumper Jay Rand Jr., is located half-way down Hoyt’s High and connects skiers and riders to both the Summit Chair lift and Lookout Mountain chair lift. » Continue Reading.
Downhill skiing around the Tri-Lakes of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake without a season pass can put a dent in a parent’s pocketbook. So here are a few tips and discounts available if you plan on skiing Whiteface, Titus and Big Tupper.
Though Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington has been making snow since November, there is finally some fresh power on the trails. My family was there this past weekend working the Empire State Games and was thankful for each run that was squeezed in between races. » Continue Reading.
Night photography has always fascinated me. Photography is all about light and I can’t help but wonder how long that light has journeyed through space before hitting the sensor on my camera. The following were the camera settings used: f3.5, 30sec, ISO 3200.
The late, extraordinary forest educator, Dr. Edwin H. Ketchledge, started an exhibit of native Adirondack trees at the base of the Whiteface Memorial Highway in Wilmington, and wrote to all who would listen how important it would be to properly interpret the natural history of the mountain from the base of the road to the mountain’s summit. Of course, Dr. Ketchledge had interpreted this route in hundreds of ways during his career as a teacher, and was hopeful that his legacy would continue.
Governor Andrew Cuomo just made it a lot safer to accomplish Dr. Ketchledge’s vision as a result of the state’s commitment to expend $12 million to rehabilitate the road and the summit’s facilities. This is welcome news indeed for Wilmington, the Olympic Authority and many Adirondack residents and visitors who marvel at what they feel, see and learn from this mountain road. » Continue Reading.
I overslept yesterday, so rather than cheat my employer out of a few hours of labor, I decided to take the day off and ski the Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway.
It was my first ski of the season. November 12th isn’t my earliest start to the ski season, but I was feeling pretty good about it.
Not surprisingly, I ran into Ron Konowitz, president of the Adirondack Powder Skier Association. It was Ron’s thirteenth day on skis.
We talked for several minutes about the association’s campaign to maintain ski glades in the Forest Preserve. Adirondack Almanack reported on this initiative back in May. Since then, the association has been meeting with environmental activists and government officials to drum up support.
This is the time of year when skiers’ anticipation is at its peak. The first snows have already whitened the higher elevations of the Adirondacks, signaling winter’s approach.
If you’re a die-hard skier, you’ve lined up your season pass and tuned up your equipment. You wear your pajamas inside-out and you’ve flushed a tray of ice cubes down the toilet (trust me, it works) to ensure a winter of bountiful snow.
Maybe you’ve even had a bonfire to sacrifice a pair of skis to Ullr, the Norse god of snow and skiing. All that’s left now is waiting for the chairlifts to start spinning. Ski areas in the region have been busy too, working on improvements and upgrades all summer and fall. Here’s a quick look at what they’ve been up to. » Continue Reading.
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.
sign up for news updates from the Adirondack Almanack!
Help us keep bringing you the Adirondack information you value.
Email
Twitter
RSS
Facebook
Recent Almanack Comments