Blueberry Mountain in Keene, Essex County, is a moderate hike that offers excellent views and a unique summit, on which sits an 8-foot glacial erratic. [Read more…] about Featured Adirondack Hike: Blueberry Mountain
High Peaks
Route 73 Closing Tues-Thurs Near Marcy Field in Keene
A half-mile section of Route 73 in the town of Keene, Essex County, between Route 9N and the southern end of Hulls Falls Road (County Route 13A) will be closed between Tuesday and Thursday as part of a project to replace a culvert under the road. [Read more…] about Route 73 Closing Tues-Thurs Near Marcy Field in Keene
Featured Adirondack Hike: Clements Pond
This trail just south of Upper Jay, Essex County, in the Wilmington Wild Forest ascends 1.5 miles and 650 feet from a trailhead on Styles Brook Road to the shores of Clements Pond where hikers can enjoy views of the scenic pond, shoreline and nearby 2,550-foot Clement Mountain. [Read more…] about Featured Adirondack Hike: Clements Pond
The Adirondack ‘Man in Chains’ Died Alone
He would claim that his chains, padlocks and handcuffs would shackle him to salvation. He would be forced to do as Jesus had done – fast for 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. It was a quest to purify his body and his soul.
But his desert wasn’t exactly the howling wilderness Jesus had wandered, it was a patch of woods in North Hudson, about a half-mile from the Northway . [Read more…] about The Adirondack ‘Man in Chains’ Died Alone
Featured Adirondack Hike: Catamount Mountain
Catamount Mountain in Black Brook, Essex County, is a 1.8-mile hike, one way hike over moderate to steep terrain.
Its two open summits afford spectacular views of the entire region, including Taylor Pond, Silver Lake, Union Falls Pond, the Wilmington Range, the Stephenson Range and Whiteface Mountain. In season, the blueberries are nearly as good as the views. [Read more…] about Featured Adirondack Hike: Catamount Mountain
Featured Adirondack Hike: Cobble Lookout
This hike offers great views for little effort.
The trail in North Pole, Essex County, in the Wilmington Wild Forest, extends 1.3 miles one way with little change in elevation from a trailhead on Gillespie Drive (aka Franklin Falls Road) to a large rocky ledge with views of nearby Whiteface Mountain, and across the Ausable River drainage to Jay Mountain, Hurricane Mountain, and many other peaks. [Read more…] about Featured Adirondack Hike: Cobble Lookout
Bear Killed: High Peaks Campsites, Lean-Tos Reopened
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has reopened campsites and lean-tos in the Lake Colden area in the High Peaks of the Adirondack Park, after a black bear that DEC says had “a documented escalation of the bear’s aggressive behavior since 2018” was euthanized.
Camping in the area was temporarily closed after numerous incidents with what are believed to have been the same bear over the past several weeks, according to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. [Read more…] about Bear Killed: High Peaks Campsites, Lean-Tos Reopened
David Gibson: Connect New High Peaks Ideas to Management Plan
Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve recognized the initial efforts of the High Peaks Strategic Planning Advisory Group which issued an interim report last week.
In a statement to the press, Adirondack Wild’s David Gibson said: “An advisory body of diverse stakeholders, all volunteers, has been meeting distantly during the pandemic but nonetheless has reached consensus on recommendations to address some key existing pressure points in the High Peaks Wilderness region. During these tough times, that is an impressive accomplishment.” [Read more…] about David Gibson: Connect New High Peaks Ideas to Management Plan
Adirondack High Peaks Interim Report Issued
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has released the High Peaks Strategic Planning Advisory Group’s (HPAG) Immediate Action Recommendations Report. The report includes proposed actions that DEC and its State and local partners could undertake, pending available funding and continued partnership, to promote sustainable use of the Adirondacks High Peaks and protect the resource from increased usage. [Read more…] about Adirondack High Peaks Interim Report Issued
Viewpoint: We Need Forest Rangers As Forest Preserve Ambassadors
The ongoing pandemic is asserting its influence on Adirondack summer recreation, amplifying worries about public safety and the increased number of visitors, especially in the High Peaks.
There are many questions: will there be more hikers this season? Fewer? Will choked trailheads be COVID vectors? Will novice visitors seeking to escape both the coronavirus and social isolation mean an increase in unprepared hikers and rescues? Will a decrease in the usual resources such as open facilities, trail stewards and shuttles cause our visitor management challenges to be overwhelming?
No one knows. Understandably, concern is high. [Read more…] about Viewpoint: We Need Forest Rangers As Forest Preserve Ambassadors