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snowmobiling

Rangers Respond to Deadly Snowmobile Accident, Injured Hiker

March 2, 2021 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

forest ranger logoNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents in the Adirondacks. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people.

What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers. [Read more…] about Rangers Respond to Deadly Snowmobile Accident, Injured Hiker

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Recreation Tagged With: DEC, Forest Ranger Reports, Forest Rangers, hiking, SAR, Search and Rescue, snowmobiling

Forest Rangers Respond to Truck on Snowmobile Trail, Overdue Snowshoers

February 24, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

forest ranger logoNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents in the Adirondacks. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people.

What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers. [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Respond to Truck on Snowmobile Trail, Overdue Snowshoers

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Nature, Recreation, Western NY Tagged With: DEC, Forest Ranger Reports, Forest Rangers, SAR, Search and Rescue, snowmobiling, snowshoeing

How Snowmobilers Won Their Special Privileges To Ride On Forever Wild Lands

February 15, 2021 by John Warren 3 Comments

Snowmobilers clear a trail near Nicks Lake in the winter of 1966-67When snowmobiling arrived in the Adirondacks in the mid-1960s, the question of where to ride became the single most important issue faced by both new sled owners and advocates for the protection of the wild character of the Adirondack Forest Preserve.

As a result of efforts by the state’s Conservation Department and lobbying by the snowmobile industry, snowmobilers are today wildly over-represented in terms of access to trails. Although they represent less than 1% of the 7-10 million people who visit the Adirondacks each year, there are currently at least 3 to 4 thousand miles of snowmobile trails in the Adirondack Park,* compared to about 5,000 miles of roads. How this happened is a story that began 50 years ago with what is known as the Wilm Directive. [Read more…] about How Snowmobilers Won Their Special Privileges To Ride On Forever Wild Lands

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History, Recreation Tagged With: Conservation Department, Saranac Lake, snowmobiling

Snowmobile Fire and Crash in Fulton County

February 5, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

ECO Hilliard responding to a snowmobile fire in Fulton CountyAccording to a press release issued by DEC, on January 23rd, while conducting a snowmobile patrol on trails in the Town of Caroga, Environmental Conservation Officrs Manns and Hilliard responded to two dangerous snowmobile incidents. [Read more…] about Snowmobile Fire and Crash in Fulton County

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Recreation Tagged With: DEC, ECOs, snowmobiling

How The Adirondack Forest Preserve Was Motorized

February 4, 2021 by John Warren 4 Comments

blue mountain post cardThe establishment of the Adirondack Forest Preserve in 1885 was part of growing American appreciation of a back to nature ethic. By the time of the First World War, according to historian Paul Sutter: “Americans produced and consumed voluminous literature on natural and wild themes; they built vacation homes and camps; they initiated a wide variety of programs in scouting and woodcraft; they developed a distinctive hunting culture and ethos; they adopted nature study as a prominent hobby; and the embraced the ‘strenuous life’ that could be found only in the ‘great outdoors.’” [Read more…] about How The Adirondack Forest Preserve Was Motorized

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History, Recreation Tagged With: camping, DEC, Forest Preserve, snowmobiling

Forest Rangers Rescue Adirondack Snowmobiler

February 3, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

forest ranger logoNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents in the Adirondacks. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people.

What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers. [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Rescue Adirondack Snowmobiler

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Recreation Tagged With: DEC, Forest Ranger Reports, Forest Rangers, SAR, Search and Rescue, snowmobiling, Speculator

Advocates Divided Over Tree Cutting In Adirondack Park

February 2, 2021 by Editorial Staff 2 Comments

Trails and Snowmobile Trails in the Adirondack ParkThe Open Space Institute (OSI) and the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) have moved to jointly file an amicus brief in support of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in a case now being heard at the New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.

Protect the Adirondacks (Protect) was recently granted a 4-1 decision by the Appellate Division, Third Department, that Class II Community Community snowmobile trail construction resulted in an unconstitutional destruction of trees on the Adirondack Forest Preserve. Protect is now defending that decision against an appeal by the state. [Read more…] about Advocates Divided Over Tree Cutting In Adirondack Park

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Recreation Tagged With: Adirondack Mountain Club, DEC, development, Forest Preserve, Open Space Institute, Protect the Adirondacks, snowmobiling, wilderness

Charbot Germain’s Wrong Turn: An Adirondack Trucking Story

January 20, 2021 by John Warren 1 Comment

tractor trailer on snowmobile trail by NYS Forest Ranger Charles SeveranceOn December 15, 1973, Canadian Charbot Germain attempted to drive his tractor-trailer from Stony Creek to Utica. It didn’t go well.

It started out as tales of the lost often do, with directions from a local.

They suggested Germain shorten his trip by taking Route 8 from the Northway toward North Creek. He found himself instead in Stony Creek, headed down the rough Harrisburg Road in the dark. [Read more…] about Charbot Germain’s Wrong Turn: An Adirondack Trucking Story

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: Hope, snowmobiling, Stony Creek, Transportation, Wilcox Lake Wild Forest, Wilcox Mountain

Comments Sought On Removal of Historic Adirondack Camp

December 13, 2020 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

debar lodge adirondacks national park service photoThe Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) have announced a 60-day joint public comment period on the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for the Debar Mountain Complex (DMC) Draft Unit Management Plan and a proposal to reclassify approximately 41 acres of the Wild Forest as Intensive Use.

The plan would also demolish and remove a rustic 1940s Adirondack camp at the north end of Debar Pond that is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. [Read more…] about Comments Sought On Removal of Historic Adirondack Camp

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History, Nature, Recreation Tagged With: APA, Architecture, camping, Debar Mountain Wild Forest, DEC, development, fishing, hiking, Historic Preservation, paddling, snowmobiling

Comments Sought On Herkimer County Easement Plans

December 8, 2020 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Three Lakes Tract Easement courtesy Adirodack AtlasThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced they are seeking public input on the development of a draft Recreation Management Plan (RMP) for the Three Lakes Tract Conservation Easement, a privately-owned conservation easement encompassing approximately 3,350 acres in the town of Webb, Herkimer County. [Read more…] about Comments Sought On Herkimer County Easement Plans

Filed Under: Nature, Recreation Tagged With: Big Moose Tract, DEC, Fisheries, fishing, Ha-De-Ron-Dah Wilderness, Herkimer COunty, hiking, hunting, Independence River Wild Forest, snowmobiling, Three Lakes Tract, trapping

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