Adirondack Living October/November 2022

HIGHLAND PLACE, LAKE PLACID: One of the last remaining Ski Houses in Lake Placid, is a 7 BR, 7 BA with a guest cottage located within walking distance to Main Street, the Olympic Center and Mirror Lake. Built in 1910 this beautiful home has lovely porches and old world charm. $1,225,000

ALGONQUIN DRIVE, LAKE PLACID: Immaculate 4 BR, 3BA post & beam home in Fawn Ridge. Beautifully landscaped, gorgeous interior finishes, soaring wood ceilings, hdwd flrs,

own 1.9 acres

Stevens Rd.

home,

between

CAMP DYNAMIC, LAKE PLACID: Luxury Boathouse 3 BR, 4.5 BA with a 2 BR, 2BA, guest cottage, panoramic lake and mountain views, selling furnished including a luxury Duffy 21 electric boat, walk through your front door and see your boats! $5,495,000

ROCKLEDGE, SARANAC LAKE: Newly renovated, 3 bed/2.5 bath home w/deeded access to the Saranac River, walk to Moody Pond & Baker Mtn. Comes turnkey w/new furnishings, vaulted ceilings, spacious kitchen/dining area, updated bathrooms, scratch resistant waterproof flooring, walk-out lower level, patio, fire pit, oversized garage. $557,000

ADIRONDACK CABIN, JAY: 3 BR, 2 BA cabin nested in the tall pines on 2.52 acres. Living room with high ceilings, kitchen with hickory cabinets, granite countertops and SS appliances. Close to Whiteface Mtn. $489,000

BR,

log mountain retreat on

with

level

GARDEN COTTAGE, SARANAC LAKE: Located just outside the village, character of an older home with many updates. Refinished hdwd flrs, bathrooms w/heated tile

Carrera Marble walk in shower, new light fixtures, quartz countertops, farm sink, propane wood stove, deck, screened porch, perennial gardens. $449,000

HARBOR HILL, SARANAC LAKE: Noonmark cottage on Lake Flower is

quaint 1 BR, 1 BA renovated year-round home with many updates, a dock and sandy beach. Being sold turn-key! Lake Flower is the

to

of interlocking

walk

of

NORTHERN LIGHTS,

ONONDAGA TRAIL, LAKE PLACID: Rare opportunity

QUAKER

PLACES

Wilson sitting Ella Wilson is in

Broadway Mainstay Mechanic Re-Tires

By Aaron Cerbone

GregMace installed his last set of tires on Aug. 30th, capping off a 49-year career in the wheel industry at his Adirondack Tire shop on Broadway.

Mace has been a mainstay for Saranac Lake motorists for three generations.

“I know people by their cars,” he said.

Adirondack Tire had been open since the 1920s. Mace’s dad bought the shop in 1969. Greg was 15 at the time. But in 1973, his father was in a car crash and spent years in recovery. Mace was going to college for an accounting degree, but started running his father’s business and in 1987 officially took over the business.

For four years, he ran the business while attending classes at Clarkson University to earn his electrical engineering degree. But he loved the physical work of installing tires.

“I decided I can’t sit down all day, so I will do this until I get old,” Mace said. “But I forgot to define what old was.”

Now, at 68 years old, he’s ready to hang up his tire machines. But he’s not putting on the brakes yet.

He’s got skis, skates, hiking boots, a bike and a canoe that have been sitting still for years, and he’s looking to catch up on decades of recreation he’s missed while at work. Mace has stayed active through the tire business. His job is a workout. He also has a workout gym in the basement that he’s looking to dust off in retirement.

Santa Clara resident Minda Briaddy wanted to be Mace’s last customer at his business. Mace has helped her family in the wake of a fire that gutted their home over the winter, giving them a place to live while they rebuild their house.

Briaddy said it’s been a blessing for her family to have a temporary house four miles away from their home, where they can keep an eye on the rebuilding progress.

It was hard finding a place for herself, her husband John, their son, a dog and a cat to live after the fire.

Mace was hesitant to rent out his parent’s former home, but his life has been touched by fire, too. Several times.

“I know what it’s like,” he said of the loss fire brings.

Mace said his family lost everything in a fire when he was in seventh grade. The tire shop itself burned twice — once in an electric fire, and another caused by kids burning tires out back. And his family camp burned to the ground, too.

That’s why he’s not too emotional about the plans to tear down the Adirondack Tire building to build an apartment complex on the site as part of the Saranac Lofts development.

“I’m not attached to anything physical,” Mace said.

What happens next for him when the rubber hits the road in retirement is a bit of a mystery, too. On Aug. 30th, he wasn’t sure if he was going to sleep the next morning or get a start on dirtying up his hiking boots.

TOP 5

By Spencer Morrissey

Little Green Pond

DIFFICULTY: Easy, well protected from winds

DISTANCE: Roadside

DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of state Route 3 and Route 86 in Saranac Lake follow Route 86 toward Paul Smiths. Continue for 5 miles to Route 186 on the left. Follow Route 186 for 4 miles to its end at Route 30. Follow Route 30 toward Tupper Lake for just under 3 miles to Fish Hatchery Road on the right. Follow Fish Hatchery Road for 0.5 miles to the entrance to boat launch area. Follow this dirt road over the railroad tracks and straight to a Y-intersection. Take a right at the Y-intersection to the boat launch site which will be on the left.

Little Clear Pond

DIFFICULTY: Easy, but can get a bit gusty

DISTANCE: Roadside

DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of state Route 3 and Route 86 in Saranac Lake follow Route 86 toward Paul Smiths. Continue for 5 miles to Route 186 on the left.

Fall Season Short Paddles in the St. Regis Canoe Area and the Saranac Lake Wild Forest

Follow Route 186 for 4 miles to its end at Route 30. Follow Route 30 toward Tupper Lake for just under 3 miles to Fish Hatchery Road on the right. Follow Fish Hatchery Road for 0.5 miles to the entrance to boat launch area. Follow this dirt road over the railroad tracks and straight to a Y-intersection. Take a right at the Y-intersection to the boat launch site which will be on the right.

Lower Saint Regis Lake Outlet

DIFFICULTY: Easy, well-sheltered

DISTANCE: Roadside

DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of state Route 3 and Route 86 in Saranac Lake follow Route 86 toward Paul Smiths. Continue on Route 86 to Paul Smiths where it ends at Route 30. Take a right onto Route 30 and an immediate left onto Keese Mills Road. Continue for 2.75 miles to the parking for Black Pond. The launch is directly across the road off a grassy shore.

Green Pond

DIFFICULTY: Easy, well-sheltered

DISTANCE: Easy 0.1-mile portage

DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of state Route 3 and Route 86 in Saranac Lake follow Route 86 toward Paul Smiths. Continue for 5 miles to Route 186 on the left. Follow Route 186 for 4 miles to its end at Route 30. Follow Route 30 toward Tupper Lake for just under 6.3 miles to the launch on the right, across the road from Frog Lane. There is a small sign here, a bit obscure to see.

Polliwog Pond

DIFFICULTY: Easy, but can get a bit breezy

DISTANCE: Roadside

DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of state Route 3 and Route 86 in Saranac Lake follow Route 86 toward Paul Smiths. Continue for 5 miles to Route 186 on the left. Follow Route 186 for 4 miles to its end at Route 30. Follow Route 30 toward Tupper Lake for around 5.5 miles to Floodwood Road on the right. Follow Floodwood Road for 1.3 miles to Polliwog Pond on the left.

In

Purchase Plus

Construction Loans

Home

on SILVER LAKE

ACRES on LAKE CHAMPLAIN

40 ACRES - PANORAMIC MOUNTAIN VIEWS

ACRES BONNIEVIEW

AUSABLE

CABIN

TURN KEY-BEAUTY SALON

AU SABLE ACRES COTTAGE

IMMACULATE in the FORKS

SALMON RIVER BUILDING LOT

ACRES ~ ALDER BROOK ROAD

Fixing Your Credit

A better score means lower interest rates, and that saved income stays in your bank account. That’s why it may be smart to fix your credit before beginning your new home search. Here’s a step-by-step guide.

CHECK YOUR REPORT

Begin by finding out how you’re doing through the three main reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Each of them will issue one free report per year, after a written request. Some banks and credit-card companies will also offer more regular access to your scores. Pay close attention to your number, since these are the same credit bureaus

that lenders will be contacting. You’ll earn more attractive loan options with better scores, including an opportunity to make a lower down payment. You’ll potentially get a more favorable interest rate, too.

RAISE YOUR SCORE

If you find that you can’t secure the best loan because of a lower score, don’t worry: There are options to raise it before you purchase a property. Consider opening a low-interest credit card account, which you can use to charge select essentials. It’s important, however, that you pay off the card on time, every month, for your score will improve. If you let a balance carry forward or worse, miss a payment your numbers could be negatively impacted. Disciplined

charging and regular payments can lead directly to better mortgage options. Just make sure the card is reporting your activity to the three main credit agencies.

PRE-QUALIFICATION

If you’re worried about living within your means, avoid creating a mountain of debt or halting the sale process entirely by pre-qualifying for a loan. You’ll understand in advance which home fits your specific budget. This document from your loan officer actually does more than outline the limit of your loan; it also helps you buy with confidence because you have a better sense of what your payment structure and interest rate will be. A pre-qualification letter aids in negotiations with a seller too, since they know you’re in a healthy position to buy.

Prickett at home on the trails of the Adirondack Park

By Lauren Yates Connie

Prickett, of Wilmington, is just as passionate about conserving land in the Adirondack Park as she is about recreating here.

Prickett grew up in New Jersey, but she vacationed here with family as a kid — her uncle had a home in Jay, and she always felt connected to the area.

“I just felt like it was a place for me,” she said.

Prickett’s connection to the Adirondacks grew when she was in graduate school with the Audobon Expedition Institute. She spent a couple of semesters following and studying the Rio Grande from its source all the way to Texas, but after she sustained some injuries, she found herself finishing out her last two semesters independently in the Adirondacks. She was hooked.

“It gave me the perfect excuse to dig into all things Adirondacks,” she said.

Prickett learned all about advocacy, how lands are managed, and how the state Adirondack Park Agency and the state Department of Environmental Conservation operate. She said that work grounded her in the Adirondacks “in a different way” and prepared her for a career in environmental conservation.

Now, Prickett has lived here for around 30 years. She said she loves the community she’s found here, and the all-season access to the outdoors is a big plus. Prickett is an avid mountain biker and skier.

Prickett received her graduate degree in environmental education, which has supported her interest in land conservation throughout her career. She first worked at the Adirondack Mountain Club as an outdoor skills instructor, and she helped to launch the Student

Conservation Association Adirondack

AmeriCorps program in Long Lake that’s still in place. She worked in communications and community engagement with The Nature Conservancy for 19 years before leaving in 2018 to become vice president of communications and community engagement at the Adirondack Foundation in Lake Placid. Now Prickett is taking a position as director of communications for the Adirondack Land Trust in Keene.

Prickett said she lives about a mile from the nearest Barkeater Trails Alliance — or BETA operated trail in Wilmington. It’s both convenient and fitting for her, because she’s also the president of the BETA board of directors. BETA has a lot of projects both current and upcoming in Keene, Lake Placid, Elizabethtown and possibly the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest, and Prickett was teeming with excitement about the alliance’s work as she walked BETA’s Scotts Cobble Trail in Lake Placid on Aug. 3. She said BETA has filled a gap in the types of trails that are available in the Adirondacks by creating “gamechanging” trails that are friendly to mountain bikers, hikers and cross-country skiers of all different skill levels.

Prickett enjoyed BETA’s trails even before joining the board of directors in 2018. She and her husband Kevin, who works at the APA, have a lot of the same outdoor-related interests and often recreate together.

Prickett said she bikes and runs trails in the summer and skis in the winter. She said she’ll trail run in the shoulder seasons, but she prefers as little of a shoulder as possible.

“For me, a good year, a really good year,” she said, “is when biking season and ski season are as close together as possible.”

TRI COUNTY INSPECTIONS

TRI COUNTY INSPECTIONS

Waterfront Bursting with Amenities, Lake Clear

Canaras Ave., Saranac Lake

Indian Rock Trail, Saranac Lake

Old Military Rd., Lake Placid

subdivision potential on Lake Placid’s Old

includes frontage on

Chubb River

maximum

schools, hospital and shopping, this large parcel

or allow a single owner significant

Main Street Corridor, Lake Placid

Cascade Road Motel Duo, Lake Placid SOLD

Impeccable Ranch in the Adirondacks, AuSable 193 Plains Road Peru NY 12972, R177184A, $620,000

Almost 6 acres of privacy in the Adirondacks! This well-built, custom ranch offers over 3,300 sq ft of living space! Meticulous home; bright open floor plan with plenty of space for everyone. The kitchen features granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, hickory cabinets, recessed lighting, lift Kitchen Aid Mixer workstation & an elevated dishwasher cabinet for easy access! Enjoy the morning sun and view your private yard from the comfort of the breakfast nook. Hardwood floors throughout! Mini-splits in the primary floor living with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and laundry on the main level. Primary bedroom offers an ensuite bath and walk-in closet! Basement offers a 4th bedroom and a full bath, plus a roomy rec room and workout room. 2nd garage/ workshop added in 2019! Minutes from Lake Champlain!

55 Acre Adirondack Farm, Chesterfield

56 Robare Road Keeseville NY 12944, F176883A, $525,000

Beautiful hobby farm in the Adirondacks, over 50 acres! Great mix of fields and woods, tons of wildlife. Cozy Adirondack Ranch style home offers open concept living, granite countertops, and wood floors! Peaceful sunroom off the back allows the ability to enjoy the view of your personal paradise! Central air and a woodstove make every season comfortable. Metal roofing, new hot water heater. 2 car attached garage plus detached garage with storage above that could be finished if desired. Barn in the back has a heated garage attached. Generator included. Near Mace Chasm road and its growing farm to table movement. Including North Country Creamery, AuSable Brewing Company & Fledging Crow.

Horse farm with 72 Acres, Moira 2116 County Route 5 Moira NY 12957, F177156A, $495,000

Country living at its finest! Impeccable craftsmanship in this Adirondack Farmhouse built in 2011. Wrap around the porch. 72 Acres of Paradise! 2 car garage. Hardwood floors throughout! Ceramic tile in bathrooms. New stainless steel appliances. New deep, stainless farm sink. Walkin pantry off the kitchen. Large entry allows for taking off shoes and outerwear before welcoming you into the main house. Features open concept living on the main level; perfect for taking advantage of the oversized fireplace. Offers single floor living if desired with Large bedroom, full bath & laundry all on the 1st floor. Traditional primary suite with 2 walk-in closes & spacious ensuite is on the second level along with 3rd bedroom and bathroom. 2nd story Nook creates the perfect space for an office, crafting, play area, etc. Well-built 33x50 barn!

Spacious Adirondack Ranch, Wadhams

County Route 10 Westport NY 12993, R176645A, $225,000

Spacious ranch in the beautiful country neighborhood of Wadhams! Tiled foyer/mudroom is the perfect space for removing your outdoor gear before entering your home. Open concept kitchen, living & dining room with doors out to 30ft deck overlooking the backyard. Kitchen and bath rooms have tile flooring. Dining & Living rooms hardwood. Granite countertops. Stainless Steel appliances & pantry! 4 bedrooms on the main level included a large primary suite featuring an ensuite with double sinks shower and jetted tub. 2 closets and door out to the screen porch. Perfect place for your morning coffee or evening cocktail. Or just to find your peace anytime you need it. Full basement offers walk out French Doors, Den with a bar, large gym and additional space for office or storage. The 32’ x 22’ Garage has plenty of space for parking and a workshop!

28 x 70 concrete slab. Close to I87 for an easy commute to Plattsburgh. A great home base for all of your Adirondack &

to Lake Placid!