Embark Winter 2023

There’s plenty to do in the snow...

GEAR GUIDE: SKATE SKIER

Gear guide

Pole grips

These grips have a little more to them than a basic model. They’re comfortable, and allow you to follow through with your arms without losing control of the poles.

Base layer

5 Name game

Non-cotton base layer insulates and wicks moisture to keep you warm, dry and comfortable on the trail.

Winter vest

Provides warmth and acts as a windbreaker. Loose enough to facilitate layering underneath. When temperatures drop below 10 degrees, you will likely need something bulkier.

Poles

Hat

Lightweight winter hat, good for temperatures 15 degrees F and up.

Eyewear

Whether used as corrective lenses or to keep the sun and snow out of your eyes, glasses or goggles are an important piece of equipment.

Backpack

For longer trips, a small, light backpack or fanny pack can be used to carry water bottles and other emergency items. For shorter trips, a water bottle holder will suffice.

10 Bugging out

Lightweight ski poles are best for skate-skiing, and generally about chin or nose height. For classic skiing, poles should be as high as your armpits, or slightly shorter.

Ski bibs

These ski bibs are insulated and have wind-breaker material on the front. They’re tighter fitting, which allows for a better range of movement, especially at faster speeds. But they’re still loose enough to allow for layering, and are very warm. Good for pre-race warm-ups.

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Skate-ski boots

Skate-skiing boots have more ankle support, as the skier isn’t moving his or her skis parallel to each other. Classic boots are lower cut —think basketball shoes versus running shoes.

Bindings

These Solomon Pilot bindings have hooks for two bars that attach to the ski boot. The technology at the time was supposed to keep the ski closer to the boot.

Skate skis

These Germina skate skis are an older racing model with a flex and grind set up for fine, cold, hard-packed snow. Skate skis are generally shorter than classic-style skis.

(EntErprisE filE photo — MikE lynch)

PADDlInG ThE ADIRonDAcK cAnoE cl ASSIc — AGAIn!

By BLAKE NEUMANN Adirondack Council Clean Water Advocate

As Labor Day came and went, thousands of visitors poured into and out of the Park to enjoy hiking, swimming, boating, paddling and perhaps a last ice cream of the season, as overnight lows now begin to dip into the 40s. For many local businesses and seasonal residents, this weekend signifies a time to close up shop for the summer. However, for a motivated few, the culmination of summer is yet to come.

The Adirondack Canoe Classic

Each year, the weekend following Labor Day marks a highly anticipated and long celebrated event (now entering its 40th year): the Adirondack Canoe Classic, otherwise known simply as the “90-miler.” The Northern Forest Canoe Trail recently took over as the official race organizers, though Brian and Grace McDonnell still continue to play a large role in the success of the event. Hundreds of individuals come from all over to compete and range widely in skill level - it is a true melting pot of recreationists!

There are a variety of boat classes including 1-4 person canoe teams (not to mention the 6 person voyageur canoe class), guideboats, and a brave few that don the stand-up paddleboard.

Most “teams” have a support group (or pit crew) to set up camp, provide food or water along the route during the race and help maintain morale over the 3 days of the event. Here my wonder-

fully supportive parents deserve some credit, for hustling to campgrounds to set up and break camp around catching glimpses of the race at a handful of popular spectator hangouts along the way.

Day one

My sister Alex and I prepared to depart Old Forge on Friday morning in my We-No-Nah Adirondack canoe on our second 90-miler journey; this was my third time making the trip, though my first time on the route was to paddle NY’s three sections of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail at a more leisurely pace.

The first day covers 34 miles (including a daunting 3.5 miles of carries) from the start line at Old Forge to the take-out in Blue Mountain Lake. The route takes paddlers through the numbered lakes of the Fulton Chain right into the most sinuous river section of the course: Brown’s Tract. While this section has given many a voyageur canoe heartburn, Alex and I handled the turns capably in my short and wide canoe.

After Brown’s Tract, we crossed Raquette Lake (which was fortunately far less windy than our last crossing of South Bay) and headed into the Marion River toward

the Eckford Chain. By this point, forearm cramps had set in, but snacks and intestinal fortitude, as well as getting to point out landmarks of the watershed I work in to my sister provided the needed boost to finish our first day strong.

Day two

The second day starts with the herculean task of paddling the length of Long Lake, a roughly 14 mile affair, culminating in a paddle along an additional 5-mile section of the Raquette River before the carry. For those that have not paddled this kind of distance in a morning, imagine a three to four hour refrain of “are we there yet?”

Included in the day’s 33-mile count is an extremely unpleasant, notorious 1.25 mile carry around Raquette Falls, which is muddy, narrow and practically impossible to pass other boats.

After trudging through the Raquette Falls carry and slamming some gels and electrolyte tablets at the other end, the day concludes with another long, but incredibly scenic and gorgeous 12 mile paddle along the Raquette River to the eventual takeout at the “Crusher” boat launch, which

is named for its proximity to a former gravel crushing operation. Although evident everywhere along the course, the camaraderie of the racers is on full display here, as other paddlers cheer on finishers pulling up to the boat launch and help to quickly shuttle boats out of the way for other incoming teams.

Day three

The final day of the race feels more like a victory lap after the prior two days. After nearly 8 hour and 6 hour days of paddling (respectively), the four-ish hours it takes to complete the final 22 miles from the Fish Creek Campground to the center of town in Saranac Lake felt mostly like a blur - but another scenic and gorgeous blur through the Saranac Lakes into Oseetah Lake, concluding in Lake Flower.

Alex and I couldn’t help looking over our shoulder a few times to make sure the unbelievable weather wasn’t a mirage. Last year, immediately after turning onto Upper Saranac from Fish Creek we were met with an almost unbelievable headwind that made for a long slog to Middle Saranac. As we made the turn onto Middle Saranac, that head-

wind turned to whitecaps (which were fortunately in our favor), but it was all we could do to keep the boat upright. The moderate temperatures, overcast sky and celebration at the finish line this year made for a much more pleasant conclusion to the weekend. Events like the 90-miler under-

score the connectivity of a variety of systems here in the Park, from waterways, to communities, to local economies. We are fortunate to work among other great stewards and conservation-minded groups (such as the Adirondack Watershed Institute, which staffed the many aquatic invasive

species inspection stations along the race course). The 90-miler is a great reminder that with the support of communities and our partners, and with an eye toward prevention, we can continue ensuring that there are ample sustainable opportunities for all to recreate here in the Park.

( p rovid E d photo — B lak E n E u M ann )

By AMBER ADAMSON CATS Director of Development and Communications

This October’s beyond-gorgeous scenery of the Champlain Valley was perhaps the biggest reward for fourteen “Volunteer Vacationers” who spent a week working with Champlain Area Trails improving seven miles of trails at Twin Valleys, a 600acre SUNY Plattsburgh-owned property in Lewis. The outdoor education facility had been used primarily by students for many years, but because of Covid and other reasons, the trails needed a lot of work. So, SUNY’s College Auxiliary Services and CATS partnered to improve the trails as they explore ways to make the trails publicly accessible.

The American Hiking Society’s Vacation Volunteers is a global program matching willing helpers with interesting spots around the world that could use a hand with trail improvements. This is the ninth time the Volunteer Vacationers have worked with CATS.

“The Volunteer Vacation program is such a win-win,” said CATS Executive Director Chris Maron. “We complete necessary trail improvements and at the same time get to introduce people to the Champlain Valley which promotes regional tour-

ism. Volunteer vacationers get to give back to the trails they love and visit or revisit areas they’ve come to appreciate.”

“The volunteers made a big contribution with the time they dedicated to improving these trails,” said CATS Director of Trails and Land Management, Tony Thoman. “During the week, they worked over 336 hours to clear overgrown trails and develop reroutes to a couple of overlooks,” he said.

“This program advances our mission of making trails, saving land, connecting people with nature, and promoting economic vitality,” said Maron. “We thank Camp Dudley for their accommodations, E’town’s Arsenal Inn for providing great meals, and Winton’s Tavern in Westport for their ‘night on the town.’ On their day off, the volunteers enjoyed the opportunity to explore our Champlain Valley towns and businesses.”

Barbara Roedel, a volunteer vacationer from Moline, Illinois, said, “I’ve never been to the Adirondacks or Lake Champlain before, so I loved the location. It was beautiful — the leaves in the valleys and around the lake reflected all the Fall colors. The work was physically challenging at times so teamwork and cooperation were the hallmarks of the workday.”

Explore NY’s Champlain Valley

modations and the opportunity to work with a friendly local trails group in northern New York just as foliage is moving toward its peak fall color.”

And CATS’ 67 miles of uncrowded, family-friendly trails.

For maps of all the trails in the Champlain Valley visit:www.champlainareatrails.com

Dean Amel, from Arlington, Virginia said, “This was my fourth volunteer vacation with CATS in the Champlain Valley. These trips offer great accom-

Champlain Area Trails volunteers pose for a photo ( p rovid E d photo — c ha M plain a r E a t rails )

By LAUREN YATES Staff Writer

LAKE PLACID — On a cold, blustery night last winter, High Peaks Cyclery owners Brian and Karen Delaney set out for a nighttime ski at the town of Tupper Lake’s cross-country ski trails on Mount Morris. They were the only people at the ski center that night.

With headlamps showing the way, they began gliding over the snow. But as they moved through the trees, LED lights flickered on alongside the couple, bathing the trail in light as they sailed by and turning off once they’d passed.

“Karen, this is awesome!” Brian Delaney recalled saying to his wife. “I was like, ‘We’ve got to do this in Lake Placid.’”

Enter Scotts Cobble, a humble mountain on the southern side of the Craig Wood Golf Course on state Route 73 in the town of North Elba. It was once home to a tiny downhill ski center operated by the North Elba Park District — opening on Jan. 8, 1938, and closing at the end of winter in 1973. But this winter, Delaney is hoping to open a new version of the ski center — with 10 kilometers of lighted cross-country ski trails and a goal of reacquainting local communities with the culture of Nordic skiing.

Delaney calls the new Scotts Cobble Recreation Center “Lake Placid’s community trails.”

“’Discover your Scotts Cobble,’” he said.

His vision is that the center will offer cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, sledding, nighttime skiing and backcountry skiing, and the 10k of trails will be free to access for area residents. That includes people in the Tri-Lakes communities as well as Olympic Region towns such as Wilmington and Keene. The ski trails at Scotts Cobble, which back up to the Jackrabbit Trail, are expected to be pet-friendly. Delaney is also planning several programs, including an afterschool program from 3 to 5 p.m. on weekdays

where local students could rent ski gear and ski for free.

The proposed ski center already has a lodge — the golf course clubhouse — with space for a retail store, ski rental area, locker rooms, showers and enough room to host weddings and other events. Delaney expects a shuttle will run from the center to the town, and he’s talking with local schools about routing school buses there. Delaney hopes to open a restaurant at the lodge on weekends, and he wants to provide coffee and hot cocoa every day for trail users.

Delaney plans to charge non-locals a fee to ski at the center — $15 for a daily pass, $100 for a family season pass and $50 for a regular season pass.

Delaney said Scotts Cobble ski center will complement rather than compete with other local ski centers. All of the pieces seem to have fallen into place. The town of North Elba owns Craig Wood, and town Supervisor Derek Doty said the lodge is heated each winter already — the highway department will just need to do a little more snow

Skiers at the old Scotts Cobble ski center

plowing there now. And with High Peaks Cyclery’s history of hosting races and events around town, Delaney said his store already has the town of North Elba, the state of New York and the village of Lake Placid on its insurance.

“It’s just the perfect segue,” Delaney said.

Delaney hopes to host a grand opening of the ski center on Dec. 17, depending on the weather. He expects the first afterschool program to begin on Dec. 16, weather-permitting.

“Love of the sport”

When asked what motivated him to open the ski center, Delaney put it simply: “for the love of the sport.” He recalled a 1980sera adage that said, “If you can walk, you can cross-country ski.”

“That was the worst thing that ever happened,” Delaney said of the adage. “If you can walk, you can snowshoe. But if you want to cross-country ski, take a lesson and then you’ll love it.”

Located on Main Street at the McKinley Street traffic light, High Peaks Cyclery has been open for nearly 40 years, and Delaney has come across a lot of “misguided” cross-country skiers in that time. His key to cross-country skiing? Start with a ski lesson. He’s spent years teaching people to be better skiers and, in turn, seeing them fall for the sport themselves. He wants to continue those teaching efforts at Scotts Cobble.

Delaney spent more than 20 years teaching ski lessons at Mount Van Hoevenberg as part of a state Olympic Regional Development Authority program, where everyone who bought new

skis got a free lesson. He said it was good for the Nordic skiing sport. Teaching is clearly a passion for Delaney — when he spots a person who’s “snowshoeing on skis,” he feels a pull to help them enjoy the sport.

“That’s not skiing — skiing is moving over the snow with a big smile over your face,” Delaney said.

For the community

While the new Scotts Cobble ski center will be developed with the entire community in mind, it was first created by the Lake Placid Ski Club. The Lake Placid News first reported plans for the ski center in a 1937 story titled, “Town Board agrees to follow ski club’s plan to develop a ski center at Scott’s Cobble.”

“With a record of being first in

developing winter and summer sports, the Town Fathers some time ago were faced with the problem of enlarging their house to take care of their ever-growing figure skating family in summer and now they have found that their winter playgrounds have grown too small,” the article reads.

Delaney said he approached Doty when he first thought about reopening the Scotts Cobble Ski Center with lighted trails, and Doty expressed support. At the North Elba Town Council meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 1, councilors approved $5,000 of the town’s COVID-19 relief funds to help Delaney purchase LED lights for the trail network.

Delaney has invested around $35,000 in getting the center going again — paying staff, buying supplies, etc. — but he

believes the money will come back to him someday. Donations are welcome from locals, he said, but his top priority is to keep skiing at the center free for the people who live here. He told the North Elba Town Council on Nov. 1 that he believes the community has lost some of its Nordic culture, and he wants to help build it back up.

“We’re meeting a need, and now we’re building that Nordic community within our community that makes people feel good about our home,” Delaney told councilors. “That’s what I want.”

Delaney said he’s already received a lot of community support for the project. People have stopped in his store asking what they can do — people want to help install lights and even help Delaney source a snowmobile to maintain the trails.

MAKE SAFETY A PRIORITY

Visit safewaters.com for facility information

High Peaks Cyclery in Lake Placid (E nt E rpris E fil E photo — a ndy f lynn )

Like open water angling, fishing through the ice requires skill and knowledge. But anyone can ice fish successfully if they do their homework. Learning about the water to be fished, the equipment and its capabilities, wearing proper clothing and taking safety precautions are all part of a successful, enjoyable winter ice fishing experience.

Perhaps the best way to get started is to accompany a friend or neighbor on a half-day ice fishing outing. If you are unable to locate someone to go with, the next best alternative is to visit a tackle or bait shop in a popular ice fishing area. The shop owners want you to have a successful and enjoyable trip and can provide you with all the necessary equipment. Ice anglers tend to be a highly social group, eager to share tips, techniques and storiesif you can find one, you can learn a lot.

One of the most important steps to take when ice fishing is to make sure the ice is safe. See the table below for general rules for ice safety.

What to Wear

It is important to dress in layers. Start with a layer of material that

can wick (remove) moisture from your skin. Avoid cotton clothing, which loses its insulating ability when wet. Many wind and water-resistant clothing options are available. Gore-Tex and wool are two good material choices. Bring extra gloves, as they tend to get wet. Wear warm, waterproof boots. Add cleats to your boots to help prevent falls.

Where to Ice Fish

Most ponds and lakes offer ice fishing potential. Their characteristics define the kinds of fish that may be caught. Large, shallower ponds and lakes favor species such as chain pickerel, northern pike, yellow perch and sunfish. Deepwater lakes need to be fished selectively to get good catches of northern pike, walleye or lake trout. Brown trout, rainbow trout and landlocked salmon are frequently caught while fishing just a few feet under the ice, even in deep bodies of water.

The local tackle shop where you purchase your bait should be able to advise you on where fish are currently being caught. Online fishing forums are another good resource for choosing your next fishing destination. Regardless of

the fish species that you are seeking, concentrations of anglers or the presence of many old holes will provide an indication of areas where good catches have recently occurred.

View popular ice fishing locations throughout New York State.

Ice Safety

Safe ice should be your number one consideration when ice fishing. A minimum of three to four inches of solid ice is the general

Continued on page 10

Nick Marrone shows off the 28inch salmon he pulled in at the Colby Classic in March 2022.

(E nt E rpris E fil E photo — a aron M ar B on E )

rule for safety. Ice thickness, however, is not uniform on any body of water. The guidelines presented here are based on new, clear ice on non-running waters. Since ice thickness can vary on a lake, check the ice periodically to stay safe.

Carry ice safety picks (two handles with spike points) to help you get out of the water should you break through the ice.

ly alert in areas near shore, over moving bodies of water, and where streams enter and exit lakes and ponds.

Remember, use the buddy system while ice fishing - it saves lives.

Cutting the Ice

After you have your gear, bait and a place to fish, you’ll need to make a hole in the ice. There are a variety of tools available that make this “essential task” simple.

Note: This guide is based on new, clear ice on non-running waters. Slush ice is about 50 percent weaker. Clear ice over running water is about 20 percent weaker. Double the recommendations for white ice. Many ice anglers do not like to fish on less than five inches of ice, and do not like to drive a pick-up truck on less than 15 inches of ice. Use common sense!

Be cautious in areas where “bubblers” are used to protect docks. They can produce thin, unsafe ice some distance away. Be especial-

Perhaps the simplest is an old-fashioned “spud” bar which your grandfather may have used on his ice fishing trips. Spuds are often the cheapest way to cut a hole in the ice and work reasonably well on ice up to about a foot thick. Spud bars are also very useful in testing the thickness and safety of the ice.

Hand-powered augers, which are slightly more expensive than spud bars, are easy to operate and offer the best all-around compromise for moderate ice conditions. Purchase an auger appropriate to the species of fish that you are seeking. Anglers who fish for yellow perch, sunfish and other pan fish frequently favor ice augers 4”, 5” or 6” in diameter because of their light weight and the speed that they bore through the ice. Anglers who fish for larger fish,

such as trout, lake trout, landlocked salmon and northern pike, frequently prefer an ice auger which will make a larger hole, which helps with the often-tricky landing of these large fish. But remember, cutting an 8” hole requires the removal of almost twice as much ice as a 6” hole, so don’t buy an ice auger much bigger than you will need. Some hand augers can be outfitted with an adapter that connects the auger blade to a cordless drill for rechargeable hole drilling.

For the avid ice angler or for thicker, more extreme ice conditions, a more expensive, power auger provides the ultimate in speed and convenience, albeit at a sacrifice in weight and portability and may be restricted on some waters.

Ice Fishing Methods

Ice fishing methods include “jigging” with short, light fishing rods and using tip-ups. There are many kinds of jigging poles and tip-ups.

Jigging involves the use of a jigging rod or hand line and a small jigging spoon or lure which is often “sweetened” with a piece of bait. The jig is designed to dart around in different directions when it is jerked up and down by the angler.

The tip-up is basically a spool on a stick holding a baited line suspended through a hole in the ice. When the bait, usually a minnow, is taken by a fish, the pull on the line releases a signal, usually a red flag.

Lures and Baits

There are many artificial lures made especially for ice fishing, from small ice flies used for panfish (sunfish, perch, and crappie) to large jigging spoons for lake trout. Most lures are tipped with some form of bait, commonly minnows and fly larvae called “spikes” or “mousies.” Minnows are most often used with tip-ups and can be hooked through the lips or under the dorsal fin.

Sleds and Shelters

Getting gear to your fishing spot is easier with the use of a sled. A child’s plastic sled works well, but there are sleds made specifically for ice fishing, often with compartments for storing gear and sometimes with an attached shelter.

Shelters block the wind, making ice fishing more comfortable. Many types of ice fishing shelters, from simple wind breaks to portable fish houses are available.

For more information, visit the Department of Environmental Conservation website.

SnowmobIlInG on nEw yoRK’S noRThERn boRDER

By BROOKE ROUSE St. Lawrence County Director of Tourism

Over 700 miles of family-friendly, meticulously-groomed snowmobile trails are waiting to be discovered on New York’s northern border, stretching from the St. Lawrence River to the foothills of the Adirondacks. Low trail traffic and some of the best-groomed trails in the Eastern United States have earned St. Lawrence County the recognition of being ranked number one of the best five places to ride in New York by SnowGoer Magazine in 2020. Multiple trailheads, restaurants, warming huts, free use of BBQ grills, and scenic overlooks make the destination one to book for a unique experience. Heading south from the St. Lawrence River Valley, through open farm fields, rolling hills, and snow-covered pines, you climb into the pristine Adirondack Mountain wilderness. No county has more to offer in terrain, scenery, or destinations than St. Lawrence. Sprawling landscape, rural hamlets and crossroads, and warm, friendly people make it ideal for snowmobiling. The southern portion located in the beautiful Adirondacks offers an extended season with hills, vistas from Little Blue, the historical Benson Mines, and a gateway to miles of NYS trails.

Conveniently located between Watertown, Lake Placid, and Plattsburgh -the extensive trail system appeals to the weekend adventurer or provides connections to off-sled excursions and extended trail riding into surrounding trail networks. The eastern end of the county trail system connects to Franklin County, destinations like

Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino, and Canada. The western end of the county connects to Lewis County and Tug Hill, while the southern end of the county connects to Hamilton County, Long Lake, and Old Forge. Getting out on St. Lawrence County trails is easy. Parking and access points are easily located in and around the small hamlets along with the trail system and are clearly marked on the Trail Map (free by request at www.VisitSTLC. com), as are services such as gas, food, and lodging. A new interactive map on www.STLCtrails. com lets you plan your ride with ease, and the NYSSA website map includes details and connections. Locally the best way to know trails conditions is by following www. slcsa.org.

Trails, many of them former railroad beds and logging roads, are groomed and maintained by ten very dedicated local snowmobile clubs across the county. Snowmobile events happen throughout the winter, so if it’s a celebration or a competition you’re seeking, this is the place to be. Trails are open through the generosity of over 500 private landowners, state easements, timber companies, and forest preserves. Incredible signage and respectful riders have helped to keep the trail system growing year after year, making it the destination it is today. If you like to shake up your vacations, great ice fishing, museums, mountaintop skiing or snowshoeing, and wildlife photography are plentiful. The diversity is amazing! Bring your friends and families and enjoy the best New York has to offer in St. Lawrence County.

Photograph by Brendan Wiltse