Looking for a new home?
What would you like to build? Certified Modular Homes that last for generations
Many models to choose from! Visit us or go to www.ncsbarns.com for pricing and floor plans.
Philadelphia 315-6420209 • Sandy Creek 315-387-2092 • Yorkville 315-793-0726
2
Published by
518-891-2600 (Phone)
Adirondack Publishing Co. P.O. Box 318, 54 Broadway Saranac Lake, NY 12983
Guide Editor: Andy Flynn Guide Design: Andy Flynn General Manager: Donna Leonard Production: Tori Martinez
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2020-21
Advertising: Susan Moore Lindsay Munn Carol Swirsky
LAKE PLACID NEWS www. AdirondackGuide.com
Cover design by Tori Martinez
Photo (this page): Jay Mountain, by Antonio Olivero ç Copyright 2021
Table of Contents
4 ... The world’s playground 6 ... Welcome to Saranac Lake 8 ... Skiing the Bloomingdale Bog Trail 10 ... Winter outdoor safety 12 ... Saranac Lake 6er hiking challenge 13 ... Emergency contacts 14 ... Playing in the High Peaks 16 ... Downhill skiing, snowboarding 20 ... Jackrabbit Trail’s coming of age 22 ... XC skiing in the Adirondacks 24 ... Lake Placid 9’er hiking challenge 26 ... This may be your year for ice fishing 27 ... Adirondack avalanche danger 28 ... Welcome to Tupper Lake 28 ... Earn a winter patch for the Tupper Lake Triad 30 ... Touring historic Great Camp Santanoni 32 ... Fishing for an answer 34 ... Learn more with these tourism resources 35 ... Take the Love Your ADK pledge
4
The world’s playground
S
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
ince the early 1900s, our communities have hosted international sporting events — from speedskating on frozen lakes to two Olympic Winter Games, a Winter World University Games in 1972 and another one on the way in 2023, the only Winter Goodwill Games in 2000, and countless World Cup events in Lake Placid and Wilmington. And they keep coming. Yet, for the average person, this winter playground offers a lot more than watching the world’s best winter athletes compete here. If you’re a resident or a visitor of the
Adirondack Park, it doesn’t matter. Visitors have a variety of activities to fill their weekend or week-long trip: downhill or crosscountry skiing, snowboarding, skating, ice climbing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice fishing, sleigh riding, dog sledding, etc. Residents make outdoor fun part of their everyday lives. They take advantage of fresh snow and take a day off from work to ski or snowboard. They spend weekends ice fishing in their shacks. They hit a cross-country ski trail as part of their morning ritual. This is where the world comes to play.
Giant Mountain Photo by Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
Outdo× Adventures Begin gin with Your adventure ad might start tart with a backpack filled with snacks on a new n found trail, ail, grilling fishing hole. Whatever your plans may be, Tops is here to help make these h moments ts delic deliciously l special. ial Stop by any of our many locations throughout the region.
Don't forget the Ice, Cold Beverages, Snacks, Charcoal, Sunscreen and Bug Repellant. Tops has all of your outing essentials! 0 for
10
$
VISIT YOUR NEARBY TOPS TODAY AU SABLE FORKS 14228 NYS RT. 9N.
ELIZABETHTOWN 7544 COURT STREET
NORTHFIELD 63 PLAZA DRIVE
SARANAC LAKE 156 CHURCH STREET
BOLTON LANDING 4976 LAKESHORE DR.
HARDWICK 82 VT. ROUTE 15W
NORTHVILLE 201 N. MAIN STREET
SCHROON LAKE 1103 MAIN STREET
CHESTERTOWN 6308 STATE RD RT. 9
HOOSICK FALLS 21501 NY STATE RT. 22
PERU 2 GORMAN WAY
WARRENSBURG 3836 MAIN STREET
CORINTH 100 MAIN STREET
NORTH CREEK 273 MAIN STREET
RUTLAND 14 N. MAIN STREET
TopsMarkets.com
6
Welcome to Saranac Lake
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Visitors enjoy the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Ice Palace.
The Saranac Lake region grew as a health resort in the late 1800s and remains a center for health care, higher education, outdoor recreation and a vibrant arts community. With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the annual New Year’s Eve celebration — First Night Saranac Lake — has been canceled this year. As of press time, planning for the annual Saranac Lake Winter Carnival continued. The 10-day midwinter carnival — set for Feb. 4 to 13, 2022 — features an Ice Palace on the shore of Lake Flower, sporting events and a Gala Parade. The theme this year is “Totally ’80s.” Learn more at www.saranaclakewintercarnival.com. Some of the organizations that celebrate the arts year-round are: ¯ Adirondack Artists Guild Gallery. 52 Main St., Saranac Lake. 518-891-2615. www.adirondackartistsguild.com. ¯ Adirondack Carousel. 2 Depot St., Saranac Lake. 518-891-9521. www.adirondackcarousel.org. ¯ Adirondack Center for Writing. 15 Broadway, Saranac Lake. 518-354-1261. https://adirondackcenterforwriting.org. ¯ BluSeed Studios. 24 Cedar St., Saranac Lake. 518-891-3799. www.bluseedstudios.org. ¯ Pendragon Theatre. 15 Brandy Brook Ave., Saranac Lake. 518-891-1854. www.pendragontheatre.org. ¯ Saranac Lake ArtWorks. https://saranaclakeartworks.org. Visitors can learn about the history of Saranac Lake by visiting the Saranac Laboratory Museum, operated by Historic Saranac Lake. It highlights Saranac Lake’s history as a tuberculosis treatment community. It is open year-round from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. Visit www.historicsaranaclake.org. The Saranac Lake region has several outdoor recreation centers, including the following: ¯ Dewey Mountain Recreation Center. Owned by the town of Harrietstown and managed by Adirondack Lakes & Trails Outfitters, this is a cross-country ski
Staff photo — Lou Reuter
File photo — Lou Reuter
Lawn Chair Ladies in the carnival parade
and snowshoe facility in the winter. All lower ski trails are groomed. Most lower trails are lit for night use. State Route 30, Saranac Lake. 518-891-2697. www.deweymountain.com. ¯ Mount Pisgah Recreation Center. Owned and operated by the village of Saranac Lake, this is a downhill ski and tubing facility in the winter. Rope tow for tubing and T-bar lift for downhill skiing (vertical rise of 329 feet). Lights for night skiing. 92 Mount Pisgah Dr., Saranac Lake. 518-891-0970. www.saranaclakeny.gov. ¯ Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center. Owned and operated by the college, this is a crosscountry ski and snowshoe facility in the winter. Features 20K of groomed trails for skate and classic skiing and snowshoeing; 40K of groomed and maintained trails for classic skiers and snowshoers; and 10k of maintained snowshoe-only trails along ponds and Jenkins Mountain. 8023 state Route 30, Paul Smiths. 518-327-6241. www.paulsmiths.edu/vic. ¯ Saranac Lake Civic Center. Hockey and public skating arena. 213 Ampersand Ave., Saranac Lake. 518-891-3800. www.saranaclakeciviccenter.org. Learn more about visiting Saranac Lake at www.saranaclake.com.
7
Spectacular Upper St. Regis Waterfront Camp
Historic Camp Rush
Exclusively Offered at $5,500,000 Call Emily Fogarty at 518-524-4733 or Benjamin Kline at 518-572-6132 Preview hundreds of waterfront camps and vacation rental properties online! 43 Broadway, Saranac Lake, New York 12983 • email:RobGrant@northnet.org (518) 891-3745 • Fax (518) 891-3768
www.AdirondackRealEstate.com
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Camp Rush is one of the premier “Gilded Age’ Great Camps on Upper St. Regis Lake. This private family compound is situated on a secluded 7.14 acre peninsula with approximately 1,400 feet of pristine waterfront. This unique property is one of the few Great Camps with year round road access. Beautifully nestled among tall pines and gently sloping land, this compound includes the main camp with living, dining, kitchen and master bedroom. Camp Rush also has 5 sleeping cabins, multiple out buildings and two large boathouses. The main camp was designed by renowned Adirondack Great Camp architect William Coulter. It features cathedral ceilings, diamond pane windows, original wood paneling and a massive stone hearth. The Crown Jewel of this historic camp is the magnificent two-story boathouse. Completely rebuilt in the 1990s, this boathouse is a copy of the original structure built in the 1890’s. The upper deck features lovely cedar and mahogany woodwork, a classic stone fireplace, and offers the most breathtaking views of Upper St. Regis and the glorious sunsets facing west over the lake and St. Regis mountain. Camp Rush is being offered for the first time and represents a rare opportunity to own a magnificent piece of the Adirondack history.
8
Skiing the Bloomingdale Bog Trail
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
(Editor’s note: This story originally ran in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise and Lake Placid News in February 2019.) By JUSTIN A. LEVINE Former Staff Writer SARANAC LAKE — The Bloomingdale Bog Trail is a snowmobile trail that is also popular with crosscountry skiers, fat tire bikers and walkers during the winter, when snowmobile grooming keeps the trail in good shape. Stretching 8.25 miles from its start near Saranac Lake to its end in Vermontville, the Bog Trail can also be split into five sections, ranging in distance from just over a mile round-trip to six miles. Of course, the whole thing can be skied in one shot, but be warned that there is unlikely to be any parking at its terminus near Onchiota.
Saranac Lake to Two Bridge Brook The Bog Trail starts out at a small parking area on a private driveway and proceeds roughly north through the bog itself. The trail is actually an old railroad bed, so it’s flat and straight for the entire length of the trail. The upshot of skiing a flat, straight trail is that there are long sight lines, meaning you should be able to spot a snowmobile from quite a ways off. The Bog Trail is nice because it’s groomed for snowmobiles. There’s no track set, but even in a winter with deep snow, the trail remains fairly easy to ski. It’s also plenty wide, so towing a small trailer with a kid or two in it is easily do-able. Along this first section, there are open views to the east and west, including views of Harrietstown Hill, and of the wide open bog itself. At just about three miles, there is a snowmobile bridge that crosses Two Bridge Brook, which is hard to say five times fast. At almost exactly six miles round-trip, this is the longest stretch of the trail. Two Bridge Brook to County Road 55 If you’re still feeling good after skiing three miles, you can continue on less than a mile to County Road 55, otherwise known as the Bloomingdale-Gabriels Road. Or, if you only want to sneak in a quick ski some afternoon, then go to the parking areas on County Road 55. From Saranac Lake, go six miles on state Route 86 and then turn right onto Split Rock Road. Go 0.4 miles to the end and turn right onto the BloomingdaleGabriels Road. Proceed 1.7 miles to where the Bog Trail crosses the road, and park on either side. Just be sure not to block the gates or the trail itself. From County Road 55, you can ski south to Two Bridge Brook, which is only 0.9 miles from the road. Along the way, gray jays, chickadees and other birds abound. County Road 55 to Bigelow Road Bigelow Road is a dirt town road that used to connect Oregon Plains Road to the BloomingdaleGabriels Road, where a decrepit bridge makes Bigelow pretty much useless for cars. However, snowmobilers utilize the road on a regular basis. From County Road 55, ski north for less than threequarters of a mile to where Bigelow Road crosses the
File photo — Justin A. Levine
Bloomingdale Bog Trail
Bog Trail. You will see the remains of the old bridge, along with great views of the wetland there. You could also go to the Oregon Plains Road end of Bigelow and ski about a mile west to reach the Bog Trail. Merrill Road to Bigelow Road The last spot to park along the Bog Trail is on Merrill Road, a dead-end dirt road off Oregon Plains Road in Vermontville. From the four-corners in Bloomingdale, take Essex County Road 81 one-tenth of a mile and stay straight on Oregon Plains Road. Follow Oregon Plains Road for 2.9 miles to Merrill Road on the left. Then go another half mile to where the trail crosses the road. There is usually parking for a couple of cars plowed out on the left just past the trail. From Merrill Road, you can ski south for two miles to the intersection with Bigelow Road. This stretch of woods alternates between close evergreens and open wetlands. About a mile in, there’s a bridge and often lots of small animal tracks, such as beaver and squirrel. For a longer ski, just continue to the Bloomingdale-Gabriels Road for a 5.4-mile roundtrip. Merrill Road to Oregon Plains Road This last stretch of the trail can be a little deceiving since the snowmobile trail continues past Oregon Plains Road and on into the state’s Buck Pond Campground and the Lake Kushaqua area. But the part of the trail between Vermontville and Onchiota is privately owned and open only to snowmobiles. There is also no parking at the Oregon Plains end of the trail. From Merrill Road, ski north through what feels like the darkest part of the trail. Lots of young-ish evergreens crowd the sides of the trail, even though it’s still about six feet wide. Round-trip from Merrill Road to Oregon Plains Road and back is 3.3 miles. The nice thing about the Bloomingdale Bog Trail, beside the variety of distances that can be enjoyed from various entrance points, is that it’s often in excellent shape, thanks to the snowmobile groomers. So if you do encounter snowmobiles, be sure to step off the side of the trail and let them go past with a smile and a wave.
Antiques Gently Used Goods Unique Finds Furniture
9
518.524.9549
AND GIFT SHOP 75 Main Street, Saranac Lake, NY
51 Bloomingdale Avenue Saranac Lake, NY 12983
Hours Mon - Fri 10 am - 4:30 pm
St. Bernard’s Catholic Parish Mass Times THE GO-TO DESTINATION FOR ADIRONDACK MADE & INSPIRED GOODS. 97 Main Street Saranac Lake, NY 518-354-8173 Villagemerc.com
Saturday: St. Bernard’s 4:30pm Sunday: Assumption 8:00am St. Bernard’s 10:00am St. Bernard’s, 27 St. Bernard St., Saranac Lake, 518-891-4616 Church of the Assumption, 826 State Rte. 86, Gabriels
Urgent Care Centers are open 7 days a week in Warrensburg and Glens Falls.
Walk-in or reserve a spot in line: HHHN.org
Health Center on Broad Street 518-792-2223 Warrensburg Health Center 518-623-2844
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Let’s get you back out there.
10
Winter outdoor safety
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
(The following information was provided by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. For more information, visit www.dec.ny.gov.) Safety and preparedness are extremely important no matter your physical ability or destination. Properly preparing for winter conditions is essential for a more enjoyable and safer experience.
Plan ahead ¯ Learn about the area you’ll be visiting ahead of time; know the opportunities and the regulations. Check maps, guidebooks and websites. ¯ Arrange to go with a group or at least one other person. ¯ Know your skill level and physical capabilitieschoose trails within your or your group’s ability. Remember it takes more effort and energy to move through snow. ¯ Days are short — know what time the sun sets and plan your hike so you can return before dark. ¯ Inform someone of your travel plans-let them know where you are going, your planned route, when you plan to return, and emergency numbers to call if you do not return at the scheduled time. ¯ Program cellphones with the DEC dispatch phone numbers, but do not rely on cell service in all areas. Adirondacks: 518-891-0235 ¯ Check the weather forecast, but keep in mind that temperatures will be lower, winds will be stronger, and snow will be deeper on mountain summits. Prepare accordingly and postpone your trip if the conditions are too harsh. ¯ Check trail conditions before hiking. ¯ Make sure you know how to use a map and compass when planning to hike in remote locations. What to wear ¯ Base layers of moisture-wicking fabric to keep your skin dry, insulating layers such as wool or fleece, and waterproof or water-resistant outer layers. Avoid cotton fabrics, which hold moisture. ¯ Thick socks, a winter hat, and gloves or mittens. ¯ Waterproof, insulated boots. ¯ Skis or snowshoes, if snow depths are deeper than 8 inches. ¯ Sunscreen (sunburns occur year-round) and sun glasses. ¯ A watch or other time-keeping device.
Photo by Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
Snowshoeing in Newcomb
What to pack ¯ Day pack large enough to carry your gear Water and high energy snacks ¯ First aid kit ¯ Trail map and compass or GPS unit ¯ Extra clothing, including extra hat, socks and mittens ¯ Plastic whistle (avoid metal, which can freeze) ¯ Micro-spikes or crampons for icy conditions ¯ Flashlight or headlamp and extra batteries ¯ Pocket knife ¯ Trekking poles ¯ Bivy sack, space blanket and heavy-duty garbage bags for emergency shelter ¯ Fire starter kit: matches in waterproof container and cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly
82 Main Street • Saranac Lake • 518-354-5469 Open Tues - Fri 11am - 6pm • Sat 11am - 4pm • Closed Sunday & Monday
Charlie’s Inn & Restaurant GAS available during regular Good Food - Good Cheer - Good Times business hours.
“A Lake Clear Tradition” Charlie’s Inn is on the Web Full Bar, Restaurant & Inn
Major credit cards accepted
Serving Lunch & Dinner • Closed Mon. & Tues. We do small or large group parties, receptions, banquets, showers, etc.
Accommodations available at the Inn www.charlies-inn.com • Email:CharliesInn@centralny.twcbc.com • 518-891-9858 • Rt. 30 and 186, Lake Clear, NY
11
The Vacation Home for Today’s Economy We manufacture Micro Homes which serve as custom cabin getaways. You can have your hand built cabin uniquely designed and then built in our modern new facility. The result is an energy efficient cabin constructed to provide comfort during the harshest Adirondack winters. We combine locally produced building materials with EnergyStar products to create a “green” housing footprint that is designed to be in harmony with nature and easy on your wallet. These rustic but elegant cabins are not only perfect for vacation homes but also as: • Ski Slope Cabins • Year-round Housing • “Granny” Cabins
Contact us today to arrange a tour of one of our unique, custom built cabins.
info@AdirondackWhitePineCabins.com www.AdirondackWhitePineCabins.com
518.891.1444 18 Plumb Creek Lane Saranac Lake, NY 12983
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
• Guest Cottages • Golf Retreats • Rental Units • Hunting Camps
12
File photo — Morgan Ryan
Saranac Lake 6er hiking challenge
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Middle and Upper Saranac Lakes from the summit of Ampersand Mountain There are four patches for the Saranac Lake 6er hiking challenge: Summer, Winter, Ultra Summer and Ultra Winter. Ultra hikers leave from Berkeley Green in downtown Saranac Lake, complete all six mountains in 24 hours and finish at Berkeley Green, where they can ring the bell in the pavilion. Winter hikes are completed between Dec. 21 and March 21. All hikes must have been completed after May 25, 2013. Hikers who finish the six peaks have the privilege of ringing the bell at Berkeley Green. Anyone interested needs to complete the online registration form at www.saranaclake.com/activities/outdoor/saranac-lake-6. Each finisher will be sent a certificate with an official member number, 6er patch and sticker. All numbers are awarded in the order of completed applications received. Names will also be added to the official Saranac Lake 6er member roster. Allow for up to 12 weeks for processing. Learn more at www.saranaclake.com. Baker Mountain: 1.8 miles round-trip, 2,457 feet elevation Trailhead: From downtown Saranac Lake, head north on Broadway (state Route 86) and turn right on Bloomingdale Avenue (state Route 3), then turn right on Pine Street after about a half mile. Cross the railroad tracks and turn left on Forest Hill Avenue and follow it as it wraps around Moody Pond. The trailhead is on the left in about a half mile. St. Regis Mountain: 6.6 miles round-trip, 2,874 feet elevation Trailhead: From downtown Saranac Lake head west
on state Route 86, toward Paul Smiths. At Paul Smith’s College, turn right on state Route 30, take the first left on Keese Mill Road. Follow Keese Mill Road for almost 3 miles to the trailhead parking on the left.
Haystack Mountain: 6.6 miles round-trip, 2,874 feet elevation Trailhead: From downtown Saranac Lake, take state Route 86 east toward Lake Placid. Continue for about 5 miles and look for the large parking area on the left. This is also the parking area for McKenzie Mountain. Scarface Mountain: 7.6 miles round-trip, 3,058 feet elevation Trailhead: From the intersection of state Route 3 and state Route 86 in Saranac Lake, follow Route 86 toward Lake Placid. Continue into Ray Brook, take a right onto Ray Brook Road (just before Maplefields), and look for the parking lot about 0.1 mile on the left. Ampersand Mountain: 5.4 miles round-trip, 3,352 feet elevation Trailhead: From downtown Saranac Lake, turn right onto state Route 3, heading west toward Tupper Lake. The parking area is on the right after about 8 miles. The trailhead is across the road on the left. McKenzie Mountain: 10.6 miles round-trip, (3,861 feet elevation Trailhead: From downtown Saranac Lake, take state Route 86 east toward Lake Placid. Continue for about 5 miles and look for the large parking area on the left. This is also the parking area for Haystack Mountain.
Emergency contacts
General emergencies: Call 911 Backcountry emergencies: 518-891-0235 The state Department of Environmental Conservation operates a dispatch center at the DEC Region 5 office in Ray Brook 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It should only be contacted to report backcountry emergencies (lost or injured people and wildfires). Non-emergencies: The New York State Police Troop B, 518-897-2000, Clinton, Franklin, Essex, St. Lawrence, Hamilton counties; Troop D, 315366-6000, Lewis, Herkimer, Oneida, counties; Troop G, 518-783-3211, Fulton, Hamilton, Saratoga, Warren, Washington counties.
Winter is beautiful at White Pine Camp
13
Tea House
Photo by Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
Snowmobiling in the Tupper Lake region
Be our guests and stay where President Coolidge stayed for 11 1/2 weeks! Enjoy the great outdoors. Ice skate on Osgood pond. Play in our historic bowling alley and pool hall and snuggle in front of a cozy fire.
Great Room
White Pine Road, Paul Smiths, NY whitepinecamp.com
518-327-3030
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Tennis House
14
Photo by Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
Playing in the High Peaks
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Skating on Mirror Lake in the village of Lake Placid
Winter tourists started visiting Lake Placid more than a century ago, beginning with the Lake Placid Club in 1904. Since then, this resort has grown into an international mecca for sporting enthusiasts and world-class competitors — having hosted the Olympic Winter Games in 1932 and 1980 and numerous World Cup events in Lake Placid and Wilmington. The state Olympic Regional Development Authority is charged with maintaining the region’s “legacy sites” from the Olympics and operates them as tourist attractions and international sporting venues. The state has spent millions of dollars in renovations to these facilities over the past few years. Lake Placid also keeps its Olympic heritage alive with offices for two national governing bodies — USA Luge and USA Bobsled and Skeleton — and as a training ground for U.S. Biathlon and USA Nordic. While many events are being evaluated, and some have been canceled, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, some are still on the calendar this winter. USA Nordic’s Olympic trials will be held in Lake Placid on Dec. 24 and 25. The team will be heading to Beijing, China, for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, set for February. For tickets, visit https://mtvanhoevenberg.com. Lake Placid’s Holiday Village Stroll will return this year after taking last year off due to the pandemic. Set for Dec. 10-12, it will feature a skating party, ugly sweater party, Jingle Bell Run/Walk, tree-lighting ceremony, Santa’s fire truck parade and more. Learn more at www.holidayvillagestroll.com. The annual Mountaineering Festival in Keene celebrates 25 years in 2022 with events scheduled for Jan. 14-17. Mountainfest is an annual celebration of ice climbing and mountaineering. For more information, contact the Mountaineer at 518-576-2281 or online at www.mountaineer.com. While the Backcountry Ski Weekend will be held 2022 in the town of Keene, the date was not set as of press time. It is usually held the first weekend in March. For the latest information, including times and dates, contact the Mountaineer at 518-576-2281 or
Photo by Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
Playing hockey on Mirror Lake
visit online at www.mountaineer.com. For Lake Placid information, call 518-523-2445, stop by the Lake Placid Visitor Center at 2608 Main St. or go online to www.lakeplacid.com. For Wilmington information, call the Whiteface Mountain Region Visitors Bureau, stop by the office on state Route 86 in Wilmington or go online to www.whitefaceregion.com. Below are some attractions and outdoor recreation venues open in the winter. ¯ Adirondack Mountain Club’s Adirondak Loj. Adirondack Loj Road, Lake Placid. ADK offers educational programs and owns two facilities in the High Peaks region: the Heart Lake property at the Adirondak Loj and Johns Brook Lodge (accessible by foot only from the Garden trailhead in Keene Valley, a 3.5-mile hike). Visit the High Peaks Information Center before heading into the High Peaks Wilderness Area from the Adirondak Loj. There are ski and snowshoe trails on the Loj property, including a hike up Mount Jo. 518-523-3441. www.adk.org. ¯ Cascade Cross Country Ski Center. 4833 Cascade Road, Lake Placid. 518-523-9605. ¯ High Falls Gorge. 4761 state Route 86, Wilmington. This is a 22-acre, privately owned nature park with safe trail access for all ages. Take a walk through the gorge to view the West Branch of the
Continued on Page 16
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
16
Continued from Page 14
AuSable River. Open year-round. 518-946-2278. www.highfallsgorge.com. ¯ Jackrabbit Trail. For trail conditions, visit www.betatrails.org. ¯ John Brown Farm State Historic Site. John Brown Road, Lake Placid. See the home and grave of abolitionist John Brown (home is closed for the winter). Enjoy the trails year-round. 518-523-3900. https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/johnbrownfarm. ¯ Lake Placid Center for the Arts. 17 Algonquin Drive, Lake Placid. This is a year-round performing and visual arts facility that presents arts of the highest caliber in music, dance and theater performances, film exhibitions and visual arts presentations. 518-5232512. www.lakeplacidarts.org. ¯ Lake Placid Olympic Museum. Temporarily relocated as a small exhibit — “Totally 80 - 80 Objects from the Lake Placid Olympic Museum’s Collection” — on the second floor of the Lake Placid Conference Center, Main Street, Lake Placid, while the museum is being reconstructed. 518-523-1655. www.lpom.org. ¯ Lake Placid Toboggan Chute. Parkside Drive, Lake Placid. Operated by the North Elba Park District. www.northelba.org. ¯ Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Center at Whiteface Club & Resort. 373 Whiteface Inn Lane, Lake Placid. 518-523-2551. https://whitefaceclubresort.com. ¯ Olympic Center. 1932 and 1980 arenas. Public skating in the USA Rink during construction. Main Street, Lake Placid. 518-523-1655. https://lakeplacidlegacysites.com. ¯ Olympic Jumping Complex. State Route 73, Lake Placid. Watch ski jumping. Take the Skyride, an eight-passenger pulse gondola up to the base of the ski
jumping towers. An elevator takes you to the sky deck of the 120-meter ski jumping tower for a bird’s-eye view of the Adirondack High Peaks. https://lakeplacidlegacysites.com. ¯ Olympic Speedskating Oval. Main Street, Lake Placid. 518-523-1655. https://lakeplacidlegacysites.com. ¯ Olympic Sports Complex at Mount Van Hoevenberg. Nordic skiing, Cliffside Coaster, sliding center, trailhead for Mount Van Hoevenberg. 31 Van Hoevenberg Way, Lake Placid. 518-523-2811. https://mtvanhoevenberg.com. ¯ Santa’s Workshop. 324 Whiteface Memorial Highway, Wilmington. Known as the forerunner of the present day theme park, the park opened its doors in 1949. 518-946-2211. www.northpoleny.com. ¯ Whiteface Mountain Ski Center. 5021 state Route 86, Wilmington. 518-946-2223. Snow report: 877-SKI-FACE. https://whiteface.com.
Whether you’re looking for downhill trails for skiing or snowboarding, the Adirondack Park has a variety of small and large ski centers offering trails for the entire family — from beginner to expert. Below are some of the alpine ski and snowboard resorts in the region. ¯ Dynamite Hill Recreation Area. Dynamite Hill Road, Chestertown. 518-494-2722. ¯ Gore Mountain Ski Resort. 793 Peaceful Valley Road, North Creek. 518-251-2411. Snow report: 518-251-5026. https://goremountain.com. ¯ Indian Lake Ski Hill. State Route 30, Indian Lake. Town office: 518-648-5611. ¯ McCauley Mountain Ski Area. 300 McCauley Mountain Road, Old Forge. 315-369-3225. https://mccauleyny.com. ¯ Mount Pisgah Recreation Center. 92 Mount Pisgah Drive, Saranac Lake. 518-891-0970. www.saranaclakeny.gov. ¯ Newcomb Ski Slope. Goodnow Flow Road, Newcomb. Town office: 518-582-3211. www.newcombny.gov. ¯ Oak Mountain. 141 Novosel Way, Speculator. 518-548-3606. ¯ Titus Mountain Ski Center. 215 Johnson Road, Malone. 518-483-3740. www.titusmountain.com. ¯ Whiteface Mountain Ski Center. 5021 state Route 86, Wilmington. 518-946-2223. Snow report: 877-SKI-FACE. https://whiteface.com.
Snowboarding at Gore Mountain
Staff photo — Andy Flynn
Fun at the Lake Placid Toboggan Chute
Downhill skiing, snowboarding
Photo by Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
ADVENTURE HEADQUARTERS
Nordic • Alpine • Telemark • Fat Bike • Snowshoe
Experience the Very Best Snowshoes|Ski Mo|Alpine Ski|Alpine Tour
Rental
Demo Center
Rossignol ~ Fischer ~ Salomon ~ DPS ~ Icelantic Liberty ~ Voile ~ Scarpa ~ Scott ~ =rgZÛm ~ MSR ~ Black Crows ~ MICROspikes ~ Leki
PROFESSIONAL NORDIC SERVICES Precision Digital Flex Testing • Custom Boot Fitting Wintersteiger Stone Grinding • Hotbox Specials Phantom Permanent Waxless Glide Service One Time Lifetime
GUIDE SERVICE Winter Programs Half • Full • Multi-day All Levels and Abilities
XC Ski • Alpine Tour Telemark • BC Ski Ice Fish • Fly Fish Snowshoe • Ice Climb
Family Fun
EVENTS
Demo Days Nordic • Alpine Fat Bike • Ski Mo Races
SKI SNOWSHOE NORDIC ALPINE BACKPACK HIKE FAT BIKE FISH ICE CLIMB LIVE (Photo by Jonathan Zaharek)
SALES | SERVICE | RENTALS | LESSONS | TOURS | GEAR | LODGING | GUIDE SERVICE
518-523-3764 • 2733 MAIN STREET, LAKE PLACID
www.HIGHPEAKSCYCLERY.com
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
18
MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE CENTER Nordic • Alpine • Telemark Fat Bike • Snow Shoes Sales • Rentals Professional Nordic Services
BASE CAMP LODGES Families & Groups 1/2 block to Mirror Lake Full kitchen, laundry
New on Lake Placid Phantom Permanent Waxless Glide Service One Time Lifetime “Fish Camp” 518-523-3764 • 2733 MAIN ST, LAKE PLACID • www.HIGHPEAKSCYCLERY.com
19
WINTER PROGRAMS Half • Full • Multi-Day
Alpine Touring All Levels and Abilities Backcountry Family Fun Telemark • NTN Snowshoe • XC Ski Tours Cross Country Skiing Ice Fishing Snowshoeing Bonfires S’mores Ice Climbing BC Sledding • Night Tours Fat Biking Fishing 518-523-3764 • 2733 MAIN ST, LAKE PLACID • www.HIGHPEAKSCYCLERY.com
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
SKI • HIKE • CLIMB • BIKE • LIVE
20
Jackrabbit Trail’s coming of age
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
(Editor’s note: This story originally ran in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise in February 2020.) By AARON CERBONE Staff Writer SARANAC LAKE — It all started with a letter to the editor. Today, the Jackrabbit Trail is one of the most popular cross-country skiing treks in the area. It is a bright red and yellow line streaking across the Green Goat winter trails map, connecting towns and ski centers to each other. The idea got its legs in 1985, when Dieter Heckmann, a seasonal visitor from Germany and vice president of the World Masters Cross-Country Ski Association, wrote a letter to the editor in the Lake Placid News. Now, with the recent finalization of the Sentinel Range Unit Management Plan by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, there are improvements coming to the trail as the Barkeater Trails Alliance, the organization which maintains and manages the Jackrabbit Trail, plans to make traveling the entire length of the trail a smoother trip. The 42-mile trail winds its way from near the Pitchoff Cliffs in Keene to the Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center in Paul Smiths. Along the way, it passes through Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and many of the area’s major ski trail systems: Cascade XC Ski Center, Craig Wood Golf Course, the Lake Placid Club, the Peninsula Trails and trails at the VIC. It also passes within walking distance of ski trails at Mount Van Hoevenberg and John Brown’s Farm.
Past Heckmann’s original proposal was to make Lake Placid a bigger cross-country ski destination by styling its trail systems similar to places in Scandinavia and Europe where trails run adjacent to lodging and branch from residential areas, leading to larger trail systems. Using Mirror Lake as a starting point, he proposed a network of trails heading to all the major ski areas. Ed Damp, Chairman of the Lake Placid Sports Council, read the letter and thought it was a great idea. He set up signage directing people from downtown Lake Placid across frozen lakes to Whiteface Inn Lane to where they could ski to Saranac Lake. “That letter and Ed Damp’s response got a number of us thinking,” former Adirondack Ski Touring Council executive director Tony Goodwin said. “We had a couple of meetings of active local cross-country skiers and said, ‘Gee, I think we could probably tie this whole thing together if we set our minds to it.’” So they founded the Adirondack Ski Touring Council. “There was a lot of excitement,” Goodwin said. At the time, there was nothing else like the Jackrabbit trail in the area. “Going back to the good old days of the 1930s and ‘40s there were quite a few trails like this that had either not been maintained, or development had built houses right across where the trails were,” Goodwin said. With excitement came large groups of volunteers. “It’s always exciting to build something new, especially if you can build something big, like a trail, with
Photo by Barkeater Trails Alliance
Jackrabbit Trail
your own hands,” Goodwin said. In 1986 the council mapped the first stretch of the trail, from Lake Placid to Keene, on existing trails and golf courses. In several places, though, the trail crossed private land. The landowners whose property the trail passed through had to be convinced to allow the trail. Goodwin said the council spent a lot of time explaining that they would not be liable if someone got hurt on the trail on their property. State General Obligations Law can protect landowners from liability for non-paying recreationalists on their property. Eventually, all the landowners agreed and Goodwin said the trail still relies on these private landowners allowing access on their lands. All there was left to do was name it. Goodwin said a contest to solicit name suggestions was curtailed when he read an article in CrossCountry Skier Magazine about Herman “Jack Rabbit” Johannsen, a legendary Norwegian cross-country skier who lived for a spell in Lake Placid. Goodwin said Johannsen embodied the spirit of the trail; frequently skiing from lodging to the wilderness, and back again. Johannsen was known to ski from the Lake Placid Club to the summit of Mount Marcy in a day — a round-trip of more than 30 miles. He was skiing even when he was 108 years old. The Jackrabbit Trail was dedicated in March 1987. Johannsen himself died two months earlier at the age of 111. His daughter Alice, who was 75 at the time, attended the ceremony to share stories of her father’s adventures and cut the ribbon on the trail. She said she had brought him the news of his legacy being carried on in the trail name just weeks before his death. That year, the volunteer crews cleared the route from Whiteface Inn Lane to McKenzie Pond Road, a path that had not been maintained in many years. That same year, the trail from Saranac Lake to Lake
Continued on Page 21
Continued from Page 20
Clear was also established. The last leg of the current trail, from the Lake Clear Junction to the VIC, was finished in 1994. The original plan for the trail was for it to end in Tupper Lake. This would have taken it through the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest, and needed to be included in that land’s UMP. The UMP was taking too long to pass back then, Goodwin said, so they compromised for an end in Paul Smiths. That UMP was not passed until 2019. In 2014, the Adirondack Ski Touring Council combined forces with the Barkeater Trails Alliance — which had been around since 2009 — and adopted BETA’s name. The expanded organization is now responsible for the stewardship of the Jackrabbit Trail. BETA Executive Director Josh Wilson took over the leadership role from Goodwin around that same time. Popular present In 1994, Jim Grant wrote about his experience skiing the length of the trail — at the time, Keene to Saranac Lake — for the New York Times. He said the trail offered “nearly guaranteed solitude.” That is less true today. While it still leads deep into the wilderness, on days with good weather and plenty of snow the Jackrabbit Trail is hopping. Wilson said BETA does not keep data on how many people use the trail in a day or a season, but anecdotally, he sees and hears of a lot. “You have to be pretty quick to get out right after a storm to break trail,” Wilson said. The trail is close to what Heckmann envisioned —
linking Nordic ski centers with residential areas — 21 and it’s true to the style of skiing “Jack Rabbit” Johannsen says led to his long life. Wilson said he likes how versatile the trail is. It can be used however someone wants to use it. He said it makes the backcountry accessible. It can be skied on its own or as a route to other ski centers. It can be skied in sections, and skiers have several options of towns to stop in during their trip. “The most popular areas are kind of naturally in the wilderness, where you have these long stretches of really good trail,” Wilson said. While the Northville-Lake Placid Trail is sort of the area’s Appalachian Trail, the Jackrabbit Trail is “our skiing Appalachian Trail,” Wilson said. The trail can be skied in sections or thru-skied. For trail conditions, visit www.betatrails.org.
A second generation independent bookstore specializing in: • Children’s Books • Art Supplies • Stationery
• Great Vacation Reading • Regional Books
2491 Main Street, Lake Placid • 518-523-2950
gh Rides i e l S by Authentic Adirondack Sleigh Ride by magnificent Belgian Draft Horses Please call for hours, pricing and details | Reservations Required All rides depart from the Historic John Brown Farm, John Brown Rd, Lake Placid NY 12946 www.adirondacksleighrides.com | 518-565-6051
B.A. STRAIGHT BAStraightRealEstate.com
Phone: 518-946-2600 Fax: 518-946-2419
6567 Route 86 Jay, N.Y. 12941
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Adirondack
22
Photo by Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
Skiing the James C. Fernette Sr. Recreational Trails in Tupper Lake
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
XC skiing in the Adirondacks
Whether it’s a Nordic ski center, the NorthvillePlacid Trail, the Jackrabbit Trail or a backcountry path headed to a frozen pond in the wilderness, there are hundreds of miles of cross-country ski trails in the Adirondack Park. Some are groomed, and some are not. Either way, you are sure to find a trail that suits your recreational needs. For trail conditions in the High Peaks region, visit the Barkeater Trails Alliance website: www.betatrails.org/conditions. Below are some cross-country ski venues. ¯ Adirondack Interpretive Center. 5922 state Route 28N, Newcomb. Closed in November and December. Reopens Jan. 1, 2022. Trails remain open daily from dawn to dusk. 518-582-2000. www.esf.edu/aic. ¯ Adirondack Mountain Club’s Adirondak Loj. Adirondack Loj Road, Lake Placid. 518-523-3441. www.adk.org. ¯ Cascade Cross Country Ski Center. 4833 Cascade Road, Lake Placid. 518-523-9605. ¯ Champlain Area Trails. 518-962-2287. www.champlainareatrails.com. ¯ Dewey Mountain Recreation Center. State Route 30, Saranac Lake. 518-891-2697. www.deweymountain.com. ¯ Fern Park Recreation Area. Loomis Road, Inlet. 518-548-3076. www.inletny.com. ¯ Garnet Hill Lodge Cross Country Ski Area. 39 Garnet Hill Road, North River. 518-251-2444. www.garnet-hill.com. ¯ Gore Mountain Nordic Center at North Creek Ski Bowl. State Route 28, North Creek. Snow report: 518-251-5026. Gore Mountain Ski Center: 518251-2411. https://goremountain.com. ¯ James C. Fernette Sr. Recreational Trails. 141 Country Club Road, Tupper Lake. Town office: 518359-9261. www.tupperlakeny.gov. ¯ Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center. 139
Photo by Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
Paul Smith’s College VIC trailhead
Lapland Lake Road, Benson. 518-863-4974. ¯ McCauley Mountain Ski Area. 300 McCauley Mountain Road, Old Forge. 315-369-3225. https://mccauleyny.com. ¯ Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Center at Whiteface Club & Resort. 373 Whiteface Inn Lane, Lake Placid. 518-523-2551. https://whitefaceclubresort.com. ¯ Olympic Sports Complex at Mount Van Hoevenberg. 31 Van Hoevenberg Way, Lake Placid. 518-523-2811. https://mtvanhoevenberg.com. ¯ Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center. 8023 state Route 30, Paul Smiths. 518-327-6241. www.paulsmiths.edu/vic.
Hearthside R ealty,
23
LLC
Jodi S. Downs, R.E. Broker/Owner Sales & Vacation Rentals
1876 Rte. 73 Keene Valley, NY 12943 518-576-1004
hearthsiderealtyadk.com
Lake Placid Rug & Home 50% OFF Arts & Crafts • Oriental • Tibetan • Western & Navajo Moroccan • Needlepoint • Kilims • Jute & Sisal Braided & Hooked • Skins & Hides • Log Cabin “Kitsch” Indoor-Outdoor • Kilim Furniture • Pillows • Poufs Call 518-637-2670 for appointment www.adirondackrugs.com 2077 Saranac Avenue, Lake Placid, NY 12946
• Hour Plus Tours • Half or Full Day Tours Open Daily 7 Days a Week as long as there’s snow... • Handwarmers & Backrests • Rent by the Day, Weekend or Week • Over 35 Years in Business • Lake Placid Location
adirondacksnowmobiles@yahoo.com
adirondacksnowmobiles.com
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
(518) 523-4360
24
File photo — Lou Reuter
Mountains in the Lake Placid area are seen here from Mount Baker in Saranac Lake.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Lake Placid 9’er hiking challenge
There are four patches for the Lake Placid 9’er hiking challenge: Summer, Winter, Ultra Summer and Ultra Winter. Ultra hikers must complete all nine mountains in 24 hours. Winter hikes are completed between Dec. 21 and March 20 (starting after Dec. 21, 2018). All summer hikes must have been completed after July 1, 2018. Once completed, download the registration form at https://lakeplacid9er.com and mail it with a $10.00 registration fee to: Lake Placid 9’er, P.O. Box 1310, Lake Placid, NY 12946. Make checks out to “Lake Placid 9’er.” Each finisher will be sent an official Lake Placid 9’er patch, sticker and registration number. Allow two to three weeks for processing. Download a free Lake Placid 9’er map from MR Maps at https://lakeplacid9er.com. Cobble Hill, Lake Placid: 2.2 miles round-trip, 2,332 feet elevation Trailhead: From Lake Placid, follow Route 86 toward center of town. Take right at town hall onto Mirror Lake Drive. Follow past Northwood Road to entrance of Northwood School. Trailhead is 200 yards on left. Mount Jo, Lake Placid: 2.6 miles round-trip, 2,876 feet elevation Trailhead: From Lake Placid, go east on state Route 73 to Adirondack Loj Road. Parking lot is at High Peaks Information Center. There is a $10/day parking fee. Baxter Mountain, Keene: 2.4 miles round-trip, 2,440 feet elevation Trailhead: From Lake Placid, take state Route 73 west past Keene. Take left on Route 9N toward Elizabethtown. Continue about 2 miles to the top of hill. Trailhead is on the right. Mount Van Hoevenberg, Lake Placid: 4.4 miles round-trip, 2,940 feet elevation
Trailhead: From Lake Placid, take state Route 73 east to Adirondack Loj Road. After 4 miles, take left on Meadow Lane. Trailhead is 0.25 miles on left. New Mount Van Hoevenberg “East Trail” begins at the Olympic Sports Complex off state Route 73. Big Crow Mountain, Keene: 1.4 miles round-trip, 2,815 feet elevation Trailhead: From Lake Placid, take state Route 73 east. At 200 yards past the intersection with Route 9N in Keene, turn left on Hurricane Road at Keene Town Hall. At just over 2 miles, bear left on O’Toole Lane for 1.2 miles to end at Crow Clearing. Trail is on the left. Bear Den Mountain, Wilmington: 4.5 miles round-trip, 2,650 feet elevation Trailhead: From Lake Placid, follow state Route 86 to Whiteface Mountain Ski Center. Turn left into center. Follow road around to the right and the Bear Den Lot. Pitchoff Mountain, Lake Placid: 5.2 miles roundtrip, 3,500 feet elevation Trailhead: From Lake Placid, take state Route 73 to the Pitchoff West Trail, 7.5 miles. Pitchoff East Trail is 2.7 miles farther on Route 73. Trailhead is on left, parking on right. Catamount Mountain, Wilmington: 3.6 miles round-trip, 3,169 feet elevation Trailhead: From Wilmington, take Whiteface Veterans’ Memorial Highway. Just before the toll house, bear right toward Franklin Falls. Continue 3.3 miles to Roseman Road. Take a right. Follow Roseman Road for 0.8 mile. Turn right on Plank Road. Follow 2.2 miles to parking area on left. Hurricane Mountain, Keene: 6.8 miles roundtrip, 3,678 feet elevation Trailhead: From Lake Placid, take state Route 73 past Keene. Turn left on Route 9N after 15.5 miles. Parking area is 3.5 miles on right. Trailhead is on left.
WINTER
Champlain Area Trails
25
IS ON THE WAY!
Saving Land, Making Trails
Be prepared with dependable home fuel delivery Get Ready For Winter with a complete cleaning of your oil burner for efficient operation
For a free map of our trails, visit our website or email info@champlainareatrails.com.
24 Hour Emergency Service
268 STATION STREET, LAKE PLACID, NY 12946
(518) 962-CATS www.champlainareatrails.com
518-523-3391 Lake Placid’s Home Heating Specialists
Primary Care
518-897-1000
518-521-3322
315-705-0700
354 Broadway Saranac Lake, NY 12983
3372 State Rt 11 Malone, NY 1295383
2 Hospital Dr. Massena, NY 13662
www.mountainmedical.net
OPEN
7 DAYS A WEEK
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Urgent Care
26
This may be your year for ice fishing
(The following information was provided by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.) Anglers in New York state can stay busy all winter by targeting some of their favorite fish species through the ice. If you’ve never been ice fishing before and would like to test the waters — learn how to ice fish. It’s a safe and fun activity during the coronavirus pandemic. For an overview of ice fishing, visit online at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/119684.html. Popular species While most freshwater fish can be caught through the ice, only certain species are in season through the winter. Some popular species to target through the ice in New York are yellow perch, northern pike, walleye, lake trout, brown trout, Atlantic landlocked salmon and black crappie. Ice fishing regulations Ice fishing is permitted on many waters in New York state, but not all. View fishing regulations online at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/31416.html.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Ice shanties Ice shanties must be marked on the outside with the owner’s name and address in letters at least 3 inches high. Shanties must be removed from all waters by March 15 to prevent them from falling through the ice and becoming hazards to navigation. Baitfish Baitfish are commonly used when ice fishing. Make sure your baitfish are certified disease free when you purchase them. Never dump unused baitfish or water from your bait bucket into a lake or pond. Undesirable aquatic invasive species might be mixed in with your bait or bait water. View New York baitfish regulations at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/47282.html. 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 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.
File photo — Lou Reuter
Fish caught on Lake Colby
File photo — Lou Reuter
2020 Lake Colby Classic ice fishing tourney
Ice thickness/permissable load ¯ 2 inches or less — stay off ¯ 4 inches — ice fishing or other activities on foot ¯ 5 inches — snowmobile or ATV ¯ 8-12 inches — car or small pickup ¯ 12-15 inches — medium truck Note: This guide is based on new, clear ice on nonrunning waters. Slush ice is about 50% weaker. Clear ice over running water is about 20% 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 especially 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. Where to ice fish For locations to ice fish in the Adirondack region, visit the following pages on the DEC website: Clinton County: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/32337.html Essex County: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/32342.html Franklin County: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/32350.html Hamilton County: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/32354.html Herkimer County: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/119544.html St. Lawrence County: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/119552.html Warren County: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/32368.html
Adirondack avalanche danger
Every winter, the state Department of Environmental Conservation advises backcountry downhill skiers, snowboarders, and others who may traverse slides or steep, open terrain in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks that they should be prepared for avalanche conditions. Avalanche danger increases during and immediately after major snowfalls and during thaws. Due to high winds, snow depths are deeper on leeward slopes or areas of snow deposits, such as gullies. As snow accumulates, over time it develops distinct layers formed by rain and melt-freeze cycles. When new snow falls onto previous snowpack, it adds weight and downward pressure. Lower snow layers may be reactive to the added stresses of recent snows, creating conditions conducive to avalanches. Avalanches can occur in any situation where snow, slope and weather conditions combine to create the proper conditions. While the majority of steep, open terrain is found in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks, avalanche-prone terrain is found on mountains throughout the Adirondacks, including Snowy Mountain in Hamilton County. DEC offers these tips to stay safe: ¯ Cross-country skiers and snowshoers should stay on trails and away from steep slopes on summits. ¯ Know the terrain, weather and snow conditions. ¯ Dig multiple snow pits to conduct stability tests. Do not rely on other people’s data. ¯ Practice safe route finding and safe travel techniques.
Photo by DEC
Snowshoeing in the High Peaks
¯ Never ski, board or climb with someone above or below you — only one person on the slope at a time. ¯ Ski and ride near trees, not in the center of slides or other open areas. ¯ Always carry a shovel, probes, and transceiver with fresh batteries. ¯ Ensure all members of the group know avalanche rescue techniques. ¯ Never travel alone. ¯ Always inform someone about where you are going. Additional information on avalanche danger is available at www.dec.ny.gov/public/950.html.
Park Motel
Cabins • Pet Friendly Phones • WiFi • DSL &DEOH &RͿHH Air Conditioning
Real Estate; Estate Planning; Business Law; Elder Law and Trusts; Probate Matters 51 Lake Street, Tupper Lake, NY 12986 Office Number: (518) 359-5036 Fax 518-359-7875 Email: kirk@adklaw.com Website: www.adklaw.com
Shaheen’s Adirondack Inn Meticulously upgraded AAA smoke-free Eco-Conscious property. Free WiFi, Premium Cable/HBO, Microwave/Fridge, In-room Keurig. Handicap Accessible Units. EVCharging Stations. Walk to Wild Center. Direct snowmobile access. Ski Tupper Lake’s groomed X-C trail network, local backwoods trails, or hike the Tupper Triad QSYRXEMRW -GI ½WLMRK WRS[WLSIMRK MRHSSV MGI WOEXMRK SV WPIHHMRK nearby. Winter plug-in. We look forward to your visit.
314 Park Street • Tupper Lake, NY 12986 (518) 359-3384 • (800) 474-2445 www.shaheensadirondackinn.com stay@shaheensadirondackinn.com
336 Park Street Tupper Lake, NY
parkplace36@gmail.com parkmotelandcabins.com
518-359-3600
±-J ]SY GER´X ½RH MX EX ]IEV SPH ,SWW´W ]SY TVSFEFP] HSR´X RIIH MX ² 1EVXLE 7XI[EVX
Adirondack Landmark We have been serving the the ADK community for more than 49 years.. Stop in to explore the store and find all kinds of things you didn’t even know you needed!
2021 EVENTS 12 Days of Gifting Dec. 13 -24, 2021 Hossome Holiday Sale and draw your own discount Thursday Dec. 16th, 2021
1142 Main St., Box 247 | Long Lake, NY 12847 1(800) 952-HOSS (4677) | hosscountrycorner.com
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
KIRK GAGNIER ATTORNEY
27
28
Welcome to Tupper Lake
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
More and more, visitors are finding Tupper Lake a vibrant winter destination. The Wild Center, 45 Museum Dr., introduces people to the natural history of the Adirondacks. The indoor Living River Trail and outdoor experience are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday this winter. Reservations are required. The outdoor Wild Walk takes visitors up a trail of bridges to the treetops of the Adirondack forest. It’s designed to transform the way we see into the natural world by offering up the perspective of the rest of nature. Learn more at 518-359-7800 or www.wildcenter.org. The Adirondack Sky Center and Observatory, 178 Big Wolf Road, is welcoming visitors back to the Roll Off Roof Observatory for public observing events. In the winter, it is open the first and third Friday of each month, weather permitting. Learn more about events and special programming at www.adirondackskycenter.org. The James C. Fernette Sr. Recreational Trails, 141 Country Club Road, are operated by the town of Tupper Lake. Learn more at 518-359-9261 or www.tupperlakeny.gov. When it comes to ice fishing, Tupper Lake has a long history. Anglers travel to Tupper Lake from all over the country for the annual Northern Challenge Ice Fishing Derby. It will be held from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5 this winter. This northern pike contest populates Simon Pond with more than 1,000 fishing enthusiasts competing for over $40,000 in cash and prizes. Register at www.tupperlake.com. Learn more about visiting Tupper Lake online at www.tupperlake.com.
Photo by Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
Walking at the Wild Center
Earn a winter patch for the Tupper Lake Triad hiking challenge
There are two patches for the Tupper Lake Triad hiking challenge: Summer (between March 21 and Dec. 19) and Winter (between Dec. 20 and March 20). Once completed, download the Tupper Lake Triad registration form and mail it with a $5.00 registration fee to: TL Triad, 121 Park St., Tupper Lake, NY 12986. Make checks payable to “ROOST.” Learn more online at www.tupperlaketriad.com. Mount Arab: 2 miles round-trip, 2,545 feet elevation Trailhead: From the intersection of state routes 3 and 30 in the village of Tupper Lake, follow Route 3 toward Piercefield. In about 7.25 miles, turn left on Conifer Road and follow it for almost 2 miles to Mount Arab Road, on the left. Drive about 1 mile. The trailhead is on the left; parking is on the right. There is a fire tower on the peak of Mount Arab, near the hamlet of Piercefield. Coney Mountain: 2.2 miles round-trip, 2,280 feet elevation Trailhead: From the intersection of state routes 3 and 30 in the village of Tupper Lake, follow Route 30 toward Long Lake. Drive just under 12 miles to trailhead on the left. A state DEC sign marks the location.
Photo by Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
Snowshoeing on the summit of Mount Arab
Goodman Mountain: 3.4 miles round-trip, 2,178 feet elevation Trailhead: From the intersection of state routes 3 and 30 in the village of Tupper Lake, follow Route 30 toward Long Lake. Drive just under 10 miles to Lumberjack Spring on the left. Lumberjack Spring is not marked, but a trailhead post is located there.
30
File photo — Justin A. Levine
Neilson Snye of Tupper Lake skis past the site of a historic barn that burned down in 2004 at the Camp Santanoni Historic Area in Newcomb on Presidents Day in 2017.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Touring historic Great Camp Santanoni
(Editor’s note: This story originally ran in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise and Lake Placid News after Presidents Week in February 2017.) By JUSTIN A. LEVINE Former Staff Writer NEWCOMB — After two straight days of sunshine and above-freezing temperatures, my friend and I decided we better get out skiing again before the snow is completely gone. So on Monday, Feb. 20, we drove down to Newcomb and donned our cross-country skis for the 10-mile round-trip out to the historic Great Camp Santanoni. It was another bluebird day, but the temperature was a few degrees below freezing so we weren’t dealing with a slushy trail when we started out. The great camp was built more than 100 years ago, and even though a lot of the original buildings are now gone, the complex is largely intact. We had decided to go down there last weekend because the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) were hosting the second of three open weekends at the camp this winter. The camp was built by Robert Pruyn of New York City as a summer home and retreat. The Pruyns entertained rich and famous people of the time, including Theodore Roosevelt, and at one time was made up of nearly 13,000 acres of land. Although many of the buildings are gone, there are three main components to the great camp property that still provide a glimpse of its glory. The Gate House is just off of state Route 28N in Newcomb and is a formidable building that truly conveys the potency of the classic Adirondack Great Camp. Although the camp is situated in the midst of the Vanderwhacker Wild Forest and butts up against the High Peaks, the three building complexes and the road that connect them have been classified as a Historic Preservation area. You’re allowed to ski, snowshoe or hike into the camp any time, but during the open weekends, AARCH has people on site to discuss the history of the camp and, perhaps more importantly, keep a pot of coffee boiling away on top of the woodstove. My friend Neilson Snye, of Tupper Lake, and I began skiing on the crusty trail, which is actually a
road, so it’s plenty wide enough to handle skiers and snowshoers at the same time. But the previous two days of above-freezing temperatures and below-freezing nights ensured that the last tracks of the previous day were set in stone. It was unfortunate that several people had gone in without skis or snowshoes and had left postholes all along the trail and ski track. With the crusty conditions, the skiing was tougher than it should have been for a trail that is, in general, quite easy and forgiving. Despite the trail conditions, we quickly made our way about a mile in to the site of the former farm. The great camp had a fully functional farm and was one of the early leaders in “scientific farming.” The farm site is the second of the three building complexes, and there are a couple of houses as well as the foundation of a barn that burned down in 2004. During the open weekends, several of the buildings are open to the public to explore, with picnic tables out for lounging. There are also informational placards that provide brief overviews of the surrounding history. With the sun shining bright and only a few other people on the trail, we hung out at the farm for just a few minutes before heading back into the shady woods to continue our trip. From the farm, it’s about another 4 miles out to the main camp. Along the way, you pass through largely open hardwoods, crossing field-stone bridges and catching glimpses of the High Peaks. The trail itself climbs very gradually to about the 3mile mark, and then descends down toward the camp on the shore of Newcomb Lake. Since the trail was icy and pockmarked with boot prints, we took it easy on the downhills. But in better conditions, even the most novice skier shouldn’t have any problem navigating the wide and clearly defined trail. After an easy descent, you cross a bridge which offers the first open views since the farm site. From there, it’s just another couple of minutes to the main complex. The doors were open to the camp’s great room and we took off our skis and wandered in, taking in the grandiosity of the mammoth stone fireplace and exposed wood beams. There’s no wallpaper, just birch
Continued on Page 31
31
Continued from Page 30
bark lining the entire room. We walked around the building and went back outside. With the recent spate of people falling through the ice, we never even considered going out onto Newcomb Lake. There were other sets of skis stuck in the snow and Neilson and I walked down to the little Artist’s Cabin, with its field-stone front wall looking out over the lake and the smell of fresh coffee filling the small room. There were quite a few other people there, looking through pamphlets on the history of the camp or just enjoying the steamy warmth of a packed room. There was tea, hot chocolate and coffee on the woodstove. After talking with a couple of people, Neilson and I put our skis back on and started the trek back to the parking lot. The temperature had come up, but the shade of the woods kept the trail hard. We ran into a considerable number of people heading into the camp, but the trail still never felt busy or crowded. One gentleman was out of control coming down one of the hills, but it was a leisurely out of control and it took him a full minute to go past me once I had stepped off to the side of the trail. He was going maybe a mile per hour. The sun was dappling through the trees enough that we were hat-less and glove-less while skiing, the kind of spring skiing day that you just have to soak up and enjoy. We had a pretty uneventful trip out to the great camp, and with this past week’s weather, I just hope it’s not the last chance we have to get out. But if it is, at least we ended the season with a wonderful trip to a remarkable place.
File photo — Justin A. Levine
People enjoy a break at the Camp Santanoni Historic Area in 2017.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
32
Fishing for an answer
Staff photos — Aaron Cerbone
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Matthew Whitman stands in the snow as he fishes for smelt on Fish Creek Pond.
(Editor’s note: This story originally ran in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise in February 2019.) By AARON CERBONE Staff Writer TUPPER LAKE — “Why are we here?” It’s one of the essential mysteries of life, a question facing everyone from time to time. I asked myself this while sitting on an icy pond on a cold Sunday morning. The official answer was to fish for smelt. The reality was the wind driving snow into my cheeks, my line freezing to the tip of my pole again, and me not having a single fish to show for it. I felt a bit like a kid with nobody to dance with at prom. I had walked out on Fish Creek Pond with Matthew Whitman, an experienced fisherman on ice and on boats, to an area where he had pulled in dozens of smelt before. But this morning they were not hungry, or the weather kept them down, or they really didn’t want me to write an exciting article. I was there for a story, to give a preview of the sport before Tupper Lake’s Northern Challenge ice fishing derby. The annual event draws hundreds to Tupper Lake, and covering it last year, walking around and talking with the anglers on Simond Pond, made me want to ice fish. The Northern Challenge is an all-day affair, with each competitor setting up several “tip-ups” to tell them when a fish is on the line with a flag, and waiting in between. This day we were using rods, shorter than a regular fishing rod, with maggots as bait. Whitman had pulled up three smelt. I thought about how I had been sitting around a hole in the ice for over an hour, fruitlessly dangling that maggot in front of a school of uninterested fish. Introspection ... It would be easy to be reductionist and cynical, to write this trip off as a waste of time. It’s harder — but worth it — to find value in failure, to find meaning in a seemingly futile act, to make the best of a bad situation. Maybe these fish had something to teach me. Ice
fishing isn’t exciting, but it is relaxing. It’s easy. It’s slowly engaging. I used to live my life in terms of emotional peaks and valleys. I viewed it in terms of black and white, happy or sad. Obviously, this is not a healthy mindset to have. My mom remembers when I was young, I’d ask her, “What are we doing today?” — every single morning. (Being home-schooled, my schedule was loose enough to warrant this question.) When the answer was “nothing” or a sarcastically enthusiastic “school!” I would be disappointed and get moody, to the point that she eventually told me to stop asking the question altogether. I sought out fun, and when I didn’t find it, because of my binary worldview, I would become depressive, even angry. Being mad feels good when you’re bored. Later in college, when I was surrounded by people other than my family all day and was learning to be more of an individual, I came to the conclusion that it is better to be consistently content than fluctuating between happy and sad. Life is just our perception of the world, so why not perceive it well? Similarly, a fishing trip is what you make of it, so why not enjoy it?
... and conversation There’s nothing to do out there while you wait for your line to dip — except talk. So we talked, sharing stories of fishing escapades, work aspirations and good meals. Whitman has been out on the ice since as early as he can remember. Born on the West Coast, his family moved to Tupper Lake when he was very young, and he started fishing year-round with his dad. He still fishes with his father and has started bringing his daughters, Quinn and Sarah. Whitman works at the Sunmount day habilitation center, taking multiple overtime shifts a week, and is a member of the Tupper Lake Volunteer Fire Department, trained to enter burning buildings and fight fire from the inside. He is also married with children.
Continued on Page 33
33
Continued from Page 32
He needs time to relax. Fishing with friends and family is how he gets the chance to unwind. As we fished, he told me stories of pranking other anglers at past Northern Challenges. One man, nicknamed “Eclair,” got his moniker because Whitman hooked his line with one of the pastries when he wasn’t looking, tripped the flag and shouted that he had one on. The man was excited by the weight on the line until he saw he had caught the elusive “eclair fish,” which doesn’t taste very good. Cannibals Early on, Whitman pulled up a smelt, saying, “We’re on the board.” He unhooked it and dropped it in a divot in the ice where it thrashed around for a couple minutes as we fished. Eventually, it froze up, and when it stopped moving, Whitman chopped its head off and baited the hooks with bits of the already frozen meat. To bait smelt, you need smelt. It’s even better than maggots. Smelt are cannibals. Not just, “I’ll eat my own if there’s nothing left” cannibals, but “Oh look! It’s Ralph’s tail! CHOMP!” cannibals.
Born of desperation? Ice fishing is not hard. You drill a hole in the ice, drop a line in and wait for a bite. So it is pretty infuriating when you manage to mess that up. People used to do this for survival when the winter
Fried smelt sizzle in the pan.
months covered crops and pushed animals deep into the wilderness for hibernation. Ice fishing dates way back to the first time someone was hungry enough to look at a frozen pond and say, “I’ll bet those buggers are getting pretty hungry down there, too.” Though it is unclear who was the first, people all over the globe — the northern half, that is — have been drilling holes and dropping lines for centuries in Alaska, Norway, Korea and North America. Actually, dropping lines is more of a modern practice. Indigenous people would hunt using a decoy fish and a spear, throwing it down through the hole and pulling it — and hopefully a fish — back up with a rope tied on its end. Being out there for an hour with nary a fish and that creeping sense of hungry dread settling in must have been a much more frustrating experience, to put it lightly. Fruits of his labor We wrapped up around 10 a.m. with three fish, all of them caught by Whitman, who graciously offered them to me and told me how to cook them. Monday morning I took the fish out of the paper, turned on an oven burner and began cooking up the fruits of Whitman’s labor. I used his recipe: Cover them in egg, flour, then breadcrumbs, and fry them in oil. I felt a little silly using my largest mixing bowl for one egg and three small fish, but my smaller one met a grisly end earlier that week when I turned on the wrong burner and melted it to the stove. I tabled them nicely for myself, paired with a fine glass of iced tea. I took my first bite, and the fish melted in my mouth. It was delicious, but more of an appetizer than an entree. We didn’t really accomplish much on the ice, but we enjoyed each others’ company. Whitman is training to become a corrections officer in hopes of getting a job at the Federal Correctional Institute in Ray Brook. He may get moved anywhere around the state, though, possibly to areas where he may not be able to ice fish. We are lucky in the North Country to have cold weather that brings sports that can’t be played elsewhere. If you don’t get the chance to enjoy it, you’ve wasted it, so find your excuse to get out there. As we pulled the sled off the ice with only a few ounces of fish, the question repeated in my mind: “Why are we here?” And a voice came to answer it: “To enjoy it.”
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Chill out People always talk about how busy our world is today, trying to one-up everyone with how busy we are on the hierarchy of busy-ness. Every moment of the day is taken up with work, errands, relationships and, of course, keeping up with family, friends, people you hate, podcasters, politicians, “influencers” and President Donald J. Trump on the social media platform of your choice. People are looking for any excuse to slow down: watching a couple of episodes of a TV show late at night, meditating at lunch or starting the day with nothing but a cup of coffee. The difference between these avenues and ice fishing is that the others are pursuits of comfort. Ice fishing forsakes that; it takes place in harsh environments, at early hours, accompanied by the possibility that nothing may happen. But it is effective. The mind is given something to do, but not much, the trip can produce a good meal, and no matter what happens later in the day, you’ll be warmer than you were while fishing.
A line is dropped into a hole in the ice.
Learn more
34
with these tourism resources
With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, many special events have been canceled this winter in the Adirondack Park. Before making a trip, we suggest checking out these tourism resources to find contact Adirondack Regional Tourism Council https://visitadirondacks.com
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Clinton County Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau 7061 Route 9, Plattsburgh, 877-242-6752, http://goadirondack.com Essex County Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism and Lake Placid Convention/Visitors Bureau Offices in Lake Placid (2608 Main St.) and Crown Point (814 Bridge Road), 518-523-2445, www.lakeplacid.com Whiteface Mountain Regional Visitors Bureau 5753 Route 86, Wilmington, 888-944-8332, www.whitefaceregion.com Lake Champlain Region 866-843-5253, www.lakechamplainregion.com Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce 94 Montcalm St., Suite 1, Ticonderoga, 518-585-6619 https://ticonderogany.com Town of Newcomb 5639 Route 28N, Newcomb, 518-582-3211, www.discovernewcomb.com Schroon Lake Chamber of Commerce 1075 Route 9, Schroon Lake, 518-532-7675, www.schroonlakechamber.org Franklin County Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce 39 Main St., Saranac Lake, 518-891-1990, www.saranaclake.com Tupper Lake Chamber of Commerce 121 Park St., Tupper Lake, 518-359-3328, www.tupperlake.com Malone Chamber of Commerce 497 East Main St., Malone, 518-483-3760, www.visitmalone.com Fulton County Fulton County Tourism/Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce 2 North Main St., Gloversville, 800-676-3858, www.44lakes.com Northville Civic Association 518-863-7199 www.villageofnorthville.com Hamilton County Hamilton County Tourism 102 County View Dr., Lake Pleasant 800-648-5239 www.adirondackexperience.com Town of Long Lake Tourism 1130 Deerland Road, Long Lake, 518-624-3077, https://mylonglake.com
information about your favorite attraction or special event. The attractions that have opened are currently operating under COVID-19 mandates, including social distancing practices and mask wearing. Indian Lake Chamber of Commerce 6301 Route 30, Indian Lake, 518-648-5112, www.indian-lake.com Inlet Information Office 160 Route 28, Arrowhead Park, Inlet, 315-357-5501, www.inletny.com Adirondacks Speculator Region Chamber of Commerce 2960 Route 30, Speculator, 518-548-4521, www.speculatorchamber.com Herkimer County Town of Webb Visitor Information Center 3140 Route 28, Old Forge, 315-369-6983, www.oldforgeny.com Lewis County Lewis County Chamber of Commerce 7576 South State St., Lowville, 315-376-2213, https://adirondackstughill.com St. Lawrence County St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce 101 Main St., first floor, Canton, 877-228-7810, www.visitstlc.com Saratoga County Saratoga Convention & Tourism Bureau 60 Railroad Place, Suite 301, Saratoga Springs, 518-584-1531, www.discoversaratoga.org Warren County Warren County Tourism Department 1340 Route 9, Lake George, 800-958-4748, www.visitlakegeorge.com Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce 2176 Route 9, Lake George, 518-668-5755, www.lakegeorgechamber.com Bolton Landing Chamber of Commerce 4928 Lakeshore Dr., Bolton Landing, 518-644-3831 www.boltonchamber.com North Warren Chamber of Commerce 3 Dynamite Hill Road, Chestertown, 518-494-2722, northwarren.com Lake Luzerne Regional Chamber of Commerce 37 Main St., Lake Luzerne, 518-696-3500, https://lakeluzernechamber.org Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce 518-623-2161, https://warrensburgchamber.com Washington County Washington County Tourism 383 Broadway, Fort Edward, 888-203-8622, https://washingtoncounty.fun
35
On Earth Day, April 22, 2020, the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism announced the launch of the Love Your ADK pledge and website, a collaborative effort to inspire the ethical, sustainable and proper use of recreational resources. By taking the Love Your Adirondacks Pledge and practicing Leave No Trace ethics you can help ensure that the forests, waterways and communities of the Adirondacks remain beautiful and unique for generations to come. The Love Your ADK pledge has been created in partnership with ROOST, the Adirondack Mountain Club, Adirondack Council and the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Sign the pledge online at the following website: www.loveyouradk.org/pledge.
I pledge to: ¯ Love the Adirondacks in a way that is mindful of others; ¯ Only share thoughtful messages on social media that encourage good stewardship; ¯ View wildlife from afar and be considerate of their home; ¯ Embrace the hiker ethos and get my boots dirty by walking through the mud; ¯ Always explore responsibly and prepare for any experience; ¯Do my duty to properly dispose of trash as well as pet and human waste; ¯ Keep woods and waters clean by checking my gear and equipment for invasive species; and ¯ Support, practice, and inspire others to follow the Leave No Trace Seven Principles.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise / Adirondack Vacation Guide • Winter/Spring 2021-22
Take the Love Your ADK Pledge
SHOP DINE & PLAY
60 Smithfield Blvd, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 | 518.561.8660 | champlaincentre.com
All New Interior Design Studio Next Door to our Lake Placid Store! Plus locations in Tupper Lake, NY and New Canaan, CT 2024 Saranac Ave. Lake Placid, NY 518-523-2646 ADKstore.com
