Letters - July/August 2010

River access settled long ago

In 1893, William Seward Webb sued the state of New York for damages he claimed to have suffered from the flooding of the Beaver River, after the original dam was enlarged by the state. The higher water, said Webb, interfered with his ability to remove standing timber from his lands that bordered the river.
Central to Webb’s case was his assertion that the Beaver River and its tributaries were a “natural highway” for the transport of his logs and timber starting from its source in Lake Lila (also known as Smith’s Lake).
In 1896, while Webb’s case was pending in court, the state settled with him after the legislature appropriated $600,000 to purchase seventy-five thousand acres. Today, most of the Webb Purchase lies within the Five Ponds Wilderness.

If the original Webb told a New York court in 1893 that the Beaver River was his commercial highway beginning at Lake Lila, then it is a settled matter that the Beaver River is navigable-in-fact and accessible to the public, no matter what any subsequent owner (Webb or not) may claim. 

George Locker, New York City

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Don't water down river rights

In Phil Brown’s good article on public-navigation rights, “A 20-Year Standstill,” in the May-June, 2010 issue, John Humbach’s concluding concerns about the bill that’s currently pending in the state legislature were right on the mark. If political compromises and the vagaries of the legislative process result in changes that diminish the public’s longstanding rights, it would be better to have no bill at all. That would suit the private vested interests of the Adirondack Landowners Association well while, unfortunately, doing a great disservice to the public.
The opposition to the bill by ALA has no rational basis. The bill would codify, in a single statute, the existing common-law public right of navigation as it is stated in scattered case law. The bill was carefully crafted to be fully consistent with existing law. It also addresses landowner rights and directs DEC to prepare regulations that would include a list of waterways that are navigable-in-fact. That’s it. Nothing up the sleeve. The bill is widely supported by New York State and national conservation and paddling organizations. DEC has supported the bill, as did the Commission on the Adirondacks in the 21st Century.

To date, ALA has not met with bill advocates for a constructive discussion, despite several requests for such a meeting. Not long ago they submitted a poorly conceived markup to select legislators that made a mockery of its true purposes and, if advanced, would have largely gutted it. Let’s get serious. They know where to find us

Charles C. Morrison, Saratoga Springs, NY
Morrison is former natural resources director for the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

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Another lake at risk

In the May/June issue of the Explorer there are several references to Upper Chateaugay Lake. This unspoiled and unpolluted lake has been threatened by the sale of properties on Parson’s “Hill” bordering the lake. This hill slopes from the village of Lyon Mountain to the lakeshore. It is a forested wetland with streams and beaver-dammed ponds.

Ignoring the objections of local residents, three years ago the Adirondack Park Agency approved the development of seven lots. To date, one lot was sold, development started, and then stopped. A driveway was excavated and nothing further done. The lake’s water quality could be endangered by runoff from construction on this hillside.
An offer to purchase the lots, at cost, from the developer has been turned down. If development proceeds it will help to destroy another valuable lake.
Much of the land in this area has been preserved by the state. Perhaps, since three years have passed since approval, the APA would reconsider.

James L. Dannenberg, Philadephia, PA

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New uses for our historic towers

To many of us that live year-round in the Park, nothing symbolizes the need to protect the Forest Preserve more than the image of a fire tower on a mountain summit. This is especially true for those that recall the horrendous forest fires of the early 1900s. Not a day goes by that I am not saddened that DEC removed the fire tower on Crane Mountain in Warren County.

In addition to being historically significant and a symbol of man’s relationship to nature, I think there are ways such towers can be of use in the twenty-first century. In many areas fire towers are destinations for hikers. These towers should be restored to provide viewing platforms for hikers so that they can better admire the grandeur of this place.
I think a way also needs to be found for the towers to become the transmitting stations for much-needed cell service in the Park. How much better to use strategically placed fire towers on mountain summits than those fake trees that stand out as such eyesores.

Glenn L. Pearsall, Johnsburg, NY

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Bikeway could be a treasure

I’m glad to see the Explorer supporting turning the Adirondack railroad line into a bicycle/recreational trail.

As bicyclists who take weeks-long bike trips in the Adirondacks, my riding buddy and I would love to see a stone-dust trail to Lake Placid originating in Remsen. That would be one of the most beautiful trails in the United States. A trail like this would benefit a lot more people and the economy than the railroad. And the salvage value of the steel rails would offset a lot of the cost.

Peter C. Speir, Wynanskill, NY

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Climbing has come a long way

My brother and I spent many happy days rock climbing in the Adirondacks.
We were lucky enough to have been around in the mid-seventies when relatively little had been done and we could not only put up new routes whenever we felt like it but be the first, or among the first, to open up whole new walls and climbing areas.

According to Alan Wechsler’s article, “The climber’s new bible,” [reprinted in the 2010 Annual Outings Guide] the guidebook describes over two thousand routes! When we arrived on the scene in 1974, we easily learned every route name in the little blue guidebook and ended up climbing most of them.

I was particularly struck by the fact that of the three people featured in the photos with the article, two are women and the one male is Asian. What a pleasure to see Adirondack rock climbing not only growing by leaps and bounds but appealing to a much more diverse public than it did in our day. Interestingly, Brian Kim is shown scaling one of our routes, Esthesia, on the Spider’s Web.

I’m afraid the future of the Adirondack Park is by no means assured, given the data on the dwindling numbers of visitors to our parks in general. To the extent that publications such as Adirondack Rock (and of course the Adirondack Explorer) help to encourage interest in the region and in the preservation of these undeveloped spaces they are welcome indeed.

Thanks for producing a great publication.

Grant Calder, Philadelphia, PA