Each year, the Explorer’s editor heads up Mount Marcy on skis. This is his guide to the region’s premier backcountry tour. By Phil Brown The spring equinox occurred on March 20. The baseball season opened on April 2 (the Yankees lost). The Masters … [Read more...] about Mount Marcy
High Peaks
Chapel Pond Canyon
By Phil Brown More than thirty years ago, Don Mellor was in a plane flying over the High Peaks region, taking photos for his rock-climbing guidebook, when he spotted a large streambed in Chapel Pond Canyon. He returned the next winter with Steve … [Read more...] about Chapel Pond Canyon
Moose Pond
Novice skiers can enjoy breathtaking scenery at a wild pond north of Saranac Lake. By Phil Brown My daughter Martha used to love going down hills on cross-country skis. If she fell, she’d herringbone back up the trail and try again. That was … [Read more...] about Moose Pond
Poor Man’s Downhill
Wilmington trail offers plenty of excitement for skiers who don’t like to earn their turns. By Phil Brown Any backcountry skier who has slogged seven and a half miles up Mount Marcy realizes that the old saying “What … [Read more...] about Poor Man’s Downhill
Cascade Lakes
Ice skating on a wild pond in a magical setting can warm the soul. By Diane Chase SKATING OFF the beaten track brings a sense of freedom to my soul. No matter how cold it is outside, I will haul my family to frozen ponds to lash skates to their … [Read more...] about Cascade Lakes
Mr. Van Trail
A refurbished Mr. Van Trail offers an alternative to the popular Avalanche Pass ski tour. By Phil Brown IF YOU’RE A backcountry skier, it’s hard to resist a trail with “ski” in its name. And so upon learning that the Mr. Van Ski Trail had … [Read more...] about Mr. Van Trail