Paul Smith’s College plans a two-stage trail improvement project that would turn the center’s cross-country ski trails into a competition-class venue that college officials hope can attract would-be Olympians to enroll.
As ticks and disease spread north, monitoring is threatened
For the past five years, biologist Lee Ann Sporn and a team of Paul Smith’s College students and Adirondack Watershed Institute stewards have monitored the rapid spread of tick-borne diseases—especially those rarely found this far north or at these elevations—throughout the region.
Who is next in line?
Research revealed there are 45,633 businesses in the 14-county Adirondack North Country region, which spills out of the park on its northern and western flanks. Taking into account demographic trends, at least 10,000 of those business owners could be getting ready to retire in the next few years.
Housing crunch limits Adirondack economy
The good news is that overall unemployment is low, meaning that a lot of park residents have jobs. The bad news is that economic growth is almost impossible without additional workers to perform the work.
Forest rangers rescue solo hiker who lost trail on Marcy
Forest rangers rescued a woman who was hiking alone and lost the marked trail during a snow squall that delivered white-out conditions. Essex County 911 identified the subject’s cell phone coordinates and instructed her on how to get back on the trail. Due to weather conditions, forest ranger Kevin Burns hiked to the woman’s location to assist her off the mountain.
State of influence
Environmental leaders, current and former staff officials, and legislative operatives will say they think the Adirondack Park Agency is under the thumb of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Delighting in Dippikill
The Dippikill Wilderness Retreat is the largest student-owned natural preserve in the country. It has belonged to the Student Association of the University at Albany since 1956, on a back road in the highlands of the Town of Thurman.
Climber rescued after 45-foot fall from cliff and other recent forest ranger actions
DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance for a 50-year-old male who sustained injuries from a nearly 45-foot fall while ice climbing the Pitchoff North Tendonitis Route.
Christmas Bird Count tracks North Country habitat shifts
The Christmas count is one of the longest running and expansive “citizen science” programs, in which amateurs collect data to be used in legitimate scientific research. The accessibility of the program has allowed thousands of people to contribute to one of the largest databases about bird activity in North America for more than a century.
Adaptive skiers tackle the Double H Ranch ski hill
The Adaptive Winter Sports Program is one of many programs the Double H Ranch offers children with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
