The only independent, nonprofit news organization solely dedicated to reporting on the Adirondack Park.
Melissa is a journalist with experience as a reporter and editor, combined with work for nonprofits. As the Explorer's digital editor, she serves as editor of Adirondack Almanack.(com) and helps manage the Explorer's website. When not online, she enjoys hiking, camping and other outdoors activities, and spending time with her husband, their twin daughters, and rescue animals -- two dogs and two cats.
By Melissa Hart
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR MEALS: From Adirondack Harvest, an article about a chef who combats food waste. Curtiss Hemm uses his skills to teach others how to get the most bang for their buck cooking with locally grown (and often more expensive) ingredients: “Curtiss Hemm thinks about food in ways that others don’t. Along with being…
By Melissa Hart
Forest bathing photo gallery Multimedia reporter Mike Lynch put together a gallery of photos he took on a forest bathing session held at Paul Smith’s College’s Visitor Information Center. CHECK IT OUT The last issue of Adirondack Explorer for the year is now live and we’ve highlighted a few stories from it on the website this past…
By Melissa Hart
We all know it was a busy summer, just by looking around at our favorite lakes, trails and campgrounds. And now, thanks to recent reports, we have some data to prove it. Take, for example, information from these recent Explorer articles: Boat inspection sites across the Adirondacks and especially on Lake George saw increased activity.…
By Melissa Hart
On Tuesday, the Explorer hosted a discussion about renewable energy projects in the Adirondack Park. All this week we’ve been digging into renewable/clean energy issues, highlighting recent Explorer stories. Each day focused on a different topic: Monday: Key takeaways from New York State’s groundbreaking climate legislation Tuesday: Our live event and discussion Wednesday: Recent park projects Thursday: Renewables…
By Melissa Hart
Some of the Adirondack Park’s most popular farmers markets have switched into fall/winter market mode. And keeping with ongoing COVID precautions, they are continuing with online pre-ordering and socially distanced pick up options. SARANAC LAKE: The Saranac Lake “Farmers Park-it” is back in session. Order online by Thursdays at 9pm and pick up your orders…
By Melissa Hart
It’s been almost seven months since I took on the role as editor for the Adirondack Almanack and almost one month in my new job as digital editor for both the Almanack and Explorer. I welcome your feedback and suggestions, and if you are not too “zoomed” out, join me for a “coffee and conversation” session this…
By Melissa Hart
We all like farm fresh food, and even more so when you can buy it at a fair price? Back in the height of the coronavirus, nonprofit AdkAction teamed up with nonprofit food hub/commercial kitchen Hub on the Hill. Together, they produced and delivered thousands of Emergency Food Packages to those in need. Since then,…
By Melissa Hart
We’re coming off what’s typically the busiest weekend of fall in the Adirondacks, but interestingly, that’s not the top story of the week. (Keep scrolling to find out!) Here’s a look at some of the week’s top news, on both AdirondackExplorer.org and AdirondackAlmanack.com. If you want to dig in deeper, take a look at our full slate of topical Explorer…
By Melissa Hart
We’re coming off what’s typically the busiest weekend of fall in the Adirondacks, but interestingly, that’s not the top story of the week. (Keep scrolling to find out!) Here’s a look at some of the week’s top news, on both AdirondackExplorer.org and AdirondackAlmanack.com. If you want to dig in deeper, take a look at our full slate of topical Explorer…
By Melissa Hart
Fall pics taken from around the park Here’s a snapshot of what the holiday weekend was like for hiking, from various spots outside the busy High Peaks Wilderness. Clockwise from top: the view from Baker Mountain in Saranac Lake (by Debra Thuet); from Goodnow Mountain’s fire tower in Newcomb (by Michael Hernandez); looking at Lake…