The only independent, nonprofit news organization solely dedicated to reporting on the Adirondack Park.
Phil Brown edited the Adirondack Explorer from 1999 until his retirement in 2018. He continues to explore the park and to write for the publication and website.
By Phil Brown
Old Mountain Road in the Sentinel Range Wilderness has been the subject of legal battles for more than a decade. The state says it was long ago abandoned, but Jim McCulley, president of the Lake Placid Snowmobile Club, contends it remains a town road and should be open to motor vehicles. The “road” is part…
By Phil Brown
Governor Andrew Cuomo released his 2018-19 budget proposal on Tuesday. Following is Protect the Adirondacks’ news release on what’s in it for the North Country. Governor Cuomo released his new budget for 2018-19 on January 16th. The Legislature will now hold budget hearings and react with their own spending priorities. Chronic issues around public education…
By Phil Brown
A snowboarder was rescued by helicopter after injuring himself on Mount Marcy. The state Department of Environmental Conservation says the man punctured his mouth on a stick, presumably in a fall. It is one of four incidents described in DEC’s latest Ranger Report, which follows. Town of Brasher St. Lawrence County Rescue: On Jan. 8…
By Phil Brown
As mentioned in an earlier post, I recently toured Andalusia in southern Spain with my girlfriend and daughter. On my last two days, I went rock climbing, the first day in El Chorro, one of Spain’s premier climbing destinations, the second day at two nearby locales. I hired a guide, Victoria Foxwell of the Rock…
By Phil Brown
I just got back from touring the Andalusia region of southern Spain with Carol Fox and my daughter Martha. On one day we took a wonderful hike into the Sierra Nevada where we saw goats roaming the treeless hills. Although the mountains are not far from the Mediterranean Sea, they are snow-capped. The highest top…
By Phil Brown
Back in November, I posted an article that the state planned to remove a cabin near the summit of Thomas Mountain overlooking Lake George. Many people commented that they’d like the cabin to remain. It has since been taken down. Here is an updated story that appears in the January/February issue of the Adirondack Explorer newsmagazine. Despite…
By Phil Brown
State voters approve land bank proposal to amend Article 14 to streamline projects that infringe on Forest Preserve. The town of Horicon has been unable to replace this bridge over the Schroon River. Photo by Carl Heilman II By Phil Brown New Yorkers narrowly passed in November a constitutional amendment to establish a “land bank” for…
By Phil Brown
The Open Space Institute has acquired a 1,285-acre property that will facilitate access to Huckleberry Mountain, a crag in the southeastern Adirondacks with great views and dozens of rock-climbing routes. Katharine Petronis, OSI’s northern program manager, said the non-profit organization will sell the property to the state for inclusion in the public Forest Preserve. That…
By Phil Brown
Governor Andrew Cuomo plans to file a petition with the federal Surface Transportation Board to force a rail company to remove empty oil-tanker cars stored on tracks in the central Adirondacks. “The Adirondack Park is home to some of the world’s most pristine forest lands, which powers its tourism economy, and we will not stand…
By Phil Brown
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is advising recreationists to be prepared for winter conditions in the Adirondacks. With this week’s storm, snow depths in the region range from two to eighteen inches. Following is DEC’s news release. The recent snowstorm is providing good conditions for winter outdoor recreation in the Adirondack backcountry, New York…