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By Phil Brown
Jack Drury, a wilderness-skills educator from Saranac Lake, posted a link on Facebook to a fascinating account of a man and his elderly mother who became benighted while descending Round Mountain in Keene Valley. He encourages all hikers to read it and learn from it. Even if you’re on a day hike, you should carry…
By Phil Brown
After days of cold rain, we received some sunshine in Saranac Lake on Sunday. On the spur of the moment, I decided to solo Chapel Pond Slab, perhaps my last rock climb of the season. By solo, I mean I climbed it without a partner and without ropes or protection. I did wear a helmet,…
I had made a date earlier in the week to go cross-country skiing with my daughter, so when I awoke to find several inches of fresh sugary powder in Saranac Lake, I looked forward to a great day. By Phil Brown
The paddle across Lake Placid and the ascent of Whiteface is a classic Adirondack trip. By PHIL BROWN I’ve been here before, so I know we’ll get out of this mess eventually, but I suspect Sue and Jeff are starting to have doubts. They are unfamiliar with Slide Time. We’ve been bushwhacking for more than…
The Saranac River and adjoining lakes create a delightful paddling trip. By DICK BEAMISH It can be a leisurely six-hour trip, starting a block from our office in Saranac Lake village. Or, if you’re a champion paddler and like to make waves, you can churn through this eleven-mile loop in an hour and a half,…
By Phil Brown
There’s snow in the High Peaks now, so if you plan on hiking to a summit, you’d be smart to pack a pair of Yaktrax, MicroSpikes, or similar grippers for your feet. On Sunday, my daughter Martha and I encountered snow and ice on the trail from Crow Clearing in Keene to Hurricane Mountain, which…
By Phil Brown
We awoke in Saranac Lake this morning to find an inch of snow on the ground. We’ve seen flurries a few times in the past two weeks, but this was the first accumulation at lower elevations. It won’t be long now before people are skiing the Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway. The highway has had enough…
By Phil Brown
Six of us turned out Saturday to trim and clear the Wright Peak Ski Trail. We started where last year’s crew left off and worked our way up almost to the ridgeline. Thus, nearly all of the steep part of the trail should be in good shape this winter. We also cut out sections of two…
By Phil Brown
The next time you’re in Lake Placid and looking to kill an hour or two, check out the new 2.5-mile trail at Henry’s Woods on the outskirts of town. Locals have been using the trail for a while now, but village and town officials celebrated its official opening just this week. I went there after…
By Phil Brown
It may have snowed in Lake Placid this week, but it’s not time yet to put away those sticky-soled shoes and get out the crampons. High Peaks Cyclery is offering free rock-climbing clinics as part of the second annual Adirondack Climbing Film Festivalin Lake Placid this weekend. The festivities will kick off with a presentation…