New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents in the Adirondacks. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from the Adirondack backcountry. What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers in the Adirondacks. Essex County Town of Keene Wilderness Rescue: On Aug. 6 at 9:42 pm, Essex County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch reporting a woman on Porter Mountain in need of assistance. >>More

In recent years, public lands throughout the Adirondack Park and across the country are seeing dramatic increases in the number of people coming to recreate. Increasing numbers of people has led to an increase in human impacts to our public lands, including damage to trails related to increased use during sensitive times such as mud season, more trash on trails, including human waste and toilet paper, damage to sensitive mountain plants, animals such as bears becoming habituated to human food, and a loss of a wilderness experience. More people enjoying the Adirondack Park can also mean more people working to >>More

Camp Sagamore is one of several historic Great Camps located in the Adirondack Park. Part of the Historic Great Camps Special Management Area, it includes nearly seven miles of scenic trails along the shores of Sagamore Lake and the South Inlet of Raquette Lake in the 47,177-acre Blue Ridge Wilderness. Trails: 3.8-mile Sagamore Lake Trail is a loop trail around the shores of Sagamore Lake. 1.5-mile Cascades Trail follows the western bank of the South Inlet of Raquette Lake. 1.6-mile Powerhouse Trail follows the eastern bank of the South Inlet of Raquette Lake. The Big » Continue Reading. View original >>More

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents in the Adirondacks. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from the Adirondack backcountry. What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers in the Adirondacks. Essex County Town of Newcomb Wilderness Rescue: On July 30 at 12:31 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance for four members of a group of eight hikers who were stuck >>More

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has announced the recent protection of two properties at Huletts Landing, in Dresden, NY, a total of 137 acres. The properties both contain significant lengths of tributaries that flow into Lake George, and other water-protecting features. The two properties consist of a 112-acre forested parcel off of County Road 6, and the other a 25-acre upland parcel adjacent to Elephant Mountain. Combined, the properties include more than 7,800 feet of stream corridors that lead to Lake George. The 112-acre parcel also contains two acres of wetlands » Continue Reading. View original post.

According to a press release issued by DEC, between July 20 and 22, New York State Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) responded to several complaints of an intoxicated subject causing a disturbance at the Hearthstone Point State Campsite in Lake George. ECOs reported that on July 22, they evicted the man from the campground. ECO Marcia Goodrich along with Lts. Rob Higgins and Ben Bramlage reported that on July 25 they responded to a report that he had returned to the campground. They found the woman’s campsite vacant but a nearby camper advised the officers that the man had fled as >>More

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that they are opening several otherwise restricted Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) to the public in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties from Saturday, Aug. 10, through Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019. Portions of these WMAs are marked as “refuge” or “wetlands restricted areas” to allow waterfowl and other listed species to breed and raise young without interference from people. During the 16-day period, Upper and Lower Lakes and Wilson Hill WMAs in St. Lawrence County, including the posted Wetland Restricted and Refuge areas, will be open to visitors each day from >>More

The trail is part of a network of 92 miles of trails in the Wilcox Lake Wild Forest. The trail is also a designated route along the more than 550-mile Adirondack Trail Ride, a solo, self-supported bike-packing adventure through the Adirondack Mountains. DEC recently rehabilitated a 250-foot stretch of the Murphy-Middle-Bennett trail. The 6.8-mile trail accesses Bennett Lake, Middle Lake and Murphy Lake, all which feature primitive camping opportunities along the trail. There is also a lean-to at Murphy Lake. On the northern end of the trail, users can connect » Continue Reading. View original post.