The only independent, nonprofit news organization solely dedicated to reporting on the Adirondack Park.
The author, her husband, and a reluctant teenager make a steep climb to a fire tower only to find the view obscured by clouds. By Lisa Densmore Ballard With a name like “Vanderwhacker,” I had to climb it, again. Vanderwhacker Mountain, elevation 3,386 feet and located between Newcomb and Minerva, is the highest point in…
Each year hundreds of people hike to the summit of Rooster Comb for its great views. Far fewer reach the summit by scaling its cliffs, but the mountain has a long and storied rock-climbing history. Whether you hike or climb to the top, the 2,788-foot peak offers a wonderful vista of the lower Great Range, the Brothers, and Johns Brook valley.
By Phil Brown
Last winter Carol Fox and I skied from Averyville outside Lake Placid to Oseetah Lake outside Saranac Lake, following an old woods road that constitutes part of the northern boundary of the High Peaks Wilderness. We had a great time. You will be able to read about our adventure in a forthcoming issue of the…
Trail around pristine lake appeals to hikers, runners, and equestrians and is featured in the Adirondack Explorer’s new guidebook. By Phil Brown When I suggested to my girlfriend Carol that we jog around Cascade Lake in the Pigeon Lake Wilderness, she endorsed the idea without hesitation. Not only is Carol a trail runner, but she also…
With the acquisition of the MacIntyre East tract near Tahawus, the public now owns 12 miles of shoreline along the upper Hudson and the Opalescent. By Phil Brown Brian Mann and I had been on the water for several hours when we came to a fallen tree stretched across the river. We pulled over to…
Landowners appeal dismissal of trespass suit against Explorer editor, contending constitutional property rights are at stake. By Kenneth Aaron The Adirondack landowners who sued the editor of the Adirondack Explorer after he paddled through their property are taking the case to New York’s highest court, saying a lower court’s decision infringes on their constitutional rights. The Brandreth Park Association and the Friends of Thayer…
By Mike Lynch
Rangers and state police fight fierce winds and dangerous cold to find woman and her young sons. By Mike Lynch Forest rangers and state police rescued a mother and her two preteen sons near the summit of Mount Marcy in mid- March after undertaking, in brutally cold conditions, one of the largest search operations of recent years. “As far as our…
By Mike Lynch
DEC stocks tens of thousands of exotic fish in Adirondack waters each year, a practice that some observers believe diminishes populations of native brook trout. By Mike Lynch When people think of invasive species in the Adirondack Park, they think of Eurasian watermilfoil, zebra mussels, Asian clams, or any number of other exotic plants and animals that have made the headlines. People don’t…
By Phil Brown
It may be April, but there’s still skiing to be had in the backcountry. On Tuesday morning I skied to the top of Dewey Mountain outside Saranac Lake and enjoyed a fun run down in virtually midwinter conditions. Last weekend, Carol MacKinnon Fox and I skied over the summit of Mount Van Hoevenberg and found…
By Dick Beamish Governor Andrew Cuomo and bicycle riders please take note: the opportunity of a lifetime is staring us in the face! Bicycling is America’s fastest-growing outdoor activity and now second only to walking. The Adirondack Park can hugely benefit from this healthy national trend. A detailed map shows the exciting possibilities. Follow the…