In my observation, there’s been steady increase in the popularity of outdoor recreation. As I travel through the Adirondacks, hiking trails and canoe launches that were once empty are now constantly flooded with cars and people heading out into our great state park. The most obvious spot to see this change is the parking lot at the Adirondak Loj in near Lake Placid; only a few years ago it seemed impossible that the lot would be almost full. This summer and fall, not only was the lot full, but the road leading up to it was lined on both sides >>More

In your review of the Colvin film, you are absolutely wrong about the pronunciation of Colvin’s name. Phil Terrie is correct in calling Colvin’s name as CALLvin. I grew up in a North Country farming community where a prominent family named Colvin existed in the early I900s; it was pronounced with a short “o.” When I began hearing people I met on the High Peaks trails using a long “o” for Colvin’s name, to me there was something amiss about this. I think that using Colvin’s name with a long “o” is a travesty for a person of his historical >>More

I was pleased to see the review by Betsy Kepes in your March/April issue about Lorraine Duvall’s books and wanted to add a comment about what for me makes In Praise of Quiet Waters so engaging. The way Duvall interweaves history, advocacy, and personal story kept each aspect from bogging down the narrative. Her questions about the differences between “wilderness” and “the wild,” and what is necessary to allow a sense of being able to commune with nature, are especially apt. And unlike typical guidebooks, she really conveys the felt experience of canoeing in specific waters. Finally, I appreciated Duvall’s >>More

According to its masthead, the Adirondack Explorer is “devoted to exploring, protecting and celebrating the Adirondack Park.” A worthy mission which does not include printing Tom Woodman’s rantings because he is upset with the results of the last presidential election. Yes, President Trump has noted that too much power has been assumed by Washington, D.C., and he intends to return that power to the people. I agree with that 100 percent and Mr. Woodman’s characterization of it as “opposition on the federal level” to enlightened environmental policies is irrational. Throwing “enlightened social policies” into the mix, in addition, is way >>More

We read the “Marina roils the water” article in the Adirondack Explorer (Jan/Feb, 2017) and were surprised by the article’s inattention to the concerns of many members of the Saranac community regarding the proposed size of the marina. While the old marina clearly needs to be rebuilt, expanding the marina’s boat capacity by 110—so that it can house 270 large boats—would completely change the character of Lower Saranac Lake. At present, all kinds of outdoor enthusiasts share the lake harmoniously—paddlers, swimmers, campers, water skiers, fishermen, sailboats, and rowboats. The lake is home to several loons and bald eagles, who return >>More

Having just read Mike Lynch’s article “Summer bad news for bears” [November/December 2016] about all the black-bear incidents with “no reported injuries to people,” I am struck by the unhappy coincidence of an episode that happened here in Maryland. The headline in the November 17 issue of the Washington Post reads, “Bear mauls woman in Maryland driveway in ‘rarest of rare’ attack.” It was only a few decades ago that black bears were extirpated here in Maryland and the Maryland Department of Wildlife was selling black-bear stamps to help with their reintroduction in western Maryland. Now it seems that we >>More

The Adirondack Explorer has provided a comprehensive survey of the Adirondack Park Agency’s upcoming decision regarding the Boreas Ponds classification. The APA holds the greatest responsibility of protecting the Adirondack Forest Preserve, and classifying the 6.8-mile logging road as Wild Forest, thus allowing motorized-vehicle access, would be an ecological disaster. It is imperative that the APA explore other alternatives, as suggested by many of the Adirondack Park advocacy groups. I encourage allowing people to drive only up to LaBier Flow and then make the short hike to the pond, as opposed to driving all the way up. I’d like to >>More