If winter returns, I’ll be ready. Green Goat Maps has just published a Winter Trails Map for the Saranac Lake/Lake Placid region.
The full-color topographical map shows trails suitable for cross-country skiing (shown in red), snowshoeing (green), and riding fat bikes (indicated by icons). The long-distance Jackrabbit Ski Trail, which extends from Paul Smiths to Keene, gets its own color (orange). The Barkeater Trails Alliance, which maintains the Jackrabbit, helped develop the map.
The map also uses colors to differentiate Forest Preserve classifications: dark green for motor- and bike-free Wilderness, lighter green for less-restrictive Wild Forest, and dark green with stripes for the St. Regis Canoe Area, which for the most part is managed like Wilderness. Private land is white.
Among other things shown on the map are summits (with elevations), waterways, lean-tos, hamlets, roads, and parking areas. It also includes tips on trail etiquette and winter safety.
At 24 by 18 inches, the map folds up nicely to fit in your pack or back pocket. Like the National Geographic maps sold by the Adirondack Mountain Club, it is printed on tough, waterproof paper.
A nice feature of the Green Goat creation is its inset maps. There are thirteen, in all. They are especially useful for showing the details of trail networks, such as those at Dewey Mountain outside Saranac Lake and Heaven Hill outside Lake Placid.
One side of the sheet shows the region stretching from Lake Placid to Keene, including the McKenzie Mountain and Sentinel Range Wilderness Areas. The flip side shows the Saranac Lakes region and the St. Regis Canoe Area.
Though dubbed a Winter Trails Map, the map would be useful for hikers in other seasons.
I have a small criticism. The map uses a small green goat to indicate viewpoints. But it leaves out a lot of scenic views. For example, there is no green goat on top of Haystack Mountain, Scarface Mountain, or McKenzie Mountain.
The map sells for $11.95. It can be purchased on the Green Goat website or in local stores.
The Adirondack Explorer is a nonprofit publication that focuses on environmental issues and outdoor recreation. Click here to subscribe.
Leave a Reply