About Brandon Loomis

Brandon Loomis is editor of the Adirondack Explorer.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kim says

    I think there should be a confirm system hrs prior to arrival so if you dont confirm you forfiet spot for someone else to be able to call like a no show list.

  2. Wizard says

    What an embarrassment – the DEC should be ashamed of themselves. There were 50 safe places to park off route 73 that just sat there unused all day, but we’re supposed to believe that this is all about traffic safety, right? At least Willie Janeway and the members of the Ausable Club will be happy.

    Furthermore, why do I have to give my personal information to a website ran by private landowner to hike on a public easement? Has this website application been audited and is it secure? (it hasn’t been and it’s not) Does it meet Section 508 accessibility standards (it doesn’t). Is there a privacy policy? (there isn’t) Can a citizen without a computer or internet access make a reservation? (they can’t and are effectively barred)

  3. Todd Eastman says

    This system is A fool’ mission…

    … as safety is the stated reason for limiting parking, the DEC and the DOT could have changed the speed limit from Malfunction Junction to Keene or some spot l closer to Lake Placid to 40mph.

    This stretch of road is scenic with drivers frequently going slowly; the time lost by changing the speed limit would be insignificant.

    Could mesh with a salt reduction policy…

  4. hikers says

    yes! Doing a traffic study or at the least debating / considering a speed limit reduction would have been a very logical step in the progress. Has anyone read thru the report to see if they did that? I don’t think they did, but I can’t stomach reading that lengthy BS report.

  5. Zephyr says

    In other words no-shows can take all the reservations, effectively blocking many people who might want one of them. The goal to almost eliminate access appears to have been achieved.

  6. Murray's Rush says

    If this isn’t about limiting total number of hikers accessing public land through private property via a public easement, then why does a single 15 passenger van, taking up a single parking spot, require two (formerly 3!) of these supposed “parking” reservations? Why does a single bicycle, parked on a dedicated bike rack and not occupying a parking space, require a standalone reservation and thus deny access to a vehicle and it’s up to 8 occupants which could otherwise utilize the now empty parking space? Why not allow walk-ins, who aren’t using a parking space in any fashion, unless they have a bus ticket? The pedestrian safety argument goes out the window with the bus ticket exemption. Those people are going to have to walk miles down 73 from the diner to access their hike. Why are locals being given special exemptions to this “we swear it’s not a permit” system while the rest of the states taxpayers are being denied access to public lands?

  7. Lou Harv says

    I used the reservation system and it worked fine for me. I understand that some people aren’t going to like change, but this was long overdue. Now I don’t have to get up at 4 AM to try and get a parking space. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve arrived to find a full parking lot. I live about 1 1/2 hours away and knowing that I’ll have a spot guaranteed is much better. This system is new, it’s going to take time to improve, but simply saying “I don’t like, I never will” isn’t the answer. Let’s give them time to work out the kinks and see if it can’t be improved rather than gathering our torches and pitch forks and forming an angry mob.

    • rest of story says

      I don’t think you understand the whole picture, I’m glad this worked out for you since you have a long drive and I agree it might be nice to not have to get there so early. I’ve run into that same problem myself. But it’s not just this one issue that has everyone upset with the DEC, the ADK club, the AMR and APA, etc. There are a whole lot of other issues that many, many hikers are upset with by what has been going on, and this was one of their first steps to address all of the issues they have been talking about for quite a while, whether they really are an issue or not. For example, many are upset about them removing parking spots along the roads when the parking was already severely limited. So now it has become a very serious problem for anyone who likes to hike a lot, especially on weekends. And we don’t even have the Canadians back yet. So we read all of these stories and we can’t believe the steps they are taking and what they have been talking about. They need to do the opposite of what they’re doing, They need to build parking lots that will accommodate maybe 10 times more than the current capacity. They also need to hire more Rangers and other staff, they need to re-build the trails, and they need to reduce speed limits instead of putting up dangerous parking spot closing hardware and let us park along the roads like we have done safely for many years. (unless they build lots). Many people see these steps as commonsense instead of “driving people away” which they have been doing, either in actions or in reports of what they have planned,

      • Matt says

        Boy you really miss the point. Crowds are not only ruining the trails and endangered alpine plants but also the experience.

        • hikers says

          I’m not missing any points, I catch every single one. The crowds aren’t ruining the trails. The poor design of the trails are ruining the trails. Sustainably designed trails are the new benchmark, they have been for a very long time (decades). The high peaks supposedly have built one of these sustainable trails at Cascade but it’s not open yet. It was supposed to open over a year ago, along with the new trailhead parking lot. Instead of finishing that up, a whole lot of funding went to ORDA instead of the high peaks. Apparently Whiteface ski center and all of the other venues need the funding more than the high peaks. I guess they just want to continue to rely on the 46ers to do all of the trail work and lean to building ect for free, like they have been doing for half a century. And about crowds ruining your experience, maybe you should just stay at home if you don’t want to be around other people. Many of us enjoy the camaraderie and safety in numbers of this LIGHTLY used resource.

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