By Gwendolyn Craig
Beginning Monday, Dec. 19, a portion of the Adirondack Rail Trail from Lake Placid to Saranac Lake will be open for snowmobiling and other winter activities, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Construction will halt and begin again sometime in the spring.
The segment of the 34-mile multi-use trail connecting Tupper Lake and Lake Placid in the Adirondacks was closed for public safety reasons while construction work was underway, the DEC said.
Megan Phillips, deputy director of planning for the Adirondack Park Agency, also told commissioners on Thursday that in addition to snowmobiling, cross country skiers, fat bike riders and snow shoers would also be able to use the segment of trail.
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“The Saranac Lake to Tupper Lake trail segments will remain open to interim recreation throughout the first phase of construction,” the department continued. “Access in the vicinity of the Tupper Lake terminus will be restricted during parking lot construction.”
There is some snow fencing up in the area of Fowler’s Crossing in the Saranac Lake Wild Forest, Phillips said.
State and local officials gathered in November to celebrate rail trail construction, slated to be complete by 2025. The state awarded Kubricky Construction Corp. from Saratoga County $7.9 million to complete the first phase starting at Stations Street in Lake Placid to the intersection of Cedar Street and Route 86 past the Saranac Lake Depot.
The department posts regular construction updates on its website. Check https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/124911.html for more information.
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i can only wonder when this rail trail all done who or whom will be snow grooming this new rail trail NYS or local snowmobile clubs?
Too all snowmobilers ride safe this season so as to spite the anti-snowmobile lobby
The local clubs will be doing the grooming on the trail. Odd how on other multi-use trails in NYS all users co-exist with no problems.
The grooming will be done by the local snowmobile clubs. Partially paid for by NYS snowmobile registration trail funds. What I find strange is there are other multi-use trails in New York State where snowmobile, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, walking, and bicycling co-exist quite well. The NYS canal trail would be one example. One can not see why co-existence would not work in the Adirondack Park as well.
Seems to me an unsafe combo of activities that I will avoid.
Visibility shouldn’t be a problem! Slow down when passing others using the trail. Perhaps if the trail is ever groomed, ski tracks could be set as well beyond the edges of the snowmobile section. I believe groomers can be modified to do this.
“Megan Phillips, deputy director of planning for the Adirondack Park Agency, also told commissioners on Thursday that in addition to snowmobiling, cross country skiers, fat bike riders and snow shoers would also be able to use the segment of trail.”
Anybody trying non-motorized use of any snowmobile trail in winter is risking their life. This isn’t like a designated bicycle lane, the whole thing is wide open to machines. Ms Phillips should be discouraging non-motorized use.
“Anybody trying non-motorized use of any snowmobile trail in winter is risking their life. This isn’t like a designated bicycle lane, the whole thing is wide open to machines. Ms Phillips should be discouraging non-motorized use.”
Seems a tad alarmist.
Cross country skiers have been sharing this corridor with snowmobiles for decades. Is it ideal for skiing? Not really. But are skiers risking their life? Hardly. Ms. Phillips should NOT be discouraging non-motorized use because that use is entirely appropriate and legal according to the State Land Master Plan.
I’ve been cross country skiing in this area for about 20 years, and frequently ski on different sections of the former rail corridor around Saranac Lake, Lake Clear and Fish Creek. The vast majority of snowmobilers are friendly and courteous to other trail users, and most skiers are smart enough to step to the side when they hear sleds coming. Sled tracks can be fun to ski on in certain snow conditions.
The Jackrabbit Ski Trail route from Paul Smiths to Saranac Lake utilizes about 8 miles of the corridor to make a connection between Lake Clear and Fowler’s Crossing. This route has been in use by Jackrabbit skiers for over 30 years, and there has never been a reported incident between a snowmobiler and a non-motorized trail user. More recently the corridor has become popular with fat bikers because snowmobiles and groomers create a perfect riding surface for this activity.
I skied a section of the Rail Trail yesterday. A snowmobile passed by. I did not fear for my life. We both waved, and continued enjoying the snow, each in our own way. Imagine that…
Josh Wilson
Executive Director
Barkeater Trails Alliance
Josh,
I agree. I have shared snowmobile trails as long as there have been snowmobiles. Some primitive backcountry trails can be pretty tight, but judicious use of a horn(?) easily alerts pedestrians and skiers from behind. Just allow us ample time to move over – especially in waist-deep snow off the trail.
Just put the tracks back. And run winter trains. Polar Express out of Utica entertains 800- 1000 customers per night. Why not at Lake Placid/ Saranac Lake?The recently introduced coach/upscale winter trains (Cabin Fever trains) are quite popular. Why not at Lake Placid/ Saranac Lake? And develop a parallel trail for non-motorized use. Just a thought for now.
My vanilla comment/question was deleted I said nothing Naughty but did ask the snowmobile community not to give ammunition to the anti-snowmobile lobby so, I assume that is why my comment was removed. This bias is so the way of the green tainted media IMHO
It isn’t always the big-bad wolf. Your first post remains. Was it a duplicate? My posts take about 24-48 hours to post because of moderation. But I also believe the server/software is less than perfect. Try posting it again!
Boreas in reply to your comment
You were right my 1st comment disappeared until i posted my 2nd Comment
Then when i posted my 2nd comment my 1st comment popped up immediately!?
So all good as for safety on an old RR bed the trail is quite safe as the site distance is almost unlimited as a RR bed is almost straight As a snowmobiler I love seeing others enjoy the trail with me but do feel a bit guilty as the skiers & fat bike riders are getting a good healthy workout and i am not LOL
Boreas in reply to your comment
You were right my 1st comment disappeared until i posted my 2nd Comment
Then when i posted my 2nd comment my 1st comment popped up immediately!?
So all good as for safety on an old RR bed the trail is quite safe as the site distance is almost unlimited as a RR bed is almost straight As a snowmobiler I love seeing others enjoy the trail with me but do feel a bit guilty as the skiers & fat bike riders are getting a good healthy workout and i am not LOL
You were right my 1st comment disappeared until i posted my 2nd Comment
Then when i posted my 2nd comment my 1st comment popped up immediately!?
So all good as for safety on an old RR bed the trail is quite safe for all users as the site distance is almost unlimited as a RR bed is almost straight As a snowmobiler I love seeing others enjoy the trail with me but do feel a bit guilty as the skiers & fat bike riders are getting a good healthy workout and i am not LOL
Well NOW they are coming through in triplicate!!!
Josh Wilson’s comment was perfect. I was out on the Adirondack Rail Trail a couple of days ago on skis and has a very similar experience. I crossed paths with a fat biker and a snowmobiler and both slowed and waved. The trail is a multi-use space year-round; the quality of the entire experience depends on all of us coming together to normalize best practices in the use and support of the trail. The construction occurring on the trail over the next few years will only make the Adirondack Rail Trail better for users, the businesses they support, and the communities it connects.
Brian Woods
Executive Director
Adirondack Rail Trail Association