Group files complaint with DEC over lost use on paved sections of Adirondack Rail Trail
A snowmobile organization is complaining about the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s paving part of the Adirondack Rail Trail.
In a December letter to the DEC, the Lake Placid Snowmobile Club and its attorney, Matthew Norfolk, denounced the decision to pave sections of the trail instead of continuing with what they said was the expected plan of using crushed stone.
The letter, written on behalf of Jim McCulley, president of the snowmobile club, was also sent to Barbara Rice, executive director of the Adirondack Park Agency. The club currently has around 130 members, according to McCulley.
Pavement along 2.6 miles of the rail trail in Saranac Lake can cause snow to melt more quickly than on other surfaces, the letter states, potentially damaging snowmobiles riding on the corridor. Cross-country skiers could also be affected, it states. The club requests the agencies either remove the pavement or install snowmaking machines to boost snowpack.
The club also presented the idea of hauling snow to the paved miles, which it would partially take responsibility for.
“Snowmobilers and cross-country skiers alike now find themselves surely losing use of the trail for weeks at a time due to the lack of snow caused by the pavement,” the letter states. “Additionally, during the summer, the pavement will absorb the sun’s heat creating a hot surface for bicyclists and pedestrians and their pets.”
How the decision was made
The DEC in an email said the decision to pave the surface was made with consideration of heavily used road intersections between Fowler’s Crossing on Route 86, about 5 miles west of Lake Placid, and the village of Saranac Lake. A unit management plan amendment from 2020 describes the possible paving.
“Asphalt pavement will be utilized in segment(s) of the TLLP as determined prudent and feasible during engineering design, especially within certain areas of the villages (at the Saranac Lake Depot, and trail segments between Broadway and Cedar Street for example),” the amendment reads. “Asphalt surfacing is recommended to better fit the adjacent character and to maintain a neat and tidy appearance. Pervious asphalt or concrete may be used, if feasible.”
McCulley said he has spoken with the DEC and is planning to send a formal letter to the Adirondack Park Agency as well. Although the unit management plan mentions paving, he said the location and length of the pavement were not brought up in stakeholder meetings.
“I was a founding member of (the Adirondack Rail Trail Association). There was never any indication that there was going to be any paving done,” he said.
Photo at top: The Adirondack Rail Trail in February. Photo by Chloe Bennett
At over a million dollars a mile, the entirety could be paved with gold! Can we all say boondoggle!!
The creation of the rail trail has been very valuable to the community. I look out at the trail every day from my work place. Tons of people use it and enjoy it.
The paved section is a fantastic idea. It provides a flat, level, low traffic setting for folks to walk. That is a rare commodity for the community and judging by the number of users, it is much appreciated.
Personally I use the rail trail often for skiing and biking. Its a nice addition that adds options to various routes.
I am extremely surprised and disappointed to hear the snow mobile community complaining. Before the rail trail…it was rails. And when the snow cover was low, there was no snow mobiling. The current trail extends snowmobile season.
The warm winter really messed up snow sports this year. Along with that i have also noticed that snowmobiles (a select few) have messed up the rail trail by using it in warm conditions with minimal snow cover. If anything the snow mobile community should be worried about maintaining the ruts and washboard sections created by a small number of inconsiderate riders.
Another frivolous lawsuit. If it were my choice there would no motorized vehicles allowed on the Trail, ever (except maintenance and emergency equipment). How many snowmobiles are venturing off trail and damaging the eco-system? It’s a shame users using fat bikes, cross country skiers and those using snow shoes have to dodge speeding and reckless snowmobiles. Major safety issue.
If snowmobiles were not allowed then none of the users would use the trail in the winter. You all forget who does the grooming and the only group that pays anything to use the trail. You also conveniently forget who was the largest group that lobbied for the trail.
Pavement makes zero difference in snow melt unless the coverage is insufficient, at that point gravel is also exposed. Frost forms under the pavement as easily as it does under grave/crusher run…
You are incorrect. Asphalt absorbs heat from the sun mutch quicker than stone dust. The difference is easy to see on trails like the Erie Canal. The areas that have been paved will be bare long before the areas with stone dust.
Forget melting snow, before you know it snowmobiles won’t be allowed on it. They did it here in MA, built a rail trail with the claim snowmobiling was still going to be allowed. Once finished they closed it to sleds for good.
I agree, ALL motorized vehicles should be banned from the Adirondack Rail Trail.
Paint it white.
Snow making machines?
Somebody has been to the dispensary…
The State loves to over-build. They have ruined experiences for bikers on other unpaved roads by using unsuitable materials. Geesh.
Snowmobiles are limited in access to snow cover but do pay an annual fee. How was the paving paid for?
The Rail Trail is for everyone, but please be aware that Snowmobilers were one of the strongest advocate groups to attain the trail and need it most and may be the most economically beneficial . Municipal entities are scrambling to take advantage and reap the benefits. The Rail Trail is the LEAST environmentally harmful trail in the Adirondacks; the damage was done in the 1800’s and the railroad continues to be the most invasive use of this corridor. With waning populations and opportunities we need all the help we can get before you cant get a cup of coffee from December to July. Yes I know sometimes improper parenting is more obvious in some activities, but the blame should not be detrimental to all. The Rail Trail in its simplest form is a great way for businesses to help them selves! We can’t all exist on endless NYS investment ( a dubious term).
A dirty back room deal done behind all the trail user groups backs by a renegade APA bureaucrat, NYS government and the local governments to benefit his personal agenda. How very New York State, corruption to the very core.
The APA only issued wetlands permits for the trial. They didn’t pay for it or build it. Go sell this someplace else, we are all stocked up here.
You’re all right, with winters all but disappearing we should cater to a user group that can utilize the trail 1 out of 12 months versus the walkers, bikers and wheelchairs that can use the paved sections the other 11 months. Give me a break.
Gee, how NYS. Stab the user group in the back that has had the winter use permit for the past twenty-five plus years, provided trail insurance and was the biggest lifter for the multi-use trail. Oh, that certain APA official was in the user group meetings, and then was conducting his own meetings with NYSDEC and local officials on the side for his own benefit. It is obvious you refuse to see the problem and are no doubt part of the problem.
Snowmobilers have got to admit their contribution to climate change and explain the mess they are in with melting snow. It’s about time people realize the benefits of muscle power over motor power.
In this stage of climate change and the health of the Adirondack park we are discussing using asphalt to pave over more land in the park. I thought we were concerned about the state of the park and the heating of the earth and the use of fossil fuels. ( For those who dont know, Asphalt is made from oil.) And another point is that no water perks thru asphalt. Gravel allows water to perk thru to the ground water table while asphalt just helps water run off and cause washouts. Cant we at least try to use our brains to help the parks health. I think we all want that.
It’s always easy spending our tax payer’s money .
I would agree that there should not allow motorized vehicles at all on the trail. It’s a danger for all other users such as walkers, runners, cross-country skiers, bikers etc. I also wish that the 15 mph limit should be imposed in all sections of the rail trail.
I disagree with the statement made above about “no winter usage”. I see a lot of people using the trails and ancillary businesses hear in MA during the winter periods.
I am a bicyclist, fisherman, hunter, snowmobiler, and general outdoorsman and lover of the Adirondacks. I am also a heavy highway construction superintendent and have been directly involved with the building of many miles of “The Rail Trail”.
Snowmobiling has an extremely low impact on the environment, there are bad people in all walks of life and people do bad things.
The fact is, skiers, pedestrians, bikers that use these trails dont even generate enough money to pay for the mowing of these trails, let alone the construction and other maintenance. There is no registration for skis, bikes or sneakers. No parking fees etc… As an enjoyer of both activities, when I go snowmobiling I will spend money on a room for a night or 2, buy breakfast, lunch, dinner at a local establishment, pay to join local club, register all 3 of our sleds and the list goes on.
I take the bike, put some granola and a sandwich with some waters in the pack and go. I’ve invested exactly zero dollars to use the trail system.
I have ridden Snowmobiles, 1000’s of miles all over the North East for 25 years, and the amount of “damage” that I have seen isn’t even worth mentioning. I have seen a car accident off the side of the road have a larger impact.
Stone dust should be the preferred product for the finished surface of the rail trails, it’s safer, cheaper, easy to maintain and works for all parties. Keep the blacktop on the highways.
Snowmobile/ATV hate is the thing that bindes the green folks together other wise they would be at each other’s throats for funding money IMHO
I’m not a snowmobiler, but I witnessed them expounding an enormous effort to get this trail. Without them, we might not have it. Now some want to turn their back on them. What a shame.
I snowmobile on the rail trail about a dozen times in the winter. Most traffic I see are snowmobiles. Occasionally I pass skiers, fat tire bikes and walkers. All my encounters have been friendly. I find it hard to believe that anyone is dodging snowmobiles. The trail is straight and flat, and you can see you’re approaching someone for a mile. I’m sure 99% of these encounters are safe and friendly. As always the case you’re going to have that disrespectful 1% in any group. Hopefully they will be mitigated. Stop hating we all want to enjoy the same thing. There is room for all, oh by the way I also bicycle on the trail, summer and fall.
I hope it will extend wheelchair accessibility to the ADK!