The only independent, nonprofit news organization solely dedicated to reporting on the Adirondack Park.
By Phil Brown
Voters overwhelmingly ratified on Tuesday a constitutional amendment to allow the state and National Grid to swap parcels of land in the northwestern Adirondacks. The amendment retroactively approves the construction of a power line in a two-mile strip of Forest Preserve along Route 56. The state will receive forty-three acres from National Grid in exchange…
By Phil Brown
On Tuesday, voters will be asked to approve the construction of a power line that’s already been built—through the forever-wild Forest Preserve in the northwestern Adirondacks. If Ballot Proposal One is approved, the state will cede to National Grid a two-mile strip, totaling six acres, along Route 56 where the line was built last year.…
By Phil Brown
I went to Albany this past weekend to attend the Adirondack Mountain Club’s annual Presidents’ Dinner and pick up an award for the Adirondack Explorer. ADK gave me the Eleanor F. Brown Communication Award, which is named after its first recipient, who several years ago published a marvelous reference work titled The Forest Preserve…
By Phil Brown
Scientists have recognized for a while that Adirondack coyotes are bigger than western coyotes, but there has been debate over whether the cause is genetic or environmental. A recent study led by Roland Kays, mammal curator at the New York State Museum, comes down squarely on the side of genetics: the Adirondack coyote is part…
By Phil Brown
The Adirondacks and sportsmen everywhere lost a friend this week when Nellie Staves passed away at ninety-two. We liked to think of Nellie as our friend, too. In 2000, Ed Kanze wrote a nice profile of Nellie that we published in the Explorer. After that, she often stopped in the office when she was passing…
By Phil Brown
Six of us turned out Saturday to trim and clear the Wright Peak Ski Trail. We started where last year’s crew left off and worked our way up almost to the ridgeline. Thus, nearly all of the steep part of the trail should be in good shape this winter. We also cut out sections of two…
By Phil Brown
It may have snowed in Lake Placid this week, but it’s not time yet to put away those sticky-soled shoes and get out the crampons. High Peaks Cyclery is offering free rock-climbing clinics as part of the second annual Adirondack Climbing Film Festivalin Lake Placid this weekend. The festivities will kick off with a presentation…
By Phil Brown
The Adirondack Mountain Club has issued a supplement to its Adirondack Trails: Eastern Region guidebook that can be downloaded for free from its Web site. The supplement describes twelve additional hiking trails in ten locations within the region, which includes Lake George and the Champlain Valley. Perhaps the most exciting addition is the 2.6-mile trail…
By Phil Brown
If you like to ski the backcountry, the Adirondack Ski Touring Council wants your help maintaining trails for skiing. The council will be trimming brush and branches on the Van Hoevenberg Trail to Mount Marcy this Saturday. Volunteers are to meet at the High Peaks Information Center at Heart Lake at 8 a.m. Tools will…
By Phil Brown
Many of you may have heard about the recent death of Fran Betters, the legendary fly fisherman from Wilmington. He is usually associated with his beloved Ausable River, but he fished many other places in the Adirondacks as well. Years ago, for example, he wrote a nice piece for the Explorer about the fishing opportunities…