Cross Country Skiing

Did you know there is a railroad track that goes all the way from Lake Placid to Saranac Lake? I knew about it, but I never paid it much attention until I started to think about its potential as a cross-country ski. Winter hit early in the Adirondacks this year and I was ready to set this idea into action. I headed out that morning with one goal in mind — to ski from Lake... [Read More]

Playing in the snow is a very old Adirondack tradition, but it took a while for this activity to become more enjoyable than practical. Depending on the level of development where people lived, skiing and snowshoeing was simply the way people got around in the winter. Local indigenous people, like the Huron and Algonquin, taught European explorers and trappers the usefulness of the right footgear... [Read More]

A change in the fortunes of the weather Let’s be honest. January was a frustrating month in the Olympic Region for anyone who loves skiing and winter sports. Check that – January was a wildly frustrating month for anyone who enjoys such activities. Our variable and constantly changing temperatures gave us rain and warmth followed by frigid drops which froze everything solid –... [Read More]

Monitoring the snow depth The beginning of ski season is often a game of figuring out how much snow depth we have and how much snow coverage is needed to explore certain trails. So early season skis tend to be on open trails and fields which catch more snowfall – unless the wind is pushing it off. With the depth of our snow increasing of late and with the storm late last week, Wren (my... [Read More]

A Tantalizing Forecast I noticed the prediction for snow over a week in advance — my work and interests require me to check the weather regularly. But then forecasters played with our hearts and minds, increasing the projection for snow the one day, only to drop it the next. Accurately foreseeing the weather (and something as specific as snowfall) is a difficult thing to do, no matter how solid... [Read More]

Imagine a snowy mountain that is also in a town. We can go there, get outfitted for trail exploration, visit a mountain that is just wild enough, and come back to enjoy a cup of cocoa at a beautiful little lodge.Well, we have it, only one mile from downtown. It's Dewey Mountain Recreation Area. As they like to say, "Thirteen is your lucky number." Dewey grooms that many kilometers of trail,... [Read More]

Changing Seasons I’m always a bit slow on getting prepared for cross-country ski season. My mind slowly arrives at the realization that winter is at our doorstep as I look at a snowy forecast and I begin to think about getting my ski gear out of summer hiding. Of course that means making space by clearing out canoeing gear which is likely still sitting by my front door hoping it is summer. I... [Read More]

The Dewey Mountain Recreation Area is a great place for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter, and it’s also great in the warmer seasons for hiking and mountain biking. It’s really close to Saranac Lake Village, just one mile west of downtown Saranac Lake on Rte. 3, but you would never know you’re that close to town. It’s like being in the middle of nowhere up on the top of the... [Read More]

To Everything There is a SeasonTransitions are always times of uncertainty. A big move. A new job. Starting at a new school. So it can be with the changes of the seasons. As winter ends and spring begins, we muddle through a time of year when the weather can be warm and bright one day and the next day see rain, snow, or sleet. This variation from warm spring days to frigid, arctic conditions when... [Read More]

The First Warm Days of SpringThe temperatures a few days last week broke into the 40s marking the beginning of spring skiing conditions across the region. The warm days and soft snow were a big change from the cold weather which had dominated our forecasts for much of the winter. It arrived right on time - after all, spring officially begins this coming weekend. Soft spring snow may be slow, but... [Read More]

Jackrabbit Trail Day 3 of 3:Lake Placid Pub & Brewery to Old Mountain Road[img:p3143279.jpg]Day three of our three-day cross-country ski tour from Paul Smiths to Keene found us at the Jackrabbit trailhead behind the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery. We were looking forward to finishing off this trail with what we've heard are probably a few of the best sections. If you are just catching up with... [Read More]

The Jackrabbit Trail in 3 Helpings -- Day 1: from Paul Smiths to McKenzie Pond RoadThe Jackrabbit Trail is a prime piece of cross-country skiing real estate in the Adirondack Park. This trail is roughly 35 miles in length and runs from Paul Smiths to Keene. However, the sections from McKenzie Pond Road to Keene are used much more than the Paul Smiths to Saranac Lake sections. Either way, the... [Read More]

Lots of Snow So We Can PlayAs usual, Wren and I have been cross-country skiing on a regular basis this winter as our snow, once a bit thin, has been piling up. One of our favorite places to go is the network of trails off of the Fish Pond Trail in Lake Clear. The trails there are designated cross-country skiing trails and they wind through beautiful deciduous and mixed forest and around the... [Read More]

A Snowy Landscape Winter Storm Damon dumped about a foot and a half of snow on us last week and Wren and I were ready for it. The first chance we had, we headed to the Jackrabbit Trail along McKenzie Pond Road in Saranac Lake. The day was overcast and not terribly cold and the popular trail was already fairly well skied in. We skied through a landscape of snow-laden spruce bent low with the... [Read More]

St. Regis Canoe Area - An Interesting Ski Tour OK, maybe the ski wasn’t entirely in the St. Regis Canoe Area, but it was very close – more like a perimeter ski tour. I thought I would share a trip we did last winter, in hopes that it might interest you enough to head over that way once the snow makes a permanent presence. Watching the local forecast We had a forecast of balmy ahead of us for... [Read More]

Mount Pisgah Ski Center is a village mountain with big appeal. Downhill skiing, cross country trails, and fun tubing runs, all in the heart of Saranac Lake.Family Fun this winterOf course, it's a bit too early to actually ski, but preparations start well before the season. The lodge is readied for visitors, logs are laid in the big fireplace, equipment is checked, and trails are walked. There are... [Read More]

Paul Smiths Visitors Interpretive Center (VIC) An Adirondack family ski and snowshoe destination [img:dscf1012.jpg] Just a short drive from Saranac Lake is an outstanding resource for multi-use trails for the entire family. Paul Smith’s College has constructed a rather large trail system to provide a wide range of activities at the VIC. The major emphasis and goal was to engage the college... [Read More]