The Saranac Lake Region is blessed with numerous recreational opportunities from hiking trail to quiet bodies of water. The area also has some of the most scenic roadways in the region. With all that’s going on recreation wise, you now have the changing of the guards. As summer hibernates, the fall colors come alive with a show that makes the best 4th of July Celebration a bit humbled.  One... [Read More]

            While many folks are waiting for changing leaves to grace our landscapes with color, I have always liked the late summer and very beginning of fall for the ornamental colors they provide.  As August advances and becomes September, wildflowers continue to bloom along trails, roads, and hillsides.  Their colors mingle with... [Read More]

Scarface for me started out to be a trail run, just to see how far I could get before the slopes overtook my legs. I remember from a few years ago that the lower portion of the trail is in excellent condition for running, so why not at least give it a go. [img:p5314634.jpg] I started very late in the day, possibly later than one should have for most hikes in the region, but I had my headlamp... [Read More]

[img:picture1.jpg]The North Country seems to have a fascination with train depots. In Westport, the current Amtrak train station is also the home of The Depot Theatre which hosts professional theatre all summer long. In Saranac Lake, The Union Depot has been restored and is home to the Adirondack Scene Railroad. But once a year, it is home to more than just a lovely train ride.It is the site... [Read More]

I am sure by now most everyone has heard of the Saranac 6. But if you haven’t it’s a hiking endeavor to climb six distinct peaks in the Saranac Lake Region; Ampersand, St. Regis, Baker, McKenzie, Scarface and Haystack.I had previously climbed all these peaks but have only done one since the start of the Saranac 6ers. A few weeks back I made way to the summit of Ampersand Mountain for my first... [Read More]

            Last week The Wild Center hosted FlavorFest, an all day event built around the tastes of the North Country, and a great excuse to pay the museum a visit.  The event was held in conjunction with the museum’s weekly Thursday Farmer’s Market and the vendors were in their usual location in the outdoor tent.   ... [Read More]

[img:img-8469.jpg]   It will not be long before Mt. Pisgah is known for something other than skiing and tubing.  The recent addition of a mountain bike trail adjacent to the ski trail is absolutely fantastic, and more milage is expected in the future.  When I rode the trail last week with local volunteer, Josh Wilson, I could not believe that the trail was only a year old.  ... [Read More]

A surf and turf adventure is simple, first you paddle (surf) to a hike destination (turf) and then paddle back to your car. The Adirondacks are loaded with opportunities like these and the Saranac Lake Region does not fall short.For this adventure we started by hauling our boats a bit out of the area and ending up in the Horseshoe Lake Area for the day. We unloaded our car near Lows Lower Dam but... [Read More]

[img:img-8497.jpg]   Over the years there has been a lot of work going into the development of a multi-use summertime trail system at Dewey Mountain that is suitable for mtn. biking.  Many individual volunteer hours as well as work days hosted by the Barkeater Trails Alliance have turned Dewey Mountain into a 4-season resource for recreation in Saranac Lake.  The trail system has... [Read More]

            This past weekend, I helped lead a Wild Center birding trip to Madawaska – one of my favorite places in the Adirondacks.  Madawaska is a collection of public land bordered by private easement land, such as the Santa Clara Tract, and the area is composed of a diverse array of habitats.  These varied habitats contain many... [Read More]

Eugene Sirotkine, internationally renowned pianist and conductor, will perform in a benefit concert for the Bartók cabin on Tuesday, August 6, 7:30PM at Cobble Spring Farm, in Bloomingdale, NY. Sponsored by Historic Saranac Lake, Sirotkine’s solo piano performance will feature pieces by Bartók as well as Handel, Beethoven and Schumann. Two years ago, Sirotkine visited the cabin in Saranac... [Read More]

What is more fun than putting on a bathing suit, some sunscreen, grabbing a beach towel and headding down to the local beach? Not much, especially on a sticky summer day. The Saranac Lake area has some really great swimming spots to consider, whether you are vacationing or a local resident.  For instance, right here in town we have Lake Colby Beach. Lake Colby Beach has a fun play area for... [Read More]

            With summer now in full swing, it is the time of year when Wren and I are taking daily swims in Lake Colby in Saranac Lake.  I return from working in the field each day sticky and sweaty from hiking around and conducting bird or vegetation work, and there is nothing I want more than a swim to cool off.   ... [Read More]

            I hiked Baker Mountain in Saranac Lake a few days ago as I was wrapping up my bird surveys for the season.  With all of our rain of late, the popular trail was very muddy in spots but passable, and I enjoyed the early morning solitude on the trail.  My only company were the droves of mosquitoes which have found the warm... [Read More]

            I led another birding trip for The Wild Center last week, this time to Bloomingdale Bog north of Saranac Lake.  We began our trip along Rt. 55 out of Bloomingdale, walking south into the bog, and while rain threatened and harried us throughout the morning, we had a successful trip.  We began amassing a nice list of... [Read More]

Are you wondering what to do with your family this summer? Well, the Saranac Lake area has some awesome family friendly activities to do. Each has something different to offer and is worth making the trip for!  Adirondack Carousel  (Depot Street, Saranac Lake) [img:carousel-sh.jpg] We’ve all been on a carousel, but this one is truly different! All the animals are hand carved and hand... [Read More]

            I taught at Cranberry Lake Biological Station last week and took my students to Spring Pond Bog where we met the DEC spruce grouse research team.  Although common further north in their range (I’ve seen them previously in places like Alaska), spruce grouse are listed as endangered in New York State and they are sought after... [Read More]

Looking for some adventure? Look no further, The High Peaks region has it all! High Peaks Mountain Guides (HPMG) at 331 Main Street in Lake Placid offers guiding and instruction for rock climbing, ice climbing, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, geo-catching, skiing, snowshoeing and general outdoor skills! They literally do it all!  They offer half day sessions and full day... [Read More]

After spending all day at the office, what better way to end you day with a great little hike up Mount Baker! After my fiance and I got home from work the other day we realized how beautiful the day was. Bright blue skies, warm (but not too hot) and still sunny.  So we decided to put on more comfortable clothes and go across town for a quick hike before dinner. Mount Baker is right in town... [Read More]

[img:img-1063.jpg] One of the great things about Saranac Lake is the vast cycling opportunities in the area.  Quiet roads seem to leave the center of town in every direction to take riders to smooth stretches of undisturbed pavement.  Recently I met up with native Saranac Laker and Olympic hopeful Annelies Cook for a ride on Forest Home Road.  This is one of Annelies's... [Read More]

[img:pantypulpingportfolio5.jpg]It is late afternoon and I am on my way to BluSeed Studios in Saranac Lake. Not for an art opening today, but for a workshop on paper making, and not just any paper making. Today is the Panty Pulping workshop, which is what first caught my attention.I read beforehand that this is a community empowerment workshop that gives participants the opportunity to transform... [Read More]

My wildlife research (focusing mostly on birds) has me in many places across the region at this time of year, and one of them is the Jackrabbit Trail in Saranac Lake as the trail heads out from McKenzie Pond Road. The trail leads into the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness and is one of the routes which hikers can take to both Mt. McKenzie and Mt. Haystack, two of the recently designated Saranac Lake... [Read More]

With the weather warming up, getting on the water is looking more appealin by the day! To get you thinking about the great opportunities for fishing right here in our backyard, We were able to contact a fishing guide from Wiley's Flies in Ray Brook to share his knowledge about Fly Fishing.Tom Graham is a Pennsylvania native, but came up to the Adirondacks in 2007 to attend Paul Smith's College... [Read More]

A little rain isn't going to stop this town! Saranac Lake and Village Mayor Clyde Rabideau have been hard at work putting together the new hiking program "Saranac Lake 6er". The program was kicked off this morning with pistol start at 8am. Starting today, after you climb all six peaks you can ring the bell in Berkley Green's Gazebo six times and submit your dates and times to the Village and... [Read More]