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After five years of public debate the Adirondacks are on the verge of seeing a new rail trail that should prove to be an important tourist draw and a recreational opportunity in keeping with the natural beauty it will traverse. But at the same time, the state government may settle for a compromise that will…
I am writing to express my disappointment with the location of the parking area for the Essex Chain Lakes. It has two bad options: 1. Portage for about a quarter-mile, then down a steep bank, put your canoe in on Deer Pond, paddle two hundred yards across the pond, take out, and portage again for…
Reading your article “An Easier Way to Allen,” [July/August 2015] stimulated memories of how I climbed Allen to complete becoming a Forty-Sixer in June 1960. I and my climbing partner did not use any of the customarily described routes to Allen then or now. Here is how I recall what we did. In 1959, we…
Paul Post’s article “Fuel for Debate” [July/August 2015] quoted Matt Dempsey, a spokesman for the Independent Petroleum Association of America, responding to a report by environmental groups about the threat to Lake Champlain caused by trains carrying oil tankers along the lakeshore. Dempsey said: “The biggest issue with this report is that it doesn’t distinguish…
It was with great pleasure that I read the article “The joys of summer” by Joseph Mercurio [May/June 2015]. At first, I just noticed his name and thought that it sounded somewhat familiar. Then, as I read on further, I realized that he was writing about an experience we had both shared back in the…
I love walking in the woods with our dog. All of us who do, however, must acknowledge that dog/wildlife encounters are often not pleasant for one side or the other. I gather from the article about the bear mauling a hiker in August [“Hiker mauled by bear,” September/October 2015], Eric Spinner’s dog, Pippy, was off…
In August I rode the Adirondack Mountain Club’s Ididaride bike tour out of North Creek, along with five hundred other cyclists who came from far and wide. A grueling ride like this attracts only a small fraction of the general bicycling population—most greatly prefer the gentle and peaceful environment of a bike trail. When I looked at all the cars…
I was delighted to see your story on the gentleman who is helping political refugees attend Adirondack summer camps [“Refuge in the Adirondacks, July/August 2015]. I first encountered the magnificence and lore of the Adirondacks when I began work in 1957 at Adirondack Woodcraft Camps, a private camp near Old Forge. I would venture to say that summer camp for…
Two years ago, three of us drove to Saranac Lake and boarded the tourist train to Lake Placid. It was a wine-tasting trip featuring local wine, snacks, and a disc jockey. A lot of fun on a Saturday night. I gave my daughter and son-in-law an anniversary present of a railroad trip from Utica, including a tour of a local…
This is in response to the story “State supports rail trail” [July/August 2015]. I applaud the state’s proposal to convert the thirty four-mile section of historic rail corridor connecting Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake into a world-class recreational trail for biking, walking, hiking, improved snowmobiling, and all-around enjoyment of our wild and beautiful Adirondacks. As a taxpayer, however,…