The only independent, nonprofit news organization solely dedicated to reporting on the Adirondack Park.
By Phil Brown
With Labor Day weekend approaching, the long-range forecast calls for sunny skies, but that will be of little consolation to people who hoped to hike in the High Peaks. Because of damage caused by Irene to trails and backcountry infrastructure, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has closed the eastern High Peaks Wilderness, Dix Mountain…
By Phil Brown
The rains from Irene washed away the bridge over Marcy Dam, one of the most well-traveled crossings in the High Peaks Wilderness, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. DEC spokesman David Winchell said the crossing is now impassable. He does not know when the bridge will be replaced. The bridge is used by…
Lake Placid residents create Xoona website for outdoor athletes who like to compete without the hassle or expense of entering races. By Susan Bibeau It’s two o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon, and I really should be at the Explorer office designing the next issue. Instead, I’m taking a run on one of my favorite…
Hikers take in the view from the top of Noonmark. Photo by Barry Lobdell Circled by High Peaks, accessible Noonmark offers big views By TOM WOODMAN A hike up Noonmark Mountain offers the experiences of a Great Range expedition in a compact, half-day excursion. You ascend through the mixed hardwood forest of the lower elevations,…
By Phil Brown Perhaps you’ve heard of Richard Louv’s best-selling book Last Child in the Woods, in which he laments that modern kids grow up cut off from the natural world. Makes you wonder who that last child in the woods will be. I think I found him. His name is Eli Bickford. He’s twelve…
By Phil Brown
Anybody who pays attention to the photo credits in the Adirondack Explorer knows how much we rely on the work of Carl Heilman II to enliven our pages. In our next issue, we plan to run Carl’s photos of the Eagle Slide on Giant Mountain–which many people regard as the most spectacular slide in the…
By Phil Brown
For all you strong hikers out there … I don’t know how old you are, but the ageless mountains can figure this out for me. First, tell us how many High Peaks you can climb in a day. Any strong hiker can climb one, and we won’t believe you if you say you can climb…
By Phil Brown
Earlier this week, I wrote a short item for Adirondack Almanack on cairns. Many people are fascinated by these heaps of stone often found on bare ridges and summits. Tom Woodman, our publisher, wrote about cairns in a column in the Explorer last year. Adirondack Life ran a photo feature on cairns last year. And…
By Phil Brown
In the July/August issue of the Explorer, I describe a short hike to the Stillwater Mountain fire tower. Once the tower is rehabilitated, this will be a nice outing for the general public, but the state Department of Environmental Conservation warns that the tower should not be climbed in the meantime. DEC spokesman Stephen Litwhiler…
By Phil Brown
I’m sure many of you have heard about the hiker who died following a snowstorm in the Catskills last weekend. He and his partner had weathered a night in a snow cave. The next morning, he left to get help but never made it. He was found dead on Blackhead Mountain a short distance from…