Adirondack Family Time™

The 115th annual Saranac Lake Winter Ice Carnival will take place from February 3- 12, 2012.  With a full 10-day schedule of activities and events, there is something for everyone in Saranac Lake. THURSDAY, February 2 5:30 p.m.  – 13th Annual Past Royalty Mixer and Dinner *Red Fox Restaurant, $, call 891-1286 for reservations FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3 7:30 p.m.  –  Coronation Of Carnival Royalty *At the Harrietstown Town Hall Sponsored By Women’s Civic Chamber Reception Following Ceremony; Downhill Grill SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4 10 a.m.: Ice Palace Fun Run (4 miles) (Ice Palace) 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: 19th Annual Business & Professional Women Chocolate Festival (Harrietstown Town Hall, $) 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Lutheran Church Women’s Craft Sale (Harrietstown Town Hall, $) 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Petrova Winter Carnival (fun for kids) (Petrova Elementary School Cafeteria, $) 11 a.m.: The Curling Exhibition (Near the State Boat Launch site on Lake Flower) 11 a.m.: Paul Smith

Tuesday, January 31st  at 1:00 p.m. The Saranac Village at Will Rogers Senior Outing Club, in conjunction with Dewey Mountain Recreation Center, will host a Senior Snowshoe Outing at Dewey Mountain.  Join seniors (55+) for a free afternoon of snowshoeing.  Snowshoes will be provided at no extra cost.  Reservations must be made by calling  Jenn Grisi at  (518) 891-7117  or emailing her at retireatwillrogers@verizon.net .     The Saranac Village at Will Rogers Senior Outing Club is open to all seniors (55+) interested in venturing out for moderate activity at various locations around the area. Activities are held on the last Tuesday of every month. The club's mission is to "offer seniors the chance to enjoy outdoor adventures with companionship, safety and fun." © Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities) for the towns of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Jay/Upper Jay,

  Bobcats Return to Champlain Valley Thursday, January 26, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Whallonsburg Grange Join  Sue Morse, renowned wildlife tracker and founder of Keeping Track , as she shares stories and evidence of the bobcats’ return from near extinction in the Champlain Valley. © Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities) for the towns of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Jay/Upper Jay, Wilmington, Keene/Keene Valley which is available online or bookstores/museums/sporting good stores. Diane is currently working on the second guidebook in the four-book series of Adirondack Family Activities.

I am often sent emails from people looking for activities to do with children or family members of all ages. I am honored to be able to suggest ideas. (My email is below but do to very unpleasant spammers I can't make it a live link.) Below are a few ideas from Schroon Lake to Lake Placid, along the "Adirondack Lake Champlain Coast. Inside activities: These suggestions all have some sort of cost: pan for gems at High Falls Gorge  518-946-2278 , Wilmington (also beautiful trails, waterfall), paint your own pottery at Brush On In, Lake Placid    518.523.6554 , go to the Essex County Fish Hatchery in Crown Point (for a few quarters the kids can feed the fish)  518) 597-3844 .  Ice skating  gets tricky this time of year. We have had so many melts and freezes. Schroon Lake and Ticonderoga flood the tennis/basketball courts or by the beach for an outdoor ice rink but that is not currently available but the playground at the Schroon Lake public beach is fun.

By Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time Tri-Lakes and High Peaks: Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities Mush!  John Houghton, the owner of Thunder Mountain Dog Sled Tours has been checking the ice on Mirror Lake daily to make sure it is safe and ready for dog sled rides. Since we saw a dog sled movie (more than one movie so it's not worth mentioning a name) there has been some insistence from the ranks about being pulled around by dog. There had been attempts in our past of attaching a sled to our gold retriever, with little success. I have been even dubbed the team at times, but believe the allure isn't in the ride but in the animals. Houghton, who also breeds his Alaskan Huskies as well as runs them, is not going to jeopardize his eight-dog team or the passengers that are along for the ride. He has over 20 years experience with dog sled tours. If his dogs are on the ice, his daughter assures me, the ice will be safe. He periodically checks the ice for