Adirondack Family Time™

Distance : 1.8 miles Elevation : 3,169' Vertical Ascent : 1,542' Catamount is a wonderful Adirondack family hike that takes children and families to a new level, behind easier hikes perhaps encountered previously. T his is a 1.8 mile hike (one way) is not for the meek though it begins as a flat wooded path for the first 0.5 mile before becoming steadily more steep. Follow the yellow painted slash marks through this private easement.  At about 0.5 mile  the trail bears right and begins to climb. Look for a small stream at 0.8 mi. and then the hike begins gaining in elevation and continues a mostly steep climb to the base of a narrow rock chimney at 1.5 miles.  

The American Hiking Society has designated the first Saturday of June as National Trails Day. Across the United States events take place promoting and celebrating the nation's extensive trail network. The Adirondack Mountain Club asks its vast volunteer base to help with trail maintenance and give a little something back to the area that is preserved for everyone to use. Volunteer trail work originally started with "Trails and Shelters" in 1923, but the focus transitioned from building trails to sustaining them. On June 7-8, 2014, the Adirondack Mountain Club is highlight the historic Northville-Placid trail for National Trails Day. The original entrance to the trail will be moved from its Benson Rd location to downtown Northville. This will be the first annual Northville Trails Day Festival with activities such as Smokey the bear, crafts, artisans, bounce houses, guided walks and local Adirondack cafe. © Diane Chase is the author of the Adirondack Family Activiti

A bicyclists making a stop hand signal  Yippee-Ki-Yay, it’s time for the rodeo. Well, not all rodeos are with horse and cowpokes, folks. It’s the annual Bicycle Rodeo at the Saranac Lake Civic Center. It still calls for a bit of a “yeehaw,” but instead of riding wild bulls, children will use their own power to ride around traffic cones and avoid obstacles, in the form of other bicyclists.    Last year my daughter got a refresher course on bicycle hand signals and bicycle road rules. While other children chose to go around the course as fast as possible, she took her time. There is a sense of relief to watch my young child cautiously approach the stop sign while attempting to use a bicycle safety hand signal.  Police volunteers are there to help coach children with proper technique. For anyone needing a refresher course, a bicyclist is supposed to go with traffic, but stay close to the painted line on the right side of the road. Use the left hand for all directional signals

My backyard has a mixture of wildflowers and cultivated plants with an eye toward native perennials. I gentle move the spring foamflowers, bunchberries and bluets that always manage to pop up in the middle of my kids’ baseball field. I protect the trillium from the puppy and neighborhood kids while making sure nothing invasive has traveled perhaps by squirrel, bird or child. Yes, child. I’ve had to educate my daughter that picking roadside plants, (which sometimes includes the roots, is not a good way of keeping our garden and property safe from Adirondack invasives. Since she is also a fan of gardening, I’ve limited her transplanting to items already located to our property. I’m always adding new plants and like most gardeners like to share and receive plants from friends and neighbors. I try to be careful and research each plant before accepting to my garden. I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, but am thankful for all the organizations out there willing to share in

By Diane Chase Honestly, my children think the first sign of an Adirondack spring is the Michigan hotdog guy that places his cart at the intersection of Route 86/30 in Paul Smiths. That fellow is sometimes out there waiting for Paul Smith College students even in weather that Mother Nature's first sign of spring, the Robin Red Breast , finds daunting.

As you requested! Here is a list of all the Adirondack High Peaks (plus McNaughton which is 4,000' but not considered part of the 46 High Peaks) I will have Adirondack Fun Facts about each mountain so keep checking back. If you have other suggestions, please sending them in and I will do my best to get the information here as quickly as possible. Thanks for letting me know. A patch is given as well as an assigned number, though many people do choose not to register. Climbing all 46 High Peaks is not distinguished by the registration, but by the accomplishment. The Adirondack Forty-Sixers is more than just a place to register hikes, the service and hiking organization encourages and educates its membership on conservation and preservation of the wildness of the Adirondack Park in northern New York State.

Owl's Head Mountain Keene, NY Distance: 0.6-mile Elevation: 2,120' Ascent: 476' There are a few mountain named Owl's Head around the Adirondacks. This small mountain in Keene can be seen from the Rt. 73 when you drive south from Lake Placid NY past the trail entrance to Pitchoff and Cascade Mountains. What looks like a little bump in a High Peaks backdrop is really a beautiful climb for people of all hiking ages and abilities. With over 300 activities including  33 easy hikes, 19 swimming holes/waterfalls, XC skiing/snowshoe trails, and 21 historic sites. 

By Diane Chase It was a long winter, though I did enjoy every minute of it. My family was able to ski, snowshoe and skate through most of those cold winter months. As Chaucer wrote, “…all things have an end,” so there goes winter in the Adirondacks leaving us to celebrate spring with all its most delightful changes. It is easy to let the seasonal changes go by without appropriate fanfare. When blackflies start biting or mud washes out our favorite trails, we want to remember the flower buds, robins and rock-hopping adventures rather than focus on the negative. One annual event that emphasizes the change of season is the Northern Lights School (NLS) Mayfaire. For the second year the NLS Mayfaire has joined forces with the Adirondack Carousel in Saranac Lake for its May 31 st  (11:00 am – 3:00 pm) celebration of spring. The schedule is set for an afternoon of community art, nature crafts, and live music. Green Goddess Natural Foods will have an array of their wonderful food a

A Farm to School Festival , Lake Placid School Carniva l and Saranac Lake Mayfaire are just a few events happening around the Tri-Lakes (Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake) this weekend. In addition to the plethora of hiking, kayking and canoeing opportunities, make one or all of these three (3) great events a stopping place for children of all ages.  The 2nd annual Adirondack Farm to School Festival will take place on May 30 from 4-7 pm at the Lake Placid High School Oval. The event is free and open to the public, but donations will be accepted to support the Adirondack Farm to School movement The event will have local farm products, crafts, games and even a "farm to school" dinner. Music will be provided by local band, Big Slyde with a 6-7 pm presentation at the Lake Placid High School Auditorium by  Essex Farm' s Mark and Kristin Kimball , author of The Dirty Life .  The ADK Farm to School Initiative works in collaboration with Adirondack North Countr

Check out the first in the Adirondack Family Time™ four-book series of Adirondack Family Activity™ guidebooks for the Adirondack Park, published by Hungry Bear Publishing. Tri-Lakes/High Peaks edition covers the towns of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Wilmington, Keene, Keene Valley, Jay and Upper Jay • GPS coordinates for each Adirondack Family Activity • Adirondack Trivia • Seasonal sections with events and activities • 33 mini-hikes • 19 swimming holes and beaches • maps of each town • maps of 33 mini-hikes/ski centers and 33 trails to snowshoe/XC ski in winter • map of 21 Historic and Olympic Sites • 18 games to play either inside for a rainy day or outside on the trail Click on the upper right corner for a preview of what's inside!

Dragonfly Nymph     Large, bulbous eyes Thick, round or oval bodies that may end in three pointed extensions Six long, segmented legs Unique, scoop-like lower jaw Gills are internal and not visible Ecological Role Dragonfly nymphs are prominent predators of other aquatic macroinvertebrates.  They are also known to prey on small fish and amphibians.

T he sampling of aquatic macroinvertebrates provide s a convenient and cost-efficient method for determining the water quality of a stream. Aquatic macroinvertebrates are water animals that have no backbone and can be seen without magnification.  Aquatic macroinvertebrates include such animals as crayfish, clams, aquatic snails, aquatic worms, and the aquatic larvae of winged insects. Aquatic macroinvertebrates can be classified into three groups based on their ability to tolerate water pollution: Pollution Sensitive:  This group of macroinvertebrates are very sensitive to water pollution.  They are generally only found in water of good quality. Stonefly Nymph Caddisfly Larva Water Penny Riffle Beetle Mayfly Nymph Gilled Snail Dobsonfly Larva Water Flea Planarian   Somewhat Sensitive:   This group of macroinvertebrates can tolerate low levels of water pollution.  They can be found in water of good or fair quality. Crayfish Sowbug Scud Alderfly Nymph Fishfly Nymph

Pendragon is pleased to announce that Witter Swanson, a student at Saranac Lake High School, will receive a full production of his play “Elmer.” The runner-up receiving a reading of her piece is Amber Baker, a student at Beekmantown, for her play "The Esteemed Institute."  Pendragon would like to thank all of the young playwrights who submitted their work and making this festival a success. Please join Witter, Amber, and the Pendragon crew at the theatre on  April 5  for a full day of festival activities: From  10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  Pendragon invites children in grades 1-6 to join Jessica Deeb and Executive Artistic Director Karen Lordi-Kirkham for a workshop entitled “Playwriting on Your Feet.”