Adirondack Family Time™

By Diane Chase I have heard the walk around Lake Placid's Mirror Lake referred to as "the fitness trail." Though it is a nice 2.7-mile walk, there are no fitness stations along the easily recognizable red-bricked sidewalk. The level pathway is certainly a hub of activity around Lake Placid all year long.  There are plenty of on street parking spots, but we choose to leave a car at Parkside Drive, near the south end of the lake adjacent to the pubic playground, tennis courts and the public beach. I f I'm motivated I could do a few pull-ups on the monkey bars to constitute the complete fitness angle. We’ll create our own fitness trail.   We park the car near the playground and look out onto Mirror Lake and reminisce about the frosty winter toboggan runs. Now a dock is out at the public beach and some people are even brave enough to take a dip. That water is too cold for me.  Keep in mind that the Mirror Lake Public Beach is closed to swimmers when there is no

There is a 360º view at the summit of Whiteface Mountain, including this view of Lake Placid.  The last time my car climbed Whiteface Mountain, the 5th highest peak in the Adirondacks,  I was with a friend who had climbed not only all 46 High Peaks but also many other mountains around the world. The view had been socked in and we were to meet a large group congregating at the summit to celebrate three new 46ers . Visibility was zero that day at the summit and I spent my time making sure my children didn’t plunge off the slippery slope into the clouds.   Whiteface Memorial Veterans Highway Toll Road winds around for 5 miles before reaching the summit.  Years later and my car has managed to do twice what I haven’t accomplished once, it climbed to the summit of the 4,867' tall Whiteface Mountain.  This time I check the Whiteface website to make sure my visitors and I are going to be able to see the 360-degree Adirondack panorama. It states 70 miles of visibility.

Mt Jo is an easy hike for all members of the family The Adirondack Mountain Club's (ADK)  Heart Lake's Mt Jo Elevation  = 2,876 ft  Vertical ascent = 700’ Distance - 1.2-miles to the summit My son’s class had a field trip to the Adirondack Loj’s Heart Lake area near Lake Placid to climb Mt Jo. He has been eager to share his newly found information with the rest of the family so he will lead us on this 2.3-mile roundtrip journey.  This is #11/33 easy short hikes from Adirondack Family Time Tri-Lakes and High Peaks: Four Season Guide to Over 300 Activities (with GPS Coordinates) The ADK Heart Lake Nature Museum is near the trail entrance to Mt.Jo We arrive late in the afternoon and with no parking attendant we scour the car for the $1.50 parking charge.  (Parking is $10/day for nonmembers, $5/day for members and $2.50 for entry after 1:00 p.m.)  We are held to the honor system. I first park at the upper lot only to have my son inform me that

Where to pick apples in the Adirondacks? Click here! Apple Facts and Trivia Questions: Did you know apples are called pome fruits? They are part of the sub-family Pomoideae (pom-oy-dee-ee) that has a core made up of an ovary (the seeds) surrounded by an enlarged hypanthium (a cup shaped, tube structure)   • What type of plant do apples grow on?  • How many apples does it take to make one gallon of apple cider? • What is the difference between apple cider and apple juice? •  How old does an apple tree have to be before it starts bearing fruit? • Apples are a member of the rose family. What other fruits are part of the rose family? • Apple vary in shade from what three colors?  • How many varieties of apples are grown in the United States? • By what other name was the pioneer nurseryman John Chapman known by and why? Click the link for the answers

Clare Paulson as Thomasina Coverly and Miles River Willow as Septimus Hodge in Arcadia “ Forget this world and all its troubles and if possible its multitudinous Charlatans—every thing in short but the Enchantress of Numbers .”  ~Charles Babbage, 1833 What:   Arcadia , by Tom Stoppard, is a conundrum set in two time periods where the past and future collide when scholars at an old English estate try to prove theories by piecing together the past.  Where : Pendragon Theatre , 15 Brandy Brook Ave, Saranac Lake, 518-891-1854,  Advanced tickets price:  $30/adult, $25/senior, $15/student with ID, $20/matinee At Door ticket price : $35/adult/senior, $25/student, $20/matinee When:   Saranac Lake: August 26,27 28 at 8 pm Tyler Nye as Valentine Coverly and Shamus Hunter McCarty as Bernard Nightingale in Arcadia (Saranac Lake) There are only three chances left to see Pendragon Theatre’s performance of  Arcadia  and it shouldn’t be missed. This high-energy comic drama by

By Diane Chase (Adirondack Family Time) We are always looking for Lake Placid inside activities that do not revolve around watching television. My children have complete understanding of how the TV remote works so my husband and I feel they do not require additional experience. Since my kids are climbing up the walls, really the door frames, we felt it is the perfect time to try the High Peaks Cyclery indoor climbing room. Appropriately named “The Climbery,” High Peaks Cyclery has cordoned off an upstairs room, near the yoga studio, dedicated to the practice and perfection of rock climbing.  We are all novices, unless we can count my daughter’s habit of hanging from the molding. We are told her particular parlor trick will come in handy but will not be the same experience. We sign a waiver and decide to rent shoes along with the 2 hours fee in hopes that the tight fitting climbing shoes will help us grip the rock handles.  The room is heavily padded but we are still require

The view of Lake George from Prospect Mountain Driving to and past Lake George on Route I-87 I’ve often wondered where the footbridge crossing over the Northway leads. There are always signs or flags hanging over or people waving as we pass underneath. After being able to spend a day in Lake George, we discover the footbridge is one start to Prospect Mountain. We’ve been told the 1.5-mile trail is steep and can be difficult. We are only wearing sneakers but decide it is worth the attempt if to only cross the footbridge. I am terrified. My children skip across as if huge trucks were not speeding beneath their feet. They gesture to the drivers to beep their horns. They finally look back, realize I am not following and come back to retrieve me.  The path is relatively steep and follows the old Incline Railway that had been used for guests to reach the once thriving Prospect Mountain Inn. The Inn was destroyed by fire, twice. Now all that remains are pictures, a partial firep

Boots and Birdies Lake Placid mining sluice Though my kids enjoy our outdoor hiking adventures, they like to spend just as much time exploring all the various activities in our area. Recently a friend asked if I knew of any ropes courses around. We’ve been to a large ropes course in Bolton Landing and a few private courses attached to summer camps, but we hadn’t tried the Ropes Adventure Challenge Course at Lake Placid, New York's Boots and Birdies. Booties and Birdies is not just a cowboy themed, 18-hole mini-golf course, but a facility with a variety of activities that can entertain a wide range of ages and abilities. When we park in their lot my daughter gives the Eurobungy a look of longing and is torn between the ropes course and the trampoline bungy. 18-hole mini golf course at Boots and Birdies, Lake Placid Though there are options to save some money with a bungy/ropes course package or multiple tokens, it’s just the ropes course for my little monkey.   I’

Cobble Lookout trail now has a new sign!  UPDATE: There is a new sign marking the trailhead! Cobble Lookout Elevation = 2,600' Vertical Ascent = 400' Distance -  0.75-mile I am all about the easy hike  for my visiting family, whether they have kids or not. I enjoy backpacking, camping and the more challenging hikes, but nothing is more beautiful than being able to get in an easy hike with a beautiful view and still have my evening free to enjoy another Adirondack (ADK) activity.  Wilmington (NY) Cobble Lookout Trail with views of The Adirondack High Peaks and Santa's Workshop, North Pole Recently while at Lake Stevens we managed to fit in a quick stroll to the top of nearby Cobble Lookout trail off Gillispie Dr (Franklin Falls Rd.). It’s a relatively new trail.  So new, in fact, that at the time of our climb a few weeks ago, a trailhead sign wasn’t part of the program. (I was told to relax and enjoy the mystery and intrigue.)  Wilmington (NY) Co

Poke-O-Moonshine Fire Tower The Adirondack (ADK) History Museum is offering a free Adirondack Fire Tower Program on August 12 from 9 am – 3 pm starting at the Elizabethtown museum home base. The daylong session will start with an educational discussion with Fire Tower expert David Thomas-Train. According to Adirondack History Museum Director Aurora McCaffrey this is the second time this summer that this free program has been offered to families with children in 4 th to 8 th grades. “We have held this program in 2013 and a shorter program in 2014,” says McCaffrey. “This summer we did a similar educational day and hike in July. We meet at the museum and the class will visit the whole museum. David Thomas-Train will show the new fire tower exhibit and the light-up Essex County map of all the restored fire towers. He’ll also lead smaller groups up the museum’s fire tower. Then the group heads to Poke-O-Moonshine to climb the mountain.” The hiking participants will lea

New York Water at the Depot Theatre, Westport What: Written by Sam Bobrick and published by Samuel French, Inc, New York Water is a dark comedy about two mid-level professionals who meet while living in New York City.  They make a rash decision to get married and move to the Midwest for a quieter life only to search greener pastures in Los Angeles and finally return to Manhattan. Where : The DepotTheatre , 6705 Main Street, Westport, New York 12993, 518-962-4449,  Ticket price: $29/adult, $27/senior/student, group discounts are available. When: Westport NY: August 7,8,9,10,14,15, at 8 pm and August 9,13,16 at 5 pm. Matt Mundy as Alfred and Juliane Godfrey as Linda in New York Water Cast/Crew: Director: Misti Wills Linda: Juliane Godfrey Alfred: Matt Mundy Stage Manager: Sarah Overturf Scenic Design: Bonnie Brewer Lighting Design: Margaret Swick Sound Design: Jim Carroll Technical Director: Kati Long (WESTPORT) In a world of speed dati

by Diane Chase Recently my husband has started adding a fishing pole to our “must have” gear we leave in the car. The pole and tackle box now sit along side our water shoes, hiking boots, and towels. His logic makes sense.  We are usually finishing a hike or going on some Adirondack adventure that culminates with a watery stop. With 3,000 lakes and ponds at our disposal within the Adirondack Park’s 6-million acres, it is a nice option to always be able to cast a line. A nice place for children to be able to try out fishing is Lake Stevens in Wilmington. Located at the Whiteface Memorial Highway Tollhouse, this small dammed lake is stocked with trout and designated just for children and anyone with limited mobility. In the Adirondacks children under the age of sixteen are not required to have a fishing license. This small lake is also handicap accessible. Lake Stevens is named for J. Hubert Stevens, the 1932 Olympic gold medal winner in the Two-Man bobsled competition. La

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Pendragon Theatre What: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike won the 2013 Tony award for Best Play. Written by Christopher Durang, this play centers around three siblings, their housekeeper, one adoring neighbor and a 20ish boy toy.    Where : PendragonTheatre, 15 Brandy Brook Ave, Saranac Lake, 518-891-1854,  Advanced tickets price: $25/adult, $22/senior, $15/student with ID, $20/matinee At Door ticket price : $30/adult, $27/senior, $20/student, $15/matinee When: Saranac Lake: July 29, 30, 31, August 1,4,5,6,7 at 8 pm with a matinee at 2 pm on August 2 PENDRAGON THEATRE BRINGS BELLY LAUGTHS AND GOOD FUN WITH VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE Cassandra (Christina Eskridge) predicts the future (SARANAC LAKE)   The comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is as long in name as it is in laughs. Directed by Shawna Mefferd Kelty, this captivating show is set in present time Bucks County where middle-aged siblings V