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Easy Shorts Hikes in Inlet, Eagle Bay and Old Forge: Bubb and Sis Lake to Moss Lake

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Recently we had to pick up my son from a Nike tennis camp at Colgate University . Since the drive from our house is a lofty 4.5 hours, we needed a place to unwind, stretch our legs and decompress. The beginning of the Vista trail at Bubb and Sis Lake trail, Eagle Bay, NY A favorite hike located between Eagle Bay and Old Forge (NY) is a stroll to Bubb and Sis Lakes. The options are pretty wide open depending on the timeframe from a short hike to a lengthy walk. We weren't under any time crunch, but we'd hiked the Vista trail before and hiked around Moss Lake so we choose to just have lunch on the shoreline of Sis Lake. The hike starts from Rt. 28, about 1.5-miles west of Eagle Bay. Turn north into the parking area. There are two handicap accessible spots so anyone can access the nearby Tobie trail. The only mildly challenging section of the trail is the first 0.2-mile. The trail gains most of its elevation within those first tenth of a mile. My GPS read that it was ab

Easy Adirondack Hikes: Saranac Lake The Pine Trails

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My family used to use the short “spur” trail known as “The Pines,” as a shortcut to a friend’s house. It was our path to a walk around beautiful Moody Pond and a road walk to Baker Mountain. The Pines was always a bit of a tangle with herd paths making it more a maze than a direct trail. We always managed to take a bit of a wander around, seeing the road beyond but always exiting with more of a bushwhack than easy stroll. Read the ADE FamilyTime column  Thankfully last year local Boy Scout Matthew Adams made The Pines his Eagle Scout project. With many trail improvements including water bars, benches and trail signs, the path is an easy wooded loop walk with no confusion over trespassing.  The 12-acre plot is owned by the Saranac Lake Voluntary Health Association (SLVHA) and deeded in 1937 to the organization while still under the name of “Saranac Lake Tuberculosis Society, Inc.” It seems fitting that The Pines is owned by the SLVHA.  Since 1897, the

Easy Adirondack Hikes: Hurricane Mountain Fire Tower (Elizabethtown NY)

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Hurricane Mountain  Elevation = 3,694'   Vertical ascent = 2,000' Distance = 2.6 miles Hurricane Mountain, located in Essex County, has a solid rock summit and 360Āŗ view. It's most known for its fire tower that was first built in 1909. That wooden structure was replaced in 1919 with the current 35' Aermoto LS-40 tower and 7'x7' metal cab.  There had been quite a lot of controversy regarding whether the fire tower should be repaired or maintained, but in 2014 New York State approved the plan to restore public access to the Hurricane Fire tower. Now in 2016, the fire tower is open, thanks to the Friends of Hurricane Mountain and other volunteers.  There are three different approaches for this mountain. Coming from the Rt. 9N approach, this hike gains very little elevation for the first mile.  After signing in at the register, the path follows an old road that weaves through wooded areas, crossing plank walkways over marshy areas.  After passing cr

Smokey Bear's Connection to World War II and Disney's Bambi

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Smokey the Bear, the iconic American symbol for forest fire prevention, actually was preceded by an earlier fire prevention strategy. President Franklin D. Roosevelt first started a fire prevention campaign when millions of acres of National Forest were being lost due to careless people. The campaign started with Uncle Sam and took a r eligious turn before tapping into the war movement. When Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and Japanese submarines fired shells exploding a Santa Barbara, California oil field - the war was brought to American soil. With young men and experienced firefighters enlisted in the war and stationed away from the home front, fear grew that these attacks would continue to destroy lives, property and National Forests.  Citizens were encouraged to take a personal interest in fire prevention and organize community prevention efforts. With the success of Disney's 5th animated movie, Bambi, the fire prevention campaign shifts

Easy Hikes: Stillwater Mountain Fire Tower (Herkimer County, New York)

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newly renovated Stillwater Mountain Fire Tower Stillwater Mountain Fire Tower Hike Distance = 1.0-mile one way Elevation = 2,244' Vertical Ascent = 470' After many years of the Stillwater Mountain Fire tower only being accessible through private lands, the new 1.0-mile trail is now open to the public. My family has not completed the Adirondack Firetower Challenge, but we do enjoy a beautiful hike to a beautiful view and the Stillwater Mountain Fire Tower fits the bill. We've been told by friends that the trail is finally finished after hours of volunteer work by the Friends of Stillwater Mountain. We drive through Inlet to get to Eagle Bay, It's always such a beautiful place so the ride is always a delight. The old trail started near the Observer's Cabin on Stillwater Rd and was marked by pink flagging tape. The new trail has a new parking area, signage with bridge crossings and even a picnic table at the summit. Stillwater Mountain new parkin