Adirondack Family Time™

Poke-O-Moonshine Fire Tower, Keeseville NY Climbing Poke-O-Moonshine, Keeseville Elevation: 2,170' Vertical ascent: 1,450' Ranger Trail: (red markers) 1.2-mile Truck Trail: (blue markers) 2.4 We have not climbed Poke-O-Moonshine in quite some time. My son wants to listen to the song that refers to it by name. My husband and I look at him in confusion. He quotes the lyrics, “Misty Poke-Moonshine, teardrop in my eye.” Hmmm. It leads to a discussion on John Denver, “Country Roads” and the moonshine, in that song, refers to the home-brew “white lightening” not an Adirondack hike. hiking map of Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain  All references I’ve found to the name point to it being an amalgamation of the Algonquin words “pohqui” meaning broken and “moosie” translating to smooth. Some people believe the name refers to the flat rock summit and sheer granite cliffs. Those cliffs attract rock climbers from all over to attempt more than 50 rock-climbing routes with n

Please be careful today when watching the Solar Eclipse cross over North America. Even though the Adirondacks only expect to be at about 63-67% totality (the moon covering the sun), the harshness of the sun's rays will still do damage to your eyes if you do not wear the proper protection. To see what time the Solar Eclipse is happening in your area, click here.  According to the  NASA website , during a solar eclipse the moon aligns with the sun, temporarily blocking out some or all of the sun's rays. Why is it important to wear proper protective eye wear?  1) The sun will literally burn your eyes. 2) Since the sun is partially blocked, people may think the sun's rays are not harmful. That is not true. With the sun partially blocked, people have a false sense of security. Proper eye protection is required. © TIME magazine: 1960s school children view solar eclipse with cardboard box 3)   Solar retinopathy occurs when ultraviolet light from the sun floods t

There are numerous posts regarding the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse. Here is my own post from May that also targets the various seasonal full moons.  All the safety measures and warnings about wearing approved eclipse glasses are necessary. For anyone interested in creating a visual craft demonstrating where the moon across the East Coast and New York State during the August 21, 2017 solar eclipse, please feel free to print out the graphic I created using data from the NASA website .

There is something special about having alone time with my daughter. It gets even better now that she branches out beyond the princess -themed play to climb, fish, or catch something. This time we explore searching for new lands.  We may not discover uncharted territory in our Adirondack Coast tour, but we will tread on the lands discovered over 400 years ago by Samuel de Champlain. The Champlain Memorial Lighthouse sits on the edge of what is now the Crown Point Public Campground . It overlooks Vermont and sits surrounded by land that witnessed battles and forts. Originally constructed in 1858, the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse is a statement to the States of New York and Vermont and the Province of Quebec who worked together to reconstruct this monument as a testament to explorer Samuel de Champlain. I wish to see the bronze bust “LaFrance” by Auguste Rodin (best know for sculptures “The Thinker” and “The Kiss”) that is part of the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse and m

Summit of Coney Mt, Tupper Lake Our latest family challenge is to complete the Tupper Lake(TL) Triad . We have hiked Coney Mountain, Goodman Mountain and Mt Arab in the past, but in order to receive a climbing number, badge and decal ($5) we need to climb all three mountains after the Triad Challenge December 2015 opening date. Coney Mountain has always been a family favorite, especially when we lived closer to Tupper Lake. It’s been a few years since my daughter has hiked Coney. So many years in fact, there is a different trail leading to the summit. There is a designated parking area, but we choose to join the few roadside cars and park along Rt. 30. We walk up the gravel path to the register and meet a group signing out. They enthusiastically share their experience of walking along the open crest. The trail is a gradual climb with a 548’ vertical ascent and elevation of 2,280’. We easily follow the blue trail markers leading us in a semi-circle from west to north to

At the summit of Goodman Mountain, Tupper Lake  Climbing any one of the three mountains (Goodman, Arab, and Coney) that are part of the Tupper Lake Triad is trophy enough, but it is still fun to complete an Adirondack challenge, and add another patch to the collection. Tupper Lake’s Goodman Mountain 1.5-mile summit brings all the elements of an easy, fast Adirondack hike and still allows us time to visit the nearby Wild Center. The mountain, formerly known at Litchfield Hill, with its elevation of 2,178’ and vertical ascent of 567’, is a perfect hike for my visiting family of various hiking abilities. With its easy paved beginning to the clear summit view, we are able to bring the whole family.  A bridge crosses over Cold Brook After parking the car at the Lumberjack Spring parking lot, we walk to the kiosk that delves into the history for the name change. There is always so much history attached to the mountains, lakes and trails around the Adirondacks a

DID YOU KNOW? Moose are related to deer? The name "moose" is an Algonquin/Native American word meaning twig-eater • A male moose is called a bull • A female moose is called a cow • A baby moose is called a calf • The skin under the moose's neck is called a bell • Moose are herbivores. They eat plants • Moose are one of the largest animals in the Northern Hemisphere • Moose are excellent swimmers • Moose can eat 50-60 lbs of plants in a day!  Enjoy!  © Diane Chase is the author of the Adirondack Family Activities™ guidebook series , Adirondack Family Time™guidebooks have easy Adirondack family hikes, Adirondack swimming holes, Lake Placid Olympic activities, Adirondack trivia, Adirondack horseback rides, Adirondack snowshoe family trails and more. Look for the Adirondack family guidebook online or bookstores/museums/sporting good stores. Diane is currently working on the next Adirondack Family Activities™ guide.

Looking forward to that favorite farm vendor? Here is a list of Adirondack Farmers' Markets.  Just click on the day you wish to attend and prepare to be amazed with the fresh produce these farmers have been growing just for you. Please check out Adirodack Harvest for farm stands, CSAs, and new rules and regulations!  Enjoy the harvest!      Farmers Market Monday Farmers Market Tuesday  Farmers' Market Wednesday Farmers' Market Thursday Farmers' Market Friday Farmers' Market Saturday Farmers' Market Sunday

It has been a long winter and any signs of spring seem to be still buried under three feet of Adirondack snow. If you are also looking out the window and want to bring some color and freshness to your house, try these delightful window star art projects. Remember arts and crafts are not just for kids, but for adults, too! I am a devout purchaser of craft books, Pinterest  and crafting with friends. My children are very patient with my struggles to try to make something affordable as well as beautiful. Tutorial for Tissue Paper Window Stars Materials: tissue paper, colored wax paper or any paper that is translucent, glue and tape  Cut tissue paper into rectangles. Fold eight rectangles in half length-wise. Open back up. Fold each corner in to meet the center fold line. Crease the corners.

Print out this KNOT TYING worksheet and fun facts Learn to Tie Knots: Bowline I always learned to tie a bowline with the "bunny around the tree" method. It seems to be a time honored system as now that is how my Adirondack kids have learned to tie this handy bowline knot. Enjoy! "THE BUNNY COMES OUT OF THE HOLE , GOES AROUND THE TREE AND GOES INTO THE HOLE" FUN FACTS:  1) The bowline has been used for over 400 years. It forms a xed loop at the end of a rope. 2) USES: hanging something around a tree like a hammock, pulling something up, lowering a package down 3) The short end (BUNNY) is called the working end while the long end (TREE) is called the standing end. 4) This knot won’t come undone while under stress but is still easy to undo. *WARNINGS: KNOTS ARE NEVER TO BE TIED AROUND PEOPLE OR ANIMALS AND ONLY USED WITH PARENTAL SUPERVISION Look for more family-friendly ideas on AdirondackFamilyTime.com © Diane and Tyler

#280 Saranac Lake 6er on the summit of Haystack, after summiting McKenzie. #MountainMonday Challenge Accepted!  Saranac Lake 6er  View from Scarface- Saranac Lake 6er I’m slowly working on becoming an High Peaks 46er. I’m a 25er, though I admire all my friends that have climbed all 46 Adirondack peaks over 4,000’ including my husband, my in-laws and my daughter’s “fairy godmother."  I tend to go back to climb the peaks I enjoy like Wright, Algonquin and Marcy. I realize there are many different ways to appreciate the outdoors and one is to embrace the challenge of climbing the peaks.  Summit of Ampersand, a Saranac Lake 6er The Saranac Lake 6er program provides a different sort of test. The Village of Saranac Lake initiated the program to introduce people to the area’s lesser-known peaks. I was surprised when my daughter came home interested in becoming a 6er. My family have climbed the six peaks (St. Regis, Baker Mt, Scarface, McKenzie,

Are you overrun with toads?  Give them a home of their own. Here is a quick  Toad House  to make those warty creatures have a comfortable place of their own. Recycle old or broken terra cotta pots and get that toad settled in. Remember that toads can eat upwards of 1,000 insects in a day. They also eat grubs, slugs and bugs! © Diane Chase, author of  Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities)  available  online  or bookstores/museums.

Bald Mountain Fire Tower in Old Forge, NY In the late 1800s and early 1900s, enormous forest fires were threatening residents and landowners. New ways had to be looked at to try to protect and report how these fires could be managed. Two different fires, 1903 and 1908, which damaged over 1 million acres of woodlands, became known as the "Great Fires" leading to an organized system of forest fire management throughout the Adirondacks. The first Adirondack fire tower, made of wood, was built on the summit of Mount Morris (now known as Big Tupper Ski Area) with other towers being constructed over the course of the next five years. There have 120  fire towers  at various locations around New York State with 57 of them within the boundary of the Adirondack Park. The log and wood structures were slowly replaced by steel towers between 1917 and 1930, which could be more easily maintained. A full-time work force from  Forest Rangers  to Fire Observers were organized to manag