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Showing posts with the label Champlain Valley hikes

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

Easy Adirondack Hikes: Mt Gilligan (New Russia) Elizabethtown NY

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View of Rocky Peak Ridge from Mt Gilligan, New Russia, NY We are a family that is always on the go. I don’t over schedule my children, but they are involved, active kids. Though we may be going in different directions a lot of the time, one activity that always gives us a positive attitude adjustment is to get outside. Since we are such a busy family, we’ve always migrated to those shorter hikes that we can squeeze in on our way to another activity. (I also find these shorter hikes are a great way to see a beautiful view and still be back in time to have a nice dinner or take in a show.)  Adirondack Family Time: Champlain Valley Plattsburgh to Ticonderoga:58 easy hikes, 33 swimming holes, 300 seasonal activities, snowshoe/ski trails, maps trivia and more!  Mount Gilligan in New Russia (near Elizabethtown, NY) is just one of 58 easy hikes around the Adirondack Champlain Valley from my second Adirondack Family Time guidebooks. With an elevation of 1,421’ and a vertical ascen

FREE Adirondack Fire Tower Program at the Adirondack History Museum

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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

An Easy Adirondack Walk and Views of Lake Champlain at the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse

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By Diane Chase 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 are explores searching for new lands. We may not discover unchartered 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.

Easy Adirondack Hikes: Silver Lake Mountain (Silver Lake, Au Sable Forks NY)

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Silver Lake Mountain Ascent = 900’ Distance = 0.9 mile We were all getting a bit antsy and looking for something to do before a trip to Plattsburgh. We wanted a quick, easy climb with a beautiful view. Well, that isn’t too much to ask for, is it? Not in the Adirondacks! With the same ascent (900’) and distance (0.9 mile) as Saranac Lake’s own Baker Mountain, Silver Lake Mountain is certainly a family-friendly option. Located in the Taylor Pond Wild Forest, the trailhead to Silver Lake Mountain, as outlined in my second Adirondack Family Activities™ guidebook, Adirondack Family Time™: Champlain Valley from Plattsburgh to Ticonderoga: Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities ) is easy enough to find. We plan on making this a quick jaunt as my kids are old enough to make fast work of these smaller hikes.

Easy Adirondack Champlain Valley hikes and walks: Lake Champlain Bridge Story

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Watch this amazing Mountain Lake PBS tribute to the Lake Champlain Bridge. Learn how the demolition of the historic bridge drew communities together from Chimney Point, Vermont and the surrounding Crown Point areas.

Easy Short Adirondack Hikes f: Ticonderoga's Cook Mountain trail map (Lake George)

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Cook Mountain  Distance 1.3 miles one way Ascent 895' From the summit of Cook Mountain, you can enjoy an expansive view of northern Lake George The Cook Mountain Preserve was established in 1990 through the generous donation of 176 acres by Donald and Marjorie Delano, George’s grandchildren. In 1995, the Cook Mountain Preserve was expanded by an 18-acre parcel donated by Dr. and Mrs. George Boyle. Directions:   At the monument/traffic circle (Moses Circle) in Ticonderoga, head straight (south) on Lord Howe St. for 0.75 miles to a “T” intersection with Alexandria Street (County Route 5). Turn left and then immediately right onto Baldwin Road. Proceed south on Baldwin for 1.5 miles to the 192-acre Cook Mountain Preserve. Park to the right. © 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 whi