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Adirondack Fire tower Hike: Champlain Valley's Poke-O-Moonshine

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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

Solar Eclipse Today! Make a quick Cereal Box Solar Eclipse Viewer Pinhole Projector

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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

Solar Eclipse Moon Tracker Craft: See where the moon will move across the sun August 21, 2017

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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 .

Adirondack Coast: The Champlain Memorial Lighthouse near the Crown Point State Historic Site and Bridge

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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

Easy Adirondack Hikes: Glory on the summit of Coney Mountain (Tupper Lake Triad)

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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

Easy Tupper Lakes Hikes: Tupper Lake Triad's Goodman Mountain (Litchfield Hill)

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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

FREE Activity: Print out this MOOSE coloring sheet and fun facts

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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.