The summer has kicked off and now, more than ever might be the perfect time to get up and get out!
There’s always something to do in the Adirondacks, especially when it comes to outdoor activities.
In this edition of EMBARK, we hope to give you some fun ideas or maybe even teach you about some new information you didn’t know.
This season, we have stories about paddling and even some photos on where to go.
Or if you want to venture out on a hike and find a great spot to enjoy the sunrises, we have stories about that too. We even have information about the loons.
We’d love your feedback. Send it to Embark, P.O. Box 318, Saranac Lake, NY 12983 or pobrien@ adirondackdailyenterprise. com.
The alarm went off at 2:30 a.m., and I rather angrily sat up in bed knowing, that if I hit snooze, I wouldn’t actually get up again. Stumbling downstairs in the dark, trying not to wake up the rest of the family, I started the coffee pot and looked at the thermometer. It read a disheartening 39 degrees.
I’ve climbed St. Regis Mountain well over 100 times in the last 20 years, and it’s by far my favorite hike. But this was the first time I planned on hiking up in the dark (I’ve hiked down in the dark quite a few times), and with sunrise just a few hours away, I didn’t have time to dawdle. Or so I thought.
I pounded coffee like it was the Nectar of the Gods on the short drive to the trailhead and thanked the past me for being smart enough to pack everything I needed — including a
Views from St. Regis Mountain.
Views from St. Regis Mountain.
headlamp and extra batteries, extra clothes, food, and water, and microspikes for traction just in case — and put it in the car the night before. I threw on my pack, fired up the headlamp, and double-checked to make sure I had a thermos of coffee for the summit before starting out.
Even with vast experience on this one particular mountain, hiking in the dark can be a little unnerving. Was that a stick that fell behind me or a blood-thirsty black bear trying to fatten up before winter? Was that reflection up ahead the eye of an animal stalking me or just a trail marker? Despite the mild heebie-jeebies, I made my way up the trail in the dark, honestly worrying more about slipping on some wet leaves than any maniacal killer.
After making it to the top in good condition, I set my pack down and gulped some more coffee. It was cold and windy but pretty much clear as a bell with just some wispy clouds moving across the sky as an almost full moon shone brightly.
I figured I would have a little time at the top in the dark before the sun came up, but I ended up having more than an hour. I climbed the tower and walked around a little, and then set up my camera to take some night shots, all while still enjoying that coffee and thankful that I had gloves, a winter hat, and an extra fleece shirt to put on.
At about 6:15, the sky in the east started
to get a little lighter, and I didn’t need my headlamp to move around. I went up in the fire tower again and after a few minutes heard a couple of voices. Two women emerged from the trees and celebrated reaching the top before sunrise. I said “Hi,” and we all eagerly awaited the cresting of the sun over Whiteface and Esther mountains — me moving around to keep warm and take pictures, they snuggled cozily under a blanket.
The sunrise was incredible, as expected. The leaves weren’t quite at peak fall foliage
yet, but they were red, yellow, and orange. There was a layer of clouds filling all the valleys around St. Regis while the sky above had few if any, clouds.
As the sun’s rays grew brighter and the air warmed up, the women said goodbye and began their descent, while I stayed at the top to watch the sun go up more and more. After about three wonderful hours on the summit, I packed up and made my way back down the mountain, satisfied with some great pictures and a new experience in an old favorite place.
Views from St. Regis Mountain.
Save a loon — fish lead-free!
Lead poisoning is a leading cause of death for Adirondack loons. The death of a single adult loon of breeding age has ripple effects in the population.
By DENISE SILFEE Director of Education and Communications, ACLC
This summer, anglers in the Adirondacks have a chance to help protect loons and other wildlife by making the switch to lead-free fishing tackle.
Deaths from lead poisoning are a major cause of death for loons in the Adirondacks and threatens other wildlife that feed on fish. In 2024, 8 out of 26 recovered and necropsied loons died of lead poisoning. Because only three or four of the chicks a loon hatches in its lifetime will go on to successfully breed themselves, the loss of a single breeding-age adult loon has ripple effects on the population.
In New York State, lead sinkers of a half-ounce or less are banned. For years, this has contributed to the idea that small
Continued on page 7
Anglers who turn in their lead tackle to a participating tackle shop will receive a $10 voucher to use on
Continued from page 6
lead sinkers are the only type of lead fishing tackle that is harmful. Unfortunately, this is not true.
Loons and other wildlife ingest lead in many ways. For years, many people thought that the most common way loons swallow lead is by scooping up lost sinkers from the bottom of the lake along with small stones. Loons regularly swallow small stones to help aid in their digestion, and a small sinker is easy to mistake for a stone.
Once a piece of lead is ingested, it passes to the loon’s gizzard, where powerful muscles and digestive juices break it down and send it directly into the bird’s bloodstream. The loon will die in two to four weeks.
Recently, researchers have found that the number one way loons swallow lead is by swallowing fish that still have tackle attached because they broke the line or are being reeled in by anglers. This means that the most dangerous form of lead tackle is actually jig head hooks up to two inches in size. And even if a lead jig is painted, the loon’s gizzard will break it down and the loon will still be poisoned.
This means potential sources of lead poisoning for loons and other predatory birds and animals are actually broader than just lead sinkers of a half-ounce or less.
The good news is that deaths from lead fishing tackle are entirely preventable when individual anglers make the switch to lead-free tackle. To make the switch a little easier, the
Center for Loon Conservation is working with local tackle shops to collect lead tackle for recycling. When anglers turn in their used lead, they will receive a voucher to purchase $10 worth of leadfree tackle. You can find a full
Emergency Contacts
General emergencies: Call 911 Backcountry emergencies: 518-891-0235
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation operates a dispatch center at the DEC Region 5 office in Ray Brook 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It should only be contacted to report backcountry emergencies (lost or injured people and wildfires).
Non-emergencies: The New York State Police Troop B, 518-897-2000, Clinton, Franklin, Essex, St. Lawrence, Hamilton counties; Troop D, 315-3666000, Lewis, Herkimer, Oneida, counties; Troop G, 518-783-3211, Fulton, Hamilton, Saratoga, Warren, Washington counties.
list of participating tackle shops at adkloon.org/lead-tackle-buyback-program.
Many threats facing loons, other wildlife and their habitats — like climate change — can feel too big to have an impact. Death from lead poisoning is
threat that everyone can directly prevent by simply making the switch to lead free fishing tackle.
Learn more about threats to loons and their habitats and ways to get involved at adkloon.org.
Adirondack
one
Lead jig head hooks, painted or unpainted, are a major source of lead poisoning for Adirondack loons.
Enjoying a day of paddling
Paddling on Lake Placid.
Spitfire Lake.
Little Long Pond.
Putting on a lifevest.
Lower St. Regis Lake.
Bog Pond.
Little Long Pond.
St. Regis canoe carry.
St. Regis Pond.
Big water means big fun on Lake Placid lake
By CHRIS GAIGE Staff Writer
LAKE PLACID — There’s no shortage of aquatic options coming to the village of Lake Placid or surrounding communities throughout the Olympic Region. Whether it’s big lakes, small ponds, lazy rivers or raging rapids, the Adirondacks are a paddler’s dream.
Having had the opportunity to put my kayak in numerous surrounding waterbodies throughout the Adirondack Park over the years, one had been missing from my list — despite it being a stone’s throw from where I live in downtown Lake Placid.
This is not the lake whose shores rises directly above the village’s business district. That’s Mirror Lake and its smaller size, immediate proximity to downtown and preclusion of motorized watercraft mean that it gets the bulk of the attention for paddlers. Less than a mile away, however, lies Lake Placid lake.
Despite being almost 20 times as large as Mirror Lake, Lake Placid is a hidden gem of sorts. There are multiple public access points, including off Victor Herbert Road
and George & Bliss Lane, but the lake is largely tucked away. Roads only encircle a portion of the lake’s shoreline — many of which are private. There are three islands — Buck, Moose and Hawk — which are, to state the obvious, only accessible by water.
While Lake Placid lake partially borders the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness, and feels a world away from the village, to call it remote wouldn’t be accurate either, at least when compared to many other waterbodies in the Adirondacks. Much of the lake is dotted with spectacular camps and on hot summer days, the waters are often abuzz with motor boat traffic. It’s a unique combination of sorts, and one that’s worth exploring.
I began my trip at the boat launch off of Mirror Lake Drive at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 3. Traffic was quiet, the waters were living up to their name and the sun was shining. After having my boat inspected for aquatic invasive species (none were found!) I set off, sticking close to the lake’s eastern shore.
The channels between the three islands
divide the lake into two lobes: East Lake and West Lake. While a full day’s time would have allowed for a circumnavigation, I was pressed for time and had to race to Hawk Island — the farthest from the boat launch and the smallest — and back. Despite not taking in the whole lake, what I saw was nothing short of stunning.
After a week of rain, the surrounding landscapes were lush. McKenzie and Moose mountains towered above the lake to the west. The shoreline varied between gentle slopes, often with a boathouse and camp above it, wild forest and jagged rocks. After passing by Pulpit Rock, which rises hundreds of feet directly out of the water, I crossed East Lake to Cape Marie at the northeastern point of Buck Island between Hawk and Buck. I crossed Shelter Strait and paddled along Moose Island’s eastern shore, where iconic views of Whiteface Mountain are on full display.
As a side note, advanced adventurers looking to incorporate a full day of hiking and paddling can canoe or kayak to White-
Continued on page 11
Paddling on Lake Placid.
Continued from page 10
face Landing at the northeast corner of Lake Placid lake and then pick up the hiking trail to Whiteface Mountain. It’s about 3.5 miles each way to Whiteface’s summit from the lakeshore, and the trail gains just over 3,000 vertical feet — requiring ample time and strong physical condition.
For those looking to make it a multi-day trip, or just find a nice picnic spot to break up the paddle, there are two public lean-tos on Moose Island’s northeast side. After making a quick pass over to Hawk Island, I turned around, this time crossing over to East Lake’s eastern shore near Hawk Island to differentiate my return route and take in some new scenery.
Boaters are greeted with panoramic views of the Sawtooth and Seward mountain ranges when facing south, along with numerous other surrounding peaks. The quiet Tuesday morning waters provided for a serene and peaceful paddle on the lake’s northeast side, one of its more remote areas.
Having made a faster trip to Hawk Island than I planned on, I took a more relaxed pace on the way back, giving myself time to admire many of the remarkable camps, some of which are over a century old. Before I knew it, I was back to the boat launch. In all, it took about 90 minutes moving at a generally earnest pace. My trip was about 6.5 miles, elongated by the cut-acrosses and following the curvy shoreline, rather than taking a direct pointto-point paddle.
Lake Placid lake makes for an excellent adventure, but it’s one that I would say demands diligent planning sufficient previous paddling experience. Lake Placid’s large size can lead to rough waters if there’s a wind, and its motor boat use, especially at busy times, requires paddlers to be able to navigate potentially large wakes and always stay aware of their surroundings.
Mirror Lake provides an opportune venue for those newer to paddling to hone their skills before moving on to bigger lakes. There’s a boat carry between the two lakes, sharing the same parking lot as Lake Placid’s boat launch off of George & Bliss Lane.
As always, be sure to check your watercraft for any aquatic species, and remove and discard those on land before reentering the water. Doing so helps stop the spread of invasive aquatic species, some which have been ecologically devastating to many Adirondack lakes.
For those visiting Lake Placid without a
boat, there are numerous outfitters and rental outlets in and around town.
Boaters should always wear a personal flotation device, commonly referred to as a “life jacket.” This holds true for everyone, regardless of skill level. In New York you
Continued on page 12
Paddling on Lake Placid.
are legally required to have one PFD per person in or on your boat. The PFD must fit the person, be readily accessible, and be free of any damage or tears. Children under 12 must always wear a PFD while boating. Everyone, regardless of age, must always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFD on pleasure vessels under 21 feet in length — powered and non-powered — between Nov. 1 and May 1.
PFDs save lives. If you are not legally required to wear one and are considering whether to or not, you should be especially mindful of the enhanced dangers presented by high boat traffic, cold weather, severe weather, rough waters, nighttime boating, poor swimming skills and situations where rescue assistance is unavailable or would take a while to reach your boat.
Boaters should also take care to secure any personal items before heading out.
Garbage should never be left in the water. Always make a plan to contain it and carry it out. Cellphones and devices or materials that could be damaged by water or sink should be secured in a waterproof and buoyant compartment of sorts.
Boaters should check the weather and pay attention to the wind before heading out. On blustery days, waves on Lake Placid lake could capsize canoes or kayaks, especially for those with less experience or who are in narrow boats that could tip over more easily. Know yourself and your boat, and plan ahead for this. In general, winds tend to be strongest in the
afternoons. This can make sunrise or evening paddles an enticing option.
If there is a wind, boaters should also be prepared for a headwind on their return. In other words, it’s easier to ride with the breeze, but make sure you can paddle against it when you have to turn back to where you began in order to avoid becom-
ing stranded and potentially needing a rescue.
Lake Placid lake makes for an excellent paddling destination for those with previous experience and are in strong paddling shape. The lake’s large size and stunning scenery is perfect for an all-day adventure on a warm, sunny day. Continued from page 11
Paddling on Lake Placid.
A boat house on Lake Placid.
Swimming at Camp Whiteface Mountain for Girls, 1960s. The camp was established by James and Stevie Bowman in 1961 as an exclusive summer camp for girls with healthful summer activities including swimming, canoeing, horseback riding, tennis and much more. They also worked closely with the Dude Ranch at Paleface and the Lake Placid Horse Show.
blast from the past
Canoeing at Camp Whiteface Mountain for Girls, 1966.
Francis Betters, seen here in the 1960s, fished the Flume Pool many times throughout his life. He started fishing the AuSable as a young boy and made a career out of his knowledge of the river and his skills as a fly fisherman.
Asher Winch, a well-known Adirondack guide, hunter and fisherman is seen here in the 1950s sitting in his Mountain View Farm house on Springfield Road with his firearms and fishing gear. He was a good storyteller, often spinning tales and entertaining his visitors.
Early hiking parties to Whiteface summit used everyday clothing and footwear, as pictured in this 1883 photograph.
Whiteface summit, ca. 1900. Specialty items included pack baskets, rubber boots, raincoats, firearms and a telescope. It was suggested that ladies wear pantaloons, not their crinoline.
Two record-breaking fish caught this summer
By the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
So far this summer, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has declared that two different fish species have made the record books within just 10 days of each other.
On May 3, while shorefishing with his son, Dylan Kampnich of Dexter reeled in a 37-pound, 9-ounce channel catfish from Black River Bay in Jefferson County. Kampnich’s record-breaking catch surpassed the previous state record catfish caught in 2022, also from the Black River, by 13 ounces.
Then on May 13, Alex Pidhorodeckyj of Peekskill reeled in a 4-pound, 1-ounce Fallfish from the St. Lawrence River near Massena while jigging for walleye and pike. Pidhorodeckyj’s catch broke the previous fallfish record caught in 2009 by half a pound.
“A second New York State record broken in a matter of days is exciting news for our fisheries and our state,” said Commissioner Amanda Lefton. “DEC congratulates Alex Pidhorodeckyj on this record catch and advises anglers there are even more records waiting just below the water’s surface. With summer right around the corner, I encourage New Yorkers to get outside and experience how fun fishing can be across our abundant lakes, rivers, and streams.”
Channel catfish are the largest members of the catfish species that live in New York. They feed primarily on the bottom at night and are most easily caught using live bait such as worms or baitfish. When hooked, catfish can provide a challenge for even the most experienced anglers. For more information on fishing for catfish visit DEC’s website.
Meanwhile, Fallfish are the largest native minnow species in New York State and are commonly found in medium-sized streams to large, warmwater rivers. Not often sought after by anglers, fallfish are usually caught while targeting other species, such as smallmouth bass or trout. Fallfish have a reputation for putting up a good fight when caught.
Both Kampnich and Pidhorodeckyj submitted details of their winning catches as part of DEC’s newly revamped Angler Achievement Awards Program, which tracks state record fish and recognizes anglers who catch any of the 40 eligible fish species that meet or exceed the minimum qualifying lengths established for that species. Through this program, anglers can enter freshwater fish that meet specific qualifying criteria and receive official recognition of their catch along with a species-specific sticker commemorating their achievement.
The program’s three categories are: Angler Award; Youth Angler Award; and State Record. As part of the program revamp, anglers can now submit entries for qualifying catches from the convenience of their smart phone through an online entry form. For official program rules, eligible species and associated minimum qualifying lengths, visit the Angler Achievement Awards webpage.
The program further supports Governor Kathy Hochul’s “Get Offline, Get Outside” initiative that promotes physical and mental health by helping encourage New York’s children and families to put down their phones and computers, take a break from social media
that provides one-stop-shopping for information on access sites, stocking, regulations and more.
and enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings. Anglers are encouraged to check out the Tackle Box feature in DEC’s
Hunt Fish NY app
Alex Pidhorodeckyj of Peekskill holds up his record-breaking Fallfish.
THE ADIRONDACK pARK
New York Adirondack Park encompasses 6 million acres, roughly the size of Vermont. It was created by the Legislature in 1892 and is now the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States. There are 2.6 million acres owned by the state and is constitutionally protected as “forever wild” Forest Preserve. The remaining half is private land that includes communities, farms, timber lands, businesses, homes and camps.
