Participants walk to Dome Island during the “Walk on Water,” sponsored by the Lake George Land Conservancy and the Dome Island Committee.
Thanks to an old-fashioned winter with plenty of snow and ice, the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) was able to hold its annual Walk on Water on February 15, 2014. Donning snowshoes and skis, eighty-eight people participated in the coveted trek out to Dome Island.
Scheduled each February as a collaborative effort between the Lake George Land Conservancy and the Dome Island Committee, the Walk on Water is a unique opportunity for the public to visit Dome Island.
The island, which is preserved and off-limits to the public, was donated by John S. Apperson Jr. (1878-1963) in 1956 to The Nature Conservancy with a $20,000 endowment for its continued preservation. Today Dome Island remains one of the few islands on which no structures have been erected, and because of its unique “un-touched” quality is used for research.
Apperson was an avid sportsman and a life-long and tireless conservation activist whose efforts throughout the Adirondacks, especially on Lake George, successfully preserved much of what we love today about the region.
Participants standing offshore near Dome Island.
Walk on Water participants were able to climb onto Dome Island to see a plaque dedicated to Apperson in recognition of his donation and work to preserve Lake George.
Three separate groups were taken out to the island, each led by a member of the Dome Island Committee, a group of local residents who oversee the Apperson endowment. The leaders provided an historical background and experienced guidance over the mile-long trek.
Afterward, Katie Bruening, a participant in the noon excursion, said, “Thank you for a wonderful experience! On Saturday my sister, her 15 year old son, my 11 year old son Carson and I enjoyed snowshoeing out to Dome Is and exploring the Is. Our leaders for the 12:00 excursion were knowledgeable and helpful. When we were on our way home Carson said, “Mom, that was a great day”. Having opportunities like this and the Hike-a-thon (which we did in July) help us all appreciate Lake George on a deeper level. Your hard work for these events and all that you do to help protect the Lake George region is greatly appreciated.”
Dependent on the lake’s ice conditions, the Walk on Water is not guaranteed; because of past warmer than usual winters, this was the first Walk on Water since 2011. Despite its uncertainty, however, each year the event attracts dozens of people hoping to take part.
To see more pictures from the day, go to the Picasa Photo Album
(Click images to see full-scale.)