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Wilderness Rescue on Black Mountain


A helicopter wilderness rescue on top of Black Mountain in Dresden.

On Nov. 14 at 12:30 p.m., Washington County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch reporting a hiker with a non-weight bearing knee injury on the trail near the summit of Black Mountain. Forest Rangers Baker, O’Connor, Donegan, Bode, and Hess responded, along with Dresden Fire Department and Skenesborough EMS, to the trailhead. Forest Ranger Donegan was the first on scene with the 46-year-old woman from South Glens Falls and requested the assistance of New York State Police Aviation. Forest Ranger DiCintio responded to the Schroon Airfield, and at 4:48 p.m., advised that he linked up with New York State Police Aviation and was en route to the hiker’s location. At dusk, NYSP Aviation performed a power-on landing at the summit of Black Mountain and the injured woman was loaded into the helicopter. The hiker was flown to a local airport where she was turned over to an ambulance for transport to the hospital for medical treatment.

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What is an HAB and Why We Should be Concerned?

The New York State DEC has confirmed and the Lake George Association has reported: An isolated harmful algal bloom appeared Saturday, Nov. 7, on Lake George on the northeast side (Harris Bay side) of Assembly Point. (In the southern end.) The bloom quickly dissipated, but reappeared on Monday, Nov. 9. LGA staff returned to the bay on Monday to sample the water, and saw that the bloom had reappeared and was no longer isolated.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when algae — simple photosynthetic organisms that live in the sea and freshwater — grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, marine life and birds. There are many kinds of HABs, caused by a variety of algal groups with different toxins. The human illnesses caused by HABs, though rare, can be debilitating or even fatal. States have rigorous monitoring programs to ensure that commercially harvested fish are safe to eat. HABs have been reported in every U.S. coastal state, and their occurrence may be on the rise. HABs are a national concern because they affect not only the health of people and marine ecosystems, but also the “health” of local and regional economies.

People and animals should avoid contact with water that is discolored or has algal scums on the surface.

Lake George is not immune to HABs. The Lake George Association is seeking the extent of the problem by asking for two things:
1.) If you took a photo of the Lake surface, no matter where it was taken, anytime after October 20th, the LGA would like to see it. Please send the photo, the date it was taken and the photo location to Director of Education Kristen Wilde at kwilde@lakegeorgeassociation.org
2.) In addition, if you are at the Lake this upcoming week, please take a photo of the water along your shoreline or dock and send it to Ms. Wilde, as well.

The New York State DEC has confirmed and the LGA reports that the initial identification of the cyanobacteria that caused the Harmful Algal Bloom is a type of Dolichospermum.

Dolichospermumis planktonic – a single cell cyanobacteria that floats and moves on its own in the water like plankton. When it blooms, Dolichospermum can produce toxins that can affect nerves, liver, and irritate skin. Late on Friday afternoon, November 13th, the LGA reported the state Department of Environmental Conservation had determined the toxin levels in the water sample that LGA staff took from the Harmful Algal Bloom in Harris Bay on Monday, November 9th, were below the EPA Advisory level. The sample confirmed the presence of cyanobacteria and it was determined that the toxin level of the sample was below EPA’s 10-day drinking water health advisory level of 0.30 micrograms per liter for sensitive populations.

However, please be extra vigilant in preventing any types of pollutants from reaching the waters of Lake George.

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DEC Announces Seasonal Closure of Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Parkway


A view from Prospect Mountain, looking down into Lake George Village, at the southern end of Lake George.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced that the Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Parkway will close for the 2020 season at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11th.

Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Parkway climbs 5.5-miles from the entry gate to a parking lot just below the summit. There are three separate overlooks along the parkway – the Narrows, Lake George, and Eagle’s Eye – from which to enjoy the scenery of the Adirondack Mountains and Lake George. More adventurous visitors can hike to the summit on a 1.5-mile trail, which climbs 1,630 feet from its trailhead on Smith Street in the village of Lake George.

Prior to the seasonal closure, DEC helped to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at this site by implementing several precautions, including closing the roadway to the summit of Prospect Mountain to public vehicle traffic and not operating the shuttle from the parking lot to the summit. Visitors can park in the parking lot 155 feet below the summit and walk the 0.2-mile paved path to the top. Picnicking is prohibited and the public restrooms remain closed. View scopes at the pull-offs and on the summit have been temporarily removed.

Use of the parkway has been free this year as DEC encourages New Yorkers to Play Smart, Play Safe, Play Local and enjoy the outdoors responsibly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically, use of the parkway costs $10 for a car, $5 for a motorcycle, and $50 for a commercial bus.

If you’ve never been up Prospect Mountain, it offers beautiful views of Lake George, and is worth the trip.

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Bald Eagle Spotted Nearby


The dot on top of the tallest tree in the center of the above picture is a bald eagle.

The picture here was taken on Monday, November 9th, from a boat passing by the Chapel Islands. The bird perched on the top branch was a bald eagle, which seemed to be on the lookout for its next meal. (Click image to see larger picture.)

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Twelve Years Old


Well, here it is – another November 9th. Today is the day I celebrate the creation date or “birthday” of the Huletts Current. It has been exactly twelve years since my first post in 2008.

What a year! In national news, COVID-19 has been the major story, but the Presidential election ranks right up there also. I think, in challenging times like these, it’s more important than ever, if your state of being or mental health gets caught up in external events like these, it is helpful to have a wider religious or philosophical view that is grounded in eternal truths, e.g. Loving and serving God and your neighbor, building a better world, being a more just person. There are so many people suffering whom we may not take note of when other events preoccupy our focus.

The one comment that people of different political backgrounds and religious beliefs make consistently about Huletts is what a special place it is. That’s not to say we are perfect but, on the pendulum or scale of places to be, Huletts is a pretty darn good place to be on many levels. From those who painted circles on the beach, to the first responders who serve us all, to those who bring fresh produce over the mountain, to the workers who cleaned houses and collected garbage, to countless others who make our community better by serving and cooperating with their neighbors, I know we all say thank you for doing what you did this year. It wasn’t easy, but we moved forward.

While news this year has been harder to identify because of social distancing and staying inside, I continue to get lots of hits on the site and the ever present demand for more news is always there. Some days I can give more attention to the site than others, but I receive so many positive comments and emails that I know it is useful.

So thanks again for reading and now onto year thirteen! We’re going to make it. Live your best life right now.

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Saturday Quote

“We must have courage in the times we live in.
Great souls are needed, souls having the interests of God at heart.”

St. Julie Billiart, Foundress, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (1751 – 1816)

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DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Highlights

Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 31 at 1:28 p.m., Warren County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch requesting Forest Ranger assistance with an ill hiker on the trail in North West Bay on Lake George. The caller advised that a 27-year-old woman from Katonah was conscious, but not responsive. Forest Ranger Donegan responded, along with members of the Bolton Fire Department and EMS squad using their fire boat from Green Island. The hiker was located at 2:15 p.m., and carried onto the fire boat by Forest Rangers, members of the Lake George Park Commission, and Bolton Fire and EMS. On the boat, the subject was transported to the landing zone to be airlifted to a local hospital by New York State Police Aviation. The incident concluded at 4:15 p.m.

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Governor Cuomo Announces New Travel Policy

During his daily press briefing on Saturday, Governor Cuomo announced a new travel policy which will require all people traveling from out of State to be tested for the COVID-19 virus. The new policy requires all persons entering New York to have proof of having had a COVID test performed within the last three days. Then, upon arriving in New York, all travelers must quarantine for three days and then take another (second) COVID test on the fourth day. If the test yields a positive result, such persons must remain in quarantine. People that choose not to get tested on the fourth day must remain in quarantine for the full 14 days. The new policy does not apply to people traveling to and from contiguous states (NJ, PA, CT).

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DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Highlights

Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 23 at 11:30 a.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance for a 40-year-old woman from Schenectady who became disoriented while hiking Cat Mountain. Coordinates provided by Warren County 911 placed her in the area of Edgecomb Pond. Forest Ranger Lt. Ganswindt responded to assist, arrived on scene at 12 p.m., and headed in on the trail. Using the coordinates provided, Lt. Ganswindt located the hiker at 12:40 p.m., and escorted her back to the trailhead. The incident concluded at 1:10 p.m.

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Plastic Bag Ban Now Being Enforced in New York State

New York State’s s ban on single-use plastic bags went into effect earlier this year, but the state officially began to enforce the rule on Monday, October 19, following a seven-month pause.

The ban took effect on March 1 of this year but was not enforced until now because of a lawsuit by plastic bag manufacturers (in addition to the coronavirus pandemic). The New York State Supreme Court struck down the lawsuit last month but said businesses need 30 days’ notice to prepare for the enforcement of the ban.