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NY Adds “Chubbs Dock” Property in Dresden to Forest Preserve

In partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the state has acquired 156 acres on Southern Lake Champlain in the Town of Dresden, Washington County that will be added to the State Forest Preserve, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced on Tuesday, July 31st.

Known as the Chubbs Dock property, the land features 2,140 feet of undeveloped shoreline on Lake Champlain and 70 acres of wetlands that support rare plants and falls within an area that provides critical breeding, staging and migration habitat for thousands of waterfowl species.

“Chubbs Dock conserves excellent wildlife habitat along the narrow headwaters of Lake Champlain,” said Commissioner Martens. “The property will be added to the Forest Preserve and serve as part of a travel corridor for wildlife between the Adirondack and Green Mountains. Thanks to our partners TNC, Washington County and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for making this land preservation possible.”

With funding through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s North American Wetland Conservation Act grant program, TNC purchased the property for $500,000 in November 2009. The property was then donated to New York State in May 2012. TNC has previously utilized North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants to protect Mill Bay Marsh and Huckleberry Marsh in the Lake Champlain watershed.

“This is a great example of strategic, high leverage conservation work of regional and national importance,” said Michael Carr, Executive Director of the Conservancy’s Adirondack Chapter.

“Not only is New York State keeping intact some of the largest wetlands on Lake Champlain, but doing it in a way that will also secure public access for hunting, fishing, boating, and wildlife-oriented recreation-all of which contribute to the state’s outdoor recreation economy.”

The NAWCA grant application was supported by Washington County and included a commitment by the county to transfer an adjoining 283-acre tract on Maple Bend Island. Both transfers happened this year, adding a total of 439 acres with significant wetlands to public ownership. As part of the Forest Preserve, DEC will pay taxes on both properties. Public access to Lake Champlain and its shoreline is limited because most of the shoreline is privately owned. State acquisition of Chubb’s Dock will provide for new public access.

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Elephant Mountain Fire Followup


Yesterday’s fire on Elephant mountain is described firsthand by Huletts fireman, Pat Paterson, who was at the fire site.

Today, I had a chance to talk with Huletts Landing Fire Chief, Jay Vanderplatt, and fireman, Pat Peterson, about yesterday’s fire on Elephant mountain. Pat Peterson brought two NY state forest rangers to the scene of yesterday’s fire and was actually on the ground when the water was dropped.

At about 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 25th someone reported seeing whiffs of smoke on Elephant mountain. When the Huletts volunteers got the call, Pat, accompanied by Huletts Landing Fire Chief, Jay Vanderplatt, and a few other Huletts Landing firemen went out on Lake George by boat to get a clearer view. Once the site was established, forest rangers were called and the site was designated on a map.

Sometime in the early afternoon, Pat and one forest ranger headed up the Elephant mountain trail on an ATV with supplies. They could only drive about halfway to the fire site because downed trees blocked the path. Because of this, they had to climb the rest of the way. Another forest ranger followed about 45 minutes behind them.

Pat Peterson did confirm that the fire appeared to have been started by a lightening strike two days earlier and was smoldering in the ground for some time. When they saw the fire for the first time it was long and narrow and was going up the mountain. Pat’s estimate was that it was roughly 100 feet long and about 10 feet wide. The original tree where the lightening hit had a strike mark on it according to Pat. “You could see the hit mark and the lightening must have traveled through the root and ignited some pine needles. It was difficult terrain, because it ran up the mountain,” said Pat. “We had to crawl on our hands and knees, it was so steep.”

Once they saw the fire, the forest ranger contacted NY state officials and a decision was made to bring in the state police helicopter. A perimeter was established by Pat and the two forest rangers and before each water drop they scampered above the fire to get a clearer view of the water hitting the target. “We couldn’t see the helicopter until it was right over us,” said Pat, who would call in a “3, 2, 1.. drop” to the helicopter above him. “The pilot did a heck of a job. Every time we called for water on a certain spot, she put it right on the mark.”

Pat continued, “Seeing that water come through the trees was such a sight. But it’s dangerous also, the water has a lot of weight and can knock off heavy limbs that can really hurt you. Every time the chopper came in, we had to climb above the site and after it left we had to climb down and see what was left of the fire.”

After a number of water drops the fire came under control. Pat was emphatic about yesterday’s events. “It was really touch and go at the beginning. If that fire had ignited some trees, the entire mountain could have gone up.”

Many thanks to Pat Paterson, the entire Huletts Landing Volunteer fire department, the NY state forest rangers, the state police and all those who responded yesterday.

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Elephant Mountain Fire Extinguished


Bill Ingleston, Assistant Dresden Fire Chief (far right), stands with the crew of the helicopter that extinguished the Elephant Mountain fire after they landed on the Huletts Landing Golf Course. State police pilots are in blue. Forest rangers are in yellow (left) and green (middle). (Click on picture to see full-scale. This picture only.)

6:34 PM

The helicopter has departed Huletts Landing and there is no visible smoke coming from Elephant Mountain. It appears that the fire has been extinguished.

5:57 PM

The helicopter has stopped making water drops after two rangers on the mountain called them off. (The fire appears extinguished.) The helicopter is now on the golf course unloading.


The orange water bucket is in front of the helicopter.


The bucket that dropped thousands of gallons of water on the fire.


Spectators and volunteer firemen wait and watch.

5:37 PM

Water drops are continuing with the state helicopter going in for pass after pass. First reports are that the fire was first seen around noon, rangers needed to be called in, who called in state police helicopter who got permission from the Lake George Park Commission to remove water from lake.

5:29 PM

After numerous water drops (at least 15) the smoke appears to be lessening.

5:17 P.M BREAKING

A fire on Elephant Mountain has brought in state forest rangers and a state police helicopter with a bucket in an attempt to douse the blaze. Numerous water drops have already occurred.

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LGA Seeks Volunteers for Annual Adirondack Loon Census

On Saturday July 21, the Wildlife Conservation Society will be conducting an annual loon census with the help of local Adirondack residents and visitor volunteers.

The Lake George Association coordinates volunteers on Lake George; multiple volunteers are needed to cover 176 miles of shoreline simultaneously during the hour of the census. To register and sign up for a section of Lake George to monitor, please contact the LGA at 518-668-3558. The LGA will provide information on how to participate, and a data sheet.

Census volunteers will monitor a selected portion of the Lake from 8 – 9 am, and report the number of adult loons, chicks, and immature loons they observe. Similar loon censuses are also conducted in other states throughout the Northeast at the same time on the same day, contributing to a thorough regional overview of the population’s current status.

This data provides a quick glimpse of the status of the breeding loon population in and around the Adirondack Park and across New York State. The results help guide management decisions and policies that affect loons. One of the major findings of the 2010 census: The Adirondack loon population has almost doubled since the last pre-census analysis in the 1980s, and now totals some 1,500–2,000 birds.

The Annual Loon Census is a project of the Wildlife Conservation Society Adirondack Program and is conducted in partnership with Biodiversity Research Institute’s Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation.

For more information, contact the LGA at (518) 668-3558 or visit the LGA website at www.lakegeorgeassociation.org.

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Bruce Young Reappointed as Chairman of LGPC


Huletts Landing resident, Bruce Young, was recently appointed to a third term as Chairman of the Lake George Park Commission by Governor Cuomo.

During the last day of this terms legislative session, Bruce Young, a life-long Huletts Landing resident, was confirmed by the New York State Senate to a third term as Chairman of the Lake George Park Commission (LGPC). Mr. Young was originally appointed by Governor Pataki in 1996 and reappointed to a second term in 2002. “I have served under four different Governors and am pleased to have been appointed by Governors from both parties”, said Young.

Asked to reflect on his tenure at the helm of the LGPC, Mr. Young stated, “I think that the important things to reflect on are the successes of the Commission. Our lake safety patrol has been repeatedly honored for its outstanding safety achievements, many of which have been life saving. Our stormwater regulations have been nationally recognized and are used as a model program by other states. We are also winning the battle with eurasion millfoil having eradicated over 150 of the discovered sites. My fellow commissioners and our permanent staff have worked diligently to protect the treasure that is Lake George.”

When discussing his hopes for the future, Mr. Young stated, “We’ve got to control invasive species. We have to come up with a plan that will not only combat the major threats that we face today such as asian clams and zebra mussles, but also those that are sure to come down the pike in the future. We live in the age of an extremely mobile society where you can literally be wading in an asian rice paddy one day and swimming in Lake George the next. We also need some sort of reasonable stream corrider protection plan.”

Young, who grew up in Huletts Landing, spent his summers caddying at the golf course (yes, there was a day when people used caddies) and later working at the front desk of the Huletts Hotel. “I have fond memories of carrying two bags every Saturday for Mr. Nash and Mr. Eichler and would receive the grand total of $5.00 a day, a huge sum for a teenager in 1950 when a good salary for a skilled worker was $1.00 per hour. The many guests I met working at the front desk was a valuable introduction into the world outside Huletts Landing”, said Mr. Young.

After graduating from Cornell University, Mr. Young entered the United States Air Force where he finished first in his pilot traing class. Given his first choice of assignments he quickly selected his life long ambition of fighters. He was then selected to attend the Air Force’s Advanced Interceptor Fighter School, the Air Force’s version of “top gun.” Graduating at the top of his class there, he won the Air Force’s equivalent of the “Top Gun” award made famous by the movie of the same name featuring Tom Cruise. He spent his active duty years flying the Air Force’s top fighter, the Mach 2 F-106, participating in the Cuban missile crisis and other “Cold War” missions that are still classified.

After active duty, Mr. Young was a pilot for United Airlines for 30 years, finishing his career as a Boeing 747 Captain. He is married to Susan Young, a local realtor, has two daughters and four grandchildren.

Young is also an avid collector of Huletts Landing memorabilia. He demonstrated for me the telegraph morse code transmitter from the old steamship office at the big boat dock. He also possesses an old Huletts ice saw. “My grandfather used that saw to cut ice from the lake for the hotel in the 1920s and 30s.”, said Young. He also has a framed photo of his grandparents, mother and aunts and uncles at the laying of the cornerstone of the Mountain Grove Memorial Church in July 1922. Mr. Young’s grandfather, Harland Foote, was the builder of the stone church.

“Since I retired, I’ve dedicated my life to three things”, continued Young. “First is my love for Lake George and my work with the Lake George Park Commission. Additionally I’m also involved with the Mountain Grove Memorial Church where I’ve been a Trustee and Treasurer since 1990. Last, but not least, I’ve served as the Trustee of a Cornell University scholarship fund for 35 years. Years ago I remarked to fraternity brother, Ezra Cornell IV, that sholarships should be based on scholastic performance and have been stuck with the job ever since.”

“When I look out at this beautiful body of water I realize that my job is to protect it, but while doing so, to always remember that our citizens are part of the Lake George story and that their legitimate rights need equal protection. It may be a quaint phrase, but I believe in maximum use without abuse. I believe that being appointed to three consecutive terms by different governors is evidence that the approach we’re taking is the right one”, said Young.

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There’s Iron In Them Hills


Iron ore can be seen locally in many spots. Seen here behind the Washington County Highway facility in Whitehall, NY, iron production is referenced in many historical writings.

During the nineteenth century the Adirondacks were mined for iron ore. Streaks of iron ore can still be seen in local rock outcroppings today.

The Adirondack Iron Works company was one company that mined in the Adirondacks. Iron deposits were first found in Tahawus (also called Adirondac, Adirondak, or McIntyre) in the Town of Newcomb, Essex County, in 1826 by Archibald McIntyre and David Henderson.

Impurities of titanium dioxide were present in the iron, which made it difficult for equipment of that era to properly process the ore. A local flood and a nationwide economic crisis were also factors in the closure of the Upper Works.

The village was abandoned in 1856, but a portion of the property was redeveloped 20 years later into the first sportsmen’s club in the Adirondacks, the Tahawus Club.

In a strange twist of historical fate, the club, located at the gateway to the High Peaks, was the site where Vice President Theodore Roosevelt learned that President McKinley had been shot. In September 1901, upon hearing the news that President William McKinley was near death from injuries sustained by an assassin’s bullet, Roosevelt embarked from the McNaughton Cottage at the Tahawus Club on his historic midnight ride along the back roads of the Adirondacks to the North Creek railroad station. At the station, Roosevelt received a telegram informing him that President McKinley had died of his injuries. As a result, Roosevelt became our nation’s 26th president.

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Olympic & World Champion Holcomb Presented with Legends of Mt. Van Hoevenberg Poster


2012 world bobsled champion Steven Holcomb (center) was presented with a copy of his “Legends of Mt. Van Hoevenberg” poster during a ceremony held, Wednesday, April 11, at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum. Also pictured (L-R) Ted Blazer, ORDA president/CEO; Jack Favro, associate director of Lake Placid Olympic Training Center; Joe Lamb, community organizer; Craig Randall, Village of Lake Placid mayor; and Mary Lou Brown, chairman of the Lake Placid Olympic Museum.

Phase-one of the International Sliding Sports Museum at the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, in Lake Placid, N.Y. is scheduled to debut this summer. The “Legends of Mt. Van Hoevenberg” project, which was unveiled during the FIBT World Bobsled and Skeleton Championships, held in Lake Placid, in February, is part of the International Sliding Sports Museum.

The first of its kind anywhere in the world, the museum will feature the history of the sports of bobsled, luge and skeleton and will also have exhibits tracing the evolution of equipment and sections of past and present sliding tracks with a display explaining how those tracks were built. Plans are being developed for a historical walking tour of the 1932/1980 track and the new combined track with informational signage creating a self-guided exploration of the venue.

Organizers hope to build a comprehensive sliding display that will include historic race sleds, equipment, video, photographs, medals and trophies. Several of these items are already on display at the Olympic museum.

Photo courtesy of the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA).

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100k Bike Race Returning to Adirondacks


Racers in last year’s Wilmington/Whiteface 100k bicycle race.

The June 17 Wilmington/Whiteface 100k bicycle race is set to be bigger and longer than last year’s inaugural event. Organizers have added an additional 12 miles to the race, which is the only Leadville Trail 100 (LT100) qualifier in the northeastern United States.

Last year’s race was 57 miles long, while this year’s event is 69 miles in length. Wait a minute, doesn’t 100 km, measure 62 miles? That’s true, but according to the race’s organizer, Jim Goff, there’s a little leeway when it comes to “100k.”

Just like last year, the WW100 will begin and end at Whiteface Mountain, in Wilmington, N.Y. The alpine ski resort has long been recognized for having the greatest vertical in the east, 3,430 feet, and for hosting the 1980 Olympic Winter Games alpine competitions.

From the mountain, racers will trek through the northern New York towns of Wilmington, Jay, Keene, Lewis and Elizabethtown before returning to the Olympic mountain for a final climb of 2,500 feet and the finish line. In addition to the Whiteface climb, riders can also look forward to climbing both Jay and Saddleback Mountains. Not once, but twice since this is an out and back race. Both of these climbs are more than 750 meters apiece.

“This is a rugged course that’s going to be a challenge for everyone,” noted Town of Wilmington supervisor Randy Preston. “There’s no getting around the fact that the climbs are a big part of this race, but there’s plenty of terrain for everyone.

“Sure the field will have to be strong of the course’s uphill sections, but there are plenty of flat rides, gravel and dirt roads and single track terrain to take advantage of as well.”

Last year, more than 230 cyclists tested their metal on this grueling course and with up to 100 qualifying spots up for grabs to the LT100, this year’s race has already exceeded last year’s total and is expected to attract as many as 1,000 riders from the northeast and perhaps Canada and beyond.

“We’re very pleased with the growth and the excitement of this year’s race,” added Preston. “I think that there are a couple of reasons why the field is already larger than last year’s.

“First is word of mouth. The athletes who competed last summer have been our best ambassadors, telling everyone about the course and their experiences here.

“Also, the cycling community has been hearing a lot about what this area has to offer in terms of cycling opportunities. I think that Wilmington, and the region in general, are quickly becoming a cycling destination and these riders want to know what the buzz is all about.”

Fifty-percent of the LT100 qualifying spots will be awarded based on performance in each division for men and women, and the other 50-percent will be distributed randomly from a pool of all racers, who finished under the maximum cutoff time. Since the LT100 lottery has already taken place, this is one of only six nationwide Leadville Series Races in which cyclists can still qualify and compete in August’s Leadville Trail 100.

The WW100 is just one event making up the June 14-17 Wilmington Whiteface Bike Fest. On Saturday, June 16, road cyclists will compete in the 11th annual Whiteface Mountain Uphill Bike Race. For the first 10 years this BUMPS (Bike Up the Mountain Points Series) race has started at the beginning of the Veteran’s Memorial Highway, but this year, it’s slated to begin at Whiteface Mountain, adding an additional three miles “to warm up” before the field climbs the fifth highest peak in New York State. With an 8 a.m. start, participants of the WW100 will have the opportunity to enter both races. Registration for this event is available at www.bikereg.com/Net/14909.

The annual Bike Fest will also include the seventh annual 5k Downhill at Whiteface, which is expected to feature 200 professional and amateur races, a bike parade, “The Brainless not Chainless Gravity Ride,” beginning from Santa’s Workshop, in Wilmington, and several free family-oriented events.For more information about the Wilmington Whiteface Bike Fest, visit www.whitefaceregion.com.

There’s still time to register for the Wilmington/Whiteface 100k by logging on to http://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/page/show/431652-wilmington-whiteface-100. The entry fee is $105 for the general public and $95 for Life Time members. The race will be capped at 1,000 riders.

Photos courtesy of the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA).

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USA-1 sweeps World Championships with Four-Man Bobsled Win

Steven Holcomb (Park City, Utah) made history with his USA-1 push crew of Justin Olsen (San Antonio, Texas), Steve Langton (Melrose, Mass.) and Curt Tomasevicz (Shelby, Neb.) as the first U.S. pilot ever to sweep the two and four-man bobsled World Championship races. USA-1 held a slight lead of 0.01 seconds after yesterday’s first two heats at Mt. Van Hoevenberg and pulled ahead by 0.50 seconds in the finale to convincingly claim the trophy.

Watch the final run here:

“I’m a little overwhelmed,” Holcomb said. “You work so hard to get there that when you finally do it takes some time to sink in. It’s the first time we’ve won all three events, so it’s a great feeling.”

The U.S. claimed five medals, including four gold, to mark the most successful World Championships for the program. Holcomb swept all three of his events by winning the two-man bobsled and team event titles a week ago from today.

The crew was fueled by “USA” chants at the start before powering off the block for a push time of 4.94 seconds in the third run. Holcomb navigated the BMW sled down the course with ease and pulled ahead of the field by 0.21 seconds after clocking a blazing run of 53.92. Before the finale, Holcomb tweeted: “Solid first run. Need to relax, stay focused, and do it one more time. Let’s bring it home!”

“I was nervous going into the second run,” Holcomb said. “We were ahead by two-tenths, but you know I lost two-tenths in the two-man at the bottom. I had to make sure I was focused the whole way down. The great pushes at the start gave me some room to make some mistakes.”

USA-1 validated their reputation as the fastest push team in the world by again dominating off the block with a start time of 4.95 seconds. Team members and fans cheered at the finish as USA-1 gained time on their competition during their final descent, reaching speeds of up to 130.49 km/h. Holcomb extended USA-1’s lead to 0.50 seconds with a four-run combined time of 3:36.83, and they were greeted with a barrage of hugs and high-fives from team members as they climbed out of the sled at the finish.

“It’s awesome (to hear USA cheers), and it’s great to have a hometown crowd,” Holcomb said. “That is why it’s awesome to compete in World Championships in your home country, because you have all the support.”

Final Results:

1. Holcomb, Olsen, Langton and Tomasevicz (USA) 3:36.83 (54.34, 54.58, 53.92, 53.99); 2. Arndt, Roediger, Kuske and Putze (GER) 3:37.33 (54.19, 54.74, 54.12, 54.28); 3. Machata, Huebenbecker, Bredau and Poser (GER) 3:37.63 (54.38, 54.82, 54.25, 54.18);…13. Cunningham, Beckom, Quinn and Robinson (USA) 3:39.68 (55.21, 55.35, 54.53, 54.59);…Napier, Berkeley, Clark and Fogt (USA) DSQ;

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Bits of Everything

Whitehall’s Roma Sold, Will Reopen Under New Name

The Post Star tell us about the Waters family, the new owners of what was the Roma.

Committee of Lake George Park Commission Hopes to Test Decontamination Program

The Post Star reports here.

Superbowl Champs to Return to Albany

The GiantsFootballBlog.com gives a reason to stop in Albany in August.

The Hogs Are Running Wild

Invasive feral hogs appear on the eastern side of the Adirondacks, so says NCPR.

Kateri to be Canonized in October

October 21st is the canonization date for the young Native American who lived in the Mohawk Valley in the 17th century, reports the Times Union.

Another American Captures Gold in Lake Placid

Katie Uhlaender won at the skeleton world championships Friday on Mount Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid. Read ESPN to learn more.

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Holcomb & Langton Win Two-Man Bobsled World Championship at Lake Placid

Steven Holcomb (Park City, Utah) and Steve Langton (Melrose, Mass.) claimed the first two-man bobsled World Championship title ever for the U.S. in the 2012 final in Lake Placid on Sunday.

Holcomb started making history when he won the first four-man bobsled title in 50 years for the U.S. during the 2009 World Championships in Lake Placid, and then again made history by earning the first Olympic gold medal for the program in 62 years in 2010. His string of record-breaking runs continued on Sunday with world push champion Langton pushing him along.

Here is their final run. (Takes a few seconds to load.)

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Reasons to Buy the Book, #1

So you love looking at old photographs of Huletts Landing and Lake George, but you thought you had seen them all.

Well the #1 reason to read The Hulett Hotel Fire on Lake George, is that it contains a treasure trove of pictures, published together for the first time, of Huletts Landing and Lake George. Some of these pictures have their own mysterious origins that you will want read about!

To see these unique pictures, you’ll definitively want to buy:
The Hulett Hotel Fire on Lake George.

Pre-order the book here and you’ll have it as soon as it is released.

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Reasons to Buy the Book, #2

Don’t we all grow by learning new things? Isn’t learning imaginatively enriching? Well, if you want to learn something new about something old, while capturing your imagination in new ways, you’ll definitely want to read the The Hulett Hotel Fire on Lake George.

The book includes almost two years of research, so I can confidently say that you’ll enjoy turning every page. I was able to unearth some incredible historical documents, which I was originally convinced were lost, that are real eye openers.

Whether you love history or just the Lake George region, you’ll learn plenty of new things when you read The Hulett Hotel Fire on Lake George.

To learn about my research, you’ll definitively want to buy:
The Hulett Hotel Fire on Lake George.

Pre-order the book here and you’ll have it as soon as it is released.