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Gypsy Moths Munching Away


Gypsy moth caterpillars are crunching away on the leaves of many local trees.

If you look at the hills surrounding Lake George you will see many bare trees this year. The culprit? The gypsy moth. You will see leaf shards on the ground, ragged leaves, holes in leaves, and lots of green poop.

Gypsy moths have been present in the United States since the late 1800s. While a caterpillar, this destructive critter feeds on the leaves of over 300 different plant species. Gypsy moth caterpillars especially enjoy eating oak leaves, but if there is a large enough infestation the caterpillars will eat just about any tree species that grows in our forests. By July, the gypsy moths should fly away and hopefully our trees will re-leaf.

Until then, watch those black caterpillars and all those half eaten leaves and green poop.

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DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Highlights

Town of Fort Ann
Washington County

Hiker Rescued From Lake George Wild Forest Area

Wilderness Rescue: On May 22 at 12:30 p.m., Washington County 911 contacted DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch advising of a 28-year-old woman from Rensselaer with a non-weight-bearing ankle injury on the trail for Sleeping Beauty Mountain in the Lake George Wild Forest Area. Forest Ranger Lt. Ganswindt and Forest Rangers St. Claire and Baker responded. Once on scene, the hiker was packaged into a litter by Forest Rangers and members of the West Fort Ann and Bay Ridge fire departments, along with Fort Ann EMS. The hiker was transported utilizing the new litter wheel system to an ATV and driven to the trailhead. The injured hiker was then turned over to EMS for transport to a local hospital for medical treatment.

Town of Lake George
Warren County

Rope Rescue Training At Prospect Mountain

Rope Rescue Training: On May 20 and 21, Region 5 Forest Rangers participated in their annual rope rescue training at Prospect Mountain. This year’s training focused on low and moderate angle rescues utilizing the new litter wheel system. Forest Rangers spent two days refreshing their skills on setting anchors and patient packaging, as well as building, raising, and lowering systems. The litter wheel system has already been utilized on several rescues this month. All Rangers in the state need to maintain at least operations-level standards set by the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA). Forest Rangers have the additional opportunity to advance to the technician level to further their skill set in rope rescue.

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DEC Wilderness Rescue

Town of Fort Ann
Washington County
Wilderness Rescue: On Mar. 20 at 8:11 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for Forest Ranger assistance from Warren County 911 for a report of three 19-year-old hikers from Saratoga Springs lost on Buck Mountain in the Lake George Wild Forest. The reporting party stated the hikers had no light source and were cold. Forest Rangers St. Claire and Donegan responded to the trailhead and hiked into the woods, locating the lost group at 9:44 p.m. The hikers were in good condition and able to hike out on their own. All parties involved were cleared of the incident at 10:15 p.m.

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DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Highlights

Town of Lake George
Warren County

Ice Rescue: On Feb. 25 at 4 p.m., Forest Ranger Donegan was notified of a snowmobile accident on Lake George with the snowmobiler still in the water. Ranger Donegan responded to the scene adjacent to a local marina while Forest Rangers Kabrehl, Perryman, and Lt. Kallen responded to a launch site with Airboat 54. Ranger Donegan donned a cold-water rescue suit, went into the water to look for the man, but could not immediately find him. A diver with the North Queensbury Fire Department then located the 35-year-old man from the Bronx, and together with Ranger Donegan and members of the Bay Ridge and Lake George fire departments, removed him from the water. Ranger Donegan and a Sheriff’s Deputy immediately began life-saving measures. The individual was turned over to the local EMS and transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Rangers stayed on scene with the airboat to assist the Warren County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation.

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DEC Update on Lake George Hemlock Wooly Adelgid Treatment


HWA infestations can be most noticeably detected by the small, white, woolly masses produced by the insects that are attached to the underside of the twig, near the base of the needles.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and partners recently issued an update about ongoing efforts to limit the spread of the invasive pest Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA) on Forest Preserve lands in Washington County as part of an ongoing, multi-year initiative. DEC confirmed the HWA infestation in August 2020, and began treatment in October on affected hemlock trees in the Glen Island Campground on the shores of Lake George.

Treatment began Oct. 6, 2020 along the shorelines of Lake George and was conducted over a four-week period by DEC staff. DEC prioritized the infestation at Paradise Bay due to the site’s size and levels of infestation. Crews treated 2,374 trees with insecticide on 138 acres of Paradise Bay and injected insecticides directly into the trunks of 80 trees close to sensitive areas. In addition, the New York State Hemlock Initiative released 620 Laricobius beetles, a biological control for HWA, in the treatment area to feed on HWA.

Since the initial finding of HWA at Glen Island, DEC and its partners continued to survey for the insect in surrounding areas. These surveys led to new findings of HWA at Shelving Rock; Buck Mountain Trail Head; Dome Island, private property along the southern shore of Lake George in Queensbury; and Moreau Lake State Park. To address the infestation, DEC is planning consecutive annual treatments to treat many of the trees in the infested areas, as well as additional strategies. Spring treatments at Glen Island Campground will begin after ground thaw when trees begin to transpire and will take up insecticides and end before the campground opens for the season. Treatment dates and strategies are being determined and will help limit the spread of HWA and protect accessible priority hemlock resources that provide habitat and water quality protections, opportunities for recreation, and aesthetic benefits.

Early detection and rapid response to invasive pests is central to protecting New York’s natural resources. DEC and its partners’ efforts to further prevent the spread of HWA are critical to protecting the hemlock forests in the Lake George watershed and greater Adirondack Park.

Signs of HWA on hemlock trees include white wooly masses (ovisacs) about one-quarter the size of a cotton swab on the underside of branches at the base of needles, gray-tinted foliage, and needle loss. DEC is asking the public to report signs of HWA:

Take pictures of the infestation signs as described above (include something for scale such as a coin);

Note the location (intersecting roads, landmarks, or GPS coordinates);

Contact DEC or the local Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) by visiting DEC’s website.

Report the infestation to iMapInvasives; and

Slow the spread of HWA by cleaning equipment or gear after it has been near an infestation and by leaving infested material where it was found.

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Washington County Declares State of Emergency


Huletts has received about 15-16 inches of snow as of approximately noon on Thursday, December 17th.

The Huletts Current is not a weather website per se. However, I do like to focus on the extreme weather we sometimes have to endure in Huletts.

Washington County Board of Supervisors Chairman, Samuel J. Hall, has declared a local state of emergency in effect as of 9:00 AM on December 17, 2020 which will remain in effect for 5 days or until rescinded. The public is strongly encouraged to limit any and all non-essential travel.

The snow is presently letting up but southern Washington county and areas east of Huletts have received even more snow. Please be extremely careful if you have to venture out.

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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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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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Grand Opening of Cliffside Coaster at Lake Placid’s Olympic Sports Complex


A view from the new Cliffside Mountain Coaster in Lake Placid.

October 11th marked the grand opening of the new Cliffside Mountain Coaster at Mt. Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid. The longest of its kind in the United States, the mountain coaster travels alongside the 1980 Olympic bobsled track and is the latest year-round attraction at the Lake Placid Olympic Sites.

“The Cliffside Coaster is one of our latest and most thrilling additions to the Olympic Regional Development Authority venues, and part of our ongoing effort to modernize the entire Mt. Van Hoevenberg complex,” Governor Cuomo said. “This revitalization is transforming the complex into a year-round provider of excitement and entertainment for both athletes and families, which will attract more summer visitors and provide a critical boost to local businesses as we work to build back better.”

Opening for its first ride on Sunday, October 11, the mountain coaster is equipped with a timing and audio system that allow visitors to experience the thrill of what it was like to be an Olympic Bobsledder during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid. The coaster will be open to the public on weekends only, and includes informative and exciting commentary for riders as they glide through twists and turns that replicate the historic track.

ORDA President & CEO, Mike Pratt said, “The Cliffside Coaster is a one-of-a-kind attraction at the newly transformed Mt. Van Hoevenberg. We are incredibly excited to give our guests this exhilarating experience. The coaster follows the alignment of the 1932 & 1980 Olympic Bobsled track as it descends the mountain. The views are amazing, and the curves get your heart pounding. Everyone will feel like they deserve a medal.”