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LGLC Receives International Paper Foundation Grant, Local Donation

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) received a grant of $2,000 from the International Paper Foundation for the creation of interpretive signage to be installed at its Cook Mountain Preserve in Ticonderoga.

The signage is part of the LGLC’s watershed-wide effort to increase awareness and educational opportunities along its 35-miles of trails. The Cook Mountain signs will include information such as the natural succession of a beaver pond and the cultural history of northern Lake George.

The Cook Mountain Preserve’s trail system includes a scenic viewpoint overlooking northern Lake George, Lake Champlain, and the mountains of Vermont. The ridgeline visible on the lake’s eastern side includes Mount Defiance, a historic site owned by Fort Ticonderoga. The entire area surrounding Mount Defiance has important historic significance that will be described on the new signage.

“We are grateful for the continued support from our friends at International Paper,” said LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown, “Partnerships like this help the LGLC to increase the positive impact of our land on the community beyond the obvious benefit of protecting water quality. Thanks to IP, visitors to our Cook Mountain Preserve will now learn more about the land, why it’s protected, and be even more motivated to get out and enjoy the outdoors.”

The LGLC also received a donation of paper, valued at $455, from the International Paper’s Ticonderoga Mill, used for the printing of its fall/winter newsletter.

“International Paper, through its corporate Foundation and locally, has been a generous and solid partner over the years,” said LGLC Communications and Outreach Manager Sarah Hoffman. “The local mill has shown great support of our efforts in the Ticonderoga area, for conservation, volunteerism, and educational efforts that enhance the northern Lake George communities. We are grateful for their donations of paper and support of our grant applications for the continuation of these efforts.”

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Rescue on Black Mountain


A state helicopter lands on Black Mountain on Sunday, October 8th, rescuing an injured hiker.

On Sunday, October 8, 2017, the Huletts Landing EMS responded to a mutual aid request from Dresden at 4:24 PM. A male hiker had fallen on the Black Mountain trail about 300 yards from the summit and broke his leg. A group from our fire company responded, including Jim Leghorn and Bill Clough climbing up the mountain to rescue the hiker.


The approximate area of the hiker’s fall.

A forest ranger helicopter made a difficult landing at the summit and then transported the patient to the Glens Falls Hospital. Jim, Bill, several Dresden firemen, and a State Trooper are to be commended for making the difficult climb up the mountain to perform the rescue, then hiking back down in the darkness while carrying a heavy stretcher and supplies.


Many thanks to the brave men and women who serve us in Huletts Landing.

(Click images to see full-scale.)

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LGPC to Hold September Meeting in Huletts

The Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company will open its doors on September 26th for the monthly meeting of the Lake George Park Commission. If you have never been to a Lake George Park Commission meeting, this would be an easy one to get to! Many thanks to the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company for graciously hosting this event.

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Now For Some History: Arthur Wyatt’s Fay & Bowen Boat


Arthur Wyatt’s Fay & Bowen after being repaired circa 1940. Larry Nash (age 5) is seen in the boat. (Click image to see full scale.)

Fay & Bowen 25 ft. Motor Boat Formerly Owned by A. H. Wyatt

This boat was originally owned by J. Maurice Beach, resident in the Hamlet. On July 26th, 1934, Beach was fishing in Cook’s Bay, off the Rock Ledge of Gardiner Property. Suddenly, a power boat came around “the rock” and struck the Fay & Bowen broadside, riding up on the Fay & Bowen, striking and killing Mr. Beach.

Mr. Wyatt bought the damaged Fay & Bowen, had the broken planks replaced and used the boat for fishing. It had a 4 cylinder 50 HP Fay & Bowen engine that was in poor condition and delivered about 25 to 30 HP, at one speed only – full throttle – about 8 to 10 miles per hour.

The boat was a “Double Ender.” Year of manufacture and serial number are unknown. Two or three years after Mr. Wyatt’s death, his widow sold it to a Whitehall resident. It was to be rebuilt and and used on Lake Champlain.

Written by J.C. Nash (Circa 1940)


Another picture of the Fay & Bowen circa 1940. Larry Nash (age 5) is seen in the boat. (Click image to see full scale.)

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LGA Beach Water Testing Update

The Lake George Association emailed an e-news update this past week that contained the following news:

(While still) waiting for the formal documents to be delivered, but ahead of this long Labor Day weekend, the Lake George Association wanted to pass along that the fourth round of E coli testing at six beaches around Lake George has, again, turned up no problems for recreational uses, based on the New York state Department of Health’s monitoring guidelines.

The beaches were tested on Wednesday, Aug. 30.These tests, performed by LGA Water Quality Specialist Dr. Jeremy Farrell, were separate from the testing regimen set up by each of the towns for its own beach.

Beaches tested included:

Bolton’s Veterans Park Beach
Hague Town Beach
Ticonderoga Public Beach
Gull Bay Beach
Huletts Park Beach
Fort Ann Beach.

As has been previously reported, Usher Park beach in the Town of Lake George and Shepard Park beach in the Village of Lake George are already monitored regularly, and previous reports noted they were below the threshold.

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LGLC Elects O’Reilly as Board President


LGLC’s new President of the Board, Michael O’Reilly

During its Annual Meeting on August 19, the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) announced the appointment of Michael O’Reilly as its new President of the Board of Directors. O’Reilly is taking over the role from past President of 11 years, John J. Macionis.

O’Reilly joined the LGLC Board of Directors in January of 2010, and served as Treasurer since August of 2011, and Vice President of Finance since August 2012.

“We are pleased to welcome Mike as our new president,” said LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown. “Mike has a true passion about protecting the land that protects the lake. His quiet leadership really inspires others to come together to make a lasting, positive impact on Lake George. I look forward to his leading our Board as the organization continues to make a difference in the Lake George watershed.”

O’Reilly’s love affair with Lake George started over 60 years ago on brief family vacation. While his father went to Saratoga, his mother, being a very good sport, spent several 3-4 hour stints with her 10 year old son in a rented 12 foot aluminum boat with a 5 horse outboard. He was hooked with the beauty of the mountains and clarity of the water. That led to camping on the islands, first with friends and then with his new bride, Marie, spending five days (four in the rain) on an island. Over many years their two daughters and now grandchildren have been fascinated with this unique place, and fully support the Lake George Land Conservancy’s mission of “protecting the land that protects the lake.”

O’Reilly is retired Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of the Chubb Corporation. He started a 39-year career in 1969 at Chubb as an analyst in the Investment Department becoming Chief Investment Officer in 1986. While at Chubb he served in many capacities, including the founding of Harbor Point, a Bermuda reinsurance company. Following retirement from Chubb, O’Reilly remained Vice Chairman of Harbor Point eventually becoming Chairman. Harbor Point and Max Capital merged in 2010 to form Alterra Capital Holdings with O’Reilly as its Chairman. He remains actively involved in the insurance and financial services business. He currently is a director of the Markel Corporation, joining its board in 2013 after the purchase of Alterra.

O’Reilly served in the United States Army from 1966 to 1967 and in the Army Reserves from 1968 to 1971, retiring with the rank of Captain. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University and an MBA from Pace University. He is Chairman of the Board of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation and Trustee Emeritus of Pace University.

Outgoing president, John Macionis, took on the leadership role in January of 2006, just one year after joining the LGLC Board of Directors. During his tenure, the LGLC protected 3,828 acres of land and 4,225 feet of lake shoreline, through 10 donations and 18 purchases totaling more than $9 million. Macionis also took on the role of auctioneer for the LGLC’s annual benefit dinner and auction event. Over his ten years as auctioneer, the event’s auction and Fund-A-Need programs alone grew from raising $6,500 to $135,000 in a single evening.

“John’s leadership and passion for the protection of Lake George has been invaluable to the organization,” said Brown. “He cares deeply for the lake and always speaks eloquently of his connection to this place. We are grateful for the leadership, vision, and inspiration that he provided to the LGLC during his time as Board President.”

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Apperson Brown Lecture a Success


Ellen Apperson Brown, spoke about her new book, John Apperson’s Lake George, in front of a good-sized crowd on Wednesday for the Friends of Historic Huletts Landing summer lecture series.

She spoke in-depth about John Apperson’s many accomplishments including:

1. Rip-rapping shores of islands including getting a bond issue passed for for $10,000 in 1917
2. Removing illegal squatters from state islands
3. Promoting camping and other forms of recreation at Lake George
4. Taking photographs; Giving talks with slides; publishing pamphlets
5. Making friends… including FDR, Al Smith, George Foster Peabody, etc.
6. Blowing the Whistle…Making enemies…including Robert Moses
7. Giving talks to civic organizations
8. Joining organizations…and forming new ones, including the Lake George Protective Association and the New York Forest Preserve Association
9. Developing neighborhood associations (in Huddle Bay and Turtle Bay)
10. Protecting, and eventually purchasing, Dome Island ( 1939); then donating it to the Nature Conservancy (1956)

Many thanks to Ms. Apperson Brown for taking the time to visit Huletts Landing and share the important historical and environmental accomplishments of her great uncle.

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Froehlich Continues Generous Support of LGLC Efforts

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has received a grant of $190,000 from the Helen V. Froehlich Foundation in continued support of focused conservation projects and initiatives that will help protect the land that protects the lake forever.

The grant will be used on priority projects, including $100,000 towards the LGLC’s Indian Brook/Northwest Bay Conservation Initiative, which includes focused land protection efforts in the Indian Brook and Northwest Bay watersheds in Bolton.

“We are so grateful to the Froehlich Foundation for its generous support,” stated LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown. “Thanks to the Foundation, the LGLC is able to put in place lasting solutions that have been proven to protect water quality. With their contribution, our work, especially in the Indian Brook/Northwest Bay area, can make an even greater impact.”

In December of 2016, the LGLC purchased the 159-acre Wing Pond property in Bolton that protects over 750 feet of a pristine stream that flows directly into Northwest Bay. Other completed projects in this region include:
· 95-acre conservation easement on Federal Hill Road in 1990;
· 500-acre Amy’s Park in 2012 – contains hundreds of acres of wetlands and a portion of the headwaters of Indian Brook;
· 115-acre Godwin Preserve in 2016 – contains acres of vernal pools and several hundred feet of tributaries feeding into Indian Brook;
· 130 acres purchased from SUNY Albany in 2016 – contains over 30 acres of wetlands and several thousand feet of the main tributary of Indian Brook.

The LGLC is currently working with a willing landowner to purchase a conservation easement on critical land near these other protected properties within the watershed of Indian Brook. Once completed, the easement will protect nearly 5,000 linear feet of stream corridor and associated wetlands on Indian Brook.

All of these properties play a role in protecting the water quality of Indian Brook and Northwest Bay, which in turn protects the water quality of Lake George. By protecting wetlands, vernal pools, riparian buffers, and forested areas, the LGLC not only protects the land that protects the lake, but also contributes to the vibrancy of the community by protecting viewsheds and habitats, and providing recreational opportunities.

The Helen V. Froehlich Foundation was created in 1993 with funds provided by the late Helen V. Froehlich of Huletts Landing to assist with the conservation and preservation of Lake George. The Lake George Land Conservancy is just one of several local organizations that benefit from the Foundation’s generosity. This most recent gift is the 23rd consecutive grant awarded to the LGLC by the Froehlich Foundation, a total of nearly $3.5 million.

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LGLC Announces its 2017 Season of Lake Talks: Living Lands


“Beekeeping and Honeymaking” with Tom Wells will be one of the talks in this years Living Lands lecture series by the Lake George Land Conservancy.

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) is kicking off its 2017 Lake Talks Series: Living Lands with Maple Sugaring, on Wednesday, June 28 at 5:30 pm. Local Bolton resident Sam Caldwell of Bixby’s Best will explain the art of maple sugaring and the creation of traditional Adirondack maple syrup.

The LGLC’s weekly Living Lands-themed presentations will take an exclusive and up-close look at the wildlife and people who utilize the land of Lake George and the Adirondacks, past and present.

Held at the LGLC office in Bolton Landing, the family-friendly presentations are free and open to the public, though registration is strongly recommended because of limited seating. Presentations will be held each Wednesday evening (except for July 5) starting June 28th through August 16th.

New this year, the Lakeside Lodge and Grille has generously partnered with the LGLC for an exclusive deal for Living Lands participants. At every unique talk this summer, each attendee will be given a date-specific “Talk Ticket” that can be used that evening at Lakeside Lodge and Grille. When presented, the restaurant will donate 10% of the total meal cost back to the LGLC.

In addition, attendees can add their name to a drawing to win a Lakeside Lodge and Grille gift certificate. The drawing will be held at the conclusion of the Living Lands Series. Attendees can enter their name each time they come to a presentation, so odds of winning increase with each attendance.

Following the maple sugaring talk, other presentations include “Wild Wolves” with Steve Hall of the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge; “Meet the Raptors of the Adirondacks” with Nancy Kimball; “Beekeeping and Honeymaking” with Tom Wells, owner of Pleasant Valley Apiaries; “The Battle of Lake George” historical talk with author & historian William Griffith; “Adirondack Hunting Traditions” with Dan Ladd; and “Timber Rattlesnakes” with Dr. Bill Brown, Vertebrate Zoologist and Herpetologist.

For more information about these programs and to reserve seating, go to www.lglc.org/events-and-programs/living-lands.

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LGLC Offers Chance to Fly During 5th Annual Lake George Hike-A-Thon


Helicopter stopping for photo at Amy’s Park in 2016. © Sarah Hoffman(Click image to see full-scale.)

The Lake George Land Conservancy is now taking entries for its annual giveaway of a helicopter ride during the Lake George Hike-A-Thon on July 5, 2017. One lucky winner will be awarded the exclusive opportunity to enjoy the event from the air, and get a birds-eye view of the entire Lake George watershed.

The helicopter is one of the main elements of the Lake George Land Conservancy’s (LGLC) flagship annual event that makes it unique. Piloted by Bruce Mowery of North Country HeliFlite, the 4-passenger helicopter circles the lake, stopping along the way for photographer Carl Heilman, II, to snap pictures of groups of hikers and paddlers participating in the event. The highly choreographed flight takes about 1-1/2 hours.

“Bruce and Carl have been amazing partners in the Hike-A-Thon since we first came up with the idea in 2013,” said Sarah Hoffman, the LGLC’s communications and outreach manager, and organizer of the Hike-A-Thon. “The helicopter becomes a thread that joins all of the groups, reinforcing the fact that we are all in this together—no matter how separated we seem, between Lake George Village and Ticonderoga, we all want to see the lake protected.”

After organizing the first Lake George Hike-A-Thon in 2013 as a celebration of the LGLC’s 25th anniversary, the event has continued each year since to showcase the LGLC’s parks and preserves as free public resources, and to promote an appreciation for the outdoors and for the protection of the land that protects the lake.

The Hike-A-Thon is free to participate, and features simultaneous hikes (and a paddle, added in 2016) every July 5th. It’s grown from nine locations, or “sites,” in 2013, to 18 this year. New for 2017 is the addition of Partner Sites, which includes YMCA Camp Chingachgook in Fort Ann, the Charles R. Wood Nature Park in Lake George, and Up Yonda Farm Environmental Education Center in Bolton. The Silver Bay YMCA is also participating by coordinating a hike with their members.

“I think it’s especially nice to include our partners around the lake,” said Hoffman, “and judging from the response we’ve gotten so far, our participants also like having these new destinations, some of which are usually off-limits to the public.”

The LGLC reports a record number of registrations so far. In the two-month Early Bird registration period, which ended April 30, more than 500 individuals signed up, 100 more than that time last year. Another 65 people have signed up as volunteers to help lead hikes and work check-in stations.

About half of those who registered participated in a past Hike-A-Thon; about a quarter said they heard about it from a friend or family member.

“The event has a loyal following,” said Hoffman, “and those who know about certain sites, and how quickly they fill up, know to register as early as possible if they want to get in. We had 51 registrations in just the first week!”

All of the sites offered for the event have limitations on the number of people they can hold, based on trail or parking capacity, and safety. As of early May, all but five sites have filled. The remaining sites include Amy’s Park in Bolton Landing, Peggy’s Point in Hague, Cook Mountain in Ticonderoga, and the Charles R. Wood Nature Park in Lake George.

Both Peggy’s Point and the Wood Park are accessible sites that are ideal for young kids and those with reduced mobility. Peggy’s Point is also being organized as a dog park for the day, and will have special activities and treats geared towards dogs and their owners.

The LGLC is also still seeking Hike-A-Thon volunteers to help lead hikes and, especially, for staffing check-in stations. Further information is available at https://lakegeorgehikeathon.org/volunteer/.

The 2017 Hike-A-Thon is made possible thanks to the generosity of its sponsors, including the Lake George Mirror, as the event’s media sponsor, Carl Heilman, II/Wild Visions, Inc.; Bruce Mowery of North Country Heliflite; Town of Bolton; Adirodack Flag; Candlelight Cottages; Lake George Kayak Co.; Lake George RV Park; Victoria Ragucci, CPA; Camp David in Bolton Landing; Cottrell Dental; Hudson Headwaters Health Network; StoredTech; and Trampoline Design.

JUST Beverages is providing bottled water for the event, and about a dozen of its employees are also participating in the Hike-A-Thon. Cedar Graphics is donating printing screens for the shirts, and Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company has donated a $100 gift card that will be awarded to one lucky participant after the event in a random drawing.

To enter the helicopter ride giveaway, go to https://lakegeorgehikeathon.org/2017drawing. No donation required to enter; one entry per household. Complete giveaway rules at http://lakegeorgehikeathon.org/giveaway-rules/.

To register for the Hike-A-Thon and for more information visit https://lakegeorgehikeathon.org/, or contact Sarah Hoffman at 518-644-9673, or email shoffman@lglc.org.

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LGLC Receives Grant for Land and Water Protection


Photo of beaver pond in Putnam; its protection has been supported by the Conservation Partnership Program grant awarded to the LGLC.

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has been awarded a $40,000 grant from the 2017 Conservation Partnership Program, administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Land Trust Alliance. The LGLC was one of 58 nonprofit land trusts across New York State to receive grants, totaling $1.8 million.

The grant funds will be used towards the cost of protecting a 72-acre beaver pond in Putnam, purchased by the LGLC in 2016. The property’s extensive wetlands are crucial for protecting the water quality of Lake George as well as provide high quality habitat for wildlife and migratory avian species. This land is also part of the LGLC’s overall plan to expand the existing trail system to connect the Gull Bay Preserve and Last Great Shoreline to the Anthony’s Nose Preserve and beyond.

“We are once again grateful to the Land Trust Alliance and the DEC for supporting our efforts to protect Lake George through the Conservation Partnership Program,” said LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown. “Protecting ponds and wetlands such as these in Putnam are crucial to protecting the renowned waters of Lake George clean and beautiful.”