News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
The tree along the 7th fairway that split on Friday evening.
A large tree standing near the end of the 7th fairway, split suddenly on Friday night, with half falling to the ground while the other half still continued to stand. The tree is estimated to be over 100 years old. Please remain away from the tree at this time.
Looking over from the 6th fairway.
Looking up along the 7th fairway.
Click pictures to see larger images.
The DEC continues to announce re-openings of campgrounds in the region. Yesterday, June 19th, the DEC opened Narrow Island, Glen Island and Long Island, to process Island camping reservations.
Look here for the most updated information: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7820.html
A northern pike caught off of Huletts recently.
I really enjoy passing along pictures of large fish caught in Lake George. This picture was sent to me by some fishermen who caught this northern pike off of Huletts recently. I was told it was a “fight” to reel it in.
Town of Fort Ann
Washington County
Wilderness Rescue: On June 1 at 1:50 p.m., Washington County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch reporting a 45-year-old male hiker from Glens Falls was unconscious after suffering a seizure on the Shelving Rock Bay Trail. When Forest Rangers Callee Baker and Mark St. Claire responded to the scene, the man was conscious and alert. With assistance from the Fort Ann Fire Department, the hiker was evaluated and brought back to the trailhead using a wheeled litter and a six-wheeler. The subject refused further medical treatment.
Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On June 3 at 8:53 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a father and son from Oakland, New Jersey, who were hiking down the Tongue Mountain range when they requested assistance. The 20-year-old advised Dispatch that his 50-year-old father was about 600 yards behind him. Both men had run out of water and were feeling dizzy and nauseous. Coordinates provided by the hikers placed them about a half mile from Montcalm Point. Forest Rangers Chuck Kabrehl and Evan Donegan responded to Green Island and took a boat to Montcalm Point to assist. While awaiting Forest Ranger arrival, the pair contacted Dispatch to advise that they were beginning to shiver and that the father’s lips had turned purple. The pair had abandoned one pack up the trail, and another pack with dry clothing and sleeping bags close to their current location. The hikers were advised to go back to where the pack was until Rangers arrived. Forest Rangers Kabrehl and Donegan reached the two men at 10:50 p.m., escorted them to the boat, and gave them a ride back to shore. Onc
The number of total COVID hospitalizations continues to decline. Total hospitalizations fell to just over 4600, from 4,844 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations fell to 208, from 225 the day before. Tragically, we lost 84 New Yorkers to the virus Friday.
Please remember that social distancing rules apply at State Parks and all public outdoor spaces. You must wear a mask whenever it’s not possible to maintain six feet of distance from others.
New York will reopen certain low-risk business and recreational activities statewide on May 15th. This includes landscaping and gardening, low-risk outdoor recreational activities (like tennis) and drive-in movie theaters.
The number of total COVID hospitalizations are still dropping. Total hospitalizations fell to 6,706, from 6,946 the day before. The number of new COVID hospitalizations rose slightly to 420, from 416 the day before. Tragically, we lost 157 New Yorkers to this vicious virus yesterday.
Patients in New York hospitals must now test negative for the coronavirus before they can be discharged to nursing homes, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has declared. This partially reverses a policy that that the Cuomo administration instituted that forced sickened senior citizens into facilities housing those most vulnerable. The ruling partially overrides a controversial March 25 order that nursing homes cannot deny admission or readmission on the basis of a positive or suspected COVID-19 case.
Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On April 29 at 4:30 p.m., Warren County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch reporting a 75-year-old man from Gansevoort who became disoriented while hiking on Thomas and Cat mountains and was unsure about which path to take to get back. After obtaining the disoriented hiker’s cell phone number, Forest Ranger Evan Donegan contacted him and gave instructions on how to return to the trailhead on the north side of the mountain. Meanwhile, Ranger Donegan made his way into the woods to intercept the man and assist him the rest of the way out. At 6:28 p.m., Ranger Donegan reached the mountain’s summit, but had not found the hiker. Forest Ranger Joe Hess also responded to start in from the southern trailhead at Edgecomb Pond. At 7:09 p.m., the hiker’s daughter called Dispatch reporting her father was back on the trail with her husband. Ranger Donegan was notified and reached the two men by 7:19 p.m. He escorted the pair back to the trailhead and all Rangers were cleared from the scene.
Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On May 2 at 9:29 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a concerned family member of two hikers on Cat Mountain. The hikers were not prepared for darkness and were lost on the trail. The caller was instructed to have the hikers call 911 to obtain their coordinates. Dispatch determined that the hikers were just off the east trail. Forest Ranger Evan Donegan responded to the trailhead south of Edgecomb Pond at 10:45 p.m. and started hiking in to locate the hikers. At 11:53 p.m., Ranger Donegan requested a second Ranger to respond to the north trailhead to assist with transportation needs once the hikers were located. At 12:15 a.m., Ranger Donegan advised that the two hikers were found off the trail, tired and slightly hypothermic. Ranger Donegan assisted the pair north up the trail where they were met by Ranger Logan Quinn with an ATV. The 66-year old woman and 67-year-old man from Saratoga Springs were given a ride out to the parking lot. The couple declined medical treatment and departed. All Rangers were cleared from the scene at 2:35 a.m.
The Lake George Park Commission has amended its decision on the opening date of the Mandatory Boat Inspection Program on Lake George.
The inspection program will now begin on Thursday, May 21, ahead of the busy Memorial Day weekend. However, there are already boat launches open on Lake George.
People can launch their boats before the Mandatory Boat Inspection Program starts and many public launches are now open. Remember, it is always the boater’s responsibility to arrive “Clean, Drained, Dry” – but that is even more critical until the inspection program is started for the season.
Up until this year, the Park Commission has started this program on May 1st.
Congratulations on one small bit of normalcy that accompanies this welcome decision.
Narrow island seen in the distance from Huletts Landing on Friday, March 20, 2020. (The first day of Spring.) Most of the ice is now gone from Lake George. (Click image to see larger version.)
The ice on Lake George is breaking up. (Click image to see full scale.)
Today, there are large areas of open water on Lake George as the ice begins to break up. Much of the lake north of Huletts is already open. While there is still ice near the center of Huletts and to the south, it should be gone shortly.
New York state has implemented, as of March 1, 2020, the New York State Plastic Bag Waste Reduction Act. New Yorkers were using approximately 23 billion plastic bags per year, with approximately 85% of this total ending up int the trash, recycling machines, lakes and highways.
With all the trouble going on in the world, I thought a post reflecting on all the good things happening in Huletts would be appreciated. To begin, there is no doubt in my mind, that our nation and society will get through COVID-19’s visit.
To begin, the weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer, meaning the ice on Lake George is getting thin. Water is beginning to be seen in shallow areas along the shore. I would highly caution that no one venture onto the ice at this time.
The ice is getting thin and cracks are appearing on the lake.
There are many contractors and projects going on in Huletts right now. Houses are being constructed, docks are being worked on, and assorted landscaping projects are all underway. New furniture is arriving and life is returning for another season. The number of people investing in Huletts is a fantastic sign.
I have spoken to individuals who are either moving into the community for the first time or who have purchased additional homes in Huletts. We’ve also seen incredible demand for rental units. We got calls this week wanting to know when the Soda Fountain and Golf Course would open. (Those are a little farther away.) I’m also happy to report that there will be more marriages taking place in Huletts in 2020.
While I can’t share everything I am aware of, good things are happening and more are in ‘the works’ for this upcoming season. I’m looking forward to seeing what Spring brings and so should you. I believe a great season with many blessings is ahead for all.
Looking up Margot Way toward the Casino (Click image to see full-scale.)
My usual rule of thumb is that if you want to see snow in Huletts, February is a great month to observe it. Here you can see Huletts has about 7-8 inches of snow on the ground with drifts all around.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations, and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from the backcountry.
On Feb. 23 at 7:53 p.m., Warren County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch from two hikers on the Northwest Bay Trail. The hikers started their hike that morning and one of them, a 36-year-old male from Selden, was suffering from exhaustion and dehydration. Coordinates obtained through 911 placed the hikers about four miles from the Clay Meadows Trail. Forest Ranger Evan Donegan responded, along with the Bolton Landing Fire Department and their airboat. At 8:31 p.m., the responders were on Lake George and heading to the hikers’ last known location. They were located at 9:23 p.m., returned to shore, and hiked back out to the trailhead.