Adirondack Sports October 2023

News Briefs
NYSEF Nordic
Thanksgiving
Training,
November 22-26
The New York Ski Educational Foundation is
offering an on-snow training camp for high
school-age cross-country ski racers and
biathletes. The training sessions are meant
to allow more experienced junior skiers to
jump-start the winter season with quality
training sessions; working with high-level
coaching staff. The timing of the training
coincides with snow-making operations at
Mt Van Hoevenberg so there will be guaranteed
skiing with likely or predicted low
temperatures in November. More info and
registration: nysef.org/camps.
Adirondack Center for Loon
Conservation Hosts
Annual Loon Celebration
Celebrate loons with the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation staff and featured
speaker, Dr. Mark Pokras on Sunday, October 8 from 1-4:30pm at Paul Smith’s
VIC and learn more about loon conservation in the Adirondacks! They will have live
music by Blessid Dirt, food provided by Chef Humble, and adult beverages from Hex
& Hops. The afternoon of fun includes a scavenger hunt, loon-calling contest, and
the last chance to enter the Hornbeck canoe raffle. Learn more at: adkloon.org.
Saranac River projects impact
access for paddlers this fall
Several projects along the Saranac River section of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail
will impact access for paddlers and other users this fall. The projects include construction
on Casey Road, a dam removal near Indian Rapids, and a fish ladder being
installed at Imperial Mills Dam. “Our community partners have done great work to
inform us of the impact these projects will have on users,” said NFCT Stewardship
Director Noah Pollock. “We want to be sure that paddlers, anglers and other outdoor
recreationists know about this work and adjust their plans accordingly – the goal
is to keep people safe and informed. Ultimately, these projects will enhance these
sections of the Saranac River and we’re excited to see them come to fruition.”
Starting in September, both the traditional Union Falls Dam portage and the
Casey Road portage are inaccessible. At present, a temporary portage route requires
users to walk east on Union Falls Road to Hawkeye, then take Silver Lake Road to
NY Route 3. Paddlers can also access the river near the Silver Lake Road bridge.
Elsewhere, a dam removal project at the Indian Rapids dam has resulted in extremely
hazardous conditions. Paddlers are urged to avoid this section of the river. Finally,
a project to add a fish ladder to the Imperial Mills Dam is underway. Paddlers should
take out river-left, well above the dam and follow a trail to SUNY Plattsburgh’s campus.
A yellow NFCT portage trail sign indicates the correct route. Paddlers or other
users with questions should contact NFCT Stewardship Director Noah Pollock at
noah@northernforestcanoetrail.org. Additional information, including maps of
alternate portage trails, can be found at northernforestcanoetrail.org.
OCTOBER 2023 5
Warren Miller ALL TIME is Coming
Warren Miller’s ALL TIME is bringing 74 years of filmmaking reimagined to a theater
near you this fall. And this season, it’s all about good turns and good snow on
good hills with good people. Narrated by Jonny Moseley, ALL TIME dives deep into
elements that Warren himself first identified as the stuff of which snowy dreams
are made. From the birth of ski towns like Sun Valley and Aspen to icons and innovators
like the original hotdoggers, the film brings the best of seven decades along
with humor and inspiration from today—featuring Maine’s finest athlete, Donny
Pelletier, and the next generation of skiers and riders at Woodward Park City.
Less a documentary than a love letter, ALL TIME is a way to honor how, where,
and with whom we’ve made ski and snowboard movies since Warren first picked
up a camera in 1949. Join us as we celebrate how snow sports have burrowed into
our collective consciousness as an obsession and a way of life. The two-year party
for 75 seasons on snow starts October 2023. See ads in this issue to find a show near
you: warrenmiller.com.
DEC Urges Hikers to Avoid the
Adirondack Rail Trail During
Ongoing Construction
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is urging residents, visitors,
and recreationists to avoid the Adirondack Rail Trail, to ensure the protection of
public safety and assist in timely completion of the project. Ongoing construction
to complete Phase 1 of the project spanning from Lake Placid Depot to Saranac
Lake Depot is underway. While some sections of the trail between Lake Placid and
Saranac Lake may appear complete, crews are still working on the trail surface,
parking areas, fencing, intersections, and more. The area is closed for use and should
be avoided until the project is complete.
There are ample alternatives to the Adirondack Rail Trail near Lake Placid and
Saranac Lake. Hikers can explore the Bloomingdale Bog Rail Trail, accessible along
multiple points from Saranac Lake through Onchiota, the Paul Smith’s College VIC,
which boasts over 25 miles of maintained trails, and Henry’s Woods and Heaven
Hill Trails, two networks of trails accessed from Bear Cub Road in Lake Placid. To
learn more about the Adirondack Rail Trail, including notices and information on
construction phases and closures, and suggestions for alternative trails, visit the
DEC website: dec.ny.gov.