Updated: December 28 2023
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Updated: January 08 2024
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News updated March 06 2024
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  The March 2024 Newsletter is Available on this Website [2023-12-28]
 
  Program - Family Adventures in the Wildernews
        building a Framework for Life - 3/20, 7pm Saratoga Lib
[2023-12-27]
 
In the winter of 2009 Kris Walker was on the path to living out his dreams in the mountains. But, that year, just before the birth of his first son, he also lost a friend in a fire fighting accident. Simultaneously becoming a father and reckoning with the precarious nature of life brought a quick end to his budding dreams as an alpinist.

Fourteen years later, after he had hung up his crampons, seemingly forever, he was back on Rainier. This time with his 14 year old son. Getting to that point was a process. It was a long process which often felt too short. It was deliberate yet mostly serendipitous. Kris would like to share that process with you, along with his endearing relationship with the Adirondacks, and how it has helped form a framework for life, both in and out of the mountains.

There will be some hard skills to take home for winter mountaineering, as well as mindset insights, tips, tricks, and lessons learned adventuring with a young family in the mountains.

No registration required.
  Reminder that the following Fire Tower Trails have Closures: [2023-10-26]
 
  • Swede: 09/11 - 12/15 Hunting Season Closure
  • Stillwater: 10/10 - 12/20 Hunting Season Closure
  • Spruce: 10/21 - 12/03 Hunting Season Closure
  • Gore: 11/22 - Until end of Ski Season

These Fire Tower trails will be closed for public access inclusive of these dates.

Therefore, the Adirondack Mountain Club Fire Tower Committee will disallow any climbs during the closure period. Please be respectful of the private property that this trail traverses. It is by the generosity of the landowner we have access to this awesome hike and its fire tower. Abuse and bad behavior risks future public access. Please plan ahead and prepare.

  Program - Back Packing With Lamas was held on Feb 17 at Saratoga Lib [2023-12-27]
 
Come hear from Lenore and Jack Reber about their time joining the Sierra Club for a camping trip in the backcountry of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument! They each led a llama that carried their gear to a water-hole campsite, last occupied 10,000 years ago! Jack and Lenore will share the story of their week spent hiking among the multi-colored formations and in and along the Escalante River. 

Lenore and Jack are retired teachers who travel, hike, paddle and snowshoe and are presenting their third ADK program. They divide their time between Saratoga Springs and Indian Lake.

No registration required.
  The Banff Film Festival World   VIRTUAL came to the Wood Theater in February 2024 [2023-12-04]
 
 

  • Film at the Wood Theater, Glens Falls
  • Fri Feb 2nd, Sat Feb 3rd, & Sun Feb 4th
  • Different Show each evening
  • Doors will open a 6pm prior to each screening.
  • Film starts at 7 pm.
  • Tickets on sale to all December 15th

  • Drinks and snacks will be availaable.
  • Enjoy a prescreening Mountain Art Exhibit created by local artists.
  • Early bird door prizes raffle from 6 - 6:30.

View Trailer for 2023/24 World Tour

Show Schedule and Content of the films to be shown each night::
Ticket Information:

  • Tickets $23   Includes ticketing fees and free popcorn
  • Tickets go on sale December 15th
  • Charles R Wood Theater at 518-480-4878
  • Online Order at   woodtheater.org/banff
  • Great gift idea!

Presented by Glens Falls-Saratoga Chapter of Adirondack Mountain Club & sponsors



 
 
  Buck Mountain Fire Tower added to the FTC Challenge [2023-09-06]
 
The Fire Tower Committee of the Glens Falls/Saratoga Chapter of the ADK Mountain Club has approved the addition of the Buck Mountain Fire Tower to the Adirondack Mountain Club's Fire Tower Challenge effective September 2, 2023.

For more info on the fire tower, view: Long Lake News article

For more info on the fire tower challenge, view: Fire Tower Challenge
  Reminder about Leave No Trace (LNT) Principles [2023-08-01]
 
Trailhead stewarding at the Buck Mountain-Pilot Knob Trailhead. We talk to hikers about public land resource protection and the 10 essentials for every backpack, every hike. What's in your backpack?

The 7 Leave No Trace Principles guide our stewarding message.

View:   The 7 Principles

  ADK GF-S Buck Mt.Trailhead Steward Pgm Presented to the Pilot Knob Assoc [2023-08-03]
 
Kim Brown and Jim Schneider presented the ADK GF-S Buck Mt.Trailhead Steward Progam to the Pilot Knob Association - a very attentive and interested audience.

Folks were engaged and asked many excellent questions and were impressed by our dedication to volunteer stewardship and protecting public wildlands.

  Trail to the Goodnow Fire Tower is now open [2023-05-28]
 
Our friends at SUNY ESF Newcomb Campus have reopened the trail to the Goodnow Fire Tower. View their facebook page at: facebook.com/ESFNewcombCampus

Therefore, effective May 25, 2023, the Goodnow Fire Tower has rejoined the Adirondack Mountain Club's Fire Tower Challenge.

If you have any questions or need any trail or fire tower information feel free to send an email to firetower@adk-gfs.org

  Gore Mountain is back in the ADK Mtn Club Fire Tower Challenge as of April 21 [2023-04-22]
 
Maintenance vehicles and/or heavy construction equipment are in operation on the mountain at all times. Remain aware of your surroundings and obey all posted warnings. The fire tower is not accessible. Remember the challenge rules: 'Climbing each tower itself is not required, nor in fact recommended, for those towers that have not been restored for safe public use'.

If you have any questions or need information feel free to contact the Adirondack Mountain Club Fire Tower Challenge committee: firetower@adk-gfs.org . Happy fire tower hiking!
  Mud Season Alert: Stay below 3,000 ft from May to Mid June [2023-04-22]
 
During spring mud season, trails are particularly vulnerable to erosion. The spring thaw creates mud that penetrates much deeper into the soil than the surface mud created by summer rains, and trails are thus more easily damaged by hikers' boots.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation institutes a voluntary trail closure in the Eastern High Peaks during this time of year that asks hikers to refrain from traveling above 3,000 feet.

Here is a big way you can help: if you encounter a muddy patch on the trail, walk right through it! Skirting to the edges widens trails and creates even more mud, so help out your fellow hikers and stick to the trail. This is where good footwear comes in handy!

  Do You Want to be a Volunteer Buck Mountain Trailhead Steward? [2023-04-09]
 
ADK Buck Mountain Trailhead Stewards are dedicated volunteer education professionals who enjoy engaging with the public, sharing their knowledge, and helping them have safe, successful outdoor experiences.

They are comfortable working in the back country wilderness, sometimes alone and/or in challenging weather conditions, and see their role as active stewards of the Forest Preserve and ambassadors for ADK. Knowledge of ADK’s mission and goals, principles of Leave No Trace, and NYS DEC regulations are required. and must be at least 18 years of age.

Full Position Description: View
To apply: Apply

  Jayne Bouder, long-time Trip Leader has 'Hung up her boots' [2023-04-15]
 
Jayne Bouder, long-time, and one might even say legendary, leader for the Glens Falls – Saratoga Chapter has 'hung up her boots' and retired from leading. We thought this was an appropriate time to share an appreciation for Jayne from the many people on and off the trail, as Jayne was a noted bushwhacker

Please review the March Newsletter tip text   to view all the tributes to Jayne from our chapter members!

  Adirondack Voices [2022-09-16]
The Adirondack Mountain Club is nothing if not for the stories of members; we are our stories. ADK at 100 years has lost so many stories; more are being lost each year. It is ironic that this storied organization does not have a formal history program, a commitment via human and financial resources or at least a mention in its guiding strategic plan.

Recognizing the need to capture Adirondack Mountain Club oral history - a dedicated group of passionate volunteers from throughout organization has banded together to make this a reality. Funding has been provided by generous donations from ADK chapters.

What is ADK Voices?

We are a group of ADKers from across New York State and New Jersey working in collaboration with OurStoryBridge, a nation-wide platform, resource and toolkit for producing a crowdsourced community story project emphasizing audio history and sharing. Using OurStoryBridge we are recording short stories (five minutes or less) of ADK chapter folks, ADK staff - past and present, stories of the past and stories of the present for use as historical record.

The recorded stories will be publicly accessible on a website we are currently building with the expectation the ADK administration will link ADK Voices to adk.org. Our group is proud and excited to bring this member-directed, chapter-driven project to reality.

Do you have a story to tell? Send an email with a summary to: trails@adk-gfs.org

Go to the new website: https://www.adkvoices.org

  Free Shuttle Improves Safety, Visitor Access to Popular High Peaks Trailheads [2022-07-05]
DEC, Essex County, Town of Keene, and ROOST Announce Adirondack Route 73 Shuttle Season Starts July 9

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Essex County, town of Keene, and Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) today announced the Route 73 shuttle system launched in 2021 will return on Saturday, July 9.

The shuttle system helps manage safe, sustainable visitation along the busy Route 73 corridor in the Adirondack High Peaks region. The free shuttle system will operate on weekends and holidays through Monday, Oct. 10, 2022. New this year, additional runs on select weekends in August and October will be piloted from Frontier Town Gateway in North Hudson.

Read more here: content.govdelivery.com/accounts/NYSDEC/bulletins/31f1690

  Bearproof Containers Available to Rent [2022-04-25]

These bear-proof canisters are required in the Central High Peaks Zone and are essential to use on any backcountry overnight adventure to any backpacking or canoe camping destination.

8.8 inch dia. X 12 inches long, weight 2.7 lbs.

Designed to slip into your backpack. Backpackers Cache (Garcia Manufacturing) and Bear Keg (Counter Assault) are the only two bear resistant food containers approved for use in the Central High Peaks Zone.

Rental Rates ( We have the best rental price! ):
  •   1-3 nights $5.00
  •   4-7 nights $10.00

Call Jim Schneider 518-421-4975 to reserve your canister rental.

Rentals are available exclusively to ADK Glens Falls-Saratoga Chapter members

  ADK Mtn Club Advisory Council Jan 18 2022 Hilights [2022-02-19]
 
  • The Cascade Ski Center was purchased; Goggins Road property has an interested party.
  • 60+ outings are scheduled for the Fall Weekend/Centennial Celebration, Sep 23-25, 2022 in Silver Bay.
  • Kate Hacker, from the Niagara Frontier Chapter, was elected to serve on the ADK Board of Directors. She will represent the Club membership.

The ADK mission statement has changed and is no longer stated as a 'member directed' organization.

As per the change in ADK bylaws approved by ADK membership, member representation in ADK governance now focuses on the lone board seat allotted to the Advisory Council representative - the representative of ADK membership.

If you have any comments, thoughts, concerns, suggestions regarding ADK in any way, shape or form, please let Jim Schneider ( trustee@adk-gfs.org ) know and he will communicate them to Kate.

The next Advisory Council meeting is May 17, 2022.
  Some Programs From the Past are on YouTube [2022-02-19]
  Swede Mountain added to ADK Fire Tower Challenge [2021-08-14]
 
The Adirondack Mountain Club Fire Tower Committee has officially included SWEDE MOUNTAIN in the ADK Fire Tower Challenge effective August 13, 2021.

Public access is due to the hard work of Warren County folks and community leaders. Most importantly, the trail traverses private property to access the tower. The landowner requests hikers stay on the trail at all times. Please respect private property.

The trail is closed to public access September 10 - December 16 due to hunting club leases. Climbs during the closure period will not be accepted toward the challenge.

Swede Mtn Details: View PDF
  Recent Chapter Program Videos Available Online [2021-05-27]
 
  • Historic Bridges of the Adirondacks (May 19, 2021) Video
  • Alaska the Last Frontier (4/21/2021)  Video
  • Forest Pests Impact on Adirondacks (3/24/2021):   Video
  • Hiking Adrians Wall (11/18/2020):   Video
  • Modern Threats to ADK Waterways (9/23/2020):   Video
  Views From On High 2nd Revised 2021 Edition is Available [2021-04-11]
 
Views From On High 2nd Revised 2021 Edition is now available from ADK. New material includes extensive Catskill and Adirondack trail and fire tower updates through winter 2021 including:

  • Poke-O-Moonshine - New Ranger Trail with its hiker friendly stone steps, switchbacks and scenic reroute.
  • St. Regis: - New trailhead from Spring Bay of Upper St. Regis Lake. Combine a paddle trip with a fire tower hike.
  • Hunter: - We love loop hikes! So, we put together this very interesting route combining the Spruceton Trail and the Devil's Path for an 8.8 mile loop.
  • Red Hill - NYS Department of Environmental Conservation teamed up with New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the town of Denning, with support from the State's Environmental Protection Fund and constructed a new trailhead and information kiosk on Denning Road.

  • Purchase book: ADK Mtn Club Publications

  Fill out report if you hiked Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area [ ]
Fill out report if you hiked Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area. Have you hiked in the Pharaoh Wilderness Area? If you haven't what you will find are beautiful lakes and ponds, quiet solitude, great backpacking, easy walking, and delightful swimming. When you come back, let us know what you found. We are particularly interested in flowers, animals, trail and lean-to conditions, and just about anything notable either good or bad. Your Glens Falls-Saratoga ADK Chapter has adopted the entire Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area.
Please send send an email with the information to Jim Schneider at: metadatajim@gmail.com
  • Unusual Animals
  • Unusual Plants
  • Trail Conditions (blowdown, beaver activity, signs missing or incorrect, etc.):
  • Lean-to Conditions:
  • Other:
  • Or mail your report to:
    • Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area
    • Glens Falls-Saratoga Chapter ADK
    • P.O. Box 2314
    • Glens Falls, NY 12801

Updated: September 16 2022

ADK Voices - Stories That Link Our Past, Present and Future
ADK Headquarters

DEC Links

Miscellaneous Links