Northeast Wild

  In most years, you can find peak fall foliage colors in the higher elevations of the Adirondack Park around the end of September and in early October. By Columbus Day weekend, the bright red and orange leaves of the red and sugar maple trees will likely have dropped to the ground, but the yellows of the birches and the golds of the beeches may still be evident.  In the High Peaks, one should not be surprised to see snow-capped mountains in mid-October – the combination of fall colors topped with white is a sight to be seen.  A number of years ago, a group of us paddled Follensby Clear Pond on Columbus Day weekend in a windblown snow shower - we camped on Polliwog Pond and awoke to 1" of snow on the ground. After the first week in October, you may still find dazzling colors at lower elevations and in southern areas. Here are some destinations that you may want to visit this fall that should be of interest to both hikers and paddlers. Jenkins Mountain The Visi...

  Feb 28, 2023 – BLACK & LONG PONDS, JENKINS MOUNTAIN TRAIL ski, from St Regis Mtn trailhead (Black Pond trailhead not plowed) on Keese Mill Rd. Black Pond east side trail – lots of ups & downs – came close to groomed trail of the VIC – some icy base noted. Lean-to. Saw a deer shoot across the pond. Pond-ski to N end & picked up the trail to the W side of Long Pond. Half-mile to Jenkins Mtn Trail & went L. Groomed for a bit. Ups & downs over eskers & hardwoods (deeper powder). Gave up when the trail got steeper. Path to top of esker that parallels the ponds – L to the summit of the esker – decent views of Jenkins & Long Pond – saw 3 yellow paint blazes & there were some old snowshoe tracks. S on esker & woke up a deer. Ups & downs for a while then a short traverse down to the S end of Long Pond. Checked out the fish barrier dam then skied down the W side of Black Pond then across the pond, into a good headwind, to the Black Pond lean-to for a...