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...

June 22, 2022 - Put in from the state boat launch & headed S into SOUTH B AY staying close to the NW shore which has light development, incl. some rundown buildings & a farm, for a couple of miles - the view S is quite nice with The Saddles (within The Saddles State Forest) & The Diameter (I love that name) bordering the lake.  The Adirondack Blue Line runs down the center of the bay.  The water was a murky pale green, possibly due to the clay soil underneath.  Below The Diameter, talus reached down to the water, so we crossed to the opposite shore to stop for lunch - the shoreline consisted of boot-sucking mud thanks to the clay content but we were able to successfully exit the kayaks with some moderate stress.  There was a variety of lovely flowers on shore.  After lunch, we headed further SW into South Bay Creek which winds gently below rocky cliffs with silver maples lining the varied shores & bullhead lilies in the water - this is the best...