This jammy, flavorful blog was originally written in 2018 and updated in spring 2024.

The wooden floorboards creek softly under your feet and the mellifluous sounds of 1920’s swing and jazz greet you as you enter. The smell of baked goods wafts from somewhere deep within the room. As you look around you see what seems like a life’s work on display. Hand crafted rustic furniture, hand painted paddles, vintage board games stacked carefully under a side table. Inviting couches surrounding a barn wood table beckon. Another coffee table displays vintage buffalo plaid thermoses, coffee cups you’d find at camp, and plaid table settings. Towards the back of the space several locals chat with the baker over a morning coffee. Making themselves comfortable on tastefully upholstered couches. It feels like coming home. 

Which is exactly what owners Lisa and Edward Marks want you to feel as you enter their little slice of Schroon Lake. “We’ve actually had people walk in and think they’ve made a mistake at first and walked into someone’s house,” says Lisa.

Transplants from New York City, Lisa and Edward Marks relocated to their seasonal home in Schroon lake in 2014 with thoughts of retirement, but after a year of ‘relaxing’ they decided maybe the slow life wasn’t for them just yet. An interior designer and baker by trade, Lisa and Edward wanted a new outlet for their skills and interests that would also support their newly adopted Adirondack community. Having worked primarily under the guidance of someone else's vision in their first careers, they were excited at the opportunity to make something that was their own. 

And so, in 2015, they opened the doors of the Pine Cone Mercantile in downtown Schroon Lake. Four years later, not only do they still run it as a two person operation open six days a week in the summer and five in the winter, they’ve also added the ‘North Woods Bread Company’ which can be found tucked in the back of the store in front of a beautiful subway tile wall, and most recently ‘Pine Cone Provisions,’ half farm stand, half artesan food display, which fills a newly renovated space adjacent to the main store. 

The Mercantile

To call it a 'gift shop' would be disingenuous. The 'store' which fills the bulk of the Marks' space feels more like a carefully curated collection of keepsakes that Lisa wants to share with you. You won't find a whole lot of mass produced chachkies and knick-knacks here. Lisa prides herself on seeking out products you aren't likely to find in many other places. Decorative paddles she gets from a woman in Montreal, hand built furniture she buys a piece at a time, antiques she collects while on vacation, and hand painted balsam pillows made by a local artist make up an oh-so-tiny portion of her collection. The Mercantile is truly a space to be experienced. 

Pine Cone Provisions

Lisa told me, “We knew all these producers personally, and we wanted to bring their products to the rest of the community on a year round basis.” 

Pine Cone Provisions opened Summer 2018 with a similar mission to the Mercantile. To bring local produce and cheese as well as artisan foods to the store.

You’ll find vegetables, meats, and cheeses primarily from Juniper Hill, Asgaard Farm, North Country Creamery, and Sugar House Creamery, all regional North Country farms. The summer understandably saw a boon of fresh produce, but they also plan on keeping their shelves stocked with local produce into the winter, as long as the farms have it available.

Beyond the meats, dairy, and produce, the shelves sport a large variety of artisanal goodies. Fleur De Sel chocolate from Saratoga? Check. Maple Syrup from down the street? Check (“It’s really nice to know the people who are tapping your syrup,” says Lisa). Hand crafted cocktail mixers from Lake Placid? Check. Banana Jam from Brooklyn? Check. Pancake mix ground from New York flour in the Catskills? Check. A small selection of carefully selected cookbooks? Check. The list goes on. Pinecone Provisions has one of the most well curated collections of on-of-a-kind foodstuffs I've found in the North Country and is a must-stop for anyone in town or passing through on the Northway. 

If you can get out of Pine Cone Provisions empty handed, you’re a stronger person than me. I came home with a cast iron cookbook and this marvelous banana jam. Seriously folks, Brooklyn be jammin with Brin's Banana Jam. It's like someone took all the best parts of banana bread and concentrated it into one tiny jar. A little goes a long way, and I'll be back for more. 

North Woods Bread Co.

You can get the low down on the North Woods Bread Co. in this story here. Suffice to say, the fresh baked deliciousness flows out of the kitchen five days a week. This means breads courtesy of Edward and other sweet baked goods courtesy of Lisa. The choices are ever changing so stop early and stop often! Also, if you plan on being in town for any of the major holidays (plus Super Bowl Sunday) be sure to check in ahead of time for their special order ahead holiday menus!

Don't miss the chance to lose yourself at the Pine Cone Mercantile

The next time you're visiting or passing through, don't miss the chance to lose yourself in this one-of-a-kind store. Right on Main Street in Downtown Schroon Lake and just a five minute drive from the I-87 Northway, It's a stop you won't want to miss. Take a stroll down to the Gazebo overlooking Schroon Lake and then pop across the street for a coffee at 9 Mile or next door to Flanagans for a beer and some good food and make a day of it!

When the first snowflakes fall, many of us start thinking about skiing, sledding, and ice skating. But have you considered birding? Sure, the songs and activity of spring and summer are exciting, and species diversity is also at an all-time high, but now, with a blanket of snow on the ground and chillier temperatures, birding is still just as much fun. Let me assure you, there are birds out there in winter. And some unique species can be found in the Adirondack Hub year-round!

Location, location, location

With so much wild land in the Adirondack Hub, there is plenty of room for birds to find a place to eat, roost, and spend their winters. You don’t even have to travel deep into the woods to find these species. There are many excellent roadside birding spots across the entire Adirondack Hub, especially in Minerva and Newcomb.

The reason the Adirondack Hub is such a fine place to bird is that it sits in some of the greatest boreal habitat in the Adirondacks. Boreal means “northern;” species found in boreal habitat are more frequently found in places like Canada. There is a holy boreal-trinity of species that birders often gravitate towards: Canada Jay, Boreal Chickadee, and Black-backed Woodpecker. On this day, our goal was to find all three. You’ll have to read on to see if we were successful.

Walking in TR’s shoes

I actually don’t know if this path is related to Teddy Roosevelt beyond a name, but the Roosevelt Truck Trail is a fantastic place to go for a hike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski. Coincidentally, TR loved the outdoors and has deep history in the Adirondacks, so I’d like to think he would have enjoyed this trail. We decided to combine a winter walk with some Roosevelt Truck Trail birding on this day.

Our group consisted of myself, two others, and one energetic dog. We opted to begin our walk at the southern entrance of the Truck Trail, off Route 28N, in the town of Minerva. The entire trail spans the gap betweenst Route 28N and Blue Ridge Road. Coming from the direction of Newcomb, there is a small gravel road just beyond the railroad tracks; we located it by an American Flag hanging near the entrance and coordinates are available on the DEC website. (A word of caution: this road may not be plowed in winter. It wasn’t on this day.)

Within minutes of passing the gate and starting the trail, we heard our first bird: a Black-backed Woodpecker. These birds are bigger than Downy Woodpeckers and maybe a little smaller than Hairy Woodpeckers. Black-backed Woodpeckers typically spend a lot of time in one spot, so listen for their drumming as you make your way through boreal forests. Chances are you’ll get a look at one if you hear the drumming. Since they stay in one spot for longer than most woodpeckers, it makes them a little easier to photograph, if they aren’t obscured by branches or other trees. We ended up seeing three Black-backed Woodpeckers on this trip.

However, the further we went along the trail, the less birds we saw. Soon, we stopped hearing them entirely and only tracks from Ruffed Grouse and snowshoe hare could be found. All three of us were a little surprised by the lack of bird activity since the following day had a snow storm prediction. Before a big storm, birds generally tend to quiet down, but we figured with so much advanced notice, they’d all be out foraging pre-storm. 

Our focus then became finding Ruffed Grouse since there were tracks everywhere. We thought maybe, if we were quiet enough, we could sneak up on one in a tree and get a good photo. In total, we flushed 5 different grouse.

We walked about 1.5 miles of the trail before deciding to head back. The birds weren’t very active and our dog was showing some signs of slowing down. (Of course, he had probably run 10-miles at this point, circling back and forth between us.) Birding in winter is not about finding a high diversity of species; it’s about quietly searching for the hardy residents who call the Adirondack forests home for the season. Unfortunately, we didn’t see or hear any Boreal Chickadees or Canada Jays. But in addition to the Black-backed Woodpeckers and Ruffed Grouse, we located Black-capped Chickadees, a Common Raven, and one Downy Woodpecker. 

The walk out was just as smooth as the walk in. The trail has some ups and downs, but nothing incredibly steep or challenging. We didn’t ski in today, but I’d like to return sometime this winter to ski the entire length (and hopefully find the bird species we missed!). We drove through all Adirondack Hub towns and noted that Common Redpolls were, well, common at a lot of feeders this year! If you’re looking for other birding spots in the Hub, check out the Town Beach in Schroon Lake, the Adirondack Interpretive Center in Newcomb, any of the roadside pull-offs in Minerva, or even the Frontier Town Campground in North Hudson. Keep a watchful eye for Common Redpolls, Red Crossbills, and Evening Grosbeaks. It's a big year for "winter finches."

While you’re out birding in the Adirondack Hub, check out some local dining options for take-out or dine-in, or shop local at one of the many stores in the area. Grab your binoculars and get out there today!

 

 

As Christmas approaches I find myself reminiscing about Christmases past, remembering all the traditions that I shared with family and friends over the years. So many traditions and memories, but my favorites always included family time spent gathered around the fire, trees twinkling with colorful decorations, laughter, great food, and cold crisp air and snow.

Traditionally the kick off of the holiday season was shortly after Thanksgiving. My father and mother would bundle my brother and I up in warm clothes, and then load us in their big ole' green Ford pickup truck. My brother was too little to see out the windshield of the truck, so my parents would put him up on a little red foot stool next to my mom, and I would be straddling the stick shift on the floor. This would allow him to see out the window. Even though our family homestead had many acres of woods, it was heavy in pine and maple, so Dad would take the truck down Rt. 9 to Schroon Lake and we would head up to the top of Hoffman Mountain to travel down the Trout Brook Road past the Rocky Acres B&B. He would pull off on the side of the road, and we would all climb out of the truck and head up the side of the hill. For the next hour we would hike through the woods till we found the perfect balsam or spruce tree, then Dad would chop it down and my brother and I (merely 4 & 8 years of age) would attempt to help him haul it down the hill to the truck -- our hands becoming covered in spruce pitch.

Now the best part of this adventure, was getting the tree home and decorating it. Mother would pull out an assortment of boxes that held all the ornaments and lights, and seeing the ornaments was like welcoming old friends. Many of the ornaments that adorned our tree were passed down to my mom from her mother. These ornaments were made by my grandmother - some wooden or ceramic and painted, some crocheted, some sewn. Each one had a special meaning/memory and as I got older we would work together on making some new ornaments. I know this tradition is carried on even today, and that many of the Christmas trees through out the Schroon Lake Region are adorned with similar ornaments made by family members. They are special and remind of us of those we loved that have passed on. A tradition that is dear and close to our heart. Today my tree is adorned by the same ornaments my mom used that gram made, ornaments given to me from my best friend's mom's collection, and ornaments made by a life-long friend of my parents. My children have ornaments that were made by me, or my grandmother, that now adorn the trees in their own homes.

Of course, even with the beauty of our own tree, I still love to drive through the Schroon Lake Region and see all the outdoor decorations. No matter what size the house or business... small, medium or large... there is nothing more amazing than a building covered in beautiful lights on a crisp winter night. Everything twinkling against a crisp white backdrop, tree branches swaying in the breeze, the lights making both adults' and children's eyes as big as saucers.

Another wonderful tradition during the holidays is enjoying the company of family and friends. Over the years this has included visiting some of our favorite restaurants in Schroon Lake to dine together, or visiting each other's homes for a family gathering. There is nothing better then a table full of assorted foods. I recently was telling someone that one of the things I had missed while living away from Schroon Lake was the potluck meals. Some of the best food I have ever eaten over the years was made by family and friends right here in the Schroon Lake Region. Besides enjoying wonderful potluck dinners, some of the food traditions I grew up loving and still prepare for my own family is an assortment of homemade baked goods.

As a child growing up, my grandmother would turn in to a baking maniac during the holidays. She would make pies of all types, every flavor under the sun, including Apple, Cherry, Mincemeat, Chocolate Cream, Lemon Meringue, and so many others. Besides homemade pies, there were homemade quick breads such as banana walnut, zucchini, and apple bread. And she was the queen of making cookies....sugar cookies, hermit cookies, chocolate chip, and so much more. I, like many other women in Schroon Lake, have our mother's and grandmother's traditions to thank for our abilities to bake up a mean batch of holiday goodies for our family and friends. Recipes have been passed down through the generations!

The holidays are a special time in the Schroon Lake Region and I look forward to starting new traditions with my own family in our new home. I hope that they will come this holiday season to sit around the tree, and by the fire. I hope to buy an ole' fashion popcorn popper and make homemade popcorn over the fire while we all play board games and sip on hot chocolate while enjoying those amazing holiday treats. Maybe if they are lucky I will pull out my grandmother's Popcorn Ball recipe and make some traditional Adirondack Carmel Popcorn Balls for everyone.
Whatever you do with your family this holiday season, remember that the traditions are what make some of the greatest memories your family will hold. From my family to you and yours, we hope that you all have a wonderful and loving holiday!

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Getting off of the couch hurts.

It's not the emotional kind of pain that comes from the loss of a favorite pet or the cancellation of a beloved reality TV show — I still haven't reconciled how real The Simple Life was — it's the physical pain derived from a sedentary state that's often inspired by a long, frigid winter.

I've been through it before. I moved to Plattsburgh to attend college and to live close to the Adirondacks. That meant I spent summers hiking up mountains and the rest of the year hiking from lecture halls to the library with a backpack full of books. The notion of doing squat thrusts between ecology labs never dawned on me, so the non-college season always took some getting used to. Those first few hikes were rough, leg burning affairs that left me winded and cursing my way up the mountain.

After a couple of summers of that, I decided to whip myself into shape. I walked as fast as I could up Poke-O-Moonshine, a small, 2,180-foot foot mountain in the Champlain Valley. The 1.2 mile hike took me about an hour-and-a-half in late May. I proceeded to hike something like a dozen High Peaks and just as many smaller mountains until the fall semester began. The day before classes, I raced up Poke-O again and timed myself: 37 minutes. Not bad.

I was determined not to let myself slump back into another stiff-legged state of being, so I found ways to keep myself active even though I was busy. If it's looking like your first summer excursions are going to bring tears to your eyes, act now. It doesn't take long to warm up tense muscles, and you'll thank yourself later when you're cruising up the trail.

 

Running

Running can be painful on the best of days.

I hate running. It's boring and tedious, right? If you're nodding your head in agreement, read on.

I started running years ago to keep myself active, and I quickly noticed that I feel spectacularly energized after doing it. Even a 15-minute jog is enough to take the edge off of a long, tiring day. So what's the problem?

One day I decided to switch from jogging around town to trail running, and I had an epiphany: It wasn't the act of running that I despised, it was where I was running. Jogging along a trail is an interesting experience. You have to pay close attention to where your feet are going because there are obstacles everywhere and the dips, rises, bends, and stream crossings keep things lively. If the thought of running on pavement makes you cringe, give it a try.

In the summer, a decent pair of trail runners — running shoes with aggressive treads — do the job. In the spring and winter, add a set of Microspikes to the trail runners and you can jog on almost any surface. I can't say my revelation turned me into a born again runner, but it did add a mental element to the exercise that increased the fun factor exponentially.

Biking

This is how I feel when I ride my bike.

Sometimes the most obvious things are also the most overlooked. A walk to campus from my apartment took as long as 30 minutes. That was too long when I was pressed for time, but a bike ride usually clocked in at less than 10 minutes. The best part was it was faster than driving since I could avoid traffic by riding along the Saranac River trail. And to think that bike just sat in my apartment collecting dust for all of those years!

Biking to stay in shape doesn't have to involve day-long excursions. A backpack is ideal for picking up a few groceries for dinner, and casual after-work rides are great for relieving stress.

Don't let winter get you down

The best things in life are free.

The best way to beat stiff spring time muscles is to stay active all winter. You can start with short runs and bike rides before transitioning to bigger mountains, or you can just keep climbing the bigger mountains year round.
After graduating from college I was suddenly plagued by a plethora of free time, so it didn't take long for me to splurge on snowshoes and Microspikes.
Snowshoes are a great all-around piece of equipment. They'll get you out on the trails, prevent you from postholing, and they don't require any special skills to use. Microspikes are just as easy to use, but they're a bit more location specific. Strap them to your boots when there's too much ice for your snowshoes to grip, or when you're hiking mountains in the spring. I usually have a pair in my pack until early summer so I don't get turned around by an icy incline a quarter mile from the summit.

I recently bought Nordic skis to add an option to wintertime activities, and they were worth every penny. They take some getting used to, but if you've never glided down a backcountry hill after a fresh snowfall, you need to put that on your to-do list for next winter. Be sure to take a lesson to learn the proper techniques, and you'll be carving turns in no time.

If you need some tips on how to dress for winter and spring adventures, check out this blog on planning for an adventure.. With the proper gear and the right attitude, it's possible to transition into summer on a fresh pair of legs.

The Schroon Lake Region is filled with hikes of varying difficulty. You can also try climbing and biking!

 

 

I'm an avid hiker who hasn't ridden a mountain bike in more than a year. Then I heard the Schroon Lake Region calling.

Just off of Exit 29 on Interstate 87 is a network of beaten paths that lie just off the beaten path. The Town of North Hudson Multiple Use Trail System is a web of trails that are perfect for walking, running, and mountain biking, especially if the latter isn't your forte.

Heading south from the Adirondacks' High Peaks Region, I found the trails by taking a right at the end of Exit 29, followed by another right on Route 9, toward Schroon Lake. The parking area is located on a service road that's a right-hand turn just a minute or so after turning on Route 9.

Decisions, decisions

Two trail networks can be accessed from the dirt parking lot. "Trail center east" is across the road and encompasses 2.3 miles of trail, including a long singletrack loop. I opted to explore the 4.3-mile "trail center west," located on the parking area side of the road. Since the trails in this network are all between the road and the Schroon River, I decided to make the river my destination.

I grabbed a map from the kiosk and immediately saw that there is no direct path to the river. The trails wind every which way and frequently intersect each other, so there are dozens of combinations available.

I began on the West Intesection trail, which forms a rough circle that doesn't stray too far from the start. A few trails branch off of that, but I'll spare you the play-by-play. The best way to enjoy the North Hudson trails is to cruise them without much concern for direction. You'll never be far from the road, and the circular nature of the network lends itself to freeform navigation. Just be sure to heed signs that say "do not enter" and you'll be fine.

My meandering route took me on most of the trails in the system. There were steep downhill plunges that were well-marked with a warning, winding singletrack sections, a wonderfully breezy glide through a pine forest, and a cool riverside ramble.

Since many of the paths are wide, the canopy above them is open enough to let sunlight through, which promotes wildflower growth. Among the thick grass was a profusion of pinkish spring beauties and yellow blasts of common cinquefoil. In some spots the trail was lined with lush, green sphagnum moss beds that were decorated with the pale grey-greens of reindeer and coral lichen.

River ride

I passed an impressive stand of ostrich ferns before descending steeply into a hayscented fern meadow. Dipping out of the fernage, I rounded a bend and was met by the Schroon River and a startled woodcock — a small, Kiwi bird-looking creature that finds earthworms by stomping on the ground and cocking its head to listen for their subterranean movements — which flew for cover as soon as it saw me.

The river here has a short section of fast-moving water bookended by water that's practically still. A fun drop to the bank is precluded by a sign reminding visitors that they're entering the sensitive raparian zone — the flood-prone area along streams.

I took a break from my ride to enjoy the river, and discovered that this was a popular area. Racoon and great blue heron tracks lined the muddy beach. I rehydrated and was off, now making my way back to the trailhead.

My travels took a detour on a spur trail to the oxbow, which wasn't what I expected. Oxbows are horseshoe- (or oxbow-) shaped lakes that used to be a sharp bend in a meandering river. The Schroon Lake Region has a lot of these waterbodies, so many that from above it looks like an enormous horse walked through the area, and the Schroon River also has plenty of future oxbow lakes along its wandering course.

The oxbow accessed from the North Hudson trails is grown in, though, so it looks like a large, marshy area that's probably a delight for birdwatchers. I didn't have my binoculars and I was eager to get back in the saddle, so I continued on. After a few rights and lefts the parking area materialized through the trees and I was back at my car. I had managed to spend a couple of hours on the trails. It was a great introduction to mountain biking in the Schroon Lake Region, and a great way to take a break from hiking and see the forest from behind a set of handlebars.

The Schroon Lake Region is a great base camp for an Adirondack adventure. Climb a cliff, hike up a mountain, or paddle the numerous waterways — it all starts in Schroon Lake!

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This week in related ADK biking news:

Gnarl. Learning lingo, shredding track

Prime pedaling

Going down, down, down

Cycle Adirondacks: a week-long adventure

MTB for beginners

Biking the backroads

Try Tupper tri

For those of you who don’t know, it was recently my birthday. However, my mother-in-law, in her sweet, gift-giving spirit, informed me that I’m a really hard person to shop for. She’s not wrong. My favorite things in life are birding, eating pie, and skiing. I already have enough binoculars, spotting scopes, field guides, skis, helmets, poles, etc. to keep me busy, and, let’s face it, pies are hard to wrap. It got me thinking: where in the Adirondack Hub are the best Adirondack-themed birthday gifts from? Believe it or not, between woods and waters, there are some pretty awesome shops with locally-made, purely Adirondack products. And then plenty of other shops that can help outfit upcoming outdoor adventures with the latest gear. So, next year, if you’re looking for a present for me (my birthday is in the beginning of February), I suggest starting your search at one of these fine establishments. Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge.

Pine Cone Mercantile

I’d say the vibe of my house is modern, but with a rustic twist. So, really, anything from the Pine Cone Mercantile would fit in perfectly.

North Woods Bread Co.

North Woods Bread Co. is located at the Pine Cone Mercantile, and this is the closest you’re going to get on this list to buying me a birthday pie. The bread selection varies every time I visit, but I’ll take a loaf of anything, please! Or a carrot cake muffin with cream cheese filling. I’m not picky and will be entirely happy with any sweet thing delivered to me on my birthday. (If you really want to take me out for a birthday pie, let's go to Pitkin's for dinner and dessert because Marie's pies are simply the best.)

Adirondack General Store

On the quiet east shore of Schroon Lake is the Adirondack General Store. In addition to serving breakfast and lunch, selling fishing tackle and nightcrawlers, and having groceries, the Adirondack General Store is FULL of classic Adirondack gifts. Last time I was there, I saw a cute picture frame with a canoe on a river carved on the bottom. That’s a Janelle gift if I ever did see one.

Gokey’s Outlet Store

I’m really not sure how to describe Gokey’s, so just go there when there’s an auction this summer and bid on something really cool for me, okay? Plus, the Outlet Store has literally one of everything. It won’t be hard to find a gift here.

Adirondack Buffalo Company

Aside from being my favorite animal viewing location in the Adirondack Hub, Adirondack Buffalo Company has a unique store with great unique gifts! Even if you don’t want to buy something here, I’ll settle for a scenic drive to Blue Ridge Road just so I can see the buffalo. 

Frontier Town Gateway

New on the scene, Frontier Town Gateway is a great place to pick up some last minute gear before hitting the trails. And a good meal. I collect maps from all over, and Frontier Town Gateway has an entire aisle with maps and outdoor stuff.  

Pine Haven Cottage

Pine Haven Cottage is not open during winter, but, if I were shopping for me, I’d be there opening day this spring to purchase a pillow with a moose on it, hand-sewn and adorable.

Stirring Creations

Stirring Creations is a rustic furniture and homemade soap gift shop. Check with me first before buying any furniture (redecorating a home can be a bother sometimes), but a bar of handmade soap makes for a great gift. The best part? Stirring Creations’ soaps are specifically made for people with sensitive skin so they make your skin feel amazing. (Plus everything smells really good!)

Newcomb Cafe and Campground

For my last birthday my husband took me birding and out to breakfast. I’d like that to be replicated every year with breakfast at the Newcomb Cafe and Campground. The general store has a lot of products by local artisans in the Newcomb area, which would be a really special touch for an Adirondack birthday.

A NEW CANOE

I forgot to mention that I also love paddling. I know, I know. A new canoe is expensive, but something lightweight from the Adirondack Canoe Company or Hornbeck Boats would be the best present ever. Better yet, just drive me to Minerva, drop me off at one of the stores so I can test paddle canoes, and I’ll buy myself the perfect boat and paddle myself home somehow.

Bark Eater Outfitters

I’m a big fan of buying a shirt everywhere I go that says the name of the place. Help me add to my collection by purchasing me a shirt that screams Schroon Lake! Bark Eater Outfitters has a great collection of shirts, hats, and apparel that will help anyone embrace that Adirondack aesthetic.  

Happy birthday, Janelle!

So, there you have it. A pretty comprehensive list of places to shop for me for my birthday next year. I guess this list could be applied to other birthdays, too. Is your mom’s birthday coming up? Maybe book her a stay at a relaxing, lakeside motel! Does your best friend have a birthday next month? A gift card to Paradox Brewery will be a hit! Or find something interesting at the Towne Store. Get dad a bear sculpture from North Country Carvings. Are you out of ideas for your niece or nephew who already seem to own every single toy in existence? Take them candy shopping at Pit Stop Sweet Shop! The options are endless. And there’s no better place to spend your next birthday than the Adirondack Hub. 

 

Well, we’ve achieved official Adirondack winter temperatures. That means crisp air, gorgeous snowy landscapes, and….. ice.

And given the amount of lakes and ponds in the Schroon Lake region, there is potential for a tremendous amount of frozen water. I’m sure many have favorites, but here are MY top picks for places & ways to play on the ice!

1. Ice skating

Ok, so this was a no-brainer. A safely frozen lake or pond just beckons you to put on your skates and glide. Hockey skates, figure skates, they all work. But have you tried nordic skating?

Last winter, I got to explore Paradox Lake when it had frozen to perfection for an outing on nordic skates. I ventured out there with my husband and a couple of friends and we enjoyed hours of exploration - it is a perspective one can only get from the frozen surface.

Paradox Lake is a great destination for skating as it is easily accessible via the boat launch site off Route 74.

Nordic skate blades are fitted with bindings that match your cross-country ski boot bindings, typically either NNN, NNN BC or traditional 3-pins. The blades have a free heel, just like cross-country skis, and come in a few different lengths; the longer the blade, the longer the stride. For these Adirondack lakes and ponds, there’s no better way to get around!

Though I haven’t yet skated them, I have a couple of ponds in the region on my to-do list for skating in the future, too.

One is Oxshoe Pond in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness (home to 39 bodies of water in itself!), I have hiked here in the past during winter, finding a perfect surface for skating when I arrived - without skates. I’d like to travel the 4 or so miles back to that pond again and remedy that situation.

The other is Moose Mountain Pond in North Hudson, an easy 3-mile hike in to a beautiful pond with a lean-to. If the conditions are right, I bet it would be a tremendous place to set out on skates!

2. Ice Climbing

Ice climbing is a bit more extreme than skating, and requires experience and/or a guide. I’ve done quite a bit of both rock and ice climbing, but not in the Schroon Lake Region.

When I have a question about outdoor adventure, I go to the experts. For an ice climbing question, I headed straight to The Mountaineer in Keene Valley, and got my answers just minutes after walking in the door.

Some of the waterfalls in the Adirondacks become popular challenges for ice climbing in winter. The ice routes are climbed using specialized ice axes and crampons on your boots to “stick” to the ice and ascend. The gear continues to be improved, and the Mountaineer always has a huge selection of the latest technology in both ice axes, crampons, ice screws and belay devices and ropes.

They also have a huge book section, and that’s where I found Nick, checking inventory. He pointed out the latest rock climbing guide book, “Blue Lines, An Adirondack Ice Climber’s Guide” by Don Mellor. Apparently, Mellor has an update coming soon, but the book, in combination with some insider information from Nick, provided me with the most important ice climbing destinations in the Schroon Lake Region.

The first is a classic. Before I ever headed over to The Mountaineer, I asked my husband, an experienced climber, about ice climbs in the region, and he confirmed that Pharaoh Mountain is simply the best moderate route in the entire Adirondacks. It’s a 500’ long route up a waterfall that one can see from far away, but it’s a 10-mile round trip, made easier if there’s enough snow to ski.

The second might be lesser-known until the next edition of “Blue Lines” is published. There are a series of walls in the Hoffman Notch Wilderness that are accessed from the Blue Ridge Route (County Route 84) from Exit 29 on Interstate 87. Once at the trailhead, the hike into the Hoffman Notch is about 45 minutes on snowshoes. But you didn’t hear that from me.

3. Ice Fishing

If you’ve ever been to Schroon Lake itself during winter you’ve noticed the groups of little houses that dot the surface of the lake once it’s frozen. The big lake is a super fishery in both warm and cold weather, and a favorite for locals and visitors fishing for perch and a long list of other types of fish.

and 1/2: Ice Cold Beer

Ok, this isn’t really exclusive to winter, but it doesn’t hurt to stop in to the tasting room at the Paradox Brewery after a long day of ice skating, climbing or fishing, does it? Or, check out the warm atmosphere at Flanagans Pub & Grill, Witherbee's Carriage House, or the great food and drink at Sticks & Stones Bistro and Bar. Trust me, these are ALL good choices for an apres ice adventure!

It’s All in Your Perspective

I’m not sure if others do this, but I’m pretty good at fooling myself into doing stuff by changing my perspective about that particular stuff.

For instance, I can convince myself to fall asleep after I’ve been awakened in the middle of the night by pretending that the morning alarm is about to go off. Convinced that I have to get up in a few minutes, it’s back to deep slumber for me.

So as I began my bike ride along the famously-hilly Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival Route that circumnavigates Schroon Lake, I felt extremely fortunate that I would get to do it on my road bike rather than running the whole 26.2 miles on foot as the racers do every fall. Comparatively, I was really lucky. Runners can’t just coast down the hills, after all.

I hopped on my Surly near the Schroon Lake Town Beach, set my bike computer to zero, and headed north along Main Street. I noticed some other bikes parked in front of the Chamber of Commerce, so I stopped in to make sure that I had the correct route planned. After chatting with Tammy at the Chamber, and the other bikers about the great road routes throughout the Adirondacks, I got back on my bike and headed north to begin my 26.2 mile Marathon.

The beginning of the route is nice, rolling terrain that traverses through town and continues after a right turn onto Alder Meadow Road. When my bike computer said I was at mile 4 near the junction of Alder Meadow, Crane Pond and Adirondack Roads, the famous hills began.

Now, I know there are hills on this course. I was prepared to encounter hills. Everyone talks about the hills. One of the founders of the marathon recently told me that when he rides the course, he gets off his mountain bike and WALKS up a couple of the hills. And although I have driven this route in a car, and on a motorcycle, I think it is far more apparent how many, and how steep the hills are when you’re pedaling a bike over them.

For the first few miles on those hills I was fine - the pleasant, tree-lined road is so very quiet; with very little traffic. However, I hadn’t fooled myself properly. I had neglected to note before embarking how many miles of hills I’d encounter. My perspective was that there were only about 4 miles of the hilliest terrain. In reality, there are more like 8 or 9 miles of the steep inclines and declines.

Safety note: This entire section of road is a mix of new pavement and old pavement. I’m guessing that they recently prioritized paving some of the REALLY bad sections. This doesn’t really matter too much for the inclines, but cyclists should note that the downhills are as steep as the uphills, and according to my little bike computer, I exceeded the 30 mph speed limit a couple of times. The tree-lined, shaded roads can make it difficult to see any anomalies (both bumps and holes) in the pavement on those older sections. For the downhills, I had to employ a method of both standing up on my pedals rather than sitting on the seat, and locking my thumb and middle fingers around the hood that covers the brake/shifter mechanism on my handlebars. Still, I almost lost contact with my bike four times.

At about mile 8 or so, I found myself wondering when the uphill climbs would stop appearing in front of me - a negative approach to an otherwise beautiful day. So I decided I’d better change my perspective.

The Half Marathon

Perspective adjustment: I knew that once I arrived at the Town of Adirondack, which is, incidentally, the start of the Half Marathon race, the roads would be almost flat for a while. And, I also knew that by the time I arrived on Route 9 to turn back north toward Schroon Lake, the Paradox Brewery would be open for tastings.

So, although I apparently had some more hills ahead of me, I also had the benefit of knowing about the brewery and its convenient location along my route. My attitude changed from “defeated” to “optimistic" as I climbed what seemed to be THE steepest hill so far.

Shortly thereafter, I cruised down into the hamlet of Adirondack. This point on the map includes two notable landmarks: the Adirondack General Store, and a telephone booth.

For you kids out there, a telephone booth is an old fashioned coin-operated communications device that one utilized in the olden days to call your mother and tell her that your soccer practice was over so she could come pick you up. It’s a welcome blast from the past, but hardly necessary, as I had good cell coverage during my entire loop!

Mid-Marathon Carbo-Loading

From Adirondack, the road meanders along the southeastern shore of Schroon Lake to Horizon, and over a bridge to Chester near the southernmost tip of the lake. It’s a lovely section of road that gets a little more road traffic due to increased vacation homes and rentals and as it’s the location of the Word of Life Bible Institute.

The road eventually meets Route 9 at mile 18 of my marathon near Pottersville, and I took a right onto this somewhat busier road that is a great surface with HUGE wide shoulders. I didn’t really know what the distance was from the Route 9 junction to the brewery, but it seemed farther than I wanted it to be. This section is truly comprised of nice, rolling hills, and before long, I saw the sign. At about 22 miles into my marathon, I arrived at the Paradox Brewery.

There were some motorcyclists relaxing at a picnic table outside, and once I unclipped from my pedals, I clomped over to the outside bar (the tasting room upstairs moves outside on nice days in summer months). I skipped the tastings and ordered a pint of Beaver Bite IPA, a beer of which I had approved in a previous visit to the tasting room. (On that particular previous visit, I did try one of their current Off Trail Series of beers, each available for a limited time, and found the Amber Wheat to be a great option - a hoppy but light beer.)

I sat in the sun with my beer and my new motorized two-wheeled friends, discussing - as I had with the other folks I had met earlier in the day - the terrific roads we have for touring in the Adirondacks. They had just discovered the Paradox Brewery and added it to their future tour itineraries as well.

I completed the carbo-loading portion of my Marathon, returned my glass and headed to the finish. With only about 5 miles to go, I pedaled easily back into town, and to my car at the beautiful but not-yet-open Town Beach.

The most beautiful 26. 2 miles you’ll ever Bike

The Adirondack Distance Festival will celebrate its 19th year in September. With its original tagline “the Most Beautiful 26.2 miles you’ll ever run,” the event includes a Marathon, Half Marathon, Relays, 10k, 5k and Kids Fun Run.

The race starts on Main Street (Route 9) in the town of Schroon and heads clockwise on paved roads around the entire Lake.

The Lake Champlain Bikeways describes the route for cycling as follows:

Adirondack Marathon Trail - 26.2 miles - Schroon Lake

As the name implies, the loop follows the Adirondack Marathon course established in 1997. It's all-paved and generally flat-to-gently rolling. You will, however encounter a hilly section between mile four (4) and mile twelve (12). Traffic is generally minimal. When you arrive in the hamlet of Adirondack, don't forget to stop at the General Store for refreshments. A good start/end point is in downtown Schroon Lake, where food, parking, and visitor information is available.

According to our own website, the loop is described as:
"...mostly flat with short rolling hills.”
I have some significant edits to suggest. “Rolling” is subjective, even if you’re on a wheeled contraption. So I think that “hilly section” should be emphasized more. Maybe it can be presented in boldfaced type or along with a alert/warning sound of some sort.

And of course, I’d suggest the addition of another refreshment stop near mile 22.

- Kim Rielly is the director of communications for the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism and self-described as being as surly as her bike's brand.

 

If you missed the begining of our story read them here: PART 1 | PART 2

Sunrise to new adventure

We had just come down off of Sunrise Mountain, which you might have read about last week. We actually still had a decent little hop in our step and were looking forward to checking out a couple of peaks we had never been up before - Clear Pond Mountain and Grandpa Pete Mountain. The trailhead was a bit further down the road than the one for Sunrise, so we had to step in the car and drive a bit; just enough time for our muscles to start thinking about tightening up.

Once at the trailhead parking, which was only big enough for about three cars (and small ones at that) we crossed the road and started our hike along the Clear Pond Loop; which we would also manage to do by the end of the afternoon. Following the trail in a counter-clockwise direction, for no other reason that we had to decide, the mileage clicked off rather quickly. The footing was very soft under our feet, which was a pleasure to our senses, you know, the ones connected to our toes.

Clear Pond Mountain here we come

We passed over the small bridge to the outlet where we could clearly see our destinations across the water; we would be there soon enough. Progressing along at a decent clip we soon came to the trail for Clear Pond Mountain. Located under 1-mile away, we knew it might just be a steep climb to reach the summit. The trail was in really nice shape, and only one tree was across the trail, so that didn’t slow us down much. Now a steady climb and just like many Adirondack trails, it went straight up the fall line. Eventually the trail lightened up a bit and reached a shallow col, covered in ferns and moss. The trail, to our surprise, ended at an outstanding view but it was not on the true summit of the mountain. The true summit lied south, roughly 0.25 miles away from the open rock view. Of course with my need to visit the highest point, I suggested we go over there after lunch.

Corenne opted to remain at the view and take a nap, she was not optimistic about there being a better view over there. “The trail would have gone there if it was a better view,” she persisted. We ate our bag lunches from the lodge and then I broke out the GPS and made a straight heading to the true summit, not caring if the view was better or not, or even if there was one.

I headed back down the trail, only slightly, before entering the bush to the base of a small cliff. I meandered my way up the steep slopes of the cliffs, through entangled hay scented ferns and reached the flat ridge. I progressed higher along the ridge to a small view, located only slightly before the summit. The summit then offered amazing views. Were the views better? Maybe... They were just as good and in the opposite direction. I returned swiftly to a dozing Corenne, only to brag about the unique view – while surprised, I think she enjoyed the 15 or so minutes of shut eye.

We descended swiftly, maybe too swiftly at times, as Corenne made a lasting impression on a muddy slope. Later we would discover that her sunglasses fell off her head on that muddy slope and remained there for the next visitor to enjoy; her third pair in as many months.

Grandpa Pete. The Mountain.

Now back at the Clear Pond Trail we headed a bit further around the pond, where the footing was a bit tougher as it passed over exposed roots of rather old cedar trees. Eventually we were at the Grandpa Pete Mountain Trailhead. Again just under 1-mile to the summit, we knew our legs would soon become slightly more like Jell-O. The trail was a bit steep in the beginning, about what we figured. Soon the trail moderated and even slightly dropped a bit as it passed by a large wall of rock that towered almost 100-feet from the earth. The trail followed this wall until it made a graduated effort to pass up a super steep slope to the top of the cliffs and the stunning summit views. We rested here for quite some time, tempted to nap myself, we got up and descended back to the Clear Pond Trail.

We decided it would actually be closer to finish hiking around the pond at this point, and in all honesty, even as tired as we were, we wanted to see the rest of the trail; even if it were longer, I think we still would have done it. Continuing along the trail we contended with more exposed roots of giant cedars that lined the shore, but on occasion we would have soft uninterrupted footing below us. We soon came to Jones Beach, a nice place to swim, had it been slightly warmer than it was. After a couple of precarious bridge crossings we finally could move over an attractive trail lined with mossy edges. We were back to the boat launch area very quickly and at the car shortly thereafter.

Not ready for weekend's end

We wished the weekend didn’t have to come to an end; another night would have been nice. The drive home ended up being a chore; the sun in our eyes, while warm and beautiful, was like a lullaby in our ears.

Elk Lake Lodge had ended up being like a home away from home, and after a mileage packed weekend we still felt refreshed - only like a mini-vacation can offer. If you are interested in spending some time at the Elk Lake Lodge, give them a shout and see what they have open for rooms, but remember, their season is coming to a close, so you better hurry. Maybe your want a guided trip out of the lodge, they can arrange that as well.