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Upper Pumpkin Hollow Road

Pumpkin Hollow Road, past the hunting camps narrows down to a small, rutted track in the woods until it's terminus in a small parking area at the Doig Creek. This section of road is only recommended for high-clearance vehicles, there is parking before this section just past the hunting camps.

Taken on Saturday June 9, 2018 at Wilcox Lake Wild Forest.

How Most New Yorkers View State Government

I think this picture says enough about it. Let's hope the upper floors of this building don't fall in time for me to take this picture. We know the plaza is largely made of disposable materials of the 1960s, intended to be discarded no later then 1975.

Taken on Friday April 29, 2011 at Albany, NY.

New Theme for the Blog. Central Vermont/Green Mountains This Extended Weekend. Lift Kits vs Other Toys. Getting off the Grid.

Good Morning! Happy Wednesday. Yes, folks it’s Wednesday. I think this is the first note I’ve done in a few months, but so be it. It really isn’t that hard to do notes, especially now that I’ve switched WordPress, and everything is pretty much standardized and easy to use. It’s a long one, jotted down over the past week,w with lots of things to talk about.

Working on a New WordPress Theme for the Blog. When I brought the blog over to WordPress, my intent was not to create another generic looking WordPress blog, although in many ways that’s how it ended up. I also messed up some of the code, and didn’t build a proper client theme, instead relying on an adapted theme.

The result was a kind of bland mess. The good news is I am now learning how to build a proper client theme on top of an existing, much nicer WordPress theme — that doesn’t look so much like a generic WordPress theme. One of the reasons I avoided for so long going with WordPress, as I didn’t want to end up with a very generic theme. But somehow it all ended up that way. I think the new theme I am going to — based on the popular Pinboard theme is much nicer.

Hopefully it will be up by the start of September, if all goes well. New maps up are on the blog today.

Sitting in the river until it get really dark

Heading Up to the Northern Half of Green Mountains this Weekend. Probably leave Friday after work, first camp in the Southern Green Mountains near Somerset Reservior, then head North on Vermont 100.  There looks to be a lot of neat places to see in the northern Green Mountains,  and some spectular scenery.

Plan to stay for a long weekend, by also taking off Monday and Tuesday, which promise to be pretty nice weather. As I don’t really know the area, a lot of the trip will be about seeing what is up there, and going from there to figure out what to do. I will bring the kayak and camera, and certainly are keeping my mind open to taking a nice hike somewheres. They are talking about a continuation of the recent low-humidity, temperate climate weather over the weekend, especially as we head into Monday and Tuesday. Supposed to be some good meteor showers.

I’ve decided to do more of these long weekends, rather then take any full weeks off this summer. I guess you could say the July 4th week was technically a week off, although actually July 4th and July 5th were holidays at the office, so they didn’t really count.

I might take a week-long trip in October to Western NY and Pennsylvania during peak foliage season. That said, I also want to do an extended weekend trip to Moose River Plains and also Lake Kushaqua/Jones Pond and recently re-opened Loon Mountain firetower.

Going to Put Off Getting the Lift-Kit Installed Until at Least March. Originally the plan was to have a lift-kit installed on my truck in October. But after giving it more thought, and carefully reviewing the options, I’ve decided the best option is to wait another six months or so. For one, I want to wear down the stock tires more, so I’m not wasting them as much, and also so I’m a bit closer to end of the factory warranty — the lift kit isn’t covered by the truck’s factory warranty, and while it wouldn’t invalidate the whole warranty, certainly any damage (as unlikely as it is) it could cause wouldn’t be warrantied.

But the other part of the rational is partly money-wise, and because I’m not totally sold on the lift-kit idea. I’ve thought about getting  a snowmobile instead this winter, and have been looking at Want Ad Digest. That said, the more I look at it, the more I am not in a rush to get a snowmobile. As much fun as it would be to get deep in the back country in winter — assuming there are groomed trails back there — I worry about break downs and the alike. Not to mention, snowmobiles use a lot of gas, and really aren’t much more efficient then automobiles, because the snow drags them down.

The money-wise issue comes in that things are more expensive then I first estimated a year ago. I think I am going to go with 35s and a 6″ lift kit from a good brand like BDS. Any bigger then that isn’t cost-effective, and non-pratical. That will get me up high enough. The final increase in the height of the truck will be something like 8 inches, because the 35s are 4 inches larger in diameter then factory 31s, and a six-inch lift is half foot higher.

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I also think I will go for full-leaf replacements in the back rather then add-a-leafs, to ensure the weight of the camper shell and equipment in the back won’t cause the nose to be pointing in the air, etc. Going to have it re-geared to save fuel, add some more power, not kill the engine or tranny. And there are some other things like the narrower brake lines that are recommended, among other parts, I would probably spring for when it comes to lift-kit. Plus all that labor cost, which will easily be a grand on it’s own.

I want to ride up higher. I am a tall guy. It also will give me a chance to “freshen” up the look of my truck, which after 2 1/2 years will be getting kind of boring and old. I want something I can get 10 years or more out of without getting totally bored with. After I do the lift kit, there are other projects for future years, such as getting the rocker panels Line-X’d, and replacing the bumpers with those awesome Ranch bumpers, that can actually be used for parallel parking without being damaged.

Or maybe I’ll find other toys to spend my money on. It’s good having some extra disposable money kicking around, as I’m sure future jobs won’t nearly pay as much.

Been Reading and Watching More Videos About Getting Off the Grid. Being somebody who camps most weekends from April to November in the back of my pickup truck, and relies heavily on my inverter and the deep cycle battery to keep things lighted up all evening long. I cook my own food in the woods, clean dishes using bottled water, burn my garbage, and dig a whole in  woods when I need to go to the bathroom. Heck, with my laptop and the wireless card, I can be up in woods and surfing the web, doing work, and even fielding calls over my cellphone.

I have a pretty decent working understanding of electricity, and how all the off-the-grid thing too. I grew up in the country, are comfortable in woods, and know how to build a good fire in woodstove. I am fascinated to learn more about some of the relatively inexpensive and simplistic living arrangement many-off-the-griders live with, without all costs and hassles of an on-grid house.

My grandfather had one of those absorption-cooler refigerators/freezers in his RV at his campsite in Warrensburg. They’re neat, as one needs more then just a cooler when you live somewhere permanently, rather then wondering the wilderness in your pickup truck. They burn like 5-10 gallons of propane a month. But there also is these high-efficiency refrigerators that are electric and have a lot of insulation, so they don’t strain batteries in a PV/micro-hydro/wind system as much.

But a bigger issue for me is the ability to take showers and get cleaned up properly wherever I live. For that purpose, there are amazingly small tankless-water heaters that use a small amount of propane, but can get water very hot quickly. If you think small, you don’t really need that much flow, compared to a full-scale modern house with a massive-tanked water heater. Hot showers, and hot water for dishes is a necessity to keep clean. If I can get away with it from the code inspectors, I’d be fine with composting toilets or even just a plain old outhouse. That’s a luxury in woods.

Woodstoves, radiant flooring, and other familiar technology is self-explanatory. Having good insulation is a must in this part of the country. I don’t want to have trash pickup — I’m happy enough burning what can be burnt, and taking the glass and metals for proper recycling in the normal industrial fashion.

I like small houses. Smaller is better. I would rather spend my money on land, that could not only be used for recreation like riding quads, shooting guns, and hunting, but also for money by grazing livestock and timber. I am not a greeny, I don’t got a problem with using styrofoam plates for dinner and disposing them in an open fire. I just hate the whole upper-middle class, fancy house living style in the suburbs.

All this reading library books gots me thinking …

But for now I’m fine. As a transition though, I think I would next like to live in a small, handsome, downtown, one that is walkable to a bar and a store, but also provides ample-off-street parking. I think it would be a lot of fun to have an apartment on the second or third floor, above a shop, and be able to sit out and look at my window and watch the traffic go by.

Anywhere I live, I want to be near a National Forest or State Forest that allows free, primitive camping, in a remote-roadside fashion. Not to mention scenic vistas, places to hunt, fish, hike, and spend time outdoors. But I really want to get out of New York, at least eventually. I think it would be fun to own an AR-15, and eventually get a concealed carry permit from a must-issue state, without any pesky questions about whatever stupid things I did decades ago back in college — that hurt nothing but folks egos. To say nothing of not being in a state that’s totally anti-rural and not into the philosophical nature thing.

Far off I guess. Things aren’t that bad right now.

DEIS on 2013 Amendments to the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan

July 15, 2013

James E. Connolly, Deputy Director, Planning
Adirondack Park Agency
Post Office Box 99
1133 State Route 86
Ray Brook, NY 12977

Dear Mr. Connolly:

 RE:  DEIS on 2013 Amendments to the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan

 The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement fails to provide all ‘reasonable alternatives’ in its review of possibilities, by failing to include the option of classifying the lands of Essex Chain Tract, Indian River Tract, OK Slip Tract, and Open Space Conservancy (OSC) Tracts as ‘Wild Forest’ in their entirety.  A reasonable person could conclude that providing such a ‘Wild Forest’ classification, as part of the review, is required under the analysis mandated by ECL 8-0109 (“reasonable alternatives under SERQA”) and the Executive Law 816 (“state land plan for Adirondacks”).

While Alternative 4A (“New Land as Wild Forest with a Wilderness Corridor Along the Hudson River”) comes close to a pure ‘Wild Forest’ option, I would strongly recommend that the agency consider creating an Alternative 4C, with a ‘Wild Forest’ option, and ultimately adopt the Alternative 4C, pure ‘Wild Forest’ option, to preserve access to existing roadways, as felt necessary and proper by the Department of Environmental Conservation.

A pure ‘Wild Forest’ option would continue to allow use many of the existing roadways to provide access to the interior of these lands that exists today, under private ownership to existing camps and facilities. Nobody is proposing the construction of new roads or expanded motor vehicle access to this area, indeed such a provision would be violative of Article XIV of the state’s constitution, which states, “…nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed.”

East

The unique provisions of the state’s constitution will prevent excessive development and use of these lands. In Association for Protection of Adirondacks v MacDonald (253 N.Y. 234, affg 228 App Div 73, 1930), it was decided that most cutting of trees in the forest preserve by the DEC was prohibited. A state-owned bob sleigh run was prohibited from being built in state forest preserve.

 “The Adirondack Park was to be preserved, not destroyed. Therefore, all things necessary were permitted, such as measures to prevent forest fires, the repairs to roads and proper inspection, or the erection and maintenance of proper facilities for the use by the public which did not call for the removal of the timber to any material degree. The Forest Preserve is preserved for the public; its benefits are for the people of the State as a whole.” (emphasis added)

No new facilities on these lands may be constructed that require the cutting of timber, beyond a “material degree” as defined in MacDonald and subsequent decision in Balsam Anglers Club v. DEC (153 Misc. 2d 606, 1991), which continued to hold that DEC could not cut any material amount of timber, although a small amount of brush removed to conduct a hiking a trail would be permissive.

Further restrictions on public motor vehicle use in ‘Wild Forest’ lands under 1935 opinion of Attorney General John J. Bennett, Jr., who stated it would be unlawful to create new public roads within forest preserve, without amending the state constitution. Mr. Bennett’s opinion permitted the DEC to create new “truck trails” for administrative use and forest-fire prevention, however if such truck trails were to be built, the public would be banned from use of them.

Therefore, Adirondack Park Agency (APA) should not be concerned or fearful about an expansion of motorized transportation in this areas, but should continue to allow existing access roads where deemed necessary and proper by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Sandy Plains

Moreover, the APA is not constrained, on their classification of these parcels. The controlling law is Executive Law 816, which simply requires the APA to create a plan, and for the DEC to follow it. The statue allows for the APA to amend their plan, at will, when acquiring new parcels or meet contemporary uses of land, as long as it is consistent with the state constitution’s prohibition on the removal of timber.

A ‘Wild Forest’ classification, with the protections provided under state constitution is what is needed for these lands. This would keep most of the existing interior roads open for low-speed, controlled motor vehicle travel, for access to the Hudson River, campsites, and the many ponds and trail heads up mountains. Let the DEC then decide which existing interior roads to convert to hiking trails, based on terrain and sensitive environmental areas.

Additionally, a ‘Wild Forest’ classification would keep existing interior roads open to snowmobiles in winter and ATV access in the summer and fall including hunting seasons. Again, exact routing of such corridors should be left to the DEC in their creation of the Unit Master Plan (UMP). Likewise, hiking trails should be designated in the UMP, and may be created either following existing routes, or new routes, under the authority granted by the court in Balsam Anglers Club.

To be clear, current precedence and practice allows roadside camping, with a small trailer or pickup truck with a camper top, is allowed in Wild Forest-area in designated areas. As such, I would call for an amendment to the APSLMP, as part of the plan to strike the road “tent” from the description of campsite, as designated under Wild Forest. All other provisions, including the ¼ mile separation should remain for campsites in Adirondack Park.

Units with existing, department-designed roadside campsites, and no prohibitions on small vehicular campers include the following Wild Forests: Aldrich Pond, Black River, Debar Mountain, Ferris Lake, Horsehoe Lake, Jessup River, Independence River, Moose River, Saranac Lake, Sargent Ponds, Taylor Pond, Vanderwhacker, and Wilcox Lake – all of largest wild forests. Roadside camping is popular activity on many back roads, and is not only allowed in many designated sites in New York State, but is common in National Forests in neighboring states, such as Pennsylvania and Vermont. The impact on existing ecosystems is minimal, as the land is already impacted by existing motor vehicle traffic traveling on these roads.

Finally, the Adirondack Park Agency should carefully review the resolution, “Resolution in Support of the Upper Hudson Recreational Hub Request for Maximum Access to Unclassified State Lands,” by the Adirondack Association of Village and Towns in making their classification decision for these lands. Setting out a dramatic vision for these lands, they would protect the existing wild forest character of these lands, while maximizing the public use of these lands, which were ultimately paid for with our taxpayer dollars.

Thank you for reviewing these comments. I look forward to reviewing the revised DEIS.

Sincerely,

Andy Arthur

Beaver Dam


 Resolution in Support of the Upper Hudson Recreational Hub

Request for Maximum Access to Unclassified State Lands

 

Resolution Date: 3 June 2013 at the Membership Meeting of the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages

Moved By: Supervisor Farber, seconded by Supervisor Monroe  CARRIED

WHEREAS, Governor Cuomo has announced the State’s acquisition of 69,000 acres of the former Finch Pruyn and other Nature Conservancy Lands; and

WHEREAS, Governor Cuomo has stated that this agreement will make the Adirondack Park one of the most sought after destinations for paddlers, hikers, hunters, sportspeople, and snowmobilers, and that opening these lands to public use and enjoyment for the first time in 150 years will provide extraordinary new outdoor recreational opportunities, increase the number of visitors to the North Country and generate additional tourism revenue; and

WHEREAS, the five Towns in the Adirondack Park most affected by this acquisition wish to realize the maximum benefit of increased tourism revenue; and

WHEREAS, the five Towns consisting of Indian Lake, Long Lake, Minerva, Newcomb, and North Hudson wish to work together to achieve the maximum economic benefit to the region from the increased tourism and have now formed the Upper Hudson Recreation Hub; and

WHEREAS, these tracts of land have an extensive network of maintained roads formerly used as logging and access roads; and

WHEREAS, the Upper Hudson Recreation Hub is in agreement that the only path to realize the maximum economic benefit of this land acquisition is to provide the utmost access to the public to the ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, and trails and that access should be provided to all citizens including the elderly, handicapped, disabled and physically challenged; and

WHEREAS, the Upper Hudson Recreation Hub is also in agreement that all forms of recreational activities to include, but not be limited to, hiking, canoeing, camping, skiing, snowmobiling, mountain biking, horseback riding, dog sledding, and the use of ATV’s be permitted; and

WHEREAS, the Upper Hudson Recreation Hub is of the opinion that the “Gooley Historical Society” be permitted to preserve and maintain the Outer Gooley Farmhouse, a building of historical significance that would be a learning tool for current and future generations and the loss of this valuable asset would be truly disrespectful to our Adirondack Ancestors; and ..

WHEREAS, the Upper Hudson Recreation Hub agrees that the proposal to surplus the Boreas Pond Lodge and support buildings would be a complete waste of a valuable asset that could be used for many purposes such as training and education, as an information center, an outpost, or as lodging; and

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages wholeheartedly supports the position of the Upper Hudson Recreation Hub, in its honorable efforts to achieve the greatest economic benefit from this purchase by requesting that the State classify these lands in away that promotes the maximum access to the ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, and trails by all citizens, including the elderly, handicapped, disabled and physically challenged; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages strongly oppose any land use and classification that does not allow for all forms of recreational activities to include, but not be limited to, hiking, canoeing, camping, snowmobiling, skiing, mountain biking, horseback riding, dog sledding, and the use of ATV’s; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages fully supports the continued maintenance and preservation of the Outer Gooley Farm House, a place of historical significance where early settlers tried to farm and run a sporting camp; where there was a discovery of hand dugout canoes; where Heavyweight boxer Gene Tunney trained; and where Senator Bobby Kennedy launched his raft into the Hudson River, and, if not preserved, would be the loss of an invaluable asset that could be used as a learning center for present and future generations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages fully supports the continued use of Boreas Pond Lodge and support buildings that could be used for many purposes such as training and education, as an information center, an outpost, or as lodging; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be sent to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Commissioner Joe Martens, Senator Elizabeth O’C Little, Senator Hugh T. Farley, Assemblyman Daniel G. Stec, Assemblyman Marc W. Butler, Adirondack Park Agency Chairwoman Leilani Ulrich, DEC Region 5 Regional Director Robert Steggeman and DEC Region 5 Regional Natural Resource Supervisor Thomas Martin.

Swampy End of Tubbs Pond

I was hoping with the higher water levels from the rain, I could paddle a ways up the creek towards the lower pond on Beaver Road. However, due to this pond being man-made and controlled by a spillway, and the beaver dam blocking the upper part of the river, I could not go any further then normally. Tubbs Pond is much to small!

Taken on Sunday May 1, 2011 at Partridge Run Game Management Area.