Balsam Swamp is a sprawling state forest that stretches almost 5.5 miles east-west across 4 towns. The area is very rural, and the landscape surrounding the State Forest is predominantly forested. Balsam Swamp State Forest is comprised of a mix of native hardwood forests, hemlock swamps, and conifer plantations. There are no designated recreational trails on the forest, but there is ample opportunity for self-guided day hikes to explore the diversity of habitats represented on this State Forest. Additionally, the western section of Balsam Swamp State Forest is adjacent to Five Streams State Forest to the south.
The main attraction of this forest is Balsam Pond. The impoundment is approximately 152 acres and is a popular destination for fishing and paddle boat sports. Balsam Pond is a warm water fishery that contains a mix of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, brown bullhead and sunfish. Tiger muskellunge have been stocked in the past with the last stocking occurring in 1995. However, there have been very few reports of anglers catching any of the adult tiger muskies. A shallow gravel boat launch is suitable for launching small fishing boats.
A small rustic camp ground is also located at Balsam Pond. Camping spaces are available at no cost on a first-come, first-serve basis and there is no running water or electricity. A fire ring, outhouse, and picnic table are provided for each camping space. A sign on Balsam-Tyler Road in Pharsalia designates the entrance to the boat launch and camping facility. This is a carry-in carry-out facility. Please do not litter.
Day by day we are very to the weekend and April 1st. It’s going to be warmer out soon, including today and the mornings are getting brighter.
Good morning on this the final HumpDay ofMarch. Partly clear and 26 degrees in Delmar, NY. 🌅 Calm wind. Things will start to thaw out at around 8 am. 🌡️
Started out cold but expected to warm quickly today. 🐸 I heard the spring peepers for the first time locally last night. Others said they’ve been out for a few days. Not really loud yet, it’s early in the season. Out for the morning walk 🚶 not as dark as recent days with clear conditions this morning.
Today will be mostly sunny 🌞, with a high of 55 degrees at 4pm. Four degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around April 6th. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies. The high last year was 37 degrees. The record high of 85 was set in 1946. 5.6 inches of snow fell back in 1984.❄
Solar noon 🌞 is at 1:01 pm with sun having an altitude of 50.7° from the due south horizon (-20.1° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 4.9 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:41 pm with the sun in the west (269°). 📸 The sunset is in the west (275°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:18 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 54 seconds with dusk around 7:45 pm, which is one minute and 9 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Gibbous 🌔 Moon in the south (176°) at an altitude of 74° from the horizon, 251,242 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:20 pm. At sunset, look for partly cloudy skies 🌃 and temperatures around 49 degrees. There will be a south breeze at 11 mph. Tomorrow will have 12 hours and 40 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 54 seconds over today.
Got out of work at five 5⃣ and caught the express bus 🚍 home which actually had the in service sign on. Same bad driver, I swear he was chatting with passengers 👥 more than driving, swerving through traffic on 32. I guess it’s the end of his shift, he was tired. Walked 7 1/2 miles which these days is my effective weekday goal. 🥅 Kind of a chilly evening 🌃 though I sat out back for a while before retiring to bed 🛏 a little before nine.
Tonight will rain and have some snow showers, becoming all snow after midnight. Some thunder is also possible. 🌧 Low of 24 degrees at 6am. Seven degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 10th. Breezy, with a south wind 11 to 16 mph becoming west 19 to 24 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. In 2022, we had mostly clear skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 20 degrees. The record low of 7 occurred back in 1970.
Been researching doctors 🧑⚕️ to get my yearly physical now that I’m forty and undertaking my walk program. I am going to call today and see if I can make an appointment for after Easter to mid April. It’s not a rush but I want to get checked out before I do my thirty mile walk 👣 this spring.
Trout opener stilllooks mild but wet. 🎣 Saturday, rain before 2pm, then showers likely after 2pm. High near 67. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Maximum dew point of 53 at 11am. Sunday, sunny, with a high near 46. Breezy. Typical average high for the weekend is 52 degrees.
I’ve been thinking where to hike on Saturday if I want to do twenty miles. 🚶 I thought about Thacher Park but I don’t relish climbing the New Salem Hill or all those miles on busy highways hiking. I’m thinking instead to hike to Hollyhock Sanctuary in South Bethlehem and if I’m up to it then Blodgett Hill.
Looking ahead, there are 6 weeks until Average High is 70 🐮 when the sun will be setting at 8:06 pm with dusk at 8:36 pm. On that day in 2022, we had sunny and temperatures between 77 and 39 degrees. We hit a record high of 92 back in 1970.
Thinking about this summer camping in Western Adirondacks / Black River Valley 🏕
It’s been about ten years since I’ve been up that way for a week in summer, and I’m tired of the Finger Lakes. I’ve done them for over a decade, and while it’s nice that you can set up camp for a full week on the National Forest, it has gotten tiresome doing it every year.
Some things I would like to do this year:
Explore more of Confusion Flats-area, especially hike the flats and the many horse trails
Hike to the Woodhull Fire Tower
Hike to Stillwater Fire Tower
Visit the Frank Jadwin State Forest and Greenwood Creek Forest north of Lowville
Paddle parts of the Beaver River
Visit Lake Bonaparte
Exploring Francis Lake in 2011 up in Number 4 near …
Spend more time poking around Whetstone State Park and paddling the reservoir …
Today’s sunrise was at 6:43 am. The next time the sun will rise later then today 🌄 is in 181 days on Monday, September 25.
The average high for today is 50 degrees. 🌡 The next time it will be on average cooler then today is in 233 days on Thursday, November 16 when the average temperature will be 49 degrees.
The highest point for the sun today will be 50.3° from the horizon at 1:01 pm. 🌞 The next time the sun will be lower in the sky mid-day is in 172 days on Saturday, September 16.
Today has 12 hours and 41 minutes of daylight. ⏳ The next time the day will be shorter then today is in 171 days on Friday, September 15.
Today’s sunset will be at 7:17 pm. The next time the sun will set earlier then today 🌆 is in 166 days on Sunday, September 10.
The average low for today is 30 degrees. 🌡 The next night it will be on average cooler then tonight is in 240 days on Thursday, November 23 when the average temperature will be 29 degrees.
It’s official the normal high is 50 and will be above that until November. It’s more clear then ever that the heat is done until then. Now just the wait until the green up, the drying of the mud and the black flies.
Cloudy, dark and 38 degrees in Delmar for the morning walk. ☁️ There is a north-northwest breeze at 7 mph. 🍃. The rain is done and more sun is expected late.
The heavyrain ☔ held off until late and got my 7 1/2 miles of walking 🚶 in for the day yesterday which was good. I woke up early – that is 4:30 and then fell asleep until 6 when I started my walk. I can wait until it’s a bit warmer and I can sleep with my windows open. That said, I really need a night in the wilderness with a rip roaring fire 🔥 to sleep well.
Today will have a slight chance of showers before 8am. Mostly cloudy ⛅ with more sun late 🌞, with a high of 48 degrees at 4pm. Two degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical day around March 24th. North wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, remaining cloudy in the afternoon. The high last year was 27 degrees. The record high of 85 was set in 1945. 14.2 inches of snow fell back in 1932.❄
Solar noon 🌞 is at 1:01 pm with sun having an altitude of 50.3° from the due south horizon (-20.5° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 5 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:39 pm with the sun in the west (269°). 📸
I thought Monday was a good day ☺, getting out at five with the crappy bus driver not driving so I caught the express 🚏which was running a bit late but not a big deal. I bought some kale to add some more fiber to my diet which is good. Maybe I’ll use it with the eggs 🥚 this morning. I got eggs and milk 🥛 last night after walking for breakfast. I was in bed around eight 🛏 and asleep before nine 9⃣.
The sunset is in the west (275°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:17 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 54 seconds with dusk around 7:44 pm, which is one minute and 9 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 At dusk you’ll see the First Quarter 🌓 Moon in the south-southwest (214°) at an altitude of 73° from the horizon, 249,785 miles away. 🚀 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:18 pm. At sunset, look for partly clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 44 degrees. There will be a northwest breeze at 9 mph. Tomorrow will have 12 hours and 37 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 54 seconds over today.
Tonight will be partly cloudy 🌃 , with a low of 28 degrees at 6am. Two degrees below normal, which is similar to a typical night around March 23rd. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm after midnight. In 2022, we had cloudy skies in the evening, which became mostly clear by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 18 degrees. The record low of 0 occurred back in 1923.
The trout seasonopener will be mild but wet and windy. 🎣 Saturday, rain. High near 66. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Maximum dew point of 51 at 12pm. Sunday, mostly sunny, with a high near 46. Breezy. Typical average high for the weekend is 52 degrees.
Looking ahead, there are 12 weeks until Primary Day 🗳️ when the sun will be setting at 8:38 pm with dusk at 9:11 pm. On that day in 2022, we had mostly sunny and temperatures between 82 and 47 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 81 degrees. We hit a record high of 97 back in 1953.
