Public Lands Policy
It’s Time to Ban Foam!
"I just asked Albany County Executive Dan McCoy to sign the foam ban into law! You can too!"
September 1, 2018 9:27 am Update
I did not expect it to be so foggy and drizzling this morning. But still as morning light has come, I kind of like this campsite. It’s not Moose River Plains but the Jessup River is only a quarter mile away for fishing, lots of hiking opportunities, and I could go to Mason Lake, Indian Lake, or Lake Algonquin/Kunjamunk River for paddling.
Harmful Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes
"A Harmful Algal Bloom, or HAB, is a bloom of blue-green algae that potentially contains toxins. HABs can cause fish kills, foul up nearby coastlines and produce conditions that are dangerous to aquatic life, as well as humans. Blooms can range in color from red to bright, neon green to more blue-green. A bloom can look like a scum, foam or mat on top of the water or like paint that has been spilled in the water. They are also sometimes accompanied by an earthy, pungent or musty smell. However, not all algal blooms give off an odor or affect the appearance water and toxins can remain present in the water even when a bloom has dissipated."
"HABs in the Great Lakes region are made up of blue-green algae. While technically not an algae, blue-green algae are a cyanobacteria that contain chlorophyll similar to true algae. They produce rapidly, are typically found at or near the surface of the water and are known to produce toxins."
Harrisburg’s ‘drowning machine’ dam has killed at least 29 people. Their stories | PennLive.com
"PennLive researched government reports and newspaper archives to find the deaths at the Dock Street Dam from accidents."
Quiet in the Adirondacks
People say that the Adirondacks are overcrowded but that’s never really been the experience of mine from the places I like to visit.
A few weekends back, camping on Pumpkin Hollow Road I think I saw two people walk by and then passed somebody at a hunting camp but other than that I was all alone. The hunting camp is a quarter mile up the road and the next campsite is over a mile away. Hiking to Wilcox Lake via the Wilcox-Willis trail I did not see a single person except at the camp, nor at Wilcox Lake.
I have to admit one time I went to Giant Mountain in the High Peaks and started up it. Not for one with a fear of heights with the open rock face. It was okay early in the morning but between the eroded trail and the open rock faces, I turned around. Nice scenery on the way up but steep. Seems like the whole area though is very overused when there are places closer to home which are quieter and with many other delights.
If you visit many parts of the Adirondacks you will have the solitude you desire. More popular locations off season also are quite quiet. There is no reason to fight the crowds in the wilderness when there is plenty of locations where nobody really ever goes. Maybe less photographed or featured in magazines but still delightful wilderness.