Innholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2025 i Adirondack Explorer

ASSISTANT RANGER’S DEATH EXPOSES ‘BROKEN SYSTEM’ FOR TRACKING DEC EMPLOYEES IN THE BACKCOUNTRY An assistant ranger’s death prompts call for reform: A group of close friends of Brendan Jackson, a New York assistant forest ranger found dead by his fellow rangers on June 15, is appealing to Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton to fix a broken system of keeping track of personnel employed in the backcountry. In a change.org petition and in a letter sent to Lefton, the group implores the DEC to improve the way the department keeps tabs of personnel overnighting in the woods. The petition has drawn more than 6,100 signatures since it was posted July 7, the one-month anniversary of Jackson’s last contact with the DEC. That Saturday, he signed off for the day at…

Over the years, thousands of hikers have parked their cars along Route 86 east of Lake Placid near Connery Pond, shouldered their packs and sallied forth to Whiteface Landing before doglegging right and tackling the unrelenting ascent of Whiteface Mountain. As they climb, they will encounter Whiteface Brook, enjoying the sights and sounds of a classic Adirondack stream without realizing that they are entering a spooky crime scene that 100 years ago was the site of one the most grisly homicides in the annals of Adirondack hiking history. According to a compilation of vintage newspaper accounts, several hikers from the Lake Placid Club had successfully summited Whiteface on July 4, 1924, and were chatting away as they headed back down when one of them noticed a shape protruding from the…

The very tame black-backed woodpecker appears oblivious to humans (and dogs) for most of the year, except when actively nesting. Birding with two golden retrievers for 11 years, the foraging woodpeckers never appeared to notice them wrestling below. The silky black-backed woodpecker is medium-sized and slightly larger than the more common hairy woodpecker. As its name would imply, it has a solid black back and heavily barred flanks on white underparts with white outer tail feathers. A white stripe below the eye runs from the bill to nape. Males have a prominent yellow patch on the center of their crown while the female has a black crown. Its range in Canada spans the coniferous forests across the country. In the United States, its distribution includes Alaska; the mountains of the…

Name: Svetlana Filipson Age: 40 Hometown: Riga, Latvia, and Wilmington, New York, starting in 1995. Occupation: Leading the Adirondack Innovation Initiative (A2I) at the Adirondack Community Foundation. Prior to that, I made an almost 20-year career doing data analytics in various tech hubs across the country. Accomplishments: Making personal and career choices that have allowed me to return home to raise my son near family, in a community and environment that allows him to be his happiest self. As far as singular, physical Adirondack accomplishments, I’m pretty proud of hiking the Great Range Trail in one day and then going to work the next. Favorite Adirondack adventures/outings: Anything that gives me a good workout before 6 a.m. My favorites are sunrise hikes and swimming in our many lakes. What I love about the Adirondacks: The…

Every few years, the Adirondack Park Agency updates its iconic map, defining new state land acquisitions and small changes to the ever-evolving plan that guides the park’s development. For decades, one thing has stayed the same: a line of unfilled circle icons denoting the Adirondack Park’s “study rivers.” First designated for study 50 years ago, the eight river segments were set aside by the legislature for evaluation as potential additions to the state’s Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers system. The study river segments are scattered throughout the park’s sprawling geography. One example: A short portion of the Grasse River that parallels the Blue Line along a portion of its northwestern edge. Another: 18 miles of East Stony Creek that flows south from Harrisburg Lake before it pours into Great Sacandaga…

About 20 bold, colorful portraits have been installed surrounding the grave of John Brown at John Brown State Historic Site in Lake Placid. The paintings are part of a traveling exhibit titled “Americans Who Tell the Truth,” featuring the work of Maine-based artist Robert Shetterly. Over the past two decades, Shetterly has painted nearly 300 portraits of activists and changemakers—people he said speak hard truths about justice, equity and democracy. The series includes national icons including Frederick Douglass and the late Congressman John Lewis, as well as local Adirondack voices such as climate activist Bill McKibben and the late criminal justice advocate Alice Green. The Explorer sat down with Shetterly to learn more about the exhibit and the inspiration behind his artwork. The interview has been edited for space and…

About half way through this splendid biography of Paul Schaefer, the Adirondack Park’s most active and effective 20th-century conservationist, author David Gibson asks, “What in Adirondack affairs has not met with Paul’s influence?” Once you read this indispensable book, you will answer, Not much! Paul Schaefer was born in Albany in 1908 and died in Schenectady in 1996. For his entire adult life he labored indefatigably to protect the Adirondacks, especially the Forest Preserve and the constitutional provision guaranteeing that it be “forever kept as wild forest lands.” From thwarting grandiose plans to erect dams on the Moose and Hudson rivers to the establishment of the Adirondack Park Agency, from defeating a proposed constitutional amendment to permit “closed cabins” in the Forest Preserve to working to minimize the disruptions of…

Here are some ideas for short/easy hikes in the Adirondacks to best view the fall foliage and the brilliant colors this season: Cooper Kiln Pond (Wilmington): a one-way hike from Franklin Falls Road (County Route 18) to Bonnieview Road (5.9 miles one way) showcases fall’s splendor off the beaten path. Anthony’s Nose Preserve (Putnam): Fall is the perfect time to try this short hike (0.8 miles one way) with great views of Lake George. St. Regis Mountain (Paul Smiths): Recommended in all seasons, with views of the St. Regis Canoe Area. The hike is about 3 miles long with a 1,235-foot vertical rise. Moxham Mountain (Minerva): This 2.7-mile trail was constructed in 2012. Starting on a dirt road on the north side of the mountain, the trail goes up a…

In June, the Adirondacks mourned the untimely death of Brendan Jackson, a well-known and beloved assistant forest ranger who died in his tent in the backcountry. The loss reverberated for weeks through the close-knit community of hikers, rangers and others who had benefited from Jackson’s deep knowledge of the park and his generous spirit. What made the tragedy even harder to bear was the revelation that Jackson had gone unaccounted for over several days after he set up camp alone at Duck Hole during his workweek with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. No one noticed he was missing. Most of us assume there’s a system in place to monitor the safety of backcountry staff and volunteers who routinely put their lives on the line. But according to…

Unchecked coyote killing is cruel, ineffective, and puts wolves at risk BY NADIA STEINZOR Wild animals have long been eradicated out of fear or mere convenience. Long-persecuted species like coyotes, wolves, cougars and bobcats still roam thanks to their tenacity and conservation laws. Yet how much humans are willing to coexist with their wild neighbors remains unclear, in large part because of misguided hunting and trapping rules. Coyotes lead the pack in this regard. New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation allows an unlimited number of coyotes to be hunted day and night with bait, electronic calls and lights. Coyotes can be left suffering in traps up to 48 hours. DEC doesn’t require reporting of the number, sex, size or location of coyotes killed—essential information for wildlife management based on data,…