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.

"At sunrise everything is luminous." - Norman Maclean

Adirondack resident Beth Melecci loves to experience the rising of the sun. For her, the regular arrival of the sun over the horizon isn't just another day, it's a new day. It has promise, both for the world around and for herself, with everything coming alive and starting fresh. Happiest and most at home in the woods, Melecci is a state-certified hunting and fishing guide, singer/songwriter, and yoga and meditation instructor. She's a great example of someone who is in tune with herself and with the magical, visually stunning wilderness that is the Adirondacks, a place she loves to call home and encourages others to explore and enjoy.

Melecci lives near Schroon Lake, although she's had the pleasure to live in some remarkable places known for wildness and natural beauty, including Alaska and Idaho. "I love wild places. I always come back to the Adirondacks and there’s something about the Adirondacks that I feel like I’m at home here." For Melecci, home is more than a building or a community. It's a feeling of comfort, connection, and euphoria. It's hearing owls in the trees and the sound of the wind in fragrant, otherwise silent woods. A frequent hiker, snowshoer, and paddler, Melecci adores being out in the woods for the sunrise. "It keeps me feeling humble to be here in the Adirondacks and be able to see a beautiful sunrise and have mountains behind me and beautiful tall trees that have been there for a hundred years."

The Schroon Lake region offers many spots perfect for the sort of early morning hikes Melecci loves. Crane Pond, in the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness, is a favorite for both the scenery and it's proximity to Melecci's home. Spots like Crane Pond allow her to get up early — but not too early! — and explore the woods at sunrise before heading to work in Schroon Lake. "I am lucky," she says, "that I have these hiking trails close to me. There’s so many places to go to, that are so close to me, here in the Adirondacks. That's how it is for most of us [who live here]." One of the things she likes best about living in the Adirondacks is that, unlike Alaska or Idaho, anyone can get out into the woods without having to go too far for creature comforts like yoga or cultural activities. You can get the culture along with the wild-ness.

While Melecci enjoys time spent with people in the woods or on a lake, particularly when guiding, she also savors solo time. As long as you take the correct precautions, the Adirondacks is a place where you can travel in the woods alone and do so safely. Spending solo time in the wild areas of the Adirondacks, with the sounds of birds and the wind for company, is a remarkable experience everyone should try at least once. Melecci explains, “I love to be around people, but I also like to be on my own in the woods, in a wild place with the animals. And the Adirondacks has a lot of places that you can do that, you can go by yourself and connect with nature that way, in the wild.”

"I like to choose places that are harder to get to, because of the wild-ness. Where there’s not people. Where there’s more animals." As a licensed guide, Melecci spends a lot of time thinking about animals. Tracking engages her, particularly in winter, when tracks are clear in fresh snow. A grounded person, Melecci reminds us that "...being outdoors, we’re in their home. When we’re outside, we’re in the animals' and birds' home. So, to stay mindful of that as well, and try to be quiet, and go inward, and just settle into that connection of the animal’s journey, I love that. When I see a track, I go someplace with the track. It’s like answering a mystery."

Being outside, seeing the colors of a sunrise or the sparkle of a night sky, Melecci finds inspiration for her songs and a sense of peacefulness. "You become quiet," she says, "and then you become very present and aware of where you’re at, with each step along the way." Melecci encourages others to spend time in the wild, noting that "after you do a whole beautiful snowshoe or a ski or a hike, you’re just uplifted. I'm uplifted. We’re just blessed to be able to do that in the Adirondacks.”

Melecci encourages anyone looking to spend some time outside to “treat yourself to an experience of the wildness of the Adirondacks. If you don’t live here and you’re coming to visit the Adirondacks, allow yourself to be enlightened by the wilderness here in the mountains.”

The Adirondack Hub has plenty of opportunities for you to treat yourself to your own experiences in the wilderness. Plan your own adventure by exploring where to stay, eat, and explore. As an outdoor enthusiasts' playground, there are always fun special events, too.

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The Dawn Patrol series:

Episode 1: Mark

Episode 2: John

Episode 3: Beth

Episode 4: Mitchell and Bethany

Episode 5: Ali

Episode 6: Amanda

Episode 7: Erin

Episode 8: Keith

Episode 9: Stacy

A Chance to go Camping

Last week Wren and I took a camping trip down to Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest where we explored a variety of places for birds and anything wild. After a brief stop in Schroon Lake, we drove from town up into the wild forest where we briefly explored some areas along Northwoods Club Road before stopping at the southern trailhead along Route 28N for Hewitt Eddy.

Hiking to Hewitt Eddy

From the southern trailhead it is just under a mile to the Eddy itself and Wren and I made quick progress in the late afternoon through a beautiful mixed forest on the snaking pathway, brushing bracken ferns as we went. While the warm afternoon was largely quiet, we still heard and saw quite a few birds including Magnolia and Black-throated Blue Warblers, as well as Hermit Thrush, White-throated Sparrow and Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos. We eventually made our way to the water where the Boreas River cuts along the northern access trail. There we found the wide, slowly turning Eddy of the otherwise rocky and bubbling stream and Wren plunged in to cool herself off.

Her splashing may have aroused the interest of the local beaver which suddenly appeared and slid quietly over towards where she stood on shore. Then with a mighty thump, it splashed its tail and dove in an effort to chase us away. It was soon back, lurking near where Wren had jumped into the water, and remaining much closer than I usually see beavers do when we are out hiking. I tried to take advantage of this by snapping photos of it while attempting to keep Wren away from spooking or agitating it. After a few minutes of this we left to explore part of the northern arm of the trail along the Boreas River before retracing our steps to the southern trailhead. For folks with two cars, they can hike the short two mile trail straight through.

Birding Along the Roosevelt Truck Trail

The day was cooling to evening by this point but there was still time to explore along the Roosevelt Truck Trail, so we drove a short distance north on Route 28N to the somewhat hidden trailhead which marks the southern access to the trail. We hiked the grassy road perhaps a mile each direction, I was listening to the quiet woods while Wren was busy sniffing the ground. In a low, thicket of balsam fir, a family of White-throated Sparrows began to scold us – I could see that a few of the birds were recently fledged young which were looking rather ungainly and awkward as their feathers grew in an unbecoming manner and pushed out their natal down. Young birds always look funny at that stage.

I decided to encourage their scolding by calling for a Barred Owl and the sparrows responded by doubling their chirps. Soon other birds were responding too, as the forest formed a posse to chase the unseen owl away. American Robins, Swainson’s and Hermit Thrushes, Hairy Woodpeckers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Black-capped Chickadees, an Ovenbird, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Magnolia Warbler, and both Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos flitted this way and that and scolded me from the trees. After a few minutes and having satisfactorily disturbed the neighborhood for long enough, I stopped calling and watched as the birds quietly slipped back to hidden perches, presumably content that the owl was gone for now. We turned and walked back to the car.

Finally Getting to Camp

Our final stop of the day was to find a campsite on Moose Pond Way, back south along Route 28N and directly adjacent to the bridge over the Boreas River. We made slow progress on the rough and rocky road, but we finally found a few open campsites, chose one, and I pitched the tent while Wren explored our environs. White-throated Sparrows, Red-eyed Vireos, and an Ovenbird called and sang from the growing shadows, but the evening choir was dominated by Swainson’s Thrushes and Hermit Thrushes whose ethereal songs are the perfect backdrop to any Adirondack camping experience. I fed Wren, and cooked in the twilight, listening to them until they finally became quiet with the night. I cleaned up our things, and Wren and I crawled into the tent early, as we generally do when camping.

It was a beautiful night for camping as temperatures cooled in the darkness. Wren lay with her face pointed towards the door in order to keep watch, with me lying beside her, sleeping, but listening to hear the sounds of the night around us. At one point – and I don’t know at what time - a Barred Owl called. I lay listening to it before turning and falling back to sleep. The following morning arrived, much as the prior day had ended – with the songs of Hermit and Swainson’s Thrushes leading a chorus of birds as our natural alarm clock. I listened to them before finally getting up, and as I moved around camp on the chores of breakfast and breaking down the tent, we were treated by both a flyover of a Red Crossbill and a short visit from a Boreal Chickadee. It was going to be a great day to be in the woods.

It's a great time to plan a camping trip to the Schroon Lake Region. Check out our camping, dining, and outdoor recreation pages for more information!

 

I happened to be in Schroon Lake on a cold March afternoon, traveling through squalls of snow - a sure sign that spring is on the way. When you visit the Adirondacks, I highly recommend making Schroon Lake a stop on your tour. Drop by the Schroon Lake Chamber of Commerce to get the lowdown on all the sights to see. Besides the scenic namesake lake, and beautifully preserved historic architecture, there are many fun shops to explore… and if you happen to be into bread making as much as I am, have I got a treat for you!

 

A few doors down from the Chamber office is the North Woods Bread Company. They have been providing delicious artisan breads to the region since the summer of 2015. Lisa and Edward Marks run the bakery in the same space as their other endeavor, the Pine Cone Mercantile. When I was there, Lisa was cheerfully welcoming shoppers to their unique home furnishings store while Edward was manning the bread shop, but don’t let that fool you, both Lisa and Edward are master bakers. Stop in on the weekends to try Lisa’s scones!

Country farmer hearty white, wheat with flax seeds, and multi-grain are all tempting choices. Black pepper and fig? Hmmm, that is simply too intriguing to pass up.

Sunflower seed sourdough! I’ll take it!

This white bread would make a mighty fine sandwich.

Those loaves of caraway seed rye are just crying out for some pastrami and sauerkraut.

The bread store is a cozy space, smartly appointed with antique display cabinets, subway tiled walls, and small schoolhouse pendant lights that are perfectly proportioned for the room.

Besides all these wonderful breads, there are also cookies and granola made in-house to consider. How yummy would yogurt and granola be as a quick and healthy breakfast? They also have seasonal selections of local cheese AND are the drop off point for Mace Chasm Farm's CSA.

The North Woods Bread Company offers freshly roasted fair trade coffee in three different roasts. OK, now you have my undivided attention.

Edward was kind enough to let me have a peek at the kitchen. Clean and spacious with lots of natural light, there is plenty of room here for all the dough that has to rise. Two propane ovens carry the work load now, but there is a third in the plans to keep up with the demand for their bread.

Just look at the magnificent ear on this sourdough loaf. It is a sign of moist dough expanding rapidly in high heat, and also a very good indication that we are in for quite a treat.

The sunflower sour dough is sliced and ready for sampling. It was tasty and the sunflowers in the bread gave it a mildly nutty flavor and hearty texture.

The black pepper and fig was hands down the favorite with its soft texture and the winning sweet and savory combination.

Is there anything in this world better than freshly roasted coffee beans? Opening the bag to a rush of intense aroma, I poured out a serving of beans. After putting the bag immediately into the freezer (these are too good to let sit on the shelf), I examined the roast marks and delicate coating of oil left on the beans by the rolling heat of the roaster. This is going to be a memorable pot of joe.

Coffee of this caliber deserves to be brewed in a vacuum coffee pot to draw out all of the flavor. First, hook up the 1921 cast iron grinder to the 1927 mixer. What, you don’t have an antique mixer? Have you stopped to ask yourself “why not”? Set the right grind for a vacuum pot, that being coarser than espresso and finer than for percolating. Just slightly coarser than flour. Turn it on and let the machine do all the work needed for the best cup of coffee you can get.

 

Throw the grounds into the top chamber of your vintage vacuum coffee pot, a device I couldn't live without, and turn on the heat. The hot water will rise to the top chamber automatically when it reaches the right temperature. Some sunflower seed sourdough french toast is cooking nicely in the foreground.

Almost coffee! Once the water is in the top chamber, remove the pot from the heat. As it cools, the brewed coffee is drawn down into the bottom chamber.

Here is Andrea pouring lots of maple syrup over slabs of buttery french toast made from our loaves from the North Woods Bread Company. When I asked her how they were, she replied, “Nom, nom, nom, can’t talk- eating.”

Everybody line up for a hot cuppa!

Yes, this deep black cup of java heaven was every bit as delicious as it looks.

All in all, we enjoyed our visit to North Woods Bread Company immensely, and will stop in everytime we are in the neighborhood. I highly recommend you do the same!

 

 

One of the most convenient communities to visit in the world is Schroon Lake, adirondacks, usa. It’s located right off Interstate 87, so if you’re headed between New York City or Albany and Plattsburgh or Montreal, you’ve got a great place to stop for gas, shopping, food, and great views.

 

On a recent trip south with friends, we decided to stop in Schroon Lake to get gasoline. Then one of them spotted Flanagan’s Pub and Grill right across the street.

 

Have I mentioned that I’m easily influenced by friends (and sometimes by subliminal advertising)?

 

It was nearly the end of January, and I was quite proud of myself for refraining from eating anything that could be categorized as “pub food” so far this new year. It wasn’t an official resolution, but a sort of…guideline.

 

So, we decided to go in to check the place out.

 

The place is warm and inviting, and obviously popular. There were lots of folks there taking a break from ice fishing or snowmobiling, as the gear and helmets would indicate.

 

 

We bellied up to the bar, a phrase I’ve never before typed, and asked the bartender if they had any beer on tap.

 

 

She quickly listed off more options than I could absorb, but I remembered seeing something on the way in...

 

 

So even though I’m on a sort of an IPA kick, I ordered a Guinness. My cohorts each chose different options from the long list.

 

We chatted with the bartender, and noticed that the bar and many of the walls were lined with dollar bills with messages on them.

 

 

Of course, we added to the collection. Our bartender had a sharpie and stapler at the ready.

 

 

 

It was a quick visit; we took a look at the menu for future reference. As we were headed to an event, we refrained from ordering food, despite the enticing fact that the menu said “The Best Wings in the Adirondacks.”

On the way out, we saw a number of ice fisherpeople pulling their gear off the lake for the day, and guessed where they were headed.

 

 

And again

The very next day, headed north this time, I found myself feeling somewhat famished just as we approached exit 27. I didn’t need gasoline this time, but I remembered seeing something recently…

 

 

So I stopped in Schroon Lake near the grandstand in the town park, which happened to be full of snowmobilers who DID need gasoline. I followed a few of them to their destination.

 

 

And broke my resolution.

 

 

I went for the medium-level hot wings, and was provided with two accompanying glasses of water. It was. So. Good.

 

I’m guessing I’ll find myself conveniently parked in front of Flanagan’s again in the future. Of course, there are a number of great eateries in the region, so be sure to explore them all - I mean, there's always breakfast at Pitkin's and dessert at Sticks and Stones, and...

I’m sure some of them would even take an order for salad and water, but do feel free to follow your instincts.

 

And don't forget to find a place to stay!

 

 

-Kim Rielly is the director of communications for the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism

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This week in related break-your-resolution news:

Tappin’ our reserve

Resolution's last stand

Taking one for the team

Just one little piece

Sweet confections and warming libations

Stay at home — not!

Poutine and a cold one

 

I have two pieces of advice regarding the Morningstar Bistro & Gifts in Schroon Lake: 1. go there, and...2. well...ok, just one piece of advice.

My coworker and I were in town this week for a meeting, which ended conveniently at quarter to lunch.

It's a treat to sample some of Schroon Lake's fare JUST before the summer season takes off and there are more people milling about. We walked down the largely quiet Main Street for just a few moments before we happened upon the colorful facade of Morningstar Bistro. I had never been there, so we walked in.

We were quickly welcomed by the woman behind the counter, and encouraged to just choose one of their eclectic group of tables; our server will be right with us. So, we chose the circular one with the tiled top.

Our server came right out to take our caffeine - er - drink order, and gave us our menus. Seems like it's a lot more difficult to choose when you're starving, but we both decided to select one of the gourmet sandwiches listed in the first section, under the tagline: "Good enough to serve in Schroon Lake's Most Prestigious Hotels of Yesteryear."

Well, that made sense to me. I'd find out about the "Prestigious Hotels" later. I ordered The Brown Swan, which is a smoked turkey sandwich with their own cranberry spread, lettuce tomato and red onion on our choice of bread, and set about surveying the landscape. The restaurant is both a retail space (ergo the "& gifts" on the sign) and an eatery. Looking around, the walls are attractively adorned with shelves with a variety of trinkets, from handmade wooden signs and framed photographs to greeting cards. 

Our sandwiches arrived swiftly, along with Terra chips a side of homemade marinated vegetables. It was delicious, but would have created a doggy bag situation on a typical day. Today, though, it was just the right amount of sustenance for someone in my starving condition.

We finished up, paid and made our way back out to our car just as three more tables were filled. So I DO have a second piece of advice: whenever possible, get ahead of the crowds in May by showing up just before noon.

And the origin of the tagline "Good enough to serve in Schroon Lake's Most Prestigious Hotels of Yesteryear?" I called my go-to resource for all things Schroon Lake Region at the visitors center on Main Street, just doors from the Bistro. Turns out the gourmet sandwiches are all named after children's camps and grand hotels from the past.

And in the future? I'll be back to try The Leland.

Check out all of the Schroon Lake Region dining opportuntiies!

 

-Kimberly Rielly is the director of communications for the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism 

The Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area is a gorgeous, 46,283-acre region that’s chock full of trails, lakes, mountains, and wildlife. It can be accessed from 11 parking areas, so there are lots of options available. That’s great for people who like to explore, but it can make it difficult for first-time visitors to decide where to go. Read on for three of our favorite Pharaoh Lake adventures!

Out and back: Crane Pond trail

This is a relatively easy 1.7-mile hike to a lovely pond, and there’s plenty to see along the way. The first part of the path is actually a dirt road, and while some people try to drive it, this is not recommended because the road is not maintained. That’s OK, though, because the views of the ravine and waterfalls on Alder Creek are worth walking for. 

The first 1.2 miles rises about 160 feet. Shortly after that it levels off and skirts Alder Pond. Take a right at the three-way intersection and Crane Pond will appear in a few minutes. If you’re the camping type, explore the shore to find several designated campsites. 

Getting there

Crane Pond parking area: Follow Route 9 north from downtown Schroon Lake and turn right on Alder Meadow Road. After about 2 miles continue straight onto Crane Pond Road and follow that for 1.4 miles to the end.

Peak bagger: Pharaoh Mountain

There are two pharaohs in this wilderness area — Pharaoh Lake and Pharaoh Mountain. We’ll get to the lake in a minute, but first let’s talk about the mountain. At 2,556 feet in elevation, Pharaoh is certainly not the biggest or the hardest hike in the Adirondacks, but the view from its mostly open summit is phenomenal. 

Like any destination in this area, there are several directions this peak can be approached from. A favorite is to set up camp at Crane Pond, then ascend 1,405 feet over 2.6 miles from there. Alternately, the mountain can be approached from the south via the Pharaoh Lake trail. It’s more than 4 miles to the Pharaoh Mountain trail, and from there it’s a 1,355 foot elevation gain in 1.2 miles to the top, but there are lots of campsites around the lake to choose from so you don't have to worry about rushing back to beat the setting sun.

Getting there

Crane Pond parking area: See directions above.

Pharaoh Lake Road parking area: From downtown Schroon Lake, follow Route 9 north, turn right on Alder Meadow Road, then take another right on Adirondack Road. Follow that for about 8.5 miles and turn left on Johnson Road, which is also County Route 15. Follow that for a little over 2 miles, then take a slight left on Beaver Pond Road and follow that for about 3 miles to Pharaoh Road. Turn left and follow that for about a half mile to the parking area.

Speaking of Pharaoh Lake

Not only is this 441-acre waterbody an excellent place to camp, it’s also the centerpiece of a fantastic 6-mile loop. Follow the Pharaoh Lake trail for 3.3 miles to the outlet for the lake, then pick a direction and have fun exploring the shore. There are 14 designated campsites, some of which are on little peninsulas, that make great waypoints for the journey. Go on a clear night — there’s nothing like seeing the Milky Way over the water.

Getting there

Pharaoh Lake Road parking area: See directions above.

 

Hike, paddle, and fish in the Schroon Lake region!

An Adirondack Hat Trick

As you may have read in this recent blog, I took a spring trek up Moxham Mountain. And, because of that hike, I got the idea to see what else this region’s mountains have to offer. We had this plan to do a two-car traverse through an area none of us were familiar with, so we left nothing to chance and got a bit of an early start. For once I was not the one running late, using my internal alarm clock as an excuse, it was odd being on the other side of that conversation. Corenne and I were sitting on the corner of Northwoods Club Road as Jim went racing by in his ghost white S-10, we smiled wondering how long it would take him to realize what he'd done (it wasn’t toooo long before he pulled in behind us). We drove down a bit further to a very deep col between Venison and Kellogg Mountains to park Jim’s truck as best we could on the side of the road, trying to avoid a sinking feeling in the generating mud layers. We found a spot near the culvert for Bullhead Brook, which saved us having to cross it later in the day; it had become a river with all the snowmelt during the recent weeks. Then off we were to the other side of the range.

We parked our second car off 14th Road just south of Minerva, which happens to be the same road as Moxham Mountain. We drove past that trailhead and continued for a bit over a mile to a convenient spot across the swollen creek and on Forest Preserve Land. Much of this area is private property but there are a couple of parking spots that accessed us to state land. We found the western most access point which was perfect because this placed us on the friendly side of Deer Creek.

Dutton Mountain

Now we would be off, and yes, we left our snowshoes in the car - I had no desire to wear or even carry them. Worst case scenario we wallow through what snow was left, and it couldn’t be much, the ground as far we could see was bare. Immediately the ground was soft under our feet, we loved it, even the slight amount of standing spring water was great to see for a change. After a short steep climb to get above the brook, we were on a very mellow hike through some very open forest. With Dutton Mountain just under a mile away, it quickly came into sight on the horizon. We could see from afar that it had ledges with possible viewing opportunities just below the true summit, we couldn’t wait to be there. Then yet another pleasant find, it was a spring beauty popping up through the decaying oak leaves; still closed from its overnight slumber, it would surely be open before day’s end, maybe we would see more after mid-day.

We climbed the steep slopes of Dutton with loose rocks jumbled under us. While many stayed put, others were sent astray by me toward Jim and Corenne. The rocky slopes opened up to a unique red pine forest, not seen as much in the Adirondacks as I would like. An open ridgeline offered up views toward Moxham in the foreground and in the distance the quiet snowy slopes of Gore Mountain; the fire tower glistened in the sunlight. We were yet a quarter-mile from the summit as we worked through an oddly mixed forest of spruce, red pine, white pine, and birches - a mixture of species not commonly seen together. The summit would offer us nothing for additional views and quite honestly it would have to be pretty darn good to trump where we just were.

Venison Mountain

We quickly dropped off the north side of Dutton in search of Venison - no it’s not hunting season, that’s the name of the peak. This would be the longest portion of this today's trip and at that, just 1.3 miles or so. Venison Mountain was nearly the exact same height as Dutton making the actual summit tough to see once we dropped lower in elevation. The descent was gradual and eventually we found ourselves in a very thick pole stand. Actually not even pole diameter trees, they were obviously older, just not spread out enough to grow properly. The ground was very dark sand, almost like it was mixed with ash from a fire, were we in a previous fire zone? As we exited from this unique forested area we came to several small pools of muck in a semi-liquid state, which we had to navigate around or become part of.

Finally we could ascend Venison; the approach was filled with undulating hills, just teasing us of a climb. Again we could see a rocky shelf just below the summit, this one just to the left of the actual top along with what looked to be an open ridge approach. As we climbed higher I chose a ridge I felt was the one we saw, although several other small shelves also looked welcoming. We pushed through the rubus that was growing in pretty thick fashion in the lightly treed areas, but I had jumped too soon, we needed the next semi-open ridgeline (but that was OK since we were aware of my error). Jim decided to go right and see what he could find and Corenne and I went left in the direction I felt was more promising. After a bit of side-hill hiking I spotted the ledge that had prompted us to be so diligent. I hooted and hollered to Jim, and eventually he heard my attempt to locate and we rendezvoused near the base.

Atop the ledge we were in awe of the views before us, it felt as though we were in an apple orchard, but really we were in a mountain ash orchard with a grassy undertone. We spent well over a half-hour here relaxing and having a nice lunch. The true summit was only a few hundred feet away. At the summit we found a cairn marking the top as well as a small whitetail deer statue and some names scribbled on a piece of birch bark; quaint, yet not terribly out of place. A wooded summit on a rocky spine was where we were at and a crazy steep descent in front of us down to Northwoods Club Road. The terrain was steep, but not as bad as we had anticipated. We found a narrow drainage path which we jumped into with no delay, although eventually we had to leave it in order to stay on state land. We hit the road right at the culvert adjacent to where we parked, it was a near perfect descent.

Kellogg Mountain

 

We were now looking up at Kellogg Mountain, which we figured to be a 500 foot climb in less than a quarter of a mile; it was going to be steep and relentless. We found a flagged route up the mountain, unsure of its purpose or destination, we followed it as it took a fall-line approach to the summit. As we neared the apex of the hillside we had to do a bit of hand-over-hand scrambling with small saplings as our support guides. We didn’t see too much promise here on this 2100 foot peak, but we were still hopeful. The true summit had slight views through the leafless trees, but as soon as they blossomed the views would be gone. Jim and I had to poke around, we wanted a view of the High Peaks that we knew were so near. And, then, there it was. We found a small open slope where we could see the entire upper Great Range from Marcy to Gothics and even the teeth of Sawteeth serrated the blue sky. We spotted the entire MacIntyre Range, and then in the other direction was the Dix Range. Sure they were off in the distance but we could find them all, and still quite snow-covered I might add.

It was now time to go; what a sobering note to a wonderful day; but what comes at the end of a day is the ideas that flow for the next trip into the wilderness. Who knows where I will be, but I assure you it will be some remote peak nestled away in the wonders of our beloved park.

Ready to plan your next hiking, biking, or fishing trip in the Schroon Lake Region? We've got great places to stay and friendly folks to guide your way. See you on the trail.