Rethinking Balm of Gilead Mountain

By Bill Ingersoll

Sometimes the small mountains are the best hiking experiences. I keep a list of them in my metaphorical “back pocket” to recommend for people who want a memorable experience for modest effort. There are many such mountains scattered throughout the Adirondack Park, although many are bushwhacks; in my opinion the region would benefit if a few more of these “low peaks” had trails. READ MORE

Festive September Races

By Laura Clark

With the hot, humid and occasionally rainy summer hopefully coming to a close, runners are excited to get outdoors in more comfortable weather. But with summer’s curtailed training opportunities, tackling traditional longer races in the early fall is not as appealing. To focus your efforts, here is a sampling of unique September 5K, 10K, plus a few longer distance experiences. And look closely because these are not just races, but true events with venues that encourage you to shed your run-and-done mentality. READ MORE

Browns Tract Inlet

By Rich Macha

Browns Tract Inlet flows out of Lower Browns Tract Pond and meanders for over three miles on its way to Raquette Lake. The stream is in the northern part of the Moose River Plains Wild Forest. Every year, in early September (September 6 in 2024), about 250 watercraft utilize the lower 2.5 miles of the stream as the Adirondack Canoe Classic, also known as the 90-Miler, race competitors pass through while making their way from Old Forge Pond to Blue Mountain Lake on day one of the race. It is also the route of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. On most other days, it is a typical, quiet Adirondack stream and a paddle to be savored and not rushed. READ MORE

WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Cup – Coming to Lake Placid on September 27-29

By Doug Haney

Whether you watch every live second of the Tour de France, the daily highlights on YouTube, cheered American Olympian Haley Batten to a historic mountain bike silver medal in Paris or watched Great Britain’s Tom Pidcock crush both his mountain and road biking events, one thing is certain. Seeing the best riders in the world compete is freakin’ amazing. READ MORE

Emily Lopez – Living Fearless

By Kristen Hislop

In conversation with some friends, one asked, “Hey Emily what hand do you write with?” Emily stopped, laughed, and said, “the only one I have.” Emily Lopez was born without a right hand and elbow, but truly the first thing you notice about her is her smile. Her parents Michael Lopez and Betsy Timoney raised her to believe she was just like everyone else, “no special treatment, no babying, and no excuses.” She and her friends see her as “one of the girls.” It isn’t surprising that Emily never thought about competing outside of the general sports. She tried out gymnastics, soccer, skiing, taekwondo, and track and field. It was track and field that fueled her soul. READ MORE

On Your Left

By Jack Rightmyer

The idea to write my book “On Your Left” occurred to me as I was biking Parks & Trails New York’s annual Cycle the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany in 2013 with over 400 other cyclists including my wife Judy, our daughter Erin and our son-in-law Paul. Since that time Judy and I have completed other multiday bike trips such as across England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, and for our 40th anniversary we biked from our home in Burnt Hills to the Battery on the tip of Manhattan along the Empire State Trail. READ MORE