All Over Albany

Hikes and hot chocolates

We're very happy to congratulate Cristin on the publication of her new book Upstate Almanac: Outdoor Adventure in Upstate NY, which is now available as a paperback and ebook. To celebrate, we're sharing an adapted excerpt about some fun winter hikes.

If you think of hiking as a three-season sport, you're missing out. Hiking, snowshoeing, and getting outside in winter more generally, can improve your mood in the dark, dreary months of the year.

And one of the best parts of spending time outdoors in the winter chill is coming back inside and warming up with a hot chocolate.

With that in mind, here are some fun, easier winter hikes along with where to get hot chocolate nearby.

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Capital Hills in the winter

We stopped by Capital Hills in Albany to walk for a few minutes today.

The city's municipal golf course is closed for golf for the season -- which means it's now open for walking, dogs, sledding, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and other winter outdoor fun.

The course is a beautiful tract of hilly acres alongside the Normans Kill on the city's southwest edge. And it's fun to explore the various trails during the winter months. Be sure sometime to check out the old course that sits in the center of the front nine -- it's so serene after a blanket of snow.

Capital Hills is a dog wonderland during the winter, where they can trot around off leash and play with other dogs. It's a wonderful amenity, but please be responsible about it. That means making sure your pup will be polite with other dogs and people. And, yep, you've gotta pick the up the poop.

See also: It's winter. Your dog has pooped. What now?

New York State Parks photo contest

This is not a contest entry. But it is a photo from Peebles Island State Park near Cohoes.

Check it out: There's a New York State Parks photo contest in progress. You can gawk at the entries -- a bunch of beautiful natural scenes from around the state -- at that link.

Blurbage: "You've been challenged to explore New York's State Parks. All you need is a camera and a sense of adventure and you could win a DSLR camera, New York State Camping Gift Cards or Empire Passes.. Grab your friends and family and start exploring!"

The photos must be taken on New York State Parks lands between August 29, 2017 and November 30, 2018 (also the deadline for entering). Entries are divided into five categories with different themes, such as "on the Trails & Off the Beaten Path." Winners will be selected by a panel of judges. (As with anything like this, it's worth reading the rules and fine print.)

Here are a few ideas for Adirondack autumn hikes that probably won't be so crowded

The view from the Spruce Mountain fire tower.

It seems like each year more and more people are on the trails in the Adirondacks. And with peak foliage season quickly approaching, it's about to get a lot more crowded.

While the DEC grapples with how to handle the increased traffic -- a recent move included trying to drastically reduce the amount of parking at one of the most popular trailheads -- it's probably a good idea to check out some less crowded hikes in the meantime.

Scrolling through the #adirondacks hashtag on Instagram, you might think there were only a handful of hikes in the region. The familiar v-shaped vista of Indian Head, people holding up fingers for the number of High Peaks they've hiked, and the panoramic views from Cascade dominate.

But there are literally hundreds of other hikes in New York, many with views just as good -- and you don't have to leave your house at 4 am to get a parking spot.

Here are some hidden gem hikes in the Adirondacks that are likely to give you fall foliage views without the crowds...

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Mapping out the future for an alternative transportation network in the Capital District

The Capital Region already has a handful of popular biking and walking trails, but if you zoom out a little bit and look at the whole picture you can the see the outline of something a lot bigger.

That something is what Jennifer Ceponis, a senior transportation planner for the Capital District Transportation Committee, describes as an alternative transportation network: "Much like we have a highway system for cars -- with supporting roads and arterials that feed into that -- we want people to be thinking that the region can have a similar system but for bicycling, walking, and other recreational activities."

Toward that goal, the planning org has put together the Capital District Trails Plan, a map toward a future in which you might be able to ride a bike from, say, Voorheesville to Saratoga Springs and beyond on a network of paths.

Here are a few highlights.

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Crossing the Black Bridge

We finally got a chance to check out the new paved path in Green Island that leads up to the southern end of the Black Bridge. And short story short: it's nice.

The Black Bridge is worth checking out sometime if you haven't already. There's a small parking lot at the end of Cannon Street on the Green Island side, and it's a short pedal from downtown Troy via the Green Island Bridge.

The bridge connects Green Island and Van Schaick Island in Cohoes across one of the Mohawk River's curling paths into the Hudson River. And it's part of a multi-use path that connects Green Island, Van Schaick Island, Peebles Island, and Waterford. The roughly two-mile corridor -- the Delaware Ave path in Cohoes -- is a nice walk or pedal as you pass by the fairways of the Van Schaick Island Country Club, the Van Schaick Mansion, a bunch of new residential developments in Cohoes, the old Matton Shipyard, cross the bridge onto the northern end of Peebles Island, and then cross another bridge over to Waterford with a view of the locks.

The setting is beautiful -- and a little bit wild. Late Sunday afternoon we glided past a deer and saw a bald eagle from the Black Bridge.

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Another reason to get -- and hold on to -- an Empire Pass for state parks

Good to know: You can save your Empire Pass card, use it again in future seasons, and get a discount.

State Parks blurbage:

Did you know the card you purchased for 2018 is renewable? Beginning in mid-November, you will be able to renew your existing Empire Pass card online for the 2019 season. This feature will allow you to keep your card year after year with the option to renew for 1 year, 3 years or 5 years!

Why should I renew? Convenience and cost savings! A discount rate will be applied to your renewed card and you won't need to wait for your new card in the mail or wait on line at the Park.

What do I need to renew when it becomes available? Access to the internet, your physical card, the number printed on the front and your email address are what you will need to complete the process online.

This renewal process isn't available just yet. State Parks says it will start mid-November at parks.ny.gov.

Empire Pass?
The Empire Pass is basically a season pass for New York State parks that offers unlimited admission for $80 for a calendar year. If you're a frequent state park visitor -- say, 8-10 times or more during seasons with admission fees -- it's the cheapest and easiest way to pay the admission fee. And the card can be shared among family members. (The cards have replaced the old stickers.)

Also: Keep an eye out for mid-winter sales on the Empire Pass. In years past, State Parks has offered the Empire Pass at a discount. It was $65 this past winter, which lowers the break-even number of park visits.

There's a new type of tick in New York State

There's a new type of tick in New York, the state Department of Health announced Tuesday: Haemaphysalis longicornis -- the "longhorned tick." DOH says it was found in multiple locations in Westchester County. From the press release:

While the longhorned tick has transmitted disease to humans in other parts of the world, more research is needed to determine whether this can happen in the United States. Regardless, New Yorkers should continue to take steps to protect themselves, their children and their pets against ticks and tickborne diseases that are present in New York State.

This tick is also a concern for the New York State agricultural industry and may pose a threat to livestock. Farmers should continue to work with their veterinarians to check their animals, particularly cattle, sheep and horses, for exposure to ticks and to ensure their parasite control plans are up to date and working. Symptoms of tick-borne disease in cattle include fever, lack of appetite, dehydration, weakness and labored breathing.

That photo on the right compares deer ticks (top) and longhorned ticks (bottom) with poppy seeds (middle) for scale. (Click on the photo for a larger version -- we figured no one needed to see that up close unless they wanted to.)

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The High Peaks are crowded, so the DEC would like to promote "sustainable tourism" in the Adirondacks

The summit of Mt. Marcy. / photo: Casey Normile

The Adirondacks -- the High Peaks especially -- have been a very popular spot for hikers over the last decade or so. And that's resulted in all sorts of related issues, from crowding to trash to parking problems.

This week the state Department of Environmental Conservation announced it's taking up "a multi-year, comprehensive effort to promote sustainable tourism, and address public safety in the Adirondacks." Press release blurbage (emphasis added):

Popular destinations on DEC lands within the Adirondack Park such as the High Peaks, Dix, Giant and Hurricane Wildernesses, Baxter Mountain, and the Saranac Lake 6'er peaks, are attracting an unprecedented number of users.

To improve public safety and reduce impacts to natural resources in the area, DEC held four focus group meetings this past winter to generate ideas and information to support recommendations, particularly to address overuse challenges in the High Peaks region and the Route 73 corridor between Exit 30 of the Northway and Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. The meetings were held in partnership with the towns of Keene and North Elba and involved a wide range of stakeholders. With input from DEC land managers, the meetings helped the agency identify specific strategies and actions to be taken in 2018 and 2019.

Actions along the Route 73 corridor are scheduled to start during the July 4th holiday week and are being implemented with state agency partners and municipalities. The first phase of actions include:

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Going underground -- literally

Caves are dark, damp, and dangerous -- yet they have always been an alluring mystery for people, filled with their otherworldly formations and maze-like passages.

Whether you are a novice to caving or more seasoned spelunker, here are a a few caverns within day trip distance to the Capital Region to discover.

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You can rent a kayak at the Corning Riverfront Park now

Look over by where the bike trail picks up again just past the boat launch.

You can now rent kayaks at the Corning Riverfront Park in Albany.

A company called Upstate Kayak Rentals has installed a self-serve kayak rental hub near the boat launch. As company states on its website, "It's similar to a bike share, only equipped with kayaks!" Further blurbage:

Renting kayaks from our Hubs are no different than renting a bike, car, or a kayak from a rental store and transporting it yourself. You are responsible for your own safety and decisions, we are simply providing the equipment in a more convenient manner at different locations for your use. If you do not feel safe paddling in a kayak, please do not rent our equipment. Our Kayak Hubs are meant for paddlers who are comfortable being on the water and familiar with boating safety. It is always recommended to start your excursion up stream if paddling in a current. And please paddle close to the shore lines, especially if you see large vessels approaching.

Each Hub consists of a rack of 6 locked kayaks which are available to rent to the public 7 days a week, in 1 1/2 hour intervals (plus an additional 15 minutes to clean and lock up equipment). In order to access our kayaks, renters will need a smart phone with Bluetooth and the ability to download a free App to unlock the equipment.

The kayaks are rented in pairs, the company says life jackets must be worn at all times. It's $50 for 1.5 hours (plus 15 minutes for cleaning up and locking up). The fee includes life jacket and paddle rental.

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Noted: Bears can now open car doors

The video embedded above was posted on the I Love Old Forge Facebook page this week. And, yep, that's a bear opening the doors of a minivan. There's a second video where the cubs mosey on out and into the van to explore.

Something that's obvious from this video: The bear uprising is approaching and a full on Planet of the Bears situation awaits us.

Seriously, though, bears are intelligent, curious, motivated, clever creatures. And they have collectively learned how to how operate car door handles during the last 10-15 years. From a Guardian article last year about bears opening doors in Yosemite:

According to Kirsten Leong, an expert in animal/human interactions and behaviours at the national parks service, the ability to open car doors is the latest in a long line of adaptations by bears to the presence and behaviours of humans. "They learn very quickly, if there's a reward, how to get that," she said. ...

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The Indian Ladder Trail is re-opening

Along the trail. / photo: Kathie Dello

The Indian Ladder Trail at Thacher State Park will re-open this Saturday, June 9, New York State Parks announced Friday.

The trail has been closed since last summer after a woman was hit in the head by a falling rock. That prompted concerns about the stability of the rock face above the trail. Last month crews started removing loose rock from the slopes. State Parks says it's finishing that effort.

This will be welcome news to a lot of people because the trail is a popular spot for park visitors (and has been for at least a century). The trail is about half mile long. It takes you down and along the face of the Helderberg Escarpment. There are waterfalls and some beautiful scenes. (Here's a walk-along video from 2010.)

If you're new to area -- or just for whatever reason have never made it out to Thacher State Park -- it's worth the trip. The park is only about a half hour car ride from downtown Albany. And it has some great views of the escarpment looking to the east and north.

Overlook
Also new at Thacher State Park: Garden Bistro 24 will start operating the concession stand at the park overlook. It'll be open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am-7 pm.

Earlier
+ Checking out the new Thacher Park Center
+ Thacher Park's namesake
+ Hiking the Indian Ladder Trail

"My name is Sean Rowe, and I know I got a really low voice, but if you're stuck with me you're going to eat a tree, you won't have much of a choice..."

Check it out: Sean Rowe has a new Youtube series in which he talks about foraging for wild edibles and then heads back to the kitchen to cook them up. It is called, appropriately: Can I Eat This.

The first ep is embedded above. And the second posted today.

Of course, Rowe is famous as a musician. But he's also an avid naturalist, and he's taught foraging classes around here. So this series isn't a surprise. And his endearing, nerdy enthusiasm for the topic comes through in the videos. About the series, from his Facebook page:

You're gonna get an earfull and an eyefull of my passion for wild food and living off of the land. I'll be taking you through some of my favorite foraging spots througout the Northeast, showing you what I harvest directly from the wild and exactly what i do with it when i get back to the kitchen! I'll also be encorporating guest spots on the show with touring musicians, local chefs and hmmmm...who knows where this could go?!?!

The episodes look great thanks to Troy-based Chromoscope Pictures, which is producing the series. Over at The Alt, Katie Cusack Cusick recently talked with Rowe and Chromoscope's Nick Spadaro about what's cooking.

A very animated explainer about ticks

This might not be the claymation that we want, but it's the claymation that we need.

The clip embedded above is a short claymation explainer about the life cycle of black-legged ticks and ways to protect yourself against them. It's from the New York State Integrated Pest Management program, which is associated with Cornell and the Cornell Cooperative Extension.*

Ticks and the diseases they carry are a big problem in this part of the country. And just last week the Cuomo admin a announced a new round of increased efforts to address the proliferation of ticks and the diseases they spread, such as Lyme.

But back to the video clip... It was created by Max Helmberger, an entomology grad student. Here's a Cornell news article about his work. And, yep, he has more claymation science videos on Youtube.

* Integrated pest management is a fascinating topic. It's basically about how humans can better deal with things like insects and weeds and plant diseases in ways that hurt the environment as little as possible.

Hiking the shoulder season

Spring is so close you can practically taste it. Little green buds are starting to poke out of the ground. The weather is slowly inching its way above freezing. And it's that time when you might start thinking again about hiking places like the Adirondacks or Catskills.

Spring can be one of the best times of year to hike. The sun feels particularly warm after a long winter, there aren't any bugs yet, and the crisp air is refreshing.

That's all if you're properly prepared -- because while it might (eventually) be 60 and sunny in Albany, up in the mountains it could still be snowing.

Here are some guidelines for making sure you're ready, and a few ideas for spring hikes....

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Empire Pass Card 2018 sale extended

New York State Parks has extended the discount on the 2018 Empire Pass Card -- the entry passes will now be available for $65 until April 8 (a week longer than previously announced). After that the price will be $80.

The Empire Pass allows unlimited day-use vehicle entry at state parks, preserves, and other similar sites. Pass blurbage:

Currently available at your nearest state park and online, the 2018 Empire Pass Card is a better and more cost-effective way to enjoy the more than 250 individual state parks, historic sites, recreational trails, boat launches and more. The Empire Pass Card is a wallet-sized plastic card that can be shared among family members including parents, grandparents, caregivers and more. It is presented upon vehicle entry and includes QR code and embedded chip technology to allow for easier park access at select facilities.

The former Empire Pass decal, which was not shareable and required attachment to one vehicle, will no longer be offered. All 2017 Empire Pass Decals will be accepted through their expiration on March 31, 2018.

State Park says it's extended the sale so people visiting parks during spring break next week can also get in on the discount. You can also buy the pass online.

Summer vehicle admission at, say, Grafton Lakes State Park is $8. So if you're going to a state park 8 or more times in a summer, the pass could be the way to go for you -- especially at the discounted price.

I Love My Park Day
By the way: I Love My Park Day is coming up in May, and registration is open for the various events at sites around the state.

Two local fat bike events coming up

A previous Saratoga Fat Bike Rally. / photo via Saratoga Fat Bike Rally Facebook

A quick follow-up / highlight of sorts to Jen's post on Friday about fat biking, because winter is better when you get outside and have fun... two local events coming up:

February 10: Saratoga Fat Bike Rally
The Saratoga Fat Bike Rally returns to Saratoga Spa State Park near the warming hut. It includes a handful of rides and events throughout the day. It's free to register, though there is a small registration fee for a few of the races.

Grey Ghost Bicycles will be there with fat bikes available for rental -- call ahead to reserve: 518-223-0148

The fat bike rally was started a few years back by a group of fat bike riders.

February 17: Farmer's Fatty at Indian Ladder Farms Cidery and Brewery
Indian Ladder Farms Cidery and Brewery in Altamont is hosting a day of fat biking on a course that includes both single track and double track. "The course will be groomed if the snow is deep enough. No snow, no issue, event will happen on dirt. Ride as little or as much as you want! ... There will be a 60 minute short course event for the fatties who want to test their fitness against others."

Registration is $30. That includes lunch and one complimentary beer.

Steiner Sports will be there with mechanical support and demo bikes.

It's fat biking season

I think I may have gotten a few strange looks in my apartment complex a few weeks ago while strapping my bike onto my car rack. In the middle of winter. After a few inches of snow had fallen.

But to me, this is the perfect time to ride my fat bike!

With huge, knobby tires that are typically four inches wide, fat bikes have been gaining popularity for their versatility. You can ride them like mountain bikes, conquering many obstacles -- even if it's snowy.

Whether you are a mountain biker looking to ride through the winter or an outdoor enthusiast wanting to try something new, consider fat biking! You won't be able to wipe the smile off your face.

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Capital Region ice skating spots

Let's hope we can pond ice this nice this winter.

Winter is more fun when you can be active. And one of the most fun ways to be active during winter is ice skating.

So... you might be interested in the listing/map that AOA has of ice skating spots around the Capital Region. We ran the zamboni over it this week, so it's surface is smooth and updated with a few new spots and details.

The listing includes indoor ice rinks, outdoor rinks that get some maintenance, and a few pond spots. The ice is almost always going to be smoother at the maintained facilities, but we gotta say there's something magical about skating on a frozen pond.

As always, if there's a spot that you think should be included, please let us know! Have fun!

Views from on High fire tower guide

Could be interesting -- for yourself, or maybe as a gift: The Adirondack Mountain Club has a new version of its fire tower guidebook, Views from on High. Blurbage:

Extensively revised and redesigned, this popular hiking guide to fire tower trails enables hikers, history buffs, and others fond of Adirondack and Catskill trails to visit and learn about 30 historic fire towers. Detailed trail descriptions are accompanied by numerous photographs and maps as well as an essay about these structures written by historic preservationist Wesley H. Haynes. A new chapter, Beyond the Blue Line, by tower aficionado Jacob C. (Jake) Wilde, describes 13 additional fire towers, three of them demonstration towers. The book is written by John P. (Jack) Freeman and Jim Schneider. The years since the first edition have seen what Jim Schneider refers to as "fire tower fever," a sweeping enthusiasm that has helped prompt restoration of numerous towers and their trails.

Views from on High, 2nd Ed. is $14.95 from the ADK website. The ADK also has a Fire Tower Challenge, with a patch for visiting at least 23 fire tower summits.

Fire towers can be fun day hikes. The trails often aren't that long, and the towers provide some beautiful views. (Example: The Beebe Hill fire tower in Columbia County.)

Here's a NYS DEC list of fire towers.

Capital Hills is open for winter, by the way

From the file for "things everyone knows that maybe everyone doesn't know"...

The Albany city municipal golf course -- Capital Hills (map) -- is open for all sorts of winter activities, as it is each year between golf seasons. That means lots of people walking dogs off leash and, when there's snow, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding.

The course, on hilly acres alongside the Normans Kill, is a beautiful section of land. Don't miss the loop through the old course, which is especially beautiful after a blanket of snow.

To that end, there are new snowshoe and cross country ski trail markers. (At least, they were new to us -- we don't recall seeing them before this season.) And look for the trail map on the building that faces parking lot. (Here's a pic.)

One more thing
Capital Hills is a dog wonderland during the winter. It's one of Otto's favorite places because he can trot around off leash and meet all sorts of other dogs. (He'd stay there all day if we let him.) But here's the thing... please be responsible about it. That means making sure your pup will be polite with dogs and people. And, yep, you've gotta pick the up the poop.

See also: It's winter. Your dog has pooped. What now?

The Narrows

Check out the plan for The Narrows, a formalized series of walking trails through Troy. It's a collaboration between the Rensselaer Land Trust, Post Contemporary, and the city of Troy. Blurbage:

The Narrows is an extensive 5 mile hiking trail proposal that winds through the waterfalls, outcrops, and historic landscapes of Troy's Wynantskill and Poestenkill valleys: a wilderness hike... in the City. When complete, the wilderness trail will wind to Downtown Troy from the Hudson Mohawk Bike-Hike Trail over the river on the 378 Bridge.

The Narrows will highlight Troy's exceptional cultural heritage and scenic beauty, exhibit strong connectivity to regional trail systems, heighten quality of life and health for citizens of Troy and the region, bolster community identity, and add to economic development. ...

Phase One will connect the Burden Pond Preserve to the Staalesen Preserve along an over 2 mile trail that weaves its way along the Wynantskill's gorgeous waterfalls, gorges, and uplands. This route was chosen because of its spectacular natural features, and its complete site control. The connectivity to date has been impossible because of lack of infrastructure, most notably of two long span bridges needed to cross the Wynantskill at key locations

That first link above includes more info, including photos of some of the landscape.

Project backers say construction on phase one could start in the spring and be finished by the end of 2018.

The Wild Birds of New York

Blissfully removed from pretty much everything going on...

Check out this 1912 book Wild Birds of New York. It includes some lovely illustrations -- we've clipped a few as a samples (see below).

The book was the work of Chester A. Reed, who developed the idea of a field guide. (This particular book was released in conjunction with the Mohonk Mountain House.) And though he died at just 36 years old, he had a prolific career, publishing 24 books.

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Empire Pass Card 2018 sale

New York State parks are currently on sale.

OK, to be more specific, passes to New York State parks are now on sale. The 2018 Empire Pass Card is now available for $65 online through March 31, 2018. After that it will be $80.

State parks press release blurbage (emphasis added):

[The] Empire Pass Card is a better and more cost effective way to enjoy the more than 250 individual state parks, historic sites, recreational trails, boat launches and more. The Empire Pass Card is a wallet-sized plastic card that can be shared among family members including parents, grandparents, caregivers and more. It is presented upon vehicle entry and includes QR code and embedded chip technology to allow for easier park access at select facilities. ...

As a special note, those wishing to give the gift of the outdoors this year should order their new specially priced 2018 Empire Pass Card by Friday December 8 to ensure delivery in time for the holidays.

The former Empire Pass decal, which was not shareable and required attachment to one vehicle, will no longer be offered. All 2017 Empire Pass Decals will be accepted through their expiration on March 31, 2018.

If you're a frequent New York State Park visitor the Empire Pass -- and it's unlimited admission -- has been the most economical option for paying entrance fees. If you go to a park 8-10 times during seasons with admission fees, you've pretty much paid for the pass and admission after that is free.