Three Hikes to Enjoy this Foliage Season

What better way to spend a fall day? Golden leaves crunching under your boots, blue skies, a cool breeze, and an Adirondack view filled with the colors of the season. Hiking is spectacular in this neck of the woods any time of year, but there’s something special about it in the autumn for sure. 

Everyone has their go-to local trail, but it’s always nice to mix things up and see something new! We asked the experts at Adirondack Mountain Club, Lake George Land Conservancy, and Pure Adirondacks for some trail recommendations, and came up with a few hikes to add to your fall to-do list. Off we go!

Oh, first, a friendly reminder: if you’re not familiar with the principles of Leave No Trace, click here for a little refresher. Trails get a lot of use this time of year, so we encourage you to minimize your impact while you’re out there, and be prepared to change your plans if you see a crowd at a trailhead. 

Looking north from Owls Head Lookout towards Hurricane Mountain during peak fall foliage in 2019. (Photo Credit: Ben Brosseau, ADK)

Owls Head Lookout

Submitted by: Ben Brosseau • Adirondack Mountain Club

Location: Keene Valley

From the intersection of Route 73 and Route 9N, follow Route 9N toward Elizabethtown. Continue for 5.75 miles to the trailhead parking for the Giant Mountain Wilderness Area on the right.

Difficulty: Moderate

Why It’s a Favorite: Owls Head Lookout is a small, rocky summit located in the northern section of the Giant Mountain Wilderness. The approach is gradual but consistently uphill and takes hikers through pleasant hardwood forests. The final 0.1-mile push to the summit is very steep and eroded, but worth the views from the summit. Hikers will be rewarded with panoramic views of high peaks Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge to the south, Hurricane Mountain to the north, and the Champlain Valley to the east. Surrounded by deciduous forests on all sides, this hike is an excellent choice for viewing fall foliage.

While You’re in Town: After your hike, you can stop by neighboring Keene Valley for a bite to eat or for a nice cup of coffee.

Cobble Lookout (Photo Credit: Evan Williams, PureADK)

Cobble Lookout

Submitted By: Evan Williams • PureADK

Location: Wilmington

From the four corners in Wilmington, take Route 431 for 3 miles. At the intersection with Whiteface Memorial Highway, head right on Gillespie Drive / County Route 18A. Continue for 0.3 miles to the trailhead parking on the right.

Distance: 2.6 Miles Round-Trip

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (depends on hiking ability and weather)

Why It’s a Favorite: Cobble Mountain is a gentle hike through the woods of the Wilmington Wild Forest. Great for families and pet-friendly, this short 1.3 mile one-way hike leads to a huge lookout area with 180-degree views. Off to the right, you'll see Whiteface and Esther and to the left farther in the distance (on a clear day) you'll see the Jay Range, Hurricane, and Giant Mountain. Down in the valley, you'll catch a glimpse of Santa's Workshop and the town of Wilmington.

While You’re In Town: After a hike such as Cobble Lookout or taking part in other recreation opportunities in the Wilmington area, we enjoy fueling up and grabbing a snack at The Little Supermarket (great subs!). If we're looking for some sweet treats, we'll make a stop at Adirondack Chocolates.

Pole Hill Pond (Photo courtesy of Michele Vidarte, Lake George Land Conservancy)

Amy's Park / Godwin Preserve

Submitted By: Michele Vidarte • Lake George Land Conservancy

Location: Bolton Landing (click here for directions)

Distance: Hikers can walk the entire Amy's Park loop from the main trailhead for 4.5 miles of mixed terrian over single track trail throughout the unique habitats of the preserve. If that's too long, hikers have many options with four different trailheads, a canoe launch, easy access to sweeping views of the wetlands and ponds or a quick steep hike to overlook Amy's, Godwin and High Nopit. At Godwin, just a half mile walk south from Amy's main trailhead, hikers can walk just over 1 mile to reach scenic Pole Hill Pond and/or take a 0.3-mile spur trail to the lookout, with views northwest to High Nopit and the wetlands of Amy's Park. Godwin also has its own, smaller parking lot.

Difficulty: Easy to Hard.

Why It’s a Favorite: These preserves are a perennial favorite for locals and visitors alike because there's something for everyone, in every season. Hikers can "create your own adventure", all within this beautiful, protected conservation area; easy walks through the mossy ledges of the wetlands to overlook the marsh, steep inclines in the forest to overlook Lake George and High Nopit and meandering trails over bridges and through beaver ponds. In winter, the trails are perfect for snowshoeing or cross country skiing and exploring the quiet preserve. Bring your binoculars: Amy's is an amazing place to spot birds, including owls, herons and osprey. Another tip: Amy's and Godwin are dog friendly as long as your dog is leashed. It's also a great spot for kids of all ages!

While You’re in Town: My favorite thing to do to start my hiking day is to grab a sub from Neuffers Deli in Bolton Landing to bring with me on the trail; mission is to find the best spot to post up and eat it! After my hike, I'll head back to Bolton Landing, grab a nitro cold brew and a bear claw (if there are any left!) from Bear's Cup to refuel and then kick back on the patio at Bolton Landing Brewing Company for a locally brewed Pinnacle Pilsner, some wings and a flatbread from their menu. It's a toss up for my favorite time of year to be out at Amy's... either on a crisp, fall day when the leaves crunch below your feet or in the winter, when it's cold and oh so quiet. 

On the Trail: Lake George 12sters

Hiking challenges and patch collecting have become a popular pastime in recent years, and they’re a great way to explore lesser known trails and peaks. From fire towers to breweries, challenges are popping up all over the area, including the Lake George 12sters, right in our own backyard.

View of Lake George • Photo: Bri Lyons

“Anyone can go out and do 30 miles on their own, but you kind of lose interest if it’s not for a goal,” says Matt Haley, who founded the challenge in 2016. “Everyone knows about the 46ers, who’ve been around for 100 years, but I believe people have been looking for smaller things, and that was the intent of this challenge,” he says. “It’s nice for people who want to chase patches or just look up a challenge that’s local.” 

Originally from New Hampshire, Matt moved to Lake George around 10 years ago, and has been running since he was in college. “I’ve always been trying to stay fit that way, and I just happened to get into trail running around 2014,” he says. “I did a lot at Moreau State Park, and I was looking for some slightly harder trails, and that led me to places like Buck Mountain and the Tongue Mountain Range.” 

After completing the Saranac 6er, Matt began looking for a local challenge but realized there wasn’t one. “I figured someone must have come up with a similar challenge for the area, and saw that nobody had,” he says. “So, I looked at all of the trails and the views, and I ran them myself and just had fun with it. I decided that these are the 12 places that I like to go, and it just came to be.”

The 12 peaks Matt chose are Black Mountain, Erebus Mountain, Sleeping Beauty, and Buck Mountain on the east side of Lake George, and Cat and Thomas Mountains, and the Tongue Mountain Range to the west. The Tongue Mountain Range, which accounts for half of the challenge itself, includes Brown, Huckleberry, Five Mile, Fifth Peak, French Point and First Peak.

Now in its fifth year, the 30-plus mile challenge has added more than 1,000 people to it’s roster. Completing the 12ster earns you more than just bragging rights and your name on their website, though - you will also receive stickers, a certificate with your completion number, and of course, the coveted patch. “It’s a nice reward for working towards a goal,” Matt says. “A lot of people have given me feedback on how much it’s been appreciated having something to work toward throughout Covid.”

While the vast majority of people have earned their 12ster patch by hiking the peaks, nearly 50 people have completed the Ultra, which requires summiting all 12 peaks in a 24-hour period. Another dozen have finished the Winter Ultra, including Matt’s wife, Sarah, who was one of the first to do so.

“Two friends of mine and I wanted to be the first ones to attempt it in the winter,” Sarah says. “I’ve always been a runner and a hiker, and I’m a trainer and health coach by profession, but even at that point, it was above what I was sure I could do; but we gave it a shot, and we were the first ones to finish it.”

Sarah found more than glory on the tops of those peaks - she also found her future husband. “My friends and I were in the midst of doing it, and my friend Josh was posting updates on our social media,” she says. “ Matt saw them and came out and started hiking up Sleeping Beauty, knowing that we were heading out there, so that’s actually how I met him.”

Matt and Sarah Haley • Photo provided

Since then, they’ve completed a number of other ultras together, including the Lake Placid 9. “We were the first ones to ultra that,” Sarah says. “Matt introduced me to a world of ultra running that I didn’t even know existed.”

While people can take as long as they need to finish the regular 12ster, the ultras must be completed within 24 hours, which requires a bit more planning, strategy and conditioning - and the right state of mind. “It’s really more mental than anything else” Sarah says. “You have to have appropriate physical strength and conditioning to do it, but really, a lot of it is your mind trying to talk you out of it, so you need to stay positive and stay focused.”

Regardless of how you complete the 12ster, summiting each peak makes it worth the effort, particularly the Tongue Mountain Range. “From the feedback that I get, that’s everyone’s favorite,” Matt says. “Although, it’s the most daunting of the trails, because of the rattlesnakes and the overall distance, which is close to a half marathon.”

“It’s just a spectacular spot,” Sarah says. “It’s got a lot of ups and downs, and opens up to this unprecedented view that rivals anything you’d see in the High Peaks.”

From its inception, Matt’s goal has been to get people out to experience the wonderful views this area has to offer, as well as reduce the burden on the more popular trails. “I don’t think you can really beat those views until you go well into the high peaks,” he says. “And, I’m happy that it does help spread out the load of traffic on the trails.” 

Interested hikers can find more information, including maps, rules and registration forms on the Lake George 12ster website, www.lakegeorge12ster.com.

On the Trail: Wilton Wildlife Preserve

For more than 25 years, the folks at the Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park have been dedicated to three things: protecting the endangered Karner blue butterfly, educating the public on environmental conservation, and getting people outside to enjoy nature.

“We would like people to get out to see all of the things we have to offer, and not just the Karner blue butterflies,” says Tori Herkalo, the Preserve’s education coordinator.

Camp Saratoga Blue Trail at Wilton Wildlife Preserve • Photo: Nicholas Chowske

The Karner blue butterfly was federally listed as endangered in 1992, and the Wilton Wildlife Preserve was founded shortly after as a non-profit organization tasked with conserving the land it lives on. Since then, the Preserve has blossomed into an outdoor education and recreation hotspot and has a number of recreation opportunities for people of all ages. 

With more than 25 miles of trails, they have become a destination for local hikers and trail runners. “It’s mostly hiking, but we do have mountain biking at the Kalabus-Perry parcel, and that’s become very popular out there,” Herkalo says. For people interested in trying snowshoeing or cross-country skiing for the first time, the Preserve offers equipment rentals at their Camp Saratoga parking area. 

Camp Saratoga • Photo: Nicholas Chowske

“We also encourage people to do our Great 8 Trail Challenge, as well,” Herkalo says. In the spirit of the Adirondack 46ers and Lake George 12sters, people who complete the challenge by hiking all eight of the Preserve’s trails can receive a special Great 8 trail patch. “It shows the variety of trails that we have at Wilton Wildlife,” she says. “Although we are a part of the Saratoga sand plains ecosystem, the habitats on each trail are vastly different, so we encourage everybody to see each one - you can finish it all in one day, or you could spread it out over the course of the entire summer.”

Conservation and education are a major part of what goes on at the Preserve. “We do a lot of educational programming, which is mostly free,” Herkalo says. Each week, the Preserve offers programs aimed at getting kids outside to explore nature. In addition to their Pre-K Nature Hour and Nature Craft Hour, they also feature a Pond Discovery Hour every Friday at the Perserve’s Delegan Pond. “We have kids get outdoors and look into the pond to see if they can find any critters,” she says. “We’re encouraging people to get their hands dirty and dig through the muck of the pond to find tadpoles, frogs, turtles, salamanders, crayfish, and things like that.”

A Karner blue butterfly at the Wilton Wildlife Preserve • Photo: Nicholas Chowske

One of their more popular programs in the summer months are the Karner blue butterfly walks. “Right now, we are at the peak of our Karner blue butterfly season, and that is probably about our busiest time of year,” Herkalo says. “We’re doing school field trips and public programs - getting everybody at the preserve to see that there’s an endangered species right in our backyard - not in Africa or Asia, but impacting us right here.”

While recreation and education have become mainstays of the Preserve, their primary goal is protecting the Karner blue butterfly. “Karners are in the areas that are good for the wild blue lupine, which is the only thing the caterpillars eat,” says Kathleen O'Brien, wildlife biologist and herp and invertebrate unit leader with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. “So, they are tied to that plant, and that plant is tied to well-drained, mainly sandy areas with lots of sun.” 

The Wilton Wildlife Preserve partners with three different land owners - New York State, Saratoga County and the Town of Wilton - to manage what is known as the Saratoga sand plains ecosystem. This ecosystem, known for its loose, sandy soils, developed thousands of years ago when the last glaciers melted and deposited tons of sediment. “We were left with this big area of sand, and it blew into dunes and eventually got covered in plants that are able to live in very dry areas,” O’Brien says. These dry areas were prone to fires, which kept larger plants and trees from dominating the blue lupine plant. “Lupine is very adapted to fire, and it’s dependent on fire to keep things from encroaching into it and taking over,” she says.

As people began to move in, develop these areas and avoid fires, the lupine began to die out, and with it, the Karner blue butterfly. “Karner blues became confined to smaller and smaller areas, so they grew endangered,” O’Brien says. “They were just in places where, accidentally, human management was keeping land open, like a powerline or the back of somebody’s property where they would go once in a while with a mower because they wanted to keep the trees out.” 

Photo: Nicholas Chowske

Since 1994, shortly after the Karner blue was added to the endangered species list, a team of dedicated conservationists, biologists and volunteers has been restoring the ecosystem to what it once was. “We’re taking out the competing trees that would not normally have been there, and replanting lots and lots of blue lupine and grasses, and in some cases a lot of the nectar species that the butterflies use,” O’Brien says. “When we started doing our management, we went from little scattered places to big open tracts of good habitat, and so the population has responded well to that, as did their cousins, the frosted elfins, which are threatened, and also feed on lupine.” 

The Wilton Wildlife Preserve is now home to a number of endangered and threatened species, including the frosted elfin butterfly, eastern hognose snake, and eastern spadefoot toad, all of whom rely on the loose, sandy soils of the sand plains to survive. 

The Preserve works closely with the DEC in assisting with their conservation efforts, and relies heavily on its volunteers to do so. “We have a large volunteer corps, and we’re always accepting new volunteers to get involved,” Herkalo says. “Some of it’s conservation work, and some of it’s assisting us with educational programs, but we wouldn’t be able to operate without our volunteer base - it just wouldn’t be possible - so we’re grateful for them.”

Karner blue butterfly • Photo: Nicholas Chowske

Everyone’s efforts have been paying off for the little blue butterfly, as their populations continue to soar. “I think they’re doing really well because we do see them all the time on the trails,” Herkalo says. “If people come on our butterfly hikes, they’ll end up landing on people just from walking on the trails and being a little bit sticky and a little bit sweaty, they really enjoy that, so we see plenty of them here.” Although the first brood of Karners has already hatched, it’s not too late to catch them, as there will be a second hatching in the beginning of July. 

Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park
Website / Facebook / Instagram

A Beginner's Guide to Pickleball

If you’ve never played pickleball, toss your preconceived notions about this hot racket sport to the wind. That’s right, it’s hot right now — so hot that teenagers are playing it.

The eight pickleball courts at Ridge/Jenkinsville Park filled with new players taking lessons with the Adirondack Pickleball Club on May 12 • Photo: Alex Kochon

Teenagers? Yes, along with families of all ages and people right up into their 90s. While its condensed tennis-court layout emphasizes the short game, pickleball is designed to keep you on your toes and wanting to master the art of slamming a Wiffle ball at your opponent.

First things first, the pickleball isn’t actually a Wiffle ball; it is plastic but it’s a little heavier, bigger and has more holes. That makes it more susceptible to wind than a tennis ball, and it’s not as bouncy. A pickleball racket is actually a paddle, but bigger than a ping-pong paddle (and comparable to a tennis racket in price). 

Pickleball paddle and ball • Photo: Alex Kochon

You can play singles or doubles, although doubles is most popular. 

After a serve, which has to be done underhand (with contact below the waist) from behind the baseline, the ball must bounce twice — once on the opponents’ side (in the rectangle diagonal from the server) and once on your side, before you can move up to the volley line. This is where you should spend the rest of the volley, trying to hit ball in the air without it bouncing on your side. (Since the ball doesn’t bounce very high, it’s preferable to volley rather than try to play it on the bounce.)

Instructor Julie Carrow demonstrates a legal serve (underhand, contact below the waist, paddle head below the break of wrist) while aiming for a deep serve diagonally across the court • Photo: Alex Kochon

Double-Bounce Rule: The ball must bounce once on each side before either team may start volleying in the air.

Like tennis, the ball must make it over the net and land in-bounds on the opponents’ side (not beyond the sidelines or the baseline) to stay alive. If the ball bounces twice on one side, is hit into the net, or hit out of bounds (all of these things are known as “faults”), the rally ends and a new player gets to serve. 

The biggest catch is that no player can enter the “kitchen”, the non-volley zone between the net and the volley line.

The Kitchen: The non-volley zone. Players may not stand in this area within 7 feet of the net unless the ball has already bounced on their side. After hitting it and clearing the net, players must get out of the kitchen to prepare for the next volley.

A new player practices “ready position” near the non-volley line, or kitchen line, during a lesson on May 12 at Jenkinsville Park in Queensbury • Photo: Alex Kochon

Scoring: Points are only scored on the serve. The receiving side can’t score. 

At the start of the game, the serve always starts on the right side (also known as the even court). In doubles, the person calling the score calls out three numbers: their team’s score, the opponents’ score, and which server on the team is serving. For more on scoring, watch this video.

If the serving team wins the rally and scores a point, the server moves to the left side (odd court) and serves diagonally to the opposite court. 

If the serving team faults, their second player gets to serve (unless it’s the first serve of the game, in which case the receiving team gets to serve next). If the serving team commits another fault, it’s a sideout: the other team gets to serve. Games are usually played to 11 points and must be won by two points.

Instructor Paul Campbell (r) talks pickleball mechanics during a lesson with the Adirondack Pickleball Club on May 12 at Jenkinsville Park in Queensbury • Photo: Alex Kochon

It’s not tennis!

While it might look like it at first glance, pickleball is not tennis. It’s not badminton, ping pong, racquetball, or squash, either, although it shares similarities with all of those racket sports.

“What we do not encourage people to do is to play tennis on a pickleball court,” said Paul Campbell, a volunteer coach and member of the Adirondack Pickleball Club. “You don’t want to do that because whoever you’re playing, if they know how to play the game, you’re going to lose easy. 

“The idea is to start back [behind the baseline] on the serve and get up to the front as soon as you can,” he added. “People at the front have the advantage. There are a few strokes that are similar, but the way you play up front is totally different than tennis.”

Where to Play

The town of Queensbury has 11 pickleball courts (eight at Ridge/Jenkinsville Park and three at Hudson River Park) and Glens Falls has four new pickleball courts at Crandall Park, thanks to the Crandall Park Beautification Committee. 

All are open to the public on a first-come-first-serve basis, although courts can be reserved for special events (like tournaments), and Jenkinsville’s courts are closed for lessons on Wednesdays from 9-11 a.m. in May and June.

According to Amy Collins, Glens Falls’ director of tourism and business development, a Glens Falls-based pickleball league could evolve as the sport keeps growing in this area.

“The city unveiling these courts was really important to make sure city residents were exposed and had access to those courts,” Collins said of Crandall Park’s renovated courts, which also includes two tennis courts and two basketball courts. “Pickleball really was a saving grace for a lot of people, just like golf, during the pandemic. I think pickleball became an outlet that people utilized.”

Twenty players learn on eight pickleball courts at Ridge/Jenkinsville Park during lessons with the Adirondack Pickleball Club on May 12 • Photo: Alex Kochon

Take a Lesson

Glens Falls Living had a chance to practice “dinking” (an actual pickleball term which means hitting the ball from around the kitchen line) with Cindy Allen, who leads the four-week lesson series with Campbell at Jenkinsville. Taught by volunteers with the Adirondack Pickleball Club and hosted by the Queensbury Parks & Recreation Department, these lessons meet weekly in May and June and are completely booked with a waiting list.

“It’s grown phenomenally from the start,” Lori O’Shaughnessy, assistant director of Queensbury Parks & Rec, said of the local pickleball scene and Queensbury’s lesson program, which began in 2016. “So many people are eager to learn.”

In 2017, the Town of Queensbury decided to convert Jenkinsville’s two tennis courts into eight pickleball courts. The courts were completed in September of 2018.

“The minute we opened them in September of that year, they were just busy all the time,” Queensbury Parks & Rec Director Steve Lovering said.

He credited the sport’s popularity with its easier learning curve and quicker points than tennis.

“The skill set is easier, the points are faster, but you’re not getting into really long rallies,” Lovering said. “Generally speaking, when you’re playing doubles … you’re not covering as much ground; it’s not quite as strenuous.”

“But as you become more proficient, it’s a fast-paced game,” O’Shaughnessy added. “Think of ping pong, you have to have quick reactions. … The ball’s at a shorter distance, and as you see with advanced play, it’s fun to watch.”

When asked if pickleball is more about finesse than strength, Allen whipped the ball at this reporter so fast she didn’t have time to react. So the answer to that was, no. Singles play also proved to be a real workout.

Cindy Allen, a volunteer instructor with the Adirondack Pickleball Club, stands next to a poster for the Chuck Allen Memorial Pickleball Tournament in memory of her husband • Photo: Alex Kochon

For Allen, who actually has a gentle demeanor and teaching manner, pickleball is much more than a hobby; it’s a community.

“Pickleball is not only a sport that keeps you healthy and active, it’s also a sport where the pickleball group becomes your family,” Allen said.

When her husband, Chuck, passed away in December, the Adirondack Pickleball Club rallied around them.

“He suffered from cancer for his last two years especially, but still would wander out on the court,” she said of Chuck, who, at age 72, earned a silver medal in singles pickleball at the Huntsman World Senior Games. “When he couldn’t make it through a game, they’d take his place or back him up. The week before he died, about 30 of them sang Christmas carols in our house.”

Lovering explained that the Allens were instrumental in bringing pickleball to Queensbury. The rec department dedicated Jenkinsville’s Court 1 to Chuck, and the club dedicated a bench to him outside the courts.

“They’ve been the proponents and enthusiasts as far as building that really wonderful community of pickleball players,” O’Shaughnessy said of the Allens and other club volunteers. “That sense of community in that club is so strong, and I think they’re a big piece of that because they’re genuine, they’re welcoming, and they’re passionate about the sport.”

Since 2016, the Adirondack Pickleball Club has grown from 20 to more than 250 members. New players can drop in for “free play” on Monday nights from 5-7 p.m. at Jenkinsville to get lessons and tips from club members.

The club is simply an email list, which shares information on “mixers" (pre-COVID), upcoming tournaments, or announcements from Queensbury Rec. There is no cost to join. Email adkpickleballclub@gmail.com to join their mailing list.

The Chuck Allen Memorial Pickleball Tournament is scheduled for July 24-25, with men’s and women’s intermediate and advanced play on Saturday, and mixed doubles on Sunday. For more information, email adkpickleballclub@gmail.com.

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On the Trail: Feeder Canal

Each year, hundreds of visitors come to the Feeder Canal to walk, run or bike along its towpath trail, or to paddle the smooth flowing water. The canal was built nearly 200 years ago to feed water into the Champlain Canal, but despite being a busy thoroughfare, vital to life and industry in the North Country, it hasn’t always been the picturesque tributary we see today.

Photo: Briana Lyons

“The canal trail had been abandoned since the 1920s,” says Jeanne Williams, Executive Director of the Feeder Canal Alliance. “People would throw tires and furniture in it, and there were trees growing in it, so it had to be reestablished.”

While the Canal itself has been owned and operated by the New York State Canal Corporation since the early 1990s, the Feeder Canal Alliance have made it their mission to maintain the towpath trail and waterway as a scenic recreation spot.

The Alliance, a 501C3 nonprofit, is an entirely member and volunteer-based organization. “There’s no obligation to being a member, other than to help keep this trail going,” Williams says. “We ask people to help, whether it’s cleanup or helping us with our field school, or just volunteering in the office.”

The Feeder Canal was built in the early 1800s to feed water into the Champlain Canal near Fort Edward, and was then expanded in 1832 to accommodate boat traffic. “The Canal was the Northway of today,” says Howard Raymond, president of the Feeder Canal Alliance. “All of the commodities in the area went down the Feeder Canal into the Champlain Canal, and all the way to New York.” In its heyday, people shipped lumber, sawdust, produce, furs, and locally made goods along the canal, where it would go on to New York City and beyond. In return, barges would come back laden with coal from Pennsylvania, until the canal became obsolete in the 1920s.

Photo: Tom Lyons

Since the canal was reclaimed as a recreation destination in the 1990s, the seven-mile long trail has become hugely popular. “You can go from the Feeder Dam, in Glens Falls, to the bottom of five combination locks in Fort Edward,” Williams says. The towpath now links to the Empire State Trail at the five locks as well. “If you got on your bicycle in Glens Falls, you could ride to Fort Edward, and then all the way to Fort Ann.”

In addition to the trail, the Feeder Canal also offers five miles of paddling for canoers and kayakers, from the Feeder Dam to the Martindale Boat Basin. “When you get down in the canal, it’s like you could be in England or Europe, or anyplace,” Raymond says, “it’s just a great thing.”

Paddling has become such a popular pastime on the canal, that the Alliance has created an annual canoe race. “Over the years, it’s been a good fundraiser for us, and we’re looking forward to continuing with it,” Raymond says. Typically the first weekend in June, the race draws both casual paddlers and professional racers from across the state. “It’s a fun day for families who want to get out on the canal and explore.”

Despite the pandemic, the Alliance was still able to hold the race last year. “We had it virtually at the end of the summer,” Williams says. “And this summer, we’re going to be having it virtually again, unless things lighten up.”

Photo: Briana Lyons

The Feeder Canal Alliance also hosts a volunteer-based annual cleanup event, called ‘Clean Sweep’, which is organized by New York State Canal Corporation, and Parks and Trails New York. This year’s event will be held on April 24, but due to the pandemic, pre-registration is required.

“This year, the Canal Corp. has put restrictions on Clean Sweep across the State, and people have to register first, if they’re going to be coming to clean up.” Williams says. This year’s event will be the same as in years past, with the addition of Covid restrictions, such as masks and distancing. “We’re going to keep people in family groups, and we’ll have people clustered along the canal, and spaced out so that groups go to different sites.”

While clearing brush and gathering litter along the canal is the primary goal of the “Clean Sweep,” it also provides an opportunity for the Alliance to get out and inspect the canal. “It’s inventorying the canal to let us know if the water is still down, or if there’s anything in the canal that needs to be taken out,” Williams says.

Though the Feeder Canal has come a long way in nearly 200 years, the Feeder Canal Alliance has more in store for the years ahead. The group recently acquired the historic coal storage silos located on Maple Street in Hudson Falls, and are working to both preserve them, and use them as a field school. “We’re looking at the STEM curriculum, and how the past all ties into the future,” Raymond says. “So, the repurposing of the silos is sort of taking a different twist to it.”

Photo: Nicholas Chowske

The silos, which were used to store coal brought up the Hudson River, were acquired via a preservation grant, and are now being made into an education destination. “We have school programs coming to visit the silos,” Williams says. “We have several of the silos turned into classrooms, and we’re building a hands-on environmental lab in one of them, too.”

With a foot in the past and eye on the future, the Feeder Canal Alliance has made their mark as stewards of this priceless resource. “We’re doing it for you, and for the community,” Williams says. “There’s so many people who haven’t experienced walking on the Feeder Canal Trail, and it is just such a gem.”

The Feeder Canal Alliance Clean Sweep is this Saturday, April 24th from 8:30 -11:30 am. If you'd like to participate, due to Covid guidelines, you will have to pre-register by calling their office at 518-792-5363 or by emailing info@feedercanal.org.

For more information on the Feeder Canal, visit their website here, and for their map, click here.

A Beginner's Guide to Disc Golf

Name a sport you can play outside year-round for about $10 bucks or less? If the headline was a clue and you guessed disc golf, ding, ding, ding! You’ve literally hit the jackpot of laid-back, outdoor recreation at its best. 

Even better, the sport of disc golf (golf with discs and no greens fees) is on a hot streak in our area, with a brand-new course at Crandall Park in Glens Falls and another one coming soon to the Harry J. Betar Jr. Recreational Park in Moreau, plus existing courses in Greenwich, Saratoga Springs, and another one planned for Garnet Hill in North River.

The sport has been around for nearly 100 years — it gained traction with the Frisbee in the ’70s and has exploded in popularity thanks to the pandemic driving people outside. To learn more about it, Glens Falls Living recently tagged along for a round of nine “holes” with three local pros at Crandall Park.

One of them was Jaimen Hume, a Hudson Falls middle-school band teacher who has been central to disc-golf development in the Capital Region and North Country. Another was Jon Hotmer, who co-designed the Crandall Park course with Hume last year, and the third was Tucker Kozloski, who’s been playing the sport for nearly a decade. All three graduated from South Glens Falls High School and are Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) members.

Jon Hotmer and Jaimen Hume

“It's certainly an exciting time for the sport in the area,” Hume explained. “The boom that we’ve all seen up to this point is, what I believe, to be just the tip of the iceberg. Crandall's baskets were put in the first week of December, so any player we’ve seen has been of the die-hard variety.”

He estimated that the Crandall Park Disc Golf course has been played 400 to 500 times since it unofficially opened last November. It’s been recorded by more than 100 times alone by users of UDisc, a comprehensive disc-golf app with course locations, maps, events, and scorekeeping.

Crandall’s 18-hole, par-3 course — which was built near the existing dog-walking trails — is a result of the work of Hume, Hotmer, and dozens of other local volunteers, as well as the support of the Crandall Park Beautification Committee and Elizabeth Hogan’s ability to secure a $10,000-dollar grant from Stewart’s Shops.

Its official grand opening will be the weekend of June 12-13, 2021, with a Family Play Day, recreational tournament, and PDGA tournament (details can be found on the Crandall Park Disc Golf website).

Jaimen Hume on the course

So how do you play?

Disc golf is just like traditional golf, except you throw a plastic disc rather than hit a golf ball with a club. You start from a tee pad (coming soon to the Crandall course) and try to throw the disc into a basket at the other end of the course. Oftentimes, you can’t see the basket from the tee pad, so look around the trees to locate the basket before throwing (UDisc is an invaluable help). 

All 18 holes on the Crandall course are par 3, but more difficult courses have a few par 4’s and some par 5’s. For more on the rules of the game, check out this Disc Golf 101 explainer.

Etiquette

If another player or group behind you is playing faster and catching up to you, wait on the next tee and let them play through. When playing with others, stand behind the player that is throwing, and try not to talk or move too much while they throw. 

“And if you find somebody’s disc and it has a phone number, call it,” Hume said. “All of our discs have our phone numbers on it and some semblance of our name. Fountain Square [Outfitters] has offered to be the local hub for lost-and-found discs.” 

Also, pick up branches along the fairway and toss them off to the side. And carry in/carry out/don’t litter.

How many discs do you need? 

The pros, like Hume, Hotmer, and Kozloski, have either backpacks or rolling bags (a.k.a. “carts”) holding about 25 discs or more. Like an arsenal of clubs, these come in handy for different types of shots: driving, mid-range shots, and putting. Unlike golf, where you use the same ball until you lose it, you can swap out your discs to complete a hole as long as you throw from wherever the last disc landed.  

One disc per player is fine for starters, and discs can be purchased locally at Fountain Square Outfitters, 42 Degrees, and Inside Edge. The Crandall Public Library is also loaning three-disc sets for 28-day periods. Each set includes a putt & approach disc, mid-range disc, and distance driver. They can be reserved online (search “disc golf kit”), by phone, or in person during the library’s pop-in hours (currently Tuesdays from 10-6, and Fridays from 10-4). They must be returned to the Crandall Library’s customer service desk, not the book drop. 

Discs are constructed and rated differently for speed, glide, turn, and fade (see the four numbers listed accordingly on any disc). The specifics of those flight ratings are technical, so it’s best to consult a user guide or ask a salesperson about the numbers on a particular disc. MarshallStreetDiscGolf.com summarizes most every disc on the market, with visual look at how each disc performs/curves.

Jon Hotmer on the course

How should the disc be thrown? 

While the variety of techniques is endless, the “power grip” for a backhand throw is a good start for beginners. Hold the edge of the disc in the middle of your palm (like you’re shaking hands with the disc) and wrap your four fingers firmly around and underneath the edge, with your thumb lying flat on top.

Turn sideways with your throwing arm forward and dominant foot forward. Think about keeping your body weight on that front foot. Then extend your throwing arm straight back, just below shoulder height. Try to keep your arm relatively parallel to the ground so your throw isn’t angled up or down. Drive your elbow forward, close to the body, snap your wrist, and follow through. If all goes well, your disc will take a low-level flight that goes as far as the power you put into it.

What does it take to be a pro? 

Hume laughed and downplayed the title. 

“It costs a little more as a PDGA member to be a pro, and then just practice,” he said. 

As a musician, Hume picked up the sport after college because it fulfilled his love for practicing. Hotmer is also a musician. And, like they say, practice makes perfect. 

So don’t expect to go out there and win the day on your first try. Throwing a disc is different than a traditional Frisbee. It’s smaller and more dense, and most importantly, it’s meant to be thrown — not caught. Don’t overthink technique, but learn from your mistakes. Watch what works for other players and ask for tips. Then, go home (or to your nearest football field) and practice! A simple web search can lead you down a wormhole of disc golf technique videos.

With Crandall Park’s new course and another one coming to Moreau likely in May, disc golf presents an affordable (even free!) way to get outside with friends and family for some leisurely fun.

“It’s cheap, all ages can play it, and it’s free once you have the discs,” Hume said. “And it’s a socially distanced sport; you don’t need to be near anybody to be able to do it.”

Crandall Park Disc Golf
Website / Course Map / Printable Score Card

Parking Info: Park in the lot next to the bandshell. A practice basket is in the field, and Hole 1 is up the hill in the woods (walking toward Fire Rd).

Under construction: Signs and tee pads should be completely installed by the end of May. In the meantime, look for orange markers for tees and arrows by the baskets to direct you to the next hole.

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On the Trail: Halfway Brook

There’s no better way to explore the Glens Falls region’s natural beauty than by roaming its miles and miles of trails. Now, thanks largely to one man’s dedicated efforts, the Halfway Brook Trail has joined Queensbury’s expanding trail network, and is already drawing dozens of visitors a day.

Halfway Brook Trail • Photo: Nicholas Chowske

“I was shocked by the number of people using the trail, even in the winter for cross-country skiing and for snowshoeing,” said Queensbury Town Supervisor John Strough, who has been working to create a unified trail system through the region for more than a decade. “We’ve got our trail, and people are very happy with it.”

The new one mile path, which wanders through the Glens Falls watershed forest between Potter Road and Peggy Ann Road in the Town of Queensbury, is the second piece in a network Strough ultimately plans to unite with the Feeder Canal Trail, The Rush Pond Trails, and the mountain bike park at the Gurney Lane Recreation Area, as well as the Cole’s Woods trails and Warren County Bikeway.

“We want to interconnect all of these, not only as an alternative transportation and recreation facility, but also as a way for people to get from point A to point B without using a car, and getting exercise in the meantime,” he said.

The trails have only just opened, and are already drawing a lot of visitors. “There’s always people out here,” said Donna Boss, who walks her black lab, Layla, on the trails. “It’s very rare that you don’t see one or two cars in that parking lot, and frequently, I’ll see five to seven, so it’s very popular.” Boss said she rarely used the trails before, and would often drive to Rush Pond or Crandall Park to walk her dog. “It was difficult because it really wasn’t groomed, and it was very overgrown, and I have a tick phobia, so I didn’t often come here,” she said. Now, her and her husband walk their dog here every day. “The dog is walked out here at least once a day, if not twice, and that’s every day, seven days a week. She loves it.”

Donna Boss and her lab, Layla • Photo: Nicholas Chowske

Having these trails not only gives residents a fun and healthy way to travel, they are also good for the land itself, especially for the Glens Falls watershed, which is where the city sources its water. “I followed pre-existing trails so that it would not disturb the flora very much,” Strough said. “We’ve designed the trail so that it actually does improvements to the watershed.” Stough, a stormwater inspector by trade, did much of the trailwork himself and made sure the new trails would have a positive environmental impact. “I lay it out to go around trees,” he said. “The trail is much nicer if it weaves and it wanders; it’s good that you go around the bigger trees, so that you don’t have to cut them down.”

While Strough has been the driving force behind this project, he hasn’t done it alone, and he made sure he recognized his supporters. “I have a huge ‘Thank You’ sign at either end of the trails, if you want to see who was involved in helping me out,” he said. “ It really was a community effort.”

In addition to the trails themselves, Strough and his volunteers also put in sediment and erosion controls, a new footbridge to cross the brook, as well as parking areas and gates that will prevent motorized vehicles from driving through the woods. “We took out five truckloads of furniture and garbage that people were putting into the watershed because they could drive in, dump in the watershed, and then drive out anonymously,” he said.

View from the bridge on the Halfway Brook Trail • Photo: Nicholas Chowske

The next steps will be to install a pedestrian crossing at Aviation Road to connect to the Rush Pond Trails, and to secure a right-of-way along National Grid’s transmission lines, which will take the route south to Luzerne Road, where it will connect to the Feeder Canal Trail. Strough said the Town is currently in negotiations with National Grid, and he expects that project will be done within the next two years.

“I think we’ve got a great amenity that we’re offering the public, and it will make Queensbury a destination point for people,” Strough said. “If they’re enjoying it, that’s the important part; and if they’re getting exercise and are healthier because of it, that’s good, too.”

For more information on the Halfway Brook Trail, including a trail map, click here.