NORTH ELBA — Eleven of 12 cairns atop Wright Peak were deliberately knocked down on Sept. 15. Cairns are rock structures that are used for navigational purposes above the treeline, where trail marker discs aren’t feasible. They are one of two primary navigational sources in the ...

ALBANY — The state Department of Environmental Conservation urges New Yorkers to exercise extra caution before any outdoor burning. Current warm and dry conditions are causing an increased fire risk across the state. DEC encourages people to put safety first, not leave fires unattended ...

KEENE — While it’s a fool’s errand to try to pinpoint exactly when peak foliage will occur in the Olympic region, the odds are quite strong that will be sometime this week. Wanting to make the most of this fleeting window, I began searching for a hike that offered spectacular views ...

LAKE PLACID — It’s early yet, but make no mistake: the leaves, they are a-changin’. This year, some deciduous trees throughout the Tri-Lakes region are changing color a bit earlier than usual. This is being driven, in part, by drought conditions over the past couple of months. It’s ...

LAKE PLACID — The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is continuing its weekly fall foliage email report, which it rolled out last year. The reports include which areas are beginning to experience color change, which are in transition and which are approaching peak color — with links to ...

LAKE PLACID — It wasn’t exactly a secret. Looking up at McKenzie Mountain from the village of Lake Placid — or from Saranac Lake to its west — the first thing I realize is its distinctively jagged ridge line, a geological pain in the butt given that McKenzie Mountain’s main ...