When I moved to Upstate New York in 2013, acquaintances kept telling me about the Adirondacks, how magical they are, with their steep-sided mountains and layers of forest, mirror-calm lakes and clear-flowing creeks; bears, moose, loons. Having lived most of my adult life in the West and coming to New York from interior Alaska, I was skeptical, but hopeful. Could there really be such a large protected area in the Eastern U.S.?
Forty-Six: On the Occasion of the 2021 Presidential Inauguration
We started Adirondack Wilderness Advocates in 2016, a year with implications in the political history of this country. We weren’t anything close to a national movement then, nor do we…
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2B or Not to Be
In the grand scheme of things, the topic of wilderness preservation in the Adirondacks seems trivial. There are issues of social equality, stability, and toxic practices that, at face value,…
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Reaction to the Adirondack Park Agency’s Plan for Boreas Ponds
News that the Adirondack Park Agency plans to subvert another upcoming wilderness designation at Boreas Ponds with both motorized and mechanized access corridors is not just discouraging, it is frightening.…
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A Snowy Boreas Tea Party
It is satisfying to look back at historical fulcrums and say, “Right there. That’s the moment that changed everything.” From Caesar crossing the Rubicon to start the Roman Civil War,…
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A Journey to Boreas Ponds
I find it most exhilarating to hike in the fall. Perhaps it’s the crispness in the air or the fact that the forest has opened up, offering views hidden by…
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Five Reasons Why I’m Hiking from Boreas Ponds to the Adirondack Park Agency
On November 15th I will set off on a journey to keep the entire Boreas Ponds Tract wild, remote, and motor-free. With a backpack full of pro-Wilderness letters, I’ll hike…
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Advocate To Walk From Boreas Ponds To November APA Meeting With More Than 1,000 Letters Supporting Full Wilderness Classification
SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. – Adirondack Wilderness Advocates (AWA) today announced that Tyler Socash, AWA member and activist, will attend the Adirondack Park Agency’s next meeting on November 16th by walking…
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Reasons Not to Open Boreas Ponds to Motorized Access
During the course of the last year, much has been written about why the Boreas Ponds Tract should be classified as Wilderness by the Adirondack Park Agency (APA), but it…
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Paul Schaefer Wilderness Award Acceptance Speech
On behalf of Adirondack Wilderness Advocates, it is an honor to be presented with the Paul Schaefer Wilderness Award. We are thrilled that our efforts in the Boreas Ponds classification…
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Comments show wide public support in favor of Wilderness for Boreas Ponds
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Saranac Lake, New York – A local environmental group’s analysis of public comments submitted to the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) has revealed a high level of public…
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We Need to Take a Long View
My first real wilderness experience in the Adirondacks came in 1969 when a group of us climbed Mt. Marcy on a summer weekend. Back then we saw perhaps one or…
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