September Beaver Safaris

All summer long I've been guiding folks to various Beaver Kingdoms, my term for the large beaver colonies inhabiting a number of the wildest ponds in the Gore Mountain Region. Almost always, someone asks me during the middle of the day, "Where are the beavers?" And, of course, the answer is that they're very busy sleeping.

In the summer, they're active as dusk gives way to darkness, at night, and especially in the pre-dawn hours and immediately after dawn. In September and October, however, as beavers hurry to store enough bark and wood for their winter consumption, they can commonly be seen in the late afternoon hours. That is, if you're quiet, which is nearly impossible when you're exploring with an excited group of children. Older children, and a few younger ones, can be encouraged to tiptoe in toward the shores of a beaver pond if they believe they have the chance of seeing an actual beaver or two.
Best time to embark on a September afternoon beaver safari? Around 3:00-3:30 p.m. or so, depending on the length of the hike to the chosen pond.

Get out the Binocs before the Fall Warbler Migration is Over

I haven't been out birding in several weeks, and I've got to remedy that soon or I'll miss out on the fall migration.

Some varieties of warblers have been migrating south since the first week of August and others have been and will be following suit until mid-late September or so. I've just got to get out to the bogs and swamps as well as the forests to catch a glimpse of this much less heralded migration. Why does fall birding get such short shrift?

Magnolia Warbler in Breeding Plumage
There's one main reason for each of two kinds of birding enthusiasts. If you're a birder who's into distinguishing birds by their songs, the fall warbler migration can seem unrewarding because the birds only "chirrup" and "cheerp" (according to their variety) instead of singing a distinctive series of sounds or notes.

And in Fall Plumage
If you're a birder who's into spring and summer warblers in brilliant plumage, the fall migration can be a disappointment as well. After the breeding season, warblers and many other songbirds become drabber, and warblers, in particular, are much harder to distinguish.

The Last Days of Summer

The telephone has been ringing with folks hoping to squeeze the most they can from the final hours of an Adirondack summer. Some highlights from the past eight days:

Children fall in love with the red eft, the terrestial form of our most common salamander. (In another few years, this tiny guy will turn olive-green and spend all his time swimming in the pond's shallows.)

While bushwhacking to discover all the evidence of a large beaver colony on the shores of a wild Adirondack pond, both adults and children are equally challenged by the "Beaver Trivia Game."

And for couples, there are mountain hikes for those peak romantic moments.

So what makes me happiest as summer winds down? Just watching folks "light up" and come together in their experience of wildlife and wilderness.

Autumn and Adirondack Safaris

I meant to post this entry yesterday as I promised, but I've been working non-stop to organize Adirondack Safaris' fall programs. September is the most beautiful month in our region, and I hope to be sharing the wilderness with many people.

The following are some highlights, which will be appearing soon on the website:

1. A series of 3 Tuesday morning nature hikes for women: September 12, 19, and 26, touring different sections of the Siamese Ponds Wilderness.

2. A series of 3 Wednesday morning mountain climbs in the southern Adirondacks for women: September 13, 20, and 27. A terrific way to get in shape for skiing this winter!

3. A Leaf Arts Workshop for children ages 8-13 at the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts in Blue Mountain Lake on Monday late afternoons 3:30-5:00 pm.: September 18, 25, and October 2. Lots of leaf collecting and leaf pressing leading to painting in both watercolors and pastels.

The schedule leaves plenty of time for walking, hiking, and mountain climbing adventures with clients.

For late September and the first week of October, the peak foliage season, I have a knock-your-socks-off list of hikes for folks hoping to make the most of the vibrant colors of autumn.

Bears, Bobcats, and Coyotes Go Wild

On a woodsy trail abutting the swamp down our mountain road, I found some big bear tracks, and I mean big! The front "hand" or foot of a black bear is an average of nine inches long. The one I discovered was 8 1/2 inches. (The bear foot makes a shorter track.) Early this morning I came upon more bear tracks in the same muddy spot, but these were a little smaller than average. Interesting. How many bears are prowling the area and what's drawing them here?

Well, if you've been reading this blog, you probably guessed "blackberries," and you'd be right. Black bears love berries, which are growing absolutely everywhere. But our new neighbors who recently bought 35 acres across the street from us are camping on their land this week and next, and I'm sure the aromas of campfire cooking has attracted a fair number. Our neighbors are being vigilant about storing food in bins and they're fastidiously cleaning up after every meal. I also strongly suggested that they also store toothpaste, deodorants, and all lotions and soaps after each use along with their food. Bears guzzle all that stuff, too, containers and all.

I wish I could see one. Not up close, necessarily. Not when I have Sophie with me. (We're doing the leash thing now, as long as they're so close by, much to Sophie's dismay.) But just a glimpse out my window?

Can't believe it's time for me to cook dinner already. Took a wonderful, fun couple from the Syracuse area on the Peaked Mountain tour today, so I didn't get home til late. I so wanted to blog about all the coyote and bobcat doings, but I'll blog about them tomorrow. Stay tuned!

The Bee Season

Late August and September is the time for hikers to be especially wary of hornets, wasps, and bees. Yellow jackets, in particular, are much more likely to sting now and in the early autumn weeks to come.

I try to be careful and have rarely been stung, but on Saturday a waspish flying insect got me twice on the wrist as I was climbing down Crane Mountain. It stung and bothered me, but that's to be expected. Later that night the site swelled, and on Sunday and Monday, the swelling, pain, and redness had spread up my arm to the elbow. Benadryl was of no use. By Tuesday, my day off, I figured I better see a doctor before the mess got any worse.

The doctor urged me to keep my arm iced and raised well above my heart, to allow the fluid from all the swelling to drain down through the lymph system. He wrote me two scripts for prednisone and an antibiotic, to be filled if the swelling progressed. It hasn't. Following the icing protocol yesterday seems to have helped.

Any person can develop an allergic sensitivity to wasps and bees at any point in their life. If pain, redness, and swelling move well beyond the site of the sting, medical attention is needed. Continued swelling can lead to cellulitis and infection.

Now I need to carry two Epi-Pens, one for my client and one for me. Actually, now that it's cooler, Sophie would love to be the guide's guide and carry all the emergency gear.

Check out this fact sheet about hypersensitivity to bee, wasp and hornet stings.

Mountain Season

Gore Mountain, from the summit of Crane
Saturday, with clear skies and temperatures in the high 60s, was a perfect day to climb a mountain. I chose Crane, partly because of its proximity to home, and partly because there were a few new trails I wanted to sample there.

I was astonished at how much easier it is to climb in cool weather with low humidity--a world of difference. And, best of all, no bugs! I could sing that tune from the mountaintops. The views were spectacular all the way up on the less traveled trail.

The pond, two-thirds of the way to the summit, was a restful oasis before tackling the final leg of the ascent. Although it's a longer route, I appreciated climbing under the hemlocks, where I was protected from the sun. All in all, I loved every minute of the climb. I took the steepest, shortest route down, which is just fine. Once I've been hanging out on the summit, the last thing I want is a long return to the car.

Quieter and Quieter Woods

Yellow Warbler Singing His Heart Out
Most birds have had their young and the fledglings are well on their way to becoming independent. (The goldfinch is one exception: they breed in mid-August.) And, in the process, the woods and meadows have become very quiet. This morning I thought back to May, during the peak migration and breeding season, when birdsongs so filled the forests and wetlands that I often had trouble distinguishing individual songs. By contrast, in mid-August it's common to hear only a few chirps and cheerps, bluejay calls, and the chickadee's familiar "pee-bee."

This morning I happened upon an indigo bunting in a clearing. Phenomenally gorgeous bird!

And in the marshes and wetlands, I so miss the songs of the yellow warbler and yellowthroat. They've been gone for nearly two weeks, returning to their winter homes in Central America.

Tragedy--Adirondack Style

After witnessing the destruction of a hillside on our mountain road, I've been as glum as can be. Several days later, the event has filtered through my skin and has permeated every cell in my body. I'm in mourning for what was once a wild, beautiful hill.

A man, who I suppose will be our neighbor, bought this hill. And unlike everyone else who lives up here and takes pains to preserve the land, he took enormous excavating equipment and literally tore apart a hillside to build a long and winding road and a huge mansion lot. The road not only meanders through the woods to his house, it also cuts up the hill to the very edge of a ledge that offers a magnificent view of Eleventh Mountain and Gore Mountain, and in the winter, the High Peaks. Up on that wild hill are rare wildflowers, ferns, and mosses, and it is home to thrushes whose populations are in decline. Deer, coyotes, bobcat, bears, and porcupines frequent this hill.

Today I've discovered that I am as mad as hell, and yes, I am going to do something about it. I can do nothing about this hill because it's private land, and there are ignorant people coming to the Gore Mountain region who care nothing for the Adirondack wilderness or its wildlife and who will do just about anything to build the perfect vacation retreat.

But I am going to work with other people to protect this land. Here are the organizations I belong to, and the ones I am joining.
The Adirondack Mountain Club
Residents' Committee to Protect the Adirondacks
The Nature Conservancy
The Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks
The Adirondack Council
Am I missing any? Please comment if I haven't listed one that you know.
I regret that I can't make links of the other organizations. Until I fix this (I have to cook dinner), please google the names and you'll get to their sites.

Bushwhack!

Eleventh Mountain as seen from my mountain road
Adirondack Safaris offers bushwhacks up the west shoulder of Eleventh Mountain. It's a fun climb, especially for young people, who enjoy the chance to test their mettle on the steeps and select their own best way to the top. But the views from up there are nigh onto non-existent because of all the tree cover. I've got to look back at my notes: Barbara McMartin has described bushwhacks up the east slope. The only problem is, the last time she was on the trail was well over a decade ago. There is no written record of what a bushwhack up the east side is like today. There's only one way to find out, and that is to try it. I'll put it on my list.

Some readers may wonder, why bushwhack at all?

On the surface, I admit, bushwhacking seems crazy. Bushwhacks are more challenging than trail hikes and, in some respects, are hard work. But, on the other hand, mountains with no trails are rarely visited by people. As a result, wildlife is much more plentiful and the hiker can truly meld into the wilderness and become a part of it.

I'm heading over to Huckleberry Mountain early next week, to scout out a bushwhack for some clients. The view from the ledges at the summit is incredible. Huckleberry also has many caves, and it's famous for its bears. But, it's funny, although everyone says there are bears there, no one I know has ever seen one.

Oh, and a word of caution: Don't try this unless you're with someone who's competent with map and compass.

Cooler Days--Time to Hit the Trail!

Just a few minutes ago, I checked our local forecast on the National Weather Service website, and I could have cheered. Temperatures Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the high seventies with drier air. I can't wait to get out and see what's going on in the wilderness. I also need to get out to do some blackberry and blueberry picking. Got to move fast if I'm going to beat the bears to the berries.

Best of all, Tuesday and Wednesday next week, high temps will be in the high 60s and low 70s. Now that's mountain climbing weather!

You guessed it: No one wanted a safari when the mercury was 92 degrees and the dewpoint was 73 degrees. So I spent my time preparing for fall safaris, the best time of year to be in the outdoors.