River and rail trip on Moose river a relaxing adventure

By LEO MALONEY, Outdoors Columnist

A few fleecy white clouds dotted the otherwise clear blue sky, contrasting with the dark green of the balsam and hemlock along the banks of the Moose River. Backsets or wider areas were filled with water lilies while bee balms or daisies clung to the banks in some of the open, sunny areas. Cedar waxwings, blue jays and white throated sparrow flitted from riverside trees in pursuit of insects. As it winds around bends, you rarely see or hear another person unless they are paddling with you. This particular morning there actually were quite a few people taking advantage of the beautiful day and making arrangements with Tickner’s Canoe Outfitters, but they were spaced apart and the nature of the river below Old Forge made it seem like you had it all to yourself. Traveling through miles of unspoiled scenery, you feel that you are in the heart of the wilderness with nothing except birds, beaver and occasionally other animals to share the river with. Then, the distant whistle of the Adirondack Railroad jolts you back to reality and you check your watch to make sure you are on schedule to meet the train at Tickner’s Landing downstream. Tickner’s Canoe Outfitters, located on Riverside Drive in Old Forge, is the sole contractor for the River and Rail Excursion. You can use your own canoe or kayak, or rent them from Tickner’s and travel downstream for approximately four hours. Then you pull your boat up the river bank to the deck by the railroad tracks and you and your vessel are taken back to Thendara on the Adirondack Railroad. Dan Tickner wants to get people on the water at least four hours before scheduled train stops to give them plenty of time. Most people will find a leisurely paddle will get them there in plenty of time. We often take extra time to paddle along quietly and take in the scenery and wildlife, take lots of photos and stop a couple times at convenient sandbars to stretch our legs and have some refreshments. One of the things that I have found that really works is the Thermacell Mosquito Repellent. I have used the hand held model successfully for two years and it provides silent, odorless, and long-lasting protection for a 15 foot radius. It utilizes a butane cartridge that heats a pad and gives off a synthetic copy of natural insecticides. Whether it is in the turkey woods, trout fishing or sitting around the campfire I find it really works.

Brief Guide On Adirondack Mountains

Adirondack are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York that runs through Clinton, Washington, Essex, Warren, Franklin, Saratoga, Fulton, Saint Lawrence, Hamilton and Lewis counties. The mountains are often included by geographers in Appalachian Mountains, but they bear a greater geological similarity to Laurentian Mountains of Canada.

Adirondack Mountains are bordered on the east by Lake George and Lake Champlain, which separate them from Green Mountains in Vermont.

They are bordered to the south of Mohawk Valley and to the west by Tug Hill Plateau, separated by Black River. Adirondack is controlled within 6.1 million acres of Adirondack Park, these comprises constitutionally protected Forest Preserve of around 2.3 million acres.

It contains thousands of lakes, streams and brooks, most famously Lake Placid adjacent to village of Lake Placid. There are quite a lot of other peaks such as Algonquin Peak, Haystack, Skylight, Whiteface, Dix and Giant.

The Adirondack form the southernmost part of the Eastern forest-boreal transition ecoregion. The forests of Adirondacks include broad-leafed, spruce and pine trees.

There are around 260 species of birds found in these mountains such as boreal chickadees, crossbills, gray jays, common loons, Bicknell’s thrushes, mourning warblers, spruce grouse, bay-breasted warblers, Philadelphia vireos, ruby-crowned kinglets, rusty blackbirds, black-backed woodpeckers and American Three-toed Woodpeckers.

Some of the most significant streams in the area include Ausable, Hudson, Schroon, Black, Saranac, Oswegatchie, Raquette and Grasse rivers. There are a couple of larger lakes, which includes Lake George, Schroon, Blue Mountain, Big and Little Tupper, The Fulton Chain, Long, Raquette and the Upper and Lower Saranac.

Adirondack Mountains in New York is both the first government protected and the largest park in the United States. There are over 400 species of animals in the park including deer, Beavers, foxes, moose, wolves, coyotes, wild pigs, wild boar, jack rabbits, turkey, mink, bald eagles, lynx, bob cats, mountain lions, Timber rattlesnakes and astonishing amount of black bears known as Adirondack Black Bear. Whiteface, Gore Mountain, Killington, Bellaire and West Mountain are great for sledding and skiing.

You can also find accommodations near Adirondack such as The Hotel Saranac, Best Western Mountain Lake Inn, Comfort Inn Lake Placid, The Whiteface Lodge, Kiwassa Lake Bed and Breakfast, Swiss Acres Inn, Lake View Motor Inn, Lake Placid Summit Hotel Resort, The Crowne Plaza Resort and Golf Club Lake Placid, Mirror Lake Inn, Spruce Lodge Bed and Breakfast, High Peaks Resort, Prague Inn Suites And Cottages, Courtyard by Marriott Lake Placid, Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, Lake Placid Lodge, The Sagamore Resort, Ampersand Bay Resort & Boat Club, Water’s Edge Inn & Conference Center, The Georgian Resort and Conference Center, The Lodges at Cresthaven on Lake George, Old Forge Camping Resort, Woodlake Inn and Hohmeyer’s Lake Clear Lodge and Northern Lake George Resort.

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