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Entries Tagged as 'snowmobile'

DEC Opens New Snowmobile Trail Segment in Wilmington

January 13th, 2012 · No Comments · News

Trail Connects Essex County Hamlet’s Business District with Cooper Kiln Pond
A new snowmobile trail segment has been completed connecting the hamlet of Wilmington’s business district with a snowmobile trail that leads to the remote and scenic Cooper Kiln Pond, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC ) Regional Director Robert Stegemann announced today.

“DEC is pleased to provide this improved snowmobiling opportunity for Wilmington’s visitors and residents,” said Director Stegemann. “DEC continues to work with local communities to increase tourism and economic activity by providing and improving recreational opportunities in the Adirondacks.”

“The Town of Wilmington is looking forward to some snow to try out and promote our recently finished snowmobile trail,” said Randy Preston, Supervisor of the Town of Wilmington Supervisor. “This trail will become an economic boon for the Town of Wilmington, now and for years to come. DEC Forester Rob Daley has been hard at work all summer to make this a reality. We are very fortunate to have him working with us.”

The new three-mile trail segment will allow snowmobilers to travel from the Essex County hamlet, connect with the previously existing Cooper Kiln Pond Trail and travel another three miles to the pond. It creates a 12.6-mile round trip snowmobiling opportunity.

Cooper Kiln Pond is located below the summit of Stephenson Mountain in the Wilmington Wild Forest. Situated at an altitude of more than 3,000 feet the pond sits in a pass surrounded by the peaks of Stephenson Mountain. A lean-to next to the pond makes a great place to have a meal and enjoy the serenity of the mountains.

The new trail segment is part of DEC’s effort to develop a connector trail from the hamlet of Wilmington to the snowmobile trail system to the north. Once the connector trail is completed snowmobilers will be able to travel from Wilmington to Plattsburgh, Malone and throughout the Adirondacks.

DEC constructed the new trail segment with significant help from the Student Conservation Association Adirondack Program, the Department of Corrections Moriah Shock Camp inmate crews, and staff and volunteers from the town of Wilmington.

The hamlet of Wilmington, 12 miles north of Lake Placid, NY, is located in the Town of Wilmington – the home of the Whiteface Mountain Ski Area.

Download: Wilmington Snowmobile Trails Map (PDF)

Tags: snowmobile·wilmington

New Bridge at Mossy Vly

December 9th, 2011 · No Comments · Adirondack News

DEC REPLACES UNSAFE SNOWMOBILE BRIDGE ON PERKIN’S CLEARING CONSERVATION EASEMENT LANDS

An unsafe bridge on an important snowmobile connector trail on the Perkins Clearing Conservation Easement Lands was replaced in time for the upcoming snowmobile season, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced today.

The new bridge replaces the old, deteriorating Mossy Vly Snowmobile Bridge on the Carpenter Hill Trail which connects the Mud Lake Road and the Jessup River Road in the Town of Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County.

“Replacing the bridge assures the safety and enjoyment of the many snowmobilers that use the extensive snowmobile trail network in Hamilton County,” said Mike Lenane, DEC Deputy Commissioner. “Snowmobiling is a very important component of Adirondack winter economy. DEC is pleased to provide snowmobiling and other recreational activities on the lands we managed.”

The Mossy Vly Brook snowmobile bridge provides a critical link between snowmobile trails on the conservation easement property. Historically, the bridge has been used as a bypass route around winter logging activities on the conservation easement property. Replacing the bridge eliminates the need for hazardous ice crossings by snowmobilers.

“Completion of the Mossy Vly Bridge is another of the many examples that demonstrates the continuing improvement in the relationship between Hamilton County municipalities and the Department of Environmental Conservation,” said Bill Farber, Chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors. “I want to express my sincere thanks to the Department for getting this important bridge completed in a timely manner.”

“The Town’s backwoods trail system is a vital piece of the local economy,” said Neil McGovern, Town of Lake Pleasant Supervisor. “The DEC’s new bridge across Mossy Vly re-opens a particularly attractive section of our snowmobile trails just in time for our important winter season. The cooperation between DEC and local forces have resulted in a solid crossing our snowmobile riders will truly enjoy.”

“The re-opening of the Mossy Vly Bridge is a welcome sight as it is a significant link in the area’s snowmobile trail system,” said Paul Allen of Pleasant Riders Snowmobilers. “Snowmobiling attracts thousands of visitors to the region each year keeping the local businesses alive in winter. The four years without the bridge were fraught with many fiscal and other challenges which the community, volunteers and DEC worked together to overcome. This is a great example of how the state can help support local economies through guarded investment and cooperation.”

The new bridge is 60 feet long, 12 feet wide and was built with steel stringers set on abutments of timber cribbing by DEC Operations staff. The bridge is bigger, much sturdier and should have a longer life span than the previous bridge. DEC expedited the replacement of the bridge to ensure that a safe crossing was in place prior to this winter’s snowmobile season.

The previous bridge was 47 feet long, 11 feet wide and built with five 18-inch thick birch and spruce supporting stringers. The stringers were rotted and one had broken apart making the crossing unsafe.

Tags: dec·hamilton county·snowmobile