What's Your Nature?
Become a Nature Up North explorer to share your encounters with wild things and wild places in New York's North Country. Post your wildlife sightings, landscape shots, photos from your outings, and even your organization's events!
FYS Exploration
The opportunity to spend class time exploring the outdoors and learning about how to connect with the environment we are being immersed in is something that is so unique and I am so grateful for.
Classroom in the Woods
Attached is a picture of myself and a friend as we admired the high waters of the Raquette River last Thursday. It was beautiful!! My First Year Seminar class went for a walk on the Stone Valley Trail and observed nature at its best. (The trail was a little icy but completely worth it.) I am so grateful that I am able to be outside for academics!
Outdoor Education Adventure
My class was able to drive less than half an hour to an amazing trail with incredible views. Even at the trail head, we could see a massive waterfall. Although we didn't hike very far into the trail due to a time constraint, what we were able to see was beautiful even on an overcast day, especially when we walked out on the rocks next to the rushing river. Of course, images can't always capture the full beauty, so I strongly encourage people to visit the place for themselves!
Robert G. Wehle State Park Henderson NY
An incredible day on the shores of lake Ontario. It was a bright and beautiful day, around 35 degrees, but the 25 MPH winds off of the lake were frigid.There are quite a few trails there, we hiked the Snakefoot and Dancing Gypsy trails.This was originally an Army training base, "Stony Point Rifle Range", and you can still find remnants of pillboxs, spotter station boxes and the firing wall. Later it was sold to the Wehle family (of the Genesee beer company fame). The place was used as a summer home, and they raised champion German pointers here.
Stunning Views Along The Raquette River
As we marched along the Raquette River during our Geology Field Trip exploring one of the many hydro-electric systems along this 'powerful' river, I was distracted by the vibrant view of the turbulent waters of the River, Raquette and the bare forests rooted about it awaiting a signal of rebirth from mother nature as the winter snow slowly dissipates.
High water on the Raquette- Stone Valley, Colton
This is always a great hike, and the warm temps & high water from the spring thaw made it pretty spectacular today. The trails are a little icy, so you will want to wear some traction for at least the next week or so. For more on this trail- visit: https://hikingthetrailtoyesterday.wordpress.com/2017/11/05/3275/
Trap Trees
When I hear the phrase “trap tree,” an image of Charlie Brown’s kite-eating tree in the Peanuts comic strip comes immediately to mind. But trap trees, or sentinel trees, are meant to nab a much smaller airborne object, the emerald ash borer (EAB).
Timbuktoo-John Browns farm
Though we have visited John Browns far several time is the past, this time we took the snowshoes and hit the trails. The views were amazing at certain places, with views of the great range that were to die for. An important piece of history, nice trails and the perfect weather made for the best outing this winter for us. We did the ski-jump trail that takes you right under the Olympic ski jumps, and then to the farm & graves site. From there we took the potato field loop. We cover about 3 miles. It's well worth it if you are in the area (or looking for a field trip).
Panther Gorge-Scylla and Charybdis
Two ice climbing routes, possibly the best ice ever I've climbed, went up with friends Laura Duncan (first woman to add a route in the remote Panther Gorge) and Brent Elliot. Both are located in a deep fracture on Mt. Marcy in Panther Gorge. Read the full account with route details, photos and video here: https://www.summitpost.org/scylla-and-charybdis-in-panther-gorge/1016838