Right before the end of our hike, as the last bit of elevation at Azure Mountain leveled out, I spotted this fuzzy brown caterpillar crawling along the thawing snow. At the time I thought it was a strange for a caterpillar to be around, because I'm used to seeing them strictly in the summer. After some research of common Adirondack caterpillars, I believe it belongs to the family Arctiidae. I couldn't narrow it down to one specific species, but the caterpillars in this family are recognizable by their hairy bodies.

I saw this fern during a trip to the Wild Center in Tupper Lake. The light really brought out the earthy combination of browns and greens so I stopped to snap a shot. After some research, I believe this species is the hayscented fern, known to grow in a manner that "carpets" the forest floor. It is very common, with light-green lacy fronds, and thrives in any woody area (perhaps partly because deer ignore this particular fern). The hayscented fern is often confused with the New York fern, but this species has triangular fronds while the New York fern tapers at both ends.

The Raquette River cuts through Stone Valley in Colton, NY. 3-mile trails exist on both sides of the river, making it a prime location for cross-country skiing or just a recreational walk. A popular whitewater rafting site, the first mile has a 200-foot elevation drop through 7 rapids. In this photo I tried to capture a lapsed flow of the river as well as I could. A dense hardwood forest surrounds the river, and during our hike we saw a variety of greenery, including hemlock and pine needles and even the small ferns in the bottom of my picture.

During this visit to the Cornell Cooperative Extension, our primary goal was to learn about the maple syrup production process. However, there was a group of fluffy sheep as well as these friendly cows, who looked up to pose for the camera as they munched on some hay. The contrast between the bleak day and the richly colored hide of the cows inspired me to take this shot. The dairy industry is critical to the Northern New York economy.

Logging is just one of the many ways man has influenced the natural world. However, when done properly logging can benefit the natural world. Selective cut methods can be applied to remove dead or diseased trees. Here a Maple tree with a dead crown was harvested for firewood.

Some of the only signs of life in the dead of winter were these small flowers found along the Stone Valley trail— Appearing to be the buds of a Willow tree. The days before the I hiked the trial temperatures were unseasonably warm, and these flowers likely bloomed in those mild days— thinking Spring had sprung. However, the cold weather that followed subsequently killed the buds.

The Stone Valley trail in Colton, N.Y. provides excellent views of the waterfalls on the Raquette River. The trial skirts along the the rivers edge, providing great views. The trail is relatively 'easy' with only a few short steep pitches.

Finding green plant life is rare in a North Country winter unless you are looking at one of the conifer tree species that populate the area. On my hike along the Stone Valley trail from the Colton side, I was very surprised to find green plant life if a wet area just off the trail. The plant pictured here, completely engulfed the wet area that was surrounded by a deep snow pack. The water was no more that 3'' deep, allowing for easy access for pictures, but was enough to provide a throbbing habitat for the plant species.

This Pink Lady Slipper Orchid (aka Moccasin Flower) was found in the Spruce Forest along the Wilson Pond trail. Lady slippers like fairly acidic soil. It is one of only a handful of orchid species that grow in the Adirondacks. They are a very delicate species, and should not be picked. Although they are often found in relatively decicent sized groups, removing one can disturb the whole population.

The pink globe is very distinct among the forest floor. Besides not picking them, precautions should be made to avoid damage to them when recreating.

Habitat: Lowland, young mixed-wood forest.

These patterns in this softwood tree were almost definitely caused by a hungry porcupine, which we discovered nesting in its lair a few feet away. Rodents like porcupine and beaver love softwood trees like hemlock for their delicious wood below the bark. What is being nibbled at in this picture is the cambium layer of the tree, which is the area of new growth that is packed with nutrients, in order to make more vascular xylem and phloem every year. Porcupine have large incisors so they can effectively get at and remove the cambium.