Here's a link to my FB post on Eclipse Photography Tips https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=981134753577632&set=a.191216289236153

1. Don't aim a mirrorless camera at the sun for any length of time unless a solar filter or lens cap is over the lens.
2. When using a DSLR w/ shutter for a time lapse sequence, cover the viewfinder so stray light does not affect the exposure if using Aperture Priority or another auto metering mode (Manual settings are not an issue).
3. The exposure for the sun/ moon during totality w/o the solar filter is the same as that for partial phases with the filter on. Bracket totality for better corona / prominence detail.

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Terror In The Adirondacks

It was the Friday before July 4th weekend, and the McGregor family was gearing up for

their annual camping trip. The children were so excited and have been waiting all year to go.

“Mom I can’t find my sleeping bag!” Jimmy yelled.

“You are literally 16 figure it out,” his older sister, Kate, snapped back.

The mom always had a slight favoritism for Jimmy. He was her pride and joy she

attended every baseball, basketball, and football game of his no matter what. So, quickly she

started to look for his sleeping bag.

“Seriously? You are going to help him,” Kate sassily said to her mom.

The mom rolled her eyes and continued on with what she was doing. Kate was in her

senior year of high school and was the troubled child of the family. She had been suspended for

smoking, fighting, and cheating during her time at school. Although, there was a time where she

was a determined student and played on her school’s soccer team. Her mom was worried about

her future. Kate was exceptionally smart despite getting in so much trouble. She only received

one bad grade her whole life and it was in 7th grade.

“Kate honey you received a letter in the mail it’s from Cornell,” her dad told her.

Kate ripped the letter open with a knot in her stomach. She applied to Cornell and was

waitlisted due to her suspensions. She needed this acceptance letter or else she would be going to

her back up school that was too close to home for her. The letter was small which did not

reassure her. Big letter equals acceptance letter she thought to herself.

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“Well, what does it say?” her dad asked.

Kate wiped away a tear and quickly thought of a joke or something to make it seem like

she did not care that much.

“Those idiots actually let me in their school! See mom and dad I told you getting

suspended three times is not a big deal!” Kate responded trying to hide her emotions.

“Kate that’s awesome let’s all go out to dinner tonight for Kate!” her mom said.

A weight was lifted off of Kate and her mom’s shoulders. The whole family piled into the

car and went to Kate’s favorite restaurant. And for the first time in a long time the whole family

had a fun and peaceful night with no arguing. It was a great start to a great summer.

The sun was setting on their ride home and the parents reminded their children to set their

alarms for 4 in the morning, since the big camping trip was tomorrow. When they returned

home, everyone went to their rooms to finish packing and get a good night’s sleep.

Four in the morning came around and everyone’s alarms simultaneously went off at the

same time. Kate and Jimmy reluctantly woke up like most teenagers. Their dad packed the car,

and their mom prepared some bagels with cream cheese for breakfast. And off they went two

hours north to the High Peaks of the Adirondacks.

“Are we there yet?” Jimmy said in an annoyed tone

“It has literally only been an hour,” Kate responded

“Just another hour sweetie,” their mom replied.

The hour slowly went by and finally they arrived at the trailhead for the tallest mountain

in New York, Mount Marcy. They all piled out of the car and grabbed their packs and started on

the trail.

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The plan was to do Mount Marcy in one day, then set up camp on the way down, and do

another mountain the following day. It was muggy and buggy deep in the woods. There was a

constant buzz sound the whole hike. The sun was hot and slipped through in between trees. At

the halfway point there was a waterfall.

“Come on kids this is a perfect spot to cool off,” their mom said out of breath.

Everyone ducked their head underneath the waterfall, and Jimmy splashed Kate like

normal siblings would. Eventually they made it to the top of mountain ate some peanut butter

and jelly sandwiches and then started their descent down to their campsite.

The sun was setting, the tents were set up, and hot dogs were being cooked on the

campfire. Every hotdog cooked was charred black, but no one cared. There was something so

savory about a burnt campfire hot dog. The next thing to make were smores, again with burnt

marshmallows. After a long day the family sat around the fire and shared jokes, stories, and

songs.

Kate yawned and said, “wow am I tired, I’m going to hit the hay don’t want to be tired

for our hike tomorrow.”

“Me too good night mom and dad,” Jimmy said.

Kate and Jimmy were sharing a tent. They tossed and turned all night, and both struggled

to falls asleep. Kate got up and grabbed something from her bag, and nudged Jimmy.

“What are you doing I am trying to sleep!” Jimmy said.

“Oh, shut up come on look what I brought, you’re lucky I am such a cool big sister,”

Kate said showing Jimmy a pack of cigarettes and a bottle of rum.

Jimmy got up and followed Kate outside of the tent. They checked the time it was

midnight. Their campsite was set up a little bit off the hiking trail, but it still felt deep in the

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woods. Kate insisted that they go far away from their tent because she was worried about getting

in trouble. A half hour later they were deep in the pitch-black woods, far off the trail. They did

not even realize they were off the trail. Every quiet sound made Jimmy jump, and Kate laughed.

An hour passed and Kate and Jimmy were ready to return. They looked around for a trail

marker, or a path. Nothing. Kate hid her fear and led the way.

“Kate where is the trail?” Jimmy said with a shaky voice

“We’ll find it, don’t worry,” Kate told him unsurely.

Kate walked around aimlessly with a bottle of rum and a cigarette in her mouth. If it was

not such a serious situation, Jimmy would have certainly made fun of her. Finally, they decided

to stay put and wait till the sun came up.

All of sudden, they heard screams coming from the woods. Kate and Jimmy stood there

frozen in shock. Then they heard heavy footsteps breaking sticks, and cracking leaves with every

step. Jimmy looked at Kate gave her a nod and they both started running as fast as they could.

Trying to dodge every tree while maintaining speed.

In a panic Kate said, “Okay I think we are in the clear.”

Then she looked back and Jimmy was gone. Her heart sunk to her stomach, and she

screamed his name over and over. No response. She backtracked her steps, but it was still dark

out. Then she heard another scream. She sprinted towards it and finally found Jimmy. He was

laying down grabbing his stomach and screaming in pain. His white Yankees shirt was covered

in blood.

“Kate help me please!” Jimmy said in agony.

“Okay okay what happened?” Kate responded fighting the urge to panic and be strong in

front of her little brother.

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“Some maniac stabbed me and asked where you went,” Jimmy responded in a faint voice.

Kate held pressure on Jimmy’s stab wound and tried to keep him awake. She held back

tears knowing he lost a lot of blood and that there is no way to get help. She kept watch of him

making sure he was still breathing, until it slowly faded. Jimmy stopped breathing. Kate

screamed and threw up. She felt guilty, she was the one who made him leave the tent.

The sun rose and Kate said her final goodbyes to her brother and went back on her way to

the find the path. Although deep down she hoped she would never find that path, never have to

tell her parents what happened, and never have to leave the woods. That’s when she saw the little

bright yellow trail marker.

A mile of walking later she saw the campsite. She heard unfamiliar voices though, and

their tents were torn apart. As she got closer, she spotted three men in black suits with red blood

smeared on the back. Kate scanned the entire campsite and then noticed two bodies lying in the

middle of the campsite next to the fire. She gasped and fell backwards out of shock; it was her

parents. The sound of her fall alerted the men. All three men got up in unison one and went

towards Kate. Kate screamed and cried for help. But no one came to help.

So I’m currently in Queensbury by Lake George. What’s the closest to see totality. Not worried about events, more interested in open area and faster to get home after.

I know there's a ton of these posts coming in so sorry in advance

Can anyone advise on the conditions of Cranberry Lake's Burntbridge Pond / Bear Mtn trail? I know there's a ton of snow everywhere right now which we will be prepared for. We wanted to hike a short way in from the trailhead parking area tomorrow morning and set up camp off the trail somewhere and then view the eclipse from Cranberry Lake's shoreline. Are there designated campsites off of this trail or will we have to make due on our own?

I'm planning a trip into Jay Mountain wildness (not to be confused with Jay Peak in VT) in the next few weeks* and was wondering if anyone here is familiar enough with the trail to say whether or not there might be a reasonable spot to pitch a tent off-trail. I hiked it about 5 years ago but can't recall the landscape very well.

I'll be getting a late start and am hoping to camp not too far in so I can get an early start the next day—somewhere before Blueberry Lookout, since I recall that's where most of the wooded trail area is (I recall much of the hike beyond that being ridgeline).

Any info is helpful. Thanks!

*Edit: I'll be waiting until May as a result of the DEC spring conditions advisory. But still looking for advice. Thanks.

Hi all,

I’ll be coming back to the region May 15-17. I’ve done two high peaks so far; Marcy and Algonquin.

I have my sights set on either Whiteface or Haystack.

Open to others thoughts on what I should tackle next and/or what would be best around that time given the winter we’ve had and the current conditions, etc.

Thanks guys!

How are the fire towers doing during this time? I have never done the challenge in the winter and I know we just had a bunch of snow this past week. Also, there were so many rescues in march this year on the mountains which was wild, but also concerning. (Most of the people were under prepared to my knowledge and they weren't just doing a fire tower challenge though).

But anyways, I'd love to visit a fire tower during the eclipse because I've never been at the towers during a celestial event and I think that will be a really special experience. What are everyone's thoughts on this?

Tall order but looking for recommendations on hikes that are lesser known, maybe 6 miles max round trip between Lake George and Keene Valley. Lesser known so less people.

Hello-I’m considering driving to the Lake Placid region from Ithaca if the weather in Ithaca is to cloudy for viewing and it is better in Lake Placid.

Should I be concerned about traffic on the way to Lake Placid? How far in advance should I leave and how much longer than the current maps prediction should I expect the trip to take?

Hello all, I will be staying in Blue Mountain this summer working, was curious to know if there is any organized soccer leagues and or pick up soccer that goes on over the summer. Willing to drive for it! Please let me know.

I am taking my NYSDEC Licensed Guide Program Exam (Basic, Hiking, and Camping) on June 9th. For a bit of background, I am a WFR, Registered Maine Guide, Trip Leader Instructor (Maine IFW), and a long time trip leader in the Northeast. I found this practice exam on Shopify and I'm wondering:

1. If anybody has taken it before/ is it a scam.

2. Is it necessary.

Here is the link: https://examplus.myshopify.com/products/new-york-ny-licensed-outdoor-guide-license-exam-learning-course?pr_prod_strat=e5_desc&pr_rec_id=6490490b5&pr_rec_pid=9003819696430&pr_ref_pid=9088979697966&pr_seq=uniform

Thanks in advance!

My friends and I wanted to camp out in South Meadows Road on Saturday but a few scattering comments say it's closed. I wanted to get a confirmation on the situation before we head up. If it is, are there any other available places for free or cheap in the area, or will the nearing eclipse situation get bad?

Looking for any suggestions on large group rentals. Ideally I'd like 4th lake but anything waterfront in the eagle Bay, inlet, old forge area would be fine. More than one building would be best. There's about 20 of us and would love one big house with 2 or 3 others on the same property. We need about 10/11 bedrooms in all. Something on the nicer side. My husband and I love camping and I know great places for that but my extended family is not on the same page so we are trying to find a place we can all enjoy together. This group has been so helpful in the past!

I know the storm that came though dropped 1-2 feet of snow in some places. Obviously not looking to summit any peaks this weekend due to it but was wondering if it was possible to do Indians head with spikes and snow shoes? Done plenty of elevation hikes including LeConte in the snow down in the Smoky’s. Was wondering if it’s feasible to try to attempt Indians head?

I know the predictions are that all hell will break loose post eclipse with 10 hour gridlock traffic. However, I’m not really sure what this means. 10 hour traffic from where to where? Certainly people traveling further will be in longer traffic.

Anyway, I am possibly looking to come up Saturday night to the Schroon Lake area. Problem is I need to leave right after the eclipse. Unfortunately I have work and can’t move it. Does anyone have any prediction of the traffic from that area back to the NYC area? Planning on viewing maybe at the Marcy Field viewing spot or possibly North Hudson area.

Hello!

I'm looking to gather more information about overnight canoe rental options on Lake George.

I'm a member of a small group that's looking to camp on one of the Lake George islands the weekend of April 26. We are hoping to rent a pair of canoes for this purpose. Unfortunately, we are not equipped to transport canoes ourselves, so we are looking for outfitters that are either on the water or who offer a drop-off/pick-up service.

I've poked around a fair bit. Unfortunately, I haven't found an option that meets our parameters:

• Kayak Lake George -- does not to be open this early in the year. There is also no overnight rental option listed on their website
• Lake George Kayak Co. -- has not responded to email or phone inquiries
• Brockwood RV Resort -- is not located on the water and does not appear to offer a drop off service

We're hoping that there is one outfitter open the weekend of April 26 that can offer a canoe rental service. Any potential leads are much appreciated!

Any advice on how responsibly approach the trip is also welcomed. We're got a fair amount of backpacking experience, but this will be our first attempt at a canoe trip.

Thank you!

Hi. I live in Central NJ and booked a stay in Newcomb starting tomorrow afternoon, before driving up to Bloomingdale this weekend. My cars have only all-season tires. Would it be better to drive up tomorrow or wait until Friday? It's supposed to keep snowing into Friday, so I wasn't sure. I have experience driving in a few inches, but not really big storms, and I'm not sure how well the roads (28/30) are cleared. Thanks.

Hi,

I am planning to stay in Clifton Park, NY on Sunday night and drive to Lake Placid first thing in the morning. If I leave at 6am, shold I expect crushing traffic on that route?

Driving up to Whiteface this evening from NYC to catch Powder day on Thursday. Staying in Wilmington wednesday night, hope to arrive earlier then 10pm. Any advice? Lexus NX300 AWD, not sure if my yokohamas are all season. Too dangerous? Stay home?

Edit: mainly concerned about the driving part also have the option of taking an A5 coupe quattro w/ all seasons

My girlfriend I live 4-6 hours south of the Adirondacks. We also have my van to stay in , can rent camp, and a 2 person canoe. Fairly experienced hikers and don’t mind some scrambling and more difficult hikes.

Looking for some recommendations on some good trails to check out, waterfalls, caves, hidden gems, maybe any bouldering areas because we both rock climb too. Also maybe a good river float that we could do a longer weekend on. I’m an avid bass fisherman and would like to check out some smallmouth and trout fishing while in ADK. We’ll mostly be staying in my van, which to add has heat, so we can stay overnight when it’s colder. So any pulloffs, campgrounds, lots to stay in Possibly an overnight backpacking trip too at some point

Any help appreciated

I'm planning a trip up with a group this weekend (not eclipse related; just a birthday timing coincidence). We were going to stay in Saranac Lake area, and were planning on doing a high peak, though probably canning that plan now with the storm. I'm hoping maybe drive up Friday and just hang around Lake Placid and hit some breweries and what not.

But what I'm wondering: Will road conditions still be safe to drive up and do some stuff in the area anyway? Or will everything be closing bc of the storm/roads will be hellish? I don't know if we can get a refund this late, so trying to see if we can salvage our trip. Thanks for any advice!

Hi everyone! My partner and I are getting married at the end of May, and are planning on driving to the Adirondacks for 3 nights. Everywhere looks gorgeous, so we're having trouble deciding which area we want to stay in. Background: We are a couple who loves hikes, mountain views, and nature/animals. I would love a town to explore in the evenings, and maybe a few activities to choose from after a day of hiking (paint night, theater, dancing, etc.). I have been to Lake George and Old Forge and loved it/would return for our mini honeymoon, but have not done Lake Placid or surrounding areas. My partner has never been to the Adirondacks.

Thank you in advance!

Just wondering if this is allowed to park overnight at the amr lot or if it is restricted in any way. I know that the “off-season” there is until May 1st. I would not be sleeping in my car I’d be backpacking and setting up camp somewhere off of the reserve.

And space to accommodate 100+ guests for a last minute wedding on the night of April 7.