(ADK) High Peaks trail use declines

[Rivet]

ALBANY -- Foot traffic through the Adirondack High Peaks has dropped sharply in recent years -- a period when recreational regulations were tightened in the wilderness area and fewer backpackers hit the trails nationally.
A tally from trailhead registers show 94,051 people visiting the High Peaks last year, roughly on par with 2003. But visits were down from the first three years of this decade, when the number of registered users never dipped below 106,000. Figures are also down dramatically from historic highs in the late '90s, according to state Department of Environmental Conservation figures

...

Woodworth added many of the High Peaks visitors during the boom years of the late '90s were Canadians. He noted it's not as convenient to travel down from Montreal as it was before 9/11.

"Frankly," he said, "it is harder to get across the international border."

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/st...ategory=ALBANY&BCCode=LOCAL&newsdate=8/4/2005

 

[spaddock]

I don't think it's that much harder. Maybe two extra minutes tops.

They ask for ID everytime now. That never happened before, but sounds pretty reasonable. They do ask to pop the trunk most times now too, but that takes about 20 seconds once they see it's all hiking gear.

I cross at Prescott/Ogdensburg though, which isn't as busy at Montreal. I also seem to cross at 5am when the traffic is pretty light.


-Shayne

 

[TEO]

Blame Canada
It seems that everything's gone wrong
Since Canada came along
Blame Canada
Blame Canada
They're not even a real country anyway

 

[Chip]

"Frankly," he said, "it is harder to get across the international border."

If Pete Hickey can do it by bike with a mantel clock in his backpack for a day hike up Marcy, I don't think the rest of us are trying hard enough.

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7769

 

[ADK4Life]

I always seem to get this comment at the NY border.

"Don't you guys have mountains in Canada?"

Umm yeah on the other side of the country. The others would not classify.

 

[anita514]

I've never had any problems crossing the border from montreal. we hand them ID before they even ask for it, answer some questions and we're on our way.
we got asked to pop the trunk once, and that was at the VT border.

as for a decrease in visitors.. last summer we were in the high peaks area almost every weekend. this year, I think we've been twice? going to California has really spoiled the mountains of the north east for me.
maybe eveyrone else is out climbing the big ones out west