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  • #16
    Here is a press release from DEC, from last fall.
    There is talk of extending motor vehicle access all the way to Dun Brook. Currently, only foot traffic is allowed beyond The Barker Pond gate, this is a designated snowmobile trail as well. That road does connect to Deer Pond Rd in the Essex Chain area, but you would need to verify if biking through that part of the easement is legal or not.

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    • #17
      Originally posted by stripperguy View Post
      Here is a press release from DEC, from last fall.
      There is talk of extending motor vehicle access all the way to Dun Brook. Currently, only foot traffic is allowed beyond The Barker Pond gate, this is a designated snowmobile trail as well. That road does connect to Deer Pond Rd in the Essex Chain area, but you would need to verify if biking through that part of the easement is legal or not.
      Thanks.
      Found this interesting on another DEC page:

      "Biking is prohibited beyond the Polaris (Iron) Bridge into the Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest."

      The 19,600-acre Essex Chain Lakes Complex is part of the Adirondack Forest Preserve. It is comprised of the lands and waters of the Essex Chain Lakes Primitive Area, the Pine Lake Primitive Area and the recently classified portions of the Blue Mountain Wild Forest.


      I thought cycling was allowed in Wild Forest. Not sure what you can connect to anyways going into VWWF... but there looks to be some camps / structures beyond the bridge - and some roads / trails.

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      • #18
        Biking is generally permitted in Wild Forest, but there is no reason the DEC can't bar it from certain trails. It's the same thing with motor boats, snowmobiles, and motor vehicles - not every trail or body of water is suitable for them.

        Again this really points to the problem with the land designations as they are. Trails that allow bikes should be those that can withstand the use, not those that fall into some blanket management category.

        I honestly don't know why biking isn't permitted in Vanderwhacker WF though.

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        • #19
          Originally posted by montcalm View Post
          Biking is generally permitted in Wild Forest, but there is no reason the DEC can't bar it from certain trails. It's the same thing with motor boats, snowmobiles, and motor vehicles - not every trail or body of water is suitable for them.

          Again this really points to the problem with the land designations as they are. Trails that allow bikes should be those that can withstand the use, not those that fall into some blanket management category.

          I honestly don't know why biking isn't permitted in Vanderwhacker WF though.
          yup, agree. makes sense in so many places, and in some cases, should be limited. all good on that front.

          looks like there are lease properties across the bridge:

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          • #20
            Just beyond the Polaris bridge are a handful of little, itty bitty camps. All of them that I saw were pretty spartan and clean.
            In the photo below, you can just make out one of the cabins on the far side of the bridge.

            bmike-vt, have you called the rangers yet? Or maybe the interpretive center in Newcomb? They should have clear answers...

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            • #21
              Originally posted by stripperguy View Post
              Just beyond the Polaris bridge are a handful of little, itty bitty camps. All of them that I saw were pretty spartan and clean.
              In the photo below, you can just make out one of the cabins on the far side of the bridge.

              bmike-vt, have you called the rangers yet? Or maybe the interpretive center in Newcomb? They should have clear answers...

              thats a great image. thanks for that!

              planning on contacting them in august for a September scouting trip. will also try to reserve one of the lakeside campsites, if we don't think we'll make it further south. but there are also campsites on camp 6 road that will work, and we can wild camp if needed.

              although, the last time I tried getting beta from the rangers was on my MRP through ride from Burlington. I wanted to add Woodhull lake to atwell to south lake to the trip to get off pavement via the 'bike trails' shown on the DEC GIS site... i got far better info here from other users than i did from the officials that did return phone calls.

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              • #22
                I'm curious too and have walked to the Polaris bridge last summer. I don't know of any hiking trails to connect to East of there until the trail up Vanderwhacker Mtn. I recall only a snowmobile trail circling up along the west side of Vanderwhacker towards Newcomb. I suspect that there are no bike friendly trails.

                Perhaps fat bike supporters may push for access to those trails someday.

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