ADK Talks

In this listener-fueled episode of ADK Talks, Jane and Steve dive deep into your Adirondack travel questions, focusing on the Tri-Lakes and High Peaks region: Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake. Whether you're planning your first visit or returning for the views, you'll get expert tips on where to stay, eat, shop, hike, and sip like a local.

From haunted hotels to hip breweries, hidden donut shops to iconic scenic drives—this episode is jam-packed with insider knowledge and real local recommendations to help you plan a trip you’ll never forget.

Hear about:

• Where to stay for both rustic charm and walkable convenience
• The coziest cabins and haunted hotels
• The must-try local pies, diners, donuts, and beers
• Secret overlooks, beginner-friendly hikes, and scenic byways
• Historic gems like the John Brown Farm and Olympic sites
• What to pack for mountain elevation changes
• Where locals go for live music, trivia, and tacos

If you've got a wedding in the High Peaks, a fall foliage road trip planned, or just love discovering lesser-known places, this is the Adirondack episode you didn’t know you needed.

Mentioned in this podcast.

• Eastwind Hotel
• Mount Jo Trail Info
• Hotel Saranac
• Raquette River Brewing
• Whiteface Veterans’ Memorial Highway
• Whitebrook Dairy Bar
• The Wild Center – Tupper Lake
• Dartbrook Rustic Goods
• NorthWind Fine Arts
• Adirondack Artists Guild Gallery
• Adirondack Store
• Adirondack Decorative Arts & Crafts
• Washboard Donuts & Laundry
• Mirror Lake Inn
• War Cannon Spirits
• Raybrook Brewhouse
• Hex and Hop
• John Brown Farm
• High Gorge Falls
• Noon Mark Diner
• P-2’s

Love the show? Help us out by subscribing, rating, and leaving a review! It helps fellow travelers find us and brings more Adirondack adventures your way. Got a question about the Adirondacks you'd like us to answer on air?  Please send it to [email protected] or use the form available at ADKTaste.com.

Every summer, the quiet charm of Saranac Lake and Lake Placid erupts in a joyful scrum of community pride, fierce competition, and unmatched camaraderie. That’s right—it’s time for the legendary Can-Am Rugby Tournament.

In this episode of ADK Talks, hosts Jane and Steve delve into the heart of this beloved Adirondack tradition with Cameron Moody, the tournament director and lifelong rugby player, who joins us from his deployment with the National Guard in the Horn of Africa.

Whether you’re a seasoned rugby fan or just rugby curious, this episode is packed with stories, surprises, and reasons to attend the 51st Can-Am Rugby Tournament, happening July 25–27, 2025.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The grassroots origin story of Can-Am Rugby in the 1970s and how it grew into the largest amateur rugby tournament in the U.S.
• Why rugby is a “gentleman’s game”—and what that really means on and off the pitch
• How Can-Am supports local youth sports, scholarships, and community events
• What to expect at the Tournament: free matches, family activities, and the return of wheelchair rugby
• Why women’s rugby is booming, and what new divisions are debuting this year
• Cameron’s big dreams for expanding the tournament and building youth rugby across New York State

Plus, don’t miss the Scrum & Done Lightning Round, where Cameron names his favorite post-match drink (hint: it's cold and comes in a can), the best rugby team names, and the advice he’d pass on to the next generation of players.

If you’re planning a summer trip to the Adirondacks, this is the tournament to build your weekend around—whether you’re a player, spectator, or just looking for something unforgettable and totally free to do in the Tri-Lakes.

Links & Resources:

• 🗓️ Tournament Info & Schedule: canamrugby.com
• 📱 Follow Can-Am Rugby on Facebook & Instagram
• 🎥 Live Stream Info: Can’t make it to the tournament? Stay tuned to social media for more information on the live stream on YouTube

Mentioned in this podcast.

• Can-Am Tournament Locations
• Mountaineers Rugby: The rugby club of the Adirondacks
• New Belgium Brewing and Fat Tire Ale
• Hotel Saranac
• North Country Sports Council
• Saranac Lake Winter Carnival
• Casa Del Sol
• Cool Can-Am Merch

ADK Talks is brought to you by ADK Taste. We provide insight on the best places to stay, shop, eat and things to do in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York. Visit our website, ADKtaste.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Your questions and comments are invaluable to us. We'd love to hear from you! Please, share your thoughts with us at [email protected]

Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast

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What happens when world-class opera collides with the rugged beauty of the Adirondacks? 

In this episode of ADK Talks, we pull back the curtain on the Seagle Festival—America’s oldest summer vocal training program, a cultural institution with a rich legacy, tucked away in the charming village of Schroon Lake, NY.

Hosts Jane and Steve of ADKtaste.com sit down with Artistic Director Darren Woods, a visionary leader who has not only led but also transformed the Seagle Festival into a hub for boundary-pushing performances and emerging talent, inspiring a new generation of opera enthusiasts. 

Also joining us is Kate Morton, an electrifying young Mezzo-Soprano, who recently earned her Master of Music in Vocal Arts from the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City. A former Seagle emerging artist, Kate’s extraordinary path to the stage is as dramatic and unexpected as the operas and musical works she performs.

🎶 In this episode, we discover:

• How the Seagle Festival prepares the next generation of vocal talent
• Why rural audiences are craving more bold, contemporary works
• Kate Morton’s journey from small-town roots to center stage
• What it takes to make it in the international opera world today

Whether you're a music lover, arts patron, or curious traveler planning your next visit to the North Country, this episode offers a front-row seat to one of the Adirondacks' best-kept cultural secrets.

Don’t miss the drama, the dedication, and the high notes.

Mentioned in this podcast.

• Seagle Festival
• The Lodge at Schroon Lake
• Brown Swan Club
• Cherokee Nation
• Opera Saratoga
• Evan Mack
• Jerod Tate
• The Louis W. Ballard Project
• Barbara McAlister
• Thomas Valentine
• Sticks & Stones Wood Fired Pizza
• 9 Mile Coffee in Schroon Lake
• Schroon Lake Farmers Market
• Hiking Indian Head Trail
• Paradox Brewery

ADK Talks is brought to you by ADK Taste. We provide insight on the best places to stay, shop, eat and things to do in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York. Visit our website, ADKtaste.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Your questions and comments are invaluable to us. We'd love to hear from you! Please, share your thoughts with us at [email protected].

Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast

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In this powerful follow-up to one of ADK Talks’ most downloaded episodes, Jane and Steve welcome back Denise Silfie from the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation in Saranac Lake. 

Denise shares updates on loon research, insights from the annual Loon Census, and the ongoing challenges of lead tackle for loons and humans, climate change, and shoreline development. 

From guided paddles and museum-quality exhibits to turtle rescue collabs and “Loon Zoom” virtual talks, this episode is packed with compelling stories, quirky loon facts, and meaningful ways to get involved. Your participation can make a significant difference.

Whether you're a seasonal visitor or a year-round resident, this episode serves as a poignant reminder that the urgency of protecting loons is synonymous with safeguarding the Adirondacks—shoreline to treetop.

Mentioned in this podcast.

Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation

New York Annual Loon Census – July 19, 2025

Lead Tackle Buyback Program – 30+ tackle shops in the region

Maintain the Chain – Old Forge-based conservation group

Dancing Turtle Rescue

View Arts Center

Saranac Lake Art Walk

Paul Smith’s College & VIC (Visitor Interpretive Center)

St. Gabriel's Church – Paul Smiths

Hotel Saranac

Bitters & Bones – Restaurant and brewery in Saranac Lake

Trudeau Laboratory Museum in Saranac Lake

Raquette River Brewing – Tupper Lake and Lake Placid taprooms

ADK Talks is brought to you by ADK Taste. We provide insight on the best places to stay, shop, eat and things to do in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York. Visit our website, ADKtaste.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Your questions and comments are invaluable to us. We'd love to hear from you! Please, share your thoughts with us at [email protected].

Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast

[email protected]

What does it mean to break trail—not just through snow or forest, but through history itself?

In this enlightening episode of ADK Talks, we delve into the pages of the newly updated "Breaking Trail: Remarkable Women of the Adirondacks". This powerful collection of stories celebrates women who have left an indelible mark on the region, challenging its limits and expanding our understanding of what it means to belong in the Adirondacks.

We discuss overlooked pioneers, Indigenous storytellers, environmental stewards, fearless athletes, and behind-the-scenes visionaries whose legacies continue to resonate across mountains, lakes, and communities. 

You’ll learn about the research behind the book, the women it features, and the crucial importance of reclaiming and expanding our regional history.

If you have a passion for Adirondack history, women’s stories, or the magic that happens when we ask better questions about who gets remembered, we invite you to be part of this conversation by listening to this episode.

Highlights Include:

• Why Breaking Trail needed a new edition now
• The fascinating stories of women who shaped Adirondack life
• How researchers uncovered untold histories and honored underrecognized figures
• What this book tells us about identity, land, and legacy
• How you can help keep these stories alive

Want to buy the book? Visit:

• Purple Mountain Press

And soon to be available at Independent Bookstores as well as Amazon.com

Also mentioned in this podcast:

• North Country Public Radio
• Kate Field
• Alice Green
• Anne Labastille
• Mary Brown
• Paul Smith’s College
• Adirondack Experience, the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake
• Mother Johnson
• Esther Combs
• Union College Kelly Adirondack Center and Adirondack Research Library
• Schroon Lake Music Festival
• John Brown Farm
• Great Camp Sagamore

ADK Talks is brought to you by ADK Taste. We provide insight on the best places to stay, shop, eat and things to do in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York. Visit our website, ADKtaste.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Do you have questions or comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast

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What happens when history, art, and community transformation converge on six brick walls in Ticonderoga, NY? In this episode of ADK Talks, we sit down with Nicole Justice Green, Executive Director of the Essex County Land Bank, to explore the story behind Walls Between Waters—a bold new mural project and public event that’s turning once-vacant buildings into landmarks.

Nicole shares the inspiration behind the project, how world-renowned artists and community voices came together to tell Ticonderoga’s story through paint, and what this kind of creative revitalization means for the future of Essex County towns. Is it public art? Is it place-making? Is it a love letter to a region steeped in natural beauty and layered history? Yes, yes, and yes.

Whether you're a mural lover, a curious traveler, or someone passionate about breathing new life into old spaces, this episode has something for you.

What You’ll Hear About:

• What Walls Between Waters is and why it matters
• The story behind the name
• How the community came together and shaped the initiative
• The Essex County Land Bank’s role in creative revitalization
• Why transformation through art isn’t just possible—it’s powerful
• A look ahead at what’s next for art and engagement in the Adirondacks

Tune in and be inspired by how a wall can become a window into a community’s soul.

Mural Artists

• Justin Suarez, Aerosol Kingdom 
• Tim Parsley 
• Emily Ding 
• Arcy 
• Arlin Graff 
• Key Detail 

Also mentioned in this podcast:

• Walls Between Waters
• Essex County Land Bank
• Rubblebucket
• Alex Hal, Public Art Consultant
• North Country Rural Development Corporation
• The Original Star Trek Series Store Museum
• Fort Ticonderoga
• Ticonderoga Arts
• Depot Theatre in Westport
• Essex County Arts
• The Mill
• Sylvano
• Jay Covered Bridge

ADK Talks is brought to you by ADK Taste. We provide insight on the best places to stay, shop, eat and things to do in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York. Visit our website, ADKtaste.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Do you have questions or comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

What do you get when you cross a farmer, a baker, an educator, and a cooperative visionary? You get Dan Rivera of Triple Green Jade Farm, a transformative force in the Champlain Valley of the Adirondacks, where loaves rise, soil sings, and rural dreams ferment into something real. Join us for a warm and hearty conversation with Dan, the wood-fired wizard behind one of the Adirondack region’s most soulful farms. 

We get into:

• How two city folks fell for a scrappy farmstead in Willsboro
• The art (and science) of baking the perfect sourdough
• Why starting a farm co-op might be the most inventive (and rewarding) thing you can do in 2025

If you’ve ever dreamed of quitting your day job to raise chickens and craft the crustiest loaf east of the Mississippi, this one’s for you.

Dan and his wife Kimmy transformed a dormant farmstead into a beacon of rural creativity—and now, they’re inviting others into the fold by launching a cooperative model built for the long haul.

Learn more about Dan and Kimmy at Triple Green Jade Farm's website. Also mentioned in this podcast

• New American Stone Mills
• Full and By Farm in Essex
• Cedar Hollow Farm
• Cooperative Development Institute
• Adirondack Hay and Organic Grains
• Five-Day Bread Intensive with Master Baker Carl Shavitz
• Ward Lumber
• Cooperative Development Institute
• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County
• Pace Food Law Center
• Adirondack Community Housing Trust
• Trigo in Westport
• Sugar House Creamery Dutch Knuckle Cheese
• Westport, NY
• Saranac Lake Farmers' Market
• Joni Mitchell - The Circle Game
• The Saranac Chain of Lakes
• Oseetah Lake

ADK Talks is brought to you by ADK Taste. We provide insight on the best places to stay, shop, eat and things to experience in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York. Visit our website, ADKtaste.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

You can read more about Triple Green Jade Farm on our website.

Do you have questions or comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

In this episode of ADK Talks, we’re heading to Tupper Lake, where we sit down with Brian Burns, the owner, with his wife Renee, of the beloved Northwood Cabins. 

Located along Route 30, a stone's throw from the heart of Tupper Lake and the glistening waters of Raquette Pond, Northwood Cabins is not just a place to rest your head. It's a captivating Adirondack experience, steeped in nostalgia and enveloped in the soothing scent of pine.

Brian takes us behind the scenes of this vintage roadside motel-meets-modern mountain escape, where Brian and Renee welcome guests like family, and each cabin tells a story. From his family’s decision to restore rather than replace, to the meticulous work behind maintaining the property’s mid-century charm, Brian shares what it means to preserve a slice of Adirondack history while meeting the expectations of today’s travelers.

What Makes Northwood Cabins Unique?
 

• Authentic cabin vibe – Enchanting interiors, cozy porches, and crackling fire pits evoke the golden age of road trips.
• Thoughtful restoration, while retaining its vintage charm, has been thoughtfully updated with modern comforts. Fresh linens, WiFi, locally roasted coffee and crackling fire pits enhance the experience.
• Location, location, location – Perfect base camp for exploring the Wild Center, paddling the Tupper Lake waterways, or hiking in the Tri-Lakes region.
• Community-focused – Brian’s passion for Tupper Lake shines through in his support of local businesses and events, making each stay a truly Adirondack experience.

If you’ve ever fantasized about owning a bespoke inn or motel, have a soft spot for throwback road trip motels, or are seeking insider tips for your next stay in the Adirondacks’ Tri-Lakes and High Peaks region, this episode is a must-listen. Renee and Brian’s journey is brimming with heart, humor, and just enough elbow grease to inspire anyone with a fixer-upper dream.

Also mentioned in this podcast:

• Red Canoe Antiques
• Washboard Donut Shopee and Laundromat
• Seven Gables Antiques
• Buck Pond
• Hex and Hop
• Great Camp Santanoni
• Noonmark Mountain
• Newcomb, NY
• OkTUPPERfest
• Raquette River Brwering
• Woodshed on Park
• P-2's Irish Pub in Tupper Lake
• Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism

ADK Talks is brought to you by ADK Taste. We provide insight on the best places to stay, shop, eat and things to experience in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York. Visit our website, ADKtaste.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

You can read more about Northwood Cabins on our website.

Do you have questions or comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].

In this episode of ADK Talks, we explore the connection between the quality of the water in Lake George and the preservation of its surrounding land. Our guest, Sarah Hoffman from the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC), will shed light on the ripple effect of land conservation on this iconic lake, the Queen of American Lakes.

Sarah joins us to explain how keeping land wild keeps water clean, why your favorite swimming spot depends on smart preservation, and how LGLC works behind the scenes to protect the lake you love, from its mountaintop views to its crystal-clear depths. 

If you’ve ever marveled at the clarity of Lake George and thought, “Wow, this place is magical,”—well, it's not magic. It's science, strategy, and a lot of passion.

Whether you're a paddler, hiker, lakeside lounger, or full-on eco-nerd, this episode connects the dots between conservation and sustainability—and shows how you, as an individual, can be a significant part of the solution.

🎧 Listen now to learn how saving land today protects water for generations to come.

👉 Like what you hear?

• Subscribe to ADK Talks
  
  
  
• Leave us a glowing review
  
  
  
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Because protecting Lake George isn’t just a local issue—it’s a legacy

Mentioned in this podcast:

• Lake George Land Conservancy
• Up Yonda Farm
• Lake George Mirror
• Geographic Information Systems
• Caroline Ramersdorfer
• Beaver Deceivers
• The Schumann Preserve
• Carl Heilman II – Photographer
• LGLC Events
• Amy’s Park
• Black Point Beach

ADK Talks is brought to you by ADK Taste. We provide insight on the best places to stay, shop, eat, and do things in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York. Visit our website, ADKtaste.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Do you have questions or comments? We'd love to hear from you, and your thoughts are important to us. Email us at [email protected].

Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast

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What unfolds when a couple, deeply enamored with the Adirondacks and armed with grand aspirations and remarkable courage, chance upon a dormant legend? In this episode of ADK Talks, we delve into the journey of Amanda and Ryan Ragland, the dynamic couple who breathed new life into the Schroon Lake Department Store — a pivotal part of Adirondack life since the late 1800s.

Three years ago, Amanda and Ryan didn’t just buy a building — they inherited a community’s memories, a town’s spirit, and a history worth saving. Against all odds (and a few roof leaks), they’ve transformed the Department Store into a vibrant hub where visitors and locals alike can still find everything from hiking boots to handmade candles — and a little magic, too.

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who believes in the power of community, the revival of cherished places, and the pursuit of dreams (plus, we reveal a few behind-the-scenes insights about the realities of running a traditional department store in the modern era).

Whether you're a die-hard Adirondack adventurer or someone who loves a good story about heart, hustle, and hometown pride, this episode will have you planning your next road trip to Schroon Lake.

Also mentioned in this podcast:

• Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop
• The Gem Smokehouse in Bolton Landing
• Seagle Festival
• Adirondog Grooming
• Pine Cone Mercantile
• The Sembrich Opera Museum

ADK Talks is brought to you by ADK Taste. We provide insight on the best places to stay, shop, eat, and do things in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York. Visit our website, ADKtaste.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Do you have questions or comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]

Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast

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