LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 22 According to sources, this trailhead services over 20, 000 paid rafting guests per season, alongside a few hundred private boaters and an array of fishermen, making it the most heavily trafficked trailhead in all of the Adirondack Park. With such an abundance of people, it never seems as though littering piles up. As a guide and photogra- pher on the river, I hadn't seen the level of garbage and vandalism, in my time here, the way we did during the pandemic. Everyone flocked here. That being said, this never changed the boating and local communities' ability to maintain a low environmental impact. That goes from the moment guests arrive at their respec- tive shops, while on the water, and during stops that utilize riparian zones. It is common for companies to practice strict Leave No Trace principles. In fact, while speaking with Bob Frederick, a Local Raft Company Operator and Whitewater Enthusiast, he stated, "Rafting is defi- nitely underrated as an opportunity to explore dif- ficult-to-access areas in the Adirondacks. So many places are becoming more crowded due to easy access and increased demand for exploring the outdoors, but rafting in the Adirondacks offers the ability to explore pristine natural environments that aren't overrun or overused." He went on to say, "Rafting companies take Leave No Trace seriously. Where they do need to alter the landscape for campsites and lunch stops, the guides ensure the areas are left clean and the impact from wear and tear on the soil is contained to Despite over 20,000 raf ting guests a season, there are still plent y of moments of tranquilit y. When he isn' t raf t guiding, Bob Frederick is probably still pad - dling.... it 's just a dif ferent boat.

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