How are the Adirondacks preparing for 100,000 eclipse gawkers?

Around 100,000 people are expected to journey to the Adirondack Mountains next week to witness a total solar eclipse, many hoping to catch the once-in-a-lifetime event from a mountaintop.

While the region is no stranger to tourists, officials are bracing themselves for a crush of people flooding its roads, trails and hotels, making it tough for forest rangers to help stranded or injured hikers on the peaks.

“Local officials are estimating around 100,000 visitors, and it’s fair to assume that a lot of them will be concentrated in Tupper Lake and Lake Placid,” said Ben Brosseau, director of communications for the Adirondack Mountain Club.

With the overwhelming influx of visitors, Brosseau and others are concerned about safety. This time of year is mud season and in higher elevations it can still feel like winter. Ice and snow are still visible and the ambient temperature could be 10 to 20 degrees colder once the eclipse begins, Brosseau said.

“Ask yourself these questions before you go: ‘Do I have enough to spend the night if I need to in the back country away from home? Do I have a way to contact people if I need help and do I have a backup option if that’s not working? Am I prepared to handle everything from a 50 to 60 degree day to potentially something below, like sub zero temperatures?’” said Brosseau.

In addition to risky weather, Brosseau raised concerns about rescuers getting to people in need. In extreme cases, rescues can last hours and tie up dozens of rescuers. A double rescue last month, for example, took a team of about 30 rangers.

Forest ranger Captain Kevin Burns of Region 5 Division of Forest Protection said rangers have been talking with state agencies like state police for more than a year to prepare for the eclipse. All Region 5 forest rangers will be out on the trails the day of the eclipse with an emphasis on areas where they expect the highest concentration of people. This includes the common trailheads, the Lodge, Cascade Mountain, Keene Valley and the Route 73 corridor.

“A lot of preparation has gone into this with all of the agencies, especially in terms of who is doing what, and ascertaining exactly what resources we all have in place,” said Burns. “We really want everyone to come home with an amazing eclipse experience, and most importantly, to be safe.”

Although many may be eying the high peaks, the Department of Environmental Conservation is advising hikers to stick to lower elevation trails, avoiding all trails above 2,500 feet. Hikers should also carry the 10 hiking essentials, which include extra layers of clothing, food and water, first aid and shelter. The DEC is asking those traveling to use 511NY for the heavy traffic that is expected.

Brosseau is encouraging visitors to engage in the activities that local communities have to offer including watch parties for the eclipse. The Adirondack Mountain Club will be offering a free watch party at the Cascade Welcome Center.

Towns like Saranac Lake are witnessing the effects of the wave of visitors. All its hotels are fully booked, according to Rachel Karp, executive director of the Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. The town offered community conversations in July and November to provide educational outreach about the eclipse. Local businesses were also encouraged to stay open for the eclipse -- many often close or have limited hours during this time of year (mud season).

“April is usually a really tough month financially, so we wanted to make sure that businesses were aware and could accommodate for the number of visitors,” said Karp. “We also wanted to make sure that our visitors experience was positive because although they came for the eclipse, they might come back because they’ve had a positive experience.”

For Karp, the preparation of an event of this magnitude is a reminder of the kind of community that exists in the Adirondack Mountains.

“We have been doing all this planning, thinking about the what-if’s and how many visitors are coming,” Karp said. “But it’s also important to remember that this is going to be a cool event and that we’re really lucky to live here and to be in totality, so we should make sure that we all step outside and enjoy it.”