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ADK Talks brings you the stories behind the people, places, and things to do in the Adirondack Park of New York State. With 6 million acres, the Adirondacks are the ultimate playground.
We take you beyond the guidebooks and into the heart of one of America's most breathtaking regions. Just like we do on our website, adktaste.com, our podcast uncovers the hidden gems of the Adirondacks, offering hand-picked recommendations for the best places to stay, eat, shop and do in the Adirondack Park.
But this isn't just about places. It's about the people who make the Adirondacks so special and unique. In each episode, we talk to people from all walks of life—restauranteurs, farmers, innkeepers, historians, artists, local leaders, writers, hikers, and more. Hear real stories about what they do, their passions, and how they found their way here.
And they'll share their insider tips on the best things to see and do in the Adirondacks – insights you won't find anywhere else.
So subscribe now to ADK Talks to get real stories from real people, sharing the real Adirondacks.
You can also visit us online at adktaste.com.
54 Episodes
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If you’ve ever chased a storm on your phone and wondered where all that snow actually lands, this episode is for you. Jane and Steve head west of the Blue Line to the Tug Hill Plateau—one of the snowiest corners of the East—and sit down with Snow Ridge co-owner and general manager Nick Mir to talk powder mornings, small-mountain grit, and why “Ice Coast” doesn’t always apply. Nick shares what it’s really like to run a fiercely independent ski area (yes… sometimes it’s unclogging a septic li...
A woman walks away from toxic-tort law in Oakland, loads four Nigerian dwarf goats into a Honda Element, and drives 3,000 miles with her partner to a scruffy little farm in Thurman, NY. Two decades later, that leap of faith has become Nettle Meadow: a sanctuary for hundreds of animals and the home of Kunik, one of the most celebrated cheeses in America. In this episode, we sit down with Sheila Flanagan, CEO and co-founder of Nettle Meadow, to trace the journey from collapsing barns an...
Where else can your morning class involve snowshoes, your lab take place in a 100-year-old white pine stand, and your campus stretch across 14,000 acres of Adirondack wilderness? Paul Smith’s College is a place where learning happens in the field — sometimes literally — and that’s precisely why we love it. This week on ADK Talks, we head to the shores of Lower St. Regis Lake with Dr. Brett McLeod, Dean of Faculty and Professor of Natural Resources, to explore what makes Paul Smith’s unlike ...
In this episode of ADK Talks, we climb aboard what we’re calling the Holiday Express and take you on a whirlwind tour of the Adirondacks in winter. From Old Forge to Lake Placid, Tupper Lake to Ticonderoga and Lake George, we share our favorite ways to spend the holidays in the Park: where to ski, where to shop small, and where to find the kind of pie that could start a family rivalry. We talk through listener FAQs (“What is there to do if I’m up for Christmas? New Year’s? MLK weekend?”) an...
In this episode, we explore what it really means to eat locally in the Adirondacks — not just during summer’s peak produce season, but all year long, even through deep winter. We sit down with Bella Susino, Program Leader of Adirondack Harvest, the regional initiative (housed within Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County) connecting people, farms, forests, and communities across the North Country. Bella takes us from the grassroots origins of Adirondack Harvest in the early 2000s to ...
In this episode, we crack open the ADK Talks mailbag — and you did not hold back. From the mysteries of the blue line to the origins of the word Adirondack, from Great Camps you can actually stay in to the surprisingly wholesome truth about nudists in the Adirondacks… you kept us laughing, thinking, and occasionally Googling just to make sure we weren’t making things up. We share the questions that made us stop mid-sentence, the ones that sent us down rabbit holes through history, and the o...
From Great Pines on Fourth Lake to the rebirth of North Creek’s Phoenix Inn, Weekender Hotels is rewriting the script on where (and how) we stay in the Adirondacks. In this episode of ADK Talks, we sit down with Keir Weimer, CEO of Weekender Hotels, whose mission is to breathe new life into classic Adirondack motels and resorts while keeping them rooted in place, history, and the outdoors. Keir shares how a 100-year-old, run-down waterfront resort on Fourth Lake became Great Pines—and the...
The Rough Rider rides again—right through the heart of the High Peaks. In this episode, we sit down with nationally known Theodore Roosevelt repriser Joe Wiegand to relive T.R.’s deep Adirondack ties—from youthful birding trips and great-camp visits to the legendary midnight ride that began at Mount Marcy and ended with the oath of office in Buffalo. Joe shares how he “becomes” Roosevelt on stage, why the Adirondacks shaped T.R.’s grit and conservation ethic, and how communities today keep th...
From deep, cold-water mysteries in Lake Placid to candlelit marches at Fort William Henry, this Halloween-season episode serves up more true (and truly fun) tales of Adirondack ghosts, legends, and oddities. Jane leans into lore, Steve brings the “Acker facts,” and together they map a spine-tingling route you can actually visit—if you dare. What you’ll hear in this episode: The Lady of the Lake (Lake Placid): The 1933 disappearance of educator Mabel Smith Douglas, the startling discovery ne...
Each fall, Lake Placid turns into the “Telluride of the Northeast”—a walkable, mountain-ringed town where filmmakers and film lovers share theaters, coffee lines, and conversations. In this episode, we sit down with Noah Raymer, Director of Communications for Adirondack Film and the Lake Placid Film Festival, to explore what makes this long-running North Country tradition so special. What you’ll hear in this episode: Festival vibe, Adirondack style. Why Lake Placid’s scenic scale, community...
Ultralight, All Heart: Adirondack Pack Canoes by Hornbeck Guest: Josh Trombley, head of Hornbeck Boats Topic: The Adirondack pack canoe—past, present, and why it changes how (and how often) people get on the water. Hornbeck Boats began in the 1970s with founder Pete Hornbeck, a paddler-artist who revived the Adirondack tradition of pack boats—open, canoe-shaped craft paddled with a double-blade. Pete’s minimalist ethos (light, durable, no unnecessary weight) and his embrace of Kevlar cr...
Step inside the North Star Underground Railroad Museum with President Jacqueline “Jackie” Madison of the North Country Underground Historical Association. We trace the Champlain Line of the Underground Railroad through the stories of real people and places—John Thomas’s journey to freedom, the Quakers’ moral stand, and local heroes like editor Wendell Lansing. Jackie walks us through can’t-miss exhibits (the object-theater “John Thomas Room,” the life-size “Germinal” sculpture...
Discover the unique and fiery world of glassblowing in North Creek, NY, with Greg Tomb, the passionate owner of Adirondack Glassblowing Studio. From the warm glow of the furnaces to the hands-on workshops, Greg shares how visitors can shape molten glass into their own keepsakes. We delve into his journey from Corning-inspired beginnings to teaching thousands in the Adirondacks, his seasonal pumpkin patch fundraisers, and how glass brings together art, science, and community. D...
ADK Talks: Chasing Colors: The Adirondacks' Best Fall Adventures In this brisk, handy fall guide, we map the Adirondacks region by region—from Lake George up through the High Peaks and out to the Adirondack Coast—sharing on-the-ground tips, quick stories, and can't-miss events. Fall in the Adirondacks is peak season — and we've got your insider's guide. From the breathtaking dawn hot air balloon launches in Queensbury to the serene Lake George cruises, the lively Oktoberfest...
A Force for Nature: David Gibson on Paul Schaefer’s Adirondack Legacy What does it take to protect six million acres of wild Adirondack Park? In this episode of ADK Talks, we sit down with David Gibson, conservation leader and author of A Force for Nature: Paul Schaefer’s Adirondack Coalitions. Gibson takes us deep into the remarkable story of Paul Schaefer, the man who rallied hunters, anglers, labor unions, conservationists, and everyday citizens into powerful coalitions that foreve...
Step into the Golden Age of Opera — without leaving the Adirondacks. In this episode of ADK Talks, Jane and Steve sit down with Caleb Eck, Director of Institutional Advancement at The Sembrich, a lakeside museum, performance venue, and cultural retreat in Bolton Landing, NY. Discover the remarkable life of Marcella Sembrich, the Polish coloratura soprano who conquered the great opera houses of Europe, starred in the first season of New York’s Metropolitan Opera, and chose Lake George as her s...
What happens when you grow up in the heart of the Adirondack Park, spend your life paddling its waterways, hiking its backcountry, and painting its moods—and then decide to share that world with others? That’s the life of Adirondack guide and artist Matt Burnett, whose work on the water and in the studio captures both the wild beauty and the human stories of the region. In this episode of ADK Talks, we meet Matt Burnett, a sixth-generation Adirondacker, licensed wilderness guide, and ac...
Our Best Travel Tips - Lake George Edit: Where to Stay, What to See, and What to Skip. Planning a trip to Lake George? This episode is for you. Jane and Steve crack open the listener mailbag and serve up answers to your most-asked questions about where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in the iconic Lake George region. You’ll learn: The difference between Lake George Village, Bolton Landing, Hague & Silver BayThe best hikes and scenic drives for jaw-dropping lake viewsFantastic eats, ...
Preserving Place: Stories Behind the Adirondack Architecture We Love Step back in time—and into the future of preservation. In this spirited episode of ADK Talks, Jane and Steve sit down with Erin Tobin, Executive Director of Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), to uncover the unique and fascinating stories hidden in the Adirondacks’ historic architecture. From the rustic grandeur of Great Camp Santanoni to the region’s Adirondack fire towers and even its forgotten Cold War missile silo...
What happens in the Adirondacks doesn’t always start in the Adirondacks—it can flow into our air, water, communities, and climate from coal-fired power plants far, far away from our lakes and forests. In this powerful episode of ADK Talks, hosts Jane and Steve sit down with John Sheehan, Director of Communications for the Adirondack Council, to explore the science, policy, and passion driving environmental advocacy in the largest protected landscape east of the Mississippi. We cover: The orig...
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