A look back at 2014

As the year comes to an end and we begin to look forward to 2015, it is nice to take some time to look back at what has happened throughout the year. If you were not able to spend some time in Tupper Lake in 2014, here is a quick recap of some of the new developments you have missed:  

1. There’s a new brewery in town!

On March 15, 2014 Tupper Lake celebrated the Grand Opening of a new micro-brewery. Raquette River Brewing, owned and operated by Mark Jessie and Joe Hockey, has been busy brewing up some of the Adirondack’s finest small batch specialty ales while chatting it up with visitors looking to sample and take some home. If you haven’t had the chance to give these brews a try then it is time to swing by Balsam Street in Tupper Lake to suck down a few samples!

2. New trail up Goodman Mountain

Thanks to the DEC and a group of dedicated volunteers, a new trail now rewards you with beautiful views from the top of Goodman Mountain. Situated toward the southern end of Tupper Lake, Goodman Mountain (previously known as Litchfield Mountain) honors civil rights activist, Andrew Goodman. In June 1964, 20-year old Goodman and fellow civil rights workers were murdered by the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi while working to register African-Americans to vote. Andrew Goodman and his family frequently hiked this mountain when they would visit their nearby camp. On August 25, 2014 a dedication ceremony was held in Goodman's honor.

Now that the new trail is complete, you can enjoy a hike or snowshoe up Goodman Mountain year-round. Want to see the views at the top? Take a virtual tour!

3. Grand Opening of the Adirondack Public Observatory

After years of hard work and big dreams, on the eve of the annual Woodsmen's Days, Tupper Lake celebrated the grand opening of The Adirondack Public Observatory's first building. The new roll-off-roof observatory now allows both visitors and residents to connect with the stars on a whole new dimension. The facility hosts free stargazing sessions fon the first and third Friday of each month (weather dependent), in addition to a wide variety of special events and programs throughout the year. Nice work APO!

Learn more about The Adirondack Public Observatory with this recent blog.

4. New Events...

In 2014, Tupper Lake was pleased to welcome some new events to Town. The year kicked off with some exciting hockey action as Tupper Lake helped host the Empire State Winter Games for the first time. On a cold morning in early February, students from the entire Tupper Lake Center School District came out to welcome athletes into town and kick of the ESWG 2014 Torch Run (photo above).

Other new events that popped up on the calendar for the first time included: The Tupper Lake Brew-Ski Trail, the Mountain Madness Quilt Camp, and The First Zombie Walk, just to name a few. We are looking forward to welcoming these events back - as well as some other new ones in the new year!

4.5  ... and some old favorites:

It is always fun to check out some new events, but there is still room in our hearts for those old favorites as well! You can't forget some of the big annual events such as the Annual Northern Challenge Ice Fishing Derby, the Tupper Lake Woodsmen's Days, the Warrior Run, OkTUPPERfest and the Mt. Arab Masonic Lodge Annual Flea Market, which all celebrated successful turnouts in 2014. These are just some of many reoccurring events that we welcomed in 2014 and are once again looking forward to in 2015. 

Before we leave events from 2014 behind us, take a virtual tour of this year's Woodsmen's Days Greased Pole Climb. 

5. Completion of the Little Logger’s Playground

If you are looking for a great family spot, then the beautiful Little Logger’s Playground is the place to be! During the summer of 2014 the final work was completed on the new playground which is situated on the shores of Raquette Pond. This has quickly become one of my favorite spots to sit and enjoy the views, while the little ones tire themselves out running, climbing, swinging, crawling and sliding!

6. Ground Breaking on The Wild Center's Wild Walk

In 2014, The Wild Center broke ground on their newest attraction: Wild Walk. This one-of-kind, 850-foot-long path of sky bridges and towers will take visitors up into, and eventually over, the tree tops of the forest. Once completed, Wild Walk will be accessible to people of all generations and abilities as it provides them with a sense of what treetop life is like for animals (not to mention the chance to enjoy some magnificent views). Wild Walk will celebrate its grand opening on The Wild Center's 10th Anniversary: July 4, 2015.

7. The opportunity to never have to miss a sunset

In 2014, The Wild Center installed "The Sunset Cam" at The Tupper Lake Municipal Park. This new camera offers up to the minute shots of the beautiful vista over Raquette Pond. Now, you will never have to miss another one of Tupper Lake's beautiful sunsets, you can check the conditions of the water before you grab your canoe or kayak, and you can observe the ice conditions by the number of shanties perched on the icy top. 

8. Kricki's Opens

Just in time for the summer season, a new sandwich shop and coffee house opened on Demars Boulevard (across from the Municipal Baseball Field) in Tupper Lake. The brainchild of young entrepreneurs, Krit LaMere & Vicki Pickering, Kricki's serves up tasty breakfast and lunch sandwiches, offers a self-serve coffee bar, and a full menu of other treats. The new restaurant's laid back feel has quickly made it a popular spot to grab a bite on the go, or to kick back on their cozy sofa or at their bistro tables for a relaxing meal in good company.

9. Santa arrived early at Big Tupper Ski Area

Tupper Lake ended the year on a high note with some great news for Big Tupper and some snow to boot! On December 20th, Big Tupper was able to successfully open before the Christmas holiday for the first time since the volunteer organization, ARISE, started operations in 2009. In addition, great news arrived that same week at Big Tupper with regard to the advancement of future developments at the mountain. We look forward to seeing a BIG future for Big Tupper Ski Area!

Note: The above highlights from 2014 are listed in no particular order and are not necessarily ranked 1 through 10. 

A glance ahead to 2015

As we bid 2014 farewell, we look forward to another great year in Tupper Lake. Don't wait to just hear about all of the excitement in 2015, plan a trip and come experience it yourself!