Adirondack Mammals: Tracks in the Snow

Events at the Paul Smiths VIC
Winter 2015-2016

Winter Ecollogy in RussiaArmchair Lecture Series: Winter Ecology in Russia
Thursday, 24 March 2016

Join us on Thursday, 24 March 2016, for a presentation on Professor Celia Evans’ International Winter Ecology class – a new Paul Smith's College course that was offered over 17 days during the college’s winter break. The lecture will cover the participants' experiences in Russia, as well as their ongoing research. Cost of the lecture: $5 per person. Free for Friends of the VIC. The Arm Chair Lecture series is presented every other Thursday through the winter. Supported by the Friends of the VIC. 

Volunteer PotluckVolunteer Potluck
Thursday, 24 March 2016

VIC volunteers gather every month to get the scoop on upcoming events and activities, sign up for volunteer opportunities, and organize training sessions. All VIC Volunteers are welcome to this potluck. Bring a dish to pass. We will meet for hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 PM, followed by dinner at 6:00 PM. Volunteers are invited to stay for the Armchair Traveler Lecture at 7:00 PM.

Maple Weekend at the VICMaple Weekend
19 & 20 March 2016

The VIC will be part of the Northeastern New York Maple Producer’s region-wide event.  Come for a tour of our interpretive sugar bush, visit the sugar house, try some maple confections and baked goods, learn about maple sugaring, sign up for our Community Maple Project, and support the VIC by “adopting" a maple or by buying a jug of Paul Smith’s-made maple syrup.  There will be a "Sap to Syrup Workshop” at noon on Saturday. The cost for the workshop is $20 per person. 

Maple Tapping"Sap to Syrup" Maple Workshop
19 March 2016

Work with Paul Smith's VIC sugar makers to experience all aspects of the syrup making process.  The class is hands on. Participants will monitor sap quality, learn to work with reverse osmosis equipment, assist with the wood-fired evaporator, and draw off a finished batch of VIC maple syrup. The program is part of the New York Maple Weekend. The program runs from 9:00 PM to noon. $20 per person. Preregistration required. Limited to 10 participants per session. Contact: Brian McDonnell, bmcdonnell@paulsmiths.edu

Community CeilidhSki and Music at the VIC: Community Ceilidh
Sunday, 13 March 2016

Join us to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Irish music and food on Sunday, 13 March 2016, when the Sunday Ski and Music Series continues with a Community Ceilidh in the Great Room at the VIC from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. We have invited the Ceilidh Music Session from Saranac Lake to provide traditional Celtic folk music.  We will also be offering traditional Irish fare in the form of corned beef and cabbage, to warm you up after a jaunt on the VIC trails.

Lee Ann Sport: Witch HobbleNew Moon Art Show: NorthWind Fine Arts Show
8 March - 6 April 2016

The March 2016 New Moon Art Show features works by the members of NorthWind Fine Arts. Their work will be available in the VIC Great Room for viewing and purchase during the VIC hours. The artwork on display will feature many different media, styles, and subjects. The exhibit will hang from 8 March through 6 April 2016. Free admission.

Women's Day 2016International Women's Day – Free Ski Offer
Tuesday, 8 March 2016

Come to the VIC for a day of free skiing for anyone who declares: "I am woman. Hear me roar!" The roar is optional, but encouraged. Free maple adoption, including a quart of delicious Paul Smith's College maple syrup, for the best roar, or – for the truly strong and invincible – the best rendition of Helen Reddy's 1971 hit "I am Woman." Open to all genders.

Andrew CoulterSki and Music at the VIC: Andrew Coulter
6 March 2016

The Sunday Ski and Music Series continues Sunday, 6 March, featuring Paul Smith's College student Andrew Coulter, in the VIC Great Room from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Coulter is a singer, songwriter, and bassist. He has been playing for five years, mostly rhythm and blues with a little bit of folk. Grab your skis, boots, and poles and head to the VIC for a fun afternoon of skiing and music. Free with day or season pass. Supported by Friends of the VIC. 

Bowl and a RollBowl & a Roll Soup Lunch
5, 6, 19 & 20 March 2016

Paul Smith's College culinary student Bill Rock will offer a hearty bowl of soup and a roll each day for $4 on selected Saturdays and Sundays at the VIC. The soup menu varies each week. Lunch is offered between noon and 3:00 PM.

Maple Tapping WorkshopMaple Tapping Workshop
Saturday, 5 March 2016

Join the VIC sugaring crew from 10:00 AM to noon, as we tap the maples to begin the process of making syrup.  We'll talk about species identification, proper tapping techniques, enhancing your sugar bush, and the pros and cons of sugar bush locations.  We will demonstrate tapping trees for bags, buckets, and tubing.  Weather and conditions permitting, we will be in the sugar bush coaxing the trees along. Cost: $20 per person; $10 per person for Friends of the VIC.

Rustic Riders -- Wake UpSki and Music at the VIC: The Rustic Riders
Sunday, 28 February 2016

The Sunday Ski and Music Series continues Sunday, 28 February 2016, featuring the Rustic Riders in the Great Room at the VIC from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. The Rustic Riders craft their sound with music old and new. They invite you to sing, move, reflect and renew with voice, strings and percussion. In concert, the Rustic Riders share new songs with traditional roots, fresh arrangements of folk songs and their love of traditional tunes. The Rustic Riders have played across the North Country, Vermont and New Hampshire and love interacting with audiences.

Chili Ski FestChili Ski Fest
Saturday, 27 February 2016

The VIC will host our annual chili tasting and fun-on-the-snow extravaganza.  There will also be ski and snow shoe demonstrations, ski with a naturalist, a waxing clinic, and a fun “find the gazebos” poker run.  Entry is $10 or free with the purchase of a ski pass.

Vegetable Garden Planning WorkshopWorkshops at the VIC: Vegetable Garden Planning Workshop
Saturday, 27 February 2016

Join Richard Gast, from the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Franklin County, on Saturday, 27 February, at 10:30 AM for a vegetable planning workshop. Free.

Maple Sugaring at the VICIntroduction to Maple Sugaring & Community Maple Training
Saturday, 20 February 2016

Come on over to the VIC and learn about modern methods of designing, installing, and maintaining a sugar bush for bucket, bag, or tubing sap collection.  “Backyard tapping” and the VIC’s community-based maple program will also be addressed.  The program runs from 10:00 to noon. The cost is $20 per person. Contact: Brian McDonnell,  bmcdonnell@paulsmiths.edu

Armchair Lecture Series: Italy Study Abroad Trip
Thursday, 18 February 2016

Join Professors Kelly Cerialo, Kate Glenn, and Paul Smith's College students who traveled to the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy during the summer of 2015 for a three-week study abroad program.  The presentation will include a discussion about the Adirondack and Apennine Sustainable Parks and Communities Project as well as the sustainable tourism marketing plan that thirteen Paul Smith’s College students developed in order to attract American tourists to the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park in Italy.  The lecture runs from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Cost of the lecture: $5 per person. Free for Friends of the VIC.

Volunteer Potluck
Thursday, 18 February 2016

VIC volunteers gather every month to get the scoop on upcoming events and activities, sign up for volunteer opportunities, and organize training sessions. All VIC Volunteers are welcome to this potluck. Bring a dish to pass. We will meet for hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 PM, followed by dinner at 6:00 PM. Volunteers are invited to stay for the Armchair Traveler Lecture at 7:00 PM.

Workshops at the VIC: Natural Gifts for Your Valentine
Saturday, 13 February 2016

Join instructor and back-country skills expert Bethany Garretson on Saturday, 13 February, from 10:00 AM to noon upstairs in the Paul Smith's College VIC for a workshop on creating natural gifts. We'll learn how to make dreamcatchers, bracelets, ear rings, and other gifts with a natural flair.

Great Backyard Bird Count at the VIC
12-15 February 2016

This weekend is your chance to take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, which helps scientists document and understand the distribution of birds and how weather and climate change influence bird populations. It's easy and fun; you don't have to be a birding expert! The VIC will be registering birds all weekend at both our feeders and out on the trails; so anyone looking for a community birding experience is welcome to drop in and join us.

New Moon Art Show: Photography by Mike Lynch – Summit to Sea
8 February - 7 March 2016

Saranac Lake photographer Mike Lynch will display a collection of his nature images in the Great Room at the Paul Smith’s College VIC from 8 February to 7 March 2016. The exhibit, “Summit to Sea,” will include landscape and wildlife photographs from the Colorado Rockies, Atlantic Coast, and Adirondack Park. A meet the artist reception will be held on Sunday, 21 February from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Free admission.

Empire State Winter Games Snowshoe Races
Saturday, 6 February 2016

The Paul Smiths VIC will host the 5K Cross Country Snowshoe Race – part of the 36th Empire State Winter Games – following the sprint competitions at the Paul Smith’s College soccer field.  Registration begins at 8:00 AM at the Saunders Sports Complex at Paul Smith’s College. Race time is 2:00 PM.  The center will remain open to the general public during the competition.

Armchair Lecture Series: Adirondack Trails and Lodging
Thursday, 21 January 2016

Join Jack Drury of Leading E.D.G.E. for an informative and entertaining lecture on Adirondack Trails and Lodging – a project to create a hut-to-hut system linking communities in the Adirondack Park. The trail system will be modeled after the Great Walks in New Zealand, the trekking network in Norway, and the Camino de Santiago in Spain. The project, funded through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, is designed to to expand outdoor recreational opportunities in the Adirondack Park. Cost of the lecture: $5 per person. Free for Friends of the VIC.

Volunteer Potluck
Thursday, 21 January 2016

VIC volunteers gather every month to get the scoop on upcoming events and activities, sign up for volunteer opportunities, and organize training sessions. All VIC Volunteers are welcome to this potluck. Bring a dish to pass. We will meet for hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 PM, followed by dinner at 6:00 PM. Volunteers are invited to stay for the Armchair Traveler Lecture at 7:00 PM.

Sunday Ski & Music at the VIC
17 January - 6 March 2016

During the ski season, the VIC will feature a variety of local musicians on most Sunday afternoons from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Grab your skis, boots, and poles and head to the VIC for a fun afternoon of skiing and music. Free with day or season pass. Supported by Friends of the VIC.

Cross Country Ski 10K Races
Saturday, 16 January and Sunday, 17 January 2016

The Paul Smith's College VIC is hosting a series of cross country ski races over the weekend: the Paul Smith's College Ladies’ Interval 10K Classic Collegiate Invitational and Paul Smith's College Men’s Interval 10K Classic Collegiate Invitational (15 second interval) on Saturday, 16 January, and the Paul Smith's College Men’s Interval 10K Skate Collegiate Invitational and the Paul Smith's College Ladies’ Interval 10K Classic Collegiate Invitational on Sunday, 17 January. High school students and other competitors will line up after the college racers on Saturday and Sunday. 

Interpretive Snowshoe Walks
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (5 January through 12 March 2016)

Diane Minutilli, former US Forest Service Interpretive Naturalist, will work with Paul Smith’s College students to offer a variety of natural and cultural history walks designed to get you outside this winter.  All walks are open to the general public.  The walks start at 10:00 AM and end around noon. Participants meet in the VIC building. The cost is $20 per person for each interpretive walk and includes your trail pass.  Season Pass Holders pay $15; Friends of the VIC with a Season Ski Pass pay $10 per session.  Please pre-register by 5:00 PM the day before. Call us for family and group rates.

Lecture at the VIC: Susan Morse: Animals of the North
4 January 2016

Come to the VIC on Monday, 4 January, for a fascinating evening presentation. Susan Morse, a nationally known naturalist, wildlife biologist and photographer and executive director of Keeping Track – a non-profit organization which trains professional biologists and citizen scientists alike in wildlife monitoring skills – will present a program titled “Animals of the North, What Will Global Climate Change Mean for Them?” The presentation includes remarkable images of animals in both the arctic and northern habitats. The program is open to the public. Cost: $10.

Tracking Workshop with Susan Morse
4 January 2016

Susan Morse, a nationally-known naturalist, wildlife biologist and photographer, will lead a workshop on animal tracking at the Paul Smith's College VIC on Monday, 4 January 2016, Ms Morse is the executive director of Keeping Track – a non-profit organization which trains professional biologists and citizen scientists alike in wildlife monitoring skills. The workshop begins at 10:30 AM and will continue through at least 2:00 PM. Eight slots are open to the public. The cost is $25. Please pre-register by 5 PM the day prior.

Volunteer Training:  Animal Tracking
Sunday, 27 December 2015

Head out on the trails with Brian McAllister from 1:00 to 3:00 PM to see what’s moving around out here on the VIC trails.  You will be inside and outside for this training, so please dress accordingly. Free for VIC volunteers.

Snowshoe with a Naturalist
Saturday, 26 December 2015

Come to the VIC to learn about the natural wonders of winter with VIC Naturalist Brian McAllister. Topics include animal tracking, winter birding, and winter survival. Meet in the VIC building. Snowshoes required. *Snowshoe rentals are available at the VIC. Dress appropriately for outdoor activity.  The program runs from 10:00 AM to noon. Cost: $20 non-member or $10 for Friends of the VIC and Season Pass Holders (includes day pass fee). Preregistration required by 5:00 PM the day prior.

Owl Prowl
Friday, 18 December 2015

Come and snowshoe in the woods at the VIC and see whooo’s calling.  Participants will learn owl natural history, call notes, and listen for calling owls.  Bring snowshoes and a flashlight or headlamp to help guide your way and please dress appropriately for being outdoors at night.  The program begins at 7:00 PM. Cost: $10/person or $5 for Friends of the VIC  Snowshoes will be available for rent. 

Armchair Lecture Series: Lecturer to be announced
Thursday, 17 December 2015

The Paul Smith's College VIC hosts a lecture series on selected Thursday evenings during the fall and winter. $5 per person. Free for Friends of the VIC and VIC Volunteers.

Volunteer Holiday Potluck
Thursday, 17 December 2015

All VIC Volunteers are welcome to this potluck. Bring a dish to pass. We will meet for hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 PM, followed by dinner at 6:00 PM. Volunteers are invited to stay for the Armchair Traveler Lecture at 7:00 PM.

Winter Wonders Art Show
8 December 2015 - 7 February 2016

Regional artists and photographers will exhibit their work at the Paul Smith's College VIC from 8 December 2015 through 7 February 2016. The VIC building is open 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Free admission. Underwritten by Friends of the VIC. 

Community Art Show
Friday, 4 December 2015

The Paul Smith's College VIC will host an end-of-semester Community Art Show on Friday, 4 December 2015 from 4:00 to 6:30 PM. The show will feature visual art of all kinds: sculpture, crafts, music, the spoken word, readings, and dance.

Past Events


Explore the VIC

The Paul Smiths VIC offers a wide variety of programs throughout the year to educate and inform Adirondack Park residents and visitors about the natural wonders of the Adirondack Mountains. You can help support these programs by joining the Friends of the VIC. More information on Friends of the VIC memberships

Explore the Trails

The VIC trails are free and open to the public, from dawn to dusk, spring through fall. In winter, the trails are open to cross-country skiers and snowshoers for a fee. Day or season passes may be purchased.