Adirondack Autumn

Perfect Companions

It was an aviation trifecta in the making: autumn weather, mountains, and great friends. As 2025 barreled toward the last third of the calendar, I was fortunate to make two trips to the Adirondack Mountains with members of the Williamson Flying Club.

Jonathan, me, Tom, Alicia, and Alyssa at Piseco on 23 Aug 2025. Photo by Jacob.

End of Season

The annual Speculator Lions Club pancake breakfast at the Piseco Airport (K09) in the southern Adirondacks always marks the end of the regular summer flying season for me. Though not officially fall yet, the late August morning dawned with a definite autumnal chill in the air. I chose to wear shorts that morning, but started the day wearing a fleece jacket to counter the cold.

Date	Aircraft	Route of Flight	Time (hrs)	Total (hrs)
23 August 2025	N21481	SDC (Sodus, NY) - K09 (Piseco, NY) - SDC	2.6	3033.5

Jonathan and me. Photo by Jonathan.

In Warrior 481, Jonathan joined me in the right seat. We caught up to Don B's Tripacer and Bill B's Lake Amphibian as the three of us followed the highway from the Hinckley Reservoir to Piseco Lake, twisting around Adirondack terrain in the descent. In trail, Tom and Alicia flew Two Six Romeo and behind them were Alyssa and Jacob in Eight One Six. While it was not Alyssa's first flight to the Adirondack Mountains, it was her first trip to Piseco and Jacob's first time flying with her.

Near the southern tip of Piseco Lake, ADS-B detected another aircraft (it turned out to be an Arrow) loitering overhead. I asked Jonathan to help me keep tabs on it because the other pilot's intentions were unclear. Then the Arrow pilot made a perfect radio call on the CTAF, identifying himself and stating his intentions to land at Piseco, noting that he had an aircraft below him (me and Jonathan), and offering to spiral down to our altitude and follow us into the pattern.

I looked over at Jonathan. "Now that was a great radio call!" Nonstandard, but concise, highly informative, and courteous.

I was number three to land behind Don and Bill, who made different entries to the pattern and nearly converged during their respective base to final turns. It was a nailbiter to watch from our perspective, but once Bill recognized what was happening, he announced a go around and deconflicted the situation by climbing. It was a smart move.

Fly-in breakfast traffic patterns can get crazy due to a high density of arrivals, but I witnessed two good examples of pilots exercising good decision making when presented with conflicts.

Final Outing

Alyssa lands Eight One Six at Piseco.

Ramp parking was full, so Tom, the Arrow that sequenced in between us, and I were all directed to park on the T-hangar apron north of the main ramp. While the four of us watched, another base to final snarl occurred over the airport and this time it was Alyssa who chose to go around after another aircraft cut her off, also a good decision on her part. We loitered near where our airplanes were parked to monitor whether she landed OK.

Alyssa rolls out on runway 22 at Piseco in Eight One Six.

In August 2024, Alicia, Alyssa, Tom, and I flew two airplanes on an overnight trip to Mackinac Island / Traverse City, MI and really clicked as a quartet. That morning flight to Piseco was bittersweet because it was our last fly-out with Alyssa before she moved to Arizona. I am certain that she will be missed by everyone, but especially by the three of us that she accompanied on that fantastic trip to Michigan.

Don B's Tripacer got prime parking on the ramp.

The six of us enjoyed our pancake breakfasts together. Jacob seamlessly fit right in with the group. Considering my recent change in diet, I configured my breakfast selections differently than in the past. I loaded up on protein (eggs and sausage), but only accepted a single pancake that I buttered and ate without syrup. I miss syrup.

Alyssa and Jacob scored parking on the main apron.

Afterward, we roamed the ramp to look at the airplanes. In addition to the usual Piper and Cessna singles, there were a signification number of seaplanes on the ramp that day.

This PA-18 Super Cub replica on amphibious floats struck me as the ultimate aeronautical toy. 

In addition to Bill's Lake Amphibian, I counted at least three other Lake's parked at Piseco.

Dan and Mary D flew their RV-12 from Sodus to Piseco that morning and arrived while we were already eating breakfast. Even though we did not get to catch up with them, it was nice to see their blue and white low wing RV parked among the other airplanes.

Jonathan, me, Alicia, Alyssa, Tom, and Jacob.

Before heading back to Sodus, we paused for a group selfie. Whereas Jonathan, Tom, Alicia, and I headed back to Sodus at the conclusion of breakfast, Alyssa and Jacob made a day of it by flying to Lake Placid next.

Best wishes to Alyssa as she starts a new chapter in Arizona!

Missed It by That Much

 

Date	Aircraft	Route of Flight	Time (hrs)	Total (hrs)
04 Oct 2025	N21481	SDC (Sodus, NY) - LKP (Lake Placid, NY) - SDC	3.7	3071.7

Each year, we plan a "leaf peeper" fly-out to Lake Placid. Peak fall color usually falls on the first weekend of October, but the record dry weather in New York state this year led to an earlier fall than usual and, while there was still some color on the mountain slopes surrounding the famous Olympic town, we arrived too late for the most brilliant colors on display.

We enjoyed an always-excellent lunch at Big Slide Brewery & Public House and embraced the unseasonably warm October Adirondack day by sitting outside.

At our table was me, Dan P, Steve, Charlie, Jonathan, and Joel. Joel was a student pilot joining his first fly-out and flew in with me that morning. Mike, Kristen, Dan D, and Mary sat at the next table over. Evidently, that Wright Flyer shirt is my go-to for Adirondack flights in 2025.

Miracle on Ice

After lunch, we walked into town and explored the Olympic Center, which has seen some renovations since the last time I was inside.

A focal point of the renovated lobby at the Olympic Center is the scoreboard in use during the Miracle on Ice, the 1980 Olympic hockey game when the United States team beat the odds to defeat the favored Soviet Union team.

The arena where that moment occurred is still utilized for regional hockey games. We lingered to watch a pair of women's teams face off. There is something about the rhythm and flow of hockey games that I have always found compelling and this one was no different. 

As I watched players glide across the ice, I could not help but think about Greg, my close friend since fifth grade who lost a three year battle with brain cancer in June. Greg was so famously enamored with hockey that one of my college friends referred to him as "Hockey Puck". I may have withdrawn into my head for a time watching the game, the visuals resonating with memories of Greg skating at the Lakeland ice arena when we were in high school.

Because I failed to capture a cockpit selfie with Joel, we decided that the Miracle on Ice arena made for a suitable backdrop.

An Olympic Center balcony overlooks the speed skating ring with the Adirondack High Peaks forming a beautiful background.

Lake Placid's main drag seen from the Olympic Center balcony.

From the Olympic Center, we continued to the center of town and the small park on the shore of Mirror Lake. In the distance, Whiteface Mountain was obscured by the lesser hills ringing the lake.

Photo by Mike.

There, we got as much of a group photo as we could with Dan P, me, Steve, Joel, Jonathan, Kristen, Mike, and Charlie. Unfortunately, we lost Dan D and Mary, who were not up to the hike into town and did not manage to catch the ever elusive Lake Placid Trolley.

Back at the Lake Placid Airport, Mike refueled Eight One Six while Steve and Charlie waited to refuel Eight Five X-Ray. Joel and I departed Sodus with full fuel that morning, so I had plenty on board for the return flight.

The view from the ramp clearly showed the muted, past-peak colors of the mountains ringing Lake Placid. While still clearly autumn, the higher elevation reds had softened to orange.

Adirondack Beauty

Holding short for landing traffic, runway 32.

Lake Placid Olympic Center.

Departure provided another perspective on the Olympic Center.

Downtown Lake Placid on the shore of Mirror Lake.

A post-peak Whiteface Mountain.

While I was disappointed that we missed peak color, especially because I saw a color map prior to departure claiming that Lake Placid foliage was at peak. (Lies!) Nonetheless, the mountains are always beautiful, regardless of their hue. To me, their changeable nature is part of their appeal.

Whiteface Mountain.

Whiteface Mountain.

Whiteface Mountain.

After a quick circuit around Whiteface, I climbed to 8,500 feet and contacted Boston Center for flight following back to Sodus. From above the clouds, the Adirondacks were shrouded in haze.

Scooting westbound above a scattered layer, I had a beautiful ride home.

I never tire of seeing the Adirondacks by air. I may have missed peak color, but feel fortunate to have experienced the mountains in fall with my friends in the last bit of 2025.