Floatplane Access on Lows Lake 95 comments
Lows Lake is a remote nine-mile body of water in Hamilton and St. Lawrence counties. The lake is part of the popular Oswegatchie Traverse canoe route. Many paddlers and campers prize the quiet waters of a wilderness experience, free from the noise of most motorized vehicles. In 2002, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) prohibited floatplane access effective in 2007.
That decision sparked concern for floatplane operators and their clients. Pilots argue that restricted access to the region will further hurt their businesses, as Lows Lake is one of the most desired drop-off destinations with campers, hunters and fishermen. In 2007, the DEC proposed extending limited floatplane access to the lake another ten years. Permits would be issued, landings and take-offs would be restricted to designated areas, and the number of flights would be limited. The Adirondack Park Agency rejected this proposal stating that it violates the state’s Unit Management Plan.
Supporters of the ban feel that preserving the pristine character of Lows Lake by eliminating commercial floatplanes will enhance the wilderness experience. Opponents argue that floatplane access to the lake is important to the region’s economy and appeal.
Do you think floatplanes should be allowed on Lows Lake?
Yes!
certainly - adds character to the mystique of the lows region for those that cannot afford a canadian wilderness fly-in experience
I’ve flown there myself - absolutely! The APA is out of touch. The State’s new Open Space Plan calls for more access for those with disabilities. I fly in with an 84 year old WWII vet.
Who wrote this? “Currently only eight Adirondack lakes are open to floatplanes”.
Plane can land in any lake open to motor vehicles. Many lakes are large enough for planes. Tupper Lake, Upper Middle and Lower Saranac Lakes, Cranberry Lake, Lake George, Carry Falls Reservoir, First Lake, 2nd 3rd 4th Lake…etc…
8 Lakes. Ha.
We apologize for the mistake, one of our sources was misinterpreted. Please note the article has been corrected. Thank you.
No. Beside, float planes are allowed on a lot more than eight lakes. I am not sure what eight lakes this article is counting but planes are allowed on every major lake that allows motor boats. One fewer lake won’t put anyone out of business.
No motors, means no motors. Don’t make this a socio economic issue or pander to the heartstrings. The environmental impact of a mishap outweighs both.
If you stop the floatplanes who will pick up the garbage on the shore line that I seem to find in most places I fly into?
I have been flying into lows lake for many years. I take exception to the people that say they cant afford to fly into lows lake. I have seen how much your kayaks and conoes cost, they cost much more than the cost of a flight into the lake!
Floatplanes, which have never seemed intrusive to me, provide a means for those unable otherwise to enjoy the wilderness, to do so. I think they should be allowed on Lows Lake.
I believe float planes should have access to Lows Lake as long as there is private land on the shores of the lake.
I do not think that Float plains should be allowed to go any where near Lows Lake because it will scare the native life away from the beautiful lake. Not only will it scare away the wild life but it will also anoy travalers coming to the area, this will help this lake to no longer attract tourists.
I am 11 years old and I want to make a difference.
Nora Davis
I believe that float planes should not be permitted to land in or near the lake due to the disturbance of wildlife. Also if float plans continue to be blocked from Lows Lake and other protected lakes in the US, our carbon footprint will be greatly reduced presurving our natural beauty.
Rory Davis
YES
Ummmmmm, no I do not think they should be allowed. Although the things that they are doing with the permits and limmited acess is good. Without the pilots doing their jobs they wouldn’t make the money they need and this could effect the ecconomy! And that is not very good :(. Thank you and goodbye:)
ALLOW FLOATPLANES, THE AIR FORCE FLIES TRRE TOP LEVEL OVER TH LAKE ANYWAY.
We think floatplanes shoud not be allowed in low lake surfaces. That was so neat and cool to learn about!
No I don’t think they should. People go there for a QUIET vacation not to have planes hoovering around.
I think permits for floatplane access is fine.
I feel that the best thing we can do for nature is…nothing. Nature has survived perfectly fine without us and will continue to do so in the future. Although this lake may have been a perfect spot for floatplanes, I think the lake deserves its rest from human interaction. Afterall, its just as beautiful in its own unobstructed way.
…except for the fact that the lake itself is an artificial creation of man. If we truly want to make this a wilderness then the two dams should be pulled and Lows Lake and Hitchens Pond be returned to the narrow watercourse that nature made there.
I think that floatplanes should be allowed to land on lakes as long as the lake is large enough and there are no endangered species that may be in harms way if the planes do land there.
i think they should allow it because it’s a great way to see the wilderness : ) and if they keep it maybe there could be a charge to enter that way if there is any problems to be fixed they can use the money to fix it.
yes, floatplanes should be allowed on lows lake. the impact is slight and the benifits many. the closure will put yet another local family,the Paynes of Inlet out of business.
no i do not think people should let float planes on lows lake becuase it wil eliminate the wilderness experience, and the lake is quiet enough without float planes going around the lake the float planes should not aloud to be on lows lake
Lows Lake needs to be off limits to float planes. Many of the people who come to the Adirondacks do so to get as far away from “civilization” as possible. Those that want to get to Lows Lake can do so in ways other than by plane. Lows Lake needs to be a great wilderness experience, not another stop on a “to do” list.
no because,it may polute the water.Also it may be harmfull to the animals that live in the water.I think they should only fly if nessasary.
yes
i think they shouldn’t be allowed lows lake, i’ve been there and it’s peaceful, it should stay that way
i don’t think they should because people can get hurt if there are boating. so that is whyt i don’ t thinkthey shoul have floatplants on low waters.
I support the DEC proposal of 2007 with the restrictions they specified.
i do not support float planes on a lake known for its solitude and seclusion. “manufactured” noise of all kinds assaults us on a daily basis. let’s protect these few pristine areas that permit us to hear only those noises produced by nature.
I think that they should not be aloud because they dsrupt the peacful silence and also put harmful carbon dioxide into the water. SO TAKE THEM OFF!!!!!!!
Yes. Definitely.
What is appealing to this area is the wilderness and beauty. If it is not preserved, it will no longer exist.
no I don’t think they should because people camp there.
Water should never have any restrictions. Water should be forever public. If you can get to the water without crossing private land, one should be able to enjoy.
allow those float planes that used the lake in the past to do so.
If you keep float planes off Lows Lake, keep canoes off Lake George
NO, we should reserve the lake. We should keep the lake save and keep all things living in it and around it safe. We need to keep the lake unharmed and do not touch the lake with the planes.
Yes they should be allowed with a significant fee attached to help fund environ. projects in the park for water and air quality and conservation. APA and sometimes DEC are way too restrictive and is missing funding opportunities such as these with over protection.
We value the wilderness experience - we must protect the environment from being detroyed.
protect the Earth. You only have one.
I think that a small section of the lake should be for floatplanes and the rest of the lake should be left alone. It is important to keep noise down as not to frighten the animals.
I think that limited access is appropriate.
Sure, why not, you shoudln’t discriminate against floatplanes!
i think YOU should split the time. Sunday , saturday and friday should be to campers and boaters. Weekdays are for the boats
Floatplanes should not be allowed on Lows lake.
Float Planes should be prohibited.
No. There are plenty of lakes that allow float planes and motor boats and very few that limit them. A lake of this size with moters is especially rare.
While it is important to limit access to pristine areas, it is equally important to allow access the some of these pristine areas. You can describe, show pictures, of lows lake, but until you live, breathe and see it no justice is done. therefore people should be ablt to access.
no i dont think floatplanes should be allowed on lows lake because of many different reasons. a couple reasons are that loud noisey planes can disturbed the peace…..also it can put animals and possibly humans in danger because of a crash…those are a couple reasones why i believe floatplanes should not be allowed on lows lake.
The limits on number of flights and landing ares is a reasonable compromise. There is no need to create a negative impact on economy and way of life to benefit a few people who want to have ‘exclusive’ enjoyment of that area.
I think floatplanes shouldn’t be allowed on Lows Lake because they could damage the water or hurt the lake life.
Yes I do think float planes should be allowed on the lake because they are not harming anything.
Limited floatplane flights should be allowed, similar to DEC’s proposal.
Float planes provide access to remote areas for people who do not have the time or physical ability to get there by other means. A float plane does not contribute to trail erosion, and leaves less impact than a canoe because extended stays are not necessary to visit the wilderness. Banning them is a shortsighted and useless gesture simply because there are so few of them.
no it will just be another polluted lake we have alot of polluted lakes already.
Love the quiet, peaceful feeling of just enjoying nature and the old fashion way of man power.
No. Because the noise might upset the animals.
No floatplanes should not be allowed on Lows Lake because the noise might wake up the campers if it is in the morning and it might bother the animals.
No planes on Lows Lake!
NO PLANE’S!
more and mor of the adks. are becoming the playground of part-time visitors. Less and less are becoming resident friendly for survival esp. when we only have 3 mos. to make a business work.
I think there should be a floatplane becuase it would be easy access to the water. Or if your plane has failed and you have no way of landing you can just pop out the landing gear for the water and everyone will be safe.
Yes because if a floatplane can’t land on one lake, soon they won’t be able to land on any lake. Why prohibit what they are ment to do.
well its beatter than building a runway or disturbing the area with helicopters in remote enviorments but you could always try getting really close by air to a runway or town and go in by foot plus thease planes have minimal impact on the enviorment
Floatplanes are extremely important to our community. Without them, our economy could go bust, just like the U.S.is right now. We need them to keep our economy strong and the appeal it shows to our visitors journeying here from all over the world.
I THINK FLOAT PLANES SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO LOWS LAKE AND ANY OTHER REMOTE LAKE IN THE PARK AND IM A LONG TIME RESIDENT THESE RULES ARE MADE BY PEOPLE THAT DO NOT KNOE OR LOVE THE ADIRONDAK MOUNTAINS
NO FLOATPLANES SHOULD BE ALLOWED IN THE ADIRONDACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep pristine beauty.
Floatplanes should be allowed on Lows Lake.
Let’s go one step further…:
It is time to abolish the APA. Write to all of your state legislators, as we are doing, to STOP ALL FUNDING for the APA immediately and it will go away.
RTS
I feel they should to insure the survivability of the local economy. I truly enjoy the quality of life in the ADK, that’s why I live here, but not at the expense of someone’s livelihood. Floatplanes are part of the history of the ADK’s and are used in true wildernesses such as Alaska; why not here.
floatplanes should only land in a controlled area were they cannot hit any people or wildlife. Something like a floating landing base, with a dock to transport any goods or people.
restricting the permits makes sense in my opinion as the region can still get the economic support, and the outdoor enthusiasts can still have access. a portion of the permit cost should benefit the local economy
Yes. Make a water runway and block it off with buoys. boaters would be safe and they could land
I think planes shouldn’t fly to Lows Lake, so both kids and adults will have a better wildlife expirience.
The number of floatplanes on Lows Lake is not significant to impact canoeing. We have paddled these waters many times and only saw a plane once.
I feel that the float planes should be able to land on these lakes. That way there would be more revenue in the area and the museum could lower its prices
Floatplanes should not be allowed on lows lake because it will damage the ecosystem their.
Yes! Floatplane Access Effective should be allowed. The Lake is NINE MILES!!!!!! helllloooooo! However, I think it should be a rule that you land near the beginning of the lake, if possible, and keep any people from either END of the lake.
yeah.
may pegacorns bless your day.
amen.
no
yes, under the restrictions described.
I was just reading an article about noise pollution and the paucity of silence in natural environments, so I guess I’m with the Adirondack Park on this one.
I would think that campers and hikers could pack into the area, and that this would make it a more desirable place to retreat into.
I believe that the planes are an important part of the tourism to the area. I myself would be unable to kike into the area due to a previous injury but would be able to get via plane. I believe that they should allow planes to the area but on a limited basis. The pilots must obtain a permit to knld there and then would only be allowed to land or take off a few days a week, not every day. this way the areas can be enjoyed by every one and the pristien silence of the area is still maintained most of the time!
i think tha float planes should only be alowed on certain parts and there should be some only wilderness parts
Yes, Let the planes fly into any Public Lake!
Why save the lakes just for a few! State Land belong to every one.
I feel that floatplanes should indeed
have access to the Lake. Government
should always have an ear open to the
concerns and interest to all people, not
just a select few…..
FLOAT PLANES SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED UNLESS THERE IS AN EMERGENCY. i THINK IT WOULD ENHANCE THE WILDERNESS IF THEY WHERE NOT ALLOWED.
It’s the frequency of float planes that is bothersome. If the number could be controlled, maybe that would be a good solution.
i’m a pilot and i enjoy the wilderness experience through canoeing, camping, climbing and hiking. to simply prohibit seaplanes that have been going in for years i don’t believe is right. however, if the frequency of takeoffs and landings is excessive i could see a time limit imposed. compromise from both sides could be a win-win situation. remember, we’re not talking about endless noise from say… jet-skis. part of the reason the place is still wilderness is the fact highways etc haven’t been built because of the use of seaplanes in the past…
I do not think planes should be allowed. I don’t have a good reason other than I like the peace and quiet of this pristine wilderness area.
What could be more intrusive on wilderness than the overpowering sound of an airplane landing or taking off?
No floatplanes. It is extremely difficult to find wild waterways these days, especially here in the east. I just spent a weekend on Lows Lake and maybe my most treasured memory of it is the silence.
Funny - those of you who speak about the wildness of Low’s Lake, dropped your canoe 10 feet from your car. Those of us who are looking for new ways to create economic development wonder why those of you who want to preserve everything haven’t come up with a compromise. If you take it away, what are you going to replace it with.
More lake should be open to seaplane. To restrict seaplanes will kill access to many sports men. Lows lake is a very special drop off point for seaplanes. Thank you.