Lake Placid, adirondacks, usa —The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) is pleased to announce the addition of Catherine Ericson as the Lake Placid and Whiteface Regional Marketing Manager. Ericson has been on the job a few weeks and is serving as a liaison between community stakeholders, travelers, and ROOST, and supports and coordinates destination marketing strategies for the two regions. She oversees the destination websites, LakePlacid.com and WhitefaceRegion.com, and is responsible for the regions’ social media marketing. She has strong ties to the region and an in-depth knowledge of the destination’s assets with regards to tourism. For the past 20 years, Ericsson has lived and worked in Lake Placid, raising two children with her husband. Most recently, she was an integral member of the marketing team for their family-owned businesses that include the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery, Big Slide Brewery and Cake Placid. “Catherine’s mix of marketing, team-building skills and in-depth knowledge of the area is a great asset for us and the communities she now promotes,” said ROOST CEO James McKenna. “We are excited to welcome her to the team and anticipate great contributions from her as we continue to work on collaborative efforts to promote Lake Placid and the Whiteface Region.” “I’m passionate about this community and the quality of life we enjoy here. This region is one of a kind,” Ericson said. “I look forward to working with local organizations and business owners toward increased economic growth by promoting the very experiences that make this such a wonderful place to live.” ROOST is the accredited destination marketing organization (DMO) responsible for promoting Essex, Hamilton and Franklin counties in the Adirondacks of New York. ROOST operates five offices located in Lake Placid, Crown Point, Malone, Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake. For more information about ROOST and its team, visit roostadk.com. ###

July 2017 Lake Placid tops the list of best small towns in upstate New York to visit. The popular travel, food, and entertainment website, thrillist.com, touts the village's hiking, beach, restaurants, and Olympic legacy. Read the article.

Bike Trail Upgrades Part of Governor Cuomo's Adventure NY Initiative Wilmington, N.Y. - More than 1.5 miles of bike trails, including a new loop opportunity, have been added to the Beaver Brook Trail Network in the Adirondacks, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Regional Director Bob Stegemann announced today. The trails are part of the Wilmington Bike Trail Network located on Forest Preserve lands in the Wilmington Wild Forest in the town of Wilmington, Essex County. "DEC continues to work with local government and other stakeholders to expand suitable recreational opportunities on the Adirondack Forest Preserve", said Director Stegemann. "The Adirondacks have long been a destination for hikers, paddlers, and campers during the summer. Now the area is becoming a destination for bikers while protecting the communities and pristine natural resources that have attracted people to the Adirondacks for more than a century." "Mountain biking in the Wilmington Wild Forest has been a huge success for Wilmington," said Randy Preston, Supervisor of the town of Wilmington. "The key has been the partnership between DEC, the town and BETA. DEC has listened to our requests and together we have developed the finest mountain biking trails in the Adirondacks. The system is located in a beautiful forested setting with views of the surrounding mountains which we continue to protect." The new trails were built under contract or agreement with and supervision of DEC as follows: The new 1.0-mile Ante Up Trail was constructed by Adirondack Mountain Club Professional Crew (ADK Pro Crew) and Barkeater Trail Alliance (BETA) volunteers; The new 0.25-mile Beaver Brook View Trail was constructed by BETA volunteers; and A new 0.3 mile section of the Lost Farm Trail was constructed by BETA volunteers. DEC also contracted with the ADK Pro Crew to construct a bridge over Beaver Brook that completes the loop on the Lost Farm Trail. This summer an Excelsior Conservation Corps work crew will improve the Beaver Brook View Trail to meet accessible trail standards to provide access for people with mobility disabilities. The trail improvements were made with $3,000 from the State's Environmental Protection Fund. The new trail increases the total mileage of trails in the Beaver Brook Trail Network to 8.5 miles and the mileage in the Wilmington Bike Trail Network to 21 miles. The Wilmington Bike Trail Network also includes 10 miles in the Flume Trail Network and the 2.5-mile Poor Man's Downhill Trail. Nearly two miles of additional trail mileage will be built this year in the Flume Trail Network, including a connector trail to the Wilmington Reservoir that will provide bikers with a connection between the trail network and the hamlet of Wilmington. This work will be completed through the combined efforts of BETA volunteers, crews from the ADK High School Volunteer Program, and crews from the Student Conservation Association Adirondack Program. The Flume Trail Network currently connects to the nearby Whiteface Mountain Bike Park via both the Lower Connector Trail and the Upper Connector Trail. Those two trails can be used free of charge and accessed from the Kid Kampus Parking Lot. A fee must be paid to use the other 25 trails and the services of the gondola lift and shuttles. Under Governor Cuomo's new Adventure NY Initiative, DEC is making strategic investments to expand access to healthy, active outdoor recreation; connect more New Yorkers and visitors to nature and the outdoors; protect natural resources; and boost local economies. This initiative will support the completion of more than 75 projects over the next three years, ranging from improvements to youth camps and environmental education centers to new boat launches, duck blinds, and hiking trails. National Geographic rated Wilmington one of America's 20 Best Mountain Bike Towns.

ROOST is hosting two informational meetings for Lake Placid marketing partners on Thursday, August 3 in the North Elba Room of the Conference Center at Lake Placid. 10 a.m: Global Sports initiatives update and discussion about the Ironman 70.3 race that will be held Sept. 10, 2017. 11 a.m.: Lake Placid marketing partner meeting to see how the summer is going, to share data that we have collected on the traveler trends, and to discuss ways we can work together in the future. Please RSVP to Kerry Blinn at kerry@roostadk.com if you are able to join us.

Lake Placid, adirondacks usa – The inaugural Ironman 70.3 race in Lake Placid is only weeks away, but officials have announced that volunteer opportunities are still available, including those for local nonprofit charities to qualify for Ironman Foundation grants. The Ironman 70.3 event will take place on September 10, 2017, with athletes traversing one lap of the swim, bike and run course, instead of the two laps required in the full Ironman Lake Placid held each July. The race will take place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. “This race is a terrific opportunity for volunteers to both raise money for their favorite charity, and to contribute to the success of this first-time event,” said Sue Cameron, Ironman volunteer director and events manager for the Lake Placid-based Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism. “Volunteering for an Ironman race can be life changing for many. It is both inspiring as well as an opportunity to help the community, the athletes and meet great new friends. On top of all that, it’s a really fun way to spend all or part of the day. Who knows? You may be inspired enough to take the plunge and race yourself next year." Just like the full-distance race, the Ironman 70.3 depends upon a large pool of volunteers. And though it represents a shorter time commitment than the longer race in July, the 70.3 also offers grant funding for volunteer groups that support the event. Each year, the Ironman Foundation accepts grant applications from nonprofit groups with a volunteerism component from all of their U.S. race communities. Since 2003, the Foundation has supported a variety of Adirondack community efforts at various levels, such as awarding a grant to purchase an off-road ATV for the Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department, and refurbishing the tennis courts in Lake Placid. The Foundation has also funded the Uihlein Ironman Sports Fund with more than $125,000 to distribute locally. Typically, nonprofit groups select one volunteer ‘station’ for their group to manage or to provide a contingent of volunteers for during the race. Cameron notes that there are still some fun volunteer assignments available this year for both individuals and groups. “Charities do not necessarily have to have 501c3 status,” added Cameron. “We welcome new volunteer groups of 20 or more people to raise funds for their cause, whether it is a boy or girl scout troop, a college club, or raising funds to cover travel expenses for a high school sports team, to name just a few. There are many other organizations that could qualify for grant funds. If you give us a call, we can let you know if your group would qualify.” The Ironman Foundation was established in 2003 as a way to leave a legacy behind in communities where Ironman events take place. Since its inception, the Ironman Foundation has given over $1.5 million to support community funds in the Lake Placid region, and grant applications are welcome from qualified organizations from throughout the Northeast. Groups interested in applying for Ironman Foundation grants should contact Sue Cameron at sue@roostadk.com for more information. Individuals interested in volunteering for this year’s Ironman 70.3 can sign up for available positions online at: http://bit.ly/IMLP70_3. ### Media contact: Kim Rielly, director of communications Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism