The Tug Hill Blog

The Paddle of Big Sandy Creek

Posted on by Robert

The Battle of Big Sandy Creek occurred on May 29th 1814 between British and American forces during the War of 1812. It was an American victory that would prove inconsequential as the British retained control of the Great Lakes.

The Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812.
Lossing, Benson (1868). The Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812. Harper & Brothers

The Paddle of Big Sandy Creek occurred last weekend and was significantly less violent. Farah and I had been scoping out beaches and kayaking spots along Lake Ontario when we learned of Big Sandy Creek.

Located within the Lakeview Wildlife Management area, the paddle is a 4 mile out-and-back that takes paddlers past Goose Pond and out to the sandy beaches along Lake Ontario. It is the same route used in the battle during The War of 1812.

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Tagged: Paddling, Tug Hill9 Comments

Rebuilding Snow Ridge

Posted on by NYSkiBlog

In the evening on Monday August 7, severe weather ripped through southern Lewis County in New York. The next day the National Weather Service in Buffalo confirmed that the storm was an EF-3 tornado with wind speeds topping out at 140 mph. The storm carved a path of destruction 16 miles long and 700 feet across at it’s widest point. The last time an EF-3 tornado touched down in New York was back in 2014.

Tornado path map courtesy localsyr.com

The storm’s destruction began near West Leyden and stretched northeast to Turin NY. The Village of Turin was subject to significant damage. Snow Ridge Ski Resort and the West Wind Motel, 1/2 mile north of the ski area were hit hardest. After that, the long rampage ended; beyond the West Wind Motel damage was minimal.

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Tagged: Snow Ridge, Tug Hill1 Comment

Snow Ridge 3rd Annual Park Jam

Posted on by Robert

The Annual Flower Skate Shop Park Jam at Snow Ridge became my favorite event when launched in 2021. Now in its 3rd year the event has been getting better with a tight park setup and good vibes all around. It’s been an awesome community event with loads of familiar faces each year.

I’ve watched as my Woods Valley crew and other local groups have congealed together around this one event. Although my dreams of winning such an event have faded, it’s still a blast to ride and push myself with all the homies cheering me on. You can bet I have this event marked on my calendar each year; when the date was confirmed I pulled out the park board one last time and got ready for Saturday.

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Tagged: Park, Snow Ridge, Tug Hill4 Comments