 
Welcome to the
Star Lake Protective Association
The SLPA has been dedicated to the preservation of Star Lake
since 1901.
The Star Lake Protective Association's
mission is "to promote the protection and improvement of Star Lake and the surrounding property and environment".
We are a non-regulatory, non-profit organization which conducts meetings
twice a year and sponsors recreational events and activities for lake
residents and visitors. See
About the SLPA
for more information.
Star Lake, located in northern New York State, is a small, pristine lake situated in the western
foothills of the Adirondack Mountains.
Star Lake shares its borders with a
hamlet of the same name. About half of its
lake residents live here year-round in winterized homes, enjoying four true
"north country" seasons. Others
come to Star Lake on vacations,
week-ends or "for the summer" to visit their vacation cottages,
some of which are well over 100 years old, built in the true Adirondack
camp fashion. All enjoy the
cool, crystal-clear lake water in a
great variety of ways. Fishing, swimming, and all types of water sports
and boating are popular. There is a Star Lake Regatta every year for
sailing enthusiasts. Canoes and kayaks are in abundance.
Many
consider their "rafts" the vehicle of choice as they slowly
motor around the lake in relative luxury and comfort. Motor boats
and jet skis are also popular for tubing, knee boarding and water
skiing. No matter what your favorite watercraft, you can enter the
annual Poker Run. Star Lake has a sandbar that has been referred to as the
"village green," where Star Lakers get together to socialize. There is something for everyone on this very special
little lake.

This site was developed in March, 2007
and is constantly evolving as new new content
is being planned and articles are revised. You are invited to browse around
and come back often for updated or new information. If you are a
member, look for Association news, particularly in the
Members' Area (you will need to be a
member with a
username and password). If you are not a member, please consider
joining us in our endeavor to keep Star Lake beautiful, clean and safe
for all to enjoy for generations to come. Please feel free to use
the multi-purpose
Feedback form to comment on the site or ask
for information. |
It's Ice-Out, 4/8/2022!
A replay of last year, April started with mild,
breezy days--conditions ripe for ice-melting.
4/6/22 A picture-perfect sunny day in the fifties gave us
hope for an early ice-out, like last year on this day! Ice has
receded around the shoreline and during the day, it became darker
and more open water became visible.
4/7/22 A prediction of rain all day with temps in the low
fifties saw the ice starting to break up. The wind was pushing it
from the east. It won't be long now. Perhaps a raft
ride, later in the day, if the rain lets up. It
rained all day and no rafts made it on the lake in spite of there
being a clear path to the cut.
4/8/22 It's officially "ice-out" when a raft can make it
to and through the cut. So, we can say the ice was out on 4/8/2022.
It was still raining early in the morning; but by 8:00, it had
stopped and we headed the raft out toward the cut. We got
about half-way across and saw Mike S. headed our way. We both
motored through and tied up on the other side of the cut, took
pictures, and had a nice visit.
Click a
picture for a larger view; click the browser's "back" button to return.
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4/8/2022 Wind had shifted
remaining ice on third lake, with a misty Maple Mountain
in the background. |
4/8/2022 There was still
quite a bit of ice around Lulu Island. |
4/8/2022 It was fitting that
the first loon sighting occurred on our first day on
open water. |
4/8/2022 Post Office Bay was
still pretty ice-locked. Most of the bays still
had considerable ice in them. |
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4/8/2022 Looking back, Mike
S. was a very close second raft to navigate the cut for
2022 (not to rub it in... ). |
4/8/2022 "First raft through
the cut" goes to the Pat/Bo team for the 2nd year in a
row. |
4/8/2022 We fired up the
raft, not a moment too soon, as we saw Mike S. headed
for the cut also. |
4/8/2022 Early morning
showed that the ice had shifted a bit, but there still
was a clear path to the cut. |
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4/7/2022 No rafts were seen, but
this zoomed in pic showed the cut clearly accessible.
ICE OUT DAY 4/7/2022! |
4/7/2022 By 3:05 pm, a vast
area had opened up. Remaining ice was dark and
honeycombed. |
4/7/2022 At 2:20 pm, a clear
path to the cut opened, as the wind shifted the ice to
the west side of third lake. |
4/7/2022 By noon, quite a
bit more open water was seen--great progress! |
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4/7/2022 At 9 am, the ice
had broken up considerably. Later in the day it
might be navigable. |
4/7/2022 An even warmer day
with rain and a good breeze opened up much of the bay
around Swiss Point. |
4/6/2022 The nice weather
also provided incentive to put the motor on, to be
ready. |
4/6/2022 A sunny, breezy
day, with temps in the 50's, saw significant darkening
of the ice. |
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Visit
Us Through the Star Lake Handbook
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Postcard
Gallery--Take a Historical Tour
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The Star Lake Handbook is a 20-page color
booklet describing scenic
Star Lake and the Star Lake Protective Association.
Contents include historical facts about the lake,
pictures, a map and fishing and boating information. The
Handbook is a compilation of many people's efforts and is
provided to inform and entertain.
Click
here
to access and read the most recent
edition of the Handbook. Use the
feedback link to order printed copies, if
you like. Past editions are available for viewing in PDF
format.
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2/5/2017
The
Postcard Gallery has been recently
updated with 36 new (old) postcards in the
Members' Area. Take a
tour of Star Lake as our
great-grandparents knew it. Many of the postcards date back to the
early 1900's, when Star Lake was a thriving recreational summer retreat. Visit "Post Cards" to see Star Lake in a
totally different way. (A username and password is required) |
2023 SLPA Meetings and Events
|
Date |
Event |
Place |
Time |
Sat, June 24 |
Regular Meeting, socializing/refreshments; meeting to
follow |
SOS Adirondack Exhibit Center |
10:00 am |
Weds. July 5 |
First Lake Road Clean-up |
Meet at CFCS (school) parking lot |
9:00 am |
Weds. Aug 9 |
Lake Shoreline Clean-up |
Meet at the Sandbar |
10:00 am |
Sat, Aug 12 |
17th Annual Poker-Run |
Meet at the sandbar to register |
12:00 noon |
Sat. Aug 26 |
Annual Meeting, socializing/refreshments; meeting to
follow |
SOS Adirondack Exhibit Center |
10:00 am |
Sat. Aug 26 |
Potluck Picnic? |
TBA |
TBA |
Weds, Sept 13 |
Second Lake Road Clean-up |
Meet at CFCS (school) parking lot |
9:00 am |
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Boating
Safety Class Now On-line
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Please Use the New DEC Boat Washing Station
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The
NYS Parks and Recreation people have announced that anyone can
now receive a boating safety certificate by taking the course
on-line. This course is equivalent to the 8-hour classroom
course offered locally in the past. Once the course has
been successfully completed, a written certificate is issued and
boaters can, at their option, have the certification stated on
their driver's license, learning permit or non-driver ID, much
like motorcycle certification is indicated on the license.
For more information about fees and how to
enroll, follow
this link. If you are local and would like to
know more about enrolling in a classroom Boating Safety course
this summer, use our feedback form
and we will provide local instructor contact information.
Currently, it is a legal requirement for
all jet ski (pwc) operators and for all boat operators born
after May 1, 1996 to successfully complete the boaters' safety
course. For jet ski operation,
only children 14
and up can take the course and operate a PWC legally.
Children from 10 to 19 cannot
operate a boat alone unless they take and pass the course.
The SLPA supports any effort to keep our lake
and the people who use it safe and we encourage anyone who
operates a motorized boat or jet ski to take this course.
Hopefully this will lead to the safe, responsible operation of
watercraft.
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A
New Boat Washing Station is in operation
for the Clifton-Fine area as part of a pilot program by the
State to keep invasive species at bay. The site is located
at the corner of Rt. 3 and County Rt. 60, near J&L. The
wash station is manned by volunteers from Paul Smith's College
five
days a week from 7 am to 4 pm and will eventually be available
seven days a week.
The DEC advises boaters and anglers to check
their boats, trailers and other fishing and boating equipment
for any plants or animals that may be clinging to it. It's
the law: "Following
a thorough inspection, boats should be cleaned, drained and
dried." If you stop in with your boat, you will
receive a free careful inspection and a 140-degree power washing
to kill free-loading plants and creatures.
Lakes in the Adirondack Park are relatively
free of invasive plants and animals so far; but there has been a
recent push by New York State to insure that they do not get
introduced into our pristine lakes and streams. Invasive
species like milfoil, zebra mussels, clams, and water fleas can
be introduced to clean lakes by careless boaters and fishermen.
Invasive species generally come from Lake Ontario, the St.
Lawrence river or other contaminated bodies of water clinging to
boat bottoms, trailors and fishing gear. Boats, trailers,
livewells, and gear need to be properly inspected and
cleaned before launch into another body of water. This new
washing station should make it easier for those who move boats
from lake to lake. So, if you are heading across the Route 3
corridor, please stop in for this free inspection and washing.
And please, help us to keep our lakes and waterways free
of invasives. For
more info, go
here; click graphic to enlarge for viewing; press back to
return.
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New York State Boater's Guide
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SLPA Hosts
Cycle Adirondacks to Star Lake |
The
New York
State Boater's Guide, which we have made available
to members at meetings in printed form, provides a wealth of
boating information. Included in this guide are useful links to various New York
agencies and current legal requirements for boating
registration, licensing and operation in New York State.
"This guide provides basic boating safety information on such
topics as registration, operation, equipment and rules of the
road, however we strongly encourage every boater to sign up for
some formal boating instruction before venturing out on their
own."
If you are new to boating; or if you would like
to know more about New York boating regulations, you should read
this booklet. The free guide can be downloaded
here in .pdf form to
be read or printed.
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On
Sunday, August 23, 2015, 150 to 200 cyclists stopped in Star Lake,
one of six stops on their 450+ mile journey through the
Adirondacks. While in town, SLPA volunteers took
those interested on a raft ride, culminating in
a get-together on the sandbar where refreshments were served. One of Star Lake's
distinctive features is the more than 100 motorized rafts that
slowly cruise around the lake. Cyclists got to see
what makes this lake so special to all of us as they rode
on these unique water crafts. After being picked up at the
Star Lake Haven's shore, they rode over to the sandbar to partake of
some true Star Lake hospitality and socializing, sandbar-style. Many other
activities were planned by community leaders including a free
concert at the school. The raft ride was
just one of them, but as many said later, it was the most
memorable, pleasurable experience--much positive feedback was
received by the Cycle Adirondacks participants.
To read the article about Cycle Adirondacks
and Star Lake rafts in Vermont Sports, go
here. An article from Adventure Cycling Magazine can
be found here. To Learn more about Cycle Adirondacks, go to
their website
here. |
Articles
about Star Lake Rafts...
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2022 Poker
Run--A Great Day on the Lake!
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Click
the picture on the left to read a June 27,
2010 article about Star Lake rafts in The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, OH,
written by Evelyn Theiss, recent visitor to Star Lake.
(press "back"
to return to this page).
Read another article in
Vermont Sports about Star Lake rafts and Cycle
Adirondacks' visit to Star Lake on 8/23/2015.
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It was
another beautiful day on Star Lake for the 2022 Poker
Run. The sun came out and stayed out, helping to
make this year's event even more successful. A
great time was had by all! This year’s theme was
"Countries Around the World" and decorations were
amazing.
(more) |
Vessels of all sizes returned to
the sandbar to compare hands and party!
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Recent Meeting Minutes:
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Member Information & Logon
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If you're interested in what
happened at the last meeting, visit the recent
meetings link. While the archives are for members
only, we are providing minutes from the most recent meetings in order to
keep everyone in the community informed of SLPA activities and
events. Also, a copy of the latest
spring mailing is found here. If you are on the lake, perhaps you might come to
the next meeting?
(photo by Rod Miller)
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We maintain a members' area that is password-protected to
insure the
privacy of our members. If you already have your logon
info, feel free to visit the
Members'
Area. If you are a member and don't yet
have a username and password; or, if you would like
to join the SLPA, please use the feedback
form to contact us. Currently, dues are $20 per calendar
year.
(photo by Leon Zois)
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Local Star Lake Weather at a Glance...
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Live-view of Weather on Star Lake

The weather station on Swiss
Point came on-line August, 2012. Real-time
data is sent out to Weather Underground and Davis WeatherLink
(on the left).
An almost real-time view Star Lake is
provided by a webcam on Swiss Point, installed
in 2014. The picture above is
updated every five minutes to provide an up-to-the
minute view of the weather.
For more weather info, visit the
Star Lake Weather
Page.
(A username and password is required)
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(Follow the links above for more detailed
information; press "back" to return to this page) |
'Tis the Season...
Here are the most recent seasonal pictures of the lake,
in chronological order.
Go to the
'Tis the Season page to see more than
12 complete years of seasonal
pictures of Star Lake! To go to the
'Tis the Season page
in the Members' Area, a username/password is required.
Members can use the feedback link and fill out the form to request the
current username and password. (click on a picture for a larger
view; press "back" to return to this page).
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3/25/2023 Another view of a gorgeous
sunrise reflecting across the ice. Temps in the 40's all
week! |
3/25/2023 The first really colorful
sunrise of spring. Rain and snow fell later in the day. |
3/22/2023 'Tis the season for the
first robin sighting on the second day of spring. Snow is
slowly melting. |
3/21/2023 The first day of spring! |
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3/19/2023 And, after the clean-up,
the dogs enjoy the new paths. |
3/19/2023 Up and down the weather
roller coaster, another foot of snow. |
3/15/2023 And, another clean-up for
a few days. |
3/14/2023 Yet another snow fall
overnight. |
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3/7/2023 A very typical view of Star
Lake. Hopefully, we are on our way to an early spring! |
3/3/2023 March began with some
chilly, misty mornings. |
2/21/2023 Snow, all but gone,
started to return, slowly covering the exposed green grass. |
2/15/2023 February had many
temperature swings, bringing a snow meltdown on the lake. |
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2/12/2023 A sun pillar graced this
morning's sunrise. |
2/9/2023 The sunrise just kept
getting better as the morning progressed. |
2/9/2023 A red fox takes a morning
stroll across the lake. |
2/9/2023 Another nice start to the
day! |
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11/6/2010 A wintry panorama of Star Lake, looking east off
Swiss Point, kind of makes you shiver as cloudy sky and early snow showers
blanketed the lake in shades of gray, devoid of any remnants of
recently-departed fall colors.
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