Experiencing Total Solar Eclipse Over Adirondack State Park, NY

In 2018, we stumbled into a partial solar eclipse while at Lassen Volcanic National Park. When we researched future solar eclipses over the United States, the 2024 eclipse tracked right over the Adirondack State Park in upstate NY. It was a no brainer to put it on the calendar and see how different a total eclipse was from a partial eclipse. It did not disappoint.

Early April in Upstate New York can bring snow, sweltering heat or both. In this case, we got cooler weather with some sun, even though it was blocked by the moon! A few days before we drove up, the region got over a foot of snow which allowed us to bring along our skis and check our Gore Mountain for some fun spring skiing with limited crowds. We got a couple long runs in to start the morning and left after lunch when the slush started grabbing our skis. This winter, skiing was new for me, Leona, and Quincy, while Mary dusted off some cobwebs. It was a great way to explore during the winter.

Monday, April 8, 2024, was eclipse day so we grabbed our chairs and headed down to the lake for some unobstructed views along with other people staying up near our location. I had purchased a solar filter for my camera as well as solar glasses for everyone to wear during the eclipse.

As the moon started blocking the sun, the sky got this wild hue of color – orangey, pink, blue. It was really fascinating to see it transform so quickly. The temperature dropped a bit and then the real magic showed up. Once the moon fully blocked the sun, we took off our glasses to enjoy totality for a few minutes and see beauty in action. It was wild to think we could see planets during midday, next to the sun because of how dark it got.

The biggest highlight was when the girls asked when the next total solar eclipse was because they loved it so much! That’s a win in my books. So 2026 in Greenland, Iceland, or Spain….tentatively.