NEW YORK'S SEE-NIC VIEW
Upstate sits under historic eclipse path
New Yorkers have a month to prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see something that is literally out of this world.
A total solar eclipse will be seen across North America on April 8, and the zone of totality — where the moon completely blocks out the light of the sun — will be observable across huge swaths of upstate New York, from Buffalo to the Finger Lakes to the Adirondack Mountains.
Nearly 4 million New Yorkers live within the 100-mile-wide path of totality, and hundreds of thousands more are expected to travel within the state to see the amazing spectacle, according to data forecasted by the website Great American Eclipse.
Solar eclipses are only visible about every 18 months worldwide and about once every 400 years from any given location, so now is the time to order solar safety glasses and start making a plan.
The eclipse will be viewable in major cities like Austin, Dallas, Indianapolis and Cleveland before first contact — when the moon starts to take its first nibble out of the sun — becomes visible at 2:04 p.m. in Buffalo.
By 3:20 p.m., Western New York will be in total darkness for up to 3 minutes and 46 seconds depending on one’s location in the path of totality. By 4:32 p.m., the sun will be fully visible, according to NASA, which produced an interactive map of the eclipse’s path.
Buffalo to Plattsburgh
The same sequence of events will play out in Plattsburgh, 300 miles to the northeast of New York City, starting nine minutes later.
In between, the eclipse can be viewed in the Adirondacks High Peaks region, where ski resorts like Whiteface Mountain will close at 2 p.m. and usher non-skiers up the mountain by gondola for a viewing party that costs $50.
The Olympic Center in nearby Lake Placid will host an “Eclipse the House” viewing party under a wide open sky at the speed-skating oval, with food, music and eyeglasses provided.
The events had already attracted lots of interest, officials said, and no Lake Placid hotels were available on Priceline for that two-day span.
“I think we’ll see a good amount of people. I don’t know if we’ll see more than the 1980 Olympics though,” quipped Darcy Rowe Norfolk, communications director for the Olympic Regional Development Authority in Lake Placid.
The area, known for its 46 mountains more than 4,000 feet tall, has infinite viewing opportunities for intrepid types. But scenic summit views are not without their pitfalls either in the early spring, hikers warn.
“First off, you really want to have a map and know where your trailhead parking is. And, the trailhead parking may not be available, it may be full. So think about an alternative,” said Laurie Rankin, 64, president of the Adirondack 46ers club.
“Secondly, when it comes to being on the High Peaks in April, it may be very spring-like down low, and it will still be full-on winter up high,” she said.
New York officials last week announced a “range of events and activities to celebrate” the historic event at state parks throughout the totality zone, all of them free of charge.
“Our top priority is ensuring that New Yorkers and visitors can safely witness this generational spectacle, and I encourage everyone to keep safety in mind so that all can savor this experience in our state,” Gov. Hochul said.