Some New York voters may be puzzled by a seemingly obscure question on their ballots this year about authorizing Nordic ski trails on protected land in the Adirondacks.

The only statewide referendum in the Nov. 4 election is asking voters to amend the state constitution to carve out 1,039 acres of "forever wild" forest land for an existing sports destination near Lake Placid. About a third of that property — up to 323 acres — would be used for ski trails, biathlon courses and other facilities while the rest would stay untouched.

It turns out this is essentially a constitutional cleanup.

The complex at Mount Van Hoevenberg dates back to an initial bobsled run used in the 1932 Olympics, and it was upgraded in 1969 with a Nordic ski trail system used in the Lake Placid winter games in 19

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