The

Cloudsplitter

Vol. 77 No. 2 April-June 2014

published by the ALBANY CHAPTER of the ADIRONDACK CLUB

The Cloudsplitter is published quarterly by the Albany Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and is distributed to the membership. All issues (January, April, July, and October) feature activities schedules, trip reports, and other articles of interest to the outdoor enthusiast.

All outings should now be entered on the web site www.adk-albany.org . Echoes should be entered on the web site www.adk-albany.org with your login information.

The Albany Chapter may be Please send your address and For Club orders & membership For Cloudsplitter related issues, reached at: phone number changes to: call (800) 395-8080 or contact the Editor at: Albany Chapter ADK Adirondack Mountain Club e-mail: [email protected] The Cloudsplitter Empire State Plaza 814 Goggins Road home page: www.adk.org c/o Karen Ross P.O. Box 2116 Lake George, NY 12845-4117 7 Bird Road Albany, NY 12220 phone: (518) 668-4447 Lebanon Spgs., NY 12125 home page: fax: (518) 668-3746 e-mail: [email protected] www.adk-albany.org

Submission deadline for the next issue of The Cloudsplitter is May 15, 2014 and will be for the months of July, August, and September, 2014. Many thanks to Gail Carr for her lovely spring drawing of "Jack-in-the-pulpits with frog."

April 2, May 7, and June 4 (1st Wednesdays) Business Meeting of Chapter Officers and Committees 6:00 p.m. at Little’s Lake in Menands Chapter members are encouraged to attend - please call John Sheehan at 674-8121

Chapter Meetings are held at the West Albany Fire House (Station #1), 113 Sand Creek Road, Albany. Education Sessions start at 6:30 prior to the membership meeting. Programs begin following the Chapter business meeting. Refreshments are served after the meetings.

April 8 (2nd Tuesday) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETING 6:30 P.M. Education Session: Outfitting a Kayak-- It’s time to get your kayak ready for the paddling season. We will look at improving the fit and function of flat water kayaks, including seating, back bands, decklines, hatches, and more. Program: African Sojourn: Mt. Kilimanjaro and Beyond-- Jean Quattrocchi will share with us not only the sights and experiences of her recent trip to Africa, but will explain her preparation and execution strategies. For example, she stopped overnight in Holland to help her adjust to the time change. She continued on to her seven-day expedition to the summit Mt. Kilimanjaro, the continent’s tallest peak. She then took a wildlife safari in Tanzania after which she visited the Malawi village for which she and her students helped raise funds to purchase and install a lifesaving fresh water pump.

May 13 (2nd Tuesday) ANNUAL BANQUET Mallozzi's Clubhouse at Western Turnpike Golf Course, Western Avenue, Guilderland, NY 12084. Gathering begins at 6:00 p.m.. Dinner at 7:00 p.m. See flyer p. 22. PRESENTATION BY JON BOWERMASTER, Writer, Filmmaker and Adventurer

June 10 (2ndTuesday) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETING 6:30 P.M. Education Session: Summer Gear Sale-- Bring your extra camping and hiking gear to the sale. Similar to our winter gear sale in January, we ask that sellers donate 10% to the Chapter. Please tag your gear with a price and your name. We will not have an education session this month, to make room and time for the sale. Program: Potpourri Night-- Now it's your turn to share tales of the wild outdoors and adventures with your fellow Club members. We will look forward to your wowing us with your slides or photos (Power Point preferred). To get on the roster, contact Thea Hoeth at [email protected]

2 ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE

PARTICIPANTS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

FITNESS: Know your level of fitness and limitations. The trip leader will ask questions about your experience, fitness, equipment, medical condition, expectations, etc. Be Honest!

TRIP RATINGS: Understand that the level of effort is not the same as the level of difficulty. Trip ratings are for level of effort. Realize that “moderate” for a physically fit person may mean outrageously strenuous for a novice and/or unconditioned person.

HIKERS EFFORT ELEVATION MILES TIME RATING LEVEL GAIN (FEET) (HOURS) A+ Very Strenuous 4,000+ 10+ 10+ A Strenuous 3,000+ 5 – 10 8 – 10 B+ Moderately Strenuous 2,000+ 5 – 10 6 – 8 B Moderate 1,000+ 8 --10 5 – 7 C+ Fairly Easy 1,000+ 5 – 8 4 – 6 C Easy Under 1,000 Under 5 Under 5

Not all trips fit cleanly into one of these categories. Whenever you are unclear about a rating for a trip, leaders will be happy to explain what their designated rating means.

PADDLERS MILES PORTAGES WATER CLASS A 12+ Long (½ mile+) II – Whitewater B 6 – 12 Short I – Moving C Under 6 None Flat

BIKERS MILES TERRAIN A 30+ Moderate to steep B 15-30 Moderate C Less than 15 Flat to Moderate

Please Note: Unless otherwise stated, please sign up with the leader for all Chapter activities. Do not simply show up at the designated meeting place. Arrive at the carpooling site before the stated departure time. Please pay the driver to offset the costs of driving. Do not bring a pet unless the trip leader agrees that it is okay, and bring a leash. Please stay with the group or ask to proceed and stop at the first intersection and wait for the entire group to re-assemble. You are expected to carry adequate equipment, water and food. If in doubt about what to bring, ask the trip leader! Suggestions for all seasons:

 Water: 2 - 3 Quarts  Layered Clothing (NO cotton)  Extra Socks  Hat  Shell (wind & rain)  Extra Sweater or Jacket  Headlamp  Gloves  Sturdy Boots  Sun Glasses/Screen (SPF 15)  First Aid Kit  Food  Map & Compass Waterproof Matches   Emergency Blanket

Winter Add-ons:  Skis or Snowshoes  Crampons  Ski Pole or Ice Axe  Extra Food  Warm liquids  Extra layers

3 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

I have made it my objective as Chapter Chair to have all of our officer and committee chair positions filled with persons whose experience and skills fit the position. That has worked out, as we have great resources to draw from in the Albany Chapter. I would like to introduce our new Treasurer, Steve Cornell. Steve is also a retired CPA who spent his career with the NYS Office of Audit & Control. Since the treasurer is an elected position, Steve was voted in as interim treasurer by the Executive Committee to finish the current term until the June elections. There will be other changes in elected positions which will be on the ballot to be distributed in May. Changes in non-elected positions include Gene Reilly as Trails Chair and Sandy Costanzo as Banquet Chair. Club wide, we also have a significant change in leadership. Jim Bird has term-limited out of the position as Club President. John Gilewicz, of the Niagara Frontier Chapter, was voted in by the Board of Directors at the December meeting. The December Board of Directors meeting also produced a very interesting discussion. One of the directors introduced a motion for the club to divest itself of any fossil fuel stock as a philosophical stand more in line with the “green” mission of the club. The outcome of the discussion was that such divestment, of what amounts to about 4% of our portfolio, is not possible due to the way fossil fuel stocks are integrated into the mutual fund accounts. The alternative that came out of the discussion was for the Club to take some positive steps to reduce our carbon footprint. There is currently movement toward establishing a committee to explore alternative energy options for ADK facilities. In addition to reducing our use of fossil fuel, it will also support the Green Energy industry, and that is very much in line with the mission of the Club. If anyone has any expertise in the field of alternative energy and would like to volunteer to help out, contact me and I can put you in touch with the appropriate person. This all sounds very business-like and it is. Even though we are a not-for-profit corporation, ADK is still a business, and the reason the Club is 90 years old and still healthy is because the officers put so much thought into these decisions. But remember, we are still an outdoor club--so get out and enjoy the snow while you can and the warmth of spring when it arrives.

--- John Sheehan, Spring, 2014

Albany ADK Members Annual Photo Contest

The Albany Chapter of ADK presents the Albany ADK Members Annual Photo Contest. Some of the most beautiful images of our natural world are captured through the camera lenses of Albany ADK members. For the contest, we invite you to submit your photos in any of the following four categories:

1. Scenic Nature 2.People Outdoors 3. Wildlife 4.Wildflowers/Fungi

Only current Albany Chapter Members are eligible to enter the contest. Prizes will be presented at the Annual Banquet on May 13, 2014. You do not need to be present to receive your award. The deadline for submission of photos is April 10, 2014. Winners will be notified on or about May 1, 2014.

Photos being submitted must be taken in the Northeast. We want ADK members to be able to visit and enjoy the general areas where the photos are taken. Some of the most dramatic and inspirational moments from nature can be captured in the Adirondacks, the Catskills, nature preserves, and other wilderness areas of the Northeastern states.

Prizes: The winners in each of the four categories (total of 12 prizes) will be chosen by an impartial panel of judges. Each winner will receive one of the following prizes.

1st Place $50 2nd Place $25 gift certificate 3rd Place $15 gift certificate

Please refer to the Albany Chapter website www.adk-albany.org for further details about the contest.

4 THE CLOUDSPLITTER

April-June 2014 Vol. 77 No. 2

Albany Chapter - Adirondack Mountain Club Combined Activities Schedule

Month Day Destination or Event Leader Rating Apr 2 (Wed) Baxter & Gilligan Antonio B 3 (Thu) Whitewater Paddling--Normanskill Dewes, Woods A 3-5 (Th-Sa) Club Days at Adirondack Paddle'n'pole Macha 8 (Tue) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING--African Sojourn 11 (Fri) Merck Forest Views Susko B 12 (Sat) Buck Mountain Seward B 15 (Tue) Vanderwhacker Mountain Priest B 17 (Thu) Hopkins Priest A 23 (Wed) Warren County Bike Path Traver B 23 (Wed) Five Mile Mountain Seward B 24 (Thu) Zim Smith Bike Trail Breslin C 25 (Fri) Brace & Frissell Mountains Sheehan B 26 (Tue) Young Adults Group--Overlook Mtn. Graudons/Letcher B 26 (Sat) Taconic Crest Trail (TCT) Trail Work Pisaneschi B 26 (Sat) Rusk, Hunter, S/W Hunter and Westkil Scaife A+ 26 (Sat) Kayderosseras Creek Paddle Beach B 26 (Sat) Spring Bird Walk at Vischer Ferry Good C 27 (Sun) New Member Orientation/Open House Sheehan 29 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Mohawk River Macha B 30 (Wed) Saddle Ball Mountain Antonio A May 3 (Sat) Devil's Path Scaife A+ 6 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Mohawk River Glenville Orr B 9 (Fri) Cod and Kibby Ponds Antonio C+ 10 (Sat) Chenango River--Oxford to Greene Siegard B 10 (Sat) Young Adults Group-- Graudons/Letcher B 11 (Sun) Schodack Island Paddle Pisaneschi B 11 (Sun) Sleeping Beauty Mother's Day Hike Pacuk C+ 13 (Tue) ADK BANQUET--See Flyer page 22 14 (Wed) New & Prospective Trip Leaders Workshop Traver 14 (Wed) Evening Paddle--Mohawk Freddie's Park McGuire, Jacobson C 15 (Thu) Walkway Over the Hudson Breslin B 16 (Fri) Paddle Hudson River--Papscanee etc. Valentino B 17 (Sat) Fir & Spruce Mountains Susko B 17 (Sat) Thomas Mountain Sheppard C+ 17 (Sat) Treadway Mountain Seward B 18 (Sun) Mountain Johnson B+ 20 (Tue) Evening Paddle --Hudson & Mohawk Luchsinger/Snopkowski B/C 20 (Tue) Rochester Hollow Henrikson B 21 (Wed) Pharaoh Lake Seward B 23 (Fri) Little Porter Sheehan B 24 (Sat) Acra, & Johnson A 25 (Sun) Hoosic River Paddle Macha B 25 (Sun) Susquehanna River Sunday Sojourn Luchsinger C+ 28 (Wed) Evening Paddle--Mohawk River Lock 7 Dewes, Cherkosly C 31 (Sat) Annual Mohawk River Cleanup Bickel, Pusatere C 31 (Sat) Catskill Wildflower Hike Siegard B 31 (Sat) Hurricane Mtn.--Teens and Others Sheppard B 31 (Sat) Haystack and Marcy Scaife A+ 31 (Sat) Blackhead Range Johnson A+

5

Month Day Destination or Event Leader Rating May 31-Jun1 Novice/Intermediate Whitewater Instruction Dewes, Woods A Jun 2 (Mon) Paddle Schodack Creek Valentino B 3 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Hudson River Bethlehem McGuire, Jacobson C 7 (Sat) National Trails Day at Thacher Park Schaller C 7 (Sat) Esther & Whiteface Kase A+ 7 (Sat) Seward B 8 (Sun) Five Rivers 70 Years Old or Older Pacuk C 8 (Sun) East Branch Delaware/Pepactin Reservoir Siegard A 10 (Tue) Lake George Eagle--Viewing Paddle Traver C 10 (Tue) Killington Peak, Vt Ross, McCarron B+ 10 (Tue) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING--Photo Potpourri 11 (Wed) Evening Paddle--Mohawk River Macha B 11 (Wed) Ok Slip Falls Henrikson B 13 (Fri) Plotter Kill Nature Preserve Antonio C+ 14 (Sat) Priest A 14 (Sat) Stoppel, North Mountain & South Mountain Johnson A+ 15 (Sun) Battenkill Paddle Macha B+ 17 (Tue) Paddle Hudson River Feeder Canal Valentino B 17 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Hudson River Coeymans Filarecki, Cherkosly B 18 (Wed) Berrymill Pond Seward B 21 (Sat) Wittenberg & Cornell Mountains Susko A 21 (Sat) Cliff & Redfield Kase A+ 22 (Sun) Wilson Pond Sheehan C+ 24 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Mohawk Kiwanis Park Orr, Dewes C 26 (Thu) La Chute River--Ticonderoga Breslin C

All outings are listed online at www.adk-albany.org DON’T FORGET TO OPT OUT

use www.mapquest.com for directions to the ACTIVITIES launch site locations.

It is customary, after the paddle, for the group DESCRIPTIONS Leader to pick a nearby restaurant and convene the Paddlers Committee Meeting (PCM) to General Information for Evening Paddling socialize, plan future trips and enjoy a meal with Trips old and new friends. Everyone who paddles is automatically a Committee Member and is On most Tuesday evenings from May thru invited to participate. October the ADK Albany Chapter paddles various waterways in the Capital District area. The following are the Albany Chapter guidelines There are at least 2 groups. The slow group to participate in the Evening Paddles: ("Lily-Dippers") goes as slow as the slowest paddler and may be best for short wide boats or 1) Respect Other Users of the Waterways -- less skilled paddlers. The moderate group is for Steer clear of fishermen. Don’t forget their most everyone else and goes about 3 to 3.5 fishing lines go well out into the water. Stay mph. If there is enough interest, a fast group will close to shore when motorboats are out. The be formed. Expect to paddle for about 2 hours. red & green buoys mark the deep water Scheduled trips launch rain or shine. Send Rich channels - stay between the buoys & shore. Macha [email protected] a request to be Paddle in a tight group when crossing large included in the ADK Paddlers Email List for bodies of water. reminders of upcoming events (ADK Members 2) Launch on Time -- Please be in your boats only) and updates. It is suggested that you on the water and congregated near shore obtain a good roadmap of the Capital District or before the launch time. People launching after

6 start time are not officially with the group. The plus leaders. Please call the leader by the leaders will conduct a short On-the-Water Tuesday before the trip to join. Leaders: Sally Meeting with the group to discuss the water, Dewes, 346-1761, [email protected]; Larry weather conditions and plans for the paddle. Woods, 271-0270, [email protected] 3) Duty of the Paddler -- It is the responsibility of the paddler to stay with the group and know Apr 3-5 (Thu-Sat) CLUB DAYS AT who the leaders are - If you don’t know, ask ADIRONDACK PADDLE'N'POLE someone. Club members get 20% off regular price on all 4) Leaving the Group - The leaders take a new in stock merchandise, including car racks headcount at the On-the-Water Meeting. (15%-20% off canoes and kayaks) and most Therefore, please notify one of the leaders if you special orders. Proof of membership is required. need to leave the group for any reason. ADK is Our store is at 2123 Central Ave., Colonie. Tel: not responsible for paddlers who choose not to 346-3180, www.onewithwater.com. Leader: Rich paddle with the group. Macha, 346-3180, [email protected] 5) Required Gear -- All paddlers must bring along a white light (a headlamp is good), a Apr 8 (Tue) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING whistle (a pealess one is best) and must wear a 113 Sand Creek Road, Albany, NY PFD (Personal Floatation Device aka life jacket). There are no exceptions to these requirements. Educational Session at 6:30 p.m.-- Outfitting It is also a good idea to bring raingear, water, a Kayak. It’s time to get your kayak ready for the bug-dope (mosquitoes are quite active in paddling season. We will look at improving the fit summer at dusk) and an extra set of clothes in and function of flat water kayaks, including the car. seating, back bands, decklines, hatches, and 6) Clothing -- Other than in July & August all more. paddlers should not wear cotton clothing - if you Program at 7:30--- A brief business meeting will must wear cotton, bring along a full change of be followed by a presentation-- African clothing in a dry bag. Expect to have your feet in Sojourn: Mt. Kilimanjaro and Beyond. Jean the water when launching. Some of the launch Quattrocchi will share with us not only the sights spots are slippery and have underwater debris. and experiences of her recent trip to Africa, but Waterproof footwear (most experienced will explain her preparation and execution paddlers use neoprene booties or mukluks) is strategies. For example, she stopped overnight highly recommended. in Holland to help her adjust to the time change. 7) Guests - You may bring a guest. He/she is She continued on to her seven-day expedition to your responsibility and must adhere to all of the the summit Mt. Kilimanjaro, the continent’s Evening Paddle Guidelines. tallest peak. She then took a wildlife safari in Tanzania after which she visited the Malawi Apr 2 (Wed) BAXTER & GILLIGAN MTNS. (B) village for which she and her students helped offers an absolutely delightful raise funds to purchase and install a lifesaving 2.2 mile round trip with 770’ of elevation gain. fresh water pump. Gilligan provides an equally glorious walk, also 2.2 miles round trip with 670’ of elevation gain. Apr 11 (Fri) MERCK FOREST VIEWS (B) The total for the day will be 4.4 miles with a Merck Forest provides a network of roads and vertical of 1440'. Both mountains are low enough trails for moderate hiking. We'll do a loop that in elevation to be "fair game" at the onset of the will provide views from several vantage points of ADK mud season. If this hasn't caught your eye the Green Mountains in VT and the Adirondacks yet, how about between these two beautiful in NY, including the High Peaks. The distance peaks we have lunch at the sure-to-please will be about 8 miles with around 1500’ of Baxter Mountain Inn. A guaranteed winner. Meet ascent. At this time of year, snowshoes and 7:30 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. stabilizers or microspikes may be needed. Leader: John Antonio, 462-2765 Leader: John Susko, 383-1284, [email protected] Apr 3 (Thu) WHITEWATER PADDLING ON THE NORMANSKILL (A) Apr 12 (Sat) BUCK MTN. (B) We'll paddle a section of the Normanskill after We'll do a springtime warm up hike. Enjoy a work. The section is mostly moving water and beautiful view of Lake George at the summit of Class 1 with one section of Class 2. Be prepared Buck Mtn. on this 6.6 mile RT with 1985’ of for very cold water and strainers. If the water is elevation gain. Contact leader for details and too low we'll paddle the flatwater section your recent hiking experience. Leader: Phil upstream instead. Trip size is limited to 6 people Seward, 527-1851, [email protected]

7 Apr 15 (Tue) VANDERWHACKER MTN (B) Apr 24 (Thu) ZIM SMITH BIKE TRAIL (C) This is one of the best kept secrets in the central Zim Smith Trail (ZST) is a nice gem located in Adirondacks. At the summit, there is a fire tower Saratoga County. We will be parking in a central surrounded by tall pines. The tower offers great location so participants can make the distance of views of the High Peaks to the north and the this trip anywhere from 10 to 25 miles (B rating) lake country to the west. You can also see the depending on which of three loops they choose. water tower in Newcomb. The round trip is six This year, we will explore a new loop that goes miles with 1600‘ of ascent. The trail meanders from the ZST to the Technology Campus rather gently through the forest for the first two miles, than the loop done in prior years to the Ballston passing some wetlands on either side. After Veterans Memorial Trail. The first loop does passing an old cabin, we start a fairly steep have some minor elevation over a short distance climb to the summit. Bring spikes or crampons, and goes through a wooded section. The as we might need them when we get near the second goes to the southern terminus of the summit. The road leading to the trailhead is ZST. We will finish with the loop to the northern pretty rough. Consider driving if you own a terminus. This trip is planned to be leisurely with vehicle with a high undercarriage. some exploration and short side trips so you can Leader: Robert Priest, 489-7472, see some of the cycling opportunities in the [email protected] area. It's a great season starter. Details on where we will be meeting at 10:00 a.m. will be Apr 17 (Thu) HOPKINS (A) shared when you sign up. E-mail preferred. The trail to Hopkins Mountain heads north from Leader: Paul Breslin, 783-9154, route 73. The round trip is roughly 6 miles, with [email protected] 2100’ of ascent. For the first mile, it runs through a dark evergreen forest. After crossing a stream, Apr 25 (Fri) BRACE & FRISSELL MTNS. (B) maples become predominant. There are limited Over a distance of 6.6 miles we will cover three views to the south and east on the way up. After states, including the highest point in 2½ miles, there is a junction. There is a trail Connecticut. Starting in NYS, we will climb leading to the right, going to the north side of Brace Mtn. from the western side. The first 0.5 Giant. We will go left. The last half mile is steep. miles is somewhat steep, and this is where we At the summit, we will have great views of the will gain much of the 1500’ of elevation. With High Peaks looking back to the south. To the numerous viewpoints on the way up Brace, east, Giant looms above the Hopkins summit. there will be plenty of opportunities to take Bring crampons or spikes in case we need them breaks and enjoy the views. From the summit of near the summit. Brace, about another 0.5 miles of hiking will Leader: Robert Priest, 489-7472, bring us to the highest point in CT on the [email protected] shoulder of Frissel Mtn. and in another 100 yards, we will be at the summit in Mass. Meet Apr 23 (Wed) WARREN CO. BIKE PATH (B) 8:00 a.m. at the Defreestville Park & Ride. April's mud season is the perfect time to get off Leader: John Sheehan, 674-8121, the hiking trails. Let's go for an early-season [email protected] bike trip! I have not offered this ride from Glens Falls to Lake George in a while, so it's time for a Apr 26 (Sat) YOUNG ADULTS GROUP-- return. At 18 miles round trip, the trail is on both OVERLOOK MTN. (B) a designated recreational path and on road Join us for a leisurely hike up shoulders. The destination of Lake George's to see the remains of the Overlook Mountain Million Dollar Beach is the perfect lunch and House as well as the view from the fire tower relaxation spot before the return ride. Email and ledge at the top. This hike is about 5 miles contact preferred. Leader: Virginia Boyle Traver, round trip on a gradual trail with 1400' of 322-0950, [email protected] elevation gain. E-mail to Stephanie preferred. Stephanie Graudons: [email protected] (518)332-4624, Ted Letcher: (301)651-8244 Apr 23 (Wed) FIVE MILE MTN (B) [email protected] This hike is on the northern end of the Tongue Mtn. Range and will be 7.6 miles RT with 2200’ Apr 26 (Sat) TACONIC CREST TRAIL (TCT) of elevation gain. We'll expect nice views of TRAIL WORK (B) Lake George along the way and at the view We'll cover the section of the TCT from point. Contact leader for details and provide your Robinson Hollow to Mattison Hollow. This will recent hiking experience. Leader: Phil Seward, involve blow down removal and drainage work, 527-1851, [email protected] with an overall elevation gain of about 1000’ and

8 about an 8 mile round trip, depending on what Apr 29 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE--MOHAWK needs to be done. The more trail work needed, RIVER (B) the less distance we will cover. Regardless, we'll Be on the water at 6:00 p.m. at Lions Park by plan to be back at the trailhead by 4:00 p.m. the old train station in Niskayuna. We will paddle Leader: Dave Pisaneschi, 459-5969, 1.5 to 2 hours. From the Northway, drive west [email protected] for 3.1 miles and take a right on Rosendale Rd. which goes downhill and then curves left. Soon Apr 26 (Sat) RUSK, HUNTER, S/W after that, turn right into the parking area. We will HUNTER AND WESTKILL (A+) have one moderately paced group. Absolutely We'll visit two trailless and two trailed Catskill no cotton clothing allowed. No need to sign up - peaks in a long spring ridge walk. A three mile just show up. See General Info for Evening bushwhack through a lovely deciduous forest, Paddling Trips. Email Rich if you would like to spring wildflowers, a fire tower and two beautiful get on the ADK-members-only "Paddlers Email view ledges highlight this hike of 15 miles with List" to receive weekly reminders, additional 5000' of elevation gain. For those preferring an trips, etc. Leader: Rich Macha, 346-3180, easier day, Westkill can be skipped, resulting in [email protected] a hike of 10 miles with 3600' of elevation gain. Leader: Bob Scaife, 439-7322, Apr 30 (Wed) SADDLE BALL MOUNTAIN (A) [email protected] This is hike number 11 in AMC's "Best Day Hikes in the Berkshires." This hike allows you to Apr 26 (Sat) KAYDEROSSERAS CREEK delight in both a flower-filled hillside meadow PADDLE (B) offering incredible views and a damp boreal The Kayderosseras is a scenic flowing stream forest on the top of Saddle Ball Mountain. Here, that runs about 10 miles from Ballston Spa to sphagnum moss carpets the ground. The Saratoga Lake. There are a few short rapids in distance will be 10.4 miles with 1675’ elevation the first section. We will paddle this length or gain. Meet 7:30 a.m. at the Brunswick Walmart less depending on the water level. An additional Park & Ride. Leader: John Antonio, 462-2765, side trip to Lake Lonely can be considered if there is interest. Expect to encounter some tree May 3 (Sat) DEVIL'S PATH (A+) blockage requiring portage or push-through. We We'll try to repeat the last two years' great trips hope to see some wildlife and early spring and add in a bonus mountain on this rugged growth. This is suitable for kayaks and canoes. hike of 20 miles with a climb of 7000' along the Dress appropriately for cold water. PFDs Devil's Path in the Catskills. We'll cross the required. Leader: Charlie Beach, 459-9127, summits of Indian Head, Twin, and [email protected] Plateau mountains and drop steeply down into Jimmy Dolan Notch, Pecoy Notch, Mink Hollow Apr 26 (Sat) SPRING BIRD WALK AT and Stony Clove with an up-and-back climb to VISCHER FERRY (C) the summit of Hunter Mountain. Hunter can be By late April, there should be a great diversity of omitted by those looking for an easier day of 13 species of birds that have returned to our area. miles and 4600' of climbing. Wildflowers and This will be a leisurely walk at Vischer Ferry, views should be abundant. Leader: Bob Scaife, with woodland, wetland, and riverside habitats. 439-7322, [email protected] We will stop often to record species identified. Please bring binoculars. Group size is limited to May 6 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE-MOHAWK 10. Email preferred. Leader: John Good, 399- RIVER GLENVILLE (B) 7795, [email protected] Be on the water by 6:30 p.m. We will either paddle downstream on the Mohawk and then go Apr 27 (Sun) NEW MEMBER as far as we can up the Alplaus Kill or we will ORIENTATION/OPEN HOUSE paddle upriver to the islands below Lock 8. From A new member orientation/open house will be Erie Blvd. in Schenectady, drive across held at the Colonie Library from 1:30 to 4:30. We Freeman's Bridge and then take a right into the will discuss the history of the Club, what to NYSDEC Fishing Access Launch on the expect out of an outing, including hiking, Scotia/Glenville side of the bridge. No need to paddling, skiing and snowshoeing. All new sign up - just show up. See General Info. members are encouraged to participate. Non- Leaders: Pete Devitt, 860-9636, members are also welcome to come and learn [email protected]; Don Orr, 355-8441, what the ADK is all about. Hope to see you [email protected] there. Leader: John Sheehan, 674-8121, [email protected]

9 May 9 (Fri) COD AND KIBBY PONDS (C+) May 11 (Sun) SLEEPING BEAUTY Let's finish off the first full week in May by MOTHER'S DAY HIKE (C+) exploring two ponds in the Wilcox Lake Forest Spend Mother's Day enjoying nature with your Area. The walk into Cod is 2.4 miles round trip. mom. I would love to have young adults over 10. After visiting this pond, we will take a short ride Anyone under 18 needs to be accompanied by a and hike into Kibby Pond, a 3.8 mile round trip. parent. We will start at the parking lot and walk Total distance will be about 6.5 miles with 750’ along a road to Dacy Clearing. It will be 4 miles of vertical. Meet 7:30 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 with 1300’ of elevation gain. The views at the top Park & Ride. Leader: John Antonio, 462-2765 are gorgeous. Contact the leader before Thursday 5/8 for time and place to meet. May 10 (Sat) CHENANGO RIVER, OXFORD Leader: Kathy Pacuk, 756-6529, TO GREENE IN CHENANGO COUNTY (B) [email protected] Water levels will decide the exact trip. The trip as announced takes about 6 hours. If it is flowing well, we may do a little longer section. I May 13 (Tue) ANNUAL BANQUET would classify this as "moving water with riffles." At Mallozzi's Clubhouse at Western Turnpike It's about a 1 1/2 hour drive from the meeting Golf Course, Western Avenue, Guilderland, NY place, the Schoharie Park & Ride off of Rt. 88. 12084. Gathering begins at 6:00 p.m.. Dinner at The duration of the paddle will be determined by 7:00 p.m. See flyer. RSVP and pre-payment the weather. The scenery is rolling hills and required. farmland of the Chenango Valley. If the water Featured presenter: JON BOWERMASTER, level is higher, we may do the section from Writer, Filmmaker and Adventurer, talking about Sherburne to Norwich, which is a little longer his Oceans 8 Project around the world by sea- but, at good water, has a little more riffles and kayak. play spots. We did this as a Club trip about 20 years ago and had a great time. See write ups in Alec Prosdkine's Book, "No Two Rivers Alike," May 14 (Wed) NEW & PROSPECTIVE TRIP and in Rich and Sue Freeman's Book, "Take a LEADERS WORKSHOP Paddle." Leaders: Steve Siegard, 915-2309, Leading trips is easy and fun--you can pick your [email protected]; Leslie Siegard, 768-2393, favorite places to share with others! Come join [email protected] us for a casual gathering to find out what leading ADK trips entails. We will discuss guidelines for May 10 (Sat) YOUNG ADULTS GROUP-- being a trip leader, share experiences, and HADLEY MOUNTAIN (B) brainstorm ideas and concerns. Meet 7:00 p.m., We will be hiking up Hadley Mountain to enjoy location to be announced. Email contact the scenery of the and preferred. Leader: Virginia Boyle Traver, 322- the surrounding mountains. The trail is steep in 0950, [email protected] places, and this hike is 3.6 miles round trip with around 1500' of elevation gain. Hadley has a big May 14 (Wed) EVENING PADDLE MOHAWK open summit that's perfect for a picnic as well as RIVER - FREDDIE'S PARK (C) a fire tower offering a 360 degree view. If We'll call this a Full Moon Paddle, since the conditions and interest allow, we may add 1.6 moon rises at 8:12 p.m. A faster group will head miles to do the "bushwhack" to Roundtop upstream on the Mohawk and poke into the old Mountain as well. E-mail to Stephanie preferred. Erie Canal just west of the Northway to Clute's Stephanie Graudons: [email protected] Dry Dock, an 8.5 mile round trip; a slower group (518)332-4624, Ted Letcher: (301)651-8244 will go a shorter distance while exploring south [email protected] of the upstream islands. Be on the water by 6:30 p.m. From the Latham Circle drive north on Rt.9, May 11 (Sun) SCHODACK ISL PADDLE (B) take a right on Albany Marine Service Lane just Meet at the boat launch on the Hudson River before the Crescent Bridge, and launch at side at Schodack Island State Park. Plan to be Freddie's Park. There is also parking on the in the water and ready to go by 9:00 a.m. Since north side of the bridge, though the launching low tide will be at 9:22 a.m., we'll paddle isn't as good. No need to sign up - just show up. downriver, around the tip of Schodack Island See also General Info for Evening Paddling and up Schodack Creek. Since high tide will be Trips. Leader: Tom McGuire, 391-0508, at 3:07 p.m., we'll be able to explore some side [email protected]; Lauren Jacobson, 860- channels. This trip is best for touring kayaks, but 2140, [email protected] strong canoers are welcome.Leader: Dave Pisaneschi, 459-5969, [email protected]

10 May 15 (Thu) WALKWAY OVER THE leader for details and provide your recent hiking HUDSON (B) experience. Leader: Phil Seward, 527-1851, This converted railroad bridge is the centerpiece [email protected] to a trail system that will eventually be over 40 miles in Ulster and Dutchess Counties. We will May 18 (Sun) BLACKHEAD MOUNTAIN (B+) start on the Hudson Valley Rail Trail on the west This hike will go up the Batavia Kill Trail (BK) side of the river. From there, we will cross over and Escarpment Trail (ES) trail to the summit of the Walkway Over the Hudson Linear Park and Blackhead Mtn. (3940'). From there, we will pick up the newly finished Dutchess County Rail continue south on the ES trail to the eastern Trail on the other side. We will go ten miles and vista, take in the view of the Hudson River turn around, making the total distance 20 miles valley, and then return to the summit. We will of fairly flat cycling. You will be able to check this then go down the Blackhead Mountain Trail out for future cycling. I have done the bridge (BM), on the west side of Blackhead, taking a before, but not the trails on either side. This will break at another vista, for views to the west and be a leisurely ride, especially over the river, and south. At Lockwood Gap, we will take the Black there will be plenty of photo opportunities. We Dome (BD) Trail down to the parking area where will leave the Capital District from a location we started. The distance is 5.5 miles with 1690' determined by participants at 9:00 a.m. It will up and down. The .9 mile ascent up the north take us about 1.5 hours to get to the trailhead. side of Blackhead is quite steep, rising 1200'. Be sure to bring water and a lunch. I expect Carpooling can be arranged to meet me at the about three hours on the trails with our leisurely parking area at the end of Big Hollow Rd. Rain pace. Leader: Paul Breslin, 783-9154, or no sign ups by May 15 cancels the hike. [email protected] Email contact preferred. Leader: Cal Johnson, (845) 246-2006, May 16 (Fri) PADDLE HUDSON RIVER- [email protected] PAPSCANEE CREEK & VLOMAN KILL (B) We will launch from the Bethlehem Henry May 20 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE - HUDSON Hudson Park and will paddle Papscanee Creek & MOHAWK RIVERS (B/C) on the east shore and cross the Hudson and Be on the water by 6:30 p.m. We will paddle the paddle Vloman Kill on the west shore. If the shores and waterfall of Peebles Island at the conditions are calm and the group is willing, we confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers may paddle north on the Hudson a few miles. and Erie Canal. For the Waterford launch, from This paddle of less than six miles is Broadway turn South on to First Street and drive characterized by waterfowl and a waterfall. Meet to end, or launch across the river in 9:30 a.m. at the Delmar Elm Ave. Park & Ride. Lansingburgh at the end of 123rd Street off of Leader: Bill Valentino, 439-9686, Second Ave/Route 4. Meet on the water near [email protected] the Waterford launch. No need to sign up - just show up. See also General Info for Evening May 17 (Sat) FIR & SPRUCE MTNS (B) Paddle Trips. Leaders: Ellen Luchsinger, 235- These are two of the trailless peaks in the 5526, [email protected]; Cathy Snopkowski, Catskills. Fir is one of the 3500' peaks and 357-8633, [email protected] Spruce, while not over 3500', is one of the Catskill 100 highest. The distance is 6-7 miles, May 20 (Tue) ROCHESTER HOLLOW (B) most or all of which is off trail, with about 1500’ Rochester Hollow is an intriguing preserve in the of ascent. Leader: John Susko, 383-1284, Catskills near Big Indian. The winter hike there [email protected] was nearly canceled by bad weather; we can hope for better weather and maybe wildflowers May 17 (Sat) THOMAS MOUNTAIN (C+) in May. The hike will be about 5 miles with 800- This is a short hike on a day that could be the 1000’ of gentle ascent. Meet 8:30 a.m. at the beginning of blackfly season. Thomas Mountain Delmar Elm Ave Park & Ride. offers beautiful views of Lake George. We'll do a Leader: Katie Henrikson, 533-7441, loop trip of a bit over three miles and 700' of [email protected] elevation gain. Leader: Kathy Sheppard, 765- 2657, [email protected] May 21 (Wed) PHARAOH LAKE (B) We will hike into Pharaoh Lake from Pharaoh May 17 (Sat) TREADWAY MTN. (B) Lake Rd. and go to Lean-To #3 for lunch and to This is a pleasant hike around Putnam Pond and take in the view of the lake and Pharaoh Mtn. in up to the summit of Treadway for a distance of the distance. This is an 11 mile RT hike with little 7.8 miles RT and 900’ of elevation gain. Contact elevation gain and peaceful solitude at the lake.

11 Contact leader for details and provide your May 28 (Wed) EVENING PADDLE-MOHAWK recent hiking experience. Leader: Phil Seward, RIVER LOCK 7 (C) 527-1851, [email protected] Be on the water at 6:30 p.m. at Lions Park by the old train station in Niskayuna. From the May 23 (Fri) LITTLE PORTER (B) Northway, drive west for 3.1 miles and take a Let's try this again; we got snowed out last year. right on Rosendale Rd. which goes downhill and Little Porter is a bump on the shoulder of Porter then curves left. Soon after that, turn right into Mtn., one of the lower of the High Peaks. the parking area. We will paddle up to Lock 7 Starting from the Garden parking lot, we will and maybe spend some time going around the climb a little less than 1000' to a view just as islands. No need to sign up -just show up. See spectacular as anything I've seen from much General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. higher up. The peakbaggers can't get all the Leaders: Sally Dewes, 346-1761, good views after all. There will be no need to [email protected]; Leader: Neil Cherkosly, rush on this 4 mile hike. We can take our time 383-7800, [email protected] and accommodate a nice relaxed pace. Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. May 31 (Sat) ANNUAL MOHAWK RIVER Leader: John Sheehan, 674-8121, CLEANUP (C) [email protected] 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We plan to clean up a section of the Mohawk River at Lions Park, aka May 24 (Sat) ACRA, BURNT KNOB & the train station, in Niskayuna. The ADK WINDHAM HIGH PEAK (A) volunteers usually find lots of interesting stuff This hike will be mostly on the northern portion during this event. There will be a morning shift of the Escarpment Trail, which is part of the starting at 9:00 a.m. and an afternoon shift NYNJTC . Windham High Peak starting at 1:00 p.m. You are welcome to (3524') is one of the 35 Catskills high peaks. volunteer for one or both shifts. It's best if you There are numerous vistas, providing views of sign up ahead of time so that we know how the Hudson River Valley and some to the west. many people to expect. However, if you decide On a clear day, the Taconic Range is easily that you are able to volunteer at the last minute, picked out and sometimes as far as the it is OK if you just show up ready to tackle the Berkshires and southern VT. The distance is task. Bring canoe, kayak or rowboat, PFD's, 10.1 miles with around 2500' of ascent. At a gloves, rugged footwear, change of clothing, rain steady 1.5 MPH pace, plus breaks, this hike will gear, lunch, water, and any tools that may help probably take around 7-7.5 hours. Carpooling to pick up trash. If you don't have a canoe, come can be arranged to meet the leader at the anyway (bring a life jacket) because often trailhead parking lot on Rte. 23 in East Windham people bring a canoe but need a partner. People at 8:00 a.m. A car shuttle is required to the start. to comb the shoreline along the bike path are Rain or no sign-ups by May 21 cancel. Email also needed. Garbage bags, drinking water, contact preferred. Leader: Cal Johnson, (845) wash-up water and soap will be provided. 246-2006, [email protected] Directions to Lions Park: from exit 6 of the Northway, go west on Route 7 for 3.1 miles, turn May 25 (Sun) HOOSIC RIVER PADDLE (B) right on Rosendale Road and soon after the This will be a 10 mile class 1+ river-running trip sharp left curve at bottom of the hill turn right from North Adams, MA to Pownal, VT. The river into the park. You may drive down to the water if is very scenic as it passes below the Taconic you have a boat to unload, otherwise please Range. Leader: Rich Macha, 346-3180, park in the upper lot. Leaders: Marlee Bickel, [email protected] [email protected]; Marilyn Pusatere: [email protected]. May 25 (Sun) SUSQUEHANNA RIVER SUNDAY SOJOURN PADDLE (C+) May 31 (Sat) CATSKILL WILDFLOWER This will be a leisurely paddle of 7+ miles in a HIKE (B) pastoral setting on the river prior to the Annual If we're lucky, I will have timed this hike to see Memorial Day General Clinton Canoe Race of some Catskills wildflowers. We will hike some 70 miles in one day. This section of the combination of trails in the Blackhead wilderness Susquehanna River features rural natural beauty looking for wildflowers. I've had good luck finding and flows through scenic farm land. A social is them here at this time. We will hike between 7 planned after the paddle. Leader: Ellen and 12 miles, depending on conditions and Luchsinger, 235-5526, [email protected] participant interest. With the starting point at the Big Hollow Rd. trailhead, a couple of loop combinations are possible-- or

12 Blackhead Mtn., with possible side trips to Black and must be comfortable with wet exits. Dome and Thomas Cole. Leader: Leslie Learning goals would include skills that would Siegard, 768-2393, [email protected] bring students to solid class 2 or 2+ paddling ability. We will start on flatwater to refine May 31 (Sat) HURRICANE MTN. - TEENS (B) paddling techniques, as well as practicing low For teens and others! Hurricane is conveniently braces for solo open canoe and rolls for located right in Keene. We'll do six miles and kayakers. On the river, we will work on 1600' of elevation gain. Plan on great views! performing crisp, reliable eddy turns, peel-outs, Friendly dogs are welcome. My 16 year old will controlling the angle on ferries and gaining help lead and other teens interested in hiking overall experience. Instruction will start at 8:00 are encouraged to come along. Leader: Kathy a.m. at a location to be determined later and be Sheppard, 765-2657, [email protected] over each day by late afternoon. Students must provide their own equipment, including the boat. May 31 (Sat) HAYSTACK AND MARCY (A+) Cost for the two days of instruction is $35. For We'll start from Heart Lake to visit two of the further information, contact either Larry Woods most spectacular Adirondack High Peaks, for solo open canoe or ACA certified instructor Haystack and Marcy, on this 18 mile hike with Sally Dewes for kayak. Leaders: Sally Dewes, 6000' of climbing. Spring wildflowers should be 346-1761, [email protected]; Larry Woods, beginning to show their faces on the mountain 810-7552, [email protected] slopes, and the views from both summits are well worth the walk. Leader: Bob Scaife, 439- Jun 2 (Mon) PADDLE SCHODACK CRK. (B) 7322, [email protected] Mindful of the tides, we will explore Schodack Creek, launching from the hand launch at May 31 (Sat) BLACKHEAD RANGE (A+) Schodack Island State Park. There are over five This hike will be on the Colgate Lake (CL), miles of shoreline on Schodack Creek before Escarpment (ES), and (BD) trails. reaching the Hudson River. We will either There are numerous vistas, providing views of retrace our steps back to the hand launch or, in the Hudson River Valley and Catskill peaks from the event it is unanimous, we will continue south south to west. There are some steep, strenuous around the island and return north on the climbs on this hike, which goes over Blackhead Hudson River, finishing on the motor boat (3940'), Black Dome (3980') and Thomas Cole launch with its vehicle access. The Park has (3940'), bagging 3 of the 35 Catskills high peaks. been designated a State Estuary, and a portion The distance is about 12 miles with around of the Park shelters a bird conservation area that 2700' of ascent. At a steady 1.5 MPH pace, plus is home to bald eagles, cerulean warblers and breaks, this hike will probably take around 8.5-9 blue herons that nest in the cottonwood trees. hours. Carpooling can be arranged to meet the The portage conditions from the parking area to leader at the trailhead parking lot on Barnum Rd. the hand launch is about 600’. Wheels are in Maplecrest at 8:00 a.m. A car shuttle to the helpful. Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Delmar Elm Ave. start is required for this hike. Steady rain or no Park & Ride Lot. Leader: Bill Valentino, 439- sign-ups by May 28 cancels. Email contact 9686, [email protected] preferred. Leader: Cal Johnson, (845) 246-2006, [email protected] Jun 3 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE--HUDSON RIVER BETHLEHEM (C) May 31-Jun1 SCHENECTADY ADK OFFERS Be on the water by 6:30 p.m. We will paddle to NOV/INT WHITEWATER INSTRUCTION (A) the falls on the Vloman Kill and cross the Intermediate/Novice whitewater instruction for Hudson over to Papscanee Creek. Take the NY either kayak or solo open canoe will be available Thruway to Exit 22, go left (N) on Rt 144 for on May 31 and June 1. This two-day clinic is about a mile, and then right on Barent Winnie designed for boaters who have had some Road to the boat launch next to the Henry previous instruction, but still need more work to Hudson Park. No need to sign up -just show up. perfect the basic strokes and maneuvers. See General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Students should have paddled class 1 or 2 Leaders: Tom McGuire, 391-0508, whitewater 5 or more times and be able to [email protected]; Leader: Lauren perform eddy turns, peel-outs, and ferries on Jacobson, 860-2140, [email protected] class I water. They should be able to paddle in a straight line with confidence, identify river Jun 7 (Sat) NATIONAL TRAILS DAY AT features including eddies, waves, and holes, and THACHER PARK (C) self-rescue in class I and II whitewater. 2014 is Thacher Park's Centennial Celebration. Kayakers should have or be working on a roll A new Master Plan has been approved and

13 some trails will be built, rerouted, or worked on. Jun 10 (Tue) LAKE GEORGE EAGLE- Bring your own tools, such as saws or loppers VIEWING PADDLE (C) and work gloves, or the Park will provide them. ADK member Eric Krantz has very generously A free BBQ picnic lunch will be provided by offered to lead us on a paddle from his Lake Friends of Thacher Park. After lunch, we may do George home to a nearby island known for some more light work on trails, if necessary. eagle nesting. Due to unpredictable conditions Meet 8:30 a.m. at the Horseshoe-I Pavilion in (weather and the timing of eagle activity), this Thacher Park. Leader: Jim Schaller, 861-7452, date of June 12 is tentative. I will post changes [email protected] and updates on the website beginning June 8, so check online! If the date, weather, and eagles Jun 7 (Sat) ESTHER & WHITEFACE (A+) all work in our favor, this will be an event not to We'll start this hike from the Reservoir, climbing be missed! Email contact only so that I can over Marble and Lookout Mtns. We then take a contact participants easily; no phone calls for well-defined herd path over to Esther and back. this outing, please. Leader: Virginia Boyle Continuing on the trail, we climb up to Whiteface Traver, 322-0950, [email protected] above treeline and surrounded by tourists. Bring a fleece, hat, gloves and change for the soda Jun 10 (Tue) KILLINGTON PEAK, VT (B+) machine. It will be 11 miles and 3850’ of Join us on an exploration of one of Vermont's climbing. Leader: Tim Kase, 766-4264, five high peaks. At 4235', Killington offers more [email protected] than just fabulous winter skiing, and we'll do some 2500' of climbing over a round-trip Jun 7 (Sat) HURRICANE MTN. (B) distance of 7 miles to discover exactly what We will start at the Crows Mountains Parking those other treasures are. At the very least you area (Crow Clearing) north of the summit and will get a good workout, and the Bucklin Trail hike the 6 mile RT with 1600’ elevation gain for approach coupled with the AT and Long Trail up great views of the High Peaks and Keene the western flank of the peak offers some soft Valley. Contact leader for details and provide woodland paths along lovely Brewers Brook--(a your recent hiking experience. beer brewing history here?). At the top, the Leader: Phil Seward, 527-1851, reminders of civilization are tempered by the [email protected] dramatic three-state views. Leaders: Karen Ross, 794-7474, [email protected]; Lori Jun 8 (Sun) FIVE RIVERS 70+ YRS. OLD (C) McCarron, 587-1957, [email protected] If you are 70 or over and want to enjoy nature this is the hike for you. This is a flat area. We will do up to 2 miles depending on participants' Jun 10 (Tue) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING abilities. Knee and hip replacements welcome. 113 Sand Creek Road, Albany, NY Bring a cane. I will have hiking poles if anyone would like to try one. We will go at the slowest Educational Session at 6:30 p.m.-- Summer hiker's pace. The object will be to enjoy the Gear Sale. Bring your extra camping and hiking outdoors. Contact the leader for meeting time gear to the sale. Similar to our winter gear sale and place. Leader: Kathy Pacuk, 756-6529, in January, we ask that sellers donate 10% to [email protected] the Chapter. Please tag your gear with a price and your name. We will not have an education Jun 8 (Sun) EAST BRANCH DELAWARE & session this month, to make room and time for THE PEPACTIN RESERVOIR (A) the sale. This is considered to be the most beautiful of the Program at 7:30--- A brief business meeting will reservoirs, with the be followed by a presentation, Potpourri Night. rising right out of the water and bald eagles Now it's your turn to share tales of the wild easily seen. We will start about 4 miles north of outdoors and adventures with your fellow Club Margaretville at the confluence with Dry Brook. members. We will look forward to your wowing This gives a little more of a chance for a river- us with your slides or photos (Power Point feel to the first half of the trip. It's about 1 1/2 preferred). To get on the roster, contact Thea hours from the meeting spot; the Schoharie Park Hoeth at [email protected] & Ride off of Rt. 88. We will have to stop first in Margaretville to have our boats pressure washed. There is a fee for this, though I do not Jun 11 (Wed) EVENING PADDLE-- know what it is at present. Leaders: Steve MOHAWK RIVER (B) Siegard, 915-2309, [email protected]; Leslie Be on the water at 6:30 p.m. at Lions Park by Siegard, 768-2393, [email protected] the old train station in Niskayuna. From the

14 Northway, drive west for 3.1 miles and take a Jun 14 (Sat) STOPPEL, NORTH MTN., & right on Rosendale Rd. which goes downhill and SOUTH MTN. (A+) then curves left. Soon after that, turn right into After meeting in Palenville, NY to spot vehicles, the parking area. We will paddle up to Lock 7 we will shuttle to the start a few miles to the and maybe spend some time going around the north. We will ascend the Dutcher's Notch trail islands. No need to sign up - just show up. See (DU) to the Escarpment trail (ES) intersection at General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Leader: Ductcher's Notch. From there, we head south on Rich Macha, 346-3180, [email protected] the ES to ascend Stoppel, passing an excellent view, Milt's Lookout, about halfway up. Shortly Jun 11 (Wed) OK SLIP FALLS (B) after reaching the summit area, there is an OK Slip Falls was recently opened to the public excellent view of the Blackhead Range to the after 150 years of being privately owned. DEC NNW. On the eastern side of the summit area, has not decided on a full trail to the falls. Right there is a good view of the Hudson River valley now, the approach is to go up a road owned by and further east. It's generally downhill from here a Boy Scout camp, then use a trail through the to the finish, with a few small rolls. At North woods for a total of about 3.3 miles each way. Point, there are fantastic views to the north thru When DEC cuts a new trail, it may be much to the southwest. The trail goes by North Lake longer so now is the time to visit the falls. The and then heads up a ways to South Mountain. road and trail are in rolling hills, and there is We will pass another great view to the east at about 500’ of ascent in each direction. Meet 8:00 Boulder Rock and then continue to the a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. intersection of the Harding Road trail (HR), Leader: Katie Henrikson, 533-7441, taking it down to the spotted vehicles. The [email protected] distance is 14 miles with about 2800' up and down. At a 1.5 MPH pace, plus breaks, the hike Jun 13 (Fri) PLOTTER KILL NATURE should be around 9.5-10 hours. Steady rain or PRESERVE (C+) no signups by June 11 cancels the hike. According to ECOS, the Almy D. Coggeshall Carpools can be formed to meet the leader at Plotter Kill Nature Preserve contains some of the the trail head parking on White's Road in most beautiful waterfall, flowers, and views in Palenville at 8 a.m. Email contact preferred. our area. We will take the "grand tour" of this Leader: Cal Johnson, (845) 246-2006, preserve, which will take us the full length of the [email protected] north bank of the ravine and along most of the south bank. With lots of bluffs and cliffs, there Jun 15 (Sun) BATTENKILL PADDLE (B+) are some steep drops and climbs along the way. We will run a section somewhere between While this trip falls into the C+ category, Arlington, VT and Salem, NY. It will be 12-15 considering the change in elevation (close to miles of quickwater, riffles and class 1 rapids. 1,000’), it will give you a good workout as we There are covered bridges on this scenic route. pass throughout the scenic goodies this place Leader: Rich Macha, 346-3180, has to offer. Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Latham [email protected] Farms Sam's Club parking area. Leader: John Antonio, 462-2765 Jun 17 (Tue) PADDLE HUDSON RIVER FEEDER CANAL (B) Jun 14 (Sat) WRIGHT PEAK (A) The Feeder Canal is the only surviving part of Last year, my hike up Wright was thwarted by a the original Erie Canal system that carries both late season snow storm. Wright is the 16th water and boats. The canal goes through highest peak in the Adirondacks. The round trip beautiful forest, industrial lands and right is 7 miles with 2400’ of ascent. The summit through the middle of Glens Falls. The paddling provides spectacular views in every direction. distance is about 5 miles with a slight current The hike begins at Adirondack Loj. The first mile assist. We will shuttle cars and rack space will is gentle. Then, we reach the junction with the be helpful. Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Northway Exit trail that leads to . The climbing 9 Park & Ride. Leader: Bill Valentino, 439-9686, begins in the second mile. In the third mile, the [email protected] trail leads steadily upward, going through a beautiful birch forest past Indian Falls. Then, we Jun 17 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE---HUDSON reach the junction with the trail leading to RIVER COEYMANS (B) Algonquin. The last half mile will remind you that Be on the water by 6:30 p.m. We will explore the you are climbing a High Peak. It is steep, rocky, mouth of Hannacroix Creek and the shores of and wide open. Leader: Robert Priest, 489- Schodack Island State Park where bald eagles 7472, [email protected] are often seen. Take NY Thruway to Exit 22,

15 take a right going south on Rt. 144 for about 4 lean-to on the pond and, with the long hours of miles. From Rt.144 in Coeymans, take a left daylight, we will have plenty of time to enjoy the going east on Westerlo St. to Coeymans outdoors. Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Landing where there is a concrete ramp launch. Park & Ride. Leader: John Sheehan, 674-8121, No need to sign up - just show up. See also [email protected] General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Leaders: Lynn Filarecki, 674-2125; Neil Jun 24 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE-MOHAWK Cherkosly, 383-7800, [email protected] RIVER KIWANIS PARK ROTTERDAM JUNCTION (C) Jun 18 (Wed) BERRYMILL POND (B) Be on the water by 6:30 p.m. We could go Part of the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness, this is one downstream and around Dalys Island and/or of the many ponds in the area and is a 6.4 mile upstream past the Mabee Farm (the Mabee RT hike with little elevation gain. Contact leader House dates back to 1670 and is the oldest for details and provide your recent hiking standing building in the Mohawk Valley) to Lock experience. Leader: Phil Seward, 527-1851, 9. Or we might go through one of the locks for [email protected] something different. Take Exit 1A off I-890 to Rt.5S in Rotterdam and take a right into Kiwanis Jun 21 (Sat) WITTENBERG & CORNELL Park soon after leaving the highway ramp. No MOUNTAINS (A) need to sign up -just show up. See General Info We'll take the trail from Woodland Valley along for Evening Paddling Trips. Leaders: Don Orr, the Burrows range to these two Catskill peaks. 355-8441, [email protected]; Sally Dewes, The summit of Wittenberg has possibly the best 346-1761, [email protected] views in the Catskills. The trail to Cornell includes an interesting V-notch on the way to Jun 26 (Thu) LA CHUTE RIVER - good views of Wittenberg. The distance is 9-10 TICONDEROGA (C) miles with 3000’ of ascent. Leader: John Susko, The LaChute River has a storied past as a 383-1284, [email protected] connector between Lake George and Lake Champlain. Of course, early settlers and Indians Jun 21 (Sat) CLIFF & REDFIELD (A+) had to portage around the falls. We will put in This hike starts at the Upper Works trailhead. our boats just below the falls in "downtown" We'll pass the scenic Flowed Lands, Lake Ticonderoga. We will paddle to an area below Colden and the flume on the Opalescent River. Fort Ticonderoga where we will have lunch. This At Uphill Leanto, we leave the trail and follow is a very tranquil ride despite civilization being all herd paths to both peaks. Cliff Mtn. has some around us. When we are done, there is an steep scrambling, so you must be comfortable optional two mile walk on a paved trail along the with heights and be sure footed. Bring lots of river above the falls where the mill history of food, water and true grit. Plan on 17.5 miles and Ticonderoga is chronicled. We will meet up in a 3550’ of climbing. Leader: Tim Kase, 766-4264, Capital District location determined by [email protected] participants at 8:00 a.m. It will take about two hours to get to Ticonderoga. The actual paddling Jun 22 (Sun) WILSON POND (C+) is about five miles round trip. Be sure to bring Wilson Pond is one of those cute little ponds in water and a lunch. Leader: Paul Breslin, 783- the central Adirondacks. The hike will be 5.8 9154, [email protected] miles with less than 500’ of moderate climbing. We won't get any spectacular views, but it's a pleasant place to be. We can eat lunch at the

Many thanks to the volunteers who helped make this issue possible: Virginia Boyle Traver for notifying the leaders and monitoring outings, Barb Esmond for her excellent organization skill and help with the outings, and Gail Carr for her consistent generosity in donating her art for the cover illustrations. Their efforts are appreciated.

16 ECHOES FROM THE TRAIL

Sep 14 (Sat) STORM KING MOUNTAIN Leader: Cliff Prewencki We hiked this favorite starting about mid-morning from the main gate. After a brief examination of the ruins, we chose to do a loop: south on the Bluebird trail, then west on the yellow trail over the peak, and back to the parking area at the gate in the early afternoon. In addition to the leader, participants included Martha Waldman, Drew Hartzell, Bob Armao, Dylan Keenan, Lin Neil, Annelise Lawson, and John Gansfuss. A good time was had by all.

Oct 12 (Sat) BAKER PEAK, VT. Leader: John Sheehan On this pleasant warm sunny autumn morning, 11 hikers, Charlene Schafer, Claudia Rosenholtz, John Susko, J. Flavin, Ingrid Wilke, Dick Irving, Dan Vanuithuizen, Erich Duerr, Rita Cedar, Pat McPhee, and Linda Sheehan joined me for a drive to the Green Mountains of Vermont to climb Baker Peak. This is a small Mountain; it's a long way from high peak status but it has some great features that make it a must for hikers. Vermont's Long Trail along with the Appalachian Trail (AT/LT) crosses the summit, so at the right time of the year there is the likelihood of encountering through-hikers. Those who devote a full 6 months to hike 2200 miles are always interesting to talk with, but this was not the right time of year for even south-bounders (sobos). The summit provides great views to the south and west from multiple rock outcrops. The trail which ascends from S. End Rd just off of US Rt. 7 in the town of Danby is a well designed trail that traverses the contours, making it an easy climb. With a group of strong hikers, we reached the junction with the trail to Griffin Lake within the first hour and a half of the hike. The plan was to visit the lake if the group had the desire and energy--and that seemed to clearly be the case. With little elevation gain, we quickly got to the lake where we came to the intersection with the AT/LT. Although I knew of a nice shelter not far from the lake, it was still not yet lunch time so we pushed on to the peak. Following the AT/LT to the top, we pretty much had the trail to ourselves at this time of the year. This seemed strange since the AT is pretty much a linear city in the summer months. Remember that aforementioned warm sunny fall day? Well not so much at the peak. The clouds arrived just as we did and of course peaks are rarely without a stiff breeze. Everyone donned that extra layer we all carry and huddled among the rocks to enjoy lunch. The clouds were at a high altitude so we still had the spectacular views that the mountain offered. We were able to identify a number of peaks of the Green Mtns. and the very north end of the Taconic range. On our way back, we left the AT/LT just below the peak and descended along the Baker Peak trail back to South End Rd. Here our thoughts quickly turned to where we would stop for ice cream on the way home, in spite of the sudden feeling of fall in the air

Nov 29 (Fri) YOKUN RIDGE SOUTH Leader: John Sheehan Black Friday bargains, shopping malls, crowds, traffic--a turn off for most hikers. I took a chance on other members feeling the same way and it seemed to pay off. I had a full hike with a waiting list. Yokun Ridge is a strip of land between West Stockbridge and Pittsfield, Mass with a convenient access point at Olivia's overlook on Lenox Rd. near Tanglewood. Although the designation exists only in my mind, I consider this trailhead as the divide between the north and south portions of the trail. I had hiked this trail before but did not make it to the final overlook because of some detours we took on that trip. This time we ignored the Charcoal Trail into the ravine and headed straight up to the ridge. It was an easy climb, but still several hundred feet of elevation gain got us to the ridge. The temperature never reached above freezing and we did encounter some ice. Some wore various kinds of traction while others felt comfortable remaining bare booted. Although it was an unseasonably cold day, it was sunny and pleasant throughout the hike. After about 2.5 miles of hiking we came to a rock outcrop with views to the west. An American flag has been raised at this overlook. On my last visit to this site we had the local historian on the trip and we got an explanation of why the flag is there. The story escapes me right now however. After another mile of hiking the trail started to descend the ridge. Seeing no other high points in front of us and a great rocky overlook just off the trail to the east, we decided that this would be a great lunch spot. With the rock as the perfect heat sink for the sun's rays and shelter from the cold breeze, we enjoyed a lunch break and views of the south Taconics to the south and the Berkshires to the east. Since most of us had a turkey sandwich, this would qualify as " another thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat". This quote now brings me to the theme of the hike. The trip was billed as a Black Friday Alice's restaurant hike. Those of "a certain age" may remember the story of Alice's restaurant with full orchestration and 5 part harmony. Written and

preformed by troubadour Arlo Guthrie, it became the anthem of the "60s" movement. Well, Alice's restaurant is re-opened under new management, and I thought it deserved a visit by a bunch of leftover hippie hikers. So after the hike and after a short drive to the village of Stockbridge, we parked our cars in a very busy holiday atmosphere only to find that the restaurant was closed that day. We did find coffee and dessert in an adjacent cafe but it was not the 1960s experience that we were hoping for. But it was fun trying and if you don't know the story of Alice's restaurant, google it; it's on Youtube. I found the 1967 version and a 2005 recorded live performance. The leftover hippies of that certain age joining me on this adventure were: Annaliese Lawson, J. Flavin, Ron Wygant, Simon Murray, Kathy Sheppard, Roman Laba, Sue Jordan, Steve Cornell, Lori McCarron, Paul Tick, Agnes Zellin, and Ken Goldfarb

Dec 19 (Thu) SCHODACK ISLAND STATE PARK Leader: Paul Breslin Well, I never really thought this was really going to be a snowshoe hike when I scheduled it in September. The eleven inch snow storm the previous weekend followed by cold weather ensured a great day of snowshoeing. Schodack Landing State Park is a fairly level loop trail system. You can hike up to eight miles. There are cross-over trails to control the length of your loop. We ended up going between five and six miles. The parking lot was windy so we all bundled up more than originally planned. We ended up shedding a layer part way into the hike as there really was no wind along our route after we started. There was a bright blue sky with plenty of sun and temps in the 30s-- an absolutely beautiful day. There are a couple of places where you can trek down close to the river and the estuary on the Eastern side, but for the most part you are not right next to the water. We saw lots of deer sign but we didn't see any deer. For those who might be interested, they groom a cross country ski track along the trail which was an old road. Snowshoers are encouraged to stay off the ski track. This was easy enough to do as long as you stay in a single line. We ended up with four hikers: Karen Halverson, Bonnie Kerr- a new snowshoer, Charlie Beach and the leader.

Dec 29 (Sun) HADLEY MOUNTAIN Leader: John Sheehan I planned this hike so people could try out those new snowshoes they got for Christmas. But this winter has been a rollercoaster ride of weather. There has been a lot of total snow accumulation but melt downs and freeze up in between the snow events. Well, this hike fell at one of those in-between times. There was more rock and ice than snow, so microspikes were the order of the day. One couple found out why instep crampons have fallen out of favor in recent years. Joining me on this hike were Ron Wygant, Nola Royce, Lori McCarron, Kathy Sheppard, Paul Tick, and Agnes Zellin. I have often said that finding the trailhead is more difficult than finding the top of the mountain. Hadley is a classic example of that. Tucked away on a back road off another back road in extreme northern Saratoga County, the trailhead is one of the more difficult to find in spite of the mountain being a relatively short hike. Fire tower mountains are generally short hikes since in their day, the rangers had to do the climb regularly. With 1525 ft. of ascent over just 1.8 miles, it's a short but steep climb. The 2675' summit offers spectacular views of the southern Adirondacks including the Sacandaga Reservoir. Although the views tried their best to hold us at the top for a while, a cold biting wind forced us to retreat to the old ranger's cabin for a sheltered lunch spot. On the return trip we were descending cautiously on the ice when up the trail came a familiar face. It was one of those situations where I recognized him but could not place him. Fortunately he recognized me first. It was Skip, nursing his rebuilt knee back to health to resume his high peaks adventures. For days before the hike I was watching the weather since some precipitation was predicted for the day. Timing and elevation was everything. We experienced snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain in Albany. We had it all but we managed to stay one step ahead.

Jan 5 (Sun) HADLEY MOUNTAIN, FIRE TOWER PEAK Leader: Nola Royce The hardest part of hiking Hadley is getting to the trailhead. This gem of the southern Adirondacks is tucked away between the northwestern section of Saratoga County and that of southern Warren County; and it's a big bang for your buck. In just two miles of ascent on moderate terrain, the top is reached with energy to spare, at which point you're offered views almost all around the mountain, even if you don't climb the fire tower stairs. Even though it wasn't terribly windy, we opted for a leisurely lunch at the ranger's cabin, just below the summit, where there's a porch and even a latrine. We basked in the sun and then went up to take pictures. Our group of mostly novices to snowshoeing had a broken trail of fresh snow all the way up from the parking lot. The storm that had come in at the New Year left us this fluff and we delighted in it. We were also treated to the totally unexpected sight of one horned, black sheep and

one white one, with full winter coats on, walking along Luzerne Road. Not your typical Adirondack adventure. Even the weather was atypical. Warm temps and brilliant blue skies followed us all day. For pictures of this outing, you may wish to go to my friend's blog at Pilotgirl Productions and see her exuberant description of the outing as well. I think ADK has found some new and ardent winter enthusiasts.

Jan 11 (Sat) MOUNT MARSHALL Leader: Don Berens Outbreaks of sudden illness, forecasts of sloppy weather, and freezing of icy highways increased last minute drop-outs and no-shows faster and later than they could be replaced from the substantial wait list. Even those who came out were slowed on the roads by frozen slush and black ice. Six of us (Don Berens, Hailey Bitner, Jackie Cordell, Cecilia Elwert, Beth Hesseltine and Nick Lanzillo) rendezvoused at Upper Works nearly an hour beyond the appointed time. It was 32 degrees and drizzling. The delay in our start and the prospect of steadily intensifying cold rain all day led us to change the objective from Mount Marshal to Indian Pass, thereby saving over five miles and a few hours of exposure to the elements. All present concealed their disappointment. We followed day-old snowshoe tracks for 0.4 mile, then turned north on unbroken snow. After 3-1/2 miles of flattish snowshoeing along Henderson Lake and [South] Indian Pass Brook, we climbed into the spectacular pile of house-sized boulders that have fallen into the notch below the crest of the pass. We saw many examples of a sort of ice formation none of us had seen before. Water dripping from overhanging rock faces had frozen in clear, ropy strands, not vertically in the air beneath the edge, but steeper than vertically on the underside of the slanting overhangs, and was coated by gritty rime ice from the freezing fog. Gandalf's the Grey's beard! We climbed up two snow- covered trail ladders onto snow platforms leading onward. The third such ladder led up toward an open rocky ledge until the ladder disappeared into wide icy bulges completely covering the highest rungs and siderails. We opted to detour around it in a steepening gully where the ice near the top had a few handy trees nearby. Soon after, we reached the Summit Rock of Indian Pass. Although the 800-foot cliff of Wallface Mountain was only 300 yards away, we could not see it through the wet, blowing clouds. We soon departed this chilling spot, worked our way down around all three ladders, and - rebuilding our cruising speed body temperatures - marched out in an increasingly hard rain. Back at Upper Works in the early afternoon, nobody complained that by skipping Marshall we had missed an opportunity to spend a few more hours in sub-40 degree rain.

Jan 14 (Tue) ROCHESTER HOLLOW Leader: Katie Henrikson January 14 was a terrible day to be outside - with rain, wind, and cold. So we hiked on January 15 instead. The day was great for hiking with cloudy skies, no wind, and mild temperatures. The small group enjoyed the clear trails and interesting reminders of previous settlements all through Rochester Hollow. We admired the extensive stone fences and wondered about the functions of buildings that had stood on the foundations that we saw. There was some enthusiasm for returning when there is snow for a day of skiing. Enjoying the day were Sharon Bonk, Ray Henrikson, Claire Pospisil, and the leader

Jan 15 (Wed) WOODS HOLLOW XC SKI Leader: Virginia Boyle Traver Beautiful snow was followed by heavy rain and high temperatures just days before this outing. Skiing was out of the question. Still, a few of us chose to walk the preserve with traction devices. Ice covered the trails but glittered on every twig and pine needle in the morning sunshine. We walked carefully, as the warm sun turned the ice coating on the trees into sparkling water droplets. The ice-covered reservoir, some remaining snow in the woods, and cool fresh air made us glad we had come, even if we couldn't ski. Enjoying a morning on the trails in this small, but pretty, preserve were Charlie Beach, Marian Hoyle, Karen Lydon, Rachel West, and the leader

Jan 17 (Fri) CEDAR RIVER VIA GOOLEY CLUB Leader: John Sheehan When the new Finch Pruyn land opened up last fall, I started hearing about great paddles on the Chain Lakes and the Hudson River. But for me, it was a very convenient hike that was written up in the Adirondack Explorer that caught my interest. That is the old Gooley Club Rd. from the end of Chain Lakes Rd. to the Cedar River. It's not a real wilderness experience, since it's an old logging road, but it's still interesting because it has not seen public foot traffic in about a century. I previewed the trip in October and thought what a great ski trail it would make. So I scheduled a ski trip on this road for January 17th

figuring there would be plenty of snow by then. Although there was plenty of total snowfall as of that date, meltdowns between each snow event made for dicey conditions for skiers. A dusting over ice at the trailhead caused us to opt for microspikes instead of skis. As it turned out, further in, the snow conditions improved, but it was too late to turn back. Chain Lakes Road was plowed only to just pass the Abanakee Dam, at the first parking area for the white water rafters. It is about another 1.5 miles to the gate where there is a DEC sign-in kiosk. But that's OK, that section of the road was very skiable. With this extra distance our total trip to the Cedar River and back was about 10 miles. Wildlife was abundant along the way; some we saw, and others we saw just tracks and scat. The most interesting, however, was the markings of a hunter and the hunted. There were tracks of a mouse or some other mouse-sized animal that ended abruptly. At that point there were clear markings of the wings and tail feathers of a bird of prey. Hawk or owl, we were not sure, but it was one of the more interesting things I have ever seen on the trails. About a half mile past the gate was the old Gooley Club House overlooking the Hudson River just upstream from the canoe takeout before the white water area. The club house appears to be about a 100 year old structure very much in need of repair. Since this land will be classified as a "primitive area," however, that structure will likely be removed. This was about the halfway point on our journey to the Cedar River so we had a lunch break before returning. Joining me on this adventure were John Antonio, Lori McMarron, Frank Dirlof and Mark Janey. A couple of weeks later, after some lake effects snow, I went in and skied the road and confirmed my hunch that it was a great ski.

Feb 9 (Sun) ALANDER MTN. Leader: John Sheehan Well, I finally got to climb Alander in the winter...sort of. Of the two routes up the mountain, the route from Bash Bish Falls is my favorite. There are always lots of signs of wildlife, interesting terrain and beautiful woods. Deer seemed to dominate in the track and scat category, although there were signs of other smaller animals (rabbits, squirrels, mice etc). The deer, to a great extent, were using the South Taconic Trail up the mountain. Unfortunately they were not good at breaking trail for snowshoers. After a fresh foot of snow the previous week, the trail was as picturesque as I imagined it would be. However, we were the first to enjoy it so we were breaking trail the entire way. After some early sign-ups, late bail outs, then late sign ups, and last minute bail-outs, only two hikers ended up joining me on this hike, Paul Tick and Agnes Zellin. The first half mile or so of this trail is steep, but that was not the biggest problem. It's amazing how such a nice pleasant trail in the summer can turn on you under certain winter conditions. I assured the group that after the initial climb, it would be a pleasant ridge walk with a gradual climb to the summit. The higher we got however the deeper the snow became. My plan of a relaxing lunch in the cabin at the top fell through when we decided that we needed some fuel if we were to continue at all. After re-fueling, we continued a ways but the step-by-step progress through the unbroken snow was just not going get us there. I knew that we had only about 20 to 30 vertical feet to climb, but the summit was not in sight and not all that close. We were about at our turnaround time so around we turned. Following our broken trail back to the trailhead was easy and to everyone's amazement we were out in no time. That seemed easy enough, but we had a different perspective plodding through deep unbroken snow. I had a similar experience a few years ago on the extreme north end of that same trail in the town of Petersburg. Even though that hike was a net elevation loss with a car spot, cold and deep snow made it a challenge. Snow changes everything. Sometimes for the better--but not this time

Feb 9 (Sun) MOREAU STATE PARK BEGINNER SNOWSHOE Leader: Kathy Pacuk The leader and Denis Foley left the parking lot at 10:45 and 17 degrees. There was a clear blue sky. We passed a beaver dam. Almost every person except us had their friendly dog with them--skiers and snowshoers alike. It was lovely to see so many families. We stopped at the warming hut before finishing up at 1:50.

Feb 19 (Wed) OK SLIP FALLS Leader: Katie Henrikson Though the weather was threatening, our small group set off for this new hike. There were 6 inches of new snow and the weather remained benevolent throughout the day. The new snow contributed to the spectacular winter scenery on the trail. The falls were totally frozen and an amazing sight. The weather turned a little unpleasant for the drive home, but this was otherwise a perfect day for a winter hike. Enjoying the day and the company were Liz Gee, Ania Gaguine, Margie Litwin, Kendra Pratt, and the leader.

Feb 19 (Wed) HOPKINS VIA MOSSY CASCADE BROOK Leader: Karen Ross and Lori McCarron This old-fashioned winter with its delightful but heavy snowpack gave us some pause as we rescheduled this outing from Hopkins to one closer to home--to Moreau State Park. Not only was the deep and probably unbroken 2'+ snow pack an issue, but here was another day with a forecast of several inches of snow to contend with on the roads. We started out on the western side of Moreau, following in the tracks of one brave snowshoer and one intrepid skier whose tracks wound all over the slopes. We intended to tailor our route to the conditions we found on the ground. After about 2 miles, the tracks gave out, the winds came up on the ridge, the drifted unbroken snow had the first person in line up to her thighs, and it started to snow. We followed our own tracks back, got in the cars, and drove around to the gated area for lunch in the warm, woodstove-heated Warming Hut at Moreau Lake. With the snow coming down hard, we decided to call it quits and get on the road, and we were glad we did. On the slow way back one of the group passed six accidents. Trekking merrily through the snow globe were John Antonio, Frank Dirolf, Rupert Harris, and 'Louie,' who was bravely leaping along in snow up to his chin.

BULLETIN BOARD

CAMPGROUND HOSTS: After he and his wife have volunteered as campground hosts at Heart Lake for the past eight years, Jon Bowen has been appointed the new Host Program coordinator. This program is available to all ADK members by contacting him at [email protected] or through the website. Many thanks to Doug Paquette, who has retired as the coordinator of the program. Here's how Jon describes the "work": "The week begins at 12 noon on a Sunday and ends a week later at 12 noon. A typical day for us begins early when we walk from the campground to the Loj to check our email using the Loj’s wifi. This is followed by breakfast in the dining room where we interact with the Loj guests and some campers who sign up for breakfast. Experiences hiking the High Peaks are exchanged; “newbies” are given advice; when asked, we suggest trails and hikes to inexperienced hikers, etc. At 8:00 a.m. we check in at the front desk and are provided with a list of late camping arrivals to contact about registering at the Loj. Sometimes there are other messages to transmit to campers. We make a circuit of all the campsites picking up litter as we go. We check the washroom to ensure both have necessary supplies. Usually we finish our loop between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. and again check in at the front desk to let them know of any problems. At that point, we are free for a few hours. We walk to the Loj kitchen to make our trail lunch; then we usually hike somewhere that’s not too long—Rocky Falls, Marcy Dam, Mt. Jo, Mt Van Hoevenburg from Heart Lake or other trails in the vicinity such as Owl Head Lookout, Blueberry Cobbles, Rooster Comb, Baxter Mtn, Cooper Kiln Pond, Haystack Mtn. (Saranac Lake), etc. Later in the afternoon, we make another circuit of the campground. This time, we check to see if campers who should have checked out actually left. We enter unoccupied campsites and pick up litter or other items that should not be there. We also check occupied sites where no one is around for food left out that bears and other animals would be attracted to. Dinner at the Loj is next with people extolling the day’s exploits and planning the following day’s hikes. After dinner we return to our site where we sell firewood after the High Peaks Information Center (HPIC) is closed. We usually sit around a fire reading between sales. Quiet hours are at 10:00 p.m., and a staff member walks the campground at that time and speaks with groups who are too loud. Prior to the 10:00 a.m. quiet time, usually 9:30-9:45 we make a loop in the campground to warn people of the impending quiet time. The campground has a short list of rules that we remind campers of during our interactions with them on each of our “walk-throughs.” --Sounds like a pretty nice job, doesn't it?

ALBANY CHAPTER of the ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN CLUB ANNUAL BANQUET TUESDAY MAY 13, 2014

Mallozzi’s Clubhouse at Western Turnpike Golf Course 2350 Western Avenue, Guilderland, NY 12084 (518-456-9837) Gathering begins @ 6:00 PM, Buffet Dinner @ 7:00 PM

PRESENTATION BY JON BOWERMASTER, Writer, Filmmaker and Adventurer

A six-time grantee of the National Geographic Expeditions Council, award-winning writer and filmmaker Jon Bowermaster's ten-year-long OCEANS 8 Project took him and his teams around the world by sea kayak. During the past ten years, their expeditions ranged from the Aleutian Islands to Vietnam, French Polynesia to Chile/Argentina/Bolivia, Gabon to Croatia and Tasmania to Antarctica. Seeing the world from the seat of a sea kayak has given Bowermaster a one-of-a-kind look at both the health of the planet's oceans and the lives of the nearly four billion people around the globe who depend on them. His eight-part film series documenting the OCEANS 8 Project has been shown in 150 countries on the National Geographic Channel.

Recently named one of a dozen Ocean Heroes by the National Geographic Society, Jon’s website and blog (“Notes from Sea Level,” www.jonbowermaster.com) continue his reporting on the world’s coastlines, the people who live along them and issues of importance to anyone interested in and concerned about the planet’s one ocean. Jon’s next film, due in Spring 2014, is the first 3D film to be shot in Antarctica. “On the Edge, Antarctica 3D” begins distribution through museums and science institutions around the globe beginning this spring. See Jon’s website at: http://jonbowermaster.com.

RAFFLE: Carl Heilman has again donated a 10” X 34” panorama photo to be raffled off for the benefit of the Adirondack Mountain Club. This year’s photo is of “The , Keene Valley and The Great Range from The Brothers” matted and framed to 20” X 42”, a value in excess of $425.00. Proceeds from the raffle will go to the Wilderness Legal Defense Fund which was established to ensure that the Adirondack Mountain Club is able to pursue legal actions in a timely manner to protect our precious natural resources. Previews of the print can be seen at monthly chapter meetings, or by visiting Carl’s website at www.carlheilman.com.

$34.00 BUFFET INCLUDES: Mixed Greens with Italian Dressing, Chicken Française, Eggplant Parmigiana, Baked Salmon with Tomato Relish, Penne with Vodka Cream Sauce, Sautéed Vegetable Medley, Italian Roasted Potatoes and Dinner Rolls; Villa Italia Pastries & Cookies, Coffee & Tea. RESERVATION DEADLINE ---TUESDAY MAY 6, 2014 Mail checks payable to “Albany Chapter ADK,” with your reservation form to: ADK Banquet, PO Box 2116, Empire State Plaza Station, Albany, NY 12220 ------Return this section with your reservation------Name Address Phone e-mail #Attending_____@ $34 = $ I wish to purchase # ____raffle tickets @ $5.00 each or 3 for $10.00 for a total of = $ Reserve # _____ seats at a Singles Table #_____seats at a Paddlers Table Total = $ This form is available at our Albany Chapter ADK website: www.adk-albany.org

CONSERVATION NOTES

Governor Cuomo Approves Finch Land Classification On Friday, February 7, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo approved the State Land Classifications for 42,000 acres recently added to the State Forest Preserve in the . The classification of the properties, formerly owned by Finch Pruyn & Company, was endorsed by the Adirondack Park Agency on December 13, 2013 as the preferred alternative. Governor Cuomo said in a statement issued to the press, “The addition of thousands of acres of land to the State Forest Preserve is a major step in both protecting and preserving the Adirondack Park for future generations. At the same time, this plan enhances the State’s efforts to attract more visitors to the Adirondacks and grow the region’s tourism industry and communities." Here is part of the press release from the Governor’s office: “The Wilderness and Primitive Areas will protect the nearly pristine water bodies, intact fisheries, wetlands and endangered plants. The Essex Chain Primitive Area will establish a new remote paddling experience that is within reasonable access to the general public. The Primitive classifications will allow for float plane access for sportsmen and sportswomen from First and Pine Lakes. Also, a Wild Forest buffer between Hudson River Gorge and Essex Chain Primitive Areas will provide much needed community connectivity through a multi-use, four season trail, including mountain biking and snowmobile uses, linking Indian Lake, Newcomb and Minerva. This community connector trail supports the goal of public access and recreation, which supports tourism development and opportunities through the Park.“ Once complete, the acquisition of the former Finch lands will be the largest addition to the State Forest Preserve in 118 years. “In total, the Finch lands contain 180 miles of rivers and streams, 175 lakes and ponds, 465 miles of undeveloped shoreline (rivers, streams, lakes, ponds), six mountains taller than 2,000 feet and countless smaller hills." If you have questions or want to know more about conservation issues, please contact David Pisaneschi at [email protected] or 459-5969. For updates on conservation issues of concern to ADK members, please visit the chapter website at: http://www.adk-albany.org/conservationNotes.php

ALBANY CHAPTER - OFFICERS and COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS

Chairperson John Sheehan 674-8121 [email protected] Vice Chairperson Tom Hart 229-5627 [email protected] Finance Tom Hart 229-5627 [email protected] Treasurer Steve Cornell 797-3842 [email protected] Recording Secretary Jan Peterson 695-3054 [email protected] Corresponding Secretary vacant Members at Large Phil Seward 527-1851 [email protected] Don Berens 783-1302 [email protected] Representatives to the Board Carl Klinowski 274-8410 [email protected] Gene Reilly 281-7796 [email protected] Banquet vacant Cloudsplitter Karen Ross 794-7474 [email protected] Conservation David Pisaneschi 459-5969 [email protected] Tom McGuire 391-0508 [email protected] Education Alan Mapes 439-4086 [email protected] Membership Doug Rosenberry 356-3142 [email protected] Nominations Mark Janey 899-6086 [email protected] Outings Virginia Boyle Traver 322-0950 [email protected] Paddlers Rich Macha 346-3180 [email protected] Programs Thea Hoeth 434-3052 [email protected] Public Information Deb Reif 944-3369 [email protected] Refreshments Marlee Bickel 456-7050 [email protected] Socials Helen Menz 463-3036 Trails Gene Reillly 281-7796 [email protected] Ways and Means Peg Lindgren 489-1395 [email protected] Web Master Pete Sage 733-6566 [email protected] Wilderness Dave Pisaneschi 459-5969 [email protected] Young Adults Stephanie Graudons 332-4624 [email protected]

Albany Chapter Adirondack Mountain Club Non-Profit Organization P.O. Box 2116 Esp. Sta. U.S. POSTAGE Albany, NY 12220

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