Vol. 37, No. 1 JANUARY - MARCH, 2004 DREAMS AT SUCKER BROOK I'm dreaming about a bear trying to get at our food in the nylon sack overhanging the stream. His claws sing out as they cut through the air trying to sever the nylon line. The airy, shrill sound of his swinging paw intensifies. Suddenly, I wake up. It's pitch black and dead quiet. My son's hand is on my shoulder. He tells me there was a terrible screeching noise just outside the tent. Although I heard the same sound in my dream, or the sound started my dream, my mind interpreted it as my worst fear. I think we may have heard the cry of a Saw-whet Owl, a little guy with a big voice. I remember my good friend, Bud, who knows everything about birds of prey, telling me about the Saw-whet. In addition to a tooting mating sound, the characteristic call of the Saw-whet has been compared to the sound of a metal saw being sharpened on a whet stone, hence the name. But it was not as scary as a big black bear sniffing around our tent and swiping at our food. That happened to us for real about twenty years ago in the high peaks region of the Adirondacks when my son was fourteen. We had set up camp in a place well known for its bears. Bad decision! We went to sleep to the sounds of banging pots and pans and the screams from other campers as they attempted to discourage the marauders. It was almost humorous. I awoke with a start at about 4 o'clock in the morning, the moon faintly illuminating our wooded site. A giant shadow rose up in front of the tent blocking the light. Then four claws proceeded to shred the bark on the tree nearest the tent as a black bear cut the line supporting the food sack between two trees. Heart pounding, I found and switched on a flashlight, turned it on the culprit and screamed invectives. My son awoke and joined me in my tirade against the creature that could waste three days of our trip by sending us back to a grocery store. Miraculously, the bear spooked. He crashed backwards down the tree and charged off never to be seen again that night. Morning came, and the accounting: seven food sacks missing, three remaining. One of those, fortunately, was ours. That morning, some of the campers went from tent to tent begging for food. How quickly we learn. My son's mood that day was a little subdued and as night descended and we set up camp far from those screaming guys with the pots and pans, he kept nervously looking around without saying anything. How to relieve my son's anxiety? I decided on a half- truth, telling him that bears hate the smell of human urine. My son now had the power to cast out his demons. Twenty years later, here we are, camping off the Sucker Brook Trail on a small tributary stream feeding the larger Sucker Brook in the Indian Lake region of the Adirondack Park. In the morning we climb to the notch above to bushwhack through tangled woods to one of the local trailess summits. Since we finished climbing the hundred highest peaks in New England we've been working on the hundred highest peaks in New York. After the notch, we come on a clearing, and an unexpected sound. A large buck in the middle of the clearing snorts at our approach. I pick up a twig and toss it at him. Cont'd on Page 3 2 THE CATSKILL CANISTER PRESIDENTS CORNER With the separation of Aspirant/Subscription tasks from the Membership President Wanda Davenport responsibilities, an updating of the Bylaws is necessary. Additionally, the 169 Pershing Avenue Winter Weekend Chair would be part of the Executive Committee. Ridgewood, NJ Section One of Article IX would then read as follows: (201) 670-8383 Section 1. The Executive Committee will consist of all Editor officers (designated in Article VIII, Section 1), the most Darielie Graham recently retired past president able to serve, the editor of 60 Barker Street, #419 The Catskill Canister, the delegate to the New York/New Mt. Kisco, NY 10549 Jersey Trail Conference, and the chairpersons of the (914) 241-2240 following committees: Membership, Aspirants, Outings, Trails, Canisters, Conservation, Annual Dinner, Winter Associate Editor Weekend, and Search and Rescue . Michael E. Doehring 7 Cloverdale Avenue This Bylaw change and the tabled motion for the 420 Award will be White Plains, NY 10603 under consideration at the 2004 Annual Dinner Meeting. (914) 761-7225 The ADK 2003 summer trail crew worked sections of seven Catskill Membership trails, putting in rock staircases, water bars and rock steps. Check out David White further work on the Peekamoose-Table or Giant Ledge-Panther Trails. 28 Mulberry Street Clinton, NY 13323 Pete Senterman, NY-NJ Trail Conference Trails Chair for the Catskills, (315) 853-6942 has a wish list of trails in need of a maintainer. The Devil's Path on Indian Head or Westkill and four segments of one mile each between Subscriptions/Aspirants Blackhead and Dutcher Notch are just a few that are available. To Judith M. Weiner volunteer send an email: [email protected]. 755 Anderson Avenue, #4J Cliffside Park, NJ 07010 Nearly fifteen years ago club dues were increased from $3.00 to $5.00. (201) 840-7078 Beginning January 1, 2004, a new dues schedule will be in effect. Annual dues will be $10.00 with Life Membership at $200. For the first Outings time a discounted rate of $17.00 will be available for two persons at the Edward Ripley-Duggan 23 Mill Road same address. This increase is necessary if the Club is to remain Olivebridge, NY 12461 solvent and continue its good deeds and work. (845) 657-7057 Kudos to Carol and Dave White for leading hikes each day of the Peripatetic Porcupine Hudson Valley Ramble weekend. The Executive Committee hopes to Ralph Ferrusi make Club participation an annual tradition. 34 Kim Lane Stormville, NY 12582 On November 1 and 2, 2003, 29 hikers attended a wilderness first-aid (845) 227-6217 course given by the Wilderness First Aid Society. The course covered a host of injuries and conditions all hikers need to know about when in The Catskill Canister is published four the woods and provided hands-on practice. Thanks go to Ted Ripley- times yearly by the Catskill 3500 Club, Duggan for organizing it, the Olivebridge Fire Department for donating Inc., for $5.00 a year. Articles on hiking or travel experiences, essays or poetry, its premises, and to the three excellent instructors, Maureen McCahery, should be sent to Darlene Graham, 60 Jonathan Silver and Ron Fields. Barker St., #419, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. Continuing with efforts to keep the membership informed, the Executive Committee voted to make a modest donation towards expenses to the IN THIS ISSUE: Save the Ridge Coalition as they work to preserve open space in the Gunks. Also, the Club is now a member of the American Hiking Society in addition to the NY-Nij Trail Conference. The Club received some nice Catskill Winter Weekend 3 Annual Dinner Date publicity in an article on hiking in the Catskills in the September 2003 Cheaged issue of Hudson Valley Magazine. Board Position Open 3 Just a reminder that email/telephone number information for all Hike Schedule 4 Executive Committee members was listed in the Summer 2003 Poems 7-8 Bear Management 8 Canister. Please contact any of us with your concerns. New Members 8 Wanda Davenport (#523j He replies with another snort and an advance. = We slowly retreat and give the clearing a wide berth. When we return by the clearing the buck hears us coming and spooks. Now he's the one who retreats, breaking branches as he crashes through the woods. That night back at camp, we talk about our adventures and the wildlife we've encountered. In the gathering twilight we're treated to the sight of a Great Horned Owl silently gliding down through the trees. It lands on a boulder in the middle of the stream and stays there about twenty seconds. Sensing our presence, it lifts effortlessly and disappears downstream. The evening creeps in and leaves us with only the small circle of light from our candle lantern and the sound of the stream. The guys with the pots and pans are not welcome tonight. The peace is sublime. Tomorrow, we will pack our gear and trudge back to the car for the long ride home, leaving the sounds and dreams of Sucker Brook behind us. Dick Sederquist (#905) CATSKILL WINTER WEEKEND: JANUARY 23 - 25. 2004 This event will be held at West Kill Mountain Bed & Breakfast (formerly Schwarzenegger's Sunshine Valley House) located on Spruceton Road in Westkill, New York; tel.: 518-989-6500. Hikes have been scheduled for members and aspirants (see p. 5 of hiking schedule). Downhill skiing is available within a half hour's drive at Windham, Hunter Mountain, Belleayre and Cortina Ski Areas. Rates: Double occupancy - $155.00/night, which includes lodging on Friday night when guests will be welcomed with coffee, cake or wine at an informal social; Saturday breakfast, trail lunch and dinner with a pre-dinner reception consisting of cheese, crackers and wine; and Sunday breakfast and trail lunch. Tax and gratuity is also included in the cost. To reserve, send a deposit of $75.00 to Arthur Zimmerman, 766 Neptune Boulevard, Long Beach, New York 11581; telephone 516-432-1205.