MAY 2013 — JULY 2013 No 1303 Chepontuc Footnotes Page 1 Spring into the Chapter! Chepontuc Footnotes By Laura Fiske, Chapter Chair Published Bimonthly Glens Falls Saratoga ADK Chapter Adirondack Mountain Club PO Box 2314, Glens Falls, NY, 12801 Now that the nice weather is donated by your chapter. on our doorstep, be sure to take We still have Executive Executive Committee Officers: a look at the outings in the back Committee vacancies in addi- Chapter Chair Laura Fiske of the newsletter tion to the outing com- Phone: 884-0345 [email protected] and get out and mittee mentioned First Vice Chair vacant experience the above. There is a va- Second Vice Chair vacant great offerings cancy for the annual Secretary John Caffry in our area. In dinner committee as Phone: 798-0624 [email protected] order to keep well as the first and Treasurer John Schneider providing you second vice chair posi- Phone: 584-8527 [email protected] with the wide tions. We could also Directors Jonathan Lane , Bill Bechtel, Linda Ranado range of outings use some new individu- Email for all directors: [email protected] you have come als to serve as alterna- Past Chapter Chair Maureen Coutant to expect, we tive directors. The alter- Phone: 745-7834 [email protected] need someone to “We need some- nate director and vice one to volunteer to lead chair positions are a great Committee Chairs: volunteer...” the outings com- way to get involved in the Annual Dinner vacant mittee. This in- club’s leadership and Conservation Jacki Bave volves reviewing the outings learn the ropes. If you are not Phone: 587-3754 [email protected] provided by the outings leaders ready to commit to a leadership Education Linda Ranado [email protected] to make sure there is nothing position you can join one of the Hospitality Gretchen Steen outside of the ADK guidelines, standing committees. The cur- Phone: 638-6139 [email protected] being the point of contact for rent committee listing is on the Membership Pat Desbiens outings questions and attending right side of this page. The Phone: 899-9688 [email protected] the monthly Executive Commit- committee chairs welcome your Newsletter/Editor Jill Gruben [email protected] tee meetings. help. Please contact me or any Another spring ritual is the of the other Executive Commit- Outings vacant [email protected] annual ADK fundraiser. This tee members if you have ques- Programs Sarah King year the Black Fly Affair has a tions. You can also visit the Phone: 798-0615 [email protected] 60’s theme and is being held on chapter website and take a look Publicity Jen Shepherd May 18th aboard the Lac du at the chapter by-laws for addi- [email protected] Saint Sacrement on Lake tional details about the organi- Trails Tom Ellis Phone: 638-6139 [email protected] George. Please consider attend- zation and management of the ing this annual event and help chapter. Shortly, we will be Web site George Sammons Phone: 743-9692 [email protected] support ADK in its efforts to working on the slate of officers Wilderness Jim Schneider prevent the further spread of (chair positions, treasurer, sec- Phone: 581-9367 [email protected] aquatic invasive species. You retary and director) for the 2014 Young Members Group Jonathan Lane will have the chance to bid on calendar year, so now is a great Phone: 744-4594 [email protected] several unique items as part of time to get your name on the the auction including a basket list! Chepontuc Footnotes Page 2 Spring mud season alert: G/F SARATOGA CHAPTER Stay below 3,000 feet NEW MEMBERS — JANUARY 2013 John Dunbar & Maryann Gipson, During spring mud season, trails are that asks hikers to refrain from travel- Gansevoort particularly vulnerable to erosion. The ing above 3,000 feet. This protects Kerri Healy, Corinth spring thaw creates mud that pene- alpine vegetation and prevents trail Edward Horgan & Allison Burba Horgan, trates much deeper into the soil than erosion. More information on trail con- Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts the surface mud created by summer ditions in the Adirondacks can be Lisa Meade, Schuylerville rains, and trails are thus more easily found on the DEC Web site or by con- Kate Nicholson, Saratoga Springs damaged by hikers’ boots. Alpine tacting the DEC Forest Rangers at 518 vegetation, which is fragile and endan- -897-1200. gered to begin with, is also particularly Closure typically runs from May Rejoined Members vulnerable at this time. It is therefore through early to mid-June. If you are Sarah & Michael Alford, Greenfield Center best to stay off higher elevation planning a trip to the High Peaks dur- Fletcher & Lisa Baltz, Saratoga Springs trails during early spring. ing this period, please call the ADK Daniel W. Berggren, Ballston Spa The New York State Department of High Peaks Information Center at 518- Denise Freihofer, Stuart, Florida Environmental Conservation institutes 523-3441 or the DEC to learn about Courtenay W. Hall, Stillwater a voluntary trail closure in the Eastern trail conditions and whether the volun- Dale Hiram, Coopersburg, Pennsylvania High Peaks during this time of year tary closure is in effect. Mark & Julie Holowach, Saratoga Springs Paula Lomasney, Gansevoort Peggy & Keith Strackm, Saratoga Springs Toni M. Sturm, M.D., Gansevoort Trails to Avoid: Alternative trails: High Peaks Wilderness Area Weather permitting, alternative trails NEW MEMBERS — FEBRUARY 2013 All trails above 3,000 feet – wet, muddy, for hiking: snow conditions prevail, specifically at: Debar Mt. Wild Forest Donald Donofrio, Queensbury • Algonquin • Azure Mountain • Colden Giant Mountain Wilderness John Fichera, Clifton Park • Feldspar • Giant’s Washbowl David, Kristen & Maya Mattice, Glens Falls • Gothics • Roaring Brook Falls Tom McLenithan, Cambridge • Indian Pass High Peaks Wilderness Chris Thatcher, Queensbury • Lake Arnold Cross-Over • Ampersand Mountain • Marcy • Cascade • Big Slide • Marcy Dam Rejoined Members • Brothers • Lake Colden Gregory & Melissa Brown, Broadalbin • Porter from Cascade (avoid all other Joseph Bunk, Saratoga Springs • Phelps Trail above Johns Brook Lodge approaches) • Range Trail Hurricane Primitive Area Warren Carolus, Ballston Spa • Skylight • The Crows Kyle & Jill Cookingham, Saratoga Springs • Wright and all trail-less peaks • Hurricane Mountain from Route 9N Lisa, JoAnn, Lily & Sophie Glading- McKenzie Mt. Wilderness Dilorenzo, Northampton, Massachusetts Dix Mountain Wilderness Area • Haystack Mountain Bill Hogan, Saratoga Springs • All trails above Elk Lake and Round • McKenzie Mountain Linda, Linda M., Danielle & Matthew Klom- Pond Pharoah Lake Wilderness Area pas, Clifton Park • Pharoah Mountain Peter, Erin, Julian & Jaden Kobor, Schuy- Giant Mountain Wilderness Area Saranac Lake Wild Forest lerville • Baker Mountain • All trails above Giant’s Washbowl, Erika Schielke & Jeremy Haas, Glens Falls “the Cobbles,” and Owls Head • Panther Mountain George & Lynn Stephens, Glens Falls • Scarface Mountain We’re looking for help! We need a First Vice Chair, Second Vice Chair, Annual Dinner Chair and an Outings Chair! Contact Laura Fiske for more info at 518-884-0345 or [email protected] Chepontuc Footnotes Page 3 Conservation News By Jacki Bave ADK Paddlers – Prevent the Spread of Aquatic In- new waterway. Drying times vary, depending on the vasives – Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) are non-native type of boat and equipment. The outside of a boat will plants and animals that threaten native plants, wildlife, dry rapidly, but areas not reached by the sun or lacking and their habitat. Boats, equipment, clothing and even good air circulation, such as the interior portions of dogs can spread AIS from one waterway to another wa- some kayaks, will take additional time to dry com- terway unless they are properly cleaned and dried. AIS pletely. found in Adirondack waters include water chestnut, ze- For more information on how you can help prevent bra mussel, eurasian watermilfoil, spiny waterflea, hy- the spread of AIS, go to www.dec.ny.gov/ drilla and non-native crayfish and minnows. Once they animals/48221.html or www.adkinvasives.com . are established in a waterbody, they are very difficult to eradicate. At present, two out of three surveyed waterways in Court Decision Reaffirms New York’s Public Right to the Adirondacks are free of invasive plants. You can Navigation – In late February, a New York Supreme help prevent the spread of AIS by following these Court ruled in favor of the public’s right to travel on the guidelines recommended by DEC : state’s navigable rivers and streams for recreational use. Inspect and Remove any visible mud, plants, fish Private landowners in an area near the Whitney Wilder- or organisms from boats, trailers, equipment, clothing, ness Canoe Area had challenged a 1998 ruling which dogs etc. Discard the items in an upland area or in one established recreational use as a valid reason in deciding of the invasive species disposal stations that DEC has whether a waterway should be open to public use. installed at many boat launch sites. These landowners had put up barriers and no trespassing Drain all water holding compartments and equip- signs along Shingle Shanty Brook, and filed a lawsuit ment before you leave the access site. Remember to against a paddler who published an account of a pad- include equipment, such as neoprene shoes or pumps dling trip along the brook between Little Tupper Lake used to remove water from boats. and Lake Lila. New York’s Department of Environ- Dry – Because some AIS are not easily visible, mental Conservation and the Attorney General sup- the most effective method to ensure that no invasive ported the public’s right to travel on the water route, and species are transported to a new waterway is to com- State Supreme Court Justice Richard Aulisi agreed.