The Cloudsplitter Is Published Quarterly by the Albany Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and Is Distributed to the Membership
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The Cloudsplitter Vol. 79 No. 1 January-March 2016 published by the ALBANY CHAPTER of the ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN 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 February 15, 2016 and will be for the months of April, May, and June, 2016. Many thanks to Gail Carr for her cover sketch of winter snows on the Mohawk River. January 6, February 3, March 2 (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 Tom Hart at 229-5627 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. January 12 (2nd Tuesday) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETING 6:30 P.M. Education Session: Used Gear Sale-- Sell your used outdoor gear and look for some bargains at our annual sale. No education session will be held this month to make time (and room) for the sale. Program: Climbing Mt. Shuksan--At 9,127 feet, Mt. Shuksan of the Northern Cascades is one of the most photographed mountains in the world. Its varied rock terrain, hanging glaciers and complicated route finding make for an outstanding mountaineering experience involving rock climbing in a series of chimneys, a section of alpine ice, then glacier terrain culminating in the imposing 700 foot summit pyramid. Tom Denham started mountaineering after the age of 40 and will introduce us to Mt. Shuksan. February 9 (2nd Tuesday) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETING 6:30 P.M. Education Session: Aquatic Invasives, an Update on ADK Efforts-- Cathy Pedler and Paul Gallery will explain a new Citizen Science Program initiated by ADK. One project initiated in 2015 is a Backcountry Water Monitoring Project that trains volunteers to monitor aquatic invasive plants in backcountry lakes and ponds. Volunteers are asked to adopt a backcountry trail, pond or lake for monitoring and to have access to survey gear including lightweight NRS packrafts for pond surveys. Program: Paddling Down South--Members Mike Cavanaugh and Alan Mapes have a solution to the lack of paddling opportunity during the long Northeast winters. They've traveled south, camping and paddling in every southeast coastal state from Maryland to Louisiana over the past 8 years. Join us for a look at their favorite spots as they paddle on the trips they call “Geezers Go South.” March 8 (2nd Tuesday) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETING 6:30 P.M. Education Session: Birds--My How You've Changed! Bird expert Rich Guthrie will make a return performance to review the changes in New York's bird life since he started noticing birds 60 years ago. Rich will also give us a look ahead on changes coming for our wild birds in the future. Program: Adventures In and Around the Adirondacks--Most agree that the High Peaks enjoy the spotlight when it comes to discussions among outdoors lovers in our area, but take a look around with Glens Falls/Saratoga ADK member and outdoor enthusiast Peter Fedorick who will share with us images of often-overlooked venues for paddling, hiking and biking available in our backyard. Paddling Jabe Pond, hiking to Barton High Cliffs and biking the back roads around Brant Lake are just a few of the places we will visit on his pictorial journey to some of the gems he enjoys visiting. 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 THE CLOUDSPLITTER January-March 2016 Vol. 79 No. 1 Albany Chapter – Adirondack Mountain Club January-March 2016 Combined Activities Schedule Note: YM denotes Young Members group Month Day Destination or Event Leader Rating Jan 2 (Sat) Big Slide Berens A+ 2 (Sat) Indian Head & Twin Kase A 2 (Sat) Mt. Colden Scaife A+ 3 (Sun) Dyken Pond XC Ski Macha B 8 (Fri) Thacher Park – North Antonio B 9 (Sat) Eagle & Big Indian Mountains Lanzillo/Becker A+ 9 (Sat) YM: Adirondack WINTERFEST Baker 9-10 (Sat-Sun) NPT: Lake Durant-Lake Placid Backpack Niland A 10 (Sun) Moxham Mountain Royce B 10 (Sun) OK Slip Falls McGuire B 10 (Sun) Grafton Lakes Luchsinger C 10 (Sun) Second Pond Sheehan B 11 (Mon) YM: Ski West Mtn. Baker 12 (Tue) USED GEAR SALE BEFORE THE CHAPTER MEETING 12 (Tue) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING--Climbing Mt. Shuksan 13 (Wed) Notchview XC Ski & Snowshoe Traver B 16 (Sat) Macomb Berens A+ 16 (Sat) TCT-Robinson Hollow/Mattison Hollow Rd. Pisaneschi A 16 (Sat) YM: Cascade & Porter Baker A+ 16 (Sat) Slide & Panther Kase A+ 17 (Sun) Henderson Lk., Preston Ponds, Duck Hole Siegard A 23 (Sat) Hunter Mountain Susko B 23 (Sat) Allen Mountain Warren A+ 23 (Sat) BREIA XC Ski Rosenblatt B 24 (Sun) Huyck Preserve XC Macha B 27 (Wed) Santanoni XC SKI Antonio B 30 (Sat) Saddleback Berens A+ 30 (Sat) Thacher Park - The Fred Schroeder Trail Waldman C+ 30 (Sat) Lake George Rec Park - Snowshoe or XC Luchsinger C 31 (Sun) Ross & Whortleberry Ponds McGuire B Feb 5 (Fri) Tubmill Marsh &/or Lilypad Pond Antonio B 6 (Sat) Cliff & Redfield Warren A+ 6 (Sat) Huyck Preserve Prewencki B 6 (Sat) YM: Phelps & Table Top Baker A+ 7 (Sun) Kettle & Pine Mtns. McGuire B 7 (Sun) Huyck Preserve Beginner Snowshoe Pacuk C 9 (Tue) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING--Paddling the South 10 (Wed) Folded Rock Traver B 13 (Sat) Mt. Marcy Ski Rosenblatt A+ 13 (Sat) Moreau State Park Luchsinger C 13 (Sat) The Wolfjaws Berens A+ 15 (Mon) Windham & Burnt Knob Susko B 15 (Mon) YM: Buck Mountain Baker B 20 (Sat) Sawteeth, Gothics & Armstrong Scaife A+ 20-21 (Sat-Sun) NPT: Collins Gifford Valley to Benson Rd. Niland B 21 (Sun) Leader's Choice XC Macha B 4 Month Day Destination or Event Leader Rating Feb 21 (Sun) Street & Nye Lanzillo A 22 (Mon) YM: Ski West Mountain Baker 27 (Sat) Wright, Algonquin and Iroquois Berens A+ 27 (Sat) YM: Mount Marcy Czapranski A+ 28 (Sun) Pharaoh Lake from the South McGuire B 29 (Mon) Grafton Lakes XC Ross/McCarron B Mar 6 (Sun) Santanoni Preserve XC Ski Royce B 6 (Sun) Groff Creek Ski Through McGuire A 8 (Tue) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING--Adirondack Adventures 9 (Wed) Huyck Preserve Snowshoe Traver C 12 (Sat) Peekamoose & Table Mtns. Susko A 12 (Sat) Basin Warren A+ 12 (Sat) Whiteface/Esther Toll Road Ski-Shoe Scaife A 13 (Sun) Leader's Choice XC Macha B 14 (Mon) YM: Ski West Mountain Baker 19 (Sat) Nipple Top & Dial Siegard A+ 20 (Sun) Outer Gooley Club Road XC Sheehan B 23 (Wed) Noonmark Mountain Antonio B+ All outings are listed online at www.adk-albany.org DON’T FORGET TO OPT OUT rigors of winter season.