O N D S C H U A H P - T D E I R Mid-Hudson M News and activitiesTRAILS of the Mid-Hudson Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club ADK Spring 2016 The Appalachian Trail CHAPTER EVENT Route 22 (Pawling) to Bulls Bridge (Kent, Connecticut) RAPTOR PRESENTATION! by Skip Doyle Sat, Apr 2 – 2 pm, Boughton Place, 150 Kisor Road, Highland, NY The Appalachian Trail platform on the Please join us for an exciting and edu- Metro-North Rail Line is merely a whistle- cational presentation of raptors - birds stop in Pawling, but it is from here that such as hawks and owls - presented by hikers from metro NYC can step onto the Annie Mardiney Trail. Though it’s the only whistle-stop on Anne Mardiney is one of four Ulster the entire AT, MetroNorth offers hikers County-based state-certified wildlife several whistle-stops in our region – Mani- rehabilitators. She also holds a federal tou and Breakneck on the Hudson Line, migratory bird license from the U.S. Fish and Mount Pleasant and the Appalachian & Wildlife Service and works with Ulster Trail on the Harlem Line. County SPCA, Ravensbeard Wildlife Center , Sunnyskies Bird & Animal Sanctuary and Forsyth Nature Center. There are also calls from local and state police, SUNY New Paltz, apartment managers and golf courses with animal woes to deal with “The easiest critters for me to take care of are orphaned baby birds and bun- nies,” said Annie. “It’s still enormously time-consuming. Most nestling birds need to be hand-fed every 20-30 min- utes, all day. Baby bunnies need to be hand-fed every morning and evening. Mardiney takes in roughly 200 birds intriguing things I’ve done in my life,” and rabbits per year, the vast major- Mardiney said. A Whistle Stop in Pawling ity of whom are injured by domestic Wildlife rehabilitators are not allowed cats. She added that the second-most to charge for their services. Their work The Appalachian Trail northward from the common injury to birds is collision with is completely voluntary. But they can train stop is immediately interesting: to windows and cars. accept cash donations and donations cross an extensive pasture requires climb- Mardiney recently developed an out- of supplies, such as animal crates, bags ing over three stiles, providing a tranquil door aviary (with the John Burroughs of shavings, bags of feed, etc start to this trek. As one enters the thick Natural History Society) with two flight woods blazed White, the terrain inclines This event is free and open to the rooms and an entry room, enabling public, but reservations are strongly and then levels off for an easy walk of her to rehabilitate even more birds, so several miles to the Wiley Shelter. With a recommended. Light refreshments will they can rehabilitate flight skills and be served. Reservations will be taken by lean-to and ample tent facilities, people wing strength before their release. This from the area can use the AT and Wiley Sue Mackson, 845-471-9892 or work is one of the most satisfying and [email protected] Shelter as a weekend of solitude via train and trekking. IN THIS ISSUE Leaving Dutchess County and crossing into Connecticut, after a day of hiking Feature Story Page 1 easy rolling terrain, it’s a substantial climb up to the high point of the day, 1,000 foot Spring 2016 Outings Schedule Page 3 Tenmile Hill. From here is the day’s first vista. Atop the summit is an amusing sign Looking ahead to Summer Page 8 Continued on Page 11 Fall/Winter Outings Log Page 9 www.midhudsonadk.org 1 Elected Officers YOU CAN HELP TITLE NAME EMAIL PHONE Keep Our Trails Open for Hiking! Chapter Chair Daniel Jones,Jr. [email protected] 845-797-916 Trails in our parks are maintained largely by the people who use them, [email protected] Vice Chair Peter McGinnis 845-454-4428 hikers who volunteer their time. Secretary Ellen Zelig [email protected] 845-518-0488 If you enjoy hiking and would like to volunteer as a trail maintainer in our area, Treasurer Ralph Pollard [email protected] 845-462-3389 there are varied opportunities to do so, either by adopting a trail section or by Chapter Director Stanley Augie [email protected] 845-632-1248 joining a clipping crew. Chapter Director Bill Beehler [email protected] 845-473-5557 The NY-NJ Trail Conference is looking for people to volunteer on group clipping Club Director Jean-Claude Fouere [email protected] 845-462-0142 outings in parks west of the Hudson Riv- Alt. Club Director Brenda Harding [email protected] 845-565-8566 er—including Minnewaska, Schunemunk, and Storm King State Parks. Past-Chapter Chair Lalita Malik [email protected] 845-592-0244 Some trails in these parks are becom- ing overgrown as individual volunteer maintainers retire and replacements are Committee Chairs & Other Volunteers hard to find. Group maintenance outings are an alternative. Join a group outing as TITLE NAME EMAIL PHONE you are able, or become a Clipping Crew Leader by scheduling work outings, and Conservation Sayi Nulu [email protected] 845-264-2270 help keep the trails we enjoy open! New Members Jennifer Anderson [email protected] Volunteers have been largely respon- sible for trail maintenance in our state Publicity Skip Doyle [email protected] parks since at least 1920, and there is no News Media Michele Van Housen [email protected] 845-691-7442 prospect of that changing. It’s up to us! For more information on getting in- Education Chair Don Urmston [email protected] 845-457-4552 volved, contact Trail Conference West Social Events Carole Marsh [email protected] 845-849-2204 Hudson Program Coordinator Sona Mason at [email protected] or call her at Webmaster Georgette Weir [email protected] 845-462-0142 (201) 512-9348 x16. Newsletter Co-Editor Dana Bennet [email protected] 845-247-7259 LETTERS Newsletter Co-Editor Elizabeth Fitzgerald [email protected] Dear Peter and Daniel, Database Admin Eli Cohen [email protected] Thank you so much for your (and the Mid- Outings Co-Chair Sue Mackson [email protected] 845-471-9892 Hudson Chapter’s) support of Winterfest! Thanks to your help, over 275 children Outings Co-Chair Ginny Fauci [email protected] 845-399-2170 and adults were able to come out and try Trails Chair Tom Amisson [email protected] 845-592-1572 skiing, snowshoeing, tracking, participate in a ski mountaineering race, or learn Water Trails & Paddles Russ Faller [email protected] 845-297-5126 about dog sledding, winter prepared- ness, or ski waxing. Twenty-one different NY-NJ Trail Conf. Del. Salley Decker [email protected] 845-454-4206 workshops and clinics were offered; every single one had participation. At the kid’s [email protected] MeetUp Sayi Nulu 845-264-2270 zone, children were sledding, making snow art, trying paintball biathlon, and enjoying skiing throughout the day. All of these events were offered free of charge, thanks to your generosity. The day was a grand success, and it wouldn’t have been possible without your support! If you’d like to see some images from the day, check out our album here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1015 e regret the passing of member Arlene Kaplan. 6397952080111.1073741834.337893980110&ty WIt was always a great pleasure to have her on paddling trips. pe=3 She was a skilled paddler, athletic, an easy going person Thank you! always with a smile and with something nice to say. We will miss her. Here is a link to her obituary: Ian Ellbogen, http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/poughkeepsie Winterfest Steering Committee journal/obituary.aspx?n=arlene-e-kaplan&pid= Julia Goren 177255693&fhid=27382 Education Director and Summit Steward Coordinator www.midhudsonadk.org 2 MHADK OUTINGS SCHEDULE – March/April/May 2016 (If changes/additions to these hikes occur, they will be found on the website & will be listed in the weekly e-mail) MID-WEEK HIKES: The leaders offer hikes of varying difficulty to different areas of GENERAL OUTINGS GUIDELINES Springthe Mid-Hudson Valley. Hikes may be followed by a stop for refreshments. Leaders: Ginny Fauci, [email protected] 845-399-2170 or Lalita Malik, [email protected] (845) 592- • Notify Leader of your intent to join 0204. They will be held every Thursday, weather permitting. To add your name to the an outing at least 2 days prior to the Mid-Week hike list, go to the bottom of the weekly e-mail to update your subscription. outing MID-WEEK PADDLES: Leader: Glenda Schwarze [email protected]. She will lead • Be at designated meeting place 10 quiet water 2 hour paddles with beach put-ins. Starting in May they will be held on the minutes prior to the scheduled depar- 2nd and 4th Thursdays of every month. To add your name to the Mid-Week paddle list, ture time go to the bottom of the weekly e-mail to update your subscription. • Car pooling is encouraged, riders are expected to share the expenses HARRIMAN DOG-FRIENDLY HIKES: Susan Sterngold and her dogs lead hikes equally at a rate of $.20 per mile plus every day in Harriman. Dogs will be on all the hikes and you’re welcome to bring yours. any tolls and parking fees incurred. Hikes are scheduled a few days ahead of time. To receive notifications of the hikes, • Dogs may be allowed on some out- please join her yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/harrimanhike.