www.nynjtc.org Connecting People with Nature since 1920 July/August 2008

New York- Trail Conference — Maintaining 1,683 Miles of Foot Trails

In this issue: National Trails Day...pg 3 • Remembering Jenny Lane...pg 6 • Learn to Like Liverworts...pg 7 • Book Roundup...pg 11 TC Work Honored at National Trails Day Event articipants at a National Trails Day beyond what anyone would have expected. event sponsored by the Trail This has included researching tax maps, PConference in the southern Shawan - meeting with landowners, assembling vol - gunks had two reasons to celebrate: cleanup unteers, and undertaking the cleanup of of 150 acres of preserved open space and a some of the more significant properties in surprise announcement by special guest this outstanding assemblage. Your persist - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) ence is a testament to the strength of our that he had that week introduced legislation partnership.” in Congress to support a feasibility study Also attending the event were: Paula of designating the a National Medley , President, Scenic Trail. The Trail Conference has been Coalition & Basha Kill Area Association; working for several years to achieve Nation - al Scenic Trail study status for the Long Path (LP), a portion of which traverses the “Your persistence Shawangunk Ridge via the Shawangunk Ridge Trail. is a testament Hinchey’s bill, the Long Path Trail Study Act of 2008, would authorize project-based funding and technical assistance via the to the strength of National Park Service in order to explore alternative routes for connecting existing our partnership” sections of the trail. (Please turn to page 3 to read Congressman Hinchey’s remarks in Trail Conference Executive Director Ed Goodell, center, accepts the DEC Partnership Award full and learn more about how a National on behalf of the Trail Conference from DEC Region 3 Director Willie Janeway (left) and Aileen Gunther , Assemblywoman, 98th Scenic Trail study might benefit the LP.) Congressman Maurice Hinchey (right), at a National Trails Day event in Summitville on June 7. District; Seth Goldman , Executive Direc - The main focus of the June 7 event, tor, Neversink Valley Area Museum; Ethan however, was celebration of the cleanup of gunks. Trail Conference volunteers, DEC Grannis, Region 3 Director Janeway pre - Winter , NY Conservation Manager, Land a 150-acre property preserved by the Trail officials including Region 3 Director sented the Trail Conference with its Trust Alliance NE office; Neil Zimmer - Conference and due to be turned over to Willie Janeway, and area residents helped Partnership Award. Citing the Trail Confer - man , Chair, Friends of the Shawangunks; NYS Dept. of Environmental Conserva - pick up remaining trash, reviewed maps ence’s work in “protecting critical natural Valerie Freer , Sullivan Audubon Society; tion (DEC) and added to Wurtsboro depicting the area’s trail networks and resources and providing for outstanding Dave Colavito , Sullivan Alliance for Ridge State Forest. The land offers the weak links in terms of protected lands, and outdoor recreational opportunities along Sustainable Development; and 40 volun - opportunity to link the Shawangunk marked completion of a major step in the Shawangunk Ridge,” Commissioner teers, members, and area residents. Ridge Trail to a network of rail and canal readying the site for transfer to the state. Grannis noted: “Many of these properties See photos from other National Trails trails in the area of the southern Shawan - On behalf of DEC Commissioner Pete required a level of commitment well Day events on page 3.

Do You Hike the ? Volunteer Profile Summitville in order the make the site eligi - By Maria Leiter ble for transfer to the NYS DEC. (See story Andy Garrison: Trash above.) (“LaFarge” refers to the cement com - Just north of Cold Spring, NY, Committee applied to the Bash Super Hero pany of the same name that once occupied along the in Greenway to add the Hudson Fjord the site.) The Trail Conference purchased Hudson Highlands , Hike/Bike Trail—the section of road Excavators are not usually part of a trail vol - the land in 2005 in order to provide a link are some of the most popular between Little Stony Point and Breakneck unteer’s tool inventory, but for a full week in for the Shawangunk Ridge Trail with the hiking trails in the country; so Ridge—to its list of Greenway Trails, they May, Andy Garrison, a trail maintainer and O&W and D&H Canal trail in the are some of the most difficult, received only provisional approval. Says crew member in the Shawangunks, was in valley below. It will become part of the adja - even treacherous trailheads. Committee Chair (and Trail Conference control of one on the Trail Conference cent Wurtsboro Ridge State Forest. Today, an effort is afoot to member) Michael McKee, “Safety was the LaFarge project in Summitville. In the course of seven months, Andy has design a solution that will state Greenway’s concern, and we had to Andy has been a mainstay and leader dedicated hundreds of hours to the proj - remedy access problems and rethink our proposal. We applied for a among the Trail Conference’s LaFarge Trash ect—on weekends with other volunteers enhance outdoor recreation in grant to fund a study to see what could be Bash clean-up volunteers, who have cleared and on his own after work and additional done. We described access to local trail sys - 25 tons of heavy-duty trash and debris and weekends. He has found vendors to pro - the area for hikers, bicyclists tems and the Hudson River as, ‘unsafe, hundreds of tossed tires from 150 acres in vide dumpsters and construction and other outdoor enthusiasts. unregulated and inconvenient’—and in equipment needed for the project, negoti - need of improvement.” ated discount rates for using it, and Glaciers deepened the river gorge here, and operated the equipment himself. In May, the resulting estuary has the geological A Popular Destination Andy took a week of vacation to get behind structure of a fjord. The Hudson Fjord is Spectacular views of the Hudson River and the controls of an excavator, needed to framed by Storm King, Breakneck, Crows’ Highlands, the adrenaline-and heart- knock down an old wall of what had been Nest, and . On the east bank, pumping thrill of climbing Breakneck the LaFarge Cement company’s plant. Route 9D parallels the river. Heading Ridge, easy, family friendly trails on Little “The wall was a lot thicker than you might north from Little Stony Point, it is magnif - Stony Point, and a dedicated stop on the have imagined,” he says. “Since this was a icently scenic and heavily used by the Metro-North rail line just for hikers, all cement factory they didn’t have to skimp.” public as a gateway to outdoor recreation. contribute to making this section of the The wall demolition was, he says, the But when the Philipstown Greenway park one of the most popular hiking spots biggest challenge of the clean-up project, in the country. The area has been voted though for him it was also a matter of being among the top ten best hiking destinations back in the saddle. Now a maintenance sec - K C O

by Newsweek Magazine, and the Breakneck L tion supervisor with the State E E

Ridge Trail currently ranks as the #1 day H Thruway Authority, Andy started his career W Y

hike in the nation in an online poll R as a construction equipment operator. R A conducted by Trails.com. L continued on page 6 A walk on the trails near Breakneck VOLUME XXXV, N UMBER 4 ISSN 0749-1352 intersects with the paths of history. Henry Non-Profit Hudson paused just north of here in 1609, US Postage Paid Permit No. 1239

E waiting for weather and the tide, on his E

K Bellmawr, N.J. C way back down the River. 2009 will mark M L E

A the quadricentennial of his voyage. Near - H C I by, the fortress at West Point was M A greenway group seeks to improve access established as the United States Military and parking at the busy trailhead areas in Academy in 1803. Hudson Highlands State Park. continued on page 11 Page 2 July/August 2008

From the Board of Directors TC Awards; Nominees Welcome Nominating Committee Names Slate for Board (See report from Nominating VOLUME XXXV, NO.4 JULY /A UGUST 2008 Committee at left.) GEORGETTE WEIR EDITOR On May 27, 2008, the Board of Edward Saiff LOUIS LEONARDIS GRAPHIC DESIGNER Directors approved the appoint - Ed is a professor of biology at Ramapo Honorary Life Membership The TRAIL WALKER (USPS Permit #1239) ment of Ann Gruhn to the board of College, and clinical professor of patho - Conveys life member status and the (ISSN 0749-1352) is published bi-monthly by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference as a directors, to replace Anne Osborn, physiology and neurosciences at the right to vote at Delegate’s meetings. benefit of membership. Subscriptions are who has resigned to take the University of Medicine and Dentistry of Usually given after long years of available to libraries only at $15.00 a year. position of TC science consultant. New Jersey. He has served on and chaired service to the Conference. Periodical postage paid at Mahwah, N.J., and This appointment was to be submit - the Mahwah Environmental Commission, additional offices. Postmaster: Send address as well as the Mahwah Board of Education. Raymond H. Torrey Award changes to the address below. Opinions expressed ted to the Delegates for approval at He is a dedicated outdoors man and will be The Conference’s most prestigious by authors do not necessarily represent the policy the June meeting. or position of the Conference. Contributions of a key liaison between Ramapo College and award, given for significant and lasting typed manuscripts, photos, and drawings are the Trail Conference as the Trail Confer - contributions that protect hiking trails welcome. Manuscripts may be edited for style Ann M. Gruhn ence prepares to move its headquarters to and the land upon which they rest. and length. Send SASE for writers’ guidelines. Ann is a hiker, cyclist, cross-country skier, the Darlington Schoolhouse, even closer to Submission deadlines for the TRAIL WALKER and a long-time Trail Conference member. the college than we are now. William Hoeferlin Award are January 15 (Mar./Apr. issue), March 15 Recognizes Trail Conference volunteers (May/June issue), May 15 (July/Aug. issue), She is recently retired from IBM, where she who have demonstrated exemplary July 15 (Sept./Oct. issue), September 15 worked as a programmer, a senior program Nominees for Delegates-at Large (Nov./Dec. issue), November 15 (Jan./Feb. manager, executive project manager, and in The following TC members are nominated service to trail maintenance, management, and /or trail land issue). Unsolicited contributions cannot be strategic development. She brings to the to represent TC’s individual members at acknowledged unless accompanied by SASE. protection. For information on advertising rates, please write Trail Conference a wealth of expertise in delegates meetings: Robert Berlin, David or call. information technology. Bertollo, Carolyn Canfield, Harvey Leo Rothschild Conservation Award Copyright 2008 by: Fishman, Steve Galla, Clifford Gerenz, Presented to a person or organization New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, Inc. At the Trail Conference Annual Meeting on Toby Golick, Suzan Gordon, Jill Hamell, 156 Ramapo Valley Road (Rt. 202) that has made a significant Mahwah, NJ 07430 October 18, 2008, three members of the cur - John Jurasek, Harold Kaplan, Peter contribution to the protection of our 201-512-9348 rent board of directors will be presented for Kohlberger, Mark Liss, Jeff Marino, Margo trails and/or the natural lands that e-mail: [email protected] re-election for three-year terms. Moss, George Petty, Karen Rose, Trudy surround them. editorial e-mail: [email protected] Schneider, Dave and Naomi Sutter, Peter World Wide Web: www.nynjtc.org Daniel Van Engel Tilgner, Robert Ward, Richard Zinn, Corporate Partner Award Ian Highet Henry Zulauf. Given to businesses or their employees Seth McKee for outstanding service to the hiking Call for Nominations for Awards community. Also at the Annual Meeting in October, two Members may nominate individuals for new members of the board of directors will be Trail Conference awards (See list of awards Major William A. Welch presented to the delegates for approval, as will at right). Award winners are honored and Trail Partner Award nominees for delegates-at-large. recognized at our Annual Meeting. Cut-off Presented to those outside the Trail date for recommendations is September 1, Conference-for example, state, federal, Mission Statement or local agency partner officials who The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is a Winston Perry 2008. Please send nominations (with sup - have given long and/or significant federation of member clubs and individuals Win has been a Trail Conference member porting statements) to Malcolm Spector at dedicated to providing recreational hiking since the 1960s. He has been a trail main - [email protected]. assistance to the local hiking opportunities in the region, and representing the tainer of the Upper Nyack Trail, a section community. interests and concerns of the hiking community. The Conference is a volunteer-directed public of the Long Path, for decades. An architect, – Malcolm Spector Next Generation Award service organization committed to: he has served on the Upper Nyack Plan - Chair, Nominating Committee Given to those under age 21 who are • Developing, building, and maintaining ning Board for 25 years and is a trustee of making significant contributions of hiking trails. the Historical Society of Rockland. • Protecting hiking trail lands through time and energy to trail building or support and advocacy. protection. • Educating the public in the responsible use of trails and the natural environment. Ken Lloyd Award Recognizes members of Trail Conference Board of Directors TC Appoints NY East Hudson Robert Boysen Chair member clubs or member clubs who Chris Connolly Vice Chair Regional Representative have demonstrated exemplary service Mac Highet Treasurer to trail maintenance, management, Daniel Chazin Secretary The Trail Conference Christie is a resident of New Paltz, NY, and/or trail land protection. Directors is pleased to welcome and has eight years experience in environ - Henry Atterbury Peter Kennard Paul Leikin Extra Mile Award Ellen Cronan Seth McKee Christie Ferguson to mental education focusing on developing Jane Daniels Mary Smart the staff. She fills the programs, designing materials, and training Recognizes those volunteers who have Matthew Garamone Malcolm Spector position of NY East volunteers. In May, she earned a master’s demonstrated exceptional commitment Josie Gray Daniel Van Engel to projects such as a book, map or John Gunzler Hudson Regional Rep - degree in environmental policy at the Cen - resentative. In the ter for Environmental Policy at Bard College advocacy. Staff Edward Goodell Executive Director position, Christie will in Annandale, NY. At the same time, she Joshua Howard Director of tailor and deliver a earned a master’s in teaching from Bard. Membership & range of trails-related services, primarily in “My husband and I are outdoors enthusi - Development Larry Wheelock NY West Hudson Westchester and Putnam counties, and will asts, and we have become quite attached to Regional inaugurate the Trail Conference’s new East the New York landscape,” she says. “I look Representative Hudson Community Trails Program. forward to working in the East Hudson Christie Ferguson NY East Hudson Regional The East Hudson Community Trails region with the dynamic Trail Conference Representative Program is made possible by a $100,000 volunteers. See you on the trails!” Brenda Holzinger New Jersey challenge grant from Westchester resident Before joining the Trail Conference, Trash Bash Fan Regional Representative Dr. Lucy R. Waletzky and a match in the Christie worked as a research assistant for Nothing delights me more than reading Bill O’Hearn Conservation amount of $30,000 by the Westchester Hudsonia. Prior to that, she was zookeeper about Trash Bash I and Trash Bash II, Director Community Foundation. The trail initia - and educator at ’s where a former industrial site, now over - Jeremy Apgar Cartographer Gary Willick Fulfillment tive is designed to expand the Trail Trailside Zoo. She served an internship as an grown, was cleared up by you to be Coordinator Conference’s capacity to provide assistance environmental educator at Minnewaska turned over to the state to be used as a Catherine Gemmell Administration & to local trail programs in Putnam and State Park Preserve; interpretive hiking guide park. This is conservation at its best. Information Manager Westchester Counties. for Rivermen in Fayetteville, West ; And your innovative use of volunteers Matt Townsend Bear Mountain and education coordinator for Pelican Man’s and donated supplies and services is Project Manager Bird Sanctuary in Sarasota, Florida. impressive. Thank you for doing such a Leslie Rapparlie Membership & Development great job. Program Manager Michael Sasse Katy Dieters Volunteer New York NY Coordinator MGM 2008 IS OVER! J. Cal Rizzuto Help Desk Administrator Thank you to all who participated in the Correction Part Time 2008 Member-Get-A-Member Campaign. Shawangunk Ridge crew volunteers Hedy Abad Membership & This year we were able to get 58 new thanked on page 1 of the May/June issue Volunteer Associate members to join the Trail Conference and incorrectly merged two names, which Kathy Goldman Office Assistant support all the hard work that our staff and should have been listed as Linda Siwarski The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is a volunteers do daily! Winners of the raffle and John Pawlowski. We apologize for volunteer, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. It is prizes will be contacted individually. The the error. a federation of 103 hiking and outdoor groups, and 10,000 individuals. winners of our top three prizes are: Grand Prize , Campmor Camping printed on recycled content paper Send Us a Letter Package: Andrew Bell Email it to [email protected]; in the subject Second Place Prize , One-night stay at line, put “letter to TW editor”; or send Visit Us Today! the Emerson Resort and Spa: Ronald Rosen it to Trail Walker Letters, NY-NJ Trail Conference, 156 Ramapo Valley Rd., www.NYNJTC.org Third Place Prize , Lunch and Hiking at Mahwah, NJ 07430. the : Steven Alt July/August 2008 Page 3

From the Executive Director The Long Path Trail could eventually 100 Degrees!! connect with the Adiron - Congressman Maurice dacks, including trail portions in the But Trail Events Catskills and Shawangunk Mountains. Hinchey Announces The study will: Carry On! Long Path Legislation Despite sweltering heat, trail work • Make available project-based funding events In both New York and New EG: I would like to cede and technical assistance via the Nation - Jersey scheduled to coincide with my column space in al Park Service. National Trails Day took place this issue to comments as planned. A sampling of Trail made by Congressman • Explore alternative routes for connect - Conference stalwarts is below. Maurice Hinchey at a ing existing sections of the estimated National Trails Day 350-mile trail. event celebrating the volunteer clean-up of • Find alternatives to the miles of road 150 acres in Sullivan walks that are currently needed to cross County, NY. In his surprise announcement central Orange County and other of the Long Path Study Act of 2008, Con - areas. gressman Hinchey once again demonstrated by his words and deeds that is he is one of If the Trail study shows good promise, the greatest proponents of protecting the which I am confident it will, and the study region’s natural heritage and making it recommends that National Trail System Jane Geisler of Union Vale, NY, stands above a new accessible for all to enjoy. designation be pursued, we will then intro - step on a section of the AT in Dutchess County. duce the legislation needed to add the Long Remarks by Congressman Maurice Path Trail to the national system. Hinchey, D-NY, June 7, 2008 The Long Path Trail will connect many I would like to thank the NYS Department of our state’s most spectacular natural of Environmental Conservation and the resources, including: the Palisades cliffs in New York-New Jersey Trail Conference for New Jersey; the ; the co-sponsoring today’s event marking Highlands Trail in Harriman State Park; National Trails Day and celebrating the the Shawangunk Ridge; the Rondout preservation of an important piece of Creek Valley; some of our highest peaks in open space. the Catskills; the Trail; and I’d also like to take this opportunity to the Helderberg Escarpment and Thacher thank all of the volunteers and local organ - State Park. izations that worked to clean up the area over the past year. As you know, these vol - unteers have been cleaning up what is known as the LaFarge Property, this 150- acre property that the Trail Conference had Volunteers with the Dutchess-Putnam AT Committee prepare to head into the woods to purchased and preserved, which is now complete projects on two sections of the trail. being purchased by the NYS DEC for addition to the Wurtsboro Ridge State For - est. The property includes former railroad beds, which we expect will be used as “rails to trails” paths. This property is a key parcel in the cre - ation of a 36-mile protected corridor along the Shawangunk Ridge connecting the fed - erally protected National Recreation Area with the consti - tutionally protected Catskill Forest Preserve. The property will someday link the adjacent D&H Canal with the Congressman Hinchey at our NTD event Yet another tire is removed from LaFarge. Shawangunk Ridge Trail, which is part of a much longer trail for which we are seeking federal designation. This study would Long Path Trail Study Act of 2008: I am very pleased to announce that I have determine whether introduced the Long Path Trail Study Act of 2008 along with other members of the to add the Long Path New York and New Jersey congressional delegations. This legislation was developed Trail to the National with the assistance of the NY-NJ Trail Con - ference, and I'd like to thank Bill O’Hearn Trails System, which and Ed Goodell for their leadership and effort on this. Andy Garrison levels ATV-damaged terrain Heavy lifting with the West Jersey Crew on This legislation seeks to amend the already includes the at the LaFarge site. the AT in Worthington State Forest, NJ Act in order to pro - vide for a study of the Long Path, a system Appalachian Trail. of trails and potential trails running from Fort Lee, NJ, to the Adirondacks in New York. Following passage of the legislation, the Secretary of Interior will have two years The Long Path was originated by Vin - to conduct this study through the Nation - cent Schaefer of the Mohawk Valley Hiking al Park Service and report the results of this Club in the 1930s as New York’s version of study to Congress for consideration. Vermont’s Long Trail and was publicized in This study would determine whether to Raymond Torrey’s weekly column in the add the Long Path Trail to the National New York Post . The Trail Conference has Trails System, which already includes the been slowly developing the LP for the last Appalachian Trail. 70 years and recently took the lead in pro - moting this national designation. In the process of establishing this trail, private property will be respected and no federal eminent domain may be used. The Volunteers from Deloitte completed 3/4 mile of side-hilling on the Warren Trail in NJ. trail’s maintenance and development will rely on local partnerships with partners, such as with the Trail Conference and Adirondack Mountain Club. This legislation, which was introduced in the House on June 5, was co-sponsored by Congressmen Eliot Engel (NY) and Steve Rothman (NJ). A companion bill has been submitted in the Senate by Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Senators Schumer and Clinton in New York. After clean-up at LaFarge, refreshments and speeches, with Shawangunk Ridge as backdrop. The Deloitte-Touche group at work. Page 4 July/August 2008 Conservation Advocacy & Trail News From the Reality, of course, is quite different. These guidelines can cause disappoint - Conservation Director: Because we use charitable dollars and pub - ment among our fellow land trusts and William P. O’Hearn lic money from state and county agencies even our own volunteers, who at times will The Art of Strategic in most of our transactions, we are approach us with a property that “needs to accountable to the public for how we spend be saved” but doesn’t fit our mission. At AT Reroute in Wawayanda: Conservation Planning: those dollars, as we should be. With feder - other times we will decide to live with a “Spectacular!” Focusing on What’s al funding for open space preservation at an subdivision of a property where the vast A reroute of the Appalachian Trail in Most Important all-time low and both New York and New majority of the site is preserved and our Wawayanda State Park has been complet - Jersey facing budget challenges, it’s more trail can go through, but which allows for ed. An initial section of this reroute from As I mentioned in a previous column, we important than ever to make every acquisi - several residential units to be built. This the Hoeferlin Trail to Wawayanda Road land trust manager types are like Donald tion dollar count. may disappoint some who would prefer to was completed last year. The new section Trumps in reverse: When he looks at a The Trail Conference has developed its see the whole property conserved. now ascends and follows a ridge at piece of vacant land, he obsesses on what own internal guidelines for prioritizing Situations like this can be tough calls Wawayanda Road, crosses it and descends he can build there; when we see open tracts of land. We specialize in linear corri - where we really have to be focused and to Kazmar Pond, and follows the outlet space, we obsess about how we can pre - dors that support and protect our “big disciplined and mindful of our priorities. brook from the pond down to Iron Moun - serve it. In that sense, we are greedy, and four” long-distance trails—Appalachian That’s why we are now developing a tain Road. The relocation moves the trail as soon as we finish one land deal we Trail, Long Path, Highlands Trail, and project rating system to support our off the woods roads. want to move on to the next one. Shawangunk Ridge Trail—and key con - decision-making process, and will be The reroute was completed by members As we all know, real estate is opportu - necting trails. Our volunteer network of sharing it with the Trail Conference of the New Jersey AT Field Crew, the West nity-driven: We can’t purchase property trail maintainers is stretched pretty thin board over the next few months. Once Jersey Crew, and the Union County Hik - until the landowner is willing and ready over 1,700 miles of trails, so we are careful we have completed this system, you as a ing Club, with help from the Wawayanda to sell it to us and we can agree on a price. not to buy chunks of land that are going to Trail Conference member can feel free to State Park staff and NJ Dept. of Environ - So, in theory, we could just run after generate new trail branches that will be dif - challenge us and say, “Why did you buy mental Protection. Some comments from every parcel that came on the market at a ficult to maintain. that property?” We will have a good members of the New Jersey AT Committee decent price. answer backed up by a scoring system. not involved with the project: “I wish the relocation was my idea—spectacular!” “The reroute in Wawayanda is beautiful. I Conservation & Advocacy News Notes felt like I was hiking in Maine.” Make sure you get Action Alerts from the Trail Conference so that you can help support our region’s trails, parks, and open spaces. Set your email program to accept mail from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference!

NEW JERSEY future of New Jersey’s state parks and The Trail Conference sent comments TC Continues to Fight forests are still very much up in the air. As on the plan to DEC. We supported the Parks Budget Cuts in NJ this issue goes to press, it looks like New proposals detailed above and added a

Jerseyans will be able to enjoy all their strong caution against yielding to pressure R A G

parks and forests with full activities until to allow off-road bicycle use on the P A Y

Labor Day, but the fight continues for Escarpment Trail/Long Path or on steep M E R E

what will happen in the fall and beyond. and narrow hiking trails in Wilderness J areas, including on . AT reroute in Wawayanda gets rave reviews. NJ Trails Plan Finally Here Additional components of the draft The long awaited NJ Trails Plan was final - master plan include recommending max - Reminder: Route 106 in Harriman R E ly released at the end of May with a imum group size of 12 for day hikes—a Closed for Summer G N I Z

L comment period continuing until June voluntary limit, not mandatory—and The bridge at Little Long Pond remains O H 30th. The Trail Conference submitted maintaining register boxes on trailless closed to traffic and the 5-ton limit at the A D N

E detailed comments and encouraged all peaks as long as they are maintained bridge just west of the Kanawauke Circle R B members to submit comments as well via under an Adopt-a-Natural Resource remains in effect. This is a temporary situ - Public supports NJ parks at a Trenton rally. an action alert. Information about the agreement. ation which we will have to live with this Following a successful rally at the state plan is available at www.njtrailsplan.org. summer, but it is not expected to be perma - capital in Trenton April 23, Trail Confer - Interim Changes Proposed for nent. Trailhead parking areas along Route ence volunteers and staff continue to fight NEW YORK Windham High Peak Wild Forest 106 are open, but are accessible by car only proposed closures and cutbacks at New Catskill Master Plan Would Add to At the same time NYS DEC released its from the west (Route 17/17A) side of the Jersey state parks and forests. Although Wilderness Areas revised master plan for state lands in the park. The Kanawauke parking area is acces - the state Dept. of Environmental Protec - New York State Dept. of Environmental Catskills, it also made public proposed sible from Seven Lakes Drive. tion has retreated from the original Conservation’s revised draft master plan for changes to the Unit Management Plan for recommendation for full elimination of state lands in the Catskills contains good the Windham High Peak Wild Forest. The Harriman: Diltz Road Parking Area services and/or closure at parks and forests news for hikers. The plan proposes to: changes would allow new off-road bicycle Closed Indefinitely around the state (including , • expand the West Kill Wilderness loops in areas that the draft master plan Algonquin Pipeline is prohibiting, until Jenny Jump, and Worthington), the Area to include most of the Hunter does not target as new Wilderness areas. further notice, parking in the lot on Diltz Mountain Wild Forest; The Trail Conference went on record in Road in Ladentown. They cite danger from • create Windham Range support of the planned changes to the the heavy equipment that will be passing Wilderness Area by combining the UMP as written. through carrying massive 42-inch pipe as former Blackhead Range and North well as other materials and machinery, as Mountain Wild Forests with portions the reason. The lot is at a trailhead for the of the Windham High Peak and Tuxedo-Mount Ivy Trail and Limekiln Wild Forests; Mountain, and is owned by Orange and • create four trail corridors for bicycles Rockland Utilities, which heretofore gra - on existing woods roads through ciously allowed hiker parking. Algonquin is TC staffer Brenda Holzinger rallies the existing or new Wilderness areas. leasing the lot and expanded and graveled crowd in support of NJ parks. it for purposes of pipeline construction. It is not known when the lot will again be available for hiker parking. Pipeline con - he Trail Conference has become a member of the Shawan - struction is expected to be complete by Tgunk Ridge Biodiversity Partnership. The Partnership November of this year. Alternate trail access Trail Conference Joins comprises nonprofit and public organizations and aims to use sci - points are Kakiat County Park, the ence and land management strategies to preserve the sensitive Ramapo Township Equestrian Center, and Shawangunk Ridge wildlife habitat and other natural resources of the Shawangunks. the Long Path crossing of Calls Hollow Informed by field research findings, partners collaborative - Road (refer to Harriman Bear Mountain Biodiversity Partnership ly manage the larger landscape, provide environmental Trails Map 118, 2007 edition). education, and work with local communities to preserve open space on the slopes of the ridge. Over 40,000 acres of the Pipeline Trail Impacts: An Update ridge are protected by the members of the Shawangunk Ridge The natural gas pipeline projects through Biodiversity Partnership. Harriman and Sterling Forest State Parks, The Trail Conference will work cooperatively with the part - which began last year, continue. The ners to improve access and user etiquette on our public lands. Algonquin project is now located in the This partnership should help enhance our ability to make southern portion of the park, paralleling informed decisions about laying out and maintaining trails. Route 202, proceeding northeast to cross Other members of the Partnership are: Cragsmoor Associ - Calls Hollow Road and onward. Both ation, Friends of the Shawangunks, , NYS Algonquin and the Millennium pipeline Dept of Environmental Conservation, New York State Muse - projects will affect the trails in Kakiat Park um, New York State Natural Heritage Program, NYS Office this summer. Work is also in progress on of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Open Space the essentially parallel overhead high volt - Institute, Palisades Interstate Park Commission, and The Nature Conservancy. continued on page 5 July/August 2008 Page 5

EAST HUDSON CREW Mitzvah Day Leads Group Work dates to be announced on website. Sign up for Trail Crew email notification at www.nynjtc.org; click on “Trail Crews,Work Trips” then Sign-up for Trail Crew at top To AT Summit Clean-up Schedules of page. WEST HUDSON SOUTH CREW Leaders: Chris Ezzo (Crew Chief): 516-431-1148, July – August 2008 [email protected] Brian Buchbinder: 718-218-7563, For the latest schedules and additional [email protected] details, go to nynjtc.org and click on Claudia Ganz: 212-633-1324, [email protected] “Trail crews/Work trips.” Bob Marshall: 914-737-4792, TBD = To Be Determined [email protected] Monica Day: 732-937-9098, Cell: 908-307-5049, For all trips bring work gloves, water, [email protected] lunch, insect repellent. In some cases, tools are provided. Contact leaders in Gone Hikin’ for the summer months. advance for meeting times and places. Volunteers must become members of WEST HUDSON NORTH CREW the Conference to participate in these Leaders: Denise Vitale, [email protected] projects. A one-time “guest” participa - Dave Webber, [email protected] tion is allowed, so bring your friends. Gone Hikin’ for the summer months.

NORTH JERSEY WEEKEND CREW NEW JERSEY APPALACHIAN TRAIL FIELD CREW Leader: Sandy Parr, 732-469-5109 Leader: Gene Giordano, [email protected] Pictured behind piles of garbage, bottles, cans, and glass fragments and a cairn built to replace Second Sunday of each month an ugly illegal firepit, are, left to right: Mariah Robishaw (Rosen granddaughter), Ron Rosen Trips start at 9:30 am; call for location and Second Saturday of Each Month, (Vassar Temple), Ollie Simpson (Appalachian Trail supervisor), Jessica Susser (Vassar Temple) details during the week before the scheduled trip April through November Rachel Susser (Vassar Temple), Courtney Robishaw (Rosen granddaughter), and Sue Mackson day. Tackle a variety of projects ranging from trail Work begins at 9am and is finished before 4pm. (Temple Beth-El). repair to bridge building in northern New Jersey. Covers the entire NJ section of the AT, blue-blazed side trails, and shelters. Supplements work by our For the third consecutive year, the AT on from the previous years,” he reports. “Last NORTH JERSEY WEEKDAY CREW individual maintainers as requested and for special Leader: John Moran, [email protected] work projects. Workers bring gloves, lunch, and Shenandoah Mountain in New York’s year we hauled about 440 pounds of litter water; all tools, equipment and training provided. Dutchess County was the destination for and ‘stuff’ off the mountain; this year only This crew covers the NJ Ramapos, Ringwood S. P., Email leader to be placed on email notification list. volunteers participating in Dutchess Coun - about 100+ pounds! We believe the cumu - Norvin Green S. F., and NJ Palisades area. Its ty Mitzvah Day. lative effect of cleaning the summit, and purpose is to respond quickly to immediate BEAR MOUNTAIN TRAILS PROJECT The volunteers head to the mountain’s keeping it cleaner, has finally resulted in needs, rather than to schedule definite events far Project Manager: Matt Townsend, rocky summit to clear litter and fire rings. less litter than previous years!” in advance. If you’re interested in being on call [email protected] or 201-512-9348 Ron Rosen, Trail Conference delegate to Dutchess County Mitzvah Day is spon - for this work, contact John Moran by email. For info and to register: [email protected], or call 201-512-9348, ext. 17 the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Mid- sored by Jewish Family Services of WEST JERSEY CREW Atlantic Regional Partnership Committee, Dutchess County. Leaders: Monica and David Day Second Saturday of Each Month was with the group, which went out on Phone: 732-937-9098 Cell: 908-307-5049 Beginner work trips. May 18. “While we still had three large fire Email: [email protected] rings, the total amount of litter was down Website: www.trailstobuild.com Weekly Work Trips Scheduled Thursday through Monday Gone Hikin’ for the summer months. (including on weekends that have workshops)

HIGHLANDS TRAIL CREW New Jersey Appalachian Trail Leader: Glenn Oleksak, [email protected] Committee Welcomes Youth We meet on the first or second Sunday of each month, with additional trips sometimes scheduled. Groups for Trail Work Experiences We tackle a variety of Highlands Trail projects from trail maintenance to trail building. Most upcoming spring trips will be in Hunterdon County, NJ. For details on trips, go to www.nynjtc.org and click on “Trail crews/Work trips” at left. Please contact leader if you are coming on a trip so that you can be notified of cancellations.

METRO TRAILS CREW Leader: Joe Gindoff, 718-614-2209 [email protected]

July 12 (Saturday) Van Cortlandt Park Bronx, John Muir Trail Meet 9am, at the Riding Stables parking lot near B'way and Henry Hudson Pkwy. RSVP is necessary to [email protected]

Aug 16 (Saturday) Pelham Park, Bronx Meet 9:00am at SE corner Orchard Beach Parking Lot. Waterbar construction on Hunter Island.

TRAIL NEWS little searching for the trail continuation continued from page 4 may be required. Pipeline work also continues through The NJ Appalachian Trail Manage - age lines in the same area. Particularly Sterling Forest State Park. Park officials ment Committee reserves two affected will be the equestrian trails, includ - work closely with the pipeline companies, sections of the Appalachian Trail in ing Sherwood Path, which largely follow although control is somewhat limited the Delaware Water Gap National the pipelines. Other access road construc - insofar as the pipelines hold long-term Recreation Area for outreach pro - tion may be observed in the vicinity; one rights of way. grams with Scout and school youth leading from Calls Hollow Road is already groups. Youth and leaders learn in use. Pedestrian Tunnel about trail maintenance and the AT Millenium Pipeline has essentially Reopens at Bear Mountain and then go out on the trail to work. finished laying pipe through the right of The pedestrian tunnel under Route 9W at On May 10, 18 volunteers from way in Harriman State Park from the Bear Mountain State Park reopened June Scout Troop 56 from Millington, NJ, NYS Thruway to Kakiat Park. Some 5th after 10 months of reconstruction. spent the day on the AT and re- finish work remains to be done, such as The tunnel provides safer access to trails blazed, trimmed back brush, cleared A trails program sponsored by the TC’s surface grading in some areas, grass east of the road as well as to the pool and blow-downs, and removed illegal New Jersey AT Management Committee seeding and tree planting. Trailside Zoo. The tunnel is now accessible fire rings. Any groups interested in introduced Scouts and leaders of Troop 56 The Trail Conference is monitoring the to the disabled. signing up for the program may from Millington, NJ, to the Appalachian Trail impact on trails of the various projects and, contact the NJ AT Committee at and trail maintenance. The committee through contact with park officials, has Some Minnewaska Trails [email protected]. welcomes inquiries from other youth groups. requested corrections for six of the trail Stay Closed after Fire Thank you Troop 56! crossings, including appropriate trail con - See page 7. figuration, drainage, and erosion control. Gene Giordano Currently, hikers can cross the pipeline Find Trail News online at www.nynjtc.org. NY-NJ Trail Conference wherever they encounter it on trails in Chairman, NJ Appalachian Trail Harriman, although in some instances a Management Committee Page 6 July/August 2008 * TRAIL REFLECTIONS * Volunteer Classifieds: Get Involved! Attention All Trail Stewards: Maintainers, Crew Members, Monitors, etc: Have you enjoyed a good day on the trail while doing maintenance? Contact [email protected] or 201- Trail Crew Chief for the Share your experience with words or a photo. Send your contributions 512-9348, ext. 26, to indicate your interest East Hudson Trails Committee to Trail Walker editor Georgette Weir at [email protected]. or get more information about these or oth - Supervise and lead the work of a regional trail er volunteer opportunities. Information is crew so that trails are built or repaired to Trail Me and My Friend Jenny also available at www.nynjtc.org; click on Conference standards. Volunteer. By Patty Lee Parmalee Trail Maintainers than they thought they would be when Darlington Schoolhouse Adopt a trail of your own! We have open - they voted for the plan, but a small faithful Public Relations Coordinator ings in and the core has come to love and care for our Jen - Join the DSH steering committee to assist Catskills. ny as I do. We have a good time together with writing press releases and coordinat - when we go, and they agree with me that ing distribution of press releases to Trail Crew Volunteers it’s great to feel that you have earned the interested parties to promote the project Our West Hudson South and West Hud - privilege of using the Ridge by putting in at milestone events. son North Crews seek new members. Get some physical work as well as advocacy. on-the-job training while building new Last spring we made a start on the sea - Volunteer Manager for the trails and enjoying the cameraderie of son’s work but didn’t finish the job before a Friends of Darlington Schoolhouse other outdoors people. hit-and-run driver put me in the hospital The community is showing great interest Sometime around 20 years ago, a friend for June and July. I spent the fall in slow in assisting with the restoration of our new Land Use Research Assistant for from California came and visited me in rehabilitation and pretty much dropped home. We are looking for a volunteer to Darlington Schoolhouse Project New York. We had done a lot of hiking the ball on responsibilities and physical manage volunteer interest and speak with Familiar with New Jersey land use regula - near his home in the desert, so I wanted work. One day in November, out of the interested volunteers. tions? Like to read site plans? Here’s a great to show him that we had beautiful hiking blue an email came from Rob Segal and opportunity to put your skills to work for the terrain in the East too. Thus: the Jakob Franke (who had both visited me in Database Assistant Trail Conference. Compile data on NJ DEP, Shawangunks. the hospital) organizing a Long Path work Our database manager is at capacity! Assist Bergen County, and Mahwah policies and We got a late start, so decided to stay trip on—Jenny Lane! Those guys are the our information manager with routine regulations regarding flood plains, Highlands overnight in the Chelsea Motel and search definition of responsible: they saw a need, database maintenance, data importing and Act, site plan review, and RSIS; develop con - the map for a nearby trail in the morning. figured I wasn’t up to dealing with it, and exporting, creating scripts and new mod - tacts at these agencies. Research and collect It turned out to be Jenny Lane, and it was just went ahead and took care of it them - ules. Experience working with relational materials and information needed to rehabil - a perfect choice for a day hike: an easy selves. I did join them (and Rob Sklar), databases and Excel is essential. itate the Darlington Schoolhouse. Help grade up through dense hardwoods, though I probably wasn’t much use. But it prepare applications for building permits and emerging briefly into an opening of ledge was great to be alive, out on “my” trail Google Earth Cartographer approvals. and dwarf pitch pine, ending with a side again, a kind of second coming home. Assist our in-house cartographer expand trail down to Lake Awosting. At the time I our website with production of virtual Executive Assistant had no idea that one day (2001) I would hikes in Google Earth. Trail Conference Executive Director has move to the town of Shawangunk, let alone his fingers in too many projects and needs that when I asked the Trail Conference for “...having solo someone to help manage it all. Main a trail to maintain I would be given Jenny requirements are organizational and Lane! I lost the boyfriend, but I kept the responsibility for clerical skills, proficiency trail—a more reliable companion really. with Microsoft Office soft - I had helped out with other trail crews a segment was a ware and the ability to occasionally, but having solo responsibility come in 4 –20 hours a for a segment was a little intimidating. On little intimidating.” week on a regular basis. my introductory foray, Rob Segal came along to show me the ropes. We lopped and clipped away at the laurel and blueber - ry till I was quite tired, and tired of it. I get I looked forward to being strong enough the method, I said to him; let’s go home this spring to take the job back and make and I’ll come back another day. No, we can regular trips up there. That (and if I could finish, said Rob, and sure enough. I got a ever race again) would mean I was fully second wind and we did—largely due to recovered—or at least recovered enough— his indefatigable enthusiasm. and back to normal. Come March I started It was then I knew this was not a respon - composing the email in my head that I sibility to be taken lightly. I kept at it solo would send to the Save the Ridge crew, say - for a year or two, feeling an ever greater ing “Let’s go do a first go-through before 2008 NJ AT Ridge Runners sense of ownership and love for that stretch the leaves come out, it’s easier to see then...” of land, where I would often hike even But before I sent it, that whole part of Each summer, Ridge Runners hike back and forth on the Appalachian when not working there. Most of my atten - Minnewaska went up in flames. From my Trail in New Jersey, monitoring AT tion, though, was held by 2,500 acres on a barn on the east side I could see a sky-full use, educating hikers on good trail different slope, which the public (especially of black smoke behind the ridge. I kept practices, and caring for the me) could not visit. As Coordinator of Save wondering whether Jenny was burning— backpacker campsite in Worthington the Ridge, I spent three years in a campaign like a parent with a child trapped in the State Forest. The program was to stop the 250 houses and golf course house. The map on the Times Herald- established in 1992 and is cosponsored planned for Awosting Reserve. Record website suggested the worst: our by the Trail Conference along with the One day I got a call from Ed Goodell trail appeared to be the southern border of NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection, inviting Save the Ridge to become the the burn area and perhaps had been partly the National Park Service, and the 100th NY-NJ Trail Conference member gouged by bulldozers making necessary Appalachian Trail Conservancy. In May, organization. Eureka! We could join for firebreaks. I sent out letters asking if any - this year’s Ridge Runners hit the trail half price as a maintainer club, and I would one knew whether maintainers would be in New Jersey: Neil Koch, Kevin Riedel, have a team to help with the work. Of expected to go clean up the damage or and Christian Rodriguez. course, people have turned out to be busier whether the fire had “done our work for us.” I waited for a chance to go visit Jenny in the hospital, so to speak. VOLUNTEER PROFILE Instead, the latest word is that though continued from page 1 same on Vermont’s Long other routes in the park have opened, Jen - Trail. Also this summer Andy ny is badly wounded and needs to be left Consequently, he has enjoyed his recent will become SRT supervisor alone to regenerate. Possibly for years. Life time behind the controls of the excavator for the Trail Conference, suc - will not, after all, return to normal. I feel as and looks forward to his next challenge— ceeding Eric Meyer, who is though my friend Jenny needs me but I using a bulldozer to level out terrain resigning because of time con - can’t go to her, even though—healthier damage from ATVs. straints “Eric has done a now myself—I finally could. And she Andy lives near the Shawangunk Ridge superb job as supervisor for probably doesn’t need me as much as I need in Wurtsboro, has been maintaining a sec - the last seven years,” Jakob her; she needs for me—and everyone—to R tion of the SRT since 2002, and is a regular says. “We are lucky to have E leave her alone, while natural processes take G N I with the Shawangunk Ridge Crew. Says Andy to fill these large shoes.” Z over and she heals. I understand that. I’ve L O

Crew chief Jakob Franke: “Andy has hardly “Andy is one of my Trail H been there. A D missed any of the work trips (and we’ve had Conference heros,” says Bren - N But I do miss her. I look forward to our E R many) building new trails in the Shawan - da Holzinger, TC staff B reunion, when she is strong enough to Andy Garrison is at the control of an gunks. On these trips he is a good friend, member charged with cleaning up the excavator at the TC’s LaFarge site. accept my help, as the friends I know an extremely productive worker, and a LaFarge property. “In addition to Andy’s through her have helped me. great story teller. He is one of those people dedication and hard work, he is also a project is such a huge success.” who can work and walk and talk at the source of immense inspiration to everyone Says Andy: “I just do this stuff because it Patty Lee Parmalee is a maintainer of the same time.” who works with him, including me. His needs to be done and I’m around to do it.” Jenny Lane Trail at Minnewaska State Park With his son, also named Andrew, Andy enthusiasm, can-do attitude, boundless Preserve. has hiked the Long Path end-to-end. They energy and ability to find fun in every plan to take a month this summer to do the aspect of the clean-up are the reason this July/August 2008 Page 7

Science & Ecology them in key ways: Their leaves or thalli grow chief bryologist at the New York State in two or three clear ranks. In contrast to Museum, observed 25 different species of Liverwort: mosses, their leaves never have a “costa” or liverworts along Esopus Creek in upstate mid-rib. Liverworts may also have very tiny New York. A Pretty Little hairs at their edges, called “marginal cilia.” Liverworts are grouped into three vari - They are unique in that they attach to their eties: thallose, complex thallose, and leafy. Plant with a substrate with a very fine single-cell rhizoid. Each plant is about one to four inches long. Medieval Name About 90 percent of liverworts also fea - “Thallose” liverworts, the Marchantiopsi - ture an unusual tiny organelle in their cells da, look like small green ribbons. “Leafy” G

By Michael Alcamo N

that, so far as is known, is unique in the liverworts, the Jungermanniopsida, com - A H Z I

plant kingdom. These are oil bodies, con - prising about 85 percent of species, are very L taining a lipid or oil, and are thought to small with even more and tinier scale-like Leafy liverwort Asterella tenella keep the plant moist and/or provide an leaves arranged on a tiny stem. odor or taste that keeps away predators. When you find your liverwort, look for plants. The antheridiophores of the male While the so-called “more advanced plants” other interesting features. Liverworts repro - look like umbrellas, while the female’s often get a lot of credit for their lovely flow - duce in two ways, sexually and asexually, and archegoniophores have deeply lobed finger- ers or their maple syrup, they don’t have there are specialized features associated with like projections. Look for both at the edges these interesting oil bodies in their cells. each. On thallose liverworts, look for small of the thalli. R E

H Liverworts now have their own phylum, cups, called cupules. Within the cupule are It’s been discovered recently that the chem - T N I

U Marchantiophyta, and are generally viewed tiny bumps, the gemmae, which look like ical compounds of some liverworts have G C I as distinct from the other non-vascular little green eggs but are, in fact, granules that unusual properties. They appear to have cer - R Conocephalum conicum E plants, mosses (Bryophyta) and hornworts contain a complete set of the parent plant’s tain anti-cancer and anti-bacterial abilities. Hawai'i, a leafy liverwort (Anthocerotophyta). It’s estimated there are genetic information. When hit by raindrops, Others appear to have anti-fungal or muscle 6,000 to 8,000 species, but new liverworts the gemmae fall to the ground and can relaxing characteristics. These may relate to Liverworts have possibly the most unat - are being identified constantly, become new plants—clones with the the plant’s own defense mechanisms. tractive name in science. and some think there may be same genome as the parent. This is an Liverworts contribute to nutrient cycles, In the Middle Ages, people thought they 10,000 species. example of asexual reproduction. provide seed-beds for larger plants, and resembled the inner workings of the liver. You’ll find liverworts You can also sometimes observe form microhabitats for insects and an And so to medieval science, it made sense on wet trees or wet structures for sexual reproduction. entire array of microorganisms. Whether in that they would have a connection to the rocks—like the walls of Liverworts do not flower and thus tropical cloud forests or in our own area, health of that organ. (“Wort” is an old running water in Min - do not produce seed. Instead, they are considered an important factor in word for “plant.”) newaska or the streams they produce by means of spores. supporting hill stability and helping to pre - But this small plant has nothing to do of Putnam County. The plants are unisexual, with male vent soil erosion. with the liver, human or otherwise. It lives In September 1980, and female sex organs forming An excellent field guide is Conard and a quiet, wet, photosynthetic life without Dr. Norton Miller, on different Redfearn: How to Know the Mosses and interacting much with humanity at all. Liv - Liverworts , 1979. For any field work, I rec - erworts evolved into their current form ommend a 10x hand lens, available from a around 400 million years ago—when the site like www.CompleatNaturalist.com, algae found their way onto land, and for around $20. around the time that the pebbly conglom - erate of the Gunks was formed. Michael Alcamo is a Trail Conference and A liverwort is a non-vascular green plant, ADK member and naturalist. either leafy or thalloid (having a body undif - ferentiated into leaf, stem, or root). Liverworts resemble mosses but differ from Thalloid liverwort producing a female sporophyte or Archegonium Noxious Weed Poisons Some Minnewaska Trails Monarch Butterfly Larvae to Stay Closed After Fire And it smells. The stinky alkaloids poi - son the butterfly larvae, which hatch out when confused Monarchs lay their eggs on this milkweed look-alike. The glossy very dark green leaves and G

R dark purple small flowers differentiate O . N

W Black swallowwort from its paler no less O T N

L lethal cousins. In Europe it has pests. How O C

N it got here without any remains a mystery. I L .

W There is no effective, completely W Black swallowwort, a Monarch killer, in flower W mechanical or authorized biological con - trol. It looks like we’ll have to do the If smothering all your favorite wild flowers, all-summer-long-vigilant-mechanical- strangling shrubs, and tripping up small removal and carefully-applied-end-of- children weren’t sufficient crimes, add season-chemical treatment. Much as this Butterfly Baby-killer to the list. “no poison in my garden” granny hates to Black swallowwort (Cynanchum louiseae) admit defeat, this may be a required albeit has got to go. Cut it, pull it, cut it again, diluted “final solution.” mattock up the roots, and keep it from producing pods, which burst to release Anne Todd Osborn, TC Program Manager of R milkweed-like seeds that spread this invad - USDA Invasive Plants Study I E W

er across the landscape. Hand-pulling black E T T E

swallowwort usually won’t eliminate the G R O plant; the stems break, leaving a “bowl of E G spaghetti” set of roots behind to fling up The need for ecological restoration will keep some areas of new tendrils. You might have to resort to a Minnewaska State Park Preserve closed indefinitely. coup de grace application of glysophate on the final regrowth after you have cut the As this issue went to press, patches of green way, the park, and connecting trails at plant back several times in one season. were beginning to emerge amidst the ashes Mohonk Preserve and Sam’s Point were at Minnewaska State Park Preserve. The closed for several days. Most trails and car -

G fire that started there April 17 ultimately riageways reopened by the end of April. R O .

D burned nearly 3,500 acres in an area rough - Still closed until further notice: Jenny O O

W ly bounded by Route 44/55, the Lower Lane/Long Path (at press time, a detour for G U B

, Awosting Carriageway, the Smiley Car - the LP was being worked out with park T U C

I riageway and a firebreak built between officials), Smiley Carriageway, and the T C E

, Rock Haven Road and Smiley Carriage - whole of the Stony Kill Falls area. Park offi - N F N F O O C

H way. It was, according to Roy Yancy, cials have indicated these areas will likely R F O H

E spokesman for the state Dept. of Environ - remain closed, perhaps for several years, to Y M T I . S J

R mental Conservation, the biggest wildfire allow for ecological restoration. E E I V L I S

N in New York in 13 years and the biggest on Jenny Lane maintainer Patty Lee E U L Cynanchum louiseae (black swallowwort) the Shawangunk Ridge in 50 years. Parmalee reflects on the loss of ‘her’ trail A portion of the burn area can be seen on page 6. along Route 44/55 beginning just north of the entrance to the park (photo). The high - Page 8 July/August 2008 HI KERS’ ALMANAC A Sampling of Upcoming Hikes Sponsored by Member Clubs

July AFW. Stonetown Circular, Wyanokies, NJ. Leader: call 973-644- UCHC. South Mountain Reservation, West Orange, NJ. Leader: Tuesday, July 22 3592 to register or visit www.adventuresforwomen.org. Meet: Louise White, 973-746-4319; call before 9pm. Meet: 10am at UCHC. Wawayanda State Park, NJ. Leaders: Carolyn and Jim Tuesday, July 1 9am. Moderate to strenuous hike; out by 5pm. Turtle Back Rock parking in West Orange. Moderate 4+ miles in Canfield, 973-728-9774. Meet: 10am at ranger station; call for UCHC. High Mountain, Wayne, NJ. Leader: Eric Singer, 973-744- SHO. Amagansett to Napeague State Park, . this nicely wooded area. directions. 5-6 miles at a moderate pace; for experienced hikers. 7147. Meet: 10am at lot on College Ave. in Wayne near western Leader: Robert Kess, 631-225-0297. Meet: 10:35am at Ama - NYHC. Tibbetts Brook Park, NY. Leader: George Glatz, 212-533- Hike on the newest trail in this park along the lake. part of William Paterson U. 5 miles at a moderate pace; for expe - gansett RR station (take 7:46am LIRR train from Penn Station). 9457; call 7-8am. Meet: 1:30pm at 242nd St. and Broadway, on rienced hikers. Nice views. Wednesday, July 23 We’ll take the Paumanok Path through Pine Barrens and sand park side (1 train to last stop). Easy 4 miles, all flat. Walk along old UCHC. Schiff Reservation, Mendham, NJ. Leaders: Jim and NYHC. Roslyn, Old Houses and Water Scenes. Leader: Pat dunes, then return to Amagansett along the beach. Bring bathing NY Central RR right-of-way. Theresa McKay, 973-538-0756. Meet: 10am at Patriots’ Path O’Malley, 212-924-7486; call evenings. Meet: in front of Macy’s on suit. Donation requested. Monday, July 14 parking in Mendham. Moderate 5 miles. Roosevelt Ave. in Flushing (7 train to last stop); we’ll take N20 bus SHO. Terrace Pond, NJ. Leader: Nick DiNapoli, 212-600-1180. to Clock Tower; call for time. Easy 4 miles with hills. Walk along UCHC. Painters Point, South Mountain Reservation, NJ. Leader: Thursday, July 24 Meet: Take NJ Transit bus #197 to Greenwood Lake (junction of roads, the bay, parks, and streets. Cherryll Short, 973-299-0212. Meet: 10am; call for directions. Level UCHC. Sterling Ridge and the AT, NY. Leader: Hank Perrine, 212- Rts. 513 & 511); short shuttle required. 5-6 miles with 350-foot walk; about 3 miles. A favorite walk along the Rahway River. 666-0694. Meet: 9:30am at Sterling Ridge parking on Rt. 17A, Wednesday, July 2 climb. On summit of Bearfort Mountain, Terrace Pond is Tuesday, July 15 Greenwood Lake, NY. 8+ moderately strenuous miles at a steady UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: Eck surrounded by cliffs of purple , scrub pines, and pace; for experienced hikers. Shuttle required. Khoon Goh, 908-790-0939. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature rhododendrons. Donation requested. UCHC. Ramapo State Forest, Oakland, NJ. Leader: Carol O’Keefe, 973-328-7395. Meet: 10am; call for directions. 6-7 miles Saturday, July 26 Center, Coles Ave. and N. Providence Rd. 4-5 miles at moderate UCHC. Jockey Hollow National Park, Morristown, NJ. Leader: pace with some rocky trails. Rain cancels. at a moderate pace; for experienced hikers. Hike on the new AFW. Blueberry Hike, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: call Clotilde Lanig, 732-549-4977. Meet: 10am at Visitor Center lot. Indian Rock and Wanaque Ridge Trails with side trips to scenic Thursday, July 3 Enjoy a pleasant hike at a very moderate pace. Rain cancels. 973-644-3592 to register or visit www.adventuresforwomen.org. overlooks. Meet: 10am. Moderate hike; out by 2pm. UCHC. Pine Meadow Extension, Harriman State Park, NY. Sunday, July 13 Wednesday, July 16 WEC. Hiking 101, NJ. Leader: contact Weis Ecology Center in Leader: Dave Hogenauer, 973-762-1475. Meet: 10am at Ramapo IHC. Dingmans Falls to Childs State Park, NJ. Leader: Ursula UCHC. Allamuchy State Park, Hackettstown, NJ. Leader: Dave Ringwood, NJ, for info and to register; 973-835-2160. Meet: 10am; Equestrian Center, Rt. 202, Ramapo. 9 strenuous miles at a mod - Davis, 973-786-7087. Meet: 9am at Park & Ride, Rt. 206 & Rt. 15, Hogenauer, 973-762-1475. Meet: 10am at scenic overlook off I-80. out by noon. Whether you’ve been thinking of getting into hiking erately fast pace; for experienced hikers. Hike to Pine Meadow Augusta, NJ; shuttle required. Moderately strenuous. Beautiful About 4 miles at an easy pace. Hike to Deer Park Pond. or are a hiker who wants to know a little more, this class is Lake and back. and not too strenuous, shady 7 miles, with possible dips in designed to teach you the basics on local trail info, equipment Friday, July 4 refreshing swimming holes—bring a swimsuit. Seven stunning needed, compass use; limit 20. Cost: $8. SHO. Jones Beach, NY. Leader: John Socolick, 516-791-6453; call waterfalls; climb 250 steps up and down. 6-10pm. Meet: Noon at LIRR station waiting room, Freeport, NY UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: Ellie (11:02am LIRR train from Penn. Station to Freeport); bring Metro - King, 908-233-8411. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Center park - card for bus. 4-6 miles on boardwalk and some trails; bring suit ing on Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Moderate 4-5 miles with for possible swimming. Donation requested. some rocky trails. Rain cancels. Saturday, July 5 Sunday, July 27 WEC. Sunset Hike, NJ. Leader: contact Weis Ecology Center in NYR. Melzingah Reservoir, East Hudson Highlands, NY. Leader: Ringwood, NJ, for info and to register; 973-835-2160. Meet: 7pm; Jim Korn, 212-697-4811. Meet: 7:35am at Grand Central station for out by 9:30pm. Join associate naturalist Eve Tomczak for a mod - 7:50 train to Beacon (RT). Moderate hike. Notch Trail from Beacon erately strenuous interpretive hike to Wyanokie High Point to on local and woods roads, around the reservoir, then up to site of watch the sun set. Suitable for pre-teens and older. Please wear old casino; descend to streets of Beacon past Beacon Reservoir. appropriate footwear and bring water and flashlight or headlamp. IHC. Mahlon Dickerson Park, NJ. Leader: Carol O’Keefe, 973- Severe weather cancels. 328-7395. Meet: 10am at Saffin Rock Rill parking, Mahlon SHO. Garrison, East Hudson Highlands, NY. Leader: Marvin Dickerson, Weldon Rd., Weldon, NJ. Moderately strenuous. Yellow Malater, 718-376-3608; call to confirm. Meet: 8:30am at Grand Cen - Trail to Beaver Brook Trail in the Wildlife Mgt. Area. tral Station info booth for 8:51 train to Garrison, NY. Moderate 10 Monday, July 28 miles with some climbs. Rolling hills, forested. Donation requested. UCHC. Mayapple Hill, South Mountain Reservation, West UCHC. Pyramid Mountain, Montville, NJ. Leader: Gail Waimon, Orange, NJ. Leader: Dave Hogenauer, 973-762-1475. Meet: 10am; 973-467-4761. Meet: 10am at Pyramid Mountain lot. 4-5 miles at call for directions. About 3 miles. A view of the countryside from moderate pace with some steep sections. See Tripod Rock and the crag. some pretty vistas. Rain cancels. Tuesday, July 29 Sunday, July 6 UCHC. Ramapo Valley County Reservation, Mahwah, NJ. SHO. Central Park Fast Ramble, NY. Leader: Dorothy Lourdou, Leader: Carol O’Keefe, 973-328-7395. Meet: 10am; call for direc - 212-685-6443. Meet: Noon at 72nd St. and CPW (NE corner). tions. About 7 miles at a moderate pace; for experienced hikers. Briskly paced, 5-mile exploration. Heavy rain cancels; showers do To Bear Swamp for lunch then return by reservoir and waterfall. not. Donation requested. Wednesday, July 30 WEC. Surprise Lake and West Pond, NJ. Leader: contact Weis UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: Ellie Ecology Center in Ringwood, NJ, for info and to register; 973-835- King, 908-233-8411. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Center park - 2160. Meet: call for location; meet 8:30am; out by 1:30pm. ing on Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Two-hour walk at Strenuous 7 miles with steep terrain, led by Don Weise. Two lakes, moderate pace through the leafy woods. Rain cancels. lots of evergreens to keep us cool, and climb at least one official Thursday, July 31 Baker’s Dozen peak; optional bushwhack to Flagpole Vista. Cost: $8. UCHC. State Line to Cascade Lake, Hewitt State Forest, NJ. Monday, July 7 Leader: Jim McKay, 973-538-0756. Meet: 9:30am at A&P parking UCHC. Turtle Back Rock, South Mountain Reservation, NJ. on Rt. 511, Hewitt, for shuttle to Stateline parking lot. 7-8 moderate - Leader: Len Shnitzer, 732-499-9176. Meet: 10am; call for direc - ly strenuous miles at a steady pace; for experienced hikers. Up to tions. Level walk; about 3 miles. To Girl Scout oval and back. the AT and return via Cascade Lake, West Pond, and Surprise Lake. Tuesday, July 8 August UCHC. Sterling Forest, Hewitt, NJ. Leaders: Jim and Theresa McKay, 973-538-0756. Meet: 10am at Jennings Hollow lot on Saturday, August 2 R I

Rt. 511; call for directions. 5-7 miles at a moderate pace; for expe - E SHO. Roosevelt Island, NY. Leader: Minor Bishop, 212-686-5059. W

E Meet: 1pm at Tramway Plaza (59th St. and 2nd Ave.). Walk across rienced hikers. Hasenclever Iron Trail, woods roads, and the T T

E bridge and tour the unique town. Donation requested.

Sterling Ridge Trail; pass historic Patterson mine. G R O

E UCHC. Tourne Park, Boonton, NJ. Leader: Susan Jacobs, 973-

Wednesday, July 9 G UCHC. Jockey Hollow National Park, Morristown, NJ. Leader: Hiker Al DeMaria pauses along the Blackhead Range Trail in the northern Catskills. 402-2555. Meet: 10am; call for directions. Moderate 4 miles Terry Kulmane, 908-665-2672. Meet: 10am at Visitor Center lot. through this beautiful park with some hills. Steady rain cancels. About 5 miles at moderate pace. The Aqueduct Trail, then WEC. Pine Meadow Lake, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: Thursday, July 17 Sunday, August 3 Soldier’s Hut Trail and back. contact Weis Ecology Center in Ringwood, NJ, for info and to UCHC. Lake Skannatati, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: UCHC. South Mountain Reservation, West Orange, NJ. Leader: Thursday, July 10 register; 973-835-2160. Meet: call for location; meet 9:30am; out George Pullman, 973-773-2678. Meet: 10am at Lake Skannatati Jim Schlegel, 973-731-4339. Meet: 10am at Turtle Back Rock park - parking; call for location. 8+ moderately strenuous miles at a UCHC. High Point, Iris Trail, and the AT, NJ. Leader: Carol by 2:30pm. Moderate 5 miles led by Charlie Toole. Lots of river - ing on Walker Rd. in West Orange. Moderate 2-hour hike along a steady pace; for experienced hikers. O’Keefe, 973-328-7395; must register with leader the day before side rock scrambling, lunch at the lake, then up Raccoon Brook variety of trails. Hills Trail for great views from Halfway Mountain. Cost: $8. the hike. Meet: 10am; call for location. 5-7 miles at moderate, Saturday, July 19 IHC. Garrett Mountain, NJ. Leaders: Charlie and Anita Kientzler, social pace; for experienced hikers. SHO. , NY. Leader: Kiki Black, UCHC. Pyramid and Turkey Mtns., Montville, NJ. Leader: Al 973-835-1060. Meet: 9am at Home Depot, Riverview Dr. and Rt. Saturday, July 12 [email protected]. Meet: 9:15am at Staten Verdi, 973-263-8569. Meet: 10am at Pyramid Mountain parking. 46, Totowa, NJ. Moderate. This reservation on top of the First Island ferry terminal for 9:30 ferry; look for Shorewalker hats Moderate 4-5 miles; not for beginners. Up the steep, rocky Yellow Watchung Range offers splendid views of nearby Paterson, Turkey UCHC. Watchung Reservation Trail Maintenance, NJ. Leader: (also meet at SI terminal turnstiles; check for subway changes Trail, across to Tripod Rock, down to Bear Rock, then to Turkey Mountain, High Mountain and as far as . preregister by calling Trailside at 908-789-3670. Meet: 9:30am. due to construction around South Ferry). 8 miles; all weather. Mountain with its 100 steps and back. No lunch stop; possible Possible side trip to Great Falls after the hike. Rain cancels. Have fun while giving back to the trails; meet people and learn a We’ll walk past a Polish deli, Nigerian grocery, and Mexican shops early out before Turkey Mountain. new skill; no experience needed. Bring water, gloves, bag for trash Monday, August 4 to Silver Lake, then on to three Clove Lakes; optional zoo visit. and clippers/lopping shears if you have them. Trail work is held NYHC. Waterfront Parks, New Rochelle to Larchmont, NY. Donation requested. UCHC. Tulip Springs, South Mountain Reservation, NJ. Leader: unless severe weather occurs. We work until noon. Leader: Helen Yee. Meet: 11am at Pelham Bay station (last stop on Len Shnitzer, 732-499-9176. Meet: 10am at Tulip Springs; call for 6 train) to take #45 Bee Line bus to New Rochelle; we’ll return via The activities listed are sponsored by member clubs of the NY-NJ Trail Conference. All hikers are welcome subject to club regula - directions. About 3 miles. To Hemlock Falls and return by Painters MetroNorth or #60 bus. 6 miles at a moderate, steady pace with tions and rules of the trail. You are responsible for your own safety. Wear hiking boots or strong, low-heeled shoes. Bring food, water, Point Trail. some hills and road walking. Walk along the water from Hudson rain gear, first aid kit, and a flashlight in a backpack. Leaders have the right and responsibility to refuse anyone whom they believe Tuesday, August 5 Park to Larchmont. Rain cancels. cannot complete the hike or is not adequately equipped. Easy, moderate, or strenuous hikes are relative terms; call leader if in doubt. UCHC. Rahway River, South Mountain Reservation, NJ. Sunday, July 20 More than 100 clubs belong to the Trail Conference, and many of our affiliate groups sponsor hikes not listed in the Hikers’ Almanac. Leader: Dave Hogenauer, 973-762-1475. Meet: 10am at Turtle For a descriptive list of Conference clubs, consult our website or send a SASE with your request to NY-NJ Trail Conference. UCHC. Jockey Hollow National Park, Morristown, NJ. Leader: Back Rock parking; call for directions. About 7 miles, mostly Dave Bennett, 973-701-0248. Meet: 10am at visitor center park - level, at a moderate pace. Stay cool hiking along the river. Club Codes ing. Moderate 4-5 miles in this historic park. Steady rain cancels. Only those clubs with hikes offered in this issue are listed below. Please call numbers listed to confirm. Wednesday, August 6 Monday, July 21 AFW Adventures for Women NYR New York Ramblers UCHC. Somerset Environmental Center, Basking Ridge, NJ. UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: Leader: Mae Deas, 908-233-6641. Meet: 10am at Environmental HHC Hunterdon Hiking Club SHO Shorewalkers Clotilde Lanig, 732-549-4977. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Center; call for directions. Level 4 miles at a leisurely pace; bring IHC Interstate Hiking Club UCHC Union County Hiking Club Center parking on Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd.; call for direc - lunch to enjoy after the hike. NYHC New York Hiking Club WEC Weis Ecology Center tions. Pleasant nearly level walk; about 3 miles. Through the woods and around Surprise Lake. Steady rain cancels. Clubs wishing to have hikes listed in Hikers’ Almanac should send their schedules to [email protected] or to the Trail Conference Office. The deadline for the September/October 2008 issue is July 15, 2008. July/August 2008 Page 9

Saturday, August 9 Sunday, August 17 UCHC. Watchung Reservation Trail Maintenance, NJ. Leader: IHC. Apshawa Preserve, W. Milford, NJ. Leader: Steve Rikon, preregister by calling Trailside at 908-789-3670. Meet: 9:30am. 973-962-4149. Meet: 9am at Stop & Shop, Rt. 23N, Butler, NJ. Have fun while giving back to the trails; meet people and learn a Moderately strenuous. Explore one of the newest additions to our Member Club Profile new skill; no experience needed. Bring water, gloves, bag for trash parkland. The Trail Conference comprises 10,000 individual members and more than 100 and clippers/lopping shears if you have them. Trail work is held SHO. Rockaway Park Beach Hike and Swim, NY. Leader: Edward unless severe weather occurs. We work until noon. Leibowitz, 201-332-1709; call to confirm. Meet: 10:45am at street member clubs with a combined membership of 150,000 hikers. We invite club SHO. Tallman Mountain State Park, Piermont, NY. Leader: outside station, last stop on S train (Rockaway Park Beach at 116th representatives to submit photos from hikes or maintenance outings or other events Marvin Malater, 718-376-3608; call to confirm. Meet: 9am at Port St.). 5-7 hours, walk along boardwalk; bring bathing suit. Rain Authority Bus Station (south wing by commuter statues) for 9:22 cancels. Donation requested. (please set your digital camera for highest resolution). Email your photos, along with bus #9A to Piermont. 7 miles south from Piermont, then return UCHC. South Mountain Reservation, Millburn, NJ. Leader: complete caption information to: [email protected]; put “TW club photo” in the subject line. on Long Path. Then walk the mile-long Piermont Pier, which goes Ellen Jeydel, 908-232-2413. Meet: 10am at Locust Grove parking, half-way out across the Hudson River. Donation requested. Glen Ave. at Lackawanna Pl. (across from Millburn RR station). UCHC. South Mountain Reservation, Millburn, NJ. Leader: Ellie Brisk 4-5 miles with hill at start. Steady rain cancels. King, 908-233-8411. Meet: 10am at Tulip Springs, Brookside Ave., NYHC. State Line Lookout to Nyack, NY. Leader: George Glatz, Millburn. Moderate 4-5 hike using shady trails and woods roads. 212-533-9457; call 7-8am. Meet: 10:15am at George Washington HHC. Cushetunk/Round Valley, NJ. Leader: Rich, 908-638- Bridge bus terminal, upper level near ticket booths, to take 10:40 6813. Meet: 9:30am at Clinton commuter parking lot. Unhurried bus (take A train to 175th St. and exit at north end). Moderate ramble up a long, steep climb followed by a walk along a high 8 miles, including the pier at Piermont. R E T ridge and descend to reservoir. About 4 miles, 4 hours. Bring N Monday, August 18 E C

water, lunch; wear hiking boots. E UCHC. Mills Reservation, Cedar Grove, NJ. Leader: Joe R U T Sunday, August 10 McLaughlin, 973-263-2799. Meet: 10am; call for directions. About A N K

WEC. Castle Point, Ramapo State Forest, NJ. Leader: contact 3 miles. Trail, return on Blue Trail. O O R Weis Ecology Center in Ringwood, NJ, for info and to register; Tuesday, August 19 B K

973-835-2160. Meet: call for location; meet 9:30am; out by C UCHC. Turkey Mountain, Montville, NJ. Leader: Terry Kulmane, O 2:30pm. Moderate 5 miles led by Charlie Toole. Revolutionary R T

908-665-2672. Meet: 10am at Pyramid Mountain parking; call for A L

War-era trails, an old castle, views of Ramapo Lake and Wanaque F

directions. About 6 miles at a moderate pace. Lunch in a cool, Y Reservoir, even NYC skyline. Cost: $8. S E

shady spot by the scenic falls. T R U O

Wednesday, August 20 C S O

UCHC. Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, NJ. Leaders: T O H

Don and Jeane McLellan, 908-464-6246. Meet: 10am at Great P Swamp; call for directions. Level 4 miles at a moderate pace. Youth programs and summer camps are among the many offerings Trails could be muddy, with more logs/branches than usual due to at the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center. Wilderness Area restrictions. Heavy rain cancels. Thursday, August 21 Flat Rock Brook The center offers an array of seasonal UCHC. Kittatinny Valley State Park. Leader: Mae Deas, Nature Center walks and programs for children, families 908-233-6641; must register with leader day before the hike. and adults, a summer nature camp for Meet: 10am at visitor center on Goodale Rd. in Andover. Moderate At the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center in kids pre-K to seventh grade, and profes - 5-6 miles with some hills; for experienced hikers. Englewood, NJ, 3.6 miles of trails mean - sional development programs on Saturday, August 23 der across 150 acres on the western slope environmental topics for teachers. There UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: Mae of the Palisades. Woodlands, a cascading are fees for most programs (with dis - Deas, 908-233-6641. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Center on stream, a quarry pond, and wildflower counts for members), but the trails and Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. 4-5 miles with hills and some level sections. Steady rain cancels. meadows are among the features. Small picnic area are open at no charge to every - informal gardens showcase native plants one from dawn to dusk.

R HHC. Bulls Island to Stockton, NJ. Leader Carol: 908-782-6561. E L that attract birds and butterflies. It’s a K Meet: 9:30am at first parking lot at Bulls Island. An easy, C E

H family friendly walk of 6 miles on a towpath. Bring water, snacks. pocket of nature in an urban area, open E T

E Rain cancels. to anyone who wants to walk in solitude, P “Profile Rock” along the Sunday, August 24 study native plants, or introduce children Wanaque Ridge Trail in New Jersey NYR. Terrace Pond and Surprise Lake, NJ. Leader: Clive Morrick, to nature. 212-242-0931. Meet: 7:30am at Port Authority Bus Station for 7:45 Nature education workshops and IHC. Glen Gray or Bust, Ramapo Mountain State Forest, NJ. #197 NJT bus to West Milford (one-way). Moderately strenuous. camps make use of the Nature Center Leader: Jane Egan, 973-636-0809; call before 9pm. Meet: 9am Terrace Pond trails, cross Warwick Turnpike to Bearfort Ridge Trail and Surprise Lake; out to Rt. 210 on newly blazed State Line Trail. building (available for event rentals), a at upper lot, Ramapo Mountain State Forest, Skyline Dr., Oakland, small playground and picnic area is a treat NJ. Moderately strenuous. Hike by some of the old Scout camps, UCHC. South Mountain Reservation, West Orange, NJ. Leader: each with a lake view; also views from the ridges. Jim Schlegel, 973-731-4339. Meet: 10am at Turtle Back Rock for families, and a short boardwalk trail is SHO. Riverdale-Fieldston, NY. Leader: Mayer Wiesen, 516-671- parking on Walker Rd. in West Orange. Moderate 2-3 hours. wheelchair accessible. Other trails, says 2095. Meet: 1:30pm at Broadway and 207th St., Manhattan (A IHC. Black River County Park, Chester, NJ. Leader: Claire Executive Director Stephen Weissner, train). 3 easy miles, 2 hours, through Riverdale Estates, Wave Hill Bransfield, 908-240-1479. Meet: 9am at Cooper Mill Historical “are generally narrow and free of struc - woods, and Fieldston streets. No smoking. Bring Metrocard for Site, Rt. 24, Chester, NJ. Moderately strenuous 8 miles, mostly tures. We want to maintain a sense of Trails wander 3.6 miles across bus. Donation requested. level; shuttle required. Hike on the Patriots’ Path to Cooper Mill, wildness and solitude, as best we can just 150 acres of woods and fields UCHC. Lewis Morris Park, Morristown, NJ. Leader: Louise Bamboo Brook with its formal gardens. Has been known to have two miles from New York City.” just 2 miles from Manhattan. raspberries along the trail. White, 973-746-4319; call before 9pm. Meet: 10am at Sunrise Lake The nature center is managed by the upper lot; call for directions. Moderate hike but some rough Monday, August 25 sections and hills. Flat Rock Brook Nature Association, The building is open Monday – Friday, UCHC. Cedar Grove Park, Cedar Grove, NJ. Leader: Roz Bloom, Monday, August 11 973-364-0186. Meet: 10am; call for directions. About 3 miles; easy, which leases the land from the city of 9am to 5pm; Saturday and Sunday, 1pm UCHC. Deer Paddock, South Mountain Reservation, NJ. level hike along a railroad bed, hemlock gorge, and the reservoir. Englewood. (They are in year nine of to 5pm; between Memorial Day and Leader: Cherryll Short, 973-299-0212. Meet: 10am; call for direc - Tuesday, August 26 their second 25-year lease.) It was found - Labor Day, the hours are extended on all tions. About 3 miles. Fairly level hike to Washington Rock. UCHC. Turkey Mountain, Montville, NJ. Leader: Terry Kulmane, ed in 1973 and today its membership days to 6pm. Tuesday, August 12 908-665-2672. Meet: 10am at Pyramid Mountain parking; call for numbers 800. A trail map can be viewed online; UCHC. Stony Lake, Stokes State Forest, NJ. Leader: Wayne directions. About 6 miles at a moderate pace. Lunch in a cool, printed trail maps are available at the Frey, 732-537-9190. Meet: 10am; call for directions. About 7 miles shady spot by the scenic falls. Nature Center building. at a moderate pace. Includes visit to unique Tinsley Trail Geolog - Wednesday, August 27 Learn more about the Flat Rock Brook ical Area; bring bathing suit if you wish to swim in Stony Lake UCHC. Tulip Springs, South Mountain Reservation, NJ. Leader: Nature Center at their website, after the hike. Park entrance fee. Ellie King, 908-233-8411. Meet: 10am at Tulip Springs parking; call www.flatrockbrook.org. Thursday, August 14 for directions. 4 miles at an easy to moderate pace. UCHC. Reeves Meadow, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: Thursday, August 28 George Pullman, 973-773-2678. Meet: 10am at Reeves Meadow UCHC. Anthony Wayne to Pyngyp Mountain, Harriman State Visitor Center parking. Moderately strenuous 8+ miles at a steady Park, NY. Leader: Hank Perrine, 212-666-0694. Meet: 10am at pace; for experienced hikers. Anthony Wayne parking; call for directions. 8+ miles, moderately NYHC. Parks of Washington Heights Evening Walk, NY. Lead - strenuous; for experienced hikers. ers: Sam and Esther Dorfman. Meet: 6pm at subway entrance Saturday, August 30 173rd St. and Fort Washington Ave. (take A train to 175th St. and exit south side of station). Easy 3 miles with some small hills. UCHC. Turkey Mountain, Montville, NJ. Leader: Al Verdi, Three beautiful parks with spectacular views: J. Hood Wright 973-263-8569. Meet: 10am at Pyramid Mountain parking; call for Park, Bennett Park (highest natural point on Manhattan), and Fort directions. Brisk 4-5 miles with hills; not for beginners. Pass Hike-a-thon Set for October 4, 2008 to Tryon Park (home of The Cloisters). Rain cancels. historic limestone quarry, waterfalls near Bott’s Pond, a wetlands area, and natural rock stairs (100 of them). No lunch stop. Support ‘Hiking Museum’ at Bear Mountain Saturday, August 16 HHC. Byram Township Sussex County Hike. Leader: Peg, 908- UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: John 996-4790. Meet: 9am at Clinton commuter parking lot. The Jurasek, 845-365-3618. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Center The Trail Conference plans to construct a public exhibition about hiking Charity Hike from several years ago on private land owned by on Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Moderate 5 miles. Explore Peter Kellogg. The trails are open for hiking when it is not hunt - and trail building at Bear Mountain State Park. Called Trails for People, the northern end of the park; appropriate for beginners. Steady ing season. A moderate, family friendly hike of 6 miles. Bring the proposed exhibit is conceived as a publicly accessible, high visibility, rain cancels. snacks, water; wear hiking boots. engaging and entertaining interactive exploration of the fundamentals HHC. Columbia Trail/Lockwood Gorge, NJ. Leader: Al, 908-647- Sunday, August 31 3417. Meet: 10 am at High Bridge parking lot. An easy, family of hiking trail design, construction, and maintenance. friendly 8.2 mile scenic walk on the Columbia Trail to Hoffman's IHC. Lewis Morris Park, NJ. Leaders: Guy and Jen Percival, 973- Crossing and return via the gorge. Bring lunch, water, bug spray; 590-7437. Meet: 9am at Sunrise Lake parking, Lewis Morris Park, We believe that this represents the first-ever attempt in the United States wear hiking boots. Morris Twp., NJ. Strenuous 10 miles. Grand Loop Trail through Jockey Hollow to the Audubon Center; lunch while bird-watching. to introduce general audiences to hiking and trail-building in a hands-on, Friday - Sunday, August 15-17 SHO. Over and Under Three Bridges of , NY. Leader: whole-body, interactive style. WEC. Adirondacks Weekend, NY. Leader: contact Weis Ecology Cy Adler, 212-330-7686. Meet: Noon at Municipal Building, south Center in Ringwood, NJ, for info and to register; 973-835-2160. side, across from City Hall, Manhattan. 7 miles over and under To build support for this project, we have set a People for Trails celebration Head north for a weekend of strenuous High Peaks hiking. Plans Brooklyn Bridge, under Manhattan Bridge through DUMBO to include Whiteface, Giant, , and Esther, all well October 4, 2008, in Harriman State Park. Fort Greene, ethnic lunch, then over Williamsburg Bridge to over 4,000 feet. Delancey. Donation requested. The centerpiece of the celebration is a hike-a-thon, which will raise aware - Monday, September 1 (Labor Day) ness and support for volunteers who build and maintain the hiking trails in SHO. Jones Beach, NY. Leader: John Socolick, 516-791-6453; call 6-10pm. Meet: Noon at LIRR station waiting room, Freeport, NY the New York-New Jersey metropolitan region. Participation will be limited (11:02am LIRR train from Penn Station to Freeport); bring Metro - to 300 individuals, so mark your calendars, start training now, and keep card for bus. 4-6 miles on boardwalk and some trails; bring suit your eyes open for the signup form. for possible swimming. Donation requested. Page 10 July/August 2008 DONORS TO THE ANNUAL FUND Double Your Impact March 22, 2008 to May 19, 2008 Did you know that your donations to the Trail Conference can have twice GIFTS the impact if you participate in your company’s matching gift program? ADK Ramapo Chapter, Fran E. Allen, Anonymous Donor, Patrick J. Applegate, Mike & Kathy Azzara, Mark E. Bajuk, Both your contributions and membership dues may be doubled if your Christine & William Balcerski, Geoffrey Barclay, Christopher K. Bastedo, William B. Bates Jr., Jaques L. Black, Paul Blatt, Ed employer offers a matching gift program. Blaumeiser, John B. Blenninger, Walter Bogdewicz, Judith A Bott, Douglas O. Bowers, Stuart D. Braman, Walter E. Britt, Howard Brown & Nancy A. Houghton-Brown, Alex T. & Mary E. Brown, James Brown & Gail Brown, Casey Bruno, Karl & Employers such as IBM, Pfizer, Verizon, GE, American Express, and dozens Roberta Budmen, Lawrence Budner, Lenny & Sue Bussanich, Michael Cain, Ferdinand Caiocca, Jeanne V. & Malcolm Campbell, Kareen & Rob Canora, Ken Carretta, Helen Bill Casey, William Chiappane, Susan Chiaravalle, Rita Cohen & more have easy to use programs designed to help your favorite nonprofits. Richard Stern, James A. Conklin, Joseph A. & Marion Costa, Edward L. Craviolo, Philip D. Cristantiello PhD, Martina D’Alton & Michael Shroyer, John & Betty Davenport, Jack W. Davis, Lois N. De Conca, John P. Denkowski, Theresa Desalvio, Ask your personnel or human resource office Peter Dilullo, Lawrence D. & Theresa DiMargo, Benjamin & Jeanne Dobrzynski, Patricia B. Dufort, Douglas K. Eads, Earth for a matching gift form and send it to: Share, Marcia Egger & James Langford, Joan & David Ehrenfeld, Vincent Ellison Jr., Sheila C. Ewall, Frances Lee Fanger, Joshua Howard Donald E. & Mary Sue Farquhar, Sanford Felzenberg, Robert L. & Judy Foester, Ronald R. Fontana, Stephen C. Fox, Sheldon Freidenreich, Max Gabay, Robert Galli, Matthew Garamone & Adrienne Booth, Roy C. Geist, William H. Gelles, Clifford Membership & Development Director Norman Gerenz, James B. Gilmore, Bernard R. & Irene S. Gingras, Eugene Gionti, Dan & Ann Gladding, George Glatz, NY-NY Trail Conference Robert Gold, Edward K. Goodell & Lynne S. Katzmann, Dan Goodman, Lisa L. Gordon, Ann M. Gruhn & Peter Franaszek, 156 Ramapo Valley Road Paul & Maria Haggerty, William A. & Joan T. Hand, Eileen P. Hanna, Peter W. Hannan, Paul H. Harrison, Melissa Hayenhjelm, Elizabeth Heald, Peter & Rita Heckler, Robert & Kathleen Helenius, Joseph P. Henderson, Paula J. Hepner & Mahwah, NJ 07430 Charmaine E. Henderson, The Herbert Coles & June Fait Foundation, Andrew Heyward, Henry E. Heyzer, Joseph Hirstius, Blaine T. & Mary Jo Hoekstra, Raymond T. Hoelz, Nancy Hoogenhuis, Mary H. & Arthur C. Horst, Joshua E. Howard, Andy Huber, Daniel M. Hunt, Harry M. Iyo, Gregory Joseph, Norman & Myrna Kasser, Howard D. Kessler Jr., Mark Klingenstein, John Kolp & Cinthia Seibels, Henryka Komanska & Chris Bernhardt, Jack & Judy Kossover, Charles Kovacs, Margaret LaBelle, Victor & Dylan LaGamma, Rex Lalire & Greta Nettleton, Robert J. LaMagna, Martin Lamb, Edward Landau, CNA Foundation, Neil Fried & Caren Loebel-Fried, Juan Luque, Natalie A. Macke, Norah Malloy, Tom & Jan Mansley, Harold Marciari, William B. Mather Jr., Fred Mauhs, Anders Maxwell, Mary & Gay Mayer, John & Princilla McAuliffe, Dan McCarthy, The stove is easy to light; just one Wayne Mera, Roy Messaros, Robert W. Messerschmidt, Daniel K. Miller, Melissa M. Miller, Joseph D. & Aurelia Minuti, Joe match ignites a small pool of fuel that Misner, Sharon F. & David W. Moore, Martin J. Moskowitz, Martina Moss, Brian P. Mulraney, Douglas Myer, Mark E. Neirick, collects in the center of the stove. The Network For Good, Sherri Neuwirth, Keith & Nicole Oringer, Dean F. & Lorrie Paccioretti, George P. Perkinson, Dorothy Z. center flame ‘primes’ the stove for 3-4 Peters, William & Georgann Pettenger, Herbert D. Petty, Trudy Pojma, Junius L. Powell Jr., James Prommel, Robert Rainero, GEAR Nancy A. Riekert, Douglas H. Robins, Larry Rockefeller, Lauren Roman, Richard Romeo, Tracy & Daniel Rossettini, Mr. minutes until the rest of the fuel ignites Michael Rubashkin, Joan L. Russo, Robert Ryan, Michael Sasse, Rosanne Schepis, Carl Schiemann, Trudy Schneider, and shoots small flames around the Elizabeth Schwartz, Melvin J. & Helga Schwartz, Steve & Susan J. Schwinn, Robert A. Seelenfreund, Robert M. Segal, Chester perimeter of the stove. Like many alco - Sensenig, Brenda Shahinian, Linda Shwab, Lawrence & Kathyrn Siegrist, Steven Silverstein & Maite Jimenez, Kwan-Ngee CHECK hol stoves, the Vargo Triad does require & Sharon Sim, Norman J. Smith, Larry S. Spinner, David Stebbins, Bob T. & Suzi M. Stevralia, Bill Stoltzfus Jr., Marek Stycos, An occasional series that will review gear Raymond & Linda Sullivan, Technical Integration Services (TIS), J. Bruce & Beverly Thomson, Carl E. & Victoria A.D. the use of a windscreen. I made one from Thune, Peter Tilgner & Suzan Gordon, Cynthia A. Tollo-Falls & Stuart Falls, Richard & Susan Valenta, George E. Van Riper, appropriate for hiking. folded aluminum foil. The screen keeps Carla P. Vogel, Harold B. Vroman, William C. Ward Jr., Larry A. Wehr, Robert & Virginia Weismantel, Cyrus B. Whitney, the flame from blowing out and helps it Ed & Gail G. Wojciechowski, Billy Ray Wyatt, L.L. Bean, Inc., Myra Yangis, Ann Yasuhara, Gene & Muja Yoon, Gary A. Zemel burn more efficiently. TRIBUTES DARLINGTON SCHOOLHOUSE FUND I have used the stove to boil water for In honor of Daniel Chazin Matthew Garamone & Adrienne Booth, hot drinks and cook macaroni and Herbert Shulman Fyke Nature Association, Ellen Stewart quinoa. In a recent test I brought 2 cups

In honor of the birth of Henry Everest Howard In the name of David and Elizabeth Kramer M of water to a boil in about 5 minutes O C . The Trail Conference office staff Constantine G. Vasiliadis S after the stove was primed, and cooked a R O

In honor of Marilyn Katz O D cup of macaroni in a rolling boil for

MATCHING GIFTS T

Lloyd & Beatrice Frank U O another 13 minutes before the flames AIG, IBM, Julius Baer Investment Management LLC, O In memory of Marty Last, Paul Leiken, G R

Merrill Lynch & Co., Pfizer Foundation, REI, UPS A sputtered. This was all on 1 ounce of V Anna Parker, and Anne Silberberg . W

Peter & Rita Heckler W fuel. I cooked in a 0.9 liter titanium pot. SHAWANGUNK RIDGE COALITION W Any pot, however, should be more than In memory of Shelley Norton Michael F. & Paula Medley, H. Neil Zimmerman David Kennedy Vargo Triad Titanium Stove about 3.5 inches in diameter to fit the In memory of Tom Dunn Suggested retail price: $29.95 pot stand. Results will vary with colder Deborah S. & Larissa Wohl Tributes are only printed for donations of $25 or more. Reviewed by Howard E. Friedman DPM temperatures, windy conditions and, perhaps, a less conductive metal. The Vargo Triad alcohol stove is a small, When cooking is completed, the flame * LAST CHANCE! * LAST CHANCE! * light-weight stove that can boil up to two can easily be blown out. With a little cups of water at a time. The stove burns practice, excess fuel can be poured back denatured alcohol, an inexpensive fuel into your container by letting the fuel Contribute Your Club, Trail Project readily available. It is useful for one or run down one of the legs like a spout. An two people who plan to cook simply. alcohol stove cannot get as hot as a gas T-Shirt to TC Quilt Project Compared to other alcohol stoves I stove nor can the flame be controlled. have used, this one is well constructed And the lightweight stove sometimes tips and designed. It has six folding ‘legs,’ easily and sometimes flares up. But, for Quilt maker and Trail Conference three that swing down to create a base simplicity, weight, size, and an inexpen - member Carolyn Canfield has offered and three that fold up to create a pot sive fuel, the Vargo Triad is worth to construct a wall-hanging for the stand. The stove has small holes around considering. new New York-New Jersey Trail the circumference that serve as jets for Conference offices at the Darlington the flames, and a central hole into which Schoolhouse. To accomplish this fuel is poured. project, she will need a collection of new or nearly new T-shirts appropriate to Trail Rating: 3.5 boots out of 5 Conference activities in the New York-New Jersey area. These could include, but are not limited to, club T-shirts, project T-shirts, park T-shirts. The size of the wall-hanging Taking Digital Pictures for Trail Walker? will depend upon the space available at the schoolhouse and the number of usable donated T-shirts. To become part of Trail Conference history, drop off your T-shirt File sizes needed for print are donation at the Trail Conference office before September 1, 2008. Donated T-shirts will not be returned. larger than those required for the web. Set your camera for a high or highest resolution. Leave a Legacy The smallest size photo that we You can join the special individuals whose can use is 3 inches x 2.25 inches legacies ensure that the Trail Conference @ 300dpi (900 x 675 pixels). will continue to connect people with nature for generations to come by putting the Trail Larger sizes are recommended Conference in your will. It’s easy to do and and should be saved as RGB won’t affect your current cash flow. jpeg files. By naming the Trail Conference as a beneficiary of your estate, you will help secure our future. Your gift is private and not made public until your death (or you can request your gift remain anonymous) and can be designated for a specific pro - gram or be an unrestricted gift. You can choose to donate a specific sum from your estate, for example $10,000, or you may allocate a percentage of your estate. Please contact Development Director Joshua Howard for bequest language or help with any questions you may have at Visit Us Today! 201-512-9348, ext. 13, or [email protected]. The Trail Conference recommends that www.NYNJTC.org you contact an accountant or lawyer for professional assistance. July/August 2008 Page 11 Book Review Check Out a Camping in Comfort : A Fork in the Trail : 50 Hikes in the Book from the A Guide to Roughing It Mouthwatering Meals and Lower Hudson Valley TC Hoeferlin with Ease and Style Tempting Treats for the Second Edition Library By Lynn Haney Backcountry By Stella Green and By Laurie Ann March H. Neil Zimmerman Most books reviewed in Trail Walker make their way to the shelves of the Trail Conference’s Hoeferlin Library—a collection of more than 1,400 books and guides on hiking and outdoor subjects. Trail Conference members may borrow up to three books for up to three weeks at a time. Either visit the office or check the online catalog by going to www.nynjtc.org and clicking on Hoeferlin Library in the left-hand column. For questions, send an email to [email protected] with McGraw Hill, 2007 Wilderness Press, 2008 The Countryman Press , 2008 “Library” in the subject field.

t 146 pages, including index, pages of hai Tea Breakfast Cake, Maple Peach irst off, it’s useful to know that the Aresources and suppliers, and three pages CCrepes with Custard, Steak and Fauthors take an expansive view of “the of camping checklists (marshmallow forks?) Strawberries with Balsamic Reduction, etc. Lower Hudson Valley.” Though the majori - this slim guide covers a lot of ground—from Author Laurie Ann March’s dishes really do ty of the described hikes are located backpacking to RVing—probably more look tasty. The key here is that each recipe in Westchester, Rockland, and Orange than most individuals will be interested in. is explained in two parts: At Home and At Counties, Stella Green and H. Neil Chapter heads include: Modern Camping, Camp. The At Home part often involves Zimmerman reach all the way to Albany and Safety and First Aid, Tents, Sleeping Bags traditional if gourmet-style cooking, fol - Schoharie Counties, essentially touching and Pads, Backpacks, Clothing and lowed by hours of dehydrating (March down throughout the entire region known A wall of books about hiking and related Footwear, Cooking, Bicycle Camping, Boat leads off with dehydrating time for those as the Hudson Valley, and even a bit east and subjects resides at the TC office. Camping, and RVing. There is useful infor - recipes that need it) and packing food in west. Thus the inclusion of a few Catskill mation here, especially for novices. The zip lock bags. She tells you just how to pre - peaks in Ulster and Greene Counties as well author describes, for example, the differences pare the dish for travel, and how to put it as Vroman’s Nose in Schoharie County, among various kinds of backpacks and back together when you are in camp. The Thacher State Park in Albany County, and among sleeping pads/cots/mattresses. In fact, quantities are not single portions, but typ - the at the convergence of this might be a good text to give as home - ically make two, four, or more servings. New York, , and Massachusetts. work to “associates” in outdoor retail stores, Not all the recipes are complicated and Green and Zimmerman—respectively or for stores to have available for customers time-consuming, but this book is primari - past vice-president and past president of to peruse to get some tips on what features ly for people who value nutrition, savor the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference they really want in a tent or camping stove or good food, and enjoy the challenge of —know their material, and the presenta - sleeping bag. preparing it in the field. tion here is crisp and clear. Each entry includes directions on how to get to the trailhead, detailed trail descriptions, clear THE HUDSON HIGHLANDS and useful maps in black and white with trails superimposed over contour lines, and continued from page 1 a photo. The area also weighs heavily in environ - A few pages of introduction cover the mental history. The well-organized popular basics of hiking etiquette, notes about campaign from 1936 onward to preserve being prepared, a caution about Lyme Dis - the river’s natural scenery from being rav - ease, and “Other Helpful Information.” aged by quarrying and power plant In short, 50 Hikes is a solid resource for installation was the cause célèbre that cat - anyone interested in exploring hiking trails alyzed the modern epoch of aggressive in the Hudson Valley region. And there third-party environmental litigation in the may be more such people next year. This United States, initiated by such organiza - new edition is well-timed to take advantage tions as the Hudson River Conservation of the 2009 Quadricentennial commemo - Society and Scenic Hudson. ration of Henry Hudson’s 1609 sail up the E E

The painters of the Hudson River K river that today bears his name. New York C M

School made the view here their signature L State plans to seize on the anniversary as an E A H

landscape. The area is celebrated in the sto - C occasion to promote the region’s outdoor I M ries of Washington Irving (e.g., Bull Hill is and other trails in Hudson Highlands State Park draw thousands of recreation opportunities. featured in Dolph Heyliger, 1822) and the visitors to an area not designed to welcome them. poems of George P. Morris and William Cullen Bryant. “In the summer when it’s nice and warm, With the help of a grant from Hudson people are flocking to the beach [at Little River Valley Greenway Conservancy, the Improved Access Is Goal Stony Point] and the lot fills up to the point Philipstown Greenway Committee has It is clear what makes the area so popular where people are parked along the road,” completed the first step in a solution that for visitors of the past and modern day hik - said Rich Anderson, caretaker for Little would make the road safer for pedestrians ers. But getting onto the trails safely is a Stony Point Park. From his vantage point and cyclists. Committee Chair McKee said, problem. Parking at the trailhead areas is occupying one of the few homes on that “We got the grant and the feasibility study very limited and the busy highway is regu - stretch of road, Anderson says he has wit - was completed by John Folchetti and his larly lined with the cars of outdoor nessed half a dozen serious accidents over team. There are feasible engineering solu - enthusiasts of all stripes. Families must the past ten years, two involving fatalities. tions. The New York State Department of cross the highway to reach the footpaths “That doesn’t include countless smaller Transportation has reviewed the results and and beach at Little Stony Point across the accidents,” he adds. “And it’s just a matter of recommends a design solution that takes street from the parking area. Hikers march time before a pedestrian is killed.” the trail off the road and adds connections to trails single-file along a narrow shoulder, He and other members of the Little to trail systems to the north and south. We buzzed by vehicles traveling at the posted Stony Point Citizens Association, the think these are great suggestions and we are limit of 55 miles per hour and likely group that under a cooperative agreement taking steps to revise our plan. But we need faster—truly “breakneck” speed. with the New York State Office of Parks, the public’s help as we move into the design “We live so close to Little Stony Point, Recreation and Historic Preservation over - and planning stages to shape the area. Our when we first moved here I thought it would see the park that is part of the Hudson goal is to make it safe.” be nice to take the baby in the stroller and Highlands State Park System, have been The Committee is interested in hear - walk there,” said Cold Spring resident Euge - advocating for years to have a crosswalk ing from visitors to the parks and trails. nie Milroy, who lives just a quarter of a mile and flashing lights installed at Craigside Hikers can help by completing a short from Little Stony Point. “It was so harrow - Drive, just south of access point to Little survey that is posted by the Philipstown ing with the cars flying by, that I never tried Stony Point. Greenway Committee at this site: it again. From then on, we drove.” “The hiking trails have become very, www.PhilipstownGreenway.org Milroy is not the only resident who, very popular over the past ten years. It can rather than take a chance with young chil - be very dangerous in terms of blind trails Maria Leiter is a member of the Philipstown dren, drives the short distance to walking and people crossing back and forth. Some - Greenway Committee. trails, a disappointing reality that flies in thing should be done to protect the the face of today’s eco-friendly trends. motorists and the pedestrians.” Page 12 July/August 2008

Trail. To head on to Black Dome and MAP , stay straight on the red trail; Northeastern Catskills Trails, Map 41 of Featured Hike this, after the final peak, follows a general - the Catskill Trails map set, NY-NJ Trail ly gradual course down to Barnum Road. Conference. By Georgette Weir Where DIFFICULTY Blackhead Range, Northern Catskills Northern Catskills: Route 23 A, Scribner Strenuous Hollow Road (between Tannersville and Hunter), 23C to Maple Crest Road (Route SHUTTLE 40) to either Hauser Road then Barnum Distance between trailhead parking areas is Road for southern parking area; or Maple - less than 6 miles crest Road to Big Hollow Road (Route 56) for northern parking area. Hikers’ Marketplace R I E W E T T

E NY-NJ TC member? YES NO JOINING NOW Member #______G R O

E Please order by circling price Retail Member P/H Total G Hikers from several ADK groups enjoy lunch and a view from Black Dome. Official Conference Maps Order 8 or more and get discounted expedited shipping! The Blackhead Range in New York’s between North/South Lakes and Windham Catskill Trails (2005) & see combo $14.95 $11.21 +$1.65 ______Greene County is currently classified as a High Peak. One very nice feature is that a NEW!! East Hudson Trails (2008) $10.95 $ 8.21 +$1.50 ______Wild Forest area in the Catskill Forest Pre - quick and easy car shuttle can be arranged NEW!! Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails (2007) & see combo $ 9.95 $ 7.46 +$1.50 ______serve; but it is due to get even stronger by leaving cars on one side of the moun - Hudson Palisades Trails (2005) $ 8.95 $ 6.71 +$1.50 ______forest protection if a DEC proposal to tains and starting from the other side, Kittatinny Trails (2005) & see combo $12.95 $ 9.71 +$1.65 ______make it an official Wilderness area is making possible a one-way day hike of North Jersey Trails (2007) $ 9.95 $ 7.46 +$1.50 ______approved. The proposal is part of the nearly 8 miles over all three peaks. NEW!! Shawangunk Trails (2008) & see combo $10.95 $ 8.21 +$1.50 ______Catskill State Land Master Plan now under South (2006) $ 4.95 $ 3.71 +$1.10 ______review. (See page 4.) Sterling Forest Trails (2005) $ 7.95 $ 5.96 +$1.30 ______With three peaks over 3900 feet—Black - West Hudson Trails (2006) $ 8.95 $ 6.71 +$1.50 ______head (3940), Black Dome (3980), and Thomas Cole (3940)—at least five spectac - Books ular scenic outlooks among them, the NEW!! Appalachian Trail Guide to New York $19.95 $14.96 +$3.00 ______Blackhead Range is a popular destination. & New Jersey (2007) Early this spring, groups of hikers from Hiking the Jersey Highlands (2007) $22.95 $17.21 +$3.50 ______three Adirondack Mountain Club chapters New York Walk Book (2005) & see combo $22.95 $17.21 +$3.50 ______New Jersey Walk Book (2004) & see combo $19.95 $14.96 +$3.50 ______(Mid-Hudson, Mohican, and the Albany Dutchman’s breeches blooms in May along the groups) unexpectedly found themselves Blackhead Range Trail. Circuit Hikes in Northern New Jersey (2003) $11.95 $ 8.96 +$3.00 ______leapfrogging between scenic outlooks and Day Walker (2002) $16.95 $12.71 +$3.00 ______rock scrambles on the Blackhead Range in Two of the three ADK groups chose to Harriman Trails Guide (1999) & see combo $16.95 $12.71 +$3.50 ______the northern Catskills. They weren’t the set up a car shuttle, leaving cars at the Hiking Long Island (2005) $19.95 $14.96 +$3.50 ______only ones on the trail. Barnum Road parking area and driving Iron Mine Trails: NY/NJ Highlands (1996, rev. 1999) $ 8.95 $ 6.71 +$3.00 ______Opinions about the difficulty of hiking around to start from Big Hollow Road. To Kittatinny Trails (2004) & see combo $18.95 $14.21 +$3.00 ______the Blackhead Range vary from “moderate follow their steps, take the Black Dome Long Path Guide to NY/NJ (2005) $16.95 $12.71 +$3.00 ______with some steep climbs” to “one of the Trail (red) 0.5 mile from the parking area Scenes & Walks in the Northern Shawangunks most strenuous hikes in the Catskills.” But to a junction with the Batavia Kill Trail (2006) & see combo $13.95 $10.46 +$3.00 ______there is no disagreement that the views, (yellow). To hike all three peaks, turn left Doodletown: Hiking Through History in a including over the Escarpment Trail north onto the yellow trail. (You can bypass Vanishing Hamlet on the Hudson (1996) $12.95 $ 9.71 +$3.00 ______and south and toward the range of the Blackhead and climb straight to Black Nature Walks in New Jersey (2003) $14.95 $11.21 +$3.00 ______Devil’s Path to the south are spectacular. Dome by staying on the red trail.) In just Mid May offered the bonus of trails lined under one mile, the Batavia Kill Trail ends AMC Catskill Mountain Guide (2002) $19.95 $14.96 +$3.00 ______with an abundance of wildflowers: red tril - at an intersection with the Escarpment ADK Catskill Trails (2005) & see combo $19.95 $14.96 +$3.00 ______lium, Dutchman’s breeches, spring beauties Trail/Long Path (blue blaze); turn right on ADK Catskill Day Hikes for All Seasons (2002) $12.95 $ 9.71 +$3.00 ______were everywhere. the ES for one mile, climbing steeply to the Shawangunks Trail Companion (2003) $18.95 $14.21 +$3.50 ______Access to the Black Dome Trail (also summit of Blackhead Mountain; turn right Moon Take a Hike NYC (2006) $16.95 $12.71 +$3.00 ______called the Blackhead Range Trail) is possi - onto the yellow Blackhead Mountain Trail. Walking Manhattan’s Rim (2003) $13.95 $10.46 +$3.00 ______ble from both sides of the range as well as Continue on the yellow trail until you NEW!! 50 Hikes in the Lower Hudson Valley (2008) $16.95 $12.71 +$3.50 ______from the Escarpment Trail/Long Path reconnect with the red-blazed Black Dome 50 Hikes in New Jersey (2006) $16.95 $12.71 +$3.50 ______Best Hikes w/ Children in New Jersey (2005) $15.95 $11.96 +$3.00 ______Best Hikes w/ Children in the Catskills & Join the volunteers who Hudson River Valley (2002) $14.95 $11.21 +$3.00 ______bring you the great outdoors! Hudson to Delaware: The Great Valley (2004) $75.00 $56.25 +$5.50 ______Combo-Packs 1,700 miles of trails; your membership helps us expand our horizons. Catskill (5-map set & ADK book) $30.35 $22.69 +$3.00 ______Included with membership, Trail Walker , 10% discount on purchases at most Harriman (2-map set & book) $23.40 $17.55 +$3.50 ______outdoor stores, and 25% discount on all Trail Conference maps and books NY & NJ Walk Books $38.60 $30.95 +$4.50 ______purchased directly from the Trail Conference. Shawangunk (3-map set & Scenes & Walks book) $21.65 $16.23 +$3.00 ______Kittatinny (4-map set & book) $27.80 $20.85 +$3.00 ______Save time and a tree by joining or renewing online at www.nynjtc.org. Just click on the Join/Renew button. The Personal Touch Note Cards: TC Collection $12.00 $ 9.00 +$3.00 ______MEMBERSHIP LEVEL DUES Long-sleeve Denim Shirt Circle: S M L XL $29.90 $22.43 +$5.50 ______Senior Individual (65+) $25 Polo Shirt (Forest Green) Circle: S M L XL $19.90 $14.93 +$5.50 ______Senior Family (65+) $30 Trail Conference Baseball Cap $ 5.00 $ 3.75 +$2.10 ______Supporter $30 Trail Conference Logo Patch $ 2.50 $ 2.50 postpaid ______Family $40 Long Path Logo Patch $ 2.75 $ 2.75 postpaid ______*Sponsor Individual $60 Trail Conference Logo Decal Circle: Inside Outside $ .85 $ .85 postpaid ______*Sponsor Family $75 *Benefactor Individual $120 Subtotal ______*Benefactor Family $150 Postage/handling from above ______*Life Individual $1,000 New Jersey residents add 7% tax* ______*Life Joint $1,500 TOTAL ENCLOSED $ ______Name ______Method of Payment: Address ______NAME Check or money order enclosed City ______State ______Zip ______Visa Mastercard Amex ADDRESS Day Phone ______Evening Phone ______Card #______E-MAIL ______CITY STATE ZIP Exp. Date: ___ /___ Check or money order enclosed Visa Mastercard Amex Signature: ______EMAIL TELEPHONE Card # ______Exp. Date: ____ / ____ Make check or money order payable to the NY-NJ Trail Conference, Make check or money order payable to NY-NJ Trail Conference, and mail to: 156 Ramapo Valley and mail to: 156 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, NJ 07430. Road, Mahwah, NJ 07430. For a full descriptive catalog, please write or call 201-512-9348. *Tax must be paid on books, maps, misc., but not on clothing or shipping, by customers *New Sponsor, Benefactor, and Life Members may elect to receive a with NJ ship-to (not billing) addresses. Prices are subject to change. (7/08) Trail Conference cap. Check here if you would like us to send you a cap. Tax-deductible. Dues are not refundable. YOU CAN ALSO ORDER AT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.NYNJTC.ORG