March 2018 Published by the ALBANY
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The Cloudsplitter Vol. 81 No. 1 January – March 2018 Published by the ALBANY CHAPTER of the ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN CLUB Message from the Chairman As you may have heard, the High Peaks trailheads Published quarterly by the Albany Chapter and summits have become very crowded, especially on of the Adirondack Mountain Club. holidays and weekends. For this reason and many others, including: the long drive, my search for relative Albany Chapter ADK solitude and my love for the road less traveled, I would like to suggest you consider these local hikes as a great Empire State Plaza alternative. Below is a list compiled by our Membership P.O. Box 2116 Chairman, Doug Rosenberry. All the hikes are within an Albany, NY 12220 hour drive of the Capital Region. You can check online www.adk-albany.org for information, maps and directions. Please don’t hike alone, and I hope to see you on the trail! Editors: - Jim Slavin Kathryn Behuniak Albany County Albany Pine Bush (Albany) [email protected] Bennett Hill Preserve (New Scotland) Ann Burns Five Rivers Environmental Education Center [email protected] (Bethlehem) Assistants: Huyck Preserve (Rensselaerville) Virginia Boyle Traver John Boyd Thatcher Park/Emma Treadwell Thatcher Mark Platt Nature Center (Voorheesville) Lawson Lake County Park (Feura Bush) Chris Imperial Peebles Island State Park (Waterford) Send address changes to: Rensselaer County Adirondack Mountain Club Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center 814 Goggins Road (Cropseyville) Lake George, NY 12845-4117 Grafton Lakes State Park (Grafton) Papscanee Island Nature Preserve (E. Greenbush) (518) 668-4447 (phone) Petersburg Pass, Taconic Crest Trail (Petersburg) (518) 668-3746 (fax) Schodack Island State Park (Schodack Landing) For orders or membership: Saratoga County (800) 395-8080 or email [email protected] Hadley Mountain (Hadley) Hennig Preserve (Middle Grove) Moreau Lake State Park (Moreau) Many thanks to Gail Carr for her cover Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve (Clifton Park) sketch of Gingerbread House in the Woods and for her continued support of the Schenectady County Chapter with her time and talent! Christman Sanctuary (Duanesburg) Lisha Kill Preserve (Niskayuna) Business meetings are the 1st Wednesday Plotter Kill Nature Preserve (Rotterdam) Schenectady Co. Forest Preserve (Duanesburg) of each month at 6 p.m. at Little’s Lake in Wilton Wildlife Preserve (Wilton) Menands. Chapter members are encouraged to attend. Call Jim Slavin at Schoharie County (518) 434-4393. Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest (No. Blenheim) Mine Kill State Park (No. Blenheim) Submission deadline for the Spring 2018 Vroman’s Nose (Middleburgh) issue (April - June) is February 15, 2018. 2 Combined Activities Schedule Month Day Destination or Event Leader Rating Jan 3 Taconic Crest - Robinson Hollow to Madden Road Jordan B 4 Pole Hill Pond Keating B 5-6 Emmons, Donaldson & Seward Berens A 7 Easy Ski Loop: Clear Pond John Pond Martin B 7 Yokun Ridge Sheehan C+ 9 MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING* - Program: Antarctica & Patagonia –Gear Swap 10 Anchor Diamond at Hawkwood Keating C 12 Fifth Peak Antonio B 13 Cliff and Redfield Warren A 14 Leader's Choice Ski McGuire B 15 Hunter Mountain Traverse Pisaneschi A 18 Ski Garnet Hill Boyle Traver B 20 Lake George Snowshoe and Glacier Ice Bar Luchsinger C 20 Trail less Catskill 35 Leader's Choice Siegard/Siegard A+ 21 Sucker Brook Trail X-C Ski Plaat C 23 Cherry Plain State Park Breslin C 27 Balsam Lake & Graham Susko A 27 Stony Pond and More Martin B 28 Leader's Choice Ski McGuire B 31 Vischer Ferry Blue Moon Night Hike Keating C Feb 3 Slide Mountain Niland, B 3 Trail less Catskill 35 Leader's Choice Siegard/ Siegard A+ 7 Pine Bush- Great Dunes Section Keating C 10 Balsam Mountain Susko B 10 Grafton Lakes Snowshoe Luchsinger C 10 Big Slide Mountain Keating A 11 Leader's Choice Ski McGuire B 13 MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING* - Program: An Adirondack Portfolio 15 Ski Notchview Boyle Traver B 17 Adk Loj - Upper Works Ski Thru McGuire A 17 Black Head Range Traverse Pisaneschi A 17 Haystack, Basin & Saddleback Warren A 21 Noonmark Antonio B+ 21 Grafton/Dickinson Hill Fire Tower Breslin C 22 Moxham Mountain Keating B 24 Mount Colden Berens A 24 O'Neil Flow Lean-To Tirrell Pond Martin B 25 Leader's Choice Ski McGuire B 28 Moreau Lake State Park Keating B Mar 3 Tabletop and Phelps Berens A 3 Trail Less Catskill 35 Leader's Choice Siegard/ Siegard A+ 4 Leader's Choice Ski McGuire B 5 Mt. Van Hoevenberg Boyle Traver/Antonio B 7 Outer Gooley Club Ski Sheehan B 7 Cat and Thomas Mountains Keating B 10 Plateau Mountain Susko B+ 10 Street and Nye Keating A 13 MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING* - Program: ADK helps Albany Rural Cemetery 14 Hennig Preserve & Homestead County Forest Keating C 17 Santanoni, Panther, & Couchsachraga Warren A 17 Balsam Lake and Graham Siegard/ Siegard B+ 17 Huyck Preserve - Rensselaerville Luchsinger C 21 Moreau Lake State Park from Lake Bonita Side Keating B 23 Albany County Rail Trail Beach B 30 Schodack Island State Park Breslin C *Monthly Chapter meetings are held at the West Albany Firehouse (Station #1), 113 Sand Creek Road, Albany starting at 6:30 p.m. with refreshments being served. 3 Rules and Recommendations for ADK Chapter Outings: Life jackets (PFDs) must be worn on any ADK paddling trip while on the water. (You need to wear AND properly secure your PFD.) Participants are expected to have a realistic knowledge of their own ability to select activities within their capabilities and to carry clothing, food and equipment appropriate to the trip. Participants must be willing to accept the authority of the trip leader and to cooperate with him or her and other party members to make the trip safe and enjoyable. Participants should inform the leader if they feel unduly tired or if the trip is exceeding their capability. Concealing such information to avoid embarrassment or other reasons endangers the safety of all participants. Participants must not leave the party at any time without permission of the leader. Participants must not leave the trip area until all party members have safely returned, unless given permission by the trip leader. Party Coordination: It is recommended that leaders establish procedures to ensure the cohesiveness of the group. They should explain the concept of having a leader and sweep and stress the importance of maintaining contact within the group Safety Considerations: It is recommended that trip leaders and participants observe reasonable safety precautions and that all trip decisions be made with safety as the primary concern. A leader may curtail further participation by an individual and amend trip objectives if, in the leader's judgment, the safety of the individual or group requires such action. It is recommended that if a trip participant is unable to continue with the trip and must turn back that he or she be accompanied by at least one other person. Suggested Gear For All Seasons: Winter Add-ons Water (2-3 quarts) Sturdy Boots Extra Socks Extra Food Waterproof Matches Headlamp Hat/Gloves Ski Pole or Ice Axe Map & Compass Emergency Blanket Food Skis or Snowshoes Sunglasses/Sunscreen First Aid Kit Crampons Layered Clothing (NO Wind and rain shell Warm Liquids cotton) Extra Sweater or Jacket Extra Layers 4 ACTIVITIES RATINGS Each outing listed in this issue is rated by the leader for its level of effort. Remember that “level of effort” is not the same as the level of difficulty! A “moderate” hike for a physically fit person may mean a very strenuous hike for a novice or unconditioned person. It is incumbent on each participant to know their own level of fitness and limitations. The trip leader will ask questions about your experience, fitness, equipment, medical condition, expectations, etc. Be Honest! RATING LEVEL OF FEET OF MILES TIME HIKING EFFORT ELEVATION (HOURS) GAIN A+ Very strenuous 4,000+ 10+ 10+ A Strenuous 3,000+ 5-10 8-10 B+ Moderately 2,000+ 5-10 6-8 Strenuous B Moderate 1,000+ 8-10 5-7 C+ Fairly Easy 1,000+ 5-8 4-6 C Easy Under 1,000 Under 5 Under 5 PADDLING RATING MILES PORTAGES WATER CLASS A 12+ Long (1/2 mile+) II - Whitewater B 6-12 Short I - Moving C Under 6 None Flat RATING MILES TERRAIN BIKING A 30+ Moderate to steep B 15-30 Moderate C Under 15 Flat to Moderate Not all trips fit cleanly into one of these categories. Whenever you are unclear about a rating for a trip, leaders will be happy to explain what their designated rating means. Please Note: Unless otherwise stated, please sign up with the leader for all Chapter activities. Do not simply show up at the designated meeting place. Arrive at the carpooling site before the stated departure time. Please pay the driver to offset the costs of driving. Do not bring a pet unless the trip leader agrees that it is okay, and bring a leash. Please stay with the group or ask to proceed and stop at the first intersection and wait for the entire group to re-assemble. You are expected to carry adequate equipment, water and food. If in doubt about what to bring, ask the trip leader! 5 leader on or before Thursday, January 4th if you ACTIVITIES are interested. No calls after 9:00 p.m. please. This trip will involve a relatively long drive, so we'll try for DESCRIPTION an early start. Leader: Keith Martin, (518) 859- 9018, [email protected]. Jan 7 (Sun) YOKUN RIDGE (C+) Jan 3 (Wed) TACONIC CREST Yokun Ridge is a great little hike and not too far ROBINSON HOLLOW TO away in Lenox, MA (near Tanglewood).