MAINTAINING 2,144 MILES OF TRAILS IN NY AND NJ NYNJTC.ORG FALL 2016 TRAIL WALKER NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY TRAIL CONFERENCE • CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE SINCE 1920 WHY WE BUILD TRAILS MARTY COSTELLO MARTY Long Path Relocation AMBER RAY COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER The new 9.5-mile stretch of the Long Path in the Slide Moun- tain Wilderness Area opened Overcrowded trails and a lack in June 2014. This trail section of trail etiquette have become replaces 8 miles of road walk hot-button issues for the out- with a beautiful, rugged route door community. Witnessing over Cross Mountain, Mount lines of hikers waiting to as- Pleasant, and Romer Moun- cend Breakneck Ridge—some tain. Long Path Trail Co-chairs wearing flip-flops, complete- Jakob Franke and Andy Gar- ly unprepared for the chal- rison not only organized this lenge—or the increase of graf- ambitious project, but spent fiti and piles of garbage strewn weeks in the mountains build- along Pine Meadow Lake in ing trail and leading teams of Harriman State Park, begs the volunteers. question: How does an organi- zation like the New York-New EAST HUDSON Jersey Trail Conference bal- ance our goal of encouraging Hubbard Loop Trail people to explore open spaces Built by volunteers of the with the need to protect these Fahnestock Park Trail Crew, wild places? headed by John Magerlein, the Journalist Robert Moor— Hubbard Loop Trail in Fahne- author of the excellent new stock State Park opened this book On Trails: An Explo- The 9.5-mile stretch of Long Path in the Slide Mountain Wilderness Area opened in June June. This 0.8-mile, multi-use ration, which examines the 2014. For more info on all of these trails, including hike descriptions, visit nynjtc.org. trail welcomes walkers, moun- science, history, and philos- tain bikers, and equestrians. ophy of trails—argues that volunteers have been blazing the fight to preserve Sterling Read More It bypasses two bridges that well-built trails are one of the trails throughout the greater Forest from development. The were heavily damaged by Hur- best methods for protecting New York metropolitan re- Trail Conference acts as stew- Read our executive ricane Irene, mostly following nature. “Trails efficiently allow gion. But our work as path- ards of these precious resourc- director's column on old woods roads as it passes us to visit the wilderness with- finders connecting people with es, guarding trail lands from page 3 for more on the site of the former Hubbard out trampling it all to dust,” he nature has been about so much invasive species and educating the Trail Conference’s Mansion. writes. Building trails deliber- more than cutting tread. users on backcountry—and stewardship efforts. ately, with the aim of making Trail Conference volunteers front-country—ethics. When South Taconic Trail them as sustainable as possi- have been responsible for the it comes to protecting parks MASON SONA Extension ble, is one of the most efficient protection of some of our and trails, advocacy, steward- Volunteers of the South ways to prevent our most pop- most spectacular open spac- ship, and education are tools Taconic Crew, led by Andrew ular park destinations from es—from saving Storm King that can be even more power- Seirup, built 5 miles of new being “loved to death.” from becoming the site of a ful than rock bars and loppers. trail that connects the south Since 1920, Trail Conference hydroelectric plant, to leading Put it all together, and we end of the South Taconic Trail build trails so everyone has the to the existing Rudd Pond WHAT’S INSIDE: chance to experience the nat- trail system. This extends the ural beauty that surrounds us. South Taconic Trail a total People for Trails: Sharing The issue of overuse and mis- of 6.3 miles. The trail was com- a Love of Trails, Stewards use presents the opportunity to pleted in August 2015. in Action, and More be better trail builders—from pages 4-5 the way we plan and execute a Appalachian Way Trail project, to the way we interact Built by volunteers and Con- with the public and encourage servation Corps members Celebrate 100 Years of the respectful enjoyment of of the Taconic Crew in 2014 the National Park Service New Trails Offer the Best trails. and 2015 in Fahnestock State on Local Trails of Ramapo Reservation We’re working hard to Park, this 2-mile trail creates pages 6-7 pages 7, 12 create incredible trail experi- a loop linking the Appala- ences today that future gener- chian Trail to the amenities of ations will continue to seek out Canopus Beach and Fahne- VOLUME XLIII, NUMBER 4 ISSN 0749-1352 and appreciate. Take a look at Doris Duke Trail in Sterling stock Winter Park. some of the most recent addi- Forest State Park tions to the 2,144 miles of trails NEW JERSEY our volunteers care for—then and staff completed the 0.5- get out there and (responsi- mile nature trail at the Maurice Ramapo Reservation Loops bly!) explore them. D. Hinchey Catskill Interpre- Five new loops in Ramapo tive Center in Mount Tremper, Valley County Reservation, CATSKILLS N.Y., this June. The trail gives completed this August, have visitors a taste of the larger given fresh options to this Catskill Interpretive Center trail network throughout the heavily used network of trails. Nature Trail Catskills. Phase 2 of this proj- Trail Conference volunteers, ect will take the trail up to the see TRAILS, page 7 Conservation Corps members, summit of Mount Tobias. 2 | Fall 2016 TRAIL WALKER • NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY TRAIL CONFERENCE nynjtc.org STEVE AARON STEVE 2017 Board, Voting Member Nominations The Nominating Committee PATSY of the Trail Conference WOOTERS presents the following candidates for the Board Patsy, of Suffern, N.Y., is a of Directors for three-year Trail Conference Life Mem- terms and at-large voting ber and currently serves as members for one-year terms. the vice chair of the Board. These nominations will Patsy is chair of the Advoca- be voted on at the Annual cy Committee, and serves as Meeting to be held on a member on the Strategic Discovering the Long Path Now on View Saturday, Nov. 5, at 9 a.m. Planning Committee, the at Ramapo College of New Membership & Development The Trail Conference is presenting the interpretive photo exhibit Discovering the Long Jersey (505 Ramapo Valley Committee, and the Manage- Path, New York’s Greatest Trail, this fall. The exhibition features images of some of the Rd., Mahwah, N.J.). ment Committee. most scenic points along the 355-mile Long Path taken by award-winning photographer Steve Aaron, as well as maps and notes about the trail. The exhibit will run through Jan. DANIEL NEW NOMINEE: 13, 2017, at Trail Conference Headquarters. To fund the hard costs of the project and MARY support the Trail Conference’s work on the trail, Aaron and his exhibit co-creator Ken HOBERMAN Posner—a Trail Conference Board member and co-founder of the Long Path Race Series— DOOMAN launched a Kickstarter campaign that raised $4,026. Find more details at bit.ly/tc-dlp. Dan, of Montclair, N.J., currently serves as counsel Mary, of Woodcliff Lake, N.J., to the Trail Conference is a Trail Conference Life Board. Dan also serves Member and has extensive on the Management experience in team building Join Us for Hikes, Committee. and project management from her time working at RICHARD Verizon, Intel, and volun- teering in her community. Workshops, and More KATZIVE Through her community work with the Ridgewood Dick, of Irvington, N.Y., YMCA swim team and chair- is a Trail Conference Life ing the board of the Bergen at Our Open House Member and currently serves Barracudas swim team, Mary as a member of the Board. developed a comprehensive A celebration of the outdoors event is $5. Space is limited, (formerly United Water) and Dick is an active member of understanding of non-profit will take place at Trail Confer- and preregistration is recom- sponsorships from Cereus the Conservation Committee management. Mary holds a ence Headquarters on Satur- mended. See times and details Financial Advisors, Inser- and serves as chair of the B.E. in Electrical Engineer- day, Oct. 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 at nynjtc.org/event/openhouse. ra Supermarkets, L.L. Bean, Governance Committee. ing from Stevens Institute p.m. This Open House show- The Open House is being Fairfield Inn & Suites, R&S of Technology. Mary chairs cases our mission and cele- made possible by the gen- Landscaping, and Frost Valley EDWARD B. the Trail Conference Tech- brates the Darlington School- erosity of lead sponsor Suez YMCA. Alice Luddington nology Committee which house’s 125th anniversary. WHITNEY is undertaking the upgrade As part of the festivities, Open House Activities and redesign of our website/ Discovering the Long Path, Ned, of New York, N.Y., databases. She also chairs New York’s Greatest Trail, an GUIDED HIKES TABLE EXHIBITORS Garrison, N.Y., and Barton, the Building & Grounds exhibition by photographer • Yoga and fitness hike • L.L. Bean Vt., is a Trail Conference Committee, and serves as a Steve Aaron that showcases • Family-friendly hike • Lorrimer Sanctuary member and current member of the Organization- scenes along the 355-mile trail, • History hike • MEVO member of the Board. Ned al Structure Committee and will be on display (see above). • Vista Loop Trail • Mahwah Museum is an active member of Policy Council. Local author Jim Wright • Mahwah Historic the Finance Committee, will present Phantoms of the WORKSHOPS Preservation Commission Membership & Development For full board bios, Ramapos, a ghost story set in • Hiking Photography • Gravity Vault Committee, and Governance visit www.nynjtc.org/ 1938 about Darlington School- • Trail Maps and Apps • Ramsey Body and Brain Committee.