The Cloudsplitter Vol. 75 No. 4 October-December 2012 published by the ALBANY CHAPTER of the ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN CLUB The Cloudsplitter is published quarterly by the Albany Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and is distributed to the membership. All issues (January, April, July, and October) feature activities schedules, trip reports, and other articles of interest to the outdoor enthusiast. All outings should now be entered on the web site www.adk-albany.org . Echoes should be entered on the web site www.adk-albany.org with your login information. The Albany Chapter may be Please send your address and For Club orders & membership For Cloudsplitter related issues, reached at: phone number changes to: call (800) 395-8080 or contact the Editor at: Albany Chapter ADK Adirondack Mountain Club e-mail: [email protected] The Cloudsplitter Empire State Plaza 814 Goggins Road home page: www.adk.org c/o Karen Ross P.O. Box 2116 Lake George, NY 12845-4117 7 Bird Road Albany, NY 12220 phone: (518) 668-4447 Lebanon Spgs., NY 12125 home page: fax: (518) 668-3746 e-mail: [email protected] www.adk-albany.org Submission deadline for the next issue of The Cloudsplitter is November 15, 2012 and will be for the months of January, February, and March, 2013. Many thanks to Brandon Ellis, an art student from Tupper Lake High School, and to his teacher Kathy Eldridge for his sketch of "Autumn in the Adirondacks." October 3, November 7, and December 5 (1st Wednesdays) Business Meeting of Chapter Officers and Committees 6:00 p.m. at Little’s Lake in Menands Chapter members are encouraged to attend - please call John Sheehan at 674-8121 Chapter Meetings are held at the West Albany Fire House (Station #1), 113 Sand Creek Road, Albany. Education Sessions start at 6:30 prior to the membership meeting. Programs begin following the Chapter business meeting. Refreshments are served after the meetings. October 9 (2nd Tuesday) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETING 6:30 P.M. Education Session: Your Paddling Safety Bag. You have one dry bag to hold your safety items for paddling trips. So what do you put in it? Experienced paddlers from the chapter will share their ideas. Program: ADK St Regis Paddle Outing and Bog River/Lows Lake Outing: Two great areas to explore by water with the ADK. Phil Seward will guide us on two of the most spectacularly beautiful areas of the Adirondacks, a veritable paddler's paradise. First, he'll tell us about the St. Regis Lake Area and its 18,000 acres of pristine lakes, ponds and waterways which the ADK-led outing has explored each summer for 30 years. Next, to Bog River/Low's Lake, controversial but spectacular backcountry area great for camping and paddling. This 3 day trip shows the beautiful scenery you can enjoy and the fun of camping with good friends.Phil is immediate past Albany Chapter Chairperson. He has been kayaking for 10 years and is a ADK 46er, Catskill 35er, NE 111er and has also done high altitude climbing out West and abroad. November 13 (2nd Tuesday) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETING 6:30 P.M. Education Session: First Aid Essential Skills. We will review the most essential bits of knowledge and skills for backcountry first aid. Program: Verplanck Colvin, Adirondack Surveyor: Jim Schaller will tell us about this remarkable native of Albany who made the first recorded ascent of Seward in 1870 and never looked back. Jim will share with us the history of Colvin's surveys and wilderness explorations, including his life story and "Following in his Footsteps" today. We'll visit familiar ADK summits and lakes and maybe even a few places you've never been. An avid hiker himself, Jim Schaller is an ADK 46er (#1180) and can certainly share a lot about his own travels in the footsteps of Verplanck. December 11 (2nd Tuesday) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP MEETING 6:30 P.M. Education Session: Lightweight Stoves and Cook-gear. Small cook stoves have changed a lot since the Svea. Bring your favorite compact camp stove and cook gear to show and tell us why you like it.. Program: Moose, Goose, and Remnant Dinosaurs: Karl Parker, Senior Wildlife Biologist for NYSDEC Region 4 will give a powerpoint presentation on prominent on-going wildlife issues in the Albany area wildlife. Karl received his M.S. degree from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and holds professional certification as a Certified Wildlife Biologist from The Wildlife Society. 2 ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE PARTICIPANTS’ RESPONSIBILITIES FITNESS: Know your level of fitness and limitations. The trip leader will ask questions about your experience, fitness, equipment, medical condition, expectations, etc. Be Honest! TRIP RATINGS: Understand that the level of effort is not the same as the level of difficulty. Trip ratings are for level of effort. Realize that “moderate” for a physically fit person may mean outrageously strenuous for a novice and/or unconditioned person. HIKERS EFFORT ELEVATION MILES TIME RATING LEVEL GAIN (FEET) (HOURS) A+ Very Strenuous 4,000+ 10+ 10+ A Strenuous 3,000+ 5 – 10 8 – 10 B+ Moderately Strenuous 2,000+ 5 – 10 6 – 8 B Moderate 1,000+ 8 – 10 5 – 7 C+ Fairly Easy 1,000+ 5 – 8 4 – 6 C Easy Under 1,000 Under 5 Under 5 Not all trips fit cleanly into one of these categories. Some leaders may use A- or B- designations. Whenever you are unclear about a rating for a trip, leaders will be happy to explain what their designated rating means. PADDLERS MILES PORTAGES WATER CLASS A 12+ Long (½ mile+) II – Whitewater B 6 – 12 Short I – Moving C Under 6 None Flat BIKERS MILES TERRAIN A 30+ Moderate to steep B 15-30 Moderate C Less than 15 Flat to Moderate Please Note: Unless otherwise stated, please sign up with the leader for all Chapter activities. Do not simply show up at the designated meeting place. Arrive at the carpooling site before the stated departure time. Please pay the driver to offset the costs of driving. Do not bring a pet unless the trip leader agrees that it is okay, and bring a leash. Please stay with the group or ask to proceed and stop at the first intersection and wait for the entire group to re-assemble. You are expected to carry adequate equipment, water and food. If in doubt about what to bring, ask the trip leader! Suggestions for all seasons: Water: 2 - 3 Quarts Layered Clothing (NO cotton) Extra Socks Hat Shell (wind & rain) Extra Sweater or Jacket Headlamp Gloves Sturdy Boots Sun Glasses/Screen (SPF 15) First Aid Kit Food Map & Compass Waterproof Matches Emergency Blanket Winter Add-ons: Skis or Snowshoes Crampons Ski Pole or Ice Axe Extra Food Warm liquids Extra layers 3 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN It is remarkable just how fast a long hot summer can go by. I have mixed feelings in a number of ways. Although we needed the rain, we all took full advantage of the dry weather for all of our summer outings. John Antonio picked a great summer to start his “sweat and swim” series of outings, where he often hiked to a great swimming location. Although I don't want the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer to end, it is nice to feel the cool of the evening in these late summer days. And of course we can all look forward to a full schedule of fall outings, complete with brilliant autumn colors and fleece jackets. The property we have for those hikes is also on the verge of expanding. It's been a slow process, but the wheels are turning, and we are getting closer to the point where the Finch Pruyn property will become part of the Preserve. 1500 acres is also scheduled to be added to the Jay Mtn. Wilderness area as part of a land swap with the NYCO Wallastonite mining company. The “swap” involves mining rights on 40 acres which will also be added to the park after the mine is spent and restored. Another proposal hinges on the resolution of a century-old land title dispute in the Raquette Lake area. The settlement of this case will clear the way for the state to purchase valuable parcels in that area like the Marion River carry. At its June meeting, the ADK Board of Directors voted to support these two proposals. Anyone who stayed at the Johns Brook Lodge this summer had the opportunity to see the renovations that were done last spring. Thanks from all of us to all the volunteers and staff who made this happen. And a thanks also has to go out to the trails crew and volunteers who built the new bridge over Marcy Brook to replace the bridge at the Marcy Dam that was lost during Hurricane Irene. All of this work will make our hikes safer and more pleasurable. So let's get out and enjoy the outdoors, especially new members choosing a first outing. It's lots of fun with lots of great people. Happy trails. John Sheehan, Fall 2012 THE CLOUDSPLITTER October-December 2012 Vol. 75 No. 4 Albany Chapter – Adirondack Mountain Club October – December 2012 Combined Activities Schedule Month Day Destination or Event Leader Rating Oct 2 (Tue) Evening Paddle - Hudson River Bethlehem McGuire, Jacobson B 4 (Thu) Adirondack Paddle 'N' Pole Club Day Macha 5 (Fri) Fred's Favorite - Fish Hawk & Indian Head Ross, McCarron B+ 6 (Sat) Seward, Donaldson, & Emmons Berens A+ 8 (Mon) Kids Hike to Plotter Kill Rosenblatt C 9 (Tue) MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING-St.