ADK Chapters Become 1 Beware This Beetle! The Ramapo and North Jersey The Asian long-horned beetle’s chapters of the Adirondack varied appetite poses a major Mountain Club find new vigor threat to our forests. by uniting. READ MORE ON PAGE 9 READ MORE ON PAGE 7

September/October 2009 New York-New Jersey Trail Conference — Maintaining 1,716 Miles of Trails www.nynjtc.org Trail Conference Projects among 32 in New York to Get Funds for Trails

wo New York-New Jersey Trail Confer - ing access to an area that is not now avail - “With its close proximity to New York ence projects are among the 32 able to persons with disabilities. The Trail City, Bear Mountain is a very popular des - Ttrail-related projects in New York State Conference is a partner in this project tination for people who want to enjoy time that will receive funding in 2009 as part of the with the Palisades Parks Conservancy, the in nature. These visitors deserve to have a federal Recreational Trails Program. New York grant recipient, and the Palisades Interstate great experience when they explore the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Park Commission. trails there. Our trained volunteers, work - Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash ing alongside professional trail-builders, are announced the grant awards on June 23. creating the trails that make great hikes The Trail Conference was awarded Trail users of all levels possible. The public will get a lot for its $150,000 to complete rebuilding work on investment in this project.” a section of the Appalachian Trail on Bear of experience deserve State Parks administers the federal Mountain. This original section of the matching grant program providing fund - Appalachian Trail, the nation’s first great trails on which ing to state and local governments, National Scenic Trail, at Bear Mountain is not-for-profit organizations, corporations, also the most heavily used and degraded. they can explore parks. and partnerships for the maintenance, ren - As part of a larger project to rebuild this ovation, development, acquisition and historic trail to safely accommodate the construction of trails and trail-related facil - hundreds of thousands of users annually, ities. Funding is provided through the this project will open a three-quarter-mile “These grants will help the Trail Confer - Federal Highway Administration’s Safe, section originating behind the Bear Moun - ence and our partners achieve our goal of Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Trans - Trail Conference tain Inn. making hikes on Bear Mountain excellent portation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users A second grant, of $120,935, will sup - trail experiences for visitors of all levels of (SAFETEA-LU). Member Larry port construction of a half-mile accessible experience,” said Trail Conference Execu - Luxenberg Gets trail along the Bear Mountain summit, giv - tive Director Ed Goodell. Top Honor from Tornado Strikes ATC; Others Earn Appalachian Trail On July 29 a tornado touched down on 25-Year Awards the AT on the New Jersey side of the state line at Unionville, NY. Gene Giordano, Since completing a thru-hike of the NJ AT committee chair, who coordinat - Appalachian Trail in 1980, Larry Luxenberg, ed the clean-up efforts, reports that no a Trail Conference Life Member and resi - one was hurt, though hikers were in the dent of New City, NY, has dedicated much area. NJ AT Corridor Manager Jim The AT near Unionville after a tornado hit. Within days, volunteers had the trail reopened. of his volunteer time to preserving the histo - Wright reports that some hikers were ry, memories, and stories of the trail and the about to enter the area during the storm, By August 3, and despite rain delays, Says Bob Boyle: “I did get a lot of com - community that has built up around it. In but heard cracking noises and decided to volunteers including Trail Conference ments from the hikers who helped, saying, July, his efforts were recognized by the wait. After the storm, hikers were unable members and passing thru-hikers had the ‘This was fun,’ and ‘It feels good to work on Appalachian Trail Conservancy with the to pass through on the trail; some, trail cleared. the trail.’ These are comments I frequently announcement that he has been made an attempting to bypass the blowdowns, lost Workers on the cleanup: Bob Boyle, say to myself while doing trail work.” “Honorary Member” of the ATC. The the trail and ended up at the Outhouse Jim Wright, Matt Degner (“Flatlander,” Ground support was provided by the award was announced by Betsy Thompson, Hostel in Unionville, a stopping place for from North Dakota), “Cartoon,” (name Outhouse Hostel, owned by Richard Lud - an ATC board member, at the group’s bien - AT thru-hikers. and address unknown), Pierre Larochelle wick, who brought the hiker volunteers to nial meeting in Vermont in July. Bob Boyle (“Shamrock”), AT supervi - (“Gnarley,” from Manhattan, NY), the site and provided water, potato salad, The award is given to a select few. Only 51 sor and trail maintainer for the section, Robert Ballagh (“Blue eyes,” from Blacks - and hero sandwiches for all volunteers on other people have been designated as Hon - reports that trail damage was confined to burg, VA), and Dave Foley (“Dah Wah the last big day of clean-up. orary Members by the ATC, among them a 0.2-mile section of the trail between He,” from Maine). A big thanks for a great job by all! AT founder Benton MacKaye. The honor Unionville Road and Quarry Road. recognizes “distinguished contribution to the Most trees fell perpendicular to the trail, Appalachian Trail project through service many pulling up large root balls. that shall have had an inspirational or exem - plary effect because of its special quality, character or innovative aspects rather than simply service of a conventional nature per - Join us rain or shine for our 2nd Annual People for Trails Hike-a-thon at Bear formed in a superior manner.” Mountain State Park on October 3, 2009 starting at 7:30 a.m. Registration is Larry is the author of Walking the limited. Gift bags stuffed with goodies donated by our sponsors will go to the first Appalachian Trail (1994), which includes 100 registrants. Sign up today! Our new online registration and pledge forms make excerpts from 200 interviews he did with it easy for participants and the people supporting you. AT hikers, maintainers, and land-acquisi - tion pioneers. “During that book writing Thanks to our sponsors: process,” Betsy Thompson said in making A certified chain-sawyer clears blowdowns. continued on page 10 VOLUME XXXVI, N UMBER 5 ISSN 0749-1352 Non-Profit US Postage Paid Permit No. 1239 Bellmawr, N.J.

REGISTER, LEARN MORE, AND MAKE A PLEDGE ONLINE. GO TO WWW.NYNJTC.ORG Page 2 September/October 2009 From The West Hudson Trail Crew Open Letter To The Hiking Community VOLUME XXXVI, NO.5 SEPTEMBER /O CTOBER 2009

GEORGETTE WEIR EDITOR LOUIS LEONARDIS GRAPHIC DESIGNER Re: Vandalism on the AT in Harriman The TRAIL WALKER (USPS Permit #1239) (ISSN 0749-1352) is published bi-monthly by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference as a This letter is prompted by recent events in benefit of membership. Subscriptions are Harriman State Park in New York where available to libraries only at $15.00 a year. trail repair efforts (controlling erosion) on Periodical postage paid at Mahwah, N.J., and the AT were repeatedly dismantled. An ini - additional offices. Postmaster: Send address tial report of natural erosion was first changes to the address below. Opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily represent the policy brought to our attention in the fall of 2006 or position of the Conference. Contributions of by Gail Neffinger, the AT trail chair for typed manuscripts, photos, and drawings are Orange and Rockland counties. The sec - welcome. Manuscripts may be edited for style tion of the trail is located on the northeast and length. Send SASE for writers’ guidelines. shoulder of West Mountain. We spent over Submission deadlines for the TRAIL WALKER are January 15 (Mar./Apr. issue), March 15 230 volunteer hours in the spring of 2007 (May/June issue), May 15 (July/Aug. issue), rebuilding the trail, and it was subsequent - July 15 (Sept./Oct. issue), September 15 ly dismantled. We returned on May 30, (Nov./Dec. issue), November 15 (Jan./Feb. 2009, to begin restoring the same section issue). Unsolicited contributions cannot be acknowledged unless accompanied by SASE. once again only to return on June 13 to For information on advertising rates, please write find it vandalized again. This was not a case or call. of a person (s) just kicking some rocks and Copyright 2009 by: brush out of the way. Heavy rock steps New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, Inc. were dislodged, the extensive piles of brush 156 Ramapo Valley Road (Rt. 202) Mahwah, NJ 07430 used to block the old eroded path were 201-512-9348 removed, and the new blazes were scraped e-mail: [email protected] off the trees. editorial e-mail: [email protected] Based on these incidents, our trail crew World Wide Web: www.nynjtc.org believes a misperception exists among some users of the trails as to why crews of volun - teer hikers go out and build water bars, Twice, Trail Conference crews invested heavy labor in relocating a stretch of the AT in Harriman stone or wood steps, switchbacks, check State Park and building steps to control erosion. Twice, their work was undone by vandals. dams etc. There is only one reason— erosion control. Our goal is to minimize the impact of hikers on medium-to-heavily-used trails as Mission Statement much as possible using both corrective and The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is a preventive methods. We are not tasked with federation of member clubs and individuals providing the hiker an easier, more esthetic, dedicated to providing recreational hiking or less strenuous way to navigate the terrain. opportunities in the region, and representing the We perform this as part of the New York- interests and concerns of the hiking community. The Conference is a volunteer-directed public New Jersey Trail Conference at the request service organization committed to: of park management and rangers.

• Developing, building, and maintaining Many trails in the Hudson Valley, the N A

hiking trails. M B

Catskills, and the Adirondacks were built at I E

• Protecting hiking trail lands through R

a time when there were not nearly as many H support and advocacy. C S

hikers as there are today and trails were D

• Educating the public in the responsible D O use of trails and the natural environment. built with the goal of getting to the destina - T tion the quickest way possible. Over time, A panoramic photo of the view from the Wanaque Ridge Trail. Board of Directors Robert Boysen Chair as more people started using the trails, ero - Chris Connolly Vice Chair sion became widespread on sections of Thanks for the Great Trails Mac Highet Treasurer heavily used trails, as many of you have In July, my husband and I had the pleasure of hiking the Wanaque Ridge, MacEvoy Daniel Chazin Secretary experienced. Muddy sections have widened and Cannonball Trails. We were prompted to take this journey after reading the arti - Directors as hikers go around the wet spots. Gullies cle on the Wanaque Ridge Trail in Trail Walker (Featured Hike, July/August 2009). Henry Atterbury Peter Kennard Jane Daniels Seth McKee and ditches (some knee-high) have devel - It’s definitely helpful to have a GPS in the car to navigate along the residential Bill Gannet Edward Saiff oped where there is extensive water run-off. streets off Skyline Drive, in order to find the start of the MacEvoy. Nonetheless, the Josie Gray Mary Smart Steep, “straight up the mountain” trails drive is rewarded by the terrific 5.5-mile loop that follows. Ann Gruhn Daniel Van Engel have eroded to the point that hikers seek With only moderate, though frequent, undulations (read...elevation change), this is Staff other routes, further increasing erosion. a fine hike to raise your heartbeat without starting to pant. The foliage is varied, then Edward Goodell Executive Director Joshua Howard Deputy Executive fragrant at times, and the butterflies that dance across your path add even more color. Director And of course, not to be remiss I should mention the views: westward to the Larry Wheelock Special Projects Trails crews’ purpose Wanaque Reservoir and then immediately adjacent to views of the Ramapo Lake. Manager Definitely plan on taking a break at either vista point. Christie Ferguson NY East Hudson Lastly, our simple thanks to you for the beauty that the Trail Conference brings to Regional is to build and repair Representative our metro area—through planning, designing, creating, and maintaining the won - Jeremy Apgar Cartographer trails so that erosion derful trail system. Gary Willick Fulfillment Enjoy your day on the trail! Coordinator is controlled and user Catherine Gemmell Volunteer Marypat and Todd Schreibman & Information Manager impact is minimized. Denville, NJ Jennifer Hezel Development Associate Volunteer Recognition: Hedy Abad Membership …for Trails at Wonder Lake …for Work at Sterling Forest Program Manager Our volunteer trail crew consists of hik - I’d like to say thanks so much for the I am very impressed with the steps vol - The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is a ers who have been trained in the best ways wonderful new trails that the Trail Con - unteers from the Trail Conference volunteer, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. It is to control erosion to ensure we employ ference has built in Wonder Lake State installed on the Lakeville Ironworks a federation of 103 hiking and outdoor groups, solutions that do not have to be redone in Park in the towns of Kent and Patterson, Trail. I can see that it was a big job. I am and 10,000 individuals. a year or two. Our crew leaders scout trail NY. The layout and the quality of the surprised [it was] done in one long day. problems that have been reported by hikers trails is just outstanding. My wife and I It will be easier and safer for patrons to to the Trail Conference, park officials, or have often hiked this park before the climb and descend that incline now. The crews as we work on the trails. Once a trail new trails, and as members of the Con - steps blend in well and complement the problem is evaluated we determine if cor - servation Advisory Committee for the natural and cultural resource. printed on recycled content paper rective action is needed and, if so, the most Town of Kent, we’ve led groups of peo - Thank you! PLEASE RECYCLE TRAIL WALKER appropriate action. The approach we took ple on hikes along the old roads that are Please pass my thanks on to all the with the section of the AT followed all the now bridle paths. During these many volunteers who assisted. procedures—it was a trail just falling apart hikes, we’ve rarely seen anyone in the Visit our new site today! and we were called to shore it up. park. But since the opening of the new Jim Gell We see many hikers and thru-hikers on trails, we see a significant increase in the Park Manager www.NYNJTC.org the AT as we work on the trails, and all are use of the park. Thanks so much for Sterling Forest State Park appreciative of what we are trying to accom - making this possible. plish. We ask that those of you who have Send Us a Letter issues with the way we are trying to control David Ehnebuske Email it to [email protected]; in the subject erosion to bring your concerns to the appro - Member, Conservation Advisory Committee, line, put “letter to TW editor”; or send it priate forum, such as the Trail Conference or Town of Kent, NY to Trail Walker Letters, NY-NJ Trail the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, Conference, 156 Ramapo Valley Rd., instead of dismantling our work. Mahwah, NJ 07430. — The West Hudson Trail Crew September/October 2009 Page 3

From the Executive Director of course. They will walk and hike trails— The case for the societal importance of if they exist and are safe and attractive. trails is strong. The Trail Conference is the Call for Over the past couple of decades, we have public service organization addressing this Trails Are seen public focus shift from programming need in our region. Now, perhaps more Nominations Our Public at parks to protecting land from develop - than ever, trails need attention. ment for parks. From a long term So I urge you to join us at Bear Moun - for Awards Service perspective, the protection priority is desir - tain on October 3 for this year’s People for able, but with park budgets and staff being Trails Hike-a-thon. Our members and Niche reduced, the immediate impact is that few - clubs can participate by registering for the Members may nominate individuals for Are trails important to society or mere er and fewer park staff people are managing event and soliciting pledges from non- Trail Conference awards. Award win - recreational amenities? more and more land. member friends and family, by pledging ners are honored and recognized at our I raise the question because I am chal - Trail Conference volunteers and staff financial support to a participant, or by Annual Meeting. Cut-off date for rec - lenged to answer it daily as I struggle to have stepped in to fill the gap, creating an recruiting non-member trail users to sign ommendations is September 18, 2009. raise the operating funds needed to support average of 50 miles of new trails per year up. Find details and sign up on our web - Please send nominations (with support - our mission of creating the best trail system and providing high quality stewardship and site. We promise the event will be fun. And ing statements) to Chris Connolly at serving a major metropolitan area. Many maintenance of the growing trail system. we know it will be a great way to spread [email protected]. potential funders approve of what we do With additional support, we could do so understanding of why trails are important but consider the Trail Conference to be much more. That’s a big reason we are col - and to thereby build a constituency that View the list of past award more of a special interest group than a pub - laborating with the Palisades Interstate will support them. recipients on our website: lic service organization. Why, they ask, Park Commission on a 2nd Annual People www.nynjtc.org/content/award-winners should they support an organization that for Trails Hike-a-thon. Our hike-a-thon is serves a population of mostly white and an opportunity to reach out to a wider Honorary Life Membership aging hiking enthusiasts? public, remind them about the importance Conveys life member status and the Because, I answer, trails are where chil - of trails and the need to take care of them, — Edward Goodell right to vote at Delegates’ meetings. dren meet nature, where people get and stay and recruit their support in a fun way. Executive Director Usually given after long years of service healthy, where people rejuvenate their spir - to the Conference. its. Trails are not amenities to be enjoyed by a select few, but rather are places where indi - Raymond H. Torrey Award viduals, and thus society, forge a sustainable The Conference’s most prestigious relationship to the environment. award, given for significant and lasting A generation or two ago, the world was contributions that protect hiking trails entirely different; the majority of people and the land upon which they rest. encountered nature as part of their every - day life. Kids—me among them—spent William Hoeferlin Award their days outside, playing in woods, Recognizes Trail Conference volunteers climbing trees, swimming in lakes and who have demonstrated exemplary service streams. Those opportunities seem harder to trail maintenance, management, to take advantage of these days. and/or trail land protection. Yet there is broad agreement on the importance of outdoor physical activity, Leo Rothschild from the Centers for Disease Control Conservation Award Healthy Communities program to the No Presented to a person or organization Child Left Inside movement inspired by that has made a significant Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the contribution to the protection of our Woods , which links a theory of “nature trails and/or the natural lands that deficit disorder” to increases in depression, surround them. obesity, and attention deficit disorder. Where will these children, and their par - Corporate Partner Award ents and mentors go? To parks and trails, Given to businesses or their employees for outstanding service to the hiking community. Major William A. Welch Board, Delegate Nominations Announced Trail Partner Award Presented to those outside the Trail Elections for the Trail Conference Board of Directors, and Delegates to represent the indi - Conference – for example, state, federal, vidual members of the Trail Conference at Delegates meetings, will take place at the Annual Meeting or local agency partner officials – who Annual Meeting, Saturday, October 17, at the Lower Twin Lakes Camp in Harriman State Saturday, October 17 have given long and/or significant Park. All members of the Trail Conference are welcome to attend. The meeting will be fol - assistance to the local hiking community. lowed by hikes in the park. Details will be available on the website. Lower Twin Lakes Camp The Nominating Committee (Herb Chong, Jane Daniels, Allyn Dodd, Mary Smart, Harriman State Park Next Generation Award and Malcolm Spector), announce the following nominations. Given to those under age 21 who are making significant contributions of Nominees for the Board of Directors Nominees for Delegates-at-large time and energy to trail building or (two positions, each a three-year term) (one-year terms) protection. Gaylord Holmes Hans Khimm Robert Berlin Karen Rose Ken Lloyd Award Gaylord Holmes is a hike leader for the Hans Khimm is a newly minted hiker, Tuxedo, NY Mahwah, NJ Recognizes members of Trail Conference Appalachian Mountain Club. Since late cutting back on his excellent game of golf member clubs or member clubs who 2008, has been serving as a Trail Confer - to spend his weekend days in Harriman David Bertollo Ruth Rosenthal have demonstrated exemplary service to ence volunteer addressing strategic needs State Park. West Milford, NJ New York, NY trail maintenance, management, and/or and program policy under the direction of Hans is a chemical engineer who spent trail land protection. Executive Director Edward Goodell. his formative years designing chemical Harvey Fishman Trudy Schneider Gaylord’s professional experience is in plants and pollution control systems for Brooklyn, NY White Plains, NY Paul Leikin Extra Mile Award account management and sales for three one of the top U.S. chemical companies. Recognizes those volunteers who have large multinational banks. In these banks, He was designated by the company as Clifford Gerenz Malcolm Spector demonstrated exceptional commitment his position required him to have knowl - Technology Licensing Engineer for the Far Saddle Brook, NJ New York, NY to projects such as a book, map or edge of all the banks’ product lines, service East. As the industry changed, Hans chose advocacy. current corporate customers, and identify the entrepreneurial route and started his Jill Hamell Naomi Sutter and nurture potential corporate customers. own company to import and export spe - Ringwood, NJ Clifton, NJ As account manager he needed to gather cialty chemicals, colorants, and textile dye and interpret public financial information, stuffs. As a Korean-American, he partnered John Jurasek Michael Vitti analyze operating and capital budgets, and with a Japanese trading company to serve Orangeburg, NY Nyack, NY interim and annual financial statements, 10 countries. develop a risk profile for the customer and Hans received an undergraduate and Harold Kaplan Robert Ward recommend credit limits and pricing for graduate degree from Massachusetts Insti - Yonkers, NY Far Rockaway, NY credit to be extended to the customer. tute of Technology and an MBA from Iona The majority of his assignments were in College. He lives in Scarsdale, NY, with his Mark Liss Arthur White New York, however he lived in Tokyo for at wife, and has two daughters who are active - Fair Lawn, NJ Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ least five years and spent time in London. ly seeking postgraduate degrees. SUPPORT Gaylord received his undergraduate degree Hans has served as the president of the Jeffrey Mergler Richard Zinn from University of North Carolina at Charitable Chinese Golfers Association West Milford, NJ Teaneck, NJ TRAILS! Chapel Hill and his MBA from the Univer - and is an avid music fan who has served sity of Virginia. Gaylord has been an active on the board of the Bowdoin Summer Margo Moss Henry Zulauf member of the churches he has attended. Music Festival. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Park Ridge, NJ Sign up today! He and his wife live in Irvington, NY. He has a son who lives in New York City. George Petty Denville, NJ WWW.NYNJTC.ORG Page 4 September/October 2009 Conservation Advocacy & Trail News Conservation & Advocacy News Notes 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! Dam Reconstruction at Ramapo NEW JERSEY Push on ATV Bill Expected $400,000 three-year bond emerged as the Valley County Reservation Closes By advocacy volunteer Brenda Holzinger After November Elections most politically palatable measure given Portion of Schuber/Silver Trails ATV regulatory legislation in New Jersey the current fiscal state of New Jersey. The Reconstruction of the MacMillan Dam in Fight Continues Against (S2055 and A823), regarding the registra - KIG Coalition has already begun plan - Ramapo Valley County Reservation got PSE&G Powerline in Highlands tion, identification and enforcement of All ning for its public education and underway July 15, and the area surround - New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities Terrain Vehicles and their use, is now advocacy campaign, which will begin ing the dam, including the park road in recently concluded a series of three public expected to come to votes in the Senate and Labor Day weekend with airplane ban - that area, is officially closed during the hearings in Sussex and Morris Counties to Assembly after the November elections. ners along New Jersey’s coastline. For project for public safety reasons. discuss the state’s need for the planned The Senate Budget and Appropriations more information about the bond meas - Dump trucks and other heavy equip - Susquehanna-Roseland transmission line Committee reported the bill out on June ure and KIG efforts, or to find out how to ment units are using the main dirt road project. A final decision is expected from 22, but it did not come to the full Senate help, please visit the KIG website at (Schuber/Silver Trail) from the park the Board of Public Utilities in December. before the legislature’s summer break. www.njkeepitgreen.org. entrance to the dam area; public access to As this issue goes to press, another hear - After the summer break, the legislature the road is officially barred west of Scarlet ing is imminent during which the Morris will be occupied with the November elec - NEW YORK Oak Pond to the dam area from 7am to County Park Commission will accept tions, so no action is expected on this 4pm weekdays. public testimony regarding PSE&G’s legislation until after November 3. If the Bottle Bill Still on Shelf Most trails at the reservation will remain request to lease some permanently pre - current legislation is not acted upon dur - Implementation of the Bigger Better Bottle open, though access to them from the main served Green Acres land located in ing the seven weeks following the Bill, on the verge of happening on June 1, park entrance on Route 202 (Ramapo Val - Mahlon Dickerson Reservation so they election, the entire process will need to has been on hold since May 29, when U.S. ley Road) will be restricted. Hikers can still can construct access roads necessary to begin anew with a new legislature. District Court Judge Thomas Griesa access trails from trailheads at Glen Gray, support the transmission line construc - Because this time frame is so short, your delayed implementation of all the new Ringwood State Park, or Skyline Drive, but tion. PSE&G already owns some land help will be needed more than ever to pass updates to the law until April 1, 2010. A be aware that trails that end at or west of adjacent to both Mahlon Dickerson this important legislation! dispute that originally focused on the the closed portion of Schuber/Silver Trails Reservation and Weldon Wildlife Man - For current updates about this legisla - timetable for meeting label requirements will require backtracking or circuitous agement Area, but they need a way to tion, please visit the TC website at became the lever for delaying all updates to detours. The project is expected to contin - access this land from Weldon Road. www.nynjtc.org/content/atv-legislation- the bill, including the transfer of 80% of the ue for approximately six months. This PSE&G project threatens the cur - summary. unclaimed deposits to the state and the 1.5 rent route of the Highlands Trail in the cent handling fee increase for stores and Trailhead Closed for Mine Mahlon Dickerson area as well as across Open Space Funding redemption centers. As of the deadline for Trail/Wyanokie Circular in Route 15 in Hopatcong borough, the site To Be on November Ballot this issue, no resolution of the dispute was Norvin Green State Forest of a planned switching station. For an The NJ Keep It Green Coalition, com - on the horizon. New York Public Interest The trailhead for the Mine Trail/Wyanokie overview about the PSE&G Susquehan - prised of over 135 member groups Research Group estimates that the delay Circular Trail (yellow & red) in Norvin na-Roseland Reliability Project, you can representing environmental, outdoor will result in more than two billion water Green State Forest is permanently closed by visit the PSE&G website (www.pseg.com) recreation, farmland preservation, and bottles added to the waste stream or as litter the landowner. This trailhead is on Snake and type “Susquehanna-Roseland” in the historic and cultural resources across the rather than being recycled, and that the Den Road, near the Weis Ecology Center search box . For up-to-date information state, worked closely with the state legisla - state will lose at least $115 million this year parking lot. We will be posting signs and about the public process for commenting ture to get the Garden State Preservation in revenue from the unclaimed deposits. blocking access at both ends of the private on the project as well as an archive of Trust bond measure on the ballot in property. Please plan your hikes to enter important documents, visit Stop the Lines November. Although it may be far from and exit the forest trails at other locations. (www.stopthelines.com/). the ideal, long-term funding supported by Use the Hewitt-Butler/Mine Trail (blue every member of the KIG Coalition, the and yellow) via the Otterhole Trail (green) from the Weis parking lot, or the Highlands Trail from Westbrook Road/ Earl Shaffer and the Appalachian Trail Opens at the Smithsonian Townsend Road to the new Roomy Mine Trail extension to access other trails. Trail “Earl Shaffer and the Appalachian Trail,” and Duke Ellington artifacts. Walking with Maps and other objects from the Conference volunteers will be creating celebrating the early years of the Appalachi - Spring , Shaffer’s lyrical account of his first Appalachian Trail Conservancy adorn the links / detours very shortly. In the mean - an Trail project and Shaffer’s historic 1948 Appalachian Trail hike, is a major focus of walls, and that book and related products time, we ask your cooperation in avoiding thru-hike, opened in June in the Albert the exhibit, along with other papers and will be on sale at the museum gift shops. this trailhead. Small Documents Room of the Smithson - artifacts Shaffer donated to the Smithson - An Internet connection will take visitors to ian Institution’s National Museum of ian after his 1998, “50th anniversary” interactive exhibits as well 3 Lakes Trail in Fahnestock American History. thru-hike at age 79, three years before his Visit www.americanhistory.si.edu; click State Park Closed The exhibit, which will remain in place death. (He also hiked end-to-end south - on “Exhibits” for further information. The 3 Lakes Trail in Fahnestock State Park through October 11, follows displays in the bound in 1965.) is officially closed between Sunk Mine same space this year of Abraham Lincoln Road and the AT crossing (not Rt. 301). The closing is posted with signs and yellow Trail Conference Assists hazard tape. The ranger said that the clos - ing was due to high water released from with Minnewaska Trails Study John Allen Pond, in an attempt to stabilize water levels there. As an alternate, hikers can use the AT from Sunk Mine Road, but because of the high water conditions, the stream crossing just north of there may be a problem. A safe and dry alternate is to go north on the gated mine road just east of the bridge (dotted black line on the TC map) and about a five-minute walk east of the 3 Lakes Trail. This road will join the 3 Lakes Trail near the junction with the Old Mine Railroad Trail. This is in the closed section, but it is well north of the problem area.

Shaffer at the end of the Appalachian Trail, Mount Katahdin, Maine. R I E W E

Advertise with us. T T E G R

We have affordable rates and O E G offer Trail Walker /nynjtc.org Trail Conference volunteers and staff from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation combo specials to maximize and Historic Preservation get ready to head out to assess trails at Minnewaska State Park exposure to our members Preserve in August. Trail Conference assistance was requested by parks staff in compiling baseline data about footpaths in the preserve as part of master plan revisions now in progress. Get the “Hike of the Week” and outdoor enthusiasts. Volunteers were trained to take GPS waypoints of problem areas and measure grades with Call 201.512.9348, ext. 26. a clinometer. (In the photo, some are seen practicing with clinometers by focusing on the www.NYNJTC.org photographer.) A draft revised master plan is expected to be released for public review this fall. September/October 2009 Page 5

Saturday, October 3 Warren Trail, Jenny Jump State Forest Special Project Trail Crew We will continue installing rock steps and side-hill in Sterling Forest tread on a steep section of the trail between Hissim Road and Buzzards Glory Road. Teaching Practical Skills to Schedules Saturday, October 17 Trails Volunteers at Locations Terrace Pond North Trail, Wawayanda State Park Throughout the NY-NJ Area September — November 2009 We will install stepping stones in a wet area of the Terrace Pond North Trail. R I

Check our website for possible E September — October Saturday, October 24 W E

additions or changes to schedules. T T

Warren Trail, Jenny Jump State Forest E

Go to www.nynjtc.org and click on G R

We will install rock steps and sidehill tread on a O E To register for a class, go to our website. The Trail Crews in the Get Involved tab. steep section of the trail near Buzzards Glory G Trail Conference offers workshops in Trail Road. Suzan Gorden and Peter Tilgner (at right Building and Trail Maintenance at locations in photo) are putting in a new trail to Bare across our region. Register online or by Saturday, October 31 Rock in Sterling Forest. Richard Sumner calling the office, 201-512-9348, ext. 14. Terrace Pond North Trail, Wawayanda State Park (left) and Allan Goshin (second from left) We will install stepping stones in a wet area of the joined on the inaugural work trip in July. To register online: Terrace Pond North Trail. A work outing is planned for Saturday, 1. Go to www.nynjtc.org September 19. Check the Trail Crew 2. Click on Trail University under Get Involved Saturday, November 14 Schedules on the website for details. 3. Select Register Now Garvey Springs Trail, Worthington State Forest We will install water bars and mitigate an eroded Stone Cutting, Splitting, and Shaping area of the Garvey Springs Trail. Angle Fly Preserve in Westchester County Location: Bear Mountain Saturday, September 12 Date: Saturday & Sunday, September 5 & 6 HIGHLANDS TRAIL CREW Sunday, September 27 Leaders: Glenn Oleksak, HT Supervisor: October dates TBA (Check Trail Crew Page) Stone Moving TBD = To Be Determined [email protected] or 973-283-0306 Contact: Christie Ferguson, [email protected] Location: Bear Mountain Adam Rosenberg, HT Co-Supervisor: Meet: 10am at the entrance to Angle Fly, off Date: Saturday & Sunday, September 19 & 20 For all trips bring work gloves, water, [email protected] or 973-570-0853 Primrose Street, 0.5 miles south of Reis Park Moving stone by hand on the 19th and by highline lunch, insect repellent. In some cases, (in the Town of Somers). on the 20th tools are provided. Contact leaders in advance for meeting times and places. Monthly on a Sunday Volunteer Orientation and We generally get together the first Sunday of every The Friends of Angle Fly are working on some Trail Maintenance 101 combo! month to tackle various jobs building new sections new trails at Angle Fly with the support of the Location: University Settlement Camp, CENTRAL JERSEY TRAILS COMMITTEE or reworking existing sections of the Highlands Trail Conference. Work includes trail clearing, Route 9D, Beacon, NY Leaders: Estelle Anderson and Bob Jonas, Trail throughout New Jersey as well as in New York putting in a bridge, and sidehilling. Date: Saturday, September 26, 2009 [email protected], 908-803-3883 (cell) west of the Hudson River. We also schedule other Volunteer Orientation: 9am to 10am work dates. All are welcome, experience is not nec - Teatown to Kitchawan Trail in Westchester TM101: 10:30am to 4:30pm Saturday, September 19 essary. Contact leader for details of the current trip Saturday, October 10 Workshop/Work Trip at Norvin Green S.F. and what tools to bring. Saturday, October 24 Trail Maintenance 101 With help from the West Jersey Trail Crew, we Contact: Christie Ferguson, [email protected] Location: Merestead Manor, in Westchester will be installing rock steps and utilizing high Sunday, September 13 Meet: 9:30am at location TBA (Check Trail (Mount Kisco) lines in a steep section of trail as well as build - (2nd Sunday due to Labor Day holiday) Crew Page) Date: TBA ing waterbars and doing other trail work to Combo Hike & Work Trip Time: TBA improve the trail tread on a popular hiking trail Location TBD Be a part of connecting Kitchawan County Park near the Weis Ecology Center. Bring a hard hat if Leader: Adam Rosenberg to Teatown Lake Reservation with a carefully you have one. All required tools will be supplied. planned trail on designated DEP recreational Sunday, October 4 lands. New trail construction begins in October, Please register at [email protected] for instruc - Combo Hike & Work Trip and will continue through the end of the year. New Hudson tions & directions. Location TBD Leader: Adam Rosenberg Fahnestock State Park Palisades Trails Saturday, September 26 Saturday, September 12 Workshop/Work Trip at Norvin Green S.F. METRO TRAILS CREW Saturday, September 19 Map Set Now See details for September 19. Leaders: Joe Gindoff, 718-614-2219, Saturday, September 26 [email protected]; Linda Sullivan, crew chief, Saturday. October 3 NORTH JERSEY WEEKEND CREW 347-721-6123, [email protected]; Contact: Christie Ferguson, [email protected] Available! Leader: Sandy Parr, 732-469-5109 Liz Gonzalez, [email protected] The bridges on School Mountain Road are in Second Sunday of each month Sturdy work boots or other hiking footwear is need of repair. Help the Friends of Fahnestock mandatory. All participants must sign in to perform Trips start at 9:30 am; call for location and and Hudson Highlands, and Trail Conference trail work. RSVP is a must. details during the week before the scheduled trip volunteers on this exciting project! day. Tackle a variety of projects ranging from trail repair to bridge building in northern New Jersey. Please contact Linda Sullivan, Metro Trail Crew Chief NEW JERSEY APPALACHIAN TRAIL CREW in order to receive email notices of work outings, or Leader: Gene Giordano, NORTH JERSEY WEEKDAY CREW check the Metro Trail Crew page on the Trail Confer - [email protected] Leader: John Moran, [email protected] ence website. Second Saturday of Each Month, EAST HUDSON CREWS Work outings as needed April through November This crew covers the NJ Ramapos, Ringwood S. P., Work begins at 9am and is finished before 4pm. Ward Pound Ridge Norvin Green S. F., and NJ Palisades area. Its Covers the entire NJ section of the AT, blue-blazed Weekly Trail Maintenance Trips purpose is to respond quickly to immediate side trails, and shelters. Supplements work by our Leader: WPRR Trail Maintainer needs, rather than to schedule definite events far individual maintainers as requested and for special [email protected] in advance. If you’re interested in being on call work projects. Workers bring gloves, lunch, and Meet: 9:30am at the Trailside Nature Museum for this work, contact John Moran by email. water; all tools, equipment and training provided. Ward Pound Ridge. Email leader to be placed on email notification list. WEST JERSEY CREW Ward Pound Ridge volunteer trail maintainers Leaders: Monica and David Day, BEAR MOUNTAIN TRAILS PROJECT meet weekly year round. If you would like to [email protected] Project Manager: Eddie Walsh, be put on their email list for notifications, contact 732-937-9098 or 908-307-5049 (cell) [email protected], 845-591-1537 [email protected] or view the East Website: www.trailstobuild.com Volunteer Coordinator: Christopher Ingui, bear - The Trail Conference Publications Com - Hudson Trail Crew webpage at www.nynjtc.org [email protected], 201-783-3599 mittee is pleased to announce that the Bring your lunch, plenty of water, gloves and sturdy for more information and the schedule. revised third edition of our Hudson Pal - work shoes, and be prepared to get dirty. All tools, Thursday-Monday, Weekly to November isades Trails map set is now available. This Wonder Lake State Park/Highlands Trail materials and training will be provided. Beginners General work days, suitable for beginners to September 25 and 26 (Saturday, Sunday) edition includes a number of updates to the are welcomed on all work trips. experienced trail workers Special Work Weekend with the Metro Trail Crew trails and parklands on the western side of Training will be provided according to partici - Saturday, October 17 with the West Hudson the Hudson River from Fort Lee, NJ, to All events begin at 9:00am. Please phone/email the pant’s skill level, interest, and project needs. South Crew Haverstraw, NY. Approximately 40 miles of leaders for meeting location and driving directions. Meeting time is 8:30am at Bear Mountain. Please Additional Dates TBA (Check Trail Crew Page) There is usually a walk to the work site, so please sign up via email and wait for either an email or the Long Path are shown, including a relo - Leader: Gary Haugland, [email protected], cation of the trail near State Line Lookout. be there on time (call the leaders’ cell phone if you phone confirmation from us prior to attending to are coming to an event and are running late). Rain 845-642-1590 Parking areas and public transportation Meet: 9:30am at Ludingtonville Road, off I-84 in confirm the trip and so we know whether to cancels – if in doubt, call the leaders between 6:00 expect you. access points are clearly identified, and pub - and 6:30 that morning. Putnam County. lic land boundaries have been updated. New trail construction continues at Wonder Lake, Work trips involve a variety of tasks and experi - Marked trails recently established by Trail Carpooling: if anyone is interested in carpooling ence, such as: corridor clearing, prepping work Conference volunteers on West Hook (offering a ride or riding), please let the leaders including brush clearing, side-hilling, and some stone work. This section of trail is a critical portion sites, quarrying stone, using an overhead high - Mountain, located just south of Rockland know and we will try to arrange a shared ride. (Pas - line to transport stone, creating crushed stone sengers please be prepared to contribute for gas.) of the Highlands Trail, a long-distance trail project Lake State Park, are also included on this through New York and New Jersey. (with mash and sledge hammers), building crib revised edition. So be sure to pick up a copy walls, setting rock steps, and splitting stone. Saturday, September 19 of this map set and explore the wonderful Hewitt-Butler Trail, Norvin Green State Forest Dutchess-Putnam AT in Fahnestock State Park hiking and biking opportunities available Joint with Central Jersey Trails Committee. For Every Saturday continued on page 10 along the Hudson Palisades! details see their listing above. Leader: Tim Messerich, To obtain this map set, see the Hikers’ [email protected] 845-297-9573 Marketplace on page 12, call 201-512- Saturday, September 26 Meet: 9am at the west side of Canopus Lake 9348, shop online at www.nynjtc.org, or Hewitt-Butler Trail, Norvin Green State Forest (Rt. 301), at the AT Crossing. stop in at the Trail Conference office. Joint with Central Jersey Trails Committee. For details see their listing above. Trail work involves hauling stones, drilling stones, placing stone steps, and building waterbars. Call leader to confirm! Page 6 September/October 2009 Trail Conference members can take Volunteer Classifieds: Get Involved! advantage of exclusive discounts and benefits with participating Contact [email protected] or 201- Become a Trail Volunteer! 512-9348, ext. 22, to indicate your interest Opportunities Abound! retailers and businesses! or get more information about these or other volunteer opportunities. Information Trail Maintainer Opportunities: is also available at www.nynjtc.org; click Adopt a segment of a trail to keep clear and You can recoup the cost of your on Volunteer. blazed on two or more visits a year. Help to membership in one visit! keep our region’s footpaths accessible, Help Support our Virtual pristine and protected. Opportunities exist Trail Conference in the Catskills, Staten Island Greenbelt, Join an enthusiastic team of volunteers South Taconic Trail, and in West Jersey, who ensure our website is the best place including Stokes State Forest and High to go for trails information in the New Point State Park. Contact our Volunteer York-New Jersey metropolitan region! Coordinator: [email protected] to find out if there is a trail near you! With the introduction of our new and expanded website, the New York-New Corridor Monitors Needed Jersey Trail Conference is putting in place in Putnam County a team of volunteers to support and Corridor Monitors walk the boundaries enhance its capabilities. If you have a few of the Appalachian Trail lands, reporting hours each month or more to volunteer incursions and misuse, documenting and would like to be a champion of our monuments and markers, and interact virtual presence on the web, sign up now! with neighboring landowners. If you The Trail Conference is proud to offer a Membership We need a wide range of skills and abili - enjoy the off-trail experience, and would

e Benefit Program, which was created to provide our ties to keep our site running, ensure its like to help protect these trail lands, then members with money-saving discounts at area retailers

c content is current and accurate, and this is the opportunity for you! and service providers — benefits only available to S maintain our presence in the expanding n Trail Conference members. Web-enabled social network. Much of the Shelter Caretakers

e work can be accomplished from your There is just one vacancy remaining for a As part of your Trail Conference membership, you are

r home computer on your own schedule. shelter caretaker at the Wiley Shelter in T issued a card identifying you as a Trail Conference Openings exist in the following areas: Dutchess County on the Appalachian Trail. e member, making you eligible for all program discounts. Assistant Webmaster, Web Developer, Con - Shelter caretaking includes picking up f I To receive your member discounts, you must present tent Manager, Analytics Maven, CRM trash, reporting vandalism, basic structure

n your valid membership card at the time of purchase. database lead, Web writer. See our website repair, and testing the water source. By Some stores offer the discount only on select items,

o volunteer postings for additional details. maintaining this overnight shelter, you are so be sure to ask.

F helping hikers by preserving a much- C We encourage our members to take advantage of this desired dry place to camp after a long hike!

l incredible opportunity that comes with a Trail Conference

i Join a Trail Crew! membership. New discounts and offers are continually E Our Trail Crews welcome new and expe - a being added so be sure to visit our website’s membership rienced volunteers. If you’re willing to do r benefits area at www.nynjtc.org/content/retail-partners for current offers. some physical work and enjoy working on T the hiking trails, this may be an opportu - U O N J nity for you. I 25% Discount on Trail Conference publications and B E I J Participation on a crew is flexible; most L

clothing when purchased directly from the Trail Conference. E Trail Conference staffer Larry Wheelock crews spend from 3 to 8 hours—week - N FREE Subscription to the Trail Walker , the Trail and former Catskills Region Chair Pete days or weekends—working at a specific E - Conference’s bi-monthly newsletter filled with timely articles Senterman (positions 3 and 4 in photo) site. We have crews working on trails in and columns that will enhance your hiking experiences. welcome new volunteers in the Catskills, West Hudson, East Hudson, Northern Y left to right: Region 3 Chair Elie Bijou; New Jersey, and Western New Jersey. Money-Saving Discounts at participating retailers Regional 4 Chair Howie (Pete) France, They perform a wide variety of tasks rang - N B and businesses. and Douglas Senterman, new Leanto ing from painting blazes, clearing water bars, performing heavy maintenance, trail Workshops and Seminars on trail maintenance Supervisor for both regions in the Catskills. building, restoration, to other labor- and construction, leadership training, wilderness first aid, Volunteer Office Assistants Needed! intensive projects. chainsaw operation, environmental monitoring and Are you looking for something new to do? GPS operation. Why not visit the Trail Conference office Trail Crew Leader for East Hudson Volunteer Opportunities to “learn by doing” in once a week and volunteer to spend a few Exercise your leadership skills! Supervise areas as varied as trail maintenance, construction, hours with us. We need your help! The and work with regional Trail Chairs and publications, environmental monitoring, and cartography. Trail Conference has a wide variety of tasks Trail Supervisors to lead Trail Crew trips that could use your expertise, from assist - throughout the East Hudson area. Trail Access to the Hoeferlin Library at the Trail ing customers and answering phone calls Crews provide the construction and trail Conference office that includes more than 1,000 books to working on special projects, and many restoration needs in order to ensure that on hiking round the world, along with maps, guides and more exciting challenges. Make new trails are built or repaired to Trail Confer - a historical archive. friends or join current ones at the Trail ence standards. Determine the work Conference office for a few hours. schedule, help identify and plan projects, Some of Our Discount Partners continued on page 10 Volunteer Profile active duty and 25 in the reserves, Joe developed a fondness for walking while in Joe Henderson the infantry, although he admits it’s much Joe Henderson, of Fair Lawn, NJ, enjoys easier now without the rifle and pack. volunteering both on the trail and in the His favorite spot is on the Long Path in Trail Conference office. Outside, he main - Tenafly near the Greenbrook Sanctuary, tains a section of the Hoeferlin Memorial which he says has a great view of the river. So Trail and South Ridge Trail, both in the it stands to reason that the Long Path Guide Ramapo Mountains, as well as a section of is his preferred Trail Conference guidebook. the Long Path in Haverstraw. He started Joe has a big family, with four sons, one maintaining in 2003. daughter, and eight treasured grandchildren. Joe added office volunteering in Decem - His advice to everyone? “Volunteer, ber 2006, helping the Trail Conference’s because you meet a lot of nice people.” Fulfillment Coordinator Gary Willick with shipping of Trail Conference books and maps, compiling welcome packets for new members, processing mailings, and assort - ed other tasks. Says Gary: “By shipping orders once a week, Joe frees up about two hours for me so I can get other things done. He is diver - sified at work so I can count on him for other jobs if needed.” Gary adds, “His pleasant conversation and humble demeanor are something everyone here in K C

the office enjoys and appreciates, and some O L E of his military stories are fun to repeat to E VISIT WWW.NYNJTC.ORG/CONTENT/RETAIL-PARTNERS H W

my 11-year-old nephew.” Y FOR COMPLETE LIST OF MONEY-SAVING DISCOUNTS! R R A

A Vietnam-era veteran with 6 years L September/October 2009 Page 7 Science & Ecology found throughout the state. Ash trees are which weaken and eventually kill the tree. long-horned beetle. Your assistance in find - prevalent along streams and wetlands, as There will be high economic costs imposed ing this beetle and cooperation with Forest Pests well as backyards and city streets, and the on cities from the destruction and removal eradication efforts are critical if this effort is impact of the emerald ash borer—it is con - of infested hazard trees. Additional costs to be successful. Strike Close sidered to be unstoppable—is likely to and lost economic opportunities would In the long term, the best solution is to severely alter important wildlife and impact rural areas, particularly from fall prevent invasive species from arriving in human habitats. foliage tourism, maple syrup sugarbushes, the first place. International trade is neces - to Home Another non-native beetle, the Asian and timber, not to mention to the ecologi - sary for a healthy economy. Unfortunately, By Troy Weldy long-horned beetle (ALB), whose life-cycle cal and aesthetic impacts. many invasive insects enter this country via and appetite includes a long list of our ALB is a large (up to 1.5 inches long) jet shipping containers, crates, and pallets. The emerald ash borer, a beetle that feeds native deciduous tree species, poses a black beetle with white spots, the antenna Properly overseeing and regulating only on ash trees, is the latest addition to potentially greater threat to our forests. It has an alternating black and white color, and imports—in particular, wood packaging— New York’s fauna. The beetle’s impacts to is, however, characterized as a “lazy flyer,” it emerges from bullet-sized holes of various is key to preventing these unwanted Detroit, Michigan, and the upper Midwest giving scientists hope that, with vigilance deciduous trees. There are a few look-a-likes. hitchhikers. New international trade rules already are devastating. Virtually all ash and proper action, its spread can be If you think you see one, please take a digi - implemented in 2007 should have closed tal image and/or capture the beetle and place this specific pathway, but we need to stay it in a freezer bag for later confirmation. watchful to ensure the rules are successful (The University of Vermont has produced and sufficient. an excellent online identification resource If we do not get ahead of this invasive www.uvm.edu/albeetle). If you think you species problem, we will continue to suffer have found the Asian long-horned beetle, from significant environmental and eco - please call 877-STOP-ALB . nomic harm. By properly implementing new policies designed to address the threats So what can we do to slow the of invasive species and taking individual spread of these beetles and how action such as not moving firewood, we can we stop future infestations? can minimize the threat of pests like the First and foremost: don’t move firewood . Asian long-horned beetle. While these pests can spread half a mile or more each year, we accelerate the spread Troy Weldy is the Director of Ecological S

W inadvertently by moving infected live trees, Management for The Nature Conservancy- F S

U logs, pallets, or firewood longer distances. New York. , Y B

E New York’s Dept. of Environmental L P P

A Conservation regulations now limit the Follow these links, or find them and S E

M movement of firewood to no more than 50 others on our website: A J miles. These regulations are vital to protect - The Asian long-horned beetle’s appetite for a variety of our native trees poses a major threat to forests. ing the trees in our backyards as well as the www.nynjtc.org/news/science, to learn treasured forests of the Catskills and more about forest pests and the role of trees in Detroit and surrounding suburbs checked and the beetle eradicated. Adirondacks. Instead, we should remember firewood in spreading them. have been killed, and millions of ash trees As the name indicates, this beetle is to support local businesses and “Buy It are dead across the upper Midwest and native to eastern Asia. ALB was first docu - Where You Burn It.” www.uvm.edu/albeetle adjacent Ontario. Spot outbreaks have mented in 1996 in Brooklyn, where it is You can also keep an eye out for forest occurred in numerous other states, now believed it entered the United States in the pests in your own community. Most of the www.agmkt.state.ny.us/PI/ALB.html including New York, where it was detected late 1980s via wood pallets holding pipe known infestations have been found by this past June in a western region of the shipped from China. Through separate everyday people curious about the world www.dontmovefirewood.org state famous for its ash baseball bats, a introductions, this forest pest established around them. Educate yourself about the favorite of major league baseball. The itself near the ports of New York, Chicago, signs of foreign pests like Asian long- The Trail Conference may offer training emerald ash borer is yet to be seen in New and Toronto. In 2008, it was then also horned beetle, emerald ash borer, hemlock in identifying Asian long-horned beetles. Jersey, but, sadly, that is considered found in Worcester, Massachusetts, where woolly adelgid, and sudden oak death. If interested, please go to our website, inevitable. it likely went undetected for 10+ years. Our efforts are probably too little too late click on Volunteer, and fill out the New York and New Jersey have four The Asian long-horned beetle lays its for the likes of hemlock woolly adelgid and Volunteer Interest Form. native species of ash—green, white, black, eggs on maple, poplar, willow, and many the emerald ash borer, but the vast majori - and pumpkin. Estimated at well over half a other deciduous tree species. The larvae ty of forest ecologists believe we still do billion trees strong in New York, ash is burrow through the wood, creating tunnels have an opportunity to eradicate the Asian

Unfortunately, the fate of this bird, like City of Newark to promote breeding habi - habitat into our developed landscape. A Flash of many other migratory species, is uncertain. tat for this species. The partnership is If you happen to find yourself hiking a Gray and Gold Its population level in most regions has undertaking a project to selectively expand trail that traverses one of these rights-of- undergone precipitous declines. Since the a section of a PSE&G right-of-way in order way, take a moment to appreciate the By Orion Weldon beginning of the Breeding Bird Survey in to create patches of wider area that may different creatures that may live there. You 1966 (an annual survey conducted to may just see a flash of gray and gold. The Golden-winged Warbler ( Vermivora count the number of birds breeding in chrysoptera ), is an especially beautiful bird North America) the Golden-winged War - Unfortunately, the fate that thrives only in an increasingly rare bler has experienced an overall decline of habitat in our area—forest edge. 3.4 percent per year in the United States. of this bird, like many It is small, weighing only 10 grams (a lit - This has resulted in the extirpation of this tle over 2 ounces!), but what it lacks in size bird from 11 states where it previously other migratory species, it makes up for by its striking plumage: a bred. If trends continue, New Jersey may blue-gray body with a black throat and soon join this list. is uncertain. mask offset the brilliant patch of gold on The Golden-winged Warbler requires a the top of its head and wing. Add white unique combination of herbaceous plants, stripes above and below the eyes and this scrubby shrubs, and grasses next to a forest allow the birds to establish more natural ter - bird resembles a dashing bandit. Few peo - edge. This combination of plants, typical of ritories and to create a larger amount of ple get to see the Golden-winged Warbler early successional vegetation, is found after suitable habitat for breeding. In the Pequan - in such detail for it is a furtive species, often a forest fire, a timber harvest, or in a nock Watershed below Clinton Reservoir, flitting through low vegetation just beyond farmer’s field left fallow. However, the avail - an approximately 900-meter section of view. Despite a seeker’s best efforts, one is ability of this habitat has been decreasing right-of-way in the northern highlands will often left with just a glimpse, a flash of gray steadily with fire suppression, changing be widened an additional 300 feet in the and gold. logging activities, and the loss of agricul - hopes of attracting Ruffed Grouse, Red- ture in the region. headed Woodpecker, Field Sparrow, and Only a lucky few spot this tiny warbler. One landscape feature that may promise especially Golden-winged Warbler. the continued availability of this habitat is A study is currently being conducted to Any sightings of Golden-winged the power line right-of-way. Criss-crossing monitor the success of these changes; if they Warbler or any other state listed species is the landscape, these rights-of-way require prove successful, other sections of power of great interest to the NJ Department of that the vegetation within them always line rights-of-way could be widened in the Environmental Protection Division of Fish remain short and young. Golden-winged hope of reversing the declines of Golden- and Wildlife Endangered and Nongame Warblers are often found breeding in these winged Warblers. While these areas of Species Program and may be reported corridors. Currently these areas force war - cut-down forest may look like environmen - using their rare wildlife sightings form E G A blers to maintain artificially linear tal destruction to many hikers, the patches found at www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ensp/ M I L

S territories bounded by the narrow width of may well be the only way to help keep the rprtform.htm C A Golden-winged Warbler parent the right-of-way, quite unlike the natural Golden-winged Warbler, and other edge feeds its young. grouping of territories in a wide field. species, alive and thriving in our region. Orion Weldon is a Ph.D. student in the In the highlands of New Jersey a partner - This experiment in creating habitat Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution ship has been formed between the New shows that there may be real solutions at Rutgers University. Jersey Audubon Society, PSE&G, and the available that can incorporate desirable Page 8 September/October 2009 HHII KERSKERS’’ ALMANACALMANAC A Sampling of Upcoming Hikes Sponsored by Member Clubs

Find more hikes at www.nynjtc.org. Click on Scheduled Hikes under Go Hiking! September Saturday, September 12 NYR. Trenton to Lambertville on the Delaware Canal, NJ. Wednesday, September 23 UCHC. Watchung Trail Maintenance, NJ. Leader: preregister by Leader: Oliver Wayne, cell 917-415-2567. Meet: 7:55am at Penn UCHC. Pyramid Mountain, NJ. Leader: Susan Jacobs, 973-402- Tuesday, September 1 calling Betty Kelly, 908-789-3683. Meet: 9:30am; we work until Station NJ Transit ticket windows for 8:14 Northeast Corridor 2555. Meet: 10am at Pyramid Mtn. parking lot. Moderate hike with UCHC. Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, NJ. Leader: Gail Biggs, noon. Bring water, work gloves, trash bag, and clippers/loppers train (one-way to Trenton; be sure to check train time). We’ll some hills. Steady rain cancels. 973-401-1262. Meet: 10am at Saffin Pond parking (exit 34B off follow the towpath on the NJ side of the Delaware, passing Battle if you have them. Have fun while giving back a little to the trails. Thursday, September 24 I-80; north on Rt. 15 to Weldon Rd. exit). Moderate 6 miles on No experience needed. Only severe weather cancels. Monument Park, Calhoun Canal House, Washington Crossing Highlands Trail; two scenic viewpoints and Pine Swamp; return on State Park and Titusville. Return by bus from Lambertville. UCHC. Stonetown, NJ. Leader: Dave Hogenauer, 973-762-1475. rail trail of historic Ogden Mine RR. IHC. Escarpment Trail/North Lake Campground, Catskill Park, Meet: 9:30am at Stonetown Recreation Complex; call for direc - NY. Leaders: Charlie and Anita Kientzler, 973-835-1060. Meet: UCHC. Watchung Reservation, NJ. Leader: Patricia Curley, 908- tions. 7 miles; for experienced hikers. We’ll climb four mountains, Wednesday, September 2 8am at Harriman RR station, Rt. 17, Arden, NY. Car shuttle 868-7510. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature center, Coles Ave. at with some steep sections, and do some easy woods road walking. UCHC. Buttermilk Falls, Mendham, NJ. Leader: Dave required. Historic, scenic hike to many famous places: Catskill New Providence Rd. 4-5 miles at a brisk pace. Steady rain cancels. Views of Monksville and Wanaque Reservoirs and the Wyanokies. Hogenauer, 973-762-1475. Meet: 10am at Calais Rd. parking. Mtn. House, Artists’ Rock, Newman’s Ledge. Swimming after the Monday, September 14 Saturday, September 26 Moderate hike; about 5 miles. hike at the park beach; optional early supper in local restaurant. CHC. Frelinghuysen Arboretum, NJ. Leader: Len Shnitzer, ADK-MH. Storm King State Park, NY. Leaders: Georgette Weir Thursday, September 3 Park entrance fee. 732-499-9176. Meet: 10am; call for directions. Easy hike; about and Jean-Claude Fouere, 845-462-0142, [email protected] UCHC. Sterling Forest State Park, NY. Leader: Irene Logan, ADK-MH. Manitoga, Garrison, NY. Leader: Michele Van Hoesen, 3 miles. Enjoy one of Morris County’s most beautiful gardens; (put “Storm King Hike” in subject line). Meet: 9am; contact lead - 845-753-5651. Meet: 9:30am at Sterling Forest visitor center. 845-691-7442, [email protected]. Meet: must register bring lunch to eat on the terrace. ers for car-pooling and meet-up places. Strenuous 4 miles with with leader by Sept. 10. Moderate 6 miles at Manitoga, home and Moderately strenuous 8 miles; for experienced hikers. Climb to Tuesday, September 15 many fabulous panoramic views of Hudson River and Highlands. fire tower, then around the lake. Rain cancels. landscape designed by Russel Wright; includes a hike up the UCHC. Muckshaw Ponds Preserve, NJ. Leader: Steve Gruber, Joint with Hudson Valley Ramble. mountain for views of the Hudson. $5 donation. Saturday, September 5 908-647-3253. Meet: 9:30am at Whittingham Wildlife Manage - AMC-NYNJ. Doodletown, West Mtn., and Timp, Harriman AMC-NYNJ. Breakneck Ridge to Sunset Point, Hudson AMC-NYNJ. Split Rock Reservoir, NJ. Leader: Ellen ment. Area on CR618 (I-80 to Andover). Shuttle required. State Park, NY. Leader: Hallie Wolfe, 914-941-5331, Highlands State Park, NY. Leader: Hallie Wolfe, 914-941-5331, Blumenkrantz, [email protected]. Meet: 10:15am start, 5-6 miles on easy terrain. We’ll visit all the ponds. [email protected]. Meet: contact leader for details. Steep out around 5pm; contact leader for details and to register [email protected]. Meet: contact leader for details. Not Wednesday, September 16 climbs but laid-back pace; newcomers welcome. Great views, an for the faint of heart or short of breath: a difficult but rewarding (limited to 12 people). 12-mile loop on beautiful 4 Birds and UCHC. Cheesequake Park, NJ. Leader: Mae Deas, 908-233- abandoned town and cemetery. Possible $6 parking fee. hike. Laid-back pace, lots of support for first-time scramblers. Split Rock trails. Rain cancels. 6641. Meet: 10am at first parking past visitor center (Garden State UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: UCHC. Watchung Reservation, NJ. Leader: Eck Khoon Goh, RVW. Tannersville Bike Path, NY. Leader: for more information, Pkwy. local lanes, exit 120). Easy hike with some moderate hills Jennifer Chen, 732-548-7230. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature 908-790-0939. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Center parking on call 845-246-7174. Meet: 9am; call for location. Easy 3 miles; and wet spots. Mixed terrain of pine barrens, freshwater swamp Center, Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Moderate 4-5 miles with Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Brisk 4 miles with some rocky about 4 hours. Inclement weather date is following Saturday. and sandy soils. Steady rain cancels. some rocky sections. Rain cancels. trails. Rain cancels. AFW. Stonetown, NJ. Leader: call 973-644-3592 to register or Thursday, September 17 Sunday, September 27 go to www.adventuresforwomen.org. Meet: 9am, out by 5pm. Sunday, September 6 UCHC. Lake Skannatati, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: UCHC. Willowwood/Bamboo Brook, NJ. Leader: Lynn Gale, Strenuous hike at a moderate pace. AMC-NYNJ. Lake Skenonto, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: Bob Bieri, 201-664-3813. Meet: 10am at Lake Skannatati parking. 973-763-7230. Meet: 10am at Willowwood Arboretum parking. Nancy Tollefson, 212-727-8961, call before 9:30pm. Meet: contact SW. NYC Marathon Walk, NY. Leader: Ian Hochstead, Moderately strenuous 8 miles; for experienced hikers. Hike the Easy 3-4 miles through two estates with interesting gardens, leader for details. Beginners especially welcome on this moderate [email protected]. Meet: 9am at corner of 5th Ave. and Lichen Trail and others; some hills and at least one rock scramble. woods and fields in between. Steady rain cancels. hike to Lake Skenonto; about 6 miles. Some hills and rocky trails; 94th St., Brooklyn (R train to 95th St., which is at 4th Ave.). Saturday, September 19 ADK-MH. Fishkill Ridge, NY. Leader: Lou Ruidisch, 845-896- call ahead with questions. Heavy rain cancels. 24 miles at a fast pace. We’ll walk most of the route of the NYC 9332, [email protected]. Meet: 9am at Scenic Hudson parking Marathon, including 4 boroughs and 4 bridges. Countless WTA. Lakes Skenonto & Sebago, Harriman State Park, NY. IHC. Merrill Creek Reservoir, NJ. Leaders: Guy and Jen Percival, lot; must register by Sept. 26. 6 miles at moderate pace. The drop-off points along the way. Bad weather does not cancel, Leader: Marvin Malater, 718-376-3608; please call day before 973-590-7437. Meet: 9am at Merrill Creek Reservoir visitor center, steep ascent and rocky terrain offers great rewards: you’ll be but may shorten the walk. for hike status. Meet: call leader for details. 7 miles at steady Phillipsburg, NJ. Moderately strenuous 8 miles around the pace with hills. Hike to gem-like Lake Skenonto, return via Lake dazzled by scenic vistas of the Hudson Valley at the top. Hiking reservoir; bring your binoculars to look for eagles. SW. Manhattan Statues & Monuments, NY. Leader: Tom Sebago, Dutch Doctor shelter, and Claudius Smith’s Den. boots required; no dogs, please. McBreen, 516-812-0156; day of walk call 516-238-8073. Meet: 11am TNC. Family Nature Walk, NJ. Leader: register at IHC. Bearfort Ridge, NJ. Leader: Howard Litwack, 732-571-9608. at 96th St. at Broadway, Manhattan, in front of Rite Aid. 3-4 hours ADK-MH. Plateau and Sugarloaf, Catskill Park, NY. Leader: www.tenaflynaturecenter.org or call 201-568-6093 for more Meet: 9:30am at A&P/post office parking, Warwick Tpk., Hewitt, moderate walking with some hills. Bring binoculars or camera [email protected] (preferred) or call 845-339-7170. Meet: information. Meet: 3:30 at Tenafly Nature Center, Tenafly, NJ. NJ. Strenuous 9 miles. Very pretty hike around Bearfort Ridge. with zoom, if you wish. Heavy rain cancels; call Friday until 9pm if email leader for meeting place/time. Strenuous hike on Devil’s One-hour guided walk on our trails with an environmental educa - in doubt. Path with great views from two scenic peaks; 2440' total WTA. Bald Mountain, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: Ben tor, for families (no strollers please). Optional sign-up for apple elevation gain. Shuttle required; heavy rain cancels. Yoo, 914-725-1829. Meet: call leader for details. 7 moderate miles cider-making before the walk. $5 fee/free for members. with hills. Hike on Revolutionary trails up to Bald, with its fine Monday, September 7 views; return on Cornell Mine Trail. RVW. Balsam Lake Mountain (3723'), Catskill Park, NY. Monday, September 28 Leader: for more information, call 845-338-8772. Meet: 8am; UCHC. Duke Island Park, NJ. Leader: Clotilde Lanig, 732-549- call for location. 6 miles; about 3.5 hours. 4977. Meet: 10am in front of visitor center. Easy hike; about UCHC. Boonton Falls, NJ. Leader: Cherryll Short, 973-299-0212. 3 miles. Easy ramble in this newly renovated park along the Meet: 10am at Grace Lord Park; call for directions. Easy hike; about D&R Canal and the Raritan River. Steady rain cancels. 3 miles. The falls are a treat with low water and spectacular with Tuesday, September 29 high water. UCHC. Schiff Nature Preserve, NJ. Leader: Steve Gruber, Tuesday, September 8 908-647-3253. Meet: 10am at preserve. 5-6 miles on AMC-NYNJ. Lake Sebago Dog Friendly, Harriman State easy terrain. (see www.schiffnaturepreserve.org for directions) Park, NY. Leader: Susan Sterngold, 845-519-4890, Wednesday, September 30 [email protected]. Meet: 11am start; contact leader for details. Calling people and dogs to climb hills; some lake lollygag - RVW. Greenport Conservation Area, Greenport, NY. Leader: ging. Dogs must be under control of owner and park leash laws for more information, call 845-758-6143. Meet: 9am; call for N

A location. Easy 4 miles; about 5 hours.

must be followed. Bring lunch and water for people and dogs. M L E

G UCHC. Lewis Morris Park, NJ. Leaders: Don and Jeane

UCHC. The Palisades, NJ. Leader: Margo Moss, 201-568-5325. E I S McLellan, 908-464-6246. Meet: 10am at lower parking of Sunrise

Meet: 10am at State Line Lookout, 7 miles north of exit 1 on H C I Lake. Moderate 4-mile hike. Palisades Pkwy. Lovely 6-7 miles with photo stops; lunch at Alpine R Basin. We descend 500' to the Hudson, where we’ll have great Past and present AMC hike leaders enjoyed a party at the South Shore Marina October views of Yonkers and the Bronx. Inclement weather cancels. in Hewitt, NJ hosted by Dave and Naomi Sutter. Thursday, October 1 Wednesday, September 9 Sunday, September 13 UCHC. The Palisades, NJ. Leader: Jay Dibble, 908-289-8813. UCHC. Wyanokies, NJ. Leader: Ellie King, 908-233-8411; must UCHC. Watchung Reservation, NJ. Leader: Joan Lepselter, Meet: 10am at State Line Lookout. 6 miles, mostly flat with one register day before the hike. Meet: 10am; call for meeting place 908-273-4188. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Center, Coles Ave. AMC-NYNJ. Lake Skannatati to Island Pond, Harriman steep 400' climb; out by about 2pm. Moderate pace to enjoy beau - and to register day before. Moderate 5-6 miles on rocky trails with at New Providence Rd. Moderate hike; about 5 miles on mix of State Park, NY. Leader: Ellen Blumenkrantz, tiful views of the Hudson River, from both shore and the cliff top. rolling hills. terrain. Steady rain cancels. [email protected]. Meet: contact leader for details and to register (limited to 12 people). Moderate hike with some AFW. Lord Stirling Park, NJ. Leader: call 973-644-3592 to Saturday, October 3 Thursday, September 10 hills. Optional pizza/beer stop after hike. Rain cancels. register or go to www.adventuresforwomen.org. Meet: 10am, UCHC. Watchung Trail Maintenance, NJ. Leader: preregister by UCHC. Sunfish Pond, Delaware Water Gap N.R.A, NJ. Leader: out by 2pm. Easy hike. AFW. Black Mountain/Owl Swamp, Harriman State Park, NY. calling Betty Kelly, 908-789-3683. Meet: 9:30am; we work until Wayne Frey, 732-537-9190. Meet: 10am at Dunnfield Creek/AT Call 973-644-3592 to register or go to www.adventuresforwomen.org. Sunday, September 20 noon. Bring water, work gloves, trash bag, and clippers/loppers parking, last exit on I-80 before PA. 7 miles; for experienced Meet: 10am, out by 3pm. Moderate hike. if you have them. Have fun while giving back a little to the trails. hikers. Hike up to beautiful Sunfish Pond at top of Kittatinnies; WTA. Sugarloaf, Breakneck Ridge Area, Hudson Highlands No experience needed. Only severe weather cancels. return on the AT. ADK-MH. Appalachian Trail North to Graymoor State Park, NY. Leader: Eileen West, [email protected]. Monastery, NY. Leader: Ollie Simpson, 845-298-8379, Meet: call leader for details. 6-7 moderate miles with hills. Hike up AMC-NYNJ. Doodletown, West Mtn., and Timp, Harriman [email protected]. Meet: 9am at AT kiosk at inter - to two of the more spectacular viewpoints in this area, using trails State Park, NY. Leader: Hallie Wolfe, 914-941-5331, section of Rts. 9/403; park on north side of Rt. 403 past the with moderate grades. Rain cancels. [email protected]. Meet: contact leader for details. Steep marker; contact leader about carpooling. Moderate 6 miles, IHC. Silvermine, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: Roy climbs but laid-back pace; newcomers welcome. Great views, including Denning Hill with its view of NYC skyline. Williams, 570-828-6207, [email protected]. Meet: 9am at Silver - an abandoned town and cemetery. Possible $6 parking fee. The activities listed are sponsored by member clubs of the NY-NJ Trail Conference. All hikers are welcome subject to club regula - mine parking, Seven Lakes Dr. Strenuous hike. Don’t show me UCHC. Hawk Watch Hike, Rockaway Twp., NJ. Leader: Al Verdi, tions and rules of the trail. You are responsible for your own safety. Wear hiking boots or strong, low-heeled shoes. Bring food, water, your map – I’ll try to find the trails by memory. 973-263-8569. Meet: 10am at Wildcat Ridge parking; call for rain gear, first aid kit, and a flashlight in a backpack. Leaders have the right and responsibility to refuse anyone whom they believe UCHC. Lewis Morris Park, NJ. Leader: Gail Waimon, 973-467- directions. Easy 3 miles up to the Hawk Watch, where we break cannot complete the hike or is not adequately equipped. Easy, moderate, or strenuous hikes are relative terms; call leader if in doubt. 4761. Meet: 10am at last parking lot on left (Sugarloaf B). Lovely for views. More than 100 clubs belong to the Trail Conference, and many of our affiliate groups sponsor hikes not listed in the Hikers’ Almanac. hike at brisk pace with some nice climbs. Bad weather cancels. AFW. High Point State Park, NJ. Leader: call 973-644-3592 to For a descriptive list of Conference clubs, consult our website or send a SASE with your request to NY-NJ Trail Conference. Monday, September 21 register or go to www.adventuresforwomen.org. Meet: 10am, out Club Codes RVW. Schunemunk Montain State Park, NY. Leader: for more by 3pm. Moderate hike. Only those clubs with hikes offered in this issue are listed below. Please call numbers listed to confirm. information, call 518-895-8474. Meet: 8am; call for location. Sunday, October 4 Moderately strenuous 8 miles; about 5 hours. Inclement weather AMC-NYNJ. Lake Skenonto, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: ADK-MH Adirondack Mountain Club NYR New York Ramblers date is following Monday. Nancy Tollefson, 212-727-8961, call before 9:30pm. Meet: contact Mid-Hudson Chapter RVW Rip Van Winkle Hiking Club UCHC. Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, NJ. Leader: Cherryll leader for details. Beginners especially welcome on this moderate AFW Adventures for Women SW Shorewalkers Short, 973-299-0212. Meet: 10am at picnic area. Easy hike; about hike to Lake Skenonto; about 6 miles. Some hills and rocky trails; AMC-NYNJ Appalachian Mountain Club TNC Tenafly Nature Center 3 miles. A favorite hike to the pond for an early lunch. call ahead with questions. Heavy rain cancels. New York-North Jersey Chapter UCHC Union County Hiking Club Tuesday, September 22 IHC. Black Rock Forest, NY. Leader: Jane Egan, 973-636-0809; IHC Interstate Hiking Club WTA Westchester Trails Association AFW. Parker Cabin, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: call 973- call before 9pm. Meet: 9am at Harriman RR station, Rt. 17, Arden, 644-3592 to register or go to www.adventuresforwomen.org. NY. Car shuttle required. Moderately strenuous 7 miles. Enjoy the Clubs wishing to have hikes listed in Hikers’ Almanac should send their schedules to [email protected] or to the Trail Conference Office. Meet: 10am, out by 2pm. Moderate hike. beautiful fall colors, numerous lakes, and views of Schunemunk The deadline for the November/December issue is September 15. Mountain and the distant Catskills. September/October 2009 Page 9

Monday, October 5 Monday, October 19 UCHC. Loantaka Brook Reservation, NJ. Leader: Joe McLaughlin, UCHC. Eagle Rock Reservation, NJ. Leader: Peter Wolff, 973- 973-263-2799. Meet: 10am at Kitchell Rd. parking near pond. Easy hike; 731-0602. Meet: 10am at restaurant parking; call for directions. about 3 miles. A stroll where you can talk and not watch your feet. Easy hike; about 3 miles. Member Club Profile Tuesday, October 6 Tuesday, October 20 The Trail Conference comprises 10,000 individual members and more than 100 UCHC. Lake Skannatati, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: UCHC. Breakneck Ridge, Hudson Highlands State Park, NY. Marilyn Varley, 914-698-2339. Meet: 10am at Lake Skannatati Leader: Dave Hogenauer, 973-762-1475. Meet: 10am at larger lot member clubs with a combined membership of 150,000 hikers. We invite club parking; call for directions. Moderate 5-6 miles. Rain cancels. north of tunnel; call for directions. Extremely steep and exposed representatives to submit photos from hikes or maintenance outings or other events Wednesday, October 7 initial climb with rock scrambles, which we’ll take slowly. 5 miles overall; for experienced hikers. One of the East’s most spectacu - (please set your digital camera for highest resolution). Email your photos, along with UCHC. South Mountain Reservation, NJ. Leader: Louise White, lar hikes, with nearly constant views of the Hudson River. 973-746-4319; call before 9pm. Meet: 10am at Tulip Springs complete caption information to: [email protected]; put “TW club photo” in the subject line. parking. Easy to moderate 4-mile hike. AFW. Norvin Green State Forest, NJ. Leader: call 973-644-3592 to register or go to www.adventuresforwomen.org. Meet: 10am, Thursday, October 8 out by 2pm. Moderate hike. North Jersey and UCHC. Bearfort Ridge, Hewitt State Forest, NJ. Leader: George Smith, 973-778-3586. Meet: 10am at A&P lot for short Wednesday, October 21 Ramapo Chapters of shuttle; call for directions. Strenuous morning and easier UCHC. Wildcat Ridge, Farny Highlands, NJ. Leader: Susan afternoon; about 8 miles. Jacobs, 973-402-2555. Meet: 10am; call for directions. Some ADK Merge moderate hills, with spectacular views. Hike up to the Hawk Watch AFW. Campgaw Mountain Reservation, NJ. Leader: call 973- for an early lunch. Steady rain cancels. 644-3592 to register or go to www.adventuresforwomen.org. After many years of combining hike Meet: 10am, out by 2pm. Moderate hike. Thursday, October 22 schedules and special events, the North Saturday, October 10 UCHC. Lake Tiorati, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: George Jersey and Ramapo Chapters of the Pullman, 973-773-2678. Meet: 10am at Lake Tiorati parking lot; AFW. Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail Part 2, Harriman State Adirondack Mountain Club have offi - call for directions. Moderately strenuous 8+ miles; for experi - Park, NY. Leader: call 973-644-3592 to register or go to enced hikers. cially merged and become the NORTH www.adventuresforwomen.org. Meet: 7:30am, out by 5pm. Stren - JERSEY RAMAPO CHAPTER. uous hike at a moderate pace; a long day but a beautiful hike. Saturday, October 24 UCHC. South Mountain Reservation, NJ. Leader: Lee Fanger, Their history as a hiking organization WTA. Wyanokie High Point, Norvin Green State Forest, NJ. goes back a long time. In 1969, 40 ADK Leader: Eileen West, [email protected]. Meet: contact 973-376-3160. Meet: 10am at Locust Grove parking, corner of Glen leader for details. 6-7 moderately strenuous miles with hills. This Ave. and Lackawanna Pl., across from Millburn RR station. members formed the North Jersey Chap - hike in the Weis Ecology Center area (Ringwood, NJ) takes in Moderate 5-mile hike with some rocky sections. ter. Membership increased rapidly and many of the best views in the Wyanokies. Lunch on Wyanokie Sunday, October 25 many Rockland County residents joined Hikers with ADK’s North Jersey Ramapo High Point, dessert on Carris Hill. Rain cancels. IHC. Trail Maintenance on Schunemunk Mountain, NY. Leader: as well. In 1972 ADK members from Chapter reach a viewpoint. Sunday, October 11 Jim Canfield, 973-728-9774. Meet: 9am at Taylor Rd. parking, Rockland and Orange Counties created IHC. Wildcat Mtn./Indian Hill, Sterling Forest State Park, NY. Mountainville, NY. Moderately strenuous day cleaning up our the Ramapo Chapter. The two chapters weekend at Shawnee Inn at the Delaware Leader: Chris Davis, 609-924-2563. Meet: 9am at commuter section of the Long Path and Lower Jessup Trail. Please come and help us maintain these trails! Bring work gloves, lunch, water, functioned independently for 36 years Water Gap. The chapter offers three hikes parking, Rt. 17 at Rt. 17A, Southfields, NY. Moderately strenuous with parallel interests in hiking, trail every week using trails on both sides of 9 miles. Up over Wildcat, past the old forge, followed by the and clippers if you have them (or you may use our tools). Rain Indian Hill loop. postpones to Saturday, Oct. 31. maintenance, and conservation. Both the Hudson. The hikes are varied and at UCHC. Watchung Reservation, NJ. Leader: Patricia Curley, 908- AFW. Catfish Pond, Delaware Water Gap N.R.A., NJ. Call 973- supported the Trail Conference as mem - different levels of ability. There is some - 868-7510. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Center, Coles Ave. at 644-3592 to register or go to www.adventuresforwomen.org. ber clubs. thing for every hiker. You can see the full New Providence Rd. 4-5 miles at brisk pace. Steady rain cancels. Meet: 10am, out by 2pm. Moderate hike. Several years ago, the clubs began to hiking schedule and the Trail Talk Monday, October 12 UCHC. Jockey Hollow, Morristown National Historical Park, share hike schedules and events to create newsletter by going to the club’s website NJ. Leader: Dave Bennett, 973-701-0248. Meet: 10am at visitor UCHC. Grover Cleveland Park, NJ. Leader: Cherryll Short, 973- fuller listings and encourage greater par - at www.hudsonhikers.org. center parking. Moderate 5-mile hike on historic trails. Steady 299-0212. Meet: 10am; call for directions. Easy hike; about 3 miles. rain cancels. ticipation. The members of the two Many members of North Jersey Bad weather cancels. chapters walked together in the woods, Ramapo ADK are active volunteers in the Monday, October 26 Tuesday, October 13 shared the trails, and enjoyed hiking Trail Conference. The list ranges from: UCHC. South Mountain Reservation, NJ. Leader: Len Shnitzer, UCHC. Terrace Pond, Wawayanda State Park, NJ. Leader: 732-499-9176. Meet: 10am at Turtle Back Rock parking; call for together. They were effectively acting as Trails Supervisors/Chairs past and pres - George Smith, 973-778-3586. Meet: 10am at lot #7 on Clinton Rd.; directions. Easy, level hike; about 3 miles. one chapter. ent (Susan Gerhardt, Peter Heckler, Chris call for directions. 7 miles with lunch at the pond; for experienced hikers. Tuesday, October 27 In August 2008, representatives were Connolly, Manny Silberberg, Ike Siskind, selected from each club to meet and Suzan Gordon and Peter Tilgner) to Wednesday, October 14 AMC-NYNJ. Jones Point Dog Friendly, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: Susan Sterngold, 845-519-4890, explore merging the two chapters. It was office volunteers (Marilyn Siskind, Lou UCHC. Lake Ames, Hibernia, NJ. Leader: Peter Beck, 201-274- [email protected]. Meet: 11am start; contact leader for 4471. Meet: 10am at parking lot; call for directions. Easy 3 miles, recognized that joining forces would be O’Neill, Richard Zinn, Peter Tilgner, and details. Calling people and dogs to climb plenty of hills; views with one stream crossing. mutually beneficial for both organiza - Nick Viggiano). The chapter also main - abound on Dunderberg Mountain. Dogs must be under control of Thursday, October 15 owner and park leash laws must be followed. Bring lunch and tions. By the end of 2008, a new slate of tains sections of the AT (Rudy Garfinkel UCHC. AT to Black Mountain, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: water for people and dogs. officers was chosen from the leadership of and Reena Mancuso) and Ramapo-Dun - Hank Perrine, 212-666-0694. Meet: 10am at Anthony Wayne UCHC. AT from Wawayanda to the Pochuck Boardwalk, NJ. both chapters, bylaws created, and a for - derberg Trail (Karen Rose) in Harriman parking lot; call for directions. Moderately strenuous 8+ miles on Leader: Carol O’Keefe, 973-901-0824. Meet: 10am at Pochuck mal resolution was written explaining the State Park. Appalachian Trail to Black Mtn., returning on 1779 Trail, Owl Lake Boardwalk; call for directions. Car shuttle required. Moderate benefits of blending the clubs. In April “Both clubs have contributed gener - Rd. and Red Cross Trail. For experienced hikers. 8 miles. AT from Warwick Turnpike, climb up Wawayanda Mtn., 2009, both clubs voted to ratify the ously to the Trail Conference every year Saturday, October 17 steep downhill, then to the boardwalks. Second half of hike is merger and it was approved by an over - and now, as one organization, we will almost entirely level, on the astounding engineering feats of AFW. Crater Lake, Delaware Water Gap N.R.A, NJ. Call 973- whelming majority. continue to do so,” says Richard Sumner, 644-3592 to register or go to www.adventuresforwomen.org. boardwalk and suspension bridge over the marshland—a Trail Meet: 10am, out by 2pm. Moderate hike. Conference project. Now, the membership is over 900 past treasurer of the Ramapo Chapter strong and the new committee chairs are and now vice chair of the new club. UCHC. South Mountain Reservation, NJ. Leader: Louise White, Wednesday, October 28 973-746-4319; call before 9pm. Meet: 10am at Tulip Springs park - UCHC. Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, NJ. Leaders: eager to see more participation on hikes For membership information contact ing; call for directions. Moderate 4 miles through pine forest, Don and Jeane McLellan, 908-464-6246. Meet: 10am at trail and at planned events. In September, the 201-768-5573 or [email protected]. overlooking a beautiful gorge, and crossing the Rahway River. parking, Great Swamp NWR; call for directions. Moderate 4 miles new chapter has scheduled a day of hik - Return on woods road. on level terrain; trails may be wet and muddy and there may ing and dinner at Mohonk Mountain — Suzan Gordon, some logs to step over. Explore this designated Wilderness Area. Sunday, October 18 Heavy rain cancels. House, and in October, a fall foliage Chair North Jersey Ramapo ADK AMC-NYNJ. Family Pumpkin Ramble, Orange County, NY. Leader: Andrew Joyce, 973-324-2657, [email protected]. Thursday, October 29 Meet: 9:30am at AT parking lot on Rt. 94. We’ll hike up the AT as UCHC. Sterling Ridge, NY & NJ. Leaders: Carolyn and Jim Enjoy the 22nd Annual Sterling Forest Conservation Day far as we can climb, until the hot cider and donuts being made Canfield, 973-728-9774. Meet: 9:30am at Jennings Hollow in below at Heaven Hill Farm make us turn around; will also enjoy Hewitt (on Greenwood Lake Turnpike opposite East Shore Dr.); Sunday, September 27; 9am – 4pm pumpkin picking. Car shuttle required. Moderately strenuous 8+ miles; for experienced hikers. We’ll hike through Sterling Forest from AFW. Sculpture Garden, Hamilton, NJ. Leader: call 973-644- Enjoy a day full of hiking and biking led by experienced hike leaders and surrounded by Route 17A to Hewitt. 3592 to register or go to www.adventuresforwomen.org. the beautiful fall foliage in Sterling Forest State Park. Meet: 10am, out by 3pm. Easy hike. Saturday, October 31 This annual event is organized by Sterling Forest Partnership, a nonprofit organization IHC. Breakneck Ridge & Taurus, Hudson Highlands State Park, WTA. AT, Fahnestock State Park, NY. Leader: Helen Wu, that continues to take the lead in efforts to protect and preserve the land in and around NY. Leader: Roy Williams, 570-828-6207, [email protected]. [email protected]. Meet: contact leader for details. 6 moder - ate miles. Out and back along the AT (Highland Rd. to Chapman Sterling Forest State Park. (The Trail Conference is a member.) Meet: 8:30am at Anthony Wayne parking area (north), Harriman Meet at the Lautenberg Visitors Center in Sterling Forest State Park, 116 Old Forge State Park. Car shuttle required. Strenuous hike on these two Rd.), with time to enjoy the view from Canopus Hill. striking peaks rising above the Hudson; bring your camera for UCHC. South Mountain Reservation, NJ. Leader: Naomi Road, Tuxedo, NY. The center is off Long Meadow Road, approximately 5 miles north of some breathtaking views. Rain cancels. Shapiro, 973-564-8780. Meet: 10am at Locust Grove parking, County Route 72 or approximately 4 miles south of NY Route 17A. UCHC. Garret Mountain, NJ. Leader: Walter Koenig, 973-684- Glen Ave. at Lackawanna Pl., across from Millburn, NJ, RR station. For more information contact: Tom Thompson at 201-848-1080. 5528. Meet: 10am; call for directions. Moderate hike with splendid Moderate 4-5 mile hike with some uneven terrain. Rain cancels. views of historic Paterson. Optional lunch at Libby’s Diner and visit to Paterson Falls after the hike. Another Way to Give Find More Scheduled Hikes on our website! Have you considered investing in the Trail Con - Go to www.nynjtc.org and Click on ference’s mission? Making a donation in the form of a charitable gift annuity from Scheduled Hikes under Go Hiking. the Trail Conference might be the perfect opportunity for you. A charitable gift annuity pays you a steady fixed income for the rest of your life. Charitable gift annuities are very popular gifts because of the high rate of return, which will never change after a gift is made, regardless of interest rate fluctuations. And, a charitable gift annu - ity is simple to establish. With a charitable gift annuity you would get an immediate income tax deduc - tion for a significant portion of the value of your gift, and favorable taxation of the annuity payments will increase the spending power of your annuity. For more information, please contact Jennifer Hezel at [email protected] Hudson River view from Bear Mountain State Park. or 201-512-9348, ext. 28. Page 10 September/October 2009

DONORS TO THE ANNUAL FUND LARRY LUXENBERG TRAIL CREW SCHEDULES June 1, 2009 – August 8, 2009 continued from page 1 continued from page 5 GIFTS the award, “he contributed immeasurably WEST HUDSON SOUTH CREW Patrick J. Applegate, Michael J. Ashworth, Christine & William Balcerski, Edith & Joseph Barth, Steven Becker, Gottfried to the early organization of the ATC Bernert, Tom Bessoir, Minor Bishop, Paul Blatt, John B. Blenninger, Ken Boockvar, Douglas O. Bowers, Walter E. Britt, Han archives and brought numerous historical Leaders: Chris Ezzo (crew chief): 516-431-1148, & Afina Broekman, Alice M. Broquist, Tom I. Carr, Ted Chambers, Jonathan L. Chenette, Vivian Clayton, William C. Close, facts and sources to the attention of the Jane & Walt Daniels, Bob & Eva Davis, John P. Denkowski, Brigitte Dessauer, Joseph DiSaverio, Laurie E. Donald, Robert J. [email protected] Drennen, Patricia B. Dufort, Douglas K. Eads, Joan & David Ehrenfeld, Fred K. & Joan Ellis, Richard Elrauch, Leonard & Conservancy staff and editors. Brian Buchbinder: 718-218-7563, Nancy Esposito, Ian Feldman, Noel S. Fernandez, Peter B. & Marjorie M. Fisher, P. Wayne Frey, Walter Friedrichs, Michael “Not long after the book project was [email protected] & Vicky Galow, Armen Garapedian, Roy C. Geist, Linda Grady & Ramon Carela, Josie Gray, James A. Gregoire, John & Anne completed, he conceived of an Appalachian Claudia Ganz: 212-633-1324, [email protected] Grob, Eileen P. Hanna, Elizabeth Heald, Peter & Rita Heckler, Hudson City Savings Bank, Jennifer Hezel, David E. Trail Museum that would preserve and dis - Bob Marshall: 914-737-4792, [email protected] Hogenauer, Royal Jay Holly, Jan A. Hopper, Melissa & Joshua Howard, Andy Huber, Edwin L. Joba, Robert & Leonora Jordan, Monica Day: 732-937-9098, Cell: 908-307-5049, Denis J. Kaminski Jr., Norman & Myrna Kasser, Laurie Katzmann, Peter R. & Cynthia K. Kellogg Foundation, Robert J. play, for public edification, not only the LaMagna, David A. Landy & Judy Krusell, Danielle Longo, Leonard & Sue Lyon, Robert G. Mackay, John & Karen Magerlein, more memorable tales of the trail from [email protected] Walter & Joan Maier, Jimena P. Martinez & Michael J. Hirschhorn, James Martocci, MaryAnn & Charlie Massey, Mary & Gay more noted hikers, but also the efforts Mayer, Steve M. McGrath, Wayne Mera, Katherine T. Miller & Sandra Caravella, Michael & Suzanne Miller, Joseph D. & Saturday, September 19 Aurelia Minuti, Joe Misner, Bruce Modick, John & Claudia Moran, Joseph P. Moriarty, Elizabeth & Joseph Morley, John & behind the trail and its management since AT Bypass Evelyn Morrison, D.H. Mortimer, Martina Moss, David M. Moyle, Tom & Helen Murphy, Carol A. Nestor, Sherri Neuwirth, the 1920s.” Leader: Chris Ezzo Edward T. O’Brien & Barbara O’Brien, On Demand Printing, Valerie & Jeffrey Oppenheim, Donald Pachner, Gale & Louis Larry is now president of the Appalachi - Pisha, Junius L. Powell Jr., Susan Rodau, Charles L. Rood, Rick Rosenthal, Michael Rubinstein, Carole Russo, Michael Thursday, September 24 Sasse, Trudy Schneider, Ruth Schorsch, Robert Sickley, William W. Smith, Mike & Peggy Sormani, Malcolm Spector, an Trail Museum Society, which has found Thomas Sweeney & Malgosia Madajewicz, Carl E. & Victoria A.D. Thune, Peter Tilgner & Suzan Gordon, Diana Trebbi, a home for the museum in a 200-year-old Twin Forts Trail, Bear Mountain State Park William G. Tucker, Daniel & Lynne VanEngel, Michael A. Vetrano, James Walsh, Hedley M. Weeks, Robert & Virginia grist mill near the trail in Pine Grove Fur - Leader: Bob Marshall Weismantel, Patsy & Roy Wooters, Gene & Muja Yoon, Nassau Hiking and Outdoor Club, Wal-Mart Foundation. nace State Park in Gardners, PA. The Thursday, October 8 MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES TRIBUTES building is to be renovated this fall and win - TBD AIG Matching Grants Program, Avon Matching Gifts In honor of Herb Chong’s Birthday ter and made ready for a grand opening on Leader: Bob Marshall Program, BP Foundation, Deutsche Bank Americas Jane and Walt Daniels National Trails Day 2010: Saturday, June 5. Foundation U.S. Matching Gifts Program, Earth Share, In honor of John and Marianne Gunzler’s (Learn more at www.atmuseum.org.) Saturday, October 17 Google, Somerset County United Way, The Environmental 50th Wedding Anniversary Fund for NJ Inc., The New York Times Company Matching Trudy and Rolf Lesem, Marilyn Kurland Larry is a portfolio manager at Lexington Wonder Lake State Park Gifts Program, Unilever United States Foundation, Inc., Avenue Capital Investment. Leader: Chris Ezzo United Way of Tri-State. In honor of Herb Chong John and Karen Magerlein Thursday, October 22 DARLINGTON SCHOOL HOUSE FUND In memory of Marjorie Navidi 25-Year Awards Home Depot, Drew Lehman Lawrence Gries The ATC also recognized at its meeting vol - TBD Leader: Bob Marshall BEAR MOUNTAIN TRAILS unteers who have contributed long service. Charels Scully Tributes are only printed for donations of $25 or more. Three Trail Conference volunteers received Sunday, October 25 25-Year awards from Pamela Underhill, Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail on Black National Park Service AT Park Office Mountain, Harriman State Park Superintendent: Robert J. Reardon, Robert Leader: Chris Ezzo F. Marshall, and Jim Haggett. Bob Reardon is the AT maintainer from the Bear Moun - Saturday, October 31 tain Bridge to South Mountain Pass; Bob Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail on Black Marshall is the AT maintainer from South Mountain, Harriman State Park Leader: Claudia Ganz Mountain Pass to the intersection of Rt 9 and 403; and Jim Haggett is Trails Chair for Saturday, November 7 the Dutchess/Putnam AT Committee. AT on West Mountain, Bear Mountain S.P. Further, with the hours tallied through Leader: Monica Day June of this year, Bob Reardon has surpassed the 1,000 hour mark and will soon be pre - Thursday, November 12 sented with a fleece vest provided by the TBD Leader: Bob Marshall The Trail Conference thanks The Home Depot store in Mahwah for the donation of garage National Park Service. Only 11 other East of Hudson AT NY-NJ Trail Conference volun - doors for the Darlington Schoolhouse, as well as Buy-Rite Overhead Doors for installing Saturday, November 14 them. The work was done in July. Pictured are, left to right,: Tom Weber and Nick Concilio, teers have reached this level of service. TBD installers with Buy-Rite Overhead Doors; Tino Longobardi, the Home Depot Mahwah Store The Trail Conference is a maintaining Leader: Brian Buchbinder Manager; Dennis McNearney, County Executive of Bergen County; Eddie Saif (in blue jacket), club member of the ATC. We thank all Trail Conference board member and chair of the Darlington Schoolhouse steering committee; four of these volunteers for their service WEST HUDSON NORTH CREW Arnold Brown, a representative from the Bergen County Historic Preservation Trust Fund and congratulate them for their awards. office, a project funder; and, in orange, members of the Home Depot team. Leaders: Denise Vitale (crew chief): Upcoming Events [email protected], 845-738-2126 (days or early evenings) Sunday, October 25 Dave Webber (crew leader): VOLUNTEER CLASSIFIEDS tation at, but we need someone to help [email protected], 845-452-7238 continued from page 6 organize volunteers and coordinate materi - Highlands Trail Opens in Hun - als. You can also participate in the events terdon County, NJ Event at Peters Kill Loop Red Trail, build your team of volunteers, and mentor themselves, which are always fun! Jugtown Mountain Preserve Minnewaska State Park Preserve new leaders. Relocation of this trail continues. Each work East Hudson Outreach Event The Trail Conference and trip will include education for the novice and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation Volunteers Needed! Musconetcong Mountain plenty of challenges for the more experienced. Communications Coordinator No matter what your background is with Conservancy will officially This is a great opportunity to learn all the open the Hunterdon County basics of trail building like side-hilling, rock Love the trails at Ward Pound Ridge? the Trail Conference, you could be an moving with rock bars and a high-line system, Become a part of the trail maintainer team! ambassador for us at an outreach event. section of the Highlands Trail plus rock splitting/shaping and building crib The current coordinator is moving, and a There are many exciting opportunities for with a celebratory event. walls and stairs. replacement is needed! If you have access to you to meet people who enjoy the outdoors, For full details, visit the a computer and the internet, and are inter - and to share with them what the Trail Con - Saturday & Sunday, September 19 & 20 Highlands Trail website at ested in trail work trips at Ward Pound ference does! Volunteer your time for a few Leader: Denise Vitale Ridge, then you can be the next WPRR hours, and then enjoy the event as well! All www.highlands-trail.org or We will set a highline on Saturday. Over the Communications Coordinator. This fun, of our current outreach volunteers com - contact Brenda Holzinger at next few work trips we will be using the high - [email protected] line system to move rocks into place for energetic, and dedicated group works close - ment on what a fulfilling experience it is to building stairs and crib walls. ly with park management on trail projects. work at an outreach event. Join us today! or 973-303-3538. A sense of humor is necessary, and good Sunday, September 27 times are promised. Become the next Ward Leader: Dave Webber Pound Ridge Reservation Communica - tions Coordinator today! Sunday, October 11 Leader: Denise Vitale Outreach Event Coordinator for the East Hudson Region! Saturday, October 17 Leader: Denise Vitale If you enjoy working with people, planning We will set a highline to be used over the next events, and talking about the important few work trips to move rocks into place for work of the Trail Conference, we need you! building stairs and crib walls. There are many events in the East Hudson Region that we would like to have represen - Sunday, October 18 Leader: Dave Webber

Saturday, November 14 Leader: Dave Webber

www.enzocreative.com Sunday, November 22 We help businesses Leader: Denise Vitale communicate with their audiences through the design of print and online marketing materials. Call 908.219.4703 or email [email protected] September/October 2009 Page 11 Scouts Complete Project at Bear Mountain Book Review Hiking by the Numbers ple, trailhead parking for hikes (see Backpacker magazine’s online map www.nynjtc.org/hikes). of the Appalachian Trail Click on a trail segment and more detail pops up, as does a photo gallery for the seg - ment. Zoom in on the map so that the waypoints are distinctly separate. Click on a camera icon to see a thumbnail image of a photo snapped from that spot on the map. Click on the image and a larger ver - sion of the photo will pop up, including its GPS coordinates. Rarely are images other - wise identified. The photos for each segment are also displayed in a slide-show format to the right; with a click you get the same bigger picture with its GPS info as by clicking on the camera graphic. Backpacker Magazine, 2009 Listings and descriptions of some of the Reviewed by Howard Friedman waypoints are identified in a table below Mahwah Boy Scout Troop 258 with family and advisers pose on the bridge on Bear the map. Oddly, and confusingly, the way - Mountain they completed in May as part of Charles Scully’s Eagle Project. Charles Say “Appalachian Trail” to almost anyone, points are not always in the correct (fifth from left in front row; his mother, Patrice, stands next to him) worked with Matt and they will likely picture thousands of directional order. Clicking on the Previous Townsend (holding dog) over six months to clear over 50 feet of new trail as part of the AT relocation project and build a small stone wall and bridge to prevent erosion on miles of nature in the raw, a serene hiking and Next links in the waypoint pop-up the trail. Scouts and their parents volunteered well over 300 hours over 4.5 days to trail through the wilderness. Say “Global boxes can result in apparently random complete this work. “It was a great experience for everyone involved,” wrote Patrice Positioning System” and most people will sequences, not previous or next spot along Scully. “The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is a great organization to work with.” think of satellites, navigating unfamiliar the trail, as one might expect. city streets, and high-tech equipment. Page for page, the Appalachian Trail Backpacker magazine has paired technology Guide for New York and New Jersey pro - Help Make Hudson and back-country and mapped the entire duced by the Trail Conference and Appalachian Trail using 10 months of GPS published by the Appalachian Trail Conser - Highlands Triathlon data collection by one of their correspon - vancy definitely presents more information dents. Their AT can be visited online at in a more organized, reader-friendly for - a Success www.backpacker.com/at . mat. And it’s easily portable, too. For fun, This review focuses on the trails through however, the Backpacker online map is New York and New Jersey, which Back - great for taking a “virtual” hike, helping packer divides into 8-15 mile sections you to zoom in on topographic areas of (some sections in Maine are more than 50 interest along the trail, appreciate the trail’s miles in length). GPS coordinates are beauty, and re-visit areas you may have sprinkled along the trail as “waypoints,” already hiked by clicking through an markers that identify a landmark with a assortment of trail pictures. specific satellite-based coordinate. At the Join The Forest Ride 2009 top of the screen, viewers can select how to Howard Friedman, a hiker and doctor of view the map: topographic, terrain, satellite podiatric medicine, is a frequent contributor to support Black Rock Forest image, or a standard road-map type image. to Trail Walker. His articles include equip - This year the New York-New Jersey Trail Consortium’s environmental, These maps are built on the familiar research, education, and ment reviews and many about taking proper Conference East Hudson Trails Committee conservation programs. Google maps, which the Trail Conference care of one’s feet and body before, during, and will co-sponsor the Philipstown Greenway also uses on its website to locate, for exam - after hiking. Committee’s fourth Annual Hudson High - (The Trail Conference lands Greenway Triathlon. The race takes is a consortium member.) Books Received place Sunday, October 11, and promotes the trails, scenic routes, and recreational oppor - Columbus Day Weekend Adirondack Trails with Tales History Hikes through the Adirondack Park and tunities of the Hudson River Valley One-day ride: Greenway system in the Hudson Highlands. the Lake George, Lake Champlain & Mohawk Valley Regions Sunday, October 11, 2009 By Russell Dunn and Barbara Delaney The event will begin at the waterfront at Three-day ride: Black Dome Press, 2009 Dockside (1 West Street) in Cold Spring. Saturday, October 10 – The race will include a six-mile kayak pad - Monday, October 12, 2009 The authors may be familiar for their series of regional dle on the Hudson River to Bannerman’s waterfall guides (Catskill Region Waterfall Guide, 2004, Island and back; then a 24-mile bike race Training rides this summer in and Hudson Valley Waterfall Guide, 2005, among others) down to Bear Mountain Bridge and back up NYC and Orange County from the same publisher. Well organized, with photos and to Breakneck Ridge. An eight-mile trail run For more information easy-to-read, simple maps. Each hike is described; a short follows, through Scenic Hudson’s Foundry or to register visit: history follows. This is a great book for history lovers and Preserve, then up and over Bull Hill, and www.theforestride.org those who seek alternatives to peak-bagging. back into the Village of Cold Spring. or call Emily at Black Rock Forest Exploring the Hudson Valley Interested racers can register at Consortium Active.com. The East Hudson Trails 100 Great Places Just North of New York City 845-534-4517, ext. 26 By Steffen T. Kraehmer Committee encourages Trail Conference ExploringTheValley.com, 2009 members to volunteer to help on the day of the race. Call 845-803-4145 or email This self-published guide is organized topically (i.e., Agri - [email protected]. Say tourism and Airborne Ventures to Zoos), with one Great the Trail Conference sent you. Place suggested (among other notables) in each category. The suggestions are eclectic and sometimes offbeat, such as Metro North, identified as a “movable” great place in the Hunting Seasons 2009 category “Trains & Trolleys.” The book includes lots of ideas and contact information for more than just the top 100 Mr. NEW YORK Hunting is not allowed in Bear Mountain- Kraehmer, a Trail Conference member, recommends. Deer Seasons: Regular and Archery Harriman State Parks. However it is Southern Zone allowed in parts or all of other state parks. (includes Hudson Valley and Catskills) Call parks for details. Regular: Nov. 21 – Dec. 13 Black Rock Forest (845-534-4517) Bow: Oct. 17 – Nov. 20, Dec. 14 – Dec. 22 closes to all hikers from Nov. 21 through Westchester County Dec. 13. Bow only: Oct. 17 – Dec. 31 For more info about deer season in Suffolk County New York, go to www.dec.ny.gov/ Bow only: Oct. 1 – Dec. 31 outdoor/28605.html. For info about all big game hunting seasons and regulations in New York, visit www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/10003.html.

NEW JERSEY A one-day shotgun season is set for In New Jersey, the safest course in the December 16 in many zones with addi - fall is to hike only on Sundays, when tional days permitted in some zones. hunting with firearms is generally For the complete set of deer season reg - Exotic Plant Monitors! prohibited throughout the state. Other - ulations, go to www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw, If you are or were a volunteer for wise, hunting seasons vary by weapon then click on Hunting, then Deer. Go to the exotic plant monitoring project and geography. the same site for other hunting seasons during any of its four years, please A six-day firearm season is set for and information. help us by doing the short survey December 7-12 in all zones. at www.rci.rutgers.edu/~trails Page 12 September/October 2009

tion with the blue-blazed Hewitt-Butler onto Hamburg Turnpike, which changes Trail. Turn left onto the Hewitt-Butler its name to Main Street. In 1.3 miles, bear Featured Hike Trail, which descends to Posts Brook, right at a fork, then bear right again where you will pass the white-blazed Posts (towards West Milford) onto the sharply By Howard Friedman Brook Trail on your left. Turn right and ascending Glenwild Avenue. Continue continue along the blue-blazed trail to its about 2.5 miles to the small parking area Carris Hill: A Hike for All Seasons junction with the yellow-blazed Wyanokie on the right for the Wyanokie Crest Trail Circular Trail, then turn left and follow the (this parking area is about 0.1 mile past the yellow-blazed trail back to the parking area. second entrance to Kampfe Lake). Trail Conference Map 115, North Jersey Directions (from north and east): Trails (2009 edition now available) Take I-287 south to Exit 53 (Blooming - dale), and turn left at the end of the ramp Hikers’ Marketplace NY-NJ TC member? YES NO JOINING NOW Member #______Please order by circling price Retail Member P/H Total Maps (TC published except where noted. Discounted shipping available for orders of 8 or more.) N A

M Catskill Trails (2005) & see combo $14.95 $11.21 +$1.75 ______D E I

R East Hudson Trails (2008) $10.95 $ 8.21 +$1.60 ______F I L

E Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails (2008) & see combo $ 9.95 $ 7.46 +$1.60 ______Chikahoki Falls is a favorite destination in Norvin Green State Forest. NEW!! Hudson Palisades Trails (2009) $ 8.95 $ 6.71 +$1.60 ______NEW!! Kittatinny Trails (2009) & see combo $13.95 $10.46 +$1.75 ______Editor’s note: Now that direct access to the increases after rain or snowmelt. NEW!! North Jersey Trails (2009) $ 9.95 $ 7.46 +$1.60 ______Roomy and Blue Mines in Norvin Green is Just beyond the brook, the Wyanokie no longer available from the Snake Den Road Crest Trail reaches the blue-blazed Hewitt- Shawangunk Trails (2008) & see combo $10.95 $ 8.21 +$1.60 ______trailhead (see page 4), member Howard Butler Trail (co-aligned with the Highlands South Taconic Trails (2006) $ 4.95 $ 3.71 +$1.20 ______Friedman suggests a hike to Carris Hill from Trail). Turn right here, following the Sterling Forest Trails (2008) $ 7.95 $ 5.96 +$1.40 ______the little-used trailhead for the Wyanokie Hewitt-Butler Trail eastward along a wide, West Hudson Trails (2006) $ 8.95 $ 6.71 +$1.60 ______Crest Trail. well- traveled dirt-and-leaf-strewn path. Old Croton Aqueduct (Friends of OCA, 2008) $ 4.95 $ 3.71 $1.10 ______Another brook crossing lies ahead. Books Some hikes, like a favorite food or special A short distance ahead is a junction with song, can be enjoyed again and again, yet the white-blazed Posts Brook Trail. Follow NEW!! Walkable Westchester (2009) $24.95 $18.71 +$3.70 ______they retain their appeal. For me, one such the white blazes along the brook towards Appalachian Trail Guide to New York $19.95 $14.96 +$3.20 ______hike is a 4-mile lollipop-loop hike that Chikahoki Falls, a loud if low falls. They & New Jersey (2007) leads to the top of Carris Hill in the south - are only about 15-20 feet high, but are Hiking the Jersey Highlands (2007) $22.95 $17.21 +$3.70 ______ern section of Norvin Green State Forest in quite impressive for the volume of water New York Walk Book (2005) & see combo $22.95 $17.21 +$3.70 ______northern New Jersey. I hike this route sev - they spill into a large and shallow basin at New Jersey Walk Book (2004) & see combo $19.95 $14.96 +$3.70 ______eral times each year, including at least once their base. The path closely hugs the cas - Circuit Hikes in Northern New Jersey (2003) $11.95 $ 8.96 +$2.70 ______in the thick of winter, using mini-cram - cading rapids along the water’s edge, but Day Walker (2002) $16.95 $12.71 +$3.20 ______pons for traction. soon leaves the rushing sound of water and Hiking Long Island (2008) $22.95 $17.21 +$3.70 ______The most popular route leaves from the climbs back into the forest. Otter Hole trailhead on Glenwild Avenue in Follow the Posts Brook Trail until you Iron Mine Trails: NY/NJ Highlands (1996, rev. 1999) $ 8.95 $ 6.71 +$2.70 ______Bloomingdale, but I prefer an alternative reach the junction with another white- Kittatinny Trails (2004) & see combo $18.95 $14.21 +$3.20 ______route, beginning at the trailhead for the yel - blazed trail—the Lower Trail—and turn Long Path Guide to NY/NJ (2005) $16.95 $12.71 +$3.20 ______low-blazed Wyanokie Circular Trail, 0.7 mile left. Almost immediately, turn left again at Scenes & Walks in the Northern Shawangunks southeast of the Otter Hole trailhead. This the junction with the yellow-blazed Carris (2006) & see combo $13.95 $10.46 +$3.20 ______route traverses a less-used portion of the park. Hill Trail. This trail begins a gradual climb, Nature Walks in New Jersey (2003) $14.95 $11.21 +$3.20 ______The hike begins by traversing low-lying which soon steepens, gaining about 500 AMC Catskill Mountain Guide (2009) $23.95 $17.96 +$3.20 ______terrain, a wet area, and a modest boulder feet in elevation over a distance of one mile. ADK Catskill Guide (2005) $19.95 $14.96 +$3.20 ______field dotted with rocks the size of mis - The payoff is several great viewpoints with shapen bowling balls. After a few gentle a panoramic view of the Ramapo Moun - Shawangunks Trail Companion (2003) $18.95 $14.21 +$3.70 ______ascents and descents, the trail crosses sever - tains, the Wanaque Reservoir, and even the Moon Take a Hike NYC (2006) $16.95 $12.71 +$3.20 ______al branches of Posts Brook. The water is New York City skyline on a clear day. Walking Manhattan’s Rim (2003) $13.95 $10.46 +$3.20 ______usually not very deep, but the crossing can The Carris Hill Trail (yellow) continues 50 Hikes in the Lower Hudson Valley (2008) $16.95 $12.71 +$3.70 ______be challenging when the volume of water along the ridgeline, soon ending at a junc - 50 Hikes in New Jersey (2006) $16.95 $12.71 +$3.70 ______Best Hikes w/ Children in New Jersey (2005) $15.95 $11.96 +$3.20 ______Join/Renew Membership to Best Hikes w/ Children in the Catskills & Hudson River Valley (2002) $14.95 $11.21 +$3.20 ______the NY-NJ Trail Conference Hudson to Delaware: The Great Valley (2004) $75.00 $56.25 +$5.70 ______West Milford’s Bakers Dozen (2008) $ 9.95 $ 7.46 $2.70 ______1,700 miles of trails; your membership helps us expand our horizons. Combo-Packs Included with membership, Trail Walker , 10% discount on purchases at many NY & NJ Walk Books $38.60 $28.95 +$4.75 ______outdoor stores, and 25% discount on all Trail Conference maps and books Shawangunk (3-map set & Scenes & Walks book) $21.65 $16.24 +$3.25 ______purchased directly from the Trail Conference. Kittatinny (4-map set & book) $28.60 $21.45 +$3.25 ______Save time and a tree by joining or renewing online at www.nynjtc.org. Just click on the Join/Renew Now button. The Personal Touch Note Cards: TC Collection $12.00 $ 9.00 +$3.20 ______MEMBERSHIP TYPE Long-sleeve Denim Shirt Circle: M L $29.90 $22.42 +$6.00 ______Select one: Join Renew Membership # if available______Polo Shirt (Forest Green) Circle: S M L XL $19.90 $14.93 +$6.00 ______Trail Conference Baseball Cap $ 5.00 $ 3.75 +$2.30 ______Individual Joint/Family Trail Conference Logo Patch $ 2.50 $ 2.50 postpaid ______Regular $30 $40 Long Path Logo Patch $ 2.75 $ 2.75 postpaid ______Sponsor* $60 $75 Trail Conference Logo Decal Circle: Inside Outside $ .85 $ .85 postpaid ______Benefactor* $120 $150 Senior (65+) $25 $30 Subtotal ______Life* $1,000 $1,500 Postage/handling from above ______New Jersey residents add 7% tax* ______To purchase a gift membership, call 201-512-9348, extension 26. TOTAL ENCLOSED $ ______Name ______Address ______Method of Payment: NAME Check or money order enclosed City ______State ______Zip ______Visa Mastercard Amex Day Phone ______Evening Phone ______ADDRESS Card #______E-MAIL ______Exp. Date: ___ /___ CITY STATE ZIP Check or money order enclosed Visa Mastercard Amex Signature: ______Card # ______Exp. Date: ____ / ____ EMAIL TELEPHONE 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. (9/09) Trail Conference cap. Check here if you would like us to send you a cap. 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