RAILWALKER TNEW YORK-NEW JERSEY TRAIL CONFERENCE — MAINTAINING OVER 1,600 MILES OF FOOT TRAILS MAY/JUNE 2005 In this issue: Advocacy & Conservation...pg 2 • Trail Crew Schedules...pg 4 • Eagle Scouts Work...pg 7 • Gear Check...pg 8 • Favorite Hike...pg 10 $ Jill Arbuckle Eyes Help TC Reach 2.5 Million The Big Picture By Maureen Edelson Capital Campaign Summit Jill Arbuckle introduced herself with just enough of a low, rich, straight-talking brogue to evoke thoughts of the Scottish We’re not finished yet! But even as the Trail Highlands (and Sean Connery). But these Conference’s $2.5 million capital campaign, days, and for years now, it’s the Highlands announced last October, seeks to conclude, in New Jersey that have captured the list of accomplishments already made Arbuckle’s fancy. possible by campaign contributions is Jill, long active with the NY-NJ Trail impressive. To date, more than $2 million Conference, is the New Jersey Trails has been contributed by 230-plus donors Supervisor for the Appalachian Mountain (including individuals, corporations, and Club (AMC). It was her involvement with foundations). These donations have: AMC, which she joined for the cross- • helped protect almost 1,400 acres of country ski outings, and the Adirondack trail lands in New York and New Jersey; Mountain Club (ADK), another TC- • helped identify an additional 13,800 member club that linked her to the beloved acres of unprotected, privately held Adirondacks, which led her to the Trail acres where development could close or Conference. After heading the local AMC block existing and proposed trails; chapter in the early 1990s, Arbuckle was • funded designs for rehabilitating trails tapped for the Trail Conference board. on Bear Mountain, including the his- Today, with 25 years’ experience at both K torically important first section of the C Trail Conference and member club levels, O L E Appalachian Trail; and, E Arbuckle has a birds-eye view of the patch- H W • paid for hiring a GIS specialist and the work of activities that absorb an outdoor Y development and implementation of R recreation/conservation volunteer. R A an up-to-date Geographic Information L Trail scouts admire the view from a spot along the proposed reroute “I’ve drunk a lot of coffee at farmers’ System (GIS), a tool that significantly of the AT on the east side of Bear Mountain. kitchen tables,” establishing relationships enhances all Trail Conference projects, that help with land stewardship, says Jill. such as map publishing, trail design, it’s not too late for each TC member to be In order to safeguard our trails and future Learning to deal with state and local offi- and trail lands protection. New maps counted among those who contribute and opportunities for hiking, the Trail Confer- cials provides experience in political of trails in the Shawangunks and an help to Connect People With Nature. ence has established a Land Acquisition activity. The seemingly unceasing land improved map of Sterling Forest trails and Stewardship Fund. The purpose of this development in our metro area forces trail are just two projects that have already Safeguarding Our Trails revolving fund is to finance the acquisition relocations, ironically one of Jill’s favorite benefited from the capabilities of this Hikers can no longer take trails on private of trail corridors to safeguard existing long activities. Chuck- campaign-funded GIS system (see land for granted. Throughout our region, distance trails and to create new trail corri- ling, she points “Updated Maps” this page). rapid loss of open space to development dors that link major public open spaces out how odd More remains to be accomplished, and threatens existing and proposed trail routes. continued on page 9 it is that folks in her boots become more UTM grid, in which the lines are 1000 familiar than Updated Shawangunks and Sterling meters apart, allows simple estimation they ever of location and distances. For further thought Forest Maps Available in June information about UTM and GPS, visit they’d www.nynjtc.org, go to Trails, then scroll be The sixth edition of the Shawangunk Trails Sterling Forest map is a 25 percent increase down to Map Readings.) The maps were about map set (three maps) and the third edition in map size, which results in improved created entirely in-house, with the aid of of the Sterling Forest Trails (one map) will clarity. The multi-colored elevations for- new GIS technology, by Trail Conference be available before summer. Both sets are merly used within public space have been cartographer Eric Yadlovski. not only updated, including significant replaced with two shades of solid green to With all of the updates and changes in additions, corrections, and improved clari- improve demarcation of hunting vs. non- detail and appearance, the value of these ty of contour lines, but are scaled up from hunting areas. Also, identification of maps has been significantly improved. the prior editions. Each map in the archery-only areas has been added. Four For prices and to order your new maps, Shawangunk set is slightly larger than in trails that are expected to be completed see Hikers’ Marketplace on page 12, or previous editions, but more significantly, within the 2005 calendar year are shown as call 201-512-9348 Ext.11 or 43, or visit non-trail areas have been almost eliminated proposed trails, and they are identified www.nynjtc.com. continued on page 7 in favor of devoting most of the map space clearly with dashed red lines (easier to read to trail lands. than the solid orange used in the prior VOLUME XXXII, NUMBER 3 ISSN 0749-1352 PERMIT #970-100 Similarly, the most notable change to the edition of this map). New trails that now appear on the map are the Long Meadow Trail, the Parker Cabin Hollow Trail Take a Step for Hiking in western Harriman Park, and the Hasenclever Iron Trail in New Jersey. On National Trails Day Both map sets provide UTM (Universal See page 3 for details on 10 area projects set Transverse Mercator) grid lines, particular- for the June 4 weekend. ly useful for those with GPS units. (The RAIL ALKER T W Parkway Commission (PIPC) or state park VOLUME XXXII, NO. 3 MAY/JUNE 2005 A DVOCACY regulations that already prohibit ATV use GEORGETTE WEIR EDITOR anywhere on OPRHP state parks or PIPC LOUIS LEONARDIS GRAPHIC DESIGNER CONSERVATION owned lands. The TRAIL WALKER (USPS Permit #970- OSI Buys 412 Acres & a 62-acre slice of Green Pond Mountain in ATV use is also prohibited in DEC 100) (ISSN 0749-1352) is published bi- On Shawangunk Ridge Rockaway Township, NJ, according to a wildlife management and natural areas. monthly by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference as a benefit of membership. Preservation of two more pieces of the February report in the Newark Star-Ledger. DEC did reserve the right to permit ATV Subscriptions are available to libraries only at 42-mile Shawangunk Ridge Trail Corridor “Under the preservation plan,” the paper use of forestry roads and multiple use trails $15.00 a year. Periodical postage paid at were put into place in March when the reported, “the county will now be able to in DEC owned state forests, and unique Mahwah, N.J., and additional offices. Open Space Institute purchased 306 acres take the trails of the Morris County Green- and reforestation areas outside the Adiron- Postmaster: Send address changes to the address below. Opinions expressed by authors do not on the ridge near Otisville and another 106 way atop Green Pond Mountain. At that dack and Catskill State Parks. This last necessarily represent the policy or position of acres in the Town of Rochester. point, they become part of the 40-mile provision might affect state forests outside the Conference. Contributions of typed The larger property, known as Gobbler’s Farny Highlands Trail network, which the Catskill Blue Line and possibly state manuscripts, photos, and drawings are Knob, is located on the western escarpment connects a number of local parks.” The forests through which the Finger Lakes Trail welcome. Manuscripts may be edited for style and length. Send SASE for writers’ guidelines. of the Shawangunk Ridge. It overlooks the acquisition was arranged by TC member and Long Path North hiking trails pass. Submission deadlines for the TRAIL WALKER Bashakill Wildlife Management Area and is club Morris Land Conservancy with funds The Trail Conference–ADK Partnership are January 15 (Mar./Apr. issue), March 15 home to numerous species, including rare contributed by another TC member, Mor- vigorously opposed allowing any ATV use (May/June issue), May 15 (July/Aug. issue), July 15 (Sept./Oct. issue), September 15 dwarf pitch pine, scrub oak and northern ris County Park Commission, as well as in the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Pre- (Nov./Dec. issue), November 15 (Jan./Feb. hardwood hemlock forests and provides Rockaway Township, an open space grant, serves and opposed ATV use on other state issue). Unsolicited contributions cannot be habitat for black bears, eagles, and timber and more than 90 Green Pond residents. owned lands where that ATV use would acknowledged unless accompanied by SASE. rattlesnakes. Two mountain streams tra- displace or degrade the experience of exist- For information on advertising rates, please write or call. verse the parcel and empty into the NJ Preserves Highlands Acres ing recreational users or materially degrade Copyright 2005 by: Bashakill WMA, while recharging ground Three parcels totaling 132 aces of prime natural resources, including soil erosion New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, Inc. water aquifers and public drinking water watershed land in the northern Highlands and silting into streams and wetlands.