The Catskill 3500 Club — Steward of the Catskills April-June 2011 Volume 44 Number 2 Inside Thanks to Alan Via #429 the Club now has an archive of all Catskill Canisters from 1968 to 2010, which we will be offering on CD’s (see President’s Column ( (change at page 7). This stuff is absolutely great as you will see for yourself in the summit) …………........….......2 the samples herein. Editor Out (change in the valley).. 2 More of 1968 Canister…………….. 3 Vol. I, No.2 Spring 1968 In Memorium (Janine Vega, Paul NY FAVORITE CATSKILL HIKE Valenzuela)……………………….. 3 It is difficult for a hiker who is interested in the flora,fauna,brooks,waterfalls,history,and scenery of the Hike Schedule ……….…….…4 - 6 Catskill Mountain area to pick out the most interesting, exciting, or difficult spot, peak, or valley that has Delinquent Dues Due..…………..6 enthralled him over a long period of years. But that is what your editor has ordered, so I will select my Scree ( Canister archives, Casinos, favorite where all may be found: the southeast escarpment from Windham High Peak, via Acra Point and Belleayre, Fracking, and more) ...7 Black Head, to Stoppel Point--known as the Wall of Manitou to the. Indians. It is interesting because it Our New Members …….…..…….8 was the northeast line of the famous Hardenburg Patent, and because it started a controversy that is still being Even More of 1968 Canister…..…. 3 debated. Take two days for the trip. Start at little Utsayantha outside Stamford, a famous and important survey mark on Save the Date a small island in a small pond. It was the northeast corner of the Patent and the southwest corner of Albany County. The line is supposed to run straight along the ⇒ Annual Dinner, Sat., April ridges to a point near Pine Orchard, the site of the old 2, 2011 (page 7) Catskill Mountain House, on a little dyke between North ⇒ Trail Maintenance Apr 30 and South Lakes. The focal points of the trip for me are Windham High Peak,for scenery,and the Stoppel Point (page 5) area, where one can explore for a week and find ⇒ something new each day. Ravines, hollows, and cloves Litter Pickup Apr 2 (page 4) radiate from Stoppel in all directions. It's a wild area ⇒ and it's very easy to start down the wrong clove and Leanto Workshop May 7,8 land many miles from where you left the car. One way (page. 5) down Stoppel is almost perpendicular into Winter Clove, where bears like to roam, and mushroomS thrive in many varieties. Halfway down,the writer found a clump of Holly Fern, rather rare south of the Mohawk River.Other Nominees for 2011 rare ferns are found here,exciting to a botanist; also President: Jean Taylor all the wild flowers, Mt. Laurel, Azalea, Dogwood, Orchids, Blueberries, Etc. 1st VP: Tom Rankin 2nd VP: Moonray Schepart The next clove to the north leads into the Countryman Kill valley and to my favorite spot,the old Yankee Smith Treasurer: Jay Hui Farm with several miles of artistic stone walls,and an Secretary: Laurie Rankin (Continued on page 3) With the next issue we will be going to primarily electronic distribution, so if you want to con- tinue receiving a paper copy, you must contact Dave White by May 1, 2011. PAGE 2 the catskill canister APRIL-JUNE 2011 The President’s Column With the upcoming annual dinner I will finish my two year term as president. It has been an interesting journey. My goal over that time was to increase the profile of the club's volunteer activities and en- courage members and aspirants to get out and contribute. I think I have seen some success in this endeavor, but more help would always be appreciated. Please answer the call each spring and fall when the club goes out to maintain its trail, lean-tos and section of RT 214. My role on the club's board will now become one of advisor as I will be the new immediate past president. This means that Joe Bogardus will be leaving the board. I would like to thank Joe for all of his advice and help during my tenure as president. I hope I can be as helpful to the incoming president. One other major change this April is that Ed Gilroy will be stepping down as treasurer. No one seems quite sure how long Ed has been The Catskill Canister treasurer, but it has been at least 10 years. Ed is one of those people who work quietly and efficiently in the background and makes sure that things run smoothly. Thanks a lot Ed for all of your past and President continuing service to the club. Jeff Glans As is detailed elsewhere in the newsletter the Canister archive is now [email protected] available for purchase in CD format. This is an amazing resource with copies of every single Canister since its inception. This project is Editor due to the hard work and vision of Alan Via. He came to the board Marty Cohen with the idea of putting together the archive, solicited the member- [email protected] ship for copies, and then did all of the necessary scanning. Thanks also go out to all of the members who contributed their copies of old Canisters for this project. Thanks a lot Alan, this is an incredible liv- Associate Editor ing history of the club. Michael E. Doehring Jeff [email protected] [Jeff recently completed the requirements for the Club Membership Service Award.—ed] David White [email protected] Subscriptions/Aspirants Terri Maxymillian Editor to Devote More Time to Growing His Beard. After serving [email protected] since October, 2005, the current Canister editor is stepping down (at his age ‘down’ is much easier than ‘up’) but not to worry, he will be replaced Outings by the ever competent, Ed Gilroy #1305, who is just completing his ten- Manuel A. Peraza ure as club treasurer. [email protected] The editor really has enjoyed providing this newsletter over the last five and one-half years. He has found almost all aspects of the job to be fun (what kind of person finds humor in deciding when semi-colons should The Catskill Canister is published four times be used instead of commas ?), and he will undoubtedly miss that enjoy- yearly by the Catskill 3500 Club, Inc. for ment in the future when Canister preparation time rolls around every $10.00 a year. Articles, not previously pub- three months, but he also likes new challenges. Besides the fun of doing lished, of less than 1100 words on hiking, es- something, as opposed to watching someone else do something, he has says, or poetry, should be sent to found gratification to be the main reward for doing something worth- [email protected] . while for one’s community. Money is important, money is a necessity, but money doesn’t even come close to gratification when it comes to All material contained herein is copyrighted by warming the soul. the authors or by the Catskill Canister . The editor dotes on the thank-you notes he receives from time to time. Nominal dates for receiving the Canister are: Accordingly, thanks to all of you who have provided me with so much Mar 15, Jun 15, Sep 15, and Dec 15. (Continued on page 8) We’re on the web at www.catskill-3500-club.org APRIL-JUNE 2011 the catskill canister PAGE 3 (Continued from page 1) old and unusual stand of Red Pine. There is many a backache,in an old stone wall. The trail down the brook tumbles over many waterfalls and through a stand of "John Burroughs" hemlocks.I have seen pileated woodpeckers here, also many bear signs, and all the CATSKILL wildflowers and ferns. The other clove to North Lake,or the ridge to North Lake Campsite has everything for an observant hiker and nature lover to get excited about.What's more,if you are not noisy,you may see a bear or wildcat kittens. "Be quiet in the woods. They were God's First Temples." Amen. --A. T. Shorey, Bridgton, Maine 04009 And how about this dinner invitation. ANNUAL DINNER MARCH 16 The third annual dinner meeting of the CATSKILL 3500 CLUB will be held in the Crys- tal Room of The Governor Clinton at Kingston, Saturday, March 16,about 6:00. Since the dinner is a buffet, and cocktails are available, the time of arrival is not critical. Anyone who is not on the mailing list of the dinner committee may send $5.50 per person to the treasurer. Rooms may be had for $9.50 and $13.00. Rudy Strobel, our spring outing chairman, has scheduled a hike up Tremper Mountain for that day "with the thought of being certain that the hikers will have ample time to get to the banquet" Like all mountains with a fire tower, Tremper has an excep- tional view and a good trail. The hotel will set a room aside for the convenience of hikers to change before dinner, Meet at the Village Bake Shop, Phoenicia, at 9:00. THE PERIPATETIC PORCUPINE A champagne cork popped high into a fir tree on Camel's Hump in Vermont when #16 and #23 finished their 111 on Columbus Day. And the following day #18 completed the 63 New England peaks over 4000. * * * #28 has climbed solo all of the CATSKILLS-that-count. Last fall, #1 and #12 led a search party over Balsam Cap in the middle of the night.