The Cloudsplitter Vol. 82 No. 3 July – September 2018 Published by the ALBANY CHAPTER of the ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN CLUB Message from the Chairman The following is an edited version of “Lost in the Woods”, an informative article on the NYS DEC website. Hiking in the mountains can be fun if you take the appropriate safety precautions. Published quarterly by the Albany Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. Each year, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers search for about Albany Chapter ADK 200 lost or stranded people. Many people can avoid this Empire State Plaza potentially life-threatening situation if they prepare for P.O. Box 2116 their trip in the woods. Albany, NY 12220 www.adk-albany.org Tips for Staying Safe: Editors: Learn to use a topographic map, GPS and compass and Kathryn Behuniak always carry them. Trust your compass. Many people [email protected] get lost because they don't believe their compass. Global Ann Burns Positioning Systems (GPS) units have become very [email protected] affordable and can be extremely useful. However, they Assistants: are only an aid to navigation and must be used along Virginia Boyle Traver with a compass and map. Knowing your GPS Mark Platt coordinates may be of little help if you cannot figure out Chris Imperial which way and how far you need to walk to reach safety. Send address changes to: Pick out landmarks that are easy to find at the end of the Adirondack Mountain Club day. If you hike south of a road that runs east-west, for 814 Goggins Road example, then you know that by walking north, you will Lake George, NY 12845-4117 eventually come to the road. Keep these kinds of (518) 668-4447 (phone) landmarks in mind before your trip and during it. (518) 668-3746 (fax) Carry a small flashlight, extra batteries and bulb. Few For orders or membership: things are more frustrating than being stuck in the dark. If (800) 395-8080 or email [email protected] you do have to spend the night in the woods, even a small flashlight will be a great help in finding shelter or Many thanks to Gail Carr for her cover gathering firewood. sketch of Camping and for her continued support of the Chapter with Bring a watch and know what time it gets dark. Many her time and talent! people leave too little time to get out of the woods before dark. Cloudy days keep you from telling time by the sun. st Business meetings are the 1 Wednesday Carry a cell phone. If you will be in an area where of each month at 6 p.m. at Little’s Lake in coverage is available, then a cell phone with a fully Menands. Chapter members are charged battery can be a lifesaver. Leaving word with a encouraged to attend. Call Jim Slavin contact person, however, is still highly recommended. at (518) 225-7703 or email at [email protected]. Bring waterproof matches and fire starter material. If you do have to spend a night in the woods, a fire can make Submission deadline for the Fall the difference between a tolerable experience and a 2018 issue (October - December) is nightmare. Waterproof matches work better than August 15, 2018. cigarette lighters when wet. A candle and strips of paper can be used to help light a fire. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 2 Combined Activities Schedule Month Day Destination or Event Leader Rating Jul 1 Susquehanna Sojourn Luchsinger C 3 Evening Paddle – Coeyman’s 6 pm * C 5 Owl's Head and Lake Eaton Swike Sheppard B 7 Siamese Ponds Trailwork Pisaneschi B 7 Seymour Mountain Berens A 7 Brant Lake Paddle Lovrin C 8 Saddleback at An Easy Pace Priest A 10 Evening Paddle – Lock E9 6pm * C 11 Leaders Choice Paddle McGuire B 12 Monument Mountain Schwebler C 14 Boreas Ponds Seward B 14 North Dome & Sherrill Susko B+ 14 Albany Pine Bush Plaat C 14 Battenkill River Siegard/Siegard A 16 to 18 Women's Camping Traver 17 Evening Paddle – Coxsackie 6 pm * C 18 Leaders Choice Paddle McGuire B 19 Noonmark Mountain Antonio B+ 20 to 22 Young Members: Camp out, NH Graudons/Letcher B+ 24 Evening Paddle – Lock 7 at 6 pm * C 24 Lake Bonita Loop & Moreau Overlook Seward B 25 Leaders Choice Paddle McGuire B 26 Ice Caves and Verkeerderkill Falls Schwebler B 28 Tomhannock Reservoir Bike Siegard/Siegard A 29 Swike: Black Mountain Pond Loop Shepard C+ 31 Evening Paddle – Mechanicville at 6 pm * C Aug 1 Gertrude's Nose & Millbrook Mtn. Ross/McCarron B+ 1 Leader’s Choice Paddle McGuire B 2 to 5 Backpack the Cranberry Lake 50 Keating A 3 Dunham Reservoir Sunrise Paddle Bentin C 4 Hunter Southwest and Southwest Hunter Susko B 5 Algonquin at an easy pace Priest A 7 Evening Paddle – Rensselaer at 6 pm * C 8 Leader’s Choice Paddle McGuire B 8 Treadway Mountain Antonio B 9 North Lake to North Point & Mary's Glen Schwebler C+ 11 Bald Mountain, Bennington, Vt. Seward B 11 Five Mile Point and Mtn. Siegard/Siegard B+ 11 Nippletop via the slide Warren A+ 11 Shelving Rock & Lake George Swim Plaat C 14 Evening Paddle – Saratoga Lake at 6 pm * C 15 Leaders Choice Paddle McGuire B 15 Moreau State Park Loop Waldman B 18 Allen Mountain Berens A+ 21 Evening Paddle – Waterford at 6 pm * C 21 Sam's Point, Ice Caves And Falls Seward B 22 Leaders Choice Paddle McGuire B 23 Ice Glen and Laura's Tower Schwebler C 28 Evening Paddle – Bethlehem at 6 pm * C 29 Giant and Rocky at An Easy Pace Traver A 29 Leaders Choice Paddle McGuire B 30 Swike: Peaked Mountain & Swim In 13th Lake Sheppard C+ Sep 5 Leaders Choice Paddle McGuire B 5 Evening Paddle – Ballston Lake at 5:30 pm * C 7 Muffin-To-Muffin Bike Ride Zoske C 3 8 Swike: Crane Mountain and Pond Sheppard C+ 11 Evening Paddle – Flight Lock Road at 5:30 pm * B 12 Leaders Choice Paddle McGuire B 12 Hadley Mountain Traver C+ 13 Millbrook Carriageway & Gertrude's Nose Schwebler B 15 Hopkins Mountain Priest B 18 Evening Paddle – Round Lake at 5:30 pm * C 19 Leaders Choice Paddle McGuire B 22 Wittenberg, Cornell & Slide Mountains Jordan A+ 25 Evening Paddle – Freeman’s Bridge at 5:30 pm * C 26 Leaders Choice Paddle McGuire B 27 Poet’s Ledge Schwebler B 29 Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Loop Seward B 30 Vanderwhacker Mountain Priest B *Please check the website for Evening Paddle details and updates (Leaders, directions and guidelines). **There are no Chapter Meetings in July, August and September. Rules and Recommendations for ADK Chapter Outings Life jackets (PFDs) must be worn on any ADK paddling trip while on the water. (You need to wear AND properly secure your PFD.) Participants are expected to have a realistic knowledge of their own ability to select activities within their capabilities and to carry clothing, food and equipment appropriate to the trip. Participants must be willing to accept the authority of the trip leader and to cooperate with him or her and other party members to make the trip safe and enjoyable. Participants should inform the leader if they feel unduly tired or if the trip is exceeding their capability. Concealing such information to avoid embarrassment or other reasons endangers the safety of all participants. Participants must not leave the party at any time without permission of the leader. Participants must not leave the trip area until all party members have safely returned, unless given permission by the trip leader. Party Coordination: It is recommended that leaders establish procedures to ensure the cohesiveness of the group. They should explain the concept of having a leader and sweep and stress the importance of maintaining contact within the group Safety Considerations: It is recommended that trip leaders and participants observe reasonable safety precautions and that all trip decisions be made with safety as the primary concern. A leader may curtail further participation by an individual and amend trip objectives if, in the leader's judgment, the safety of the individual or group requires such action. It is recommended that if a trip participant is unable to continue with the trip and must turn back that he or she be accompanied by at least one other person. 4 2018 Fred Schroeder Award Recipient Longtime club member, Charlie Beach, has joined the list of several dedicated Club members who have been recognized as recipients of the Fred Schroeder Award for their contributions and efforts in making a difference within the Club. Congratulations Charlie! MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN (cont’d from page 2) Wear a pack to carry clothing, food and water. For a short trip, you will need at least a fanny pack, but a knapsack is better for cold weather use. Remember, it's easy to stay warm when you're moving, but if you have to spend the night out, you will want all the clothing you can get. Hypothermia can kill even when temperatures are above freezing. A tiny emergency "space blanket" or better yet, a heavy duty large trash bag can save your life. Prepare for the weather. Check the forecast before your trip, and assume the worst. If the forecast calls for a chance of showers, assume it will pour. Rain gear is a must. If the forecast predicts flurries, expect a snowstorm. In cold, wet weather, wear wool or synthetics. Do not wear cotton (including blue jeans), as it absorbs water and drains your body heat.