MAINTAINING 2,154 MILES OF TRAILS IN NY AND NJ NYNJTC.ORG FALL 2017 TRAIL WALKER NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY TRAIL CONFERENCE • CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE SINCE 1920 SONA MASON SONA UsingTRAIL Our Mightiest WALKER Tool to Protect Trails and Open Space SONA MASON Long Path and Highlands Trail Did You Know? WesT HUDson co-align. Currently, vacant par- ProGRAM COORDINATOR cels along Seven Springs Road The 358-mile Long provide a woodland character Path connects New Sometimes, the most powerful for these trails, but the new York City at the George Sign up for our e-newsletter at bit.ly/tc-ews for tool in the Trail Conference ar- proposals would likely lead Washington Bridge with updates on this and other issues affecting trails. senal isn’t rock bars or loppers, to intense development. The John Boyd Thacher but our unified voice. rocky lands with moss-covered Park in Albany County. The voices of trail lovers near cliffs between Gonzaga Park The 182-mile High- development poses to these Championing and far rang loud and clear and the Heritage Trail in Mon- lands Trail connects the much-needed green corridors. when the Trail Conference roe are rich in wildlife habitat, Delaware River in New Building on this momentum, the Long Path raised the alarm that the Long and are the last refuge in the the Trail Conference has been Jersey to the Hudson Path and Highlands Trail are at area for these multi-state trails. meeting with state, county, and Since 1960, the Trail River at Storm King risk of being severed in Orange This critical pinch point forms municipal officials to come up Conference has spearhead- County, N.Y. This summer, we a vital greenway connecting Mountain. with viable options for protect- ed the effort to maintain, succeeded in making the pro- two state parks: Schunnemunk ing these long-distance trails. protect, and complete the tection of these long-distance Mountain and Goosepond The Trail Conference has Long Path. From unwav- trails part of the conversation Mountain. If the land around between Gonzaga Park and the played a role in nearly every ering advocacy efforts to in the closely watched pro- Seven Springs Road is devel- Heritage Trail to protect the major conservation movement key land acquisitions to an posal to create the new Town oped, the experience on these Long Path and Highlands Trail. in the region for almost 100 end-to-end race series, the of Palm Tree, which would in- trails will be severely impacted Members rallied by sending years. We will continue to rep- Long Path—“New York’s clude the Village of Kiryas Joel. and the parks will be isolated. emails, making phone calls, resent trail users in this and all Greatest Trail”—has an The Trail Conference has Before two public hearings and appearing at meetings to battles to ensure public trails ever-evolving story to tell. raised concerns in regards to on the issue in August, the ensure Orange County legisla- and parks remain open and Turn to pages 6-7 to read the various proposals to ex- Trail Conference called for the tors are aware of the significant safe for the next century—and more. pand development where the creation of a green corridor threat that major residential beyond. Due to overuse and misuse, removed more than 18 bags for their garbage and tossed it Working to Keep Peekamoose Blue Hole in the of trash from this swimming at the nearby dumpster. That’s Catskills was identified as hole and the surrounding the kind of help we’re looking a 2017 Leave No Trace Hot area. for from our visitors.” Spot. In other words, the Blue The following weekend, Sabina continued to wel- Blue Hole Beautiful Hole has now been nationally DEC staff and Sabina Carde- come visitors at Blue Hole on recognized as a place in dan- nas, the Trail Conference’s weekends through mid- ger of being loved to death. Head Summit Steward in the September. The Catskill Con- As part of the Leave No Catskills, set up an informa- servation Corps organized Trace Hot Spot Week at the tion table at the Blue Hole two additional clean-ups, all Blue Hole in August, the Trail trailhead to greet visitors and in an effort to continue the Conference-managed Catskill educate them on regulations message delivered during the Conservation Corps, along and Leave No Trace princi- events of Hot Spot Week. with our friends at Leave No ples. “We wanted everyone to “People are starting to real- Trace, the Adirondack Moun- feel welcome, but also instill ize they need to do their part,” tain Club, and New York State a sense of responsibility,” says Sabina says. “Blue Hole is a Department of Environmental Sabina, who happily offers gorgeous place, and hopefully Conservation, came togeth- greetings and tips to Catskill these efforts continue so that C. Stephens, Ian Dunn, Nikki Wowaka, and Sabina Cardenas er for a litter clean-up. On guests in two languages. everyone can see its beauty for greeted and educated visitors at the Blue Hole. Aug.18, over 40 volunteers “Large groups gladly took bags years to come.” Heather Darley VOLUME XLIV, NUMBER 4 ISSN 0749-1352 WHAT’S INSIDE: People for Trails: Building, Maintaining, and Protecting Trails pages 8-9 Updating Our Mission Trail Conference Awarded and Vision for a Second Better Signage Creates 5-Year LHPRISM Contract Century of Service a Better Trail Experience page 5 page 3 page 3 2 | Fall 2017 TRAIL WALKER • NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY TRAIL CONFERENCE nynjtc.org Art Adventurer FRUX GREGORY 2018 Board, Gregory Frux Voting Member Explores ‘Wild Nominations The Nominating Committee and the Long Path North of the Trail Conference Committee. Andy’s term “Cerro Fitzroy,” the presents the following on the Board is renewed Landscapes’ highest peak in Patagonia candidates for the Board through 2020. of Directors for three-year terms and At-Large Voting RICHARD LEVINE GLENDA HAAS If You Go artist-in-residence programs Members for one-year Rick, of Upper Saddle ART SELECTION in various national parks, in- terms. These nominations River, N.J., is a Trail COMMITTEE CHAIR What: “Wild Land- cluding Weir Farm Nation- will be voted on at the Conference Life Member scapes, Near and Far” al Historic Site, Joshua Tree, Annual Meeting to be held and currently serves as “Wild Landscapes, Near featuring the work of Glacier, and Death Valley. In on Saturday, Nov. 4, at Trail Board treasurer; he is also and Far,” featuring oil paint- Gregory Frux addition to painting and draw- Conference Headquarters a member of the Audit ings depicting diverse When: Oct. 2 through ing, he gave educational talks (600 Ramapo Valley Rd, Committee. Rick’s term scenes from the Shawan- January 5, 2018, during and led hikes in each of these Mahwah, N.J.). Meeting on the Board is renewed gunks to Patagonia by artist- regular Trail Confer- locations. His work is now details are still being through 2020. adventurer Gregory Frux, will part of the National Park Ser- developed, but save the date. ence hours, 9 a.m. to 5 BETH RAVIT be on display in the gallery at p.m., Monday through vice’s permanent collection. Trail Conference Headquar- Frux was also artist-in- WALTER Beth, of Closter, N.J., is a Saturday ters from Oct. 2 through Jan. residence aboard the cruise DANIELS current Board member and Where: Trail Confer- 5, 2018. Frux will also be the ship Orlova to Antarcti- Walt, of Mohegan Lake, an active member of the featured speaker at the Trail ence Headquarters, ca, where he painted from N.Y., is a Trail Conference Audit, Finance, and Strategy Conference’s annual gala, this 600 Ramapo Valley Rd., the ship deck, capturing the Life Member and currently committees. Beth’s term year themed Keep It Wild, on Mahwah, N.J. hours-long twilight and pen- serves as a member of the on the Board is renewed Thursday, Oct. 19. Details: Find out more guin colonies close up. He has Board. Walt is active on the through 2020. Frux studied painting and at nynjtc.org. traveled extensively in Arctic Policy Council as well as the architecture in New York, but Norway and South America, Governance, Publications, EDWARD SAIFF a love of the outdoors and and in all of these places, has Sawyers, Strategy, and Eddie, of Mahwah, N.J., is wilderness travel has called to has summited 97 peaks over kept elaborate sketch jour- Technology committees. current chair of the Board him since childhood. By age 10,000 feet. Recently, he has nals and done oil paintings Walt’s term on the Board is and of the Nominating 20, he had walked 1,000 miles focused on technical rock capturing the natural beauty renewed through 2020. Committee; he is also active on the Appalachian Trail; he climbing. and local history. This sum- on the Governance and has since backpacked and A great opportunity to inte- mer, Frux will be the first-ever ANDREW Management committees. traveled throughout the great grate his love for the arts and artist-in-residence at Mount GARRISON Eddie’s term on the Board is ranges of North America and the outdoors came through the Washington Observatory. Andy, of Wurtsboro, N.Y., renewed through 2020. is a current Board member and chair of both the For full Board bios, visit 2017 Trail Conference Gala: Keep It Wild Conservation Committee nynjtc.org/about-us. The allure of unplugging from BEIMEL RONALD volunteer Daniel Chazin will At-Large Voting Members technology and reconnecting receive the Raymond H.