The

Cloudsplitter

Vol. 79 No. 3 July-September 2016

published by the

ALBANY CHAPTER

of the

ADIRONDACK

MOUNTAIN CLUB

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The Cloudsplitter is published quarterly by the Albany Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and is distributed to the

membership. All issues (January, April, July, and October) feature activities schedules, trip reports, and other articles of interest to the outdoor enthusiast.

All outings should now be entered on the web site www.adk-albany.org. Echoes should be entered on the web site www.adk-albany.org with your login information.

The Albany Chapter may be reached at:

Albany Chapter ADK

Empire State Plaza

P.O. Box 2116

Albany, NY 12220

home page:

www.adk-albany.org

Please send your address and phone number changes to:

Adirondack Mountain Club

814 Goggins Road

Lake George, NY 12845-4117

phone: (518) 668-4447

fax: (518) 668-3746

For Club orders & membership call (800) 395-8080 or

e-mail: adkinfo@adk.org

home page: www.adk.org

For Cloudsplitter related issues, contact the Editor at:

The Cloudsplitter

c/o Karen Ross

7 Bird Road

Lebanon Spgs., NY 12125

e-mail: kcoyross@aol.com

Submission deadline for the next issue of The Cloudsplitter is August 15, 2016 and will be for the months of October, November and December, 2016. Many thanks to Gail Carr for her cover sketch.

September 7 (1st Wednesdays) Business Meeting of Chapter Officers and Committees 6:00 p.m. at Little’s Lake in Menands

Chapter members are encouraged to attend - please call James Slavin at 434-4393

There are no Chapter Meetings held during July, August, or September

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

It has been my honor and pleasure to serve as Chapter Chair, along with Frank Dirolf as Vice Chair, for the last two years. Our Chapter has grown in membership, activities, project support and stewardship in that time. Membership has grown by nearly 20 percent. People are interested in what we stand for and what we do. Combine that with the efforts of our membership committee led by Doug Rosenberry and outreach led by Deb Reif and we have had lots of success in bringing like-minded outdoor people to our group. Our new membership orientation meetings have been a lot of fun and provide a welcoming start to new members. You can now find our flyers at key locations in the Capital District like the Albany Vistors Center. The slate of programs at our monthly membership meetings continues to get rave reviews and attendance thanks to Alan Mape's educational series and Thea Hoeth's entertaining presenters. Paddlers now are under the leadership of our brand new 'Paddling Princess' Erica Lovrin and that group of over a hundred strong continues to enjoy their own brand of weekly fun outings. And speaking of outings! We have over 150 published outings since last January through this summer thanks to the coordinated efforts led by Virginia Boyle Traver. Our trails group has been active in our adopted trail and in local efforts at places like the Taconic Crest Trail, Lawson Lake and the Pine Bush Preserve under Gene Reilly's watch. Our Cloudsplitter team led by Karen Ross, Barb Esmond and this year's Fred Schroeder award-winner, Gail Carr, continues with what is now a 79 year tradition of this venerable publication. The point in going through these highlights is that we are a group of volunteers and what is mentioned here is only a small sampling of the many people and programs that are part of what running a successful Chapter is all about. I'm confident that our new Chapter leadership under Jim Slavin and Cliff Prewencki will no doubt continue to help guide and achieve great things. Consider what you can do to help the Chapter and ADK with your gift of time and talents in the coming year - you will find it worthwhile and rewarding! --Tom Hart, Summer 2016 PLEASE NOTE: CHECK OUR WEBSITE FREQUENTLY FOR OUTINGS UPDATES. OUTINGS COME IN REGULARLY TO THE WEBSITE ONLY AT WWW. ADK-ALBANY.ORG

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ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE

PARTICIPANTS’ RESPONSIBILITIES FITNESS: Know your level of fitness and limitations. The trip leader will ask questions about your experience, fitness, equipment, medical condition, expectations, etc. Be Honest! TRIP RATINGS: Understand that the level of effort is not the same as the level of difficulty. Trip ratings are for level of effort. Realize that “moderate” for a physically fit person may mean outrageously strenuous for a novice and/or unconditioned person.

HIKERS RATING

EFFORT LEVEL

ELEVATION GAIN (FEET)

MILES TIME (HOURS)

A+ Very Strenuous 4,000+ 10+ 10+

A Strenuous 3,000+ 5 – 10 8 – 10

B+ Moderately Strenuous 2,000+ 5 – 10 6 – 8

B Moderate 1,000+ 8 --10 5 – 7

C+ Fairly Easy 1,000+ 5 – 8 4 – 6

C Easy Under 1,000 Under 5 Under 5

Not all trips fit cleanly into one of these categories. Whenever you are unclear about a rating for a trip, leaders will be happy to explain what their designated rating means.

PADDLERS MILES PORTAGES WATER CLASS

A 12+ Long (½ mile+) II – Whitewater

B 6 – 12 Short I – Moving

C Under 6 None Flat

BIKERS MILES TERRAIN

A 30+ Moderate to steep

B 15-30 Moderate

C Less than 15 Flat to Moderate

Please Note: Unless otherwise stated, please sign up with the leader for all Chapter activities. Do not simply show up at the designated meeting place. Arrive at the carpooling site before the stated departure time. Please pay the driver to offset the costs of driving. Do not bring a pet unless the trip leader agrees that it is okay, and bring a leash. Please stay with the group or ask to proceed and stop at the first intersection and wait for the entire group to re-assemble. You are expected to carry adequate equipment, water and food. If in doubt about what to bring, ask the trip leader! Suggestions for all seasons: Water: 2 - 3 Quarts Layered Clothing (NO cotton) Extra Socks Hat Shell (wind & rain) Extra Sweater or Jacket Headlamp Gloves Sturdy Boots Sun Glasses/Screen (SPF 15) First Aid Kit Food

Map & Compass Waterproof Matches Emergency Blanket Winter Add-ons: Skis or Snowshoes Crampons Ski Pole or Ice Axe Extra Food Warm liquids Extra layers

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THE CLOUDSPLITTER

July-September 2016 Vol. 79 No. 3

Albany Chapter – Adirondack Mountain Club

July – September 2016 Combined Activities Schedule

Month Day Destination or Event Leader Rating Jul 4 (Mon) Noonmark on the 4th of July Slavin B+ 6 (Wed) TCT: 6 of 7- Petersburg Pass/SE Hollow Jordan B 6 (Wed) Giant's Nubble Antonio B 6 (Wed) Evening Paddle--Hudson River/Bethlehem Pusatere/Orr B 6-8 (Wed-Fri) ADK Property Trail Maintenance Reilly B 8 (Fri) Macomb At An Easy Pace Priest A 9 (Sat) Siamese Ponds Trailwork Pisaneschi B 9 (Sat) Sucker Brook Trail Trailwork Reilly/Sheehan B 12 (Tue) Paddle Upper Hudson & Opalescent Rivers Reilly C 12 (Tue) Paddle Hudson River/Corning Preserve Magnes/Cherkosly B 13 (Wed) TCT: Hike 7 of 7-Petersburg Pass/Rte 346 Jordan B 13 (Wed) Hennig Preserve & County Forest Slavin C 13 (Wed) Bear Mtn. & Sages Ravine Sheehan B 16 (Sat) Mount Greylock by Bike Berens A 16 (Sat) Helderberg Bike - Knox to Schoharie Siegard/Siegard A 19 (Tue) Evening Paddle - Round Lake Filarecki/Smollin C 20 (Wed) Huyck Through-Hike Traver C+ 23 (Sat) TCT: Birch Brook Trail to TCT Waldman B 23 (Sat) Saddleback and Basin Warren A+ 24 (Sun) Hadley Mtn. Fire Tower Slavin B 24 (Sun) TCT: White Rocks & Snow Hole Sheehan C+ 26 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Hudson River/Coeymans Mapes/Smollin C Aug 2 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Mohawk River Lock E9 Orr/Saville B 6 (Sat) Blue Ledges Flavin C+ 9 (Tue) Paddle Hudson/Champlain Canal Lock 1 Luchsinger/Cherkosly C 10 (Wed) Second Pond Sheehan C+ 13 (Sat) Dunham Reservoir Sunrise Paddle Luchsinger C 13 (Sat) Dix, Hough, & South Dix Warren A+ 16 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Mohawk River Glenville Saville/Bentien C 20 (Sat) Doubletop & Graham Mtns. Susko A 20 (Sat) Women's High Peak Siegard A 20 (Sat) Spruce Mountain Fire Tower Prewencki C+ 23 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Mohawk Kiwanis Park Orr/Bentien B 24 (Wed) Nun-Da-Ga-O Ridge Antonio B 27 (Sat) Storm King Hike/Paddle Series Siegard/Siegard A 28 (Sun) Jay Mountain Slavin (B+ 29-30 Women's Backpacking Traver/Scott B 30 (Tue) Mohawk Flight Lock Road Snopkowski/Lovrin B Sep 7 (Wed) Evening Paddle--Mohawk/Hudson Cherkosly/Lovrin B 10 (Sat) Panther, Couchsachraga & Santanoni Berens A+ 10 (Sat) Storm King Hike/Paddle Series Siegard/Siegard B 10 (Sat) Sucker Brook Trail Trailwork Reilly B 13 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Mohawk River Lock 7 Lovrin/Brown C 14 (Wed) Stewart & Mud Pond Preserves Sheehan C 16 (Fri) Bald Peak Antonio B 17 (Sat) Kaaterskill High Peak Susko A 17 (Sat) Colden Warren A+ 17 (Sat) Cascade Pond Siegard C+

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20 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Hudson River/Bethlehem McGuire/Orr B 21 (Wed) Black Mountain Traver B 23 (Fri) Fish Hawk Cliffs & Indian Head Ross/McCarron B+ 24 (Sat) Paddle for the Collar City Ramble Lovrin/Bentien C 27 (Tue) Evening Paddle--Freddie's Park/Mohawk Luchsinger/Saville C 28 (Wed) Cascade & Porter Antonio B+

CHECK OUR WEBSITE FREQUENTLY FOR UPDATES TO THE OUTINGS SCHEDULE. OUTINGS COME IN REGULARLY TO THE WEBSITE ONLY AT WWW. ADK-ALBANY.ORG

ACTIVITIES DESCRIPTIONS

General Information for Evening Paddling Trips On most Tuesday evenings from May thru October the ADK Albany Chapter paddles various waterways in the Capital District area. There are at least two groups. The slow group ("Lily-Dippers") goes as slow as the slowest paddler and may be best for short wide boats or less skilled paddlers. The moderate group is for most everyone else and goes about 3 to 3.5 mph. If there is enough interest, a fast group will be formed. Expect to paddle for about 2 hours. Scheduled trips launch rain or shine. It is suggested that you obtain a good roadmap of the Capital District or use www.mapquest.com for directions to the launch site locations. It is customary, after the paddle, for the group Leader to pick a nearby restaurant and convene the Paddlers Committee Meeting (PCM) to socialize, plan future trips and enjoy a meal with old and new friends. Everyone who paddles is automatically a Committee Member and is invited to participate. The following are the Albany Chapter guidelines to participate in the Evening Paddles: 1) Respect Other Users of the Waterways -- Steer clear of fishermen. Don’t forget their fishing lines go well out into the water. Stay close to shore when motorboats are out. The red & green buoys mark the deep water channels - stay between the buoys & shore. Paddle in a tight group when crossing large bodies of water. 2) Launch on Time -- Please be in your boats on the water and congregated near shore before the launch time. People launching after start time are not officially with the group. The leaders will conduct a short On-the-Water

Meeting with the group to discuss the water, weather conditions and plans for the paddle. 3) Duty of the Paddler -- It is the responsibility of the paddler to stay with the group and know who the leaders are - If you don’t know, ask someone. 4) Leaving the Group - The leaders take a headcount at the On-the-Water Meeting. Therefore, please notify one of the leaders if you need to leave the group for any reason. ADK is not responsible for paddlers who choose not to paddle with the group. 5) Required Gear -- All paddlers must bring along a white light (a headlamp is good), a whistle (a pealess one is best) and must wear a PFD (Personal Floatation Device aka life jacket). There are no exceptions to these requirements. It is also a good idea to bring raingear, water, bug-dope (mosquitoes are quite active in summer at dusk) and an extra set of clothes in the car. 6) Clothing -- Other than in July and August all paddlers should not wear cotton clothing - if you must wear cotton, bring along a full change of clothing in a dry bag. Expect to have your feet in the water when launching. Some of the launch spots are slippery and have underwater debris. Waterproof footwear (most experienced paddlers use neoprene booties or mukluks) is highly recommended. 7) Guests - You may bring a guest. He/she is your responsibility and must adhere to all of the Evening Paddle Guidelines.

----------------------- Jul 4 (Mon) NOONMARK ON THE 4TH OF

JULY (B+) This is one of my favorite hikes. The view of the surrounding High Peaks is outstanding. I think it is the perfect place to celebrate the birth of our country. We will climb past Round Lake on this approximately 7 mile and 2000’ elevation hike. Meet 7:00 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Contact by email is preferred. Leader: James Slavin, 434-4393, jaslavin1@gmail.com

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Jul 6 (Wed) TCT HIKE: 6 OF 7 -- PETERSBURG PASS TO SE HOLLOW (B) The Taconic Crest Trail is a 37 mile trail that threads its way through New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont. A patch is awarded to all those who hike the entire 37 miles over any period of time. I will be dividing the trail into 7 level B sections to hike the entire trail. Join me on 1, 2 or even 7 as I work towards the patch. Contact leader via email only for details and provide your most recent hiking experience. This hike will be from Petersburg Pass south to SE Hollow Road. It will be a through-hike spotting cars at both ends. This section is 7.3 miles with approximately 1500' elevation gain. Leader: Sue Jordan, 487-4698, suej9999@yahoo.com Jul 6 (Wed) GIANT'S NUBBLE (B) Listed in the "High Peaks Hikes" section in Tim Starmer's book "Five Star Trails in the Adirondacks," this 5 mile balloon hike, with about 1500’ of ascent, certainly has its rewards. Expect views of the High Peaks, including a real close up encounter with Giant Mountain, as we circle the Giant's Washbowl." We'll keep our fingers crossed that the resident beaver will once again put in an appearance. It has happened! If the weather cooperates, a dip in Chapel Pond is a great way to finish the day. Meet 7:30 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Leader: John Antonio, 462-2765 Jul 6 (Wed) EVENING PADDLE--HUDSON

RIVER/BETHLEHEM (B) Be on the water before 6:30 p.m. We could paddle to the falls on the Vloman Kill or cross the Hudson and explore Papscanee Creek. Take the Thruway to Exit 22. After the tollbooth, take a left on Rt.144 north for about a mile, then take a right on Barent Winne Rd. to the boat launch next to Henry Hudson Park. No need to sign up-just show up! See General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Leaders: Marilyn Pusatere, 588-5953, canoeahn@aol.com;Don Orr, 421-3389, orrd@nycap.rr.com Jul 6-8 (Wed-Fri) ADK PROPERTY TRAIL MAINTENANCE (B) Open to all ages (minimum 14), participants will repair the boardwalk on the Van Hoevenberg Trail. The crew will be staying at the volunteer base camp on Wednesday, and Thursday night. Meals will be prepared by our volunteer leaders at the volunteer base camp (campsite 20). There is no participation fee, but donations are always appreciated. To register, call ADK directly at 518-523-3441, OR register online at www.adk.org by clicking on Conservation/Field

Programs/ Supervised Volunteer Trails Program/(scroll down to near the bottom of the page) Volunteer Trail Opportunities/Two Day Projects/ (July 6-8 ADK Property Trail Maintenance) Register Now. Once you click on 'Register Now,' more detailed information about the project will be presented. Please identify yourself as an Albany Chapter member when registering and please let the Albany Chapter Trails Committee Chair, Gene Reilly, know of your participation so that your volunteer trail work hours can be tracked in the Chapter's recognition program. Leader: Gene Reilly, 281-7796, techvalleytrekker@yahoo.com Jul 8 (Fri) MACOMB AT AN EASY PACE (A) We'll start this hike from the Elk Lake trailhead, the back door to the High Peaks. The first 2 1/2 miles will be a gentle uphill climb on a marked trail that parallels the east shore of the lake. When we reach the Slide Brook, we'll make a right turn and follow the brook for about a half-mile. Officially, the hike is a bushwhack from that point on, but the "herdpath" is maintained although it does not appear on the map. This part is moderately steep. After about a half-mile we will reach the base of a slide. The slide is easier to climb than most others in the Adirondacks, but there will be places where it is necessary to hang on with hands as well as feet. If we have time, and the whole group agrees, we could head over to South Dix before heading down. The total distance is a little more than 7 1/2 miles with 2400’ of ascent. Leader: Robert Priest, 489-7472, rpriest001@nycap.rr.com Jul 9 (Sat) SIAMESE PONDS TRAILWORK (B) We'll hike in from the Route 8 trailhead to the lean-to and ponds. Activities will include trail work (brushing out, water bars, etc.) and trash removal. Nothing is going to be difficult or physically demanding, but this is a work trip. Bad weather postpones to the next day. No calls after 9:00 please. Leader: Dave Pisaneschi, 459-5969, dapadk@gmail.com Jul 9 (Sat) SUCKER BROOK TRAIL

TRAILWORK (B) All hands on deck! Many hands make light work!! The more the merrier!!! We will once again visit our adopted trail, the Sucker Brook Trail, under the ADK-DEC Trail Stewardship program. This is a tough trail to maintain due to its 8 mile length and the location of the western end at a junction with the Northville Placid Trail in the middle of the West Canada Lakes Wilderness, 7 miles from the nearest NPT trailhead. Have no fear though, we will not be doing the entire trail. Our plan is to get a large

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group of hardy people to each carry a small hand-tool (loppers, bow saws, some grass-whips) in no more than 4 miles to the height of land. As we go in the trail, we will cut up and remove whatever small trees or branches have fallen to block the path. Others will cut back side growth, and some may install additional new DEC trail markers. The groups will leap frog along until we reach a cut-off time for returning. Whatever is still undone will be for the next trip. Depart 7:00 a.m. from the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride and expect to return there by 6:00 p.m. Bring a lunch, sunscreen, bug dope, water, and clothes appropriate for the weather. Contact the leader preferably by email prior to July 5th. Leaders: Gene Reilly, 281-7796, techvalleytrekker@yahoo.com; John Sheehan, 674-8121, jgsheehan01@yahoo.com Jul 12 (Tue) PADDLE UPPER HUDSON &

OPALESCENT RIVERS (C) We will spend the whole day exploring by boat waters in the recently acquired MacIntyre East tract near Tahawus - the upper Hudson River, Sanford Lake, and the Opalescent River. This trip was written up in The Adirondack Explorer within the last year or two and sounded delightful. Depart 7:00 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Please contact the leader via email prior to July 5th. Depending on participants and logistics, the trip may be either an out and back or a car spot. Leader: Gene Reilly, 281-7796, techvalleytrekker@yahoo.com Jul 12 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE-- HUDSON RIVER/CORNING PRESERVE (B) Be on the water before 6:30 p.m. We will paddle from the Corning Preserve boat launch south to explore the Port of Albany. With some luck, we may see Peregrine Falcons, which nest on the Dunn Memorial Bridge, and/or Bald Eagles. Driving south on I-787 into Albany, take the Colonie St. exit and take the 1st left into the parking lot. No need to sign up-just show up! Leader: Gerry Magnes, 810-8000, gmagnes1@gmail.com Leader: Neil Cherkosly, 383-7800, UpstateNC@aol.com Jul 13 (Wed) TCT: HIKE 7 OF 7-- PETERSBURG PASS TO ROUTE 346 (B) The Taconic Crest Trail is a 37 mile trail that threads its way through New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont. A patch is awarded to all those who hike the entire 37 miles over any period of time. I will be dividing the trail into 7 level B sections to hike the entire trail. Join me on this last of the 7 as I work towards completing the patch. Contact leader via email only for details and provide your most

recent hiking experience. This section will be from Petersburg Pass north to Route 346. This will be a through hike spotting cars at both ends. This section is 8 miles long with approximately 1500' elevation gain. Leader: Sue Jordan, 487-4698, suej9999@yahoo.com Jul 13 (Wed) HENNIG PRESERVE &

COUNTY FOREST (C) This will be a 5 to 7 mile walk in the Hennig Preserve. There is no significant elevation change. It's just a beautiful walk in the woods. Meet 8:00 a.m. at Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Email contact is preferred. Leader: James Slavin, 434-4393, jaslavin1@gmail.com Jul 13 (Wed) BEAR MTN. /SAGES RAVINE (B) Bear Mountain is the highest peak in Connecticut, and Sages Ravine is a cool refreshing col between Race and Bear Mtns. At this time of year, we will likely meet some through-hikers on the AT. It's fun to be a trail angel and bring along some snacks for these extreme hikers on their six-month trek from Georgia to Maine. Fresh fruit, cookies, soda or anything they can't get on the trail is usually a big hit. The hike will be 7 miles with 1500' of elevation gain. Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Defreestville Park & Ride. Leader: John Sheehan, 674-8121, jgsheehan01@yahoo.com Jul 16 (Sat) MOUNT GREYLOCK BIKE (A) We'll pedal a 36-mile loop that includes a 10-mile, 2,300’ climb (4.3% average grade, with some steeper pitches) to the high point of Massachusetts. The descent is breath-taking in its own way. Bring a helmet, a bike with low gears, and a persevering spirit. Contact leader for meeting time and place. Leader: Don Berens, 783-1302, 50peaks@nycap.rr.com Jul 16 (Sat) HELDERBERG BIKE-- KNOX TO SCHOHARIE (A) This is an easier version of a ride we offered last year, starting in Knox instead of Altamont. It takes in many wonderful views as it circles around and along the top of the spine of the Helderbergs - with views to the east of the Berkshires and Green Mountains and views to the north and west of the Southern Adirondacks, the Cherry Valley Mountains, and the wide expanse of the Schoharie Valley. There is one steep climb back up from Gallupville to the ridge for about two miles, but the trip is moderate overall. We will ride about 30 miles and under 2000’ of elevation gain. We will stop at the Apple Blossom Cafe in Schoharie mid-way through the trip. We will meet at our home in Clarksville and then drive to Knox (20 minutes) from there.

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Leaders: Steve Siegard, 915-2309, ssiegard@gmail.com; Leslie Siegard, 768-2393, siegard3@netscape.com Jul 19 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE-- ROUND LAKE (C) We will start from the Round Lake boat launch on Route 9. Be on the water at 6:30 p.m. We will paddle around the lake and explore the Anthony Kill. Attendees must wear a PFD and follow paddling guidelines under General Info for Evening Paddle Trips listed in the front of the Cloudsplitter. Leaders: Lynn Filarecki, 674-2125;Bill Smollin, 899-4031 Jul 20 (Wed) HUYCK THROUGH-HIKE (C+) We will spot cars for this outing and begin our hike at Partridge Loop #3 of the Huyck Preserve near Peasley Road. We will descend from this high point of elevation along each of the three Partridge Paths, past Lake Myosotis and the waterfalls to the Huyck Preserve Visitor Center in Rensselaerville. Woods, creeks, stone walls and foundations, a lovely lake and beach, and the tumbling cataract all await as we cross this entire preserve from north to south. Expect about 6.5 miles of hiking with a rolling descent of about 600’. Email contact preferred. Leader: Virginia Boyle Traver, 322-0950, virginiabt28@hotmail.com Jul 23 (Sat) TCT: BIRCH BROOK TRAIL TO TACONIC CREST TRAIL (B) We will start out on the moderately easy two loop trails from the parking area at Hopkins Memorial Forest. Near the top of the upper loop, we will take a right at the north branch of Birch Brook and hike up the Birch Brook Trail (BBT). The hike will become noticeably more strenuous as the 1.4 mile BBT climbs about 1150’ to the Taconic Crest Trail (TCT). Hardwoods are replacing the namesake birches along the trail. Near the crest, the trail crosses from Massachusetts into New York. Here, there are reportedly log steps to help ascend and glades of ferns. When we arrive at the TCT, we will turn right and proceed another 1.6 miles to the Snow Hole. The Snow Hole is an interesting geological formation which often still has snow and ice in it throughout the summer; let's see if it has any snow in July after a "snowless" winter. There are a couple of scenic viewpoints from the White Rock Mountain area that we can enjoy along the way. We will return via the BBT and complete the two loop trails at Hopkins Memorial Forest. The hike will be 10 miles with approximately 1700’ elevation gain. Leader: Martha Waldman, 869-5109, martha829r@aol.com

Jul 23 (Sat) SADDLEBACK & BASIN (A+) We will approach Saddleback via the Ore Bed Brook, a beautiful off trail approach, and climb Saddleback by the slide created by Hurricane Irene. We will follow trails the rest of the day, over to Basin and out via the Shorey Shortcut Trail. This hike is approximately 16.5 miles with approximately 4200’ elevation gain. Leader: Claudia Warren, 364-3857, cldwr@hotmail.com Jul 24 (Sun) HADLEY MTN. FIRE TOWER (B) This is a short but steep approximately 4 mile hike with 1550’ elevation gain to an open summit and fire tower. The hardest thing about this hike is finding the trailhead. We'll have great views of the Adirondacks to the north and the Great Sacandaga Lake to the southwest. Meet 7:00 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Email contact is preferred. Leader: James Slavin, 434-4393, jaslavin1@gmail.com Jul 24 (Sun) TCT: WHITE ROCKS & SNOW HOLE (C+) The Snow Hole is a deep fracture in the ground near the north end of the Taconic Crest Trail. It is so named because it retains snow well into the summer. Maybe that won't be the case this year, but it's an interesting geologic feature. White Rocks is an outcrop providing views to the west over the Rensselaer Plateau and, on a clear day, some of the Albany skyline may be visible. The hike will be a 6-mile round trip with moderate elevation gain and a moderate pace. Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Brunswick Park & Ride at Walmart Plaza on Rt. 7. Leader: John Sheehan, 674-8121, jgsheehan01@yahoo.com Jul 26 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE-- HUDSON RIVER/COEYMANS (C) Be on the water before 6:30 p.m. We will explore the mouth of Hannacroix Creek and the shores of Schodack Island State Park where bald eagles are often seen. Take the Thruway to Exit 22. After the tollbooth, take a right on Rt.144 south for about 4 miles, then take a left on Westerlo St. to Coeymans Landing boat launch. No need to sign up - just show up! See General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Leader: Alan Mapes, 817-1512, alanmapes@gmail.com Leader: Bill Smollin, 899-4031, none Aug 2 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE-- MOHAWK RIVER LOCK E9 (B) Take Route 5 East of Scotia from the west end of I-890. Turn left and go to the intersection of Route 103 across from Stewart's and turn left and IMMEDIATELY right for the entrance to the park. Drive down the hill to the launch area. Be on the water at 6:30 p.m. We will paddle

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upstream toward Swart Island below Lock E10 and back. See General Info for Evening Paddle Trips. Leaders: Don Orr, 421-3389, orrd@nycap.rr.com; Alison Saville, 899-4031, saville1127@gmail.com Aug 6 (Sat) BLUE LEDGES (C+) This 5 mile round-trip hike, with minimal elevation change, hugs Huntley Pond and a beaver meadow as it passes through the forest to the roaring Hudson, with 300’ cliffs on the opposite shore. A small beach affords the opportunity to picnic and cool your feet. Yes, John, we will have a long lunch break. The trail could be muddy. To beat the white water rafters, meet 7:00 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Phone contact is preferred. Leader: Js2 Flavin, 331-2054, jsflavin@outlook.com Aug 9 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE--HUDSON RIVER/CHAMPLAIN CANAL LOCK 1 (C) Be on the water before 6:30 p.m. We will paddle up toward Lock 2. From Broad St. in Waterford, take Rt.4 north for approximately 2.5 miles and then take a right on Lock 1 Rd. At the lock, take a left to the boat launch. No need to sign up - just show up! See General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Leaders: Ellen Luchsinger, 235-5526, kayakerl@yahoo.com; Neil Cherkosly, 383-7800, UpstateNC@aol.com Aug 10 (Wed) SECOND POND (C+) Second Pond is a small pond at the SE base of Gore Mtn. My first two attempts to do this hike have been rained out, so we'll try one more time. I have scouted out the trailhead but have never done the hike itself, so we'll be exploring together. There is little elevation gain over the 5 mile round trip. It's reported to be a pretty trail to a pretty pond. The pace will be moderate as there will be no reason to rush. Meet 8:00 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Leader: John Sheehan, jgsheehan01@yahoo.com, 674-8121. Aug 13 (Sat) DUNHAM RESERVOIR

SUNRISE PADDLE (C) This paddle event turns Sweet 16! We start by paddling in silence to enjoy sunrise reflections, with mist rising from the reservoir's cool surface, serenading song birds, the scent of the conifer forest and some snacking on wild blueberries. Take Route 2 East from Troy and from the intersection of Rt. 2 and 278 at Clums Corners travel 5.1 miles and turn right onto Dunham Reservoir continuing 1.5 miles to the boat launch on the left. Meet at 6:00 a.m. to view sunrise. We'll have breakfast after the paddle.

Leader: Ellen Luchsinger, 235-5526, kayakerl@yahoo.com Aug 13 (Sat) DIX, HOUGH & S. DIX (A+) We will start from Elk Lake and take the Hunter's Pass Trail toward Dix. About 1.2 miles past the junction with the Beckhorn Trail, we will leave the trail to pick up the Hunter's Pass slide. This slide is a fun climb, with views expanding at nearly every step. After summiting Dix, we will pick up the herdpath to Hough and South Dix. We will head back to the marked trail via the Lillian Brook herd path. This hike is approximately 16 miles with approximately 3500’ elevation gain. Leader: Claudia Warren, 364-3857, cldwr@hotmail.com Aug 16 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE-- MOHAWK RIVER, GLENVILLE (C) Be on the water before 6:30 p.m. We will paddle downstream and go up the Alplaus Kill as far as we can or paddle upstream to the islands below Lock 8. From Erie Blvd. in Schenectady, drive across Freeman's Bridge and take your first right into the NYSDEC Fishing Access Launch on the Glenville side of the bridge. No need to sign up - just show up. See General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Participants must wear a PFD. Leaders: Alison Saville, 899-4031, saville1127@gmail.com; Pamela Bentien, 421-7247, auntmayor@aol.com Aug 20 (Sat) DOUBLETOP & GRAHAM (A) Doubletop is one of the trailess peaks in the Catskills. Graham has an unmarked trail to the summit, but we won't be using it. For this hike, we will start on the Seager-Big Indian trail before bushwhacking up the ridge to the summit of Doubletop and the canister. We'll then bushwhack over to the summit of Graham before bushwhacking back down to the Seager-Big Indian trail. There is a view point near the summit of Graham. The distance is about 7 miles, most of it off-trail, with about 3000’ of ascent. Leader: John Susko, 383-1284, jpsusko@netzero.net Aug 20 (Sat) WOMEN'S HIGH PEAK (A) We'll pick a medium difficulty High Peak in the Adirondacks. Options include Lower Wolf Jaw, Sawteeth, Phelps and Tabletop - anything around 10 miles and 3000’ elevation gain. I'm open to other peaks if someone has a request. We'll get an early start as parking tends to get filled quickly. We can then take our time on the hike. Leader: Leslie Siegard, 768-2393, siegard3@netscape.com

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Aug 20 (Sat) SPRUCE MTN. FIRE TOWER (C+) For those who love short hikes with fire towers - and who doesn't - this is the one for you. With a total elevation gain of about 1000’ and a round-trip distance of three miles, Spruce Mountain in Corinth is the perfect hike for a Saturday morning. Leader: Cliff Prewencki, 768-2907, cprewencki@aol.com Aug 23 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE-- MOHAWK RIVER KIWANIS PARK (B) Be on the water before 6:30 p.m. We could go downstream and around Dalys Island and/or go upstream to Lock 9, passing the Mabee Farm. We could even go downstream and go through Lock E8 and back if there is enough interest. The Mabee House dates back to 1670 and is the oldest standing building in the Mohawk Valley. Take Exit 1A off I-890 to Rt.5S in Rotterdam and take a right into Kiwanis Park soon after leaving the highway ramp. No need to sign up - just show up! See General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Leaders: Don Orr, 421-3389, orrd@nycap.rr.com; Pamela Bentien, 421-7247, auntmayor@aol.com Aug 24 (Wed) NUN-DA-GA-O RIDGE (B) Also known as the Soda Range, this offers "a laid-back jaunt along streams through the woods and over a mostly open ridge." This is a loop hike of 6 miles, with about 1000’ elevation gain that offers some of the best views of the popular High Peaks, yet is well removed from the crowds that frequent them. Meet 7:30 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Leader: John Antonio, 462-2765 Aug 27 (Sat) STORM KING & BREAKNECK

RIDGE HIKE/PADDLE SERIES (A) This is a two weekend series, with the first trip being a hike to Storm King and Breakneck Ridge, which are opposite one another on the Hudson just below Newburgh (West side) and Beacon (east side), and where we will view the magnificent views of the Hudson from above. Then, we will paddle on Saturday, September 10 to view Storm King and Breakneck Ridge, as well as Anthony's Nose and Bannerman's Castle, (a Scotsman's private one now in ruins) that remains a beautiful structure and interesting to tour on an island in the river. We'll stop there for lunch during the paddle section of this series. Breakneck Ridge is short, about 3 miles round-trip, but it is a non-technical rock scramble (no climbing experience required) using all fours to climb over several ledges and fissures to the top. Depending on interest, if the group doesn't want to drive to Storm King, there are plenty of

loop options to make a full day on this side of the river. We will have lunch at a diner in town and then, if the group is interested, drive about 30 minutes to Storm King State Park for a four-mile round-trip hike to the top of Storm King and the Crows Nest. This is moderate to strenuous, but has equally great views. The combined trip will be about 2800’ of climbing and around 8 miles. It is not required to do the paddle on 9/10 to come on this trip. Leader: Steve Siegard, 915-2309, ssiegard@gmail.com Leader: Leslie Siegard, 768-2393, siegard3@netscape.com Aug 28 (Sun) JAY MOUNTAIN (B+) Jay Mountain is a great hike with wonderful views in the Jay Mountain wilderness. The first part of the trail, about 2.5 miles, has recently been improved and rerouted. It leads to the first of several outlooks along the ridge line to the actual peak of Jay Mountain. From the top of the new trail, we will hike 1.5 miles up and down the ridge, mostly unmarked and very steep in some areas, to the actual peak. The total distance is close to 8 miles and 1800' of elevation change. Meet 7:00 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Email contact is preferred. Leader: James Slavin, 434-4393, jaslavin1@gmail.com Aug 29-30 WOMEN'S BACKPACKING (B) Join us for a one-overnight backpacking trip. We will hike .6 miles to Round Pond, a lovely place surrounded by mountains that feels much more remote than it is. We will set up camp and leave our gear at Round Pond. From there, we will carry daypacks on a hike to nearby Noonmark Mountain via the Felix Adler Trail. Noonmark is 6 miles round trip with 2000' of elevation gain. While hiking Noonmark is a focus of the trip, backpacking into Round Pond allows us to soak in the peace and beauty of evening and morning in the mountains and to enjoy the camaraderie of other outdoorswomen. A recommended gear list will be provided. While some items will be shared, participants will need to provide much of their own equipment and food. You must sign up for this outing by August 20. Participation is limited. Email contact is preferred. Leaders: Virginia Boyle Traver, 322-0950, virginiabt28@hotmail.com; Gillian Scott, 372-8478, gvscott07@verizon.net Aug 30 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE--MOHAWK

FLIGHT LOCK ROAD (B) Be on the water before 6:30 p.m. From Waterford, drive west on Rt. 97, take a left on Flight Rd. and drive past Lock 6 to the boat launch at Canal Park at road's end. We will be returning after sunset, so make sure you have a white light with you (this is a legal requirement).

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No need to sign up - just show up! See General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Leaders: Cathy Snopkowski, 369-4361, cricket808285@gmail.com; Erica Lovrin, 424-3582, albany.adk.paddlers@gmail.com Sep 7 (Wed) EVENING PADDLE--

MOHAWK/HUDSON (B) Be on the water at the Waterford boat launch before 6:00 p.m. We will paddle upstream on the Hudson to Campbell Island or explore the shores and waterfall of Peebles Island. In Waterford, from Broad St. turn south onto First St. and drive to the boat launch at its end, or you can launch from Lansingburgh at the end of 123rd St. off of Second Ave./Rt.4 and meet the rest of the group on the Waterford side. We will be returning after sunset so make sure you have a white light with you (this is a legal requirement). No need to sign up-just show up! See General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Leaders: Neil Cherkosly, 383-7800, UpstateNC@aol.com; Erica Lovrin, 424-3582, albany.adk.paddlers@gmail.com Sep 10 (Sat) PANTHER, COUCHSACHRAGA & SANTANONI (A+) We'll hike 16 miles and climb 4500’ to three herd-path peaks. Bring seasonal clothing, lots to eat and drink, a headlamp with fresh batteries, and a persevering spirit. Depart 4:30 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Leader: Don Berens, 783-1302, 50peaks@nycap.rr.com Sep 10 (Sat) STORM KING, BREAKNECK RIDGE & BANNERMAN'S CASTLE PADDLE (B) This is part 2 of the Hike/Paddle Series from August 27, hiking over Storm King and Breakneck Ridge to view the Hudson River from above. Today, we will view where we hiked two weeks ago from the river below. Other views include Anthony's Nose and views of the Schunemunk Ridge. I have always been curious about this section of the river, which does a big bend around Storm King just below Newburgh. We will paddle from Plum's Point, a very scenic park in itself, to Bannerman's Castle, built on an island in the Hudson near Cold Spring. This was built as a private arsenal for a Scotsman in 1901. It burned in 1950, but it remains a beautiful structure and interesting to tour. Time permitting, we will then paddle into Constitution Marsh, which is a large back bay on the Hudson. If I can find a take out on Route 11, we may take out here, to allow us more time to relax on the river and tour the castle. Expect a full day of paddling, timed to the tides. Depending on interest, this will be on Saturday. Leader: Steve

Siegard, 915-2309, ssiegard@gmail.com Leader: Leslie Siegard, 768-2393, siegard3@netscape.com Sep 10 (Sat) SUCKER BROOK TRAIL

TRAILWORK (B) Help! I need somebody! No, not just anybody!! You know I need someone . . . who can hike and work. We will once again visit our adopted trail, the Sucker Brook Trail, under the ADK-DEC Trail Stewardship program. This is a tough trail to maintain due to its 8 mile length and the western half of it requiring ten brook crossings as well having a section flooded out by beaver activity. Have no fear though, we will not be doing the entire trail. Our plan is to get a large group of hardy people to each carry a small hand-tool (loppers, bow saws, some grass-whips) in no further than the first half, perhaps to the first brook crossing or two. We will go in the trail as far as we can, possibly 5 or 6 miles, before turning around to do trailwork as we head back out. As we hike in, we will take note of what work is needed, and modify our timing/distance appropriately to ensure a return to the trail-head in daylight. On the way out, we will do what blowdown removal and side-cutting we can with light hand held tools. Depart 6:00 a.m. from the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Bring a lunch, sunscreen, bug dope, water, and clothes appropriate for the weather. Contact the leader preferably by email prior to September 5th. Leader: Gene Reilly, 281-7796, techvalleytrekker@yahoo.com Sep 13 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE-- MOHAWK RIVER LOCK 7 (C) Be on the water before 6:00 p.m. We will paddle upstream past interesting cliffs. From the Northway, drive west on Rt.7 for 4.5 miles, turn right on Mohawk Rd. and go to its end; take a left on Rosendale Rd. for a short distance, then take a right on Lock 7 Rd. As you approach the lock, bear left to the boat launch. Make sure you have a white light with you since we will be returning after sunset (this is a legal requirement). No need to sign up-just show up! See General Info for Evening Paddling Trips in the Cloudsplitter. Leaders: Erica Lovrin, 424-3582, albany.adk.paddlers@gmail.com; Edward Brown, 283-2352, brownjam1@twc.com Sep 14 (Wed) STEWART & MUD POND

PRESERVES (C) Now that the kids are back in school, it's time to get out for a quick local walk in the woods. These are two small nature preserves in the two adjacent Rensselaer County towns of Sand Lake and Nassau. The Stewart Preserve is

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owned by the Nature Conservancy, while Mud Pond is owned by the Town of Nassau. There will be a combined 4 miles of walking with a short drive between the two trailheads. We may have time for lunch at a local pub, and you'll be back to get the kids off the school bus. Meet 9:00 a.m. at the Defreestville Park & Ride. The meeting time can be adjusted slightly to fit schedules. Leader: John Sheehan, 674-8121, jgsheehan01@yahoo.com Sep 16 (Fri) BALD PEAK (B) Starting from the trailhead parking area in New Russia, this will be a round trip of 7.8 miles with about 2100’ elevation gain. The summit of Bald Peak is 3060' and is mostly bare rock with good views in all directions. Meet 7:30 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Leader: John Antonio, 462-2765 Sep 17 (Sat) KAATERSKILL HIGH PK (A) Kaaterskill High Peak is one of the Catskill 3500' peaks. We'll hike in from the Platte Clove Road trailhead along old woods roads, snowmobile trails and herd paths. The summit of Kaaterskill has no views, but there are good views to the south from Hurricane Ledge near the summit. The distance is 9 to 10 miles with about 2000’ of ascent. Leader: John Susko, 383-1284, jpsusko@netzero.net Sep 17 (Sat) COLDEN (A+) We'll start at the High Peaks Information Center and approach Colden by the trail to Lake Arnold. We will climb Colden via the slide created in the 1990s. This slide begins just off the trail about one mile south of Lake Arnold. This slide is a delight, with clean solid rock and bigger and better views every time you stop to catch your breath and look around. After summiting, we will descend toward Lake Colden and head out through Avalanche Pass. This hike is approximately 13.5 miles with approximately 4000’ of elevation gain. Leader: Claudia Warren, 364-3857, cldwr@hotmail.com Sep 17 (Sat) CASCADE POND (C+) If you are a new member or new to hiking, this is a good trip to start with. Cascade Pond is in the Blue Mountain Lake area. It's a lovely shaded hike of about 6 miles and 360’ of elevation gain to this pretty pond. If there's interest and time, we'll extend the hike to include Steven's Pond, another 1.5 miles. If possible, we'll spot a car to make the hike a loop. Leader: Leslie Siegard, 768-2393, siegard3@netscape.com

Sep 20 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE--HUDSON RIVER/BETHLEHEM (B)

Be on the water before 6:00 p.m. Low tide is at 5:30 and sunset is at 6:55. We will paddle upriver towards the Port of Albany and return with the setting sun. Take the Thruway to Exit 22. After the tollbooth, take a left on Rt.144 north for about a mile, then take a right on Barent Winnie Rd. to the boat launch next to Henry Hudson Park. No need to sign up - just show up! See General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Leaders: Tom McGuire, 391-0508, tommcg1@gmail.com; Don Orr, 421-3389, orrd@nycap.rr.com Sep 21 (Wed) BLACK MOUNTAIN (B) This is the third year that I have listed this hike. Each time, it has been rained out. Maybe three is our lucky number. Let's hope for a perfect day with early fall color. The hike to Black Mtn. offers an exquisite view of Lake George and peaceful remote ponds. We will hike 5 miles with 1100' of elevation gain. Email contact preferred. Leader: Virginia Boyle Traver, 322-0950, virginiabt28@hotmail.com Sep 23 (Fri) FISH HAWK CLIFFS & INDIAN HEAD (B+) We'll enjoy the cascades of Gill Brook and the views up through the Ausable Lakes with the brilliant colors of fall reflecting down the cliffs onto the lakes below. We'll be doing a loop up the Ausable Road, turning off onto the Gill Brook Trail and climbing up to and around the rocky craggy summits of both outcrops, eventually coming out to the steep descent down to the Ausable Rd. again. It will be 10 miles of autumn trekking with 2400' of pleasant vertical. Contact leaders for time and place. Leaders: Karen Ross, 794-7474, kcoyross@aol.com; Lori McCarron, 587-1957, mmccarr2@nycap.rr.com Sep 24 (Sat) PADDLE FOR THE COLLAR

CITY RAMBLE (C) Mark your calendars for a paddle on the Hudson River for the Collar City Ramble. More information to come as it gets closer to the date. Check the website for further details or contact Pam Bentien at Auntmayor@aol.com. Leaders: Erica Lovrin, 424-3582, albany.adk.paddlers@gmail.com; Pamela Bentien, 421-7247, auntmayor@aol.com

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Sep 27 (Tue) EVENING PADDLE--FREDDIE'S PARK/MOHAWK R.(C)

Be on the water before 6:00 p.m. From the Latham Circle, drive north on Rt.9, take a right on Albany Marine Service Lane just before the Crescent Bridge, and launch at Freddie's Park. There is also parking on the north side of the bridge, though the launching isn't as good. A faster group will head upstream on the Mohawk and may poke into the old Erie Canal just west of the Northway to Clute's Dry Dock, an 8.5 mile round trip; a slower group will go a shorter distance while exploring south of the upstream islands. No need to sign up - just show up. See

General Info for Evening Paddling Trips. Leaders: Ellen Luchsinger, 235-5526, kayakerl@yahoo.com; Alison Saville, 899-4031, saville1127@gmail.com Sep 28 (Wed) CASCADE & PORTER (B+) Cascade is about 5 miles round trip with a 1940' vertical rise. Porter adds another 1.4 miles with an additional 330' of ascent. Let's hope for a clear day; the vistas from these mountains are "nothing short of magnificent." Meet 7:30 a.m. at the Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride. Leader: John Antonio, 462-2765

Many thanks to the volunteers who helped make this issue possible: Virginia Boyle Traver for notifying the leaders and monitoring outings, Barb Esmond for her excellent organization skill and help with the outings files, Chris Imperial for help with the Echoes, and Gail Carr for her consistent generosity in donating her art for the cover illustrations. Their efforts are appreciated.

WILDERNESS FIRST AID

Saturday and Sunday, October 1 and 2, 2016 Take Wilderness First Aid and enjoy sleeping in your own bed. This course will be offered locally at Little’s Lake in Menands, NY. This fall, the Adirondack Mountain Club Winter Mountaineering School is offering a Certified Wilderness First Aid Course from the Emergency Care and Safety Institute (ECSI). This Wilderness First Aid Course will be taught over a weekend encompassing 8 hours of instruction on Saturday and 8 hours on Sunday. Topics will include patient assessment, hypothermia, hyperthermia and heat illness, fractures, dislocations, and backcountry medicine. Classroom lectures and discussions are supplemented by practical work and problem solving exercises. The course will be taught by Dr. Eric Shaw, a highly trained emergency room physician, and the ADK Winter Mountaineering School Medical Director. The class will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 1 and 2, 2016. Cost for the class will be $160.00 per student. Participants will receive a Wilderness First Aid certification card upon successful completion of the course. Class size will be limited to 20 students. A minimum of 8 students are needed to hold the course. For additional information and to reserve a spot in the class, call Carl at (518) 274-8410 or (518) 810-3015 or cklinowski@nycap.rr.com. Checks for the class should be made payable to “Winter Mountaineering School.”

CONSERVATION NOTES

Essex Chain We now have a final approved UMP. What’s going well: we have an area that is recreational and motor free. There was concern about float plane use in First and Pine Lakes, but very little flow plane traffic has occurred. It's easy to drive in from Deer Pond for easy access. There's not a lot of demand for flow plane use. DEC in the final plan opened up a network of old logging roads for bicycle traffic. Mountain biking is available in the Blue Mountain Wild Forest. ADK did get approval for non-native materials in Cedar River Bridge, a lightweight steel frame which is much less imposing. Pressure treated lumber would have been considerably more imposing. Now in place is an evaluation technique to use for other bridges in Wild Forests to determine if a bridge would be less esthetic, cheaper, or if it detracted from or would enhance the bridge location. Most bridges are cable suspension bridges typically secured to trees. Flexibility to continue to use steel cable is important to ADK; it is much less imposing, is cheaper, and leaves a small footprint. ADK is opposed to use of the Polaris Bridge and building a new snowmobile trail. DEC proposed authorizing snowmobiling and would grandfather in future use for other modes of transport as well. ADK opposed and retained attorneys to combat this. DEC was authorizing continued use of Polaris Bridge under existing admin law. Under Section 6668 of Wild and Scenic Recreation Rivers Act this is an administrative process which limits it to this particular situation. If ADK attempted to sue, it would in all likelihood lose. ADK will probably not file suit. There is some time to evaluate this however. There is still a suit pending from Protect and ADK Wild as an Article 78 proceeding. Boreas Pond The “Be Wild” campaign is proving successful. The Casey Brook to Boreas Pond along with McIntyre East and West should all be classified as Wilderness except some sections south and west of Gulf Brook Road which should become Wild Forest. Gulf Brook Rd. is to provide public access to LaBeir Flow to transport paddlers. One will not be able to drive up to Boreas Ponds (leaves about 1 mile buffer). Portage would be about the same as into Lake Lila. There will be a snowmobile trail close to Blue Ridge Road. ADK released a series of two reports which outlined the ecological and biological studies which make the case for a Wilderness classification. Now that the state owns the Boreas Pond Tract DEC can study the issue and develop an interim management plan. A final UMP will be created by DEC which will be subject to APA approval. ADK has lobbied for meetings to be held throughout the state. We will need to rally strongly and get the vote out. Contrary to local government beliefs that a Wilderness Classification does not contribute to local economy, Clarkson University School of Economics study indicates communities in close proximity to wilderness enjoy an increase by 25% in tourism dollars. If you have questions or want to know more about these issues, please contact David Pisaneschi at: dapadk@gmail.com or 459-5969. For updates on Conservation issues of concern to ADK members, please visit the chapter website at: http://www.adk-albany.org/conservationNotes.php

ECHOES FROM THE TRAIL

Apr 13 (Wed) BLUEBERRY MOUNTAIN Leader: John Antonio Blueberry Mountain??? Yes ... you have seen it on the map. It is right above the Marcy Airfield but it seems that hardly anybody goes there. (It is the longest route to tackle Porter Mountain.) On a crystal clear, totally sunny day, eight of us decided to tackle this little mountain. It has its steepish sections, but the views attained are certainly worth the effort. We visited both Blueberry East and West summits, spending a long time on each, and even a loooonger lunch, since we had Claudia with us! Overheard a couple times from some of the participants was the promise to return to this glorious location. Participants: Lori McCarron, Claudia Rosenholz, Roman Laba, Dan Van Uithuizen, Virginia Traver, Sue Jordan, John Susko, and the leader.

Apr 16 (Sat) EARTH DAY IN THE PINE BUSH WORK PROJECT Leaders: Mark Platt and Gene Reilly It was a great weather day. Twelve eager Albany Chapter volunteers showed up at the Pine Bush Discovery Center right on time to register with the staff and get our assignments. We carpooled down Rt. 155 toward Rt. 20 and found our way to the assigned parking area. We joined forces with many other volunteers from Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy and others that signed up directly with the PBPC. There were perhaps as many as 60 or 70 all told. Carefully crossing Rt. 155 toward the new property and ravine we soon found all manner of junk to remove. Two human chains were formed extending from the top of the ravine all the way down into the creek. The crew spend nearly three hours non-stop pulling junk out of the ground at the bottom and handing items from one person to the next up the hill, until there was a small mountain of rusted metal, appliances, car parts, a clothes washer, old tires and broken glass piled up at the top. A photo of the result was posted on the chapter's FaceBook page, and submitted for the Chapter photo contest - maybe you saw it at the banquet! If not, check the chapter website - we'll see if we can have it added to the photo gallery. Around noon the whistle blew to end the work and the PBPC treated everyone to a fabulous lunch of salad and pizza along with many other delicious items. Enjoying the clean-up were Andy Arthur, Shelly Burke, Lynn Filarecki, Kathleen Ganfuss, John Hanley, Mark Janey, Roman Laba, Dan Plaat, Mark Plaat, Doug Rosenberry, John Schumacher, and the leader. Apr 20 (Wed) SARATOGA BATTLEFIELD BIKING Leader: Virginia Boyle Traver We took full advantage of our local National Park in honor of National Parks Week and this year's 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service. Many participants spent considerable time reading the historic plaques at each stop along the way, and imagining the significant Revolutionary War battle that took place here. Others took advantage of the historic stops to do a little extra biking, given that the path and scenery were exceptionally lovely on this bluebird day. When we returned to our cars and after our picnic lunch, a few people stayed to visit the Visitor Center and its displays, continuing their appreciation of the park's offerings. Enjoying a great ride in a beautiful place were Aline Flaherty, Jim Flaherty, Ken Goldfarb, Hugh Dunseath, Kathy Lee, Karen Lydon, Joe Pusatere, Marilyn Pusatere, Vicky Singer, Jim Weber, and the leader. Apr 22 (Fri) POLE HILL POND Leader: John Antonio We have two words to say about this hike - DO IT!!!! If you have not done this trip yet, what are you waiting for? It is one of those hikes that has it all - great lake (Lake George) views, a good work-out, 1280' elevation gain, a pristine ADK pond, and now a loop option that follows a handsome stream to return to your car. One participant (a seasoned veteran of many extraordinary and varied trips) even stated that this trip he would list as one of the best short hikes in the Adirondacks. Participants: Jane Husson, Pat Marsh, James Leinweber, Roman Laba, Jay Flavin, Lori McCarron, Karen Cedar, Karen Ross and Louie, and the leader. Apr 27 (Wed) ROCHESTER HOLLOW Leader: Virginia Boyle Traver We had a spectacular spring day for our hike through hard wood forests with sunshine streaming through. Streams sparkled in the bright light, and the sky could not have been bluer. Rochester Hollow has much of interest -- old foundations, incredibly preserved stone walls built to stand the weather, and wild flowers. With foliage still very faint on the trees, we could see the mountains beyond and wondered at the views that must have been here when the fields were cleared. I especially thank Katie Henrickson for coming out of leadership retirement to co-lead this outing with me. Enjoying a beautiful day in a fascinating location were John Antonio, Patti Brown, Jim Leinweber, Karen Lydon, Lori McCarron, Brook Quandt, Kathy Quandt, Karen Ross, and the leaders. Apr 28 (Thu) ALBANY COUNTY RAIL TRAIL Leader: Charlie Beach We had ideal weather for a bike ride--sunny, cool and with a light breeze. To avoid a car shuttle we started near the middle of the 9-mile trail between Albany and Voorheesville. For those having their first ride of the season we started on the paved section from Slingerlands to the Port of Albany for 5.1 miles.

This is a pleasant ride with one grade-level crossing in Delmar. There is much scenery along the way, especially the ride along the Normanskill Creek as it cascades through a gorge under the Route 9W and NY State Thruway bridges. This section of the trail has many rail fences along the way to provide protection where necessary. Upon return from the first section one rider dropped out. The remaining riders had to bypass the railroad bridge over New Scotland Road (Rte. 85). The bridge and a short area on either end are blocked from use. We rejoined the railroad bed beyond the bridge. The trail surface to Voorheesville is grass covered with fine cinder/gravel and some short portions with crushed stone. We encountered a pleasant rural countryside and 3 grade-level road crossings before reaching the parking lot in Voorheesville. One of the highlights of this section is a library box on a post: Take a book/Leave a book, and an adjacent cooler filled with water bottles. Note: There is no water available along the trail. For refreshments there are two Stewart's Shops near the trail. One is next to the Veteran's Memorial Park in Delmar. The other is 0.2 miles from the end of the trail in Voorheesville. Enjoying the day were Kathleen Lee, Vicky Singer, Karen Lydon, Martin Rowley, Lorraine Smith, Gerry Magnes, and Charlie Beach, leader. Apr 29 (Fri) STORM KING ART CENTER Leader: Gene Reilly There was a small turnout of only two companions for this combination art excursion/hike, but the three of us enjoyed it immensely. About an hour and a half drive down the Thruway brought us to the Storm King Art Center shortly after it opened. We parked in the south lot and walked up Museum Hill to make a brief visit to the information center, where the staff provided detailed maps of the entire center and were very helpful in assisting to plan our attack. We descended the hillside out in back to a walkway that would take us down through the South Fields. It was a chilly day with a bit of a breeze so that an extra layer came in very handy. We spent about an hour and a half walking the loop and viewing the art installations (this is where most of the pieces seen from the northbound lanes of the Thruway are located), before returning to the Museum Building. We had our lunch on a couple of benches behind the building overlooking more artwork. As planned on the advice of the information center staff, following lunch we met a docent for a 1:00 pm exclusive (we were the only participants) walking tour of the art around the top of the hill that included details on the artists and the individual works. Again according to the plan mapped out upon arrival, we hopped on the tram at 2:00 p.m. for a 45-minute narrated tour of the whole center starting with the Meadows and North Woods followed by the South Fields before returning to the start. While the entire time at the center presented continual views of various artworks, some of the more impressive pieces were: Source 1967 by Tony Smith, Luba 2009-10 by Ursula Von Rydingsvard, Three Legged Buddha 2007 by Zhang Huan, many pieces by Alexander Calder and Mark Di Suvero, Storm King Wall 1997-98 by Andy Goldsworthy, and the Storm King Wavefield 2007-08 by Maya Lin. Grateful for the day were Jim and Laurel Bryden as well as the leader. May 7 (Sat) AUSABLE WATERFALL HIKE Leader: Gene Reilly In Albany it rained heavily the night before this hike, and it rained heavily during the night following the hike as well as early the next morning - but on the day of the hike . . . . we lucked out with great weather! Temperatures were mild enough for T-shirts while hiking but cool enough to make a wind-proof shell comfortable while eating lunch at Beaver Meadow Falls, with the mist from the falls. Seven of us drove up from Albany to meet two more companions at the trailhead. We managed to get the timing down right and no one had to wait long, despite picking up breakfast sandwiches at Lox of Bagels and Moor off Exit 18, and making a pit stop at the High Peaks Rest area just prior to Exit 30. The sun blessed us on and off as we hiked along the West River Trail, enjoying many views of the cascading water of the Ausable River. We really relished the Wedge Brook cascades and found it definitely worthwhile to climb the couple of hundred yards up the trail to see them. Beaver Meadow Falls was in its full bridal veil glory. We visited the Canyon Bridge, and encountered several large trees blocking the trail after having been taken down by large rocks falling from the cliffs between Beaver Meadow Falls and the lower Ausable Lake. A quick side trip up to view Rainbow Falls exceeded our expectations - the falls were flowing well with mist wetting all the rocks and contributing to the cool temperatures in the canyon. After a brief respite alongside the dam, and futilely looking for a pair of eyeglasses that apparently fell into the water, we proceeded down the Lake Road until we reached a trail over to the Gil Brook. We took the opportunity to descend along the brook for a few lingering views of small waterfalls and The Flume. Enjoying the day were Emily Gallagher, Maria Baiulescu, Charlene Shafer, J. Flavin, Toby Tolley, Justina Danison, Debra Kilburn, Marilyn Yunick and the leader.

May 14 (Sat) BIKE PROSPECT MTN. HIGHWAY Leader: Don Berens With a high Prospect, we hoped to Rockwell, and we did. Cool dam! We should explain. Don Berens, Cathy Gilchrist and John Kwasnowski met at the south end of Lake George beside the Million Dollar Beach at 9:30. It was mostly sunny and 60 degrees - too cold to swim, but just right to bike. After a brief warm-up, we lifted our bikes over the gate (closed until the Memorial Day opening), and began cranking up the 5.4-mile, 1,500-foot highway to Prospect Mountain. We saw several hikers, two other cyclists, and one jogger, but no auto traffic. Sun and effort soon had us sweating, but occasional clouds and a light breeze, moderated our temperatures. Within 50 minutes after passing the gate, we were all on top, some breathless from a finishing sprint or from views of the lake below and the mountains beyond. On the descent, we alternated brisk speeds with stops at all pull-outs for more views. Back at the beach, Cathy departed as planned, while Don and John took on some food and drinks for an additional ride. Along Route 9N, we had views of Lake Vanare, Fourth Lake and Lake Luzerne. In the village, we rode across the Bridge of Hope with a view of Rockwell Falls where the Hudson River spills over a ledge and then squeezes through a short gorge. We continued west steadily gaining elevation until we reached a pull-out above the Conklingville Dam with views of Great Sacandaga Lake. Then we turned downhill and downwind to ride back along the north shore of Stewarts Bridge Reservoir and the Sacandaga River, back to Rockwell Falls, the Village of Lake Luzerne, and, after still more downhill, back to the beach before 2:30. 50+ miles and 3,300 feet of uphill was a good early season ride.

ALBANY CHAPTER - OFFICERS and COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS

Chairperson James Slavin 434-4393 jaslavin1@gmail.com

Vice Chairperson Cliff Prewencki 768-2907 cprewencki@aol.com

Treasurer Jim Coward 915-1924 Jkcoward@umich.edu

Recording Secretary Jan Peterson 695-3054 kjpthree@wildblue.net

Corresponding Secretary vacant

Members at Large Carl Klinowski 274-8410 cklinowski@nycap.rr.com

Don Berens 783-1302 50peaks@nycap.rr.com

Representatives to the Board John Sheehan 674-8121 jgsheehan01@yahoo.com

John & Kathleen Gansfuss 382-7516 KVG0219@gmail.com

Finance Frank Dirolf 783-0046 fdirolf@nycap.rr.com

Banquet Deb Reif 944-3369 adirondackhiker@hotmail.com

Cloudsplitter Karen Ross 794-7474 kcoyross@aol.com

Conservation David Pisaneschi 459-5969 dapadk@gmail.com

Education Alan Mapes 439-4086 alanmapes@gmail.com

Membership Doug Rosenberry 356-3142 membership@adk-albany.org

Nominations Mark Janey 899-6086 markjaney@gmail.com

Outings Virginia Boyle Traver 322-0950 virginiabt28@hotmail.com

Paddlers Erica Lovrin 424-3582 albany.adk.paddlers@gmail.com

Programs Thea Hoeth 434-3052 thoeth109@gmail.com

Public Information Deb Reif 944-3369 adirondackhiker@hotmail.com

Refreshments Marlee Bickel 456-7050 marlee.bickel@gmail.com

Socials Helen Menz 463-3036

Trails Gene Reilly 281-7796 techvalleytrekker@yahoo.com

Ways and Means Sue Jordan 765-5564 suej9999@yahoo.com

Web Master Ted Letcher 301-651-8244

webmaster@adk-albany.org

Wilderness Dave Pisaneschi 459-5969 dapadk@gmail.com

Young Adults Stephanie Graudons 332-4624 sgraudons@hotmail.com

Josh Baker 728-6419 Dl3aker@yahoo.com

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Albany Chapter Adirondack Mountain Club P.O. Box 2116 Esp. Sta. Albany, NY 12220

Non-Profit Organization

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