Trail Walker

The Trail Conference teamed up withmember club Mid-Hudson ADK to offer aseries of three hikes in October andNovember that together covered most ofour 40-mile Shawangunk Ridge Trail(SRT) project. The goal was to expandawareness of this special trail and the plan-ning and work required to create andmaintain it. The hikes were open to TrailConference members, ADK chapter mem-bers, and the general public; 21 individualsparticipated in one or more of the sectionhikes (not including the leaders).

Georgette Weir and Jean-Claude Fouere,members of both the Trail Conference andADK, coordinated the series with supportfrom SRT volunteers Andy Garrison (SRTtrail supervisor) and Jakob Franke (LongPath South Trail Chair).

The SRT was conceived by the TrailConference in 1989 as a ridge-top trailcorridor connecting High Point State Parkin New Jersey with Minnewaska State ParkPreserve in New York. Since then TrailConference volunteers and staff haveworked tirelessly to protect open space onthe Shawangunk Ridge, build the trail andconnect it to other trails in the region, andrecruit maintainers and other volunteers tokeep it open for the public.

The project has been supported by part-ners that include the Open Space Institute,

Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conser-vancy, and the Land Trust Alliance.Portions of the trail remain to be protectedor located off roads and into natural areas.

Our three hikes gave us a good senseof the rugged beauty and diversity of thisfabulous trail. Hikers interested in explor-ing the Shawangunk Ridge Trail on theirown can download maps of the trail onour website at www.nynjtc.org/region/shawangunk-ridge-trail. Information aboutthe trail is also included in the Long PathGuide, though some relocations have beenmade since publication of that book. Infor-

mation about some of these updates can befound at the above-mentioned web page(check the comments section).

The Trail Conference hopes to offer guidedhikes on new, relocated, and improved trailsin the future.Watch our website and E-Walk-er, our electronic newsletter, for details. To signup for E-Walker, send your email address,with a note that you want to be on our emaillist to: [email protected].

VOLUME XXXVII, NUMBER 1 ISSN 0749-1352 Non-ProfitUS Postage PaidPermit No. 1239Bellmawr, N.J.

New AT Boardwalk Being BuiltOver Great Swamp in PawlingBy Jim Haggett, Chair, Dutchess/Putnam AT Management Committee

Anew Appalachian Trail boardwalkproject in our region began as domany trail projects: with a deluge.

From near Rt. 22 and the AT train stopon the Metro-North Harlem line in easternDutchess County, the AT traverses the GreatSwamp on a 50/50 combination of a regulardirt footpath and wooden puncheon beforereaching a bridge that spans the Swamp Riv-er. (Puncheon is a walkway in which boardsor logs are parallel to the trail and are sup-ported by sills that rest on the ground.) TheTrail parallels Hiller Brook for a good part ofthis 1600-foot distance.

For 20 years this arrangement workedwithout incident.

Then, during the week of October 8,2005, an almost unimaginable amount ofrain—approximately 15 inches—pouredonto the area! The flow of all this water in

Hiller Brook carried with it silt from thesurrounding hillside. The silt accumulated,greatly restricting the brook’s flow and, inthe years since, causing it to frequently spillover and flood the AT.

A number of local volunteers headed byFrank Dogil, Jane Geisler, and Ollie Simp-son instituted various (no cost) measures

over the past four years in an effort to mit-igate the now common flooding of thetrail. Cinder blocks were placed to serve asstepping stones, but they were engulfed bythe soft earth. Additional puncheon wasbuilt using donated wood; however it was aconstant battle to keep it in place duringperiods of intense flooding. A long-termsolution was needed.

Very early on the Dutchess-Putnam ATManagement Committee and others fromthe Trail Conference began planning asolution in coordination with Bob Sickley,associate regional representative for theAppalachian Trail Conservancy, and DavisReus, from the National Park Service’sAppalachian Trail Park office. Drawingupon experience at other locations along

January/February 2010 New York-New Jersey Trail Conference — Connecting People with Nature since 1920 www.nynjtc.org

15 inches of rain

during one week in 2005

upended trail conditions

and a crossing that had

worked for 20 years.

Frozen Frogs UnderfootWood frogs and peepers canfreeze solid and live to singagain. How do they do it?READ MORE ON PAGE 7

Hiking without PainKnow how to avoid heel spurs,ankle sprains, and shin splints.READ MORE ON PAGE 11

Bob Messerschmidt of Bridgewater, NJ,is a quiet man. Not one to call attentionto himself. He sees something thatneeds doing, and does it. Sticks with itover the long term. Like working as anengineer for the Bell system through allof its manifestations over the years untilhis retirement. Like maintaining 4miles of the Posts Brook Trail in NewJersey’s Norvin Green State Forest for50 years. Like giving to the Trail Con-ference, making contributions aboveand beyond his dues and volunteeringfor the past 25 years.

A long-time hiker, Bob was intro-duced to trail work some 50 years agowhen the Trail Conference asked hisclub, then the Somerset County Hikers,to maintain the Posts Brook Trail. Hewas among the club members who tookon the job. He continued as the trail’smaintainer when the club disbanded inthe early 1990s. “It’s a beautiful trail,”Bob says, “wooded, relatively moderatein terms of difficulty, but with some upsand downs. It’s a joy to hike on it. Ienjoyed maintaining it very much.”

Now age 77, Bob decided in 2009that it was time to “hang up my lop-pers.” But that didn’t last long. BobJonas, Central Jersey Trails Co-chair,persuaded him to help out anothermaintainer in the region. Jonas reports:“Instead of dropping out of sight, Bob

Volunteer ProfileBob MesserschmidtMaintaining 4 miles of trail for 50 years

Bob Messerschmidt accepts the ExtraMile Award from Estelle Anderson,

Central Jersey Trails Co-chair.

Jakob Franke (left), Long Path South Supervisor, and Andy Garrison (second from right),SRT Supervisor, helped introduce the Shawangunk Ridge Trail to hikers this past fall with a

hike series planned with Mid-Hudson ADK, a Trail Conference member club.

continued on page 5

continued on page 10

Volunteer Bob Messerschmidtwas given the Trail Conference’sExtra Mile Award in 2009.

For the full list of awardsannounced at the October

Annual Meeting, and profiles ofthe recipients, turn to page 7.

Three-HikeSeries Exploresthe ShawangunkRidge Trail

A plaque memorializes one of the SRT’searly volunteers, Jack Hennessy.

The SRT passes through the scenic BashaKill Wildlife Management Area

ROBERT

JONA

S

GEOR

GETTEWEIR

OUR90TH YEAR

Since 2006, Trail Conference volunteers ledby a group of professional crew leaders fromaround the country have been building a1000+ step granite staircase up the east faceof Bear Mountain. From March throughNovember, teams have been splitting, shap-ing, and flying rock, transforming theboulder-ridden terrain into the most tech-nically constructed stretch of the entireAppalachian Trail.

In September and October, and for thethird consecutive year, we welcomed addi-tional volunteers and crew leaders suppliedby the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

The Bear Mountain Trails Project ismade possible by several essential partners,among them the Palisades Interstate ParkCommission and New York State Office ofParks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.Yet the Appalachian Trail Conservancy(ATC) stands in a unique position along-side the Trail Conference as a projectpartner, reliably supplying volunteers andfunding since construction began. To date,contributions of over $500,000 fromATC/National Park Service (the AT is aunit of the National Park system) havehelped make it possible for trail volunteersfrom all over the country, both novice andexperienced alike, to obtain free training inadvanced stone work.

Pat Yale and Neal Watson, ATC veteranswith more than 25 years of experience com-bined, explained during this season’s visit,“We like to do rock work. The technicalnature of the work on this project is unlike

any other on the AT… it’s very challenging.”The search for something different is a

common reason cited by many individualswho have come out to volunteer on BearMountain. Ten-year ATC volunteer andAT thru-hiker Noland Hisey agreed, “Ienjoy the stone work and learning the tech-niques involved in moving and shapingthese ‘formal steps and walls.’ It’s much dif-ferent from our usual crib walls. It’sinteresting to see what can be accomplishedwith picks, cables, and bars, turning arocky hillside into a walk in the park.”

This year’s ATC work trip brought atotal of 13 volunteers and two crew leadersto the worksite over a period of four weeks.

Working alongside the project’s profession-al staff and Trail Conference volunteers,they amassed more than 1,000 work hours,building close to 100 square feet of cribwall and 10 stone steps. The work, as withall construction on the project, startedfrom scratch.

ATC volunteers new to trail work weretrained immediately in stone splitting andhighline operation; with these skills, first-time volunteers were creating five-foot-long granite stairs and flying them downthe mountainside. These efforts fueled theconstruction down below, where ATC crewleaders and veteran volunteers landed thestone and transformed the once raw rockinto wall and staircase.

On National Trails Day, Saturday, June5, 2010, we will celebrate the grand open-ing of one 800+ step section of the newAppalachianTrail on Bear Mountain. (Save

the date, and plan to join us.) The ATC’ssupport has been a unique and integral partof this multi-partnered accomplishment.ATC volunteers Yale and Watson agreed,“It’s amazing how much can be accom-plished by a group of dedicated peopleworking toward a common goal.”

Interested in volunteering at the BearMountain Trails Project? Email the crewleaders at [email protected]

Chris Ingui is the Trail Conference RegionalRepresentative for Bear Mountain State Parkas well as a crew leader for the project.

The TRAIL WALKER (USPS Permit #1239)(ISSN 0749-1352) is published bi-monthly bythe New York-New Jersey Trail Conference as abenefit of membership. Subscriptions areavailable to libraries only at $15.00 a year.Periodical postage paid at Mahwah, N.J., andadditional offices. Postmaster: Send addresschanges to the address below. Opinions expressedby authors do not necessarily represent the policyor position of the Conference. Contributions oftyped manuscripts, photos, and drawings arewelcome. Manuscripts may be edited for styleand length. Send SASE for writers’ guidelines.Submission deadlines for the TRAIL WALKERare January 15 (Mar./Apr. issue), March 15(May/June issue), May 15 (July/Aug. issue),July 15 (Sept./Oct. issue), September 15(Nov./Dec. issue), November 15 (Jan./Feb.issue). Unsolicited contributions cannot beacknowledged unless accompanied by SASE.For information on advertising rates, please writeor call.Copyright 2010 by:

New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, Inc.156 Ramapo Valley Road (Rt. 202)Mahwah, NJ 07430201-512-9348

e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Wide Web: www.nynjtc.org

Mission StatementThe New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is afederation of member clubs and individualsdedicated to providing recreational hikingopportunities in the region, and representing theinterests and concerns of the hiking community.The Conference is a volunteer-directed publicservice organization committed to:

• Developing, building, and maintaininghiking trails.

• Protecting hiking trail lands throughsupport and advocacy.

• Educating the public in the responsibleuse of trails and the natural environment.

Board of DirectorsRobert Boysen ChairChris Connolly Vice ChairJames Gregoire TreasurerDaniel Chazin Secretary

DirectorsJane Daniels Hans KhimmBill Gannet Seth McKeeJosie Gray Edward SaiffAnn Gruhn Mary SmartGaylord Holmes Daniel Van EngelPeter Kennard

StaffEdward Goodell Executive DirectorJoshua Howard Deputy Executive

DirectorHedy Abad Membership

Program ManagerJeremy Apgar CartographerLeigh Draper East Hudson

RegionalRepresentative

Catherine Gemmell Volunteer& InformationManager

Jennifer Hezel DevelopmentAssociate

Chris Ingui Special ProjectsManager

Larry Wheelock West HudsonRegionalRepresentative

Gary Willick FulfillmentCoordinator

The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is avolunteer, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. It isa federation of 103 hiking and outdoor groups,and 10,000 individuals.

VOLUME XXXVII, NO.1 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

GEORGETTE WEIR EDITORLOUIS LEONARDIS GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Page 2 January/February 2010

printed on recycled content paper

Visit our new site today!www.NYNJTC.org

CORRECTION:

PLEASE RECYCLE TRAIL WALKER

A RelationshipGets Set in StoneAppalachian Trail Conservancysends volunteers and crewleaders to Bear MountainBy Chris Ingui

Appalachian Trail Conservancy Crew Leader Adam Daniel hammers wedgesto split a rock at Bear Mountain.

ATC Volunteers Ron Cordts and Neal Watsonget ready to fly a rock down a highline.

BOBSICKLEY

BOBSICKLEY

ATC volunteer Sean Kuvin splits a rock tocreate a step.

BOBSICKLEY

The map published in the Novem-ber/December 2009 issue of TrailWalker on page 1 showing newly pre-served land along the ShawangunkRidge included an incorrect label for aproposed development parcel. The cor-rect label, Ridgeview Estates, is shownon the map here. It is adjacent to a 129-acre undeveloped parcel (in blue) thatwas preserved last summer by OrangeCounty thanks to the vigilance of TrailConference volunteer Andy Garrison.See the page one story in that issuefor details.

The Trail Conference welcomes LeighDraper of Peekskill, NY, as our new EastHudson Regional Representative. Leighbrings extensive management in outdoorprogramming to the Trail Conference,most recently with the Student Conserva-tion Association (SCA).

At SCA in 2009, Leigh served as NewYork Green Corps Director, a temporaryassignment to administer a stimulus programacross New York State that involves over 200young people participating in trail crews instate parks and moving into a green jobstraining program. Previous positions withthe SCA included New York AmeriCorpsDirector (2003-2007), and Hudson ValleyProgram Director (2002-2003). Concur-rently, Leigh served as Logistics Manager forNew York City Outward Bound.

From 1993 to2002, Leigh wasDirector of Adven-ture Programs atFrost Valley YMCAin Claryville, NY,where her dutiesincluded managingmore than 37 Kmof multiuse trails serving more than 30,000users annually.

Leigh is a Wilderness Education (WEA)Association Certified Outdoor Leader,completed the WEA National StandardProgram Instructor Course in 1995, and isa NYS Licensed Guide.

Leigh earned a B.S. in outdoor educa-tion and a minor in music performance in1988 from Murray State University inKentucky, her home state.

Regional Rep Joins Staff

90 Yearsof TrailMagic

October 19th, 1920: On that evening 90years ago, Major William Welch, the firstgeneral manager of the fledgling PalisadesInterstate Park Commission (PIPC), metwith leaders of New York area hiking clubsin the rooftop “Log Cabin” at the Aber-crombie & Fitch building in Manhattan.Harriman Park had recently been donatedto PIPC, but Major Welch had no budgetfor improvements, so he enlisted area hik-ing clubs to develop a marked system oftrails for the public to enjoy.

The clubs voted to join together in aTrailConference to work cooperatively withPIPC to “develop trails and shelter systems”covering not only the park but “regionscontiguous thereto with the power to inviteother groups to join.” Thus was born theNew York-New Jersey Trail Conference.Immediately, its members got to work.

A few months later in the spring of1921, the group’s members could proudlypoint to the newly built 24-mile Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail. It remains one of themost popular trails in the park today.

A year later, Trail Conference memberswere gathered again, this time to hear Ben-ton MacKaye’s proposal to build a trailalong the Appalachian mountain chain as arefuge from “the shackles of commercialcivilization.” By early 1924, 20 miles ofAppalachian Trail crossed Harriman andBear Mountain parks. By 1930, all 160miles from the Delaware Water Gap toConnecticut were complete.

Our predecessors were ambitious, hard-working people. They bestowed to us trailsthat we continue to enjoy today, an ethic oftrail volunteerism, and a model of partneringwith public agencies to get trail work done

and lands opened up for public enjoyment.In 90 years, none of this has changed.Personally, I think the phenomenon that

is the Trail Conference is a bit of a miracle:more than 1,600 people from across 20counties in two states each year build,maintain, and protect more than 1,700miles of trails and 38 shelters, and, throughour map, book and web publications, help

the public access and enjoy these trails andopen space throughout our region. Theyare supported by more than 7,000 individ-ual members and 100 memberorganizations. Most of these people nevermeet each other, even though they areworking for a common cause.

The whole improbable but enduringarrangement begs the question of whatholds it all together and keeps it going. Mybest answer: trail magic—generosityoffered by people of good will and a pas-

sion for the outdoors experience. Long-dis-tance hikers often cite the trail magic ofunexpected acts of generosity encounteredalong their route—gifts of food, rides, orshelter, for example. I think of the TrailConference as one big, perpetual exercise intrail magic—our volunteers ensure thathikers of all levels have access to qualityoutdoor experiences.

Think of it: through the transformativepower of your membership and volun-teerism, you are a trail magician.

We plan to prominently celebrate anddisplay the results of Trail Conference“magic” this year. On June 5 at BearMountain, we will mark the opening of amajor piece of our Bear Mountain TrailsProject: the reconstructed section of theAppalachian Trail on the east face of themountain. Volunteers from around thecountry and professional trail crew leaders

have done outstanding and inspiring workon this trail section with additional supportfrom our partners at the Appalachian TrailConservancy, PIPC, the National ParkService. Join us on June 5 and prepare tohave a great time! (See the ad on this page.)

In October, we will officially mark our90th anniversary at our annual meeting.All Trail Conference members are invitedto attend. Watch future issues of thisnewsletter for details.

Throughout the year, I will be askingmyself and Trail Conference supporters,“Where do you think the Trail Conferenceshould be in our 100th year and what arewe going to need to do to get there?”

To prime the pump, I’ll tell you that myvision is for the greater New York area tohave the best trail system of any major met-ropolitan area in the nation. I confess that Iam not exactly sure how one could measureor compare different trail systems. But I’mcertain that the learning and innovationinvolved in comparing ourselves to othersand striving to be better while remainingunique would be good for us and our trailusers.

If you have thoughts about this, I invite youto contact me directly: [email protected].

— Edward GoodellExecutive Director

January/February 2010 Page 3

From the Executive Director

“I think of the

Trail Conference as

one big, perpetual

exercise in trail magic”

EDDIEWALSH

Save the Dateand be among

the first to climb

800+ hand-hewn

rock steps on

the way up the

Appalachian Trail

on Bear Mountain!

Saturday, June 5, 2010: National Trails Day

We will celebrate the reconstruction of the originalsection of the Appalachian Trail!

Bring your family and friends. Make it a club outing.

Save the date and plan to join us. No excuses.

Watch for details in the next Trail Walker and on ourwebsite starting in March.

The Bear Mountain Appalachian Trailstep project as it appeared in the

spring of 2009. This reconstructedsection of the trail will open on June 5with a celebration. Watch for details.

OUR90TH YEAR

NEWYORK

Officials ConsiderLand Acquisition MoratoriumAs this issue went to press, Albany law-makers were considering another raid onthe Environmental Protection Fund (EPF)and a moratorium on all open space acqui-sition as two steps in their belated movesto balance the state’s budget.

The need to balance a budget is under-standable, but barely 1% of New YorkState’s revenues are allocated for environ-mental purposes, an amount that already

is drastically below the national average.The proposals circulating in Albany willresult in a disproportionate cut to landacquisition that will not significantlyimpact the deficit.

Past raids on the EPF have created abacklog in projects, including $2 millionin land being held for the state by theTrailConference. If the state does not makegood on these transactions, we may haveto sell these lands on the open market.

Created in 1993 as New York State’sfirst permanent, dedicated environmentalfunding mechanism, the EPF supportscapital projects and programs aimed atprotecting water and air quality, conserv-ing vital agricultural lands and openspace, and promoting public access, edu-cation, and historic preservation.

The primary revenue source for theEPF is New York’s 2% Real Estate Trans-fer Tax (RETT). This makes a lot ofsense—real estate development produces

income for open space protection. Eventhough the EPF has this dedicated sourceof funding, nearly $500 million has beendiverted over the years to unrelated uses,with a promise that it will be repaid.

We are deeply troubled by proposals tocut environmental spending in New York.Protecting open space, including workinglandscapes like farms and forests, protectsjobs, safeguards drinking water, and formsthe foundation of the State’s significanttourism industry. Perhaps most impor-tant, it provides low-cost, close-to-homerecreation and renewal opportunities for

millions of New York residents. This isespecially important in these difficulttimes.

Development Proposal Next toSterling Forest Seeks Plan ChangesTom Wilson of the Tuxedo Land Trusthas opened a Legal Defense Fund to chal-lenge decisions of theTuxedoTown Boardregarding Related Companies’ applicationfor a revised special permit for TuxedoReserve. The long-term goal is conserva-tion of these 2,300 acres. While theproject received approvals in 2004, it wasnever built, and the project sponsor isback before the town board seeking majoramendments. It is believed that withoutapproval of these amendments, the origi-nal approved plan is unworkable.

Tuxedo Reserve would entail construc-tion of 1,196 residential units, 103,000square feet of clubhouses and amenities,and 33,000 square feet of retail on rugged

mountain land bordering Sterling ForestState Park between the villages of Sloats-burg and Tuxedo Park. The project wouldbe situated on a pristine portion of thesole-source Ramapo River Aquifer, andon terrain which has unique biologicaland archeological importance.

The property contains at least four, pos-sibly five, state regulated wetlands, federalwetlands, and vernal pools which supportseveral special concern species, including aparticularly large population of marbledsalamanders. While the Reserve’s Envi-ronmental Impact Statement found notimber rattlesnakes on the property, acrew of laborers working there not onlyfound one, but they cooked it and ate it!

The proposed amendments includemoving a neighborhood of 49 units and aclubhouse into a sensitive area between twostate wetlands, which would block aknown wildlife corridor and eliminate anadditional 96 acres of unfragmented forest.

Wilson is inviting all interested individ-uals and groups to join in a coalition,much like that which saved Sterling For-est, and later stopped the Sterling ForgeEstates development (the “doughnuthole”), to work to stop this project andeventually purchase the land as an addi-tion to Sterling Forest State Park.

Additional information on Related’sapplication can be downloaded from thetown website at www.tuxedogov.org/TuxedoReserve.htm. Wilson can be con-tacted at [email protected].

—PatsyWootersChair,

Torne Valley Preservation AssociationTrail Conference member group

NEW JERSEY

Voters ApproveOpen Space FundingOn November 4, the state’s votersapproved replenishing the state’s depletedGreen Acres program by taking on a$400 million bond to preserve openspace. The bond will provide $218 mil-lion to purchase environmentallysensitive open space, $146 million forfarmland preservation, $24 million forflood plain and watershed management,and $12 million for historic preservation.The vote was close, with 52% voting toapprove the measure.


Conservation & Advocacy News Notes

Make sure you get Action Alerts from the Trail Conference so that you can help support our region’s trails, parks,and open spaces. Set your email program to accept mail from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference!

Beware Illegal Parking in SloatsburgThe Trail Conference alerts all hikers thateven short-term parking is forbidden in themunicipal lot located behind the hardwarestore on Route 17 and Mill Road just westof the railroad tracks in Sloatsburg. As thelaw stands the police have no choice: viola-tors will be ticketed and towed. Residentspay a fee to use this lot and a local businesshas complained vociferously. The parkingban includes short-term parking whilewaiting for the arrival of bus passengersas well as longer term parking.The policeare working with the town in an attempt todefine an allowable parking place.

New State Park DedicatedAlong Hudson River

Franny Reese State Park was dedicatedOctober 26 as the newest unit in the NewYork State park system. Located immedi-ately south of the Mid-Hudson Bridge onthe west side of the Hudson River in UlsterCounty, Franny Reese S.P. connects to theWalkway LoopTrail and so is accessible notonly by car, but by train and a walk acrosseither the new Walkway Over the HudsonHistoric State Park or the Mid-HudsonBridge. (For directions and a hike descrip-tion, please turn to page 12.) The parkcomprises 249 acres and 2.5 miles of trails.Though owned by New York’s Office ofParks, Recreation and Historic Preserva-tion, the park is managed by ScenicHudson. You can find more informationabout the park on our website:www.nynjtc.org–Go Hiking tab–Find aPark–Franny Reese State Park.

In 2009, the West Jersey Crew was busy! In the course of theirspring and fall seasons, the crew constructed 660 feet of sidehilltread, built 36 waterbars, installed 99 rock steps, built 12 squarefeet of retaining wall and 10 feet of turnpiking, cleared more thanone-half mile of new trail, and removed 6 downed trees.

These efforts improved trails in parks throughout west (andcentral) New Jersey: in Norvin Green State Forest, Jenny JumpState Forest, Worthington State Forest, and Stokes State Forest,and in a new township park in Byram Township.

Thank you to everyone who was part of the West Jersey Crewin 2009: Estelle Anderson, Jack Baccaglini, Ian Blundell, BobJonas, joan Teresa Lyons, Paul Makus, Kieu Manes, Mike Manes,Gay Mayer, Debbie Maynard, Rachel Maynard, Chet Morris,Lee Mott, Rich Pace, Steve Reiss, George Lee Roberts, JeffRoggenburg, Chuck Rood, Shawn Smith, Hsin-Chien Tai, BillTaggart, Linda Taggart, and Gary Willick.

And thank-you also to our New Jersey Dept. of Environmen-tal Protection partners at the state parks, who unlock gates for us,let us borrow their tools, let us use their facilities, let us store ourstuff in their yards, and enthusiastically support our work.

The West Jersey Crew will start work again in mid-April 2010.If spending the day with people passionate about trail work,working hard, getting dirty, and hiking out at the end of the dayon a trail that you just transformed is something that appeals toyou, please contact us—or just come join us in the spring! (You’llnever look at a hiking trail the same way again!)

—David & Monica DayLeaders, West Jersey Crew

Trail News

PAUL

MAKUS

Trails in the new Franny Reese State Park inUlster County connect with the newly openedWalkway Over the Hudson Historic State Park.

GEOR

GETTEWEIR

In 2007 and 2008 Trail Conference volunteers cleaned up land along the ShawangunkRidge in preparation for transfer to New York State. The transfer has not yet happened.

BRENDA

HOLZINGER

What the West Jersey Trail Crew Did in 2009

West Jersey Crew volunteers Bob Jonas (left) and Steve Reissclear a blowdown in Norvin Green State Forest with a crosscut saw.


Trail CrewSchedules

January — February 2010

Most of our trail crews haveschedules much like those ofwood frogs and spring peepers(see page 7). They are snuggledin for winter and will emerge ontrails come warmer temperatures.The exceptions are listed below.

Check our website for possibleadditions or changes to schedules.Go to www.nynjtc.org and click onTrail Crews in the Get Involved tab.

TBD = To Be Determined

For all trips bring work gloves, water,lunch, insect repellent. In some cases,tools are provided. Contact leaders inadvance for meeting times and places.

NORTH JERSEY WEEKEND CREWLeader: Sandy Parr, 732-469-5109

Second Sunday of each monthTrips start at 9:30 am; call for location anddetails during the week before the scheduled tripday. Tackle a variety of projects ranging from trailrepair to bridge building in northern New Jersey.

HIGHLANDS TRAIL CREWLeaders: Adam Rosenberg, HT Co-Supervisor:[email protected] or 973-570-0853

Monthly on a SundayWe generally get together the first Sunday ofevery month to tackle various jobs building newsections or reworking existing sections of theHighlands Trail throughout New Jersey as wellas in New York west of the Hudson River. Wealso schedule other work dates. All are wel-come, experience is not necessary. Contactleader for details of the current trip and whattools to bring.

METRO TRAIL CREWLeaders: Joe Gindoff, 718-614-2219,[email protected]; Linda Sullivan, crew chief,347-721-6123, [email protected];Liz Gonzalez, [email protected]

Sturdy work boots or other hiking footwear ismandatory. All participants must sign in to per-form trail work. RSVP is a must.

Please contact Linda Sullivan, Metro Trail CrewChief, in order to receive email notices of workoutings, or check the Metro Trail Crew page onthe Trail Conference website.

EAST HUDSON CREWS

Ward Pound RidgeWeekly Trail Maintenance TripsTBD Check the Trail Crew page onthe Trail Conference website.Leader: WPRR Trail [email protected]: 9:30am at the TrailsideNature Museum Ward Pound Ridge.

Ward Pound Ridge volunteer trailmaintainers meet weekly year round.If you would like to be put on theiremail list for notifications, contactWPRR Communications Coordinator,[email protected] orview the East Hudson Trail Crewwebpage at www.nynjtc.org formore information and the schedule.

Members of the Appalachian Trail Mid-Atlantic Crew pose on the first completedsection of boardwalk. The Dutchess/PutnamAT Committee plans to resume work in thespring. Watch for details and plan to helpwith this exciting project.

TEDMAR

TELLO

BOBHA

AS

JIMHA

GGETT

JIMHA

GGETT

Tickets for Suffern, NY will be available at all Ramsey Outdoor locations and at www.ramseyoutdoor.com

ADULTS: $16.00/STUDENTS: $12.00 • DAY OF SHOW: $19.00/$14.00

Coming to our area in March!Two locations:

New York City & Rockland County/Northern New JerseySee exciting films onmountain themes from around the world.

VISIT SPONSOR TABLES, WIN GREAT RAFFLE PRIZES & SUPPORT THE

PROGRAMS OF THE NEW YORK - NEW JERSEY TRAIL CONFERENCE

Find ticket information, film lists, and directions,at www.chestnutmtnproductions.comclick on “Banff Mountain Film Festival”

Wednesday,March3, 7pmSuffern, NY — Lafayette Theater

Sponsors: Leki, Ramsey Outdoor,NJ Rock Gym, Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa

Monday, March 8 andTuesday March 9, 7:30pm

New York City — Peter NortonSymphony Space

Programs on March 8 and 9are entirely different.

Sponsors: Gore Mountain, Leki,Paragon Sporting Goods

the Appalachian Trail, including Pochuckin Vernon, NJ, we determined that the bestsolution to crossing the Great Swampwould be to construct a boardwalk. Aboardwalk rests upon helical piers and isdesigned to raise the treadway above the100-year flood level. It is environmentallynoninvasive and offers the potential forfuture access by those with disabilities. Thebig downside is cost.

Fortunately, a generous grant for the pur-chase of needed wood and fasteners wassecured from L.L. Bean’s Grants to Clubsprogram. Unused piers from the Thunder-ing Falls project in Vermont were madeavailable and transported to the Pawlingsite. The net result of this confluence ofresources was that we were able to beginwork on the project this past fall and beginlaying the plans to undertake the bulk ofthe work in 2010 and possibly into 2011.

On a Thursday late in October, BobSickley and eight Mid-Atlantic ATC crew

members arrived at the work site, and, withthe assistance of a number of local volun-teers, built 100 feet of boardwalk over along weekend.

On Friday the ATC crew was joined byeight “locals,” and like clockwork, thingsbegan to happen—piers were moved to thework site, wood for joists and girders wasdelivered, professional trail builder PeterJensen (familiar to volunteers on the BearMountain Trails Project) arrived with thepier driver and stayed the rest of the day totrain people in its use, and lastly the oakdecking was delivered. In a synchronizeddance, material was efficiently moved,allowing time before day’s end for threepairs of piers to be set. It was found that thepiers had to be driven 20 feet below gradeto obtain a stable footing.

Saturday brought a steady rain resulting ina work washout. A concerted effort by all onSunday and Monday resulted in meeting ourgoal for 2009: 100 feet of new boardwalk.

Next spring we will start the much moresustained and ambitious work of buildingthe rest, 1200–1500 feet of new board-walk. The construction is anticipated toextend over a number of months and asteady pool of volunteers will be needed.Further information will be forthcomingon theTrail Conference’s website. Plan nowto be part of this exciting project.

BOARDWALKcontinued from page 1

Interim solution: stepping blocks

100 feet of new boardwalk extends across the Great Swamp in Pawling. Another 1200-1500feet is scheduled to be built in 2010.

The problem: water takes over the AT.

Frank Dogil joined the crew of local volunteers

JIMHA

GGETT

I enjoy working on the Appalachian Trail,especially “my” section in Dutchess Coun-ty, NY. I’d like to share with you some workrecently completed that was spread overseveral weeks in September. On each ofthese days, I was joined by a volunteer whowas available for one day of work. Eachwork day ended with my partner and Isharing the feeling of a job well done sincewe accomplished the goals for that day.

Two wet, mucky areas on the Trail need-ed puncheon. My son, Robert Watson, wascoming to visit and was willing to helpwith the work. That prompted me toquickly purchase the wood for both areasand to cut eight-foot long, 6"x6" pieces ofpressure-treated lumber into two-footlengths for supports.

Project #1On my first day in the field, I used a large,two-wheeled carrier to cart 32 puncheon sup-ports to the first project site, a half-mile southof the trailhead on Penny Road. Seven femaleday hikers helped carry some of them.

On his day of work, my son Roberthelped bring in 16 of the 2"x8"x8' rough-sawn white oak planks that would be

placed on the supports. Transporting 16planks required eight 1-mile round trips.

David Kinosky, an AT maintainer andfrequent volunteer, helped bring in the oth-er 16 on another day.

Sue Mackson, Mid-Hudson ADK out-ings chair, called me one Friday night toask, “What are you doing tomorrow?” Itold her that I planned to start building the

puncheon. She asked, “May I join you?” Iwas delighted. Together we built 75 feet ofwalkway. Her specialty was drilling the pilotholes and nailing the planks to the supports;mine was positioning the next supports.

I asked Frank Dogil, AT Corridor Man-ager and frequent volunteer, if he had sometime available to help complete the project.On the agreed upon date, he and I com-pleted the additional 55 feet of newpuncheon and dismantled the old one.

Project #2A wet stretch of the Trail between Old Rt.55 and Whaley Lake Stream bridge needed

January/February 2010

Volunteer Classifieds: Get Involved!

TRAIL WORK FROM THECOMFORT OF HOME

Web Support OpportunitiesWe are building our team of volunteers tosupport and enhance our website’s capa-bilities. If you would like to volunteer fora few hours each month or more, signup now! Much of the work can be accom-plished from your home computer and onyour own schedule.

Openings exist in the following areas:assistant webmaster, web developer, con-tent manager, analytics maven, CRMdatabase lead, web writer. See our volun-teer openings postings on our website foradditional details.

BECOME ATRAIL VOLUNTEER!

Trail Maintainer OpportunitiesAdopt one or more sections of a trail to keepclear and adequately blazed two or moretimes a year, and help to keep our region’sfootpaths accessible, pristine, and protected.We have vacancies in the following areas:

NEW YORKNorth Catskills region: Only 4 trail sec-tions remain, ranging in length from 0.60mile to 2.85 milesSouth Catskills region: 8 trail sections areavailable, from less than 1 mile to almost10 milesEast Hudson: A variety of trail sections isnow available for adoption in the SouthTaconics and Westchester.Long Path or Shawangunk Ridge Trail:Maintain a section of a long-distance trail inHarriman State Park or in the Shawangunks!Harriman-Bear Mountain State Park:5 trail sections are available, ranging fromeasy to moderately difficult.Black Rock Forest: In the breathtakingHudsonHighlands, adoptoneormoreof theseven sections currently available. These areshort sections, the longest being 1.5 miles.

NEW JERSEYHigh Point State Park, Highlands Trail,Ringwood State Park areas: Beautifulparts of New Jersey with beautiful trails.We have a variety of sections so you’ll besure to find one to suit.

Corridor MonitorsCorridor Monitors walk the boundariesof the Appalachian Trail lands, reportingincursions and misuse, documentingmonuments and markers, and interactingwith neighboring landowners.

If you enjoy the off-trail experience,then this could be the opportunity foryou! At the time of going to press, we stillhave some vacancies for Corridor Moni-tors in the Northern NJ/NY border andPutnam County, NY areas. This is agreat way to get off the beaten track andwalk off those holiday pounds, while youhelp protect our trail lands!

Join a Trail Crew!Crews perform a wide variety of tasks rang-ing from painting blazes, heavy-dutymaintenance to trail building and restora-tion. Our Trail Crews welcome both newand experienced volunteers. Learn on thejob. Participation on a crew is flexible; mostcrews spend from 3 to 8 hours—weekdaysor weekends—working at a specific site.We have crews working on trails in WestHudson, East Hudson, Northern NewJersey, and Western New Jersey.

Trail Crew Leader WantedExercise your leadership skills! Work withregional Trail Chairs and Trail Supervisorsto lead Trail Crew trips throughout theEast Hudson area. Determine the workschedule, help identify and plan projects,build your team of volunteers, and men-tor new leaders.

Follow through with that New Year’s resolution to get involved, and at thesame time have fun doing something you enjoy for the trails that you love!

NY-NJTrailConference

BENEFITS

25%Discount on Trail Conference publications andclothingwhen purchased directly from the Trail Conference.

FREE Subscription to the Trail Walker, the TrailConference’s bi-monthly newsletter filled with timely articlesand columns that will enhance your hiking experiences.

Money-Saving Discounts at participating retailersand businesses.

Workshops and Seminars on trail maintenanceand construction, leadership training, wilderness first aid,chainsaw operation, environmental monitoring andGPS operation.

Volunteer Opportunities to “learn by doing” inareas as varied as trail maintenance, construction,publications, environmental monitoring, and cartography.

Access to the Hoeferlin Library at the TrailConference office that includes more than 1,000 bookson hiking round the world, along with maps, guides anda historical archive.

VISIT WWW.NYNJTC.ORG/CONTENT/RETAIL-PARTNERSFOR COMPLETE LIST OF MONEY-SAVING DISCOUNTS!

The Trail Conference is proud to offer a MembershipBenefit Program, which was created to provide ourmembers with money-saving discounts at area retailersand service providers — benefits only available toTrail Conference members.

As part of your Trail Conference membership, you areissued a card identifying you as a Trail Conferencemember, making you eligible for all program discounts.To receive your member discounts, you must presentyour valid membership card at the time of purchase.Some stores offer the discount only on select items,so be sure to ask.

We encourage our members to take advantage of thisincredible opportunity that comes with a Trail Conferencemembership. New discounts and offers are continuallybeing added so be sure to visit our website’s membershipbenefits area at www.nynjtc.org/content/retail-partnersfor current offers.

Trail Conference members can takeadvantage of exclusive discountsand benefits with participatingretailers and businesses!

You can recoup the cost of yourmembership in one visit!

Page 6

Some of Our Discount Partners

NY-NJTrailConference

BENEFITS


* T R A I L R E F L E C T I O N S *Attention All Trail Stewards: Maintainers, Crew Members, Monitors, etc:Have you enjoyed a good day on the trail while doing maintenance?Share your experience with words or a photo. Send your contributionsto Trail Walker editor Georgette Weir at [email protected].

The Differencea Day MakesBy Ollie Simpson

Transporting 16 planks

required eight

1-mile round trips.

These are just some of the great volunteer opportunities the Trail Conference has to offer.To apply, or for more details about these and other volunteer opportunities, go to theVolunteer section of our website at: www.nynjtc.org/volunteer or contact us [email protected] or 201-512-9348 ext. 22


Hiking along on a woodland trail in themid autumn, one might catch the glimpseof movement in the leaves. What was that?Ahhh, a frog. A quick grab and you’ve gotit. A rich chocolate eye stripe reveals it is awood frog, Rana sylvatica. Overcoming astrong urge to give it a quick kiss, you gen-tly release it back into the leaves.

Later on you might hear the piping callof a spring peeper, Pseudacris crepitans. Thisdiminutive tree frog, along with the morereadily observed wood frog, spends most ofits life in the upland forest. As cold weath-er approaches, these frogs don’t burrowdeep below the frost line, but take cover inthe leaf litter on the forest floor and waitfor the winter snows to cover them. Peep-ers have even been found overwinteringunder the loose tree bark.

Come a few warm days in early March,the peepers emerge and work their waydown to congregate at a suitable woodlandpool, “peeping” periodically to rally andgather the troops. More often than not, abreeding chorus of wood frogs (Rana syl-vatica) may already be underway. With icestill rimming the pools and snowdrifts inthe woods, it begs the question: Why dothese frogs breed so early? If they spend thewinter on land, how do they survive thefreezing temperatures?

While wood frogs and spring peepersspend most of their lives foraging in uplandforests, as with most amphibians they lay

their eggs in water. Wood frogs and peepers,however, generally breed in small, shallowdepressions; filled by winter rains and snows,these vernal pools often dry by early sum-mer. A key advantage of these temporaryponds is that they don’t support fish andthereby the tadpoles avoid heavy predation.

In addition, by exploiting these ephemeralbreeding pools larger areas of the landscapeare opened up as potential habitat. Tadpoles,however, have only a short window in timeto grow and mature. Consequently, toincrease their chances for successful repro-duction, peepers and wood frogs haveevolved to respond quickly to warmingspring temperatures. You snooze, you lose.

While green, bull, and other primarilyaquatic frogs burrow down into the mud atthe bottom of the pond to avoid freezingtemperatures, peepers and wood frogs con-front winter head on. Along with severalother primarily terrestrial species such asthe grey tree and chorus frogs, peepers andwood frogs are known to be “freeze toler-ant.” In other words, they regularly freezesolid and survive. But how?

The formation of ice crystals within a cellis generally lethal; as water in the cell freezes,jagged ice crystals form and expand, ruptur-ing the cell membrane. When the tissues arethawed, the cell contents leak out, killingthe cell. The key to freeze tolerance is con-trolled freezing. To preserve the integrity ofthe cell, freezing is promoted in the spacesoutside the cell, rather than within. As tem-peratures plummet, the skin of theseterrestrial frogs freezes first. The frog’s liverresponds by converting stored glucogeninto glucose or glycerol, which is pumpedinto the bloodstream and transported to thefrog’s tissues. Inside the cells, the glucoseacts as a cryoprotectant, much like theantifreeze one puts into a car engine, reduc-

ing the likelihood that the interior of thecells will freeze.

Recent research has shown that as woodfrogs start to enter their winter dormancy,organs and tissues go through a periodof dehydration, helping to reduce theamount of water within their cells. Urea, anormal body waste-product and anotherpotent cryoprotectant or antifreeze com-pound, also builds up in muscles andmajor organs, further protecting the frogagainst freezing injury.

Meanwhile, outside the cells, ice formsin the bloodstream and major body cavi-ties. The heart and breathing stop, and thefrog enters a state of suspended animation.Up to 65-70% of the frog’s body water maybe converted to ice, and they can survivedays, if not weeks, of freezing. As tempera-tures warm above freezing, the frogsrespond quickly. Within the space of sever-al hours, they thaw and resume normalactivity. If a late spring freeze hits, the frogs

can easily slip back into their frozen restingstate without damage.

This incredible phenomenon of freeze-tolerant frogs has spurred scientists to lookfor insights into applications for humanmedicine. One potentially promising areais the search for better preservation meth-ods to prolong the viability of organsdonated for medical transplantation.

So the next time you are on a cold winterhike and the dangers of frostbite loom, thinkabout those wood frogs and peepers frozensafe and sound somewhere under your feet.You might just want to turn into a frog.

Rick Lathrop is professor of ecology atRutgers University, Department of Ecology,Evolution, and Natural Resources.

Frozen FrogsUnderfootBy Rick Lathrop

Science & Ecology

WILLIAM HOEFERLIN AWARDHonors exemplary service to trail mainte-nance/management/protection.

Two Hoeferlin Awards were presentedthis year.

John Mack of Ramsey, NJ

John is a retired engineer with a deepinterest in archaeology, including Mayanarchaeology and the remains of ironmines in our region. His stellar publicservice includes laying out the Hasen-clever Iron Trail in Ringwood and LongPond Ironworks State Parks, designing thePopolopen Gorge bridge on a popularhiking trail in Bear Mountain State Park,building the Wildcat Mountain Trail inSterling Forest, and managing the pro-duction of trail maps for Sterling ForestState Park and Bear Mountain-HarrimanState Parks in New York. John currentlyvolunteers as West Hudson South TrailsChair for the Trail Conference, a positionfrom which he oversees volunteer trailmaintainers and trail needs in SterlingForest, Harriman-Bear Mountain, andStorm King State Parks, as well as BlackRock Forest in New York.

Jim Haggett of Poughkeepsie, NYFor more than 25 years, Jim has helped

keep the Dutchess-Putnam, NY, sectionof the Appalachian Trail open for localhikers and the more than 2,000 thru-hik-ers who each year pass through our regionas they walk the AT between SpringerMountain in Georgia and MountKatahdin in Maine. Jim began volunteer-ing on the AT in 1983. Jim has taken onthe roles of work crew trip leader, shelterbuilder, and chain-sawyer, helping to keepthe trail clear of fallen trees and branches.He currently serves as AT Trail Chair forDutchess and Putnam counties, organiz-ing other AT volunteers and monitoringthe trail in our region.

MAJOR WILLIAM A. WELCHTRAIL PARTNER AWARDGiven to a Trail Conference partner inrecognition of long and significant assis-tance in trail building, trail maintenance,or trail protection.

Mary Pat Pfeil, Park Ranger,Worthington State Forest, NJMary Pat Pfeil, for two decades a parkranger at Worthington State Forest, washonored by the Trail Conference for herstewardship of a trail education and pro-tection program known as Ridgerunners.Pfeil has been point person—not to men-tion the heart and soul—of the New

Jersey AppalachianTrail Ridgerunner pro-gram, for years.

The Ridgerunner program is a projectof the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. InNew Jersey, the program is jointly man-aged by the Trail Conference and theDept. of Environmental Protection.Ridgerunners promote a quality recre-ational trail experience by talking tovisitors about the Appalachian Trail andits intended primitive experience, its loca-tion, regulations, and traditions, as well asways they can minimize their impact onthe Trail. Ridgerunners also provide avaluable service to maintaining club vol-unteers and land managing agencypersonnel by reporting back to themabout the conditions they encounterwhile on the Trail.

Pfeil was the first Ridgerunner in NewJersey when she hit the trail in 1992. Shereturned for a second year in 1993. In1997, Pfeil was hired as a park ranger, andin 1998, she graduated from the NJ StatePolice Academy, Basic Police Class. Shehas served as the point person for theRidgerunner program in New Jersey, han-dling the interview process, institutingregular meetings between the runners andpark staff in the region, and organizingoutreach events for local user groups.

Larry Wheelock, special projects man-ager at the Trail Conference, has workedwith Pfeil on the Ridgerunner and otherprograms since 1998. “Mary-Pat isextraordinarily dedicated to parks, trails,volunteers, and users. She works hard tobring people together and to create pro-ductive and satisfying relationships. Theresult is better trails throughout Wor-

thington State Forest and better experi-ences for trail users. The Trail Conferencethanks her for her commitment.”

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIPRecognizes long years of service to theTrail Conference.

Walt Daniels of Mohegan Lake, NYWalt Daniels became only the 15th Hon-

orary Life Member in Trail Conferencehistory when he was awarded that honorin a vote by delegates at the 2009 AnnualMeeting. The honor recognizes Walt’s 30years of dedicated service to trails, both onand off trail, in our region. Walt, a retiredIBM computer programmer, has madetrail building, maintenance and supportvirtually a full-time volunteer interest.

Since 1979, Walt’s stints of volunteerservice have included turns as Overseer inDutchess and Putnam counties of theAppalachianTrail; project manager for thedevelopment and publication of trailmaps for Hudson Highlands and Fahne-stock State Parks, parks that include someof the most popular hiking trails in thecountry; co-author with his wife, Jane, ofWalkable Westchester, a trails guide to thecounty published by the Trail Conferencein 2009; and, since 1996, volunteer web-master of the Trail Conference website.That last included implementation of awhole new interactive website for theTrailConference, launched in March of 2009.

In 2007, Walt and Jane completed theirlast section of hiking the 2000+ mileAppalachian Trail.

AWARDS ’09At its 2009 Annual Meeting, the New York-New Jersey TrailConference recognized and celebrated volunteers and partnersfor outstanding contributions to trail building, trail maintenance,and trail protection.

GEOR

GETTEWEIR

John Mack

LARR

YWHEELOC

K

Jim Haggett (center) withEd Goodell and Ron Rosen

GEOR

GETTEWEIR

Larry Wheelock and Mary Pat Pfeil

GEOR

GETTEWEIR

Ann Gruhn and new Honorary Life MemberWalt Daniels

Rana sylvatica, bigger than life



JanuaryFriday, January 1

SW. Happy New Year’s Day Hike in Northern Manhattan.Leader: Cy Adler and friends, 212-663-2167. Meet: noon at 178thSt. and Broadway at bus terminal information booth. Explore thenorth end of Manhattan, including Inwood Hill and HighbridgeParks. See hills, historic sites, Harlem River shoreline, and twogreat wild parks.

Saturday, January 2

AMC. West Mtn., Bear Mountain State Park, NY. Leader: HallieWolfe, 914-941-5331 or [email protected]; must preregis-ter with leader. Meet: contact leader. Newbie friendly, but not forthe faint of heart or short of breath – difficult but rewarding hikeat a laid-back pace. Lots of support for first-time scramblers.

Sunday, January 3

IHC. Muckshaw Ponds Preserve and Whittingham, Newton,NJ. Leaders: Ursula and Pat Davis, 973-786-7087. Meet: 9am atWhittinghamWildlifeMgt. Area, Fredon-SpringdaleRd. inNewton.Moderate 6-8 miles in this beautiful nature preserve in SussexCounty. Soup and dessert at the Treehouse after the hike is astrong possibility.

WTA. Rockefeller State Park Preserve, NY. Leader: CatharineRaffaele, 914-948-4061, [email protected]. Meet: Call leaderfor details and to register. Easy 5miles. This preserve is a favoritein all seasons. We’ll have lunch at Stone Barns; purchase fromconcession stand or bring your own. $2 fee if carpool fromNorthWhite Plains train station.

UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: MaeDeas, 908-233-6641. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Center park-ing, Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Moderate 4-5 miles.Mixture of level and some hills on possibly icy terrain. Steadyrain/heavy snow cancels; we X-C ski or snowshoe if deep snowon ground.

WEC/WWW. Sterling Forest Lake, Furnace, and Tower, NY.Leader: DonWeise, [email protected]: contact leader.Strenuous, fast-paced 7-9 miles. Explore a new trail with impres-sive mine ruins, climb the ridge for beautiful fire tower views.

Tuesday, January 5

UCHC. Jockey Hollow National Park, Morristown, NJ. Leader:Eck Khoon Goh, 908-790-0939. Meet: 10am at Visitor Centerparking, Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Moderate 6 miles;rolling terrain. Steady rain/falling snow or icy conditions cancel.

Wednesday, January 6

UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: EllieKing, 908-233-8411. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Center park-ing, Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Moderate 4-5 miles.Mixture of level and some hills on possibly icy terrain. Steady raincancels; we snowshoe if deep snow on ground.

Thursday, January 7

AFW. Governor Mtn., Ringwood State Park, NJ. Call 973-644-3592 for info and registration or visit the websitewww.adventuresforwomen.org. Moderate hike, moderate pace.Meet at 10am. Out by 2pm.

UCHC. Island Pond, Arden, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader:Ray Adam, 201-641-2379. Meet: 10am at Elk Pen parking. Moder-ately strenuous 7 miles; for experienced hikers.

Saturday, January 9

AMC.DiamondMtn. andPineMeadow,HarrimanStatePark,NY.Leader: Stuart Kurtz, 732-469-5344 or [email protected]: contact leader. A warm-up for winter with one moderateclimbanddiscussionofwinter gear and safety.Must haveappropri-ateclothingand footgear formoderatesnowor ice (whetherornotthere is snow on the ground where you are). All-weather hike, butbad road conditions cancel.

WTA. FahnestockStatePark, NY.Leader:CarolHarting,845-669-6731. Meet: call leader. Moderate 7 miles. Cabot Trail overlookingJordan Pond, beautiful woods and open fields. Bad weather maymodify. $6 fee if carpool fromNorthWhite Plains train station.

UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: EckKhoon Goh, 908-790-0939. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Cen-ter parking, Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Brisk 4-5 miles,with some rocky trails. Rain, snow or icy conditions cancel.

Sunday, January 10

WTA. Hudson Highlands Gateway Park, NY. Leaders: Jane andWaltDaniels, 914-245-1250, [email protected]: call lead-ers. Easy tomoderate5miles. JoinWalkableWestchester authorsin this area rich in Revolutionary War history and biodiversity,learning about the area as we hike. $4 fee if carpool from NorthWhite Plains train station.

IHC. Pennsylvania Towpath, PA. Leaders: Guy and Jen Percival,973-590-7437. Meet: 9am at Wy-Hit-Tuk County Park, Rt. 611, Eas-ton, PA. Moderately strenuous 8miles. Enjoy open views over theDelaware River as we hike north from Durham Furnace; shuttlerequired. Rain cancels.

AMC. Wishing for a Winter Wonderland in Tuxedo, NY.Leader: Christine Benton, 718-768-7937; call before 9pm [email protected]. Meet: contact leader. Moderate pace;route determined by conditions. Participants who do not havetraction aids such as Stabilicers will be turned away. If deep snow,we’ll snowshoe. Not an early-out hike; bring light just in case.Terrible weather forecast cancels (call for message on machine).

Monday, January 11

UCHC. Deer Paddock, SouthMountain Reservation, NJ.Leader:Cherryll Short, 973-299-0212. Meet: 10am; call for directions. Easy,fairly level hike to Washington Rock. Rain, snow, ice cancels.

Tuesday, January 12

UCHC. Turkey Mountain, Montville, NJ. Leader: Terry Kulmane,908-665-2672, [email protected]. Meet: 10am at Pyra-mid Mtn. parking, Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Moderate 6miles, with short stop at scenic falls. Bring crampons. Steadyrain/falling snow cancels.


UCHC. Loantaka Brook Reservation, Morristown, NJ. Leader:Mae Deas, 908-233-6641. Meet: 10am at Kitchell Rd. parking nearduck pond. Level walk through woods on paved and unpavedtrails; bring crampons. About 5 moderate miles. Falling snow orrain cancels.

Thursday, January 14

UCHC. Sterling Ridge, Hewitt, NJ. Leader: Eric Singer, 973-744-7147. Meet: 10am at Sterling Ridge parking opposite East ShoreDr. Moderately strenuous 7+ miles; for experienced hikers. Onlybad road conditions on Rt. 511 cancels.

Saturday, January 16

AFW. Harriman State Park, NY. Call 973-644-3592 for info andregistration or visit the website www.adventuresforwomen.org.Moderate to strenuous hike, moderate pace. Meet at 10am.Out by 3pm.

WTA. Irvington Woods/Macy Park, NY. Leader: Ellie Carren,[email protected]: contact leader. Easy tomoderate4-5miles. Lovelywoods to explore, including “hermits grave” andMacy monument. $1 fee if carpool from North White Plainstrain station.

UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader:Naomi Shapiro, 973-564-8780; call before 9pm. Meet: 10am atTrailsideNatureCenter parking, ColesAve. atNewProvidenceRd.Moderate 4-5 miles. Rain cancels.

Sunday, January 17

AFW. Doodletown Mine, Harriman State Park, NY. Call 973-644-3592 for info and registration or visit the websitewww.adventuresforwomen.org. Moderate hike, moderate pace.Meet at 9:30am. Out by 2:30pm.

IHC. Round Valley State Park, NJ.Leader: Chris Davis, 609-924-2563. Meet: 9am at Round Valley State Park, 1220 LebanonStanton Rd., Lebanon, NJ. Moderately strenuous hike on ruggedCushetunk Trail nearly around the reservoir; a good workout towarm you up. Rain cancels.

AMC. Dog Friendly West Mountain, Harriman State Park, NY.Leader: DovDixler, [email protected]: contact leader.Strenuous climbing up West Mtn. and the Timp; for strong hikersand dogs (we follow park leash laws). Bring traction aids (Stabil-icers, etc.).

WTA. Reeves Brook, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: RudyGarfinkel, 914-337-6612. Meet: call leader. Moderate 6 miles.Precipitation cancels. $6 fee if carpool from North White Plainstrain station.

Monday, January 18

UCHC. Tulip Springs, SouthMountain Reservation, NJ.Leader:Dave Hogenauer, 973-762-1475. Meet: 10am at Tulip Springs park-ing; call for directions. Easy hike on Lenape Trail to see HemlockFalls in winter (hopefully all beautiful ice). Rain, snow, ice cancels.

Tuesday, January 19

UCHC. A Different Reeves Brook Hike, Harriman State Park,NY. Leader: Dave Sutter, [email protected]. Meet: 10am at ReevesMeadow parking. Moderate 6 miles, with some hills and rocky,possibly icy, trails. Bring crampons. Stony Brook Trail, newBypassTrail, and lots more. For experienced hikers.


UCHC. Pyramid Mountain, Montville, NJ. Leader: Pete Beck,201-274-4471. Meet: 10am at Pyramid Mtn. visitors center (hikebegins at 10:00). Kincaid Trail up to a ridge that was mined in the1880s. Out by about noon.


UCHC. RingwoodManor, Ringwood State Park, NJ.Leader: EricSinger, 973-744-7147. Meet: 10am at upper parking lot. Moderate-ly strenuous7+miles; for experiencedhikers. Part of theRedTrail,Green Trail, then return on the White Trail. Only bad road condi-tions cancel.


AMC. Mt. Taurus, Hudson Highlands State Park, NY. Leader:Howard Israel, 718-639-0123. Meet: contact leader. Brilliant viewsof the Hudson Highlands. Off-trail, rock scrambles, AND importedcookies. Sturdy boots a must. Bad weather may cancel.

UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: EllenJeydel, 908-868-7510. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Centerparking, Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Moderate 5-6 miles.Rain, falling snow, icy conditions cancel.

WTA. Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: Carol Ann Benton,[email protected]. Meet: 9:30am at Johnsontown Rd.parking; shuttle required. Moderate 6 miles. We’ll hike from Rt.106 back to Johnsontown Rd., passing Lake Skenonto. Badweather cancels. $6 fee if carpool from North White Plainstrain station.

Sunday, January 24

UCHC. Turtleback Rock, South Mountain Reservation, WestOrange, NJ. Leader: Louise White, 973-746-4319. Meet: 10am atTurtleback Rock parking near zoo; call for directions. Moderate4-5 miles.

IHC. Kittatinny Valley State Park Hike (or Ski), NJ. Leader:Charlie Kientzler, 973-835-1060. Meet: 9am at Kittatinny ValleyState Park, Goodale Rd., Newton, NJ. Moderately strenuous.X-country ski along Sussex Branch Trail if snow conditions good,or hike in the park. Call if in doubt about weather conditions.

WTA. Cranberry Lake Preserve, NY. Leader: Peter Hibbard, 914-285-9291. Meet: Call leader. Easy to moderate 4-5 miles. Hike onvarious trails in this tranquil local preserve. $1 fee if carpool fromNorth White Plains train station.

Monday, January 25

UCHC. Loantaka Brook Reservation, Morris Twp., NJ. Leader:Len Shnitzer, 732-499-9176. Meet: 10am at Kitchell Rd. parkingnear pond. Easy stroll where you can talk andnotwatch your feet.Rain, snow, ice cancels.

Tuesday, January 26

AFW. The Tourne, Tourne County Park, NJ. Call 973-644-3592for info and registration or visit the websitewww.adventuresforwomen.org. Moderate hike, moderate pace.Meet at 10am. Out by 2pm.

UCHC. Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, NJ. Leader: Eric Singer,973-744-7147. Meet: 10am at parking by Saffin Lake off WeldonRd. Moderate 5-7 miles; for experienced hikers. Bring crampons.Only bad road conditions cancel.


UCHC. Allamuchy State Park, NJ. Leader: Dave Hogenauer,973-762-1475. Meet: 10am at rest stop on I-80 just east of Hack-ettstown exit. Slow tomoderate pace; about 5miles. Hike to lake,and if conditions permit, around it.


UCHC. Silvermine, Harriman State Park, NJ. Leader: HankPerrine, 212-666-0694.Meet: 10amat Silvermine parking.Moder-ately strenuous 5-7 miles; for experienced hikers. Bring winterequipment suitable to conditions.


AMC. Ramapo Valley County Reservation, NJ. Leader: EllenBlumenkrantz, [email protected]; must preregister.Meet: contact leader.Moderate pace.We’ll hike toRingwoodStatePark, passing 3 lakes and 2 great viewpoints. Optional pizza/beerstop after hike. Limited to 12 people. Rain cancels.

WTA. Croton Aqueduct-Rockwood Hall, NY. Leader: Ellie Carren,[email protected]. Meet: contact leader for details. Easy4-5miles. Aqueduct to Rockwood Hall State Park, ending at cafe-teria for lunch (bring your own or buy). Walk is along prettystream, andhas lovely viewsof theHudson. $2 fee if carpool fromNorth White Plains train station.

Sunday, January 31

WTA. Ward Pound Ridge, NY. Leader: Mike Kaplan,[email protected]. Meet: contact leader. Easy to moder-ate 6-7 miles. Explore south end of park, Overlook andLeatherman’s Cave area, and trailside nature museum. Badweather cancels. $4 fee if carpool from North White Plainstrain station.

IHC. Ramapo Mountain State Park, Oakland, NJ. Leader: SteveRikon, 973-962-4149. Meet: 9am at Ramapo Mtn. State Forest,upper lot on Skyline Dr. Moderately strenuous. Hoeferlin Memori-al, Cannonball, and other trails to Ramapo Lake. Stabilicers maybe required; heavy snow cancels. Shuttle required.

Stony Brook in Harriman State Park

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Find more hikes at www.nynjtc.org. Click on Scheduled Hikes under Go Hiking!

The activities listed are sponsored by member clubs of the NY-NJ Trail Conference. All hikers are welcome subject to club regula-tions and rules of the trail. You are responsible for your own safety. Wear hiking boots or strong, low-heeled shoes. Bring food, water,rain gear, first aid kit, and a flashlight in a backpack. Leaders have the right and responsibility to refuse anyone whom they believecannot complete the hike or is not adequately equipped. Easy, moderate, or strenuous hikes are relative terms; call leader if in doubt.

More than 100 clubs belong to the Trail Conference, andmany of our affiliate groups sponsor hikes not listed in the Hikers’ Almanac.For a descriptive list of Conference clubs, consult our website or send a SASE with your request to NY-NJ Trail Conference.

Club CodesOnly those clubs with hikes offered in this issue are listed below. Please call numbers listed to confirm.

UCHC Union County Hiking ClubWTA Westchester Trails AssociationWEC/WWW NJ Audubon’s Weis Ecology

Center WWWHiking Club

AFW Adventures for WomenAMC AMC New York-North Jersey ChapterIHC Interstate Hiking ClubNYR New York RamblersSW Shorewalkers

Clubs wishing to have hikes listed in Hikers’ Almanac should send their schedules to [email protected] or to the Trail Conference Office.The deadline for the March/April issue is January 15.

A Sampling of Upcoming HikesSponsored by Member ClubsA Sampling of Upcoming HikesSponsored by Member Clubs

HIKERS’ ALMANACHIKERS’ ALMANAC


UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: PatCurley, 908-868-7510. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Centerparking, Coles Ave. at NewProvidence Rd. Brisk 4-5miles. Steadyrain cancels.

NYR. Great South Bay and Connetquot River, Long Island, NY.Leader: Quyen (Quinn) Pham, 631-234-5486,[email protected]: contact leader.We’ll hike toHeckscherState Park thenwalk alongGreat SouthBaywith spectacular viewsof Fire Island. Then north on various trails, walking entire length ofConnetquot Preserve and Lake Land Park; special permit allows usto walk along the Connetquot River. Ponds, river, fish hatchery.

FebruaryMonday, February 1

UCHC. Mills Reservation, Cedar Grove, NJ. Leader: JoeMcLaughlin, 973-263-2799. Meet: 10am; call for directions. Easyhike along Lenape Trail, then back on Blue Trail.

Wednesday, February 3

UCHC. Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, NJ. Leaders:Don and Jeane McLellan, 908-464-6246. Meet: 10am at trailsparking at Great Swamp. Slow tomoderate pace; 4 miles on levelterrain in the Wilderness Area. Trail may have more logs to stepover than usual, and could be muddy. Heavy rain cancels.

Thursday, February 4

AFW. Sterling Forest State Park, NY. Call 973-644-3592for info and registration or visit the websitewww.adventuresforwomen.org. Moderate hike, moderate pace.Meet at 10am. Out by 2pm.

UCHC. Sapphire Trail and South, Sterling Forest State Park,NY. Leader: K W Hanson, 732-530-5213; no calls after Wed. noon.Meet: 10amat Sterling ForestWildcatMtn. parking;we’ll shuttle tonorth trailhead. Moderately strenuous 8 miles; for experiencedhikers. Bring winter equipment suitable to conditions, includingcrampons and snowshoes if needed.We’ll hike past IndianHill andWildcat Mountain.

Saturday, February 6

AFW. Ramapo Valley County Reservation, NJ. Call 973-644-3592 for info and registration or visit the websitewww.adventuresforwomen.org. Moderate to strenuous hike,moderate pace. Meet at 10am. Out by 3pm.

AMC. Bear Mountain State Park Family Potpourri, NY. Leader:Andrew Joyce, 973-324-2657, [email protected]. Meet: contactleader. We’ll walk around Hessian Lake, go on some trails, option-al skate or sledding after lunch. Maximum 2-3 hours outdoors.

WTA. Appalachian Trail to Anthony’s Nose, NY. Leader: CarolHarting, 845-669-6731. Meet: Contact leader.Moderate 4-5miles.This is an “out and back” hike along the ridge, featuring lunch andviews from Anthony’s Nose. $5 fee if carpool from North WhitePlains train station.

UCHC. South Mtn. Reservation, Millburn, NJ. Leader: NaomiShapiro, 973-564-8780; call before 9pm. Meet: 10am at LocustGrove parking, corner Glen Ave. and Lackawanna Pl. across fromMillburn RR station. 4-5 miles at a steady pace, with uneven ter-rain. Rain cancels.

Sunday, February 7

IHC. Chester toKayEnvironmental Center, NJ.Leaders:GuyandJen Percival, 973-590-7437. Meet: 9am at Chester Rails Trailsaccess parking, Rts. 513 & 24, in Chester. Moderately strenuous 8miles. Hike along little-used section of Black River, past CooperMill,ending on new section of the Patriots’ Path. Shuttle required.

AMC. Southern Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: Joe Bonner,[email protected]. Meet: contact leader. Moderate hikealong trails and woods roads from Sebago Boat Launch; possiblestopatBreakneckPond. Limited to 12people. Rain or snowcancels.

UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: EllenJeydel, 908-232-2413.Meet: 10amatTrailsideNatureCenter park-ing, Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Moderately paced 5-6miles. Rain, falling snow or icy conditions cancel.

WTA. Muscoot Farm, Somers, NY. Leader: Peter Hibbard, 914-285-9211. Meet: Contact leader. Easy 4-5 miles. $3 fee if carpoolfrom North White Plains train station.


UCHC. Turtleback Rock, South Mountain Reservation, WestOrange, NJ. Leader: Louise White, 973-746-4319. Meet: 10am atTurtleback Rock parking in West Orange. Moderate 4-5 miles.


UCHC. Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: Ron Kuhns, 201-836-5256. Meet: 10am at Reeves Meadow parking on Seven Lakes Dr.Moderately strenuous 7 miles; for experienced hikers.


AMC. Doodletown and the Timp, Harriman State Park, NY.Leader: Hallie Wolfe, 914-941-5331, [email protected]: contact leader. Meandering hike with lovely views; newbiefriendly. Potential for longer, more strenuous hiking.

WTA. Island Pond, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader: Carol AnnBenton, [email protected]. Meet: contact leader. Mod-erate 5-6 miles. Leisurely hike around the pond; may also enjoythe view from Stahahe High Peak if conditions allow. Short shut-tle required. Bad weather cancels. $6 fee if carpool from NorthWhite Plains train station.

UCHC. Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ. Leader: EllenJeydel, 908-232-2413.Meet: 10amatTrailsideNatureCenter park-ing, Coles Ave. at New Providence Rd. Brisk 4-5 miles with somerocky trails, often muddy. Steady rain cancels.

Sunday, February 14

AMC. Valentine’s Day Special, Harriman State Park, NY.Leader: Stanley Lewin, [email protected]. Meet: con-tact leader. Let’s explore some of Harriman State Park’s popularwinter hiking places. Bring traction aids (Stabilicers, crampons,etc.). Bad weather may modify or cancel.

IHC. Watchung Lost Village Historical Hike, NJ. Leaders: JimSchenkler and Rich Palmati, 908-561-0228. Meet: 9am at Trail-side Museum, Coles Ave., Watchung Reservation, Mountainside,NJ. Moderate. See the Watchungs from a historical perspectivewhile getting out and about in winter.

WTA. Croton Point Park, NY. Leader: Catharine Raffaele,914-948-4061, [email protected]. Meet: contact leader. Easy4-5 miles. We sometimes spot owls in this county park on theHudson. Walk is two hours, followed by optional lunch at CrotonDiner. $3 fee if carpool from North White Plains train station.

Monday, February 15

UCHC. Great Swamp Nature Center, Chatham, NJ. Leader: LenShnitzer, 732-499-9176. Meet: 10am; call for directions. Easy, levelwalk along the boardwalk. Rain, snow, ice cancels.

Tuesday, February 16

AFW. State Line Lookout, Alpine, NJ. Call 973-644-3592for info and registration or visit the websitewww.adventuresforwomen.org. Moderate hike, moderate pace.Meet at 10am. Out by 2pm.

UCHC. Allamuchy State Park, Hackettstown, NJ. Leader: DaveHogenauer, 973-762-1475. Meet: 10am at I-80 scenic overlook.About 5 moderate miles, around the lake.


UCHC. Farny Highlands, Rockaway Twp., NJ. Leader: Pete Beck,201-274-4471. Meet: 10am at Farny visitor center lot. A nice, easywalk through forest and wetlands, on Oreland rail bed (pavedwith cinders).


UCHC. Somerset County Environmental Center, NJ. Leader: AlMacLennan, [email protected], 973-451-1435; must regis-ter with leader the day before the hike. Meet: 10am; contactleader for location. Easy 5-6 miles through forest, along a river,and on a boardwalk through swamp. Ski/snowshoe if enoughsnow.Optional lunchafter hike at restaurant inBaskingRidge,NJ.


AMC. Skannatati Skedaddle, Harriman State Park, NY. Leader:Art Almeida, 914-271-8659, [email protected]. Meet:contact leader. Steep initial climb, then wandering around asmany interesting trails as we can find. Hiking boots and 2 quartswater required.


WTA. Piermont to Nyack, NY. Leader: Marvin Malater, 718-376-3608.Meet: contact leader.Moderate9miles. Hike at steadypaceon Tallman Mtn. loop, then north on old Erie RR bed. Level pathswith one steep ascent. Optional dinner in Nyack after the hike.$3 fee if carpool from North White Plains train station.

Sunday, February 21

AFW. Greenbrook Falls, Palisades, NJ. Call 973-644-3592for info and registration or visit the websitewww.adventuresforwomen.org. Moderate hike, moderate pace.Meet: 9:30am. Out by 2:30pm.

IHC. Pete’s Path & Wanaque Ridge Trails, NJ. Leader: PeteHeckler, 973-831-2307; no callsmorningof hike; email preregistra-tion requested at [email protected]. Meet: 9:30am at WarrenHagerstrom ballfield, Wanaque, NJ. Moderate 7 miles. Hike up towhere views of the Wanaque Reservoir are outstanding. Stabil-icers or snowshoes may be required. Bad weather cancels.

WEC/WWW. Dens, Lakes & Ledges, Harriman State Park, NY.Leader: DonWeise, [email protected]: contact leader.Fast-paced 8miles. “Lakes and Ledges” loop fromupcoming TrailConference book, Circuit Hikes in Harriman and Bear Mountain.Claudius Smith’s Den, Lake Sebago, Lake Skenonto, BlackAsh Mountain.

UCHC. Tulip Springs, South Mountain Reservation, SouthOrange, NJ. Leader: Louise White, 973-746-4319. Meet: 10am atTulip Springs lot; call for directions. Easy 4miles on amix of trails,depending on conditions.

Tuesday, February 23

UCHC. Hook Mountain, Nyack, NY. Leader: Ron Kuhns, 201-836-5256. Meet: 10am; call for location. Moderate 6 miles with a fairamount of climbing, but the views of the Hudson River make itall worthwhile.


UCHC.Watchung Reservation, Mountainside, NJ.Leader: JoanLepselter, 908-273-4188. Meet: 10am at Trailside Nature Centerparking, Coles Ave. at NewProvidence Rd. 4-5miles atmoderate-ly fast pace, as dictated by trail conditions. Steady rain, snow oricy trails cancel.


WTA. Black Rock Forest, NY. Leader: Eileen West,[email protected]. Moderate 6-8 miles. Forest roads andtrails. Heavy precipitation cancels, snow or ice on ground doesnot. $7 fee if carpool from North White Plains train station.


Sunday, February 28

IHC. Monksville Reservoir, NJ. Leaders: Guy and Jen Percival,973-590-7437. Meet: 9am at Sterling Ridge South End trailhead,Rt. 511, Hewitt, NJ. Strenuous 9 miles. South on Horsepond Mtn.Trail, around reservoir with two long vistas; stream crossingsand plenty of warm-ups while climbing. Bring Stabilicers or icecreepers. Rain cancels.

NYR. Seven Hills of Staten Island, NY. Leader: Adam Gerber,718-594-0104. Meet: 8:45am atWhitehall Ferry Terminal for 9amferry; leader meets group on Staten Island side. From St. GeorgeFerry Terminal, we’ll walk through residential areas to StatenIsland Greenbelt Blue Trail, then ascend Todt Hill to High RockPark. Up Moses Mtn., loop around Lighthouse Hill, then finish atNew Dorp, returning to ferry via SI Railway.

WTA. Teatown to Croton Dam, NY. Leader: George O’Lear, 914-631-8441. Meet: Contact leader. Easy to moderate 6 miles.Briarcliff Peekskill trailway from Teatown Reservation to CrotonDam. Return to Teatown for lunch and possibly more hiking. Badweather cancels. $3 fee if carpool from North White Plainstrain station.

UCHC. Jockey Hollow, Morristown, NJ. Leader: Dave Bennett,973-701-0246. Meet: 10am at visitors center; call for directions.Enjoy a scenic 4-5miles in this historic national park, with varioustrails depending on conditions.

Volunteers from the 3500 Club put the finishing touches onthe John Robb Lean-to on Hunter Mountain.

Friends of Pelham BayPark Get Tool ShedBecause of our member club status, wehave received substantial technical andorganizational assistance, volunteer refer-rals, and, most recently, thanks togrant-writing help from aTrail Conferencemember, a small grant was obtained fromDeutsche Bank that allowed us to pur-chase a tool shed and rocker patches.Here’s a picture of our new tool shed locat-ed behind the Bronx Equestrian Center. Itwas installed November 10. Hooray!

Trail Conference members are greatvolunteers, especially when they haveexperience with trail work in other areas.Sal Morra is a Trail Conference member,for example, who found us through theTrail Conference website, contacted me,worked on our trails, and immediatelyjoined Friends.

—LizBeth Gonzalez

Friends of GarretMountain ReservationAnnounce New MapFriends of Garret Mountain Reservationare proud to announce the availability ofa new trail map for the 793-acre reserva-tion, and that it is available in PDF formfor download from the Trail Conferencewebsite (path: Go Hiking–Find aPark–scroll to Garret Mountain Reserva-tion). Garret Mountain Reservation,despite its urban/suburban location insouthern Passaic County, is one of thebest locations in the state for observingthe migration of neotropical birds. Alsoprotected at the reservation are severalhistorical sites (some recently renovated),more than 7 miles of trails, and variousother recreational opportunities.

The Trail Conference maintainsapproximately 5 miles of hiking trails,which visit some of the more remoteregions of the park and offer panoramicviews of the surrounding area and theNew York skyline. Additional bridlepaths and unmarked trails allow for agreat variety of loop hikes.

Friends of Garret Mountain Reserva-tion works with Passaic County andother organizations and individuals topreserve and protect this important natu-ral and cultural resource. Additionalinformation can be found on our website.

—Craig Nunn

Catskill 3500 ClubBuilds New John RobbLean-toThree work trips (two in June, one inOctober) with Catskill 3500 Club volun-teers numbering 12, 21, and 17respectively, completed the big job ofbuilding the new John Robb lean-to onHunter Mountain in the Catskills. Inaddition to building the lean-to, the workincluded cutting and signing the newaccess trail to the lean-to as well as thetrail to the spring, obliterating the workaccess trail, building a fire pit, working onthe overflow campsites, painting, andmitigating the site of the old lean-to.

Club member Laurie Rankin partici-pated in all three work trips and reportsabout the final day of work: “The cama-raderie was great, there was whistling andlaughter under a beautiful blue sky. Manytook their much deserved lunch break atthe new vista which with the leaves offeven affords a good view of the tower.And while we began to worry that wewould have to break out headlamps forthe final bits of work, we heard from Pete[Senterman] the boss, “There, it’s done!Can you believe it?” Pete (former CatskillTrails Chair for the Trail Conference) hasworked behind the scenes for the last sev-eral years to accomplish this project, andwith the help of so many volunteers onthese work days and a few behind thescenes trips as well, we had reached theGrand Finale! We hated to leave the site,a truly beautiful place to spend the nightfor sure.”

Member Club NewsFind links to all Trail Conference member groups online under the Community tab at

www.nynjtc.org. Member groups: submit your news and photos for Trail Walker and the

website via email: [email protected].

New tool shed at Pelham Bay Park.

3500 Club members assemblethe new lean-to.

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NEXT GENERATION AWARDGiven to those under age 21 who are mak-ing significant contributions of time andenergy to trail building or protection

Mahwah Boy Scout Troop #258Boy Scout Troop #258 of Mahwah, NJ,was honored for its dedicated communityservice over several years in helping with amajor trail project at Bear Mountain StatePark. Over the past three years, the boyshave put in over 600 hours of hard laboron the east face of the mountain, helpingwith the Appalachian Trail Bear MountainTrails Project.Troop members have crushedrocks, greased cables and built retainingwalls and a bridge while contributing to theconstruction of this artwork in stone.

The Trail Conference recognized theboys’ contributions by presenting themwith its Next Generation Award.

PAUL LEIKIN EXTRA MILE AWARDRecognizes those volunteers who havedemonstrated exceptional commitmentover the long term

Bob Messerschmidt of Bridgewater, NJSee page 1.


DONORS TO THE ANNUAL FUNDOctober 1, 2009 – November 20, 2009

Tributes are only printed for donations of $25 or more.

GIFTSPaul & Kathryn Abdis, Ken Bald, Geoffrey Barclay, Walter & Elizabeth Barrett, April Barth, WilliamH. Barton, Larry & SusanBernstein, Mary Kate Bifano, Angela Billings & Vincent Sbano, Roger Broadwell, Marinus Broekman, Kurt F. Brown,Howard & Nancy A. Houghton-Brown, Annette Burgess, Russ & Diane Cannizzaro, Matthew & Jennifer Coulter, GregoryCram & Patricia Landry, Mark J. Dallara, Claire & David K. Davis, David Degregorio, Michael E. Doehring, Arthur H. &Nancy Ebeling, David L. Felsenthal, Anne Fischer, Roland & Mary Ann Folter, Hank & Linda Funsch, Matthew Garamone& Adrienne Booth, Ned & Laura JT Gardner, Jane Geisler, Frances V. Gibbs, Madeline Giotta, James A. Gregoire, Robert W.Grize, Frederick Hodde, David E. Hogenauer, Mary & Arthur Horst, Joshua & Melissa Howard, Jim Johnson, Janet M. Junge,George King, David & Anita Knechel, Daniel A. Kriesberg, John Krumdieck, Terry Kulmane, Steve Legenhausen, RosanneLevitt, Mark A. Lewis & Kelli Meland-Lewis, David & Debbie Livingstone, Ron F. Luna, Richard E. Lutringer, Linley Mahon,Norah Malloy, Lawrence E. Mals, Harold Marciari, Bonnie H. Marsh, Mary & Gay Mayer, Bill H. Menke, Rick & Joan Meril,Robert W. Messerschmidt, Joseph D. & Aurelia Minuti, William P. Mitchell & Barbara Jaye, Nikolaos D. Monoyios & ValerieA. Brackett, Prudence & Clark Montgomery, Joe H. & Linda Moreng, The Meadowlark Foundation, Dagi K. & John R.Murphy, Robert F. Neff, Allen I. Newman, William & Caitlin O’Donnell, Willie Picaro, Elizabeth & Jim Posillico, EdwardQuigley, Carol A. Quinn & David W. Mayo, Charles F. & Aline Roselius, Mr. Michael Rubashkin, Jackie Rubenacker, MichaelSasse, Janet M. Saylor & Evan Colgan, Doug Senterman, Peter Senterman, Herbert Shulman, John Slattery, Bill Sparta,William J. Steinmann, Fred & Connie Stern, Phyllis A. Stewart, David & Naomi Sutter, Lynn T. Swanson, Samuel Tatnall,JohnR. Taylor, J. Bruce Taylor, Michael Tillison, Fred& Anne Todd Osborn, Alice L. Tufel, Edwin R.Ward, Les &NancyWeiss,Roger & Laura Williamson, Kent & Nancy R. Young

PEOPLE FOR TRAILS HIKE-A-THONRichard Abbott, Bill & Emily Badinelli, Paul Banks, Bill Betz, Ginny Boyle, Ellen Brennan, Susan Bross, Nicholas BrudnakIII, Susan Campbell & Ned Bassen, Kenneth Chao, Niraj Chhabra, Jill Daly, Chief Daniels, Donna Deangelis, Rob & SueDeshensky, Kelly Dewey, Monica E., Timothy Englert, Christopher Escobar, Robert Farina, Paul J. Freshnock, Rebecca FuchsStengel, Eric J. Fuchs-Stengel, Robert E. Fuller, Paul Galva, Kathy Gaw-Betz, Catherine & David Gemmell, Richard Gillette,Sandra D. Gogue, Lisa Gradziel, Gary Grasselena, Kathleen Haake, Cathy Hamilton, Catherine Hutchinson, Kelly’s Canopy& Party Rental, Ester Kim, Cindy Kim, William Klaber, Robert Knight, Tai Kwon, Sharon Levine, Brian Maher, DebraMargolies, Jessica Marshall, Al McLean, Nicholas Mondelo, G. Gail Neffinger, Barbara Pantuso, Niranjana Patel, MariaPerri, Joseph Proscia, Marc Raphel, Arden Reusink, Daina Rimas, Bea & Aukse Rimas, Wendy Saiff, Ivan Saiff, AnaeliSandoval , Luis & Nivia Sandoval, Anne Schneider, Tracy Schuh, Art & Janet Sisco, Chris & JoanTownley, Jose Vicente Jr. &Anaeli Sandoval, Mary Jo Waeschle, Anthony Walsh, Maryann Wanner, Larry A. Wehr, Martin F. Zumsteg

MATCHING GIFT COMPANIESEarth Share, Morgan Stanley, Prudential Foundation,Verizon Foundation

TRIBUTESIn honor of Basha Kill Area AssociationMichael F. & Paula MedleyIn honor of Michael Brochstein’s birthdayRachel GivnerIn honor of John Drummond’s 50th birthdayBarbara GarandIn honor of Mike William’s birthdayLarry S. SpinnerIn honor of Eric Fuchs-StengelDiane Fuchs

In memory of John J. BoyesRobert DemorsIn memory of Tom DunnJames & Gail BrownIn memory of Gene DoleschalJoseph Borrelli, Kimberly Campanaro & Ryan Lemli,Judy Crystal, Fred Depekary, Riley R. Hobbs, John & MaryAnn Kampfe, R. Mayer, Steve & Teri Marovitz, DeniseMcKinney & family, Thomas & Jill Watson, Kira Westin,Jennifer Emmolo & the rest of Eve’s friends at WilsonSchool, Douglas E. Williams & Arlene Dworkin, Vince& Angela SbanoIn memory of Don ErbeAt Your Own Risk Hiking ClubIn memory of Marjorie NavidiWilliam Hanson

AWARDS ‘09continued from page 7

Left to right: Patrice Scully, Troop #258Committee Chairperson; Scouts ThomasGalow and Matthew Delcher; andScoutmaster David Howard accept NextGeneration Award

Have you considered investing in the Trail Con-ference’s mission? Making a donation in theform of a charitable gift annuity fromthe Trail Conference might be the perfectopportunity for you. A charitable gift annuitypays you a steady fixed income for the restof your life.

Charitable gift annuities are very popular giftsbecause of the high rate of return, which will never change after a gift ismade, regardless of interest rate fluctuations. And, a charitable gift annu-ity is simple to establish.

With a charitable gift annuity youwould get an immediate income tax deduc-tion for a significant portion of the value of your gift, and favorable taxationof the annuity payments will increase the spending power of your annuity.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Hezel at [email protected] 201-512-9348, ext. 28.

Another Way to Give

Get the “Hike of the Week”www.NYNJTC.org

Are you thinking about volunteering for the Trail Conference, but don’t knowwhere to start?

Would you like to have a better understanding of the Trail Conference and thevolunteer opportunities available?

Join us for one of our VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION sessions to:

• Learnmore about the details of our volunteer programs!

•Meet new and experienced volunteers!

• Discover the many ways you can contribute to your trailsand give back to the open space you enjoy so much!

• Gain a better understanding of how the Trail ConferenceConnects People with Nature.

Register now for our January Orientation to be held onTuesday January 19, 2010, (snow date, Tuesday, January 26)6:00 pm — 7:30 pm at our Mahwah office by:

• Visiting our website: www.nynjtc.org/orientation

• Emailing: [email protected] with “Orientation” in the subject line, or

• Calling the office at 201-512-9348 ext. 22

Anyone interested in learning more about who we are and what we do isencouraged to attend one of our monthly ORIENTATION workshops. You mustregister to attend.

Upcoming Orientation Dates:Saturday, February 13, from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm at our Mahwah office.

Announcing the Trail Conference’s 2010VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION schedule!

puncheon. A family was looking to “giveback,” a thank-you for a donation of mate-rial. (An AT Corridor Steward and I hadretrieved some abandoned property onNational Park Service AT land. Via Freecy-cle, I gave it to this family, which had noconnections with the AT or Trail Confer-ence.) Peter, Lisa & Robie wanted to “giveback.” I suggested the puncheon workbetween Old Rt. 55 and Whaley LakeStream bridge.

On a beautiful September Saturday,Peter, Lisa, Robie, and I built about 65 feetof puncheon. Peter later wrote that Robie(13) “really enjoyed the day. He loves any-thing we do together, and if it is hard work,he seems to enjoy knowing what he is capa-ble of doing.”

What a difference a day makes. Withouteach volunteer’s day of work, the two pun-cheons would not be complete. You, too,can make a difference in a day. To volunteerfor trail work, contact the Trail Conferenceat 201-512-9348 or [email protected].

TRAIL REFLECTIONScontinued from page 6

is helping a Gal Pal (Vi Shipley) with hertrail section on the Wyanokie Crest Trail.”Vi, Jonas notes, has been a trail maintainerfor at least 20 years.

In October, the Trail Conferenceannounced it was giving Bob Messerschmidtthe Paul Leikin Extra Mile Award. “Stead-fast,” “responsible,” and “reliable” were thequalities the board cited. Says Jonas: “Bob isa true gentleman, soft spoken, honest, andvery giving.” Bob M. says: “When I see whatthe Trail Conference and all of its club andindividual members do so that I and otherscan enjoy the outdoors, I just want to be partof that and support it,” he says.

Bob continues to hike with the UnionCounty Hiking Club, mostly in northern

New Jersey and in Harriman State Park.He’s bagged the Catskill 3500 peaks, in bothsummer and winter. He likes to work out athis local Y three times a week, then soak in ahot tub and relax in a sauna. “I feel like anew man,” he says with a laugh.The conver-sation was nearing its end, and he was eagerto dive into his book. “Dan Brown’s latest,The Lost Symbol. I can’t put it down.” Butthere was one more thing to say.

“If it were not for the Trail Conference,many of these great trails would not behere,” Bob says. “If you enjoy trails, thengive a little monetary support—it doesn’thave to be much. If you’re really enthused,you might volunteer to do some trail main-tenance or construction.”

BOB MESSERSCHMIDTcontinued from page 1

Covers Pennsylvania HighlandsThe Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC)is now offering a new Pennsylvania High-lands Regional Recreation Map and Guide,a free, easy-to-use resource for outdoorrecreation opportunities across the 13-county Highlands region in southeasternPennsylvania.

The map and guide provides detailedinformation about the Pennsylvania High-lands and the available outdoor activitiesincluding hiking, biking, camping, fishing,and canoeing. One side gives a detailed lay-out of the trails and the surrounding area.The reverse side offers information abouttrail access, safety tips, points of interest,and other resources.

The Pennsylvania Highlands RegionalRecreation Map and Guide includes:

• Locator map with at-a-glance tripplanner for 75 trails, parks, forests,and preserves that identifies by loca-tion the recreational opportunities(hiking, walking-running, biking,horseback riding, boating, fishing,camping, and swimming), historicsites, and nature centers.

• Locations of state gamelands, watertrails, and boat access points.

• Responsible recreation guidelines.• Regional conservation and trail stew-ardship efforts, plus informationabout the natural, historical, cultural,and agricultural values of the Pennsyl-vania Highlands.

• Overview of the AMC’s PennsylvaniaHighlands Trail Network Project,which as envisioned will traverse theentire region from Bucks to AdamsCounties.

• Outdoor resources available from theAMC, state agencies, and outdoorrecreation and tourism organizations.

Free copies of the Pennsylvania High-lands Recreation Map and Guide can berequested through the AMC’s websiteunder “Hiking Resources” atwww.outdoors.org/hikethehighlands.


I was skeptical: 474 pages about hiking theAppalachian Trail barefoot? It seemed a bitmuch. But Lucy and Susan Letcher quick-ly won me over with their exuberant,humorous, honest, and well written report-ing about their eight and half monthshiking from Katahdin in Maine to SpringerMountain in Georgia.

The Letchers, known individually on thetrail as Isis and jackrabbit and collectively asthe Barefoot Sisters, take turns telling theirstory, leapfrogging their narrative ofprogress along the AT. In their early 20s,they set out from Katahdin, hiking bare-foot “because it was the way we had alwayswalked... in the mountains near our homeon the coast of Maine. We loved the senseof connection to the ground that barefoothiking gave us… We didn’t want to sacri-fice that link with the earth.” This one factsoon makes them celebrities in the AT

news and gossip that is shared by hikers inshelter registers, around campfires, and inpassing en route.

The Letchers naked feet are, thankfully,of secondary interest, even to them. (Theydo don boots when winter strikes.) Theirprimary interest is in the AT thru-hikercommunity, which they call “a strangefringe element of American culture.” Theirtake is frank and sympathetic, and itincludes themselves.

People head to the AT to escape fromcivilization, to test their endurance, or toseek direction and meaning in life. “I fol-low the white blazes, and I feel like I knowwhere I’m going,” one hiker tells them. Inthe Letchers’ telling, the Trail also is a sur-prisingly social environment. “Stories werea kind of currency out here,” jackrabbitwrites. “The Trail community, always inmotion, was held together by the thin fab-ric of stories.” She and her sister recountthem well.

They also give a vivid account of thechallenges—physical and emotional—oflong-distance hiking: the aches and painsand reliance on ibuprofen (vitamin I, inhiker parlance), the logistics of resupplying,the sometimes desperate search for water,the inevitable and seemingly never-endingrain and mud, the nightmarish dangers ofa fierce and unexpected blizzard in theGrayson Highlands of Virginia.

If you are contemplating an AT thru-hike, Southbound can give you an idea ofwhat to expect. If you are content with anarmchair thru-hike experience, I recom-mend it.

Several fairly simple foot and legproblems can sideline a hiker forweeks or even months. However,the astute individual can recognizethe signs and symptoms of theproblem before it escalates andtake preventative measures. Threesuch problems include heel pain,ankle sprains, and shin splints.

HEEL SPURSHeel pain, also known as plantar fasciitis ora heel spur, is one of the most commonfoot ailments. Patients routinely presentthemselves to the doctor limping to avoidtheir sore heel. Usually they report suffer-ing with the pain for many weeks or evenmonths. They waited to seek help and con-tinued with their normal activities,including hiking, because they were surethe condition would simply go away.Instead, it usually worsens.

Heel pain is an inflammation of the liga-ment, or fascia, which connects to theundersurface of the calcaneus, or heel bone.In some cases, additional bone is formed asa result of the chronic inflammation, givingrise to the term “spur.” Once inflamed, thecondition can become stubborn, requiringmultiple different treatments to achievecomplete healing. Knowing the early signsof heel pain is important, as early interven-tion can greatly shorten the recovery time.

A primary symptom is a dull ache or astrong, sharp pain elicited with each stepand usually worse with a first step takenafter getting out of bed or rising from achair. The degree of pain experienced canbe mild, moderate, or severe.

When one first notices a dull ache in theheel generated with each step, it’s time toseek treatment. The first recommendationis to reduce high-impact activity untilsymptoms subside. This includes cuttingback on hiking. Do not hike “through” thepain and expect it to go away. It will notabate, but only get worse.

The next action is to begin a stretchingprogram, bending the foot upward withthe knee straight. This will stretch theAchilles tendon. Hold this stretch for about5-10 seconds and repeat 5-10 times in arow. Repeat this several times a day. Inaddition, rest the painful area on an icepack for 5-10 minutes at a time a couple oftimes a day.

Perhaps most important, purchase a qual-ity arch support to place inside all shoes andboots worn. The only brand I recommendis Superfeet, and the style I suggest is calledPerformance Green. Additionally, a fewdays of an anti-inflammatory, such asibuprofen, taken regularly for 2-3 days canbe helpful.

If identified and treated early, heel painsymptoms can subside quickly, and you canresume regular activities, including hiking.

SPRAINED ANKLESOne of the biggest orthopedic threats onthe trail is the ankle sprain. Volumes havebeen written about how to treat an acuteankle sprain.Those who have been stoppedin their tracks with this injury know howpainful it is and how debilitating it can be.Recovery from a serious ankle sprain canrequire months of recuperation. For thosesusceptible to weak ankles, prevention isthe best strategy. Do not rely on your high-top hiking boot or even your high-topbackpacking boot to prevent you fromspraining your ankle. No matter how thickthe leather, it cannot withstand the force ofan ankle rolling outward.

If you know you are prone to anklesprains, incorporate strengthening exercisesinto your daily routine: move your footoutward against a fixed object, such as awall or table leg, and hold the position forabout 5-10 seconds; repeat that activity 10-15 times in a row. Perform the sameexercise moving your foot inward as well.

The most important step to take, howev-er, will be to wear a rigid ankle bracewhenever you hike.To prevent a sprain, thebrace must be rigid, so an elastic ankle“sock” will not be sufficient. Leading anklebrace manufacturers include Aircast andDonjoy. I recommend and wear an AircastAirsport Ankle Brace, part of the DJObrand of products. The Donjoy Velocitymodel is also well regarded. I wear thebrace whenever I hike, whether I am wear-ing trail shoes or backpacking boots. Wearthe brace on the problem ankle only, unlessboth ankles have a history of spraining. Inthat case, brace both ankles.

SHIN SPLINTSShin splints are a much less common ail-ment than either heel pain or ankle sprains.Nonetheless, shin splints can still sideline arunner or weekend hiker for extended peri-ods of time.

The problem occurs in the muscle groupthat is located on the outside of the lowerleg, below the knee and extending downtoward the ankle. With repeated pronation,or rolling in of the foot, for prolonged peri-ods of time, the muscles and tendons arestrained and respond with acute inflamma-tion and pain. Every subsequent step,especially a forceful step as occurs in run-ning or hiking, exacerbates the problem.The treatment includes long periods of restand some physical therapy.

If one has had a problem with shinsplints in the past, the best path to preventa reoccurrence is to address abnormalpronation of the foot. Again, I recommendtrying a pre-fabricated arch support, suchas a Superfeet Performance Green arch. Ifthe foot requires more support, or is a high-arch foot not amenable to an off-the-shelfarch support, contact a podiatrist aboutbeing fitted for a custom foot arch support,called an orthotic.

Stretching the lower leg muscles prior tohiking or exercisingwill also be helpful in pre-venting a new episode of painful shin splints.

Howard E. Friedman is a podiatrist in pri-vate practice in Suffern, NY, treating hikersand non-hikers. He is a frequent contributorto Trail Walker.

Book Review

The Barefoot SistersSouthboundBy Lucy and Susan Letcher

Stackpole Books, 2009Reviewed by Georgette Weir

NewMap,Guide fromAMC

Hiking without PainAvoiding Heel Spurs, AnkleSprains, and Shin SplintsBy Howard E. Friedman DPM

Aircast Ankle Support Brace

Superfeet Performance Green insoles.

WWW.SUPERFEET.C

OM

DJO,LLC


Featured HikeOver the River and Into the WoodsTwo new state parks in the Mid-Hudson Valleyoffer diverse walking and hiking options

By Georgette Weir

Many know about the new Walkway Overthe Hudson Historic State Park, the repur-posed former railroad bridge that linksPoughkeepsie and Highland in the mid-Hudson region. Fewer are aware of asecond new park that connects to theWalkway: Franny Reese State Park, 250wooded acres with 2.6 miles of trails on thesteeply sloped west bank of the river justsouth of the Franklin D. Roosevelt (Mid-Hudson) Bridge.

A hike of almost 6 miles is possible byadding the trails of Franny Reese to the3.6-mile Walkway Loop Trail over the twobridges. The route is accessible by train aswell as by car, and this description startsfrom the Poughkeepsie train station. Evenif you’re driving, this is not a bad place to

start; weekend parkingis free and it’s just a 15-minute city walk tothe Walkway access.Parking at both endsof the Walkway hasbeen difficult on week-ends, owing to hordesof visitors.

From the main, east-facing entrance ofthe station, head uphill, trending left untilyou come to an intersection with a fenced-

in playground on the northeast corner. AWalkway Loop Trail sign—follow them allthe way—points to the right. In less than100 yards, turn left across a greenspace(unless you want to head first for the Auro-ra Café that is straight ahead—a long-timePoughkeepsie landmark). Turn left again,cross over the Fallkill Creek, make a rightonto Verrazzano Blvd., and continue untilyou reach Washington St., where you willmake a left, then a right onto Parker Ave.The entrance is down the street. The Walk-way is open 7am till sunset.

The next part is easy: go west, a straight1.25 miles over the Hudson.

From the Walkway’s Highland portal,pass through the parking area, and turn leftdown Haviland Road. In 0.5 mile you willreach Johnson-Iorio Park, a small terraceoverlooking the Hudson River. Look for astaircase just before the Mid-HudsonBridge. Go down it and turn right. You arenow on a broad path in Franny Reese StatePark. As of this writing, there is no inter-pretive kiosk or map at this entrance.

Follow the path (yellow blazes) uphill toa junction with a blue-blazed path. A signpoints to the one clear overlook in thispark. From the overlook, continue to fol-low the blue blazes.

Under a powerline, this trail reconnectswith the yellow trail (which turns right to acar access entrance and information kioskin about 0.25 mile). Bear left to anotherjunction, where a white trail heads south.Follow this 1.76-mile trail, which will loopback north, passing many stone walls andthe ruins of structures. The side of the loopnearest the river is prettiest. The park ispretty well covered with trees, so scenicviews are scarce.

The white trail returns to the yellow trail;follow it downhill and back under thebridge. Climb the stairs, and cross the Mid-Hudson Bridge, following the WalkwayLoop Trail signs through a residential area,making a left onto Rinaldi Blvd., whichwill take you back to the train station.

Maps for both the Walkway Loop andFranny Reese State Park can be down-loaded online. For links, go to our website:www.nynjtc.org–Go Hiking tab–Find aPark–scroll to the park name, and click.

View south from Walkway Over the Hudson Historic State ParkGEOR

GETTEWEIR

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