L O N G I S L A N D

M O U N T A I N E E R

N e w s l e t t e r o f t h e A d i r o n d a c k M o u n t a i n C l u b - L o n g I s l a n d C h a p t e r

S e p t e m b e r & O c t o b e r 1 9 9 9

Adirondack Mountain Club Long Island Chapter

1998-1999 Executive Committee

President Peter Cowan 671-3543

Vice-President Kathy Mario 859-9149

Treasurer BudKazdan 549-5015

Secretary Nancy Hodson 692-5754

Governor Herb Coles 897-5306

Governor June Fait 897-5306

Board of Directors

Stuart Levy . 759-9388 Yetta Sokol 433-6561 Phil Bifulco 669-2326 Pauline Lavery 627-5605 John DiGiacomo 724-8578 Judy Snyder 826-5261

Committee Chairs

Conservation June Fait 897-5306

Education Jerry Licht 797-5729

Hospitality Arlene Scholer 354-0231

Mountaineer Ellen Kelly 294-1462

Membership John White 654-2016

Outings Martha McDermott 581-4574

Programs Rich Ehli 979-5646

Publicity Arlene Scholer 354-0231

Trail Conference Stuart Levy 759-9388 Trail Maintenance

Herb Coles 897-5306

Notice of Nomination of Officers, Board Members and Governors

T h e n o m i n a t i n g c o m m i t t e e of t h e LI-ADK, cons is t ing of P e t e r C o w a n , Ph i l ip Bifulco a n d M a r t h a McDermot t , h a s m e t a n d p l a c e s in n o m i n a t i o n t h e fol lowing candida tes for t h e 1999-2000 yea r , wh ich r u n s from t h e 1999 a n n u a l m e e t i n g to t h e 2000 a n n u a l mee t ing :

President Vice-President: Treasurer: Secretary: Board Member: Board Member: Governor: Governor:

P e t e r C o w a n J o y S a l b e r g Bud K a z d a n N a n c y H o d s o n H e r b e r t Co les J u n e Fai t

M a r t h a M c D e r m o t t C a r o l M c H u g h *

* Subjec t to c h a p t e r m e m b e r s h i p to t a l l i ng o v e r S e p t e m b e r r o s t e r

600 o n

At t h e S e p t e m b e r m e e t i n g n o m i n a t i o n s m a y b e m a d e f rom t h e floor for officers, boa rd m e m b e r s a n d g o v e r n o r s b y 5 m e m b e r s e l ig ib le to vo t e a n d p r e s e n t for e a c h n o m i n a t i o n a n d w i t h t h e c o n s e n t of t h e n o m i n e e . T h e a n n u a l m e e t i n g wi l l t a k e p l a c e o n T h u r s d a y , O c t o b e r 21 ,1999 . Elec t ions wil l b e d e t e r m i n e d b y b a l l o t s cas t a t t h e a n n u a l mee t ing .

A Hiking Story by Jill Werfel

1 G t F o r y e a r s I h a v e b e e n h i k i n g t h e t ra i l s of t h e Adi rondacks , s igning in a t t h e reg is te r , br ief ly s cann ing t h e not ices p o s t e d t h e r e a n d prac t ica l ly ignor ing t h e c h a r t of t h e p r o p e r b e a r l ine . "I've got t h a t b e a r u n d e r control ," I told m y s e l f o v e r a n d ove r a n d for y e a r s I h a v e b e e n l u c k y e n o u g h to h a v e m y l i ne b e h i g h e n o u g h , m y stuff sack far e n o u g h o u t from a t r e e o r ove r a s t r e a m or to c a m p in a n a r e a n o t f r equen t ed b y b e a r s . Wel l , th is p a s t w e e k e n d t h a t fee l ing of confidence and safety d i s appea red . A n n i e a n d I se t o u t f rom U p p e r W o r k s o n Fr iday n ight , c a m p e d j u s t ove r t h e s t a t e p r o p e r t y l ine a t a p r e t t y si te n e a r Ca lami ty B r o o k and h u n g a l i ne (continued on page 2)

A Hiking Story (continued from page 1)

over the brook. Next morning, as usual, there was the bag, undisturbed. We headed off to Flowed Lands, much more populated than I planned and met three young men packing up. They were looking through the remains of a ruined day pack to see what food was left. A bear had gotten their bag the night before, hung haphazardly behind one of the lean-tos. We offered them some food, which they declined and joked about guys not taking directions or food. We spent 30 minutes setting up the perfect line, especially now tha t we had something to worry about. We hung our food for the day and set off to climb Marshall via Herbert Brook. We had a beautiful day, quiet and peaceful in the woods, sunny and wet on the open slabs and j u s t a bit steep pas t the beaver ponds. It reminded me of Big Slide via Slide Brook, without the view on top. I had to climb a tree to get to the canister and Annie took the required picture of me. My 32nd peak.. . this one without a struggle. I was feeling good. We spent some time on a side ledge, eating humus and tomatoes, looking out a t Colden, then took our time going down, stopping for a dip along the rock slabs. We headed towards Colden Dam. Once back on the trail, we went for a nice swim in Lake Colden, then headed back to the Calamity Lean-tos. No freeze-dried, packaged food for us...we made quinoa with lentils, zucchini and squash for dinner, with a carrot and apple salad for appetizer. We ate a s the sun set and started to clean up in the dark. J u s t a s we put the final scraps of food back in the bag, I looked into the woods and saw two yellow eyes, glowing brightly and staring right back a t me. Now I a m used to the dark, having to head down to my barn to check the animals a t night and I know wha t each of my cats' eyes look like in the dark. But these eyes were high up off the ground and set very far apar t . This w a s no cat, chipmunk or raccoon...this w a s the real thing...a Big Black Bear! I jus t started shaking, food bag in my hand. We heard the bushes rustle and heavy nasal breathing and felt him coming towards us. All tha t prep time setting up a good line was no use now. I could not have made it to the line and hung the food before he got close. I did the only thing I could...I threw tha t bag a s far a s I could behind the lean-to into the woods. But we had not yet packed up the cook gear and felt he would be near the lean-to in less than a minute, so we took off for the other lean-to, for some strange reason thinking there would be safety in numbers. We disturbed the people there, two carpenters from New Jersey, bu t they welcomed us and we four s a t on the edge of the lean-to, listening and watching a s the bear dragged our bag up a hill. We watched the woods for an hour, waiting to hear him leave the area. I saw his eyes again and again, peeking out over a rock not fifty feet from us. My hands s tar ted shaking and my teeth started chattering. I w a s truly scared. He made his way around the back of the lean-to and started off towards another site where a group of kids from Denmark were camping. We yelled, "The bear 's coming your way!" and the group started hooting and hollering, banging pots and, luckily, saved their food. We took the opportunity to grab our sleeping bags

and pads from our lean-to and set up in the other lean-to to try to get some sleep. At 1:00 AM I heard scratching and woke Annie up, "...just a mouse...", she said. It's a good thing we had hiked tha t day or I might not have slept a t all. Then a t 6:00 AM I heard a cracking branch right outside the lean-to. The guys had hung their bag too close to my side of the lean-to and the bear was pulling down the tree with the food bag. Everyone woke up and started banging pots and he scrambled up the hillside behind the lean-to, bag in paw. When full daylight arrived, we searched around and found ripped stuff sacks, powdered milk, tea bags and granola bar wrappers. Every morsel of food was gone. We cleaned up and packed out the trash, but however shaken up I was, the prospect of no breakfast and lunch loomed ahead. And when I'm hiking, I'm hungry. Luckily, this w a s to be our day to hike out, so we packed up, took one las t walk along Flowed Lands, shouldered our now lighter packs and hiked out, stomachs growling. We hit the Black Bear (figures!!) Restaurant on 28N for a late lunch and drive down the Northway towards home. For me, the pleasure and satisfaction of Marshall and the threat of the bear, made for a very complete wilderness experience. Next trip, I'll finish dinner earlier and get that bag hung before the bears come for their picnic.

PEOPLE AND PERSPECTIVES By Arlene Scholer

Volunteers Keep Us Out Front. . .June Fait and Herb Coles, soon to retire a s chapter governors, have served us diligently representing LI a t the Board of Governors meetings. The number of members enrolled determines the number of governors we may have and we might soon be eligible for three governors. As our governors, June and Herb spoke for us a t statewide meetings and report back to us from the main club. Their dedication is doubly appreciated since meetings are a t the main club's headquarters in Lake George. They are a team tha t goes_ above and beyond the normal course of events. June is also our conservation chair and Herb is in charge of trail maintenance projects a s mentioned in the summer newsletter. You cannot put a price on the value of their services. Thank you!...Looking for a place to go? Travel with volunteer leaders. Options for outings have been enriched by weekends away. Backpacks will be mentioned in the next newsletter. For annual weekends using traditional facilities, you can hike in New Hampshire every summer with Carol Mantell , cross-country ski with V i c k i and Pau l Wojik, welcome the winter solstice with Kathy Mario a t her Catskill snowshoe goddess weekend, hike in the American and Canadian Rockies with Jeff R i t t e r , hike with B o b McDermott on his joint trips with the Sierra Club, trek across England this summer with June Fait and snowshoe in the Catskills on my annual Dirt Cheap weekend every March. Two new options include She i la Lipshie's Catskill August weekend and Stu Levy's 40 mile trip across Maryland in one day. Stu is also offering South America's Machu Picchu area in (.continued on page 3)

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PEOPLE AND PERSPECTIVES (cont.)

2000 and Lanny Wexlar h a s posted a trip to the Falklands and Antarctica. Phew!

EMPOWERMENT HIKES IN T H E SECOND DECADE...You can extend yourself beyond the Hudson Valley this winter if you build your endurance. Strengthen your body with more than one hike a month. Work a t other sports if you wish. Try any hikes of graduated difficulty by selecting outings t ha t are good for you. You will see Empowerment hikes # 1 and #2 in the schedule. I t simply means tha t each successive hike is a little longer with a little more elevation gain. Winter can become a favorite hiking season if you are ready. Yoshiko Takeshi ta bought her snowshoes las t winter and she is eager is christen them in 2000.

A MIXED BAG.. .Chapter publicity is promoted by volunteers who post three little flyers three times per year and E l a i n e Kerr is the latest one to sign on. If you are willing to help, let me know (354-0231) and I say thank you in advance...This w a s news to me: In a review of a new Adirondack guidebook, it gives an unusual explanation for the creation of the Adirondack Park: "...it w a s to assure a constant water supply for the s ta te 's Erie Canal/Hudson River commercial lifeline, not to give city folk a huge, woodsy playground to cavort in." Why is the acid rain problem still significant? "Acidity leaches aluminum out of rock and soil and depletes the high elevation soil of vital nutrients. Aluminum destroys the root hairs of the trees, preventing them from absorbing the water and nutrients they need for survival. Their weakened s ta te makes them prone to illness and harsh environmental conditions." You can write to support the Acid Deposition and Ozone Control Act which provides for further decreases in emissions of sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides (bill: A.172/H.R.25) Trekkers extraordinaire: Peter Cowan, Kathy Mario, Margaret Frei fe ld and Mirjana Djordjevic survived the July hea t wave covering all the peaks in western Maine. Hope your choices of summer destinations gave you cooler temperatures than 90+!...John DiGiacomo, Rich Niegocki and J o h n White have been a hiking trio enjoying new accomplishments. In early June they were in Maine to share in Rich's completion of the listed peaks over 4000' in NY, VT, NH and Maine. Finishing Katahdin, Big Brother and Hamlin Peak, they celebrated with mere sips of champagne on Katahdin since a mile along the Knife's Edge required concentration. They'll be celebrating again for Catskill 3500 membership as John W. does Sherrill, John D. does North Dome and Sherrill and then they finish together on Kaaterskill High Peak on October 24th. These hikers weren't seen as tag-alongs reaching summits led by others. They can take pride in their independent pursuit of the required summits...Have you signed on for the October dinner meeting? Don't hesitate. Contact Joy Salberg @ 744-3340 in the evening.

Threatened Special Concern

E x p a n d e d S t a t e - E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i e s adapted from article in the NYS Audubon Advocate

written by Jeffrey Wells, Ph.D.

The new expanded state-endangered species list w a s released unofficially in May a t an event a t the Corning Preserve on the Hudson River in Albany. Governor George E. Pataki said "New Yorkers should be proud tha t improvements in hab i ta t and the reduction of harmful pollution have made the s ta te hospitable again to species like the Eastern Bluebird, the Bald Eagle and the Osprey." But, since 22 species have been added to the endangered list, 2 3 added to the threatened list and 40 to the list of 'special concern' we mus t still do more. The total number of protected species will leap to 133 from 88. The list w a s originally compiled after passage of the s tate 's Endangered Species Act in 1970. The present working list da tes to 1987 and a s tar t on revising the list w a s made in 1993 and completed in 1997.

Endangered

Invertebrates Dwarf Wedgemussel Pink Mucket Clubshell Fat Pocketbook Rayed Bean Toman Mayfly American Burying

Beetle Hessel's Hairstreak Rega Fritillary Persius Duskywing Grizzled Skipper Arogos Skipper Bog Buckmoth Pine Pinyon Moth

Fish Silver Chub Amphibians

Northern Cricket Frog Reptiles

Eastern Mud Turtle Queen Snake

Birds Spruce Grouse Black Rail Black Tern Short-eared Owl

Threatened

Invertebrates Brook Floater Wavy-rayed

Lampmussel Frosted Elfin

Fish Gravel Chub Banded Sunfish Eastern Sand Darter Swamp Darter Spotted Darter Longhead Darter

Reptiles

Invertebrates Gray Petaltail Checkered White Olympia Marble Henry's Elfin Tawny Crescent Mottled Duskywing Herodias Underwing

Northern Fence Lizard Jair Underwing Birds

Pied-billed Grebe Least Bittern Bald Eagle King Rail Upland Sandpiper Least Tern Sedge Wren Henslow's Sparrow Green Floater Pine Barrens Bluet Scarlet Bluet Little Bluet Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle

A Noctuid Moth Fish

Mountain Brook Lamprey Streamline Chub Redfin Shiner Ironcolor Shiner

Amphibians Marbled Salamander Longtail Salamander Eastern Spadefoot Toad

Reptiles Eastern Box Turtle Eastern Spiny Softshell

Birds American Bittern Osprey Sharp-skinned Hawk Northern Goshawk Red-shouldered Hawk Black Skimmer Whip-poor-will Red-headed Woodpecker Horned Lark

Special Concern

1 Invertebrates Buffalo Pebble Snail Fringed Valvata Mossy Valvata Unnamed Dragonfly Southern Sprite Extra Striped Snaketail Bicknell's Thrush Pygmy Snaketail Golden-winged Warbler Common Sanddragon Cerulean Warbler

Yellow-breasted Chat Seaside Sparrow

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L O O K I N G B A C K by Laura Terwilliger

PLEASE SEND YOUR LIABILITY FORMS/HIKE REPORTS TO MARTHA McDERMOTT AT BOX 504, GREAT RIVER, NY 11739. Trip reports may still be emailed to Laura at rterwill ©msn.com

March 27, Dunderberg Mountain, Bear Mountain State Park...This is a spectacular hike, laden with breathtaking viewpoints both north and south on the Hudson River and west into the interior of Harriman State Park. It is approximately 7 miles in length with a vertical rise of about 1200 feet and takes about 6 hours to complete. You'll want to give yourself ample time to enjoy the views. Getting there should be simple for NYC folks because the Short Line Bus Company makes several stops a day at the Bear Mountain Inn, providing ample hiking, walking and picnicing time for visitors to the park. One could initiate a hike from the Bear Mountain Inn, the Anthony Wayne Recreation Area or from Jones Point which is more than a mile south of the Bear Mt. Inn on 9W.

Check out the hike descriptions for Dunderberg or the Timp in the New York Walk Book or 50 Hikes in the Hudson Vallev for specific details. This area of Bear Mountain is laden with well-marked hiking trails and it would be best to have either a NY-NJ Trail Map #4 (Harriman and Bear Mountain State Park map set) or the hiking map available at Bear Mountain Inn.

On this particular hike we met the bus at Bear Mountain Inn expecting one individual from NYC who was a no show. The hike was also listed with the ADK LI Chapter. All totalled we had 2 ADK Knickerbocker Chapter members, I ADK Mohican Chapter member and 8 ADK LI Chapter members. We drove south on Route 9 to Jones Point to park. This used to be known as "Kid's Point" and rumor has it that Captain Kid buried some of his treasure at the base of Dunderberg Mountain.

Hiking up the mountain on the Timp-Torne Trail (blue -B), we headed in a westerly direction. The trail follows the railroad bed built in the 1890s for a never-to-exist incline railroad. Plans were to have a restaurant and hotel on the summit of the mountain (a la The Catskill Mountain House). There is evidence at two points of planned railroad tunnels that were never completed. The upper one is enormous and penetrates the mountain creating a huge cavern filled with water. This side of the mountain provided many southerly views down the Hudson River. We could see the World Trade Towers.

With respect to the incline railroad, it's interesting that it was never completed because the incline railroads on Taurus Mountain, in the Hudson Highlands, and on the Escarpment in the Catskills were tremendous successes. At that time, business owners recognized that in order for citizens to appreciate the beauty of NY state and make their businesses profitable (hotels and restaurants), it was necessary to provide public transportation. Something that today's providers of public transportation could do a far better job at.

We continued upward and westward until we reached the Timp which provided spectacular views into the interior of Harriman Park and West Mountain. We stopped for a long leisurely lunch. After lunch we turned and headed in an easterly direction on the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail (red-R) to Bald

Mountain for more spectacular views northwards up the Hudson River and of Bear Mountain. Once you reach the summit prior to the Timp, this hike travels along a ridge with only minor ups and downs. The big ascent and descent occur in the first and last miles of the hike. If you have only time to do one hike in Bear Mountain Park this is a great choice and extremely popular with many longtime hikers.

April 24, The Howell Trail and Storm King Mountain...This is a real jewel of a hike on the west side of the Hudson River, approximately 1 mile north of West Point. It's not within Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks and therefore does not have the crowds associated with these two major state parks. Hikers know this area and you'll probably not be entirely alone there. This is approximately an 8 mile hike with 2 steep inclines and an approximate vertical gain of 1,500 feet. Again, give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the views and climb up. It's certainly hikable in a day by mere mortals.

The NY-NJ Trail Conference built the Howell Trail in this decade. It took numerous weeks, countless volunteers, lots of stone work (staircases) and a dedicated trail crew to complete this trail which traces the exploratory routes made by Howell in the '30s. It provides a southerly extension of trail into the Clove between Storm King Mountain and the Crow's Nest (situated on West Point property) and a nice loop hike with a significant aerobic workout. It is definitely steep in sections.

Being a relatively young trail, you will probably not find written descriptions of this hike in either the New York Walk Book or 50 Hikes in the Hudson Vallev. If you have the NY-NJ Trail Conference Black Rock Forest map set, map #7 - copyright 1992, you will note that the Howell Trail is shown as a proposed trail. The map is fairly accurate but you will need to pay attention to trail blazes and the map details to avoid being misplaced.

The hike was composed of 2 ADK Knickerbocker Chapter members, 6 ADK Long Island Chapter members and approximately 8 ADK Mohican Chapter members. We stopped at the Bear Mountain Inn in case anyone was traveling via bus and were prepared to carpool these folks to the trailhead but no one came. One can reach West Point and the village of Cornwall via bus from the Port Authority and can probably get a bus to stop at one of the trailheads upon request on either the East or West side of Storm King depending on the bus route. One can also begin a hike into this area from Mountain Road.

On this particular Saturday, we hiked up the Howell Trail (blue - B) to the pitching point and had spectacular views of the Hudson River. The pitching point is where the loggers would roll the logs to and then push them off the mountain, down a big natural slide, into the river. There are several viewpoints on the blue trail both north and south on the Hudson. We stopped at North Point for lunch with more views. We continued on the Howell Trail in a northerly direction until we reached the Yellow (Y) Trail, which turned west and went to the summit of Butter Hill. From Butter Hill we were able to see all of Scheunemunk Mountain and Preserve and the community of Cornwall. One can also take the new Bluebird Trail around the summit of Storm King. After Butter Hill, we returned on the Yellow Trail to the Howell Trail and then took the Stillman Spring Trail down to Route 218 and our parked cars. It was a spectacular day, perfect for photography and making new friends. Definitely add this hike to your list of hikes to do in the near (continued on page 7 )

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A D K O U T I N G S C H E D U L E - S e p t e m b e r a n d O c t o b e r 1 9 9 9

Hike Leaders: Don't forget the Release of Liability! Send it to me, Martha McDermott, P.O. Box 504, Great River, NY 11739. If you complete "Looking Back" on reverse side of form, I will send it to Laura Terwilliger.

B Sept . 2 Thurs . Mystery B i k e Ride. Radius of 120 miles (radius of 30 miles of hills). Register by Tues., August 31. Leader Don Mantell, 516-598-1015.

A+ Sept. 3-6 Fri.-Mon. Labor Day Weekend - Adirondacks Backpack. Slide climbing on and in the Dix Range. Full backpacks, 3 nights, must be experienced or in excellent shape and sure-footed. Register by Wed., Sept. 1. Leader Rich Niegocki, 516-473-3402

A Sept . 4 Sat . White Mounta in Backpack. Moderate backpack in New Hampshire's beautiful White Mountains. Register by Mon. Aug. 30. Leader Jeff Ritter, 718-279-3431 before 10.

B Sept . 5 S u n . West H u d s o n High lands Hike. Shaupeneak Ridge, 6 miles of rolling trails with views of the Hudson and Catskills. Register by Friday, Sept. 3. Leader Arlene Scholer, 516-354-0231 before 9:30.

B Sept . 8 Wed. R h i n e b e c k B i k e Ride. 30 miles through rolling farm land, past Aerodrome, farm stands with mandatory stop a t area dairy bar. Register by Mon. Sept. 6. Leader Don Mantell 516-598-1015.

B Sept . 1 8 Sat. M i n n e w a s k a - S h a w a n g u n k s Hike. Great moderate hiking, lite rock scrambling, bird watching and big views are all par t of this day hike. It's long (7-10 miles) but on ridges, not difficult with respect to elevation gain. Leader Diane Bamford, 914-234-6409. Call leader evenings, week of hike for time and meeting place. Joint with Knickerbocker Chapter.

A-C Sept . 24-26 Fri.-Sun. ADK Fal l Outing. See the July-August ADIRONDACK for details on the main Club Fall Outing, always a joy with many hikes and this year canoeing in the Adirondacks. This year the Outing will be in Tupper Lake, near newly-purchased state land with new hiking areas and especially waterways to explore. If you need information you can call Martha McDermott at 516-581-4574 before 9.

A+ Sept . 25 Sat . Catski l l s Hike. Bushwhack Sherrill and North Dome. 3500 required peaks. No views, fast pace. Bring compass and positive mental att i tude for some fun. Register by Wed., Sept. 22. Leader John White, 516-654-2016 before 10.

A- Sept . 25 Sat. Catski l l s Hike. Indian Head & Twin Mountains. Nice views from two Catskill summits. Register by Thurs., Sept. 23. Leader Jeff Ritter, 718-279-3431 before 10.

B+ Sept . 25 Sat. Catski l l E m p o w e r m e n t H i k e #1. Windham High Peak. 6.6 miles in all; 1525' elevation gain. Suitable for hikers experienced in the Hudson Valley to try a Catskill outing. Register by Thursday, Sept. 23. Leader Arlene Scholer, 516-354-0231 before 9:30.

A+ Oct. 2 Berksh ire Century B i k e Ride. 106 miles, 5,640 feet of hills. Star ts in Stockbridge, Mass., winds down through Connecticut and back, through covered bridge, passes unsurpassed views of palatial homes, farmland, brooks and mountains. Helmets required, training wheels not allowed. Register by Thurs., Sept. 30. Leader Don Mantell, 516-598-1015.

C Oct. 2 Sat. Bronx Zoo Walk! Outing suitable for animal enthusiasts of all ages. Option to see the new Congo Gorilla Forest Exhibit. Call for entrance fee information. Register by Thursday, Sept. 30. Leader Arlene Scholer, 516-354-0231 before 9:30.

C Oct. 2 Sat . LI H i k e . Wildwood State Park Walk and Wine Tasting. This trip is quickly becoming an annual event. We will walk approximately 4 miles along forest fire lanes and the beach of LI Sound visiting a salt water marsh along the way. Afterwards we will visit one or more of Li's east end wineries for some Octoberfest tasting. A wonderful day, this trip is excellent for beginners. The pace will be very moderate so we can enjoy the day and each other. Limit 20 walkers/tasters. Register by Wed., Sept. 29. Leader Bob McDermott, 718-776-8379 before 10. Joint with Sierra Club.

B Oct. 1 6 Sat. 'Gunks Hike. Shawangunk Spectacular. Many views of peak fall foliage on a moderate hike 2 hours north of NYC. Register by Thurs., Oct. 14. Leader Jeff Ritter, 718-279-3431 before 10.

B Oct. 1 7 S u n . Harr iman Hike. Sloatsburg - a 7-mile hike on a variety of trails (Reeves Brook, Racoon Brook Hills, and Pine Meadow) and view with lunch at a choice spot on the shore of Pine Meadow Lake. Register by Fri., Oct. 15. Leader Stu Levy, 516-759-9388 before 10.

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C Oct. 20 Wed. LI Walk Long Island's Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson. Afternoon walk in the gardens and woodlands. Register by Tuesday, Oct/ 19. Leader Arlene Scholer, 516-354-0231 before 9:30. • */:>• \ - ^ ^ ^ - ^ v ^ ^ a s r

B+ Oct. 23 Sat. Catski l l E m p o w e r m e n t H i k e #2. Twin Mtn. 6.7 miles on the fairly new trail to the western and eastern summits of Twin. 1640'elevation gain. Register by noon on Friday, Oct. 22. Leader Arlene Scholer, 354-0231 before 9:30.

A Oct. 24 S u n . Catski l l s Hike. Celebrate with John DiGiacomo and John White as they finish their Catskill 3500 peaks on Kaaterskill High Peak. Register by Mon., Oct. 18. Leader John DiGiacomo, 516-724-8578 before 10.

B Oct. 24 S u n . 'Gunks Hike. Opportunity to meet new hiking friends - 6 to 8 miles - dinner follows hike -Joint with Mid-Hudson Chapter. Leader Joy Salberg, 516-744-3340 before 9.

A+ Oct. 29-31 Fri-Sun Adirondack Hiking. Grey Mountain. Approximately 17 miles. Will stay a t bunk house for $17 per night, 2 nights, spend whole day hiking and eat out a t local beaneries. Join me in this high adventure outing, guaranteed to knock your socks off! Leader Ron Engasser, 516-289-5375 (I Guarantee!)

B Oct. 30 Sat. H u d s o n H i g h l a n d s Hike. Beacon/Fishkill Ridge - Enjoy hiking the most northern section of the Hudson Highlands on the east side of the Hudson. This will be a hilly, moderate day hike with great views, north and south on Hudson and, hopefully, fall color. Leader Diane Bamford 914-234-6409. Call leader, evenings, week of hike for time and meeting place. Joint with Knickerbocker and Mohican Chapters.

B Oct. 30 Sat . Fahns tock Hike. Fahnstock State Park Fall Foliage/Halloween Hike. Another of our annual events, this is a great hike in an underused and beautiful park. Colors should have peaked by the time we climb Candlewood Hill for a kaleidoscopic lunch break, so dazzling Halloween costumes not required. We will do approximately 8 moderate miles mostly along the AT and be all day at it. Dinner afterwards a t our favorite place in town. Limit 20 hikers. Register by Wed. Oct. 27. Leader Bob McDermott, 718-776-8379 before 10. Joint with Sierra Club.

B Oct. 3 1 S u n . Harr iman Celebrat ion Hike. New York-New Jersey Trail Conference 60th anniversary celebration, in honor of their founder Raymond Torrey. Hike to the Torrey Memorial. They'll cut the ribbon on a beautiful new interpretive signboard at the trailhead honoring both the Long Path and Raymond Torrey. For more info see the Trail Walker or call Martha McDermott, 516-581-4574 before 9.

REGISTRATION FOR ALL OUTINGS IS REQUIRED Leader may refuse to take anyone not registered or prepared. Registered participants are expected to show up or call the leader to cancel.

GROUND RULES Minors (younger than 18 years) are required to have an adult guardian. All participants are responsible for their own safety and comfort. Food, snacks, water and extra clothing/raingear must be carried by the participant. Check with the hike leader to learn of any special requirements for the hike. Hiking boots are recommended for all ADK outings.

CARPOOL RATES Suggested minimums: Harriman $10, Shawagunks $15, Catskills $20, Adirondacks $45. Drivers will set the final rate.

HIKE CLASSIFICATIONS A: Strenuous, long distances over rugged terrain with lots of climbing, or more than 35 miles on bike. B: Moderate, shorter distances with less climbing or 10-30 miles on bike. C: Easy, short distance over flat terrain at a leisurely pace or 10 miles or less on bike. Suitable for beginners.

Hike Classifications are subjective. If you are uncertain if you are up to the hike, be sure to consult the leader.

Advanced Notice

Jan. 14-17, 2000 - Martin Luther King X-C Ski Weekend. Call Vicki Wojcik 718-997-1774 for details (see advertisement on page 8)

Feb. 26-Mar. 17, 2000 - To the Ends of the Earth the Falkland Islands and Antarctica in 2000! Call Lanny Wexler at 516-938-5721, 7-10 PM, for details.

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future. Not to mention that it would be spectacular in the fall during the foliage season and then again before or after the foliage season for extended views.

MAY 29, Sterling Forest State Park Revisited...Sterling Forest is one of NY State's newest and most special parks. For approximately 25 years, this property has been tied up in a contentious legal battle between environmentalists and the Sterling Forest Corporation (a real estate developer). The environmentalists finally won the first round by enlisting the cooperation of the states of NY and NJ and the Federal Government. Unfortunately, Sterling Forest Corporation still wishes to build approximately 1,200 homes adjacent to Sterling Forest and there is still talk of adding a new exit to the NYS Thruway, Exit 15B. This exit would merge into Route 17A, which would have to be widened to a 4-lane highway, and it would bisect the wetlands of Sterling Forest Park. Wetlands are important because they are incubators for many plants and animals. It's where the food chain starts.

This park is special because it is the watershed for Northern NJ communities. Also, as Knickerbocker members learned at a membership program given by John Gebhards of the Sterling Forest Partnership and John Yrizzary, a naturalist, being untouched for 30 years, it has an outstanding level of biodiversity with respect to both plants and animals. John has been studying butterflies and a wide assortment of amphibians for over 20 years in Sterling Forest. Viewing the park from a satellite image of metropolitan NY City everything is gray until you get to Sterling Forest which is the deepest of greens, just like the rain forests of South America.

On the 29th, we had a total of 22 hikers, 1 from the ADK Knickerbocker Chapter, 7 from the ADK Mohican Chapter and 14 from the ADK LI Chapter. We did pick up one hiker at the Tuxedo Train Station who was able to get a lift home from a member of the LI Chapter. Both buses and trains stop in the village of Tuxedo.

Since last year, the trails have improved significantly because they are now blazed and several other trails beyond the Ridge Trail are available to hike, making a loop hike possible. At this time, it is possible to pick-up a trail map (poor quality) at the park headquarters on Route 17, just south of Route 17A. There is a description of the Ridge and Allis trails in the New-York Walk Book. Unfortunately, an official clearly marked hike map is not available at this time. This hike is of moderate difficulty, approximately 7 miles long with probably less than 500 feet of vertical gain.

We parked at the small unmarked trailhead on 17A. It only holds a couple of cars. It is ok to park on the curb but the car must be entirely off the road. We headed south on the Ridge Trail, which rolls along, no big ups and downs. When we reached the power lines, we headed west (right) less than a 1/2 mile and dropped down several hundred feet. It was a little steep in one small section. This is an ATV trail, so you will have to get off the trail if you see an ATV approaching. In a short time, you will reach the green trail, an official hiking trail that runs in a north/south direction, parallel to the Ridge Trail, but at a lower elevation. We turned left and headed south on this old carriage road for approximately 2 miles. There was considerable evidence

of paint balls and war games being conducted on this trail. This trail is flat. Eventually, you will reach the Cedar Swamp Trail blazed orange. We turned left (east) and hiked less than 1/2 a mile to the Ridge Trail. At this time, we turned left again and headed north and were faced with several climbs, with minor rock scrambles, to reach the top of the ridge and get to the Sterling Forest Fire Tower.

The Fire Tower is in tiptop shape. From the cab of the lower you have a 360° view including both Greenwood and Sterling Lakes. Our friend, Bob Spear, who is the co-chair of the NJ Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association, maintained this tower on a volunteer basis for years. Since being made a park, Bob has been hired by NY State as an official forest fire ranger. Since the tower has been featured on our website, Bob has been seeing approximately 60 hikers every Saturday about noon. The DEC couldn't be happier having an active tower in the park-it is quite an attraction and perfect for a family hike and picnic.

Following lunch at the tower, we continued north on the top of the Ridge Trail and had several great views of Sterling Lake. It only takes about 90 minutes to hike from 17A to the fire tower on the Ridge Trail. We understand from speaking with other hikers that day that there's also a blazed trail to Sterling Lake and a beach, although we've not actually verified this. We'll leave it to you to explore and tell us all about that trail.

Many wonderful family nature activities are being offered by the Sterling Forest Partnership. For information on the partnership or an activity calendar, write to: Sterling Forest Partnership, 7 Spring Rock Drive, Goshen, NY 10924. The Sterling Forest Chapter of the Bear Mountain League of Naturalists also conducts bird and butterfly surveys. For additional information, contact the Sterling Forest State Park Headquarters.

June 5-6, Delaware Canoe Trip...Ron Engasser (L) led a group of 11 paddlers down the upper Delaware River. William Juneman Jr., Jocelyn Pletz, Helen Hanlit and friends Robert and Karen, Peter Somar, David Somar and the preacher man Sanjun, Ted Hamber and friend Ms. Grave and Gaylaw Faquah braved the high temperatures and blazing sun to paddle down this scenic River. A great dinner at a nearby German eatery and a camp fire rounded out the day. Only Turkey Vultures were spotted circling around our group waiting for some mishap. A great day and thrilling time was had by all.

June 6, Shawangunks Mt. Bike...Rich Moore (L), Rich Niegocki, Ron and Kathy Marczyk and friend Linda. The weather was just perfect for a day at the lake,(hazy, hot and humid). Fortunately we did get in a dip at lake Awosting after a long hard climb up to Hamilton Pt. After circling the lake we arrived at the old ranger cabin to begin the second part of our ride. This section, from the cabin to Ellenville is for the terminally insane and will not be repeated by me and is not recommended! Even Rich (warlord) Niegocki was left pining for a winter traverse of the Presidentials.

June 6, Hike Along Croton Aqueduct..On a very warm and bright Sunday, 16 very warm and bright hikers set off on the trail from Ossining to Croton. This intimate little band of beginners and experienced hikers led by Dorothy McGarvey, quickly became a group of friends: long-time members Carol McHugh, Pauline Lavery, Lenny Wexler, George Form, Yoshiko Takashita, Heather Kaczmarek and her friend Deidre (Dee) Myers, Jean Milspaugh and her friend Peggy (continued on page 8 )

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Taravella as well as new members Janine Unverzagt, Ginger and Bob Heppler and Tim Murphy and his 2 friends Tom Radigan and Bob Duffy. At the Visitors Center, we learned about the construction of the aqueduct and dam in 1842 which supplied NYC with water and about the other institution for which Ossining is known - SingSing. On the trail we learned that it never hurts to carry an extra strap or a piece of rope which can, and did, save the day when a knapsack shoulder strap broke. The^ hike began on a broad grassy walkway alongside small row— houses, stone mansions and a fire house until we entered the cool, sheltering woods of the Croton Gorge. After a few miles in the shade, we burst into the sunshine as we reached the dam and the cool blue of the reservoir--a welcome sight on a hot day! A trek across the top of the dam to the spillway and down to beautiful Croton Gorge Park below to dine on a long table reserved just for us under 2 huge shade trees near a fountain completed a truly enjoyable day in the outdoors with our new friends.

June 12, Windham Mt....A beautiful June day and a beautiful mountain. Carol Mantell (L), Carol McHugh, Pauline Lavery, George Form, Tom Holloway, Toby Tulley, Yoshiko Takeshita, and Marie Sauter had a most excellent day on Windham Mt. For two of our hikers, it was the first mountain they had climbed. After the hike, we went in to Windham to eat. Since it was way too early to eat dinner, we snacked.

June 19, Hunter Mt...John Robb Lean-to Maintenance. Carol Mantell (L),Pauline Lavery, Carol McHugh and Tom Holloway hiked up Hunter to the tower, spread out our map and identified the surrounding mountains. On the way down we cleaned up John Robb lean-to, noted the damage, repaired the fireplace, collected and stacked wood, picked up cans and glass and were on our way out. Had dinner at Winchell's on the way home.

June 26, West Hudson-Shaupeneak Ridge. JUNE 26, WEST HUDSON-SHAUPENEAK RIDGE. Elaine Hylton-Kerr, Beth Irwin, Pauline Lavery, Maggie Olson, Susin Packert, Charlie Reddick, Marie Sauter, Yoshiko Takeshita, and Arlene Scholer (L) were grateful to be shielded from the sun as they explored the Shaupeneak Ridge just south of Kingston. Puzzled about not finding a white trail from a red trail that we did twice, we headed out to cool our throats at an ice cream stand, enjoying a break on our way home. Our last destination was a view of a 24' bronze horse first designed by Leonardo da Vinci and recently completed at a Beacon foundry. Learn details at this website: www.tallix.com for the complete story. A call to Scenic Hudson revealed that confusion on our hike was the result of following a trail that isn't on the map, but details were provided to revisit Shaupeneak Ridge in the fall.

July 11 Breakneck Ridge...Stu Levy led Jack Diamond, Neerja Baijal, Leonard Wetzlar, Sam Jacoby and Carol Miller on a rock scramble up Breakneck Ridge with all its marvelous views, continuing on to another rock scramble up to the top of South Beacon Mountain where we stopped for lunch as we gazed at more spectacular views down below. Not finished, we continued to Sugarloaf North and yet some more views. Doing 9 miles and 3,400' of elevation gain during the course of the day, we were all thrilled with this great accomplishment.

Yes, count me in on the buffet dinner on Saturday night. Cost is an additional $19.95.

W I L D E R N E S S F I R S T A I D C L A S S by Jerry Licht

What would you do in an emergency when you are miles away from help and dialing 911 is not an option? If you have ever wondered, then this class is for you! Sixteen hours of hands-on training over two days will provide you with the basic tools needed to deal with medical emergencies in remote areas. The class will be given by Wilderness Medical Associates, recognized leaders in the field of wilderness first aid. The class dates are Saturday and Sunday, November 6 & 7. Participants should be prepared to spend time in cool and possible wet November conditions, as a significant amount of time will be outdoors. Unfortunately, the main club has still not provided us with the final cost of the class. However, it is estimated the cost will be around $135. Class size is limited to 25. To register send a $50 nonrefundable deposit, made payable to the L.I. A D K with a SASE and an evening phone number to Jerry Licht, 3 Francine Drive North, Massapequa, NY 11758. Deadline is September 23rd. For further information, call 797-5729 before 9:00 PM.

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N Y S B u d g e t P a s s e s

D e a r Col leagues ,

I a m v e r y p l e a s e d to inform y o u t h a t w e h a v e a n a p p r o v e d N e w Y o r k S t a t e budge t ! W e a r e st i l l ana lyz ing t h e budge t , b u t w e c a n t e l l you t h a t A D K a n d t h e Trai l Confe rence w e r e successful in ach iev ing o u r h i g h e s t b u d g e t priori t ies. After a h a r d - f o u g h t - s e v e r a l - y e a r campa ign , t h e L e g i s l a t u r e h a s au tho r i zed a n e x p e n d i t u r e of $12 mil l ion do l l a r s for FY 1999-2000 from t h e E n v i r o n m e n t a l P ro tec t ion F u n d for b a c k c o u n t r y s t e w a r d s h i p in t h e Fo re s t P r e s e r v e a n d s t a t e p a r k s . P r o m i n e n t in t h e a p p r o v e d list of a dozen u s e s for t h e m o n e y is r e c r ea t i ona l t r a i l cons t ruc t ion a n d m a i n t e n a n c e ! O u r m e m b e r s h e l p e d u s g r e a t l y w i t h th i s l o b b y i n g effort, wr i t i ng l e t t e r s a n d visi t ing leg is la tors . W e w e r e a l so successful in inc reas ing o u r s h a r e of t h e b u d g e t p i e for o p e n space , s t a t e p a r k a n d fores t p r e s e r v e l a n d acquisi t ions. T h e FY 1999-2000 b u d g e t inc ludes $75 mi l l ion for l and acquisition. T h e a p p r o v e d "shor t l ist" inc ludes o u r Long P a t h , Ca tsk i l l High P e a k s a n d T a h a w u s - U p p e r W o r k s project pr ior i t ies .

Nei l Woodwor th , Counse l Adi rondack M o u n t a i n Club N e w York -New J e r s e y T ra i l Conference

H e r e ' s a n o t h e r c h a n c e t o r e s p o n d t o o u r a n n u a l d i n n e r !

Our Annual ADK Dinner Thursday, October 21, 1999

Maine Maid Inn Route 106 & Jericho Turnpike

Jericho, NY

7:00-7:30 p.m. Drinks and Gab 7:30-10:00 p.m. Full course dinner and entertainment

Cost: $20.00 A great event at a great price!

Name(s) Address

Phone* .-...,, „

Mail to: Joy Salberg, P.O. Box 4063, Rocky Point, NY 11778 /all if you have any questions. Phone #516-744-3340 (evenings)

And don't forget to submit your hiking story for the 1st Annual LI ADK Hiking Story Contest. Send to Joy by

September 30th!

B e f o r e y o u g o o u t

t h e r e , c o m e i n h e r e . If you love the great outdoors, there's only one place to get your gear and advice: EMS. We carry a wide selection of outdoor gear and clothing for everyone from the day hiker to the technical climber, all priced to be an honest value and backed by our famous EMS 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.

Eastern Mountain Sports: Dependable outdoor equipment, clothing and people s since 1967

100 % Satisfaction Guaranteed Carle Place Parkway Plaza Shopping Cntr • (516) 747-5360 Lake Grove Smith Haven Mall • (516) 724-1933 Manhattan 20 West 61st Street • (212) 397-4860 Manhattan 611 Broadway & Houston • (212) 505-9860

Welcome New Members!

Clifford Bice & Spouse

Peter F. Bonkowski & Spouse

Brian Dermody & Spouse

David & Jeanine Donatelli

Tom Holloway & Spouse

Ted and Carol Karl

Bill & Lisa Katz

Ira & Ruth Langer

Margaret McAleer & Spouse

Dominick & Maria Oliviero

Dan & Anne Ducey-Ortiz

L. W. Petersen & Spouse

Susan Pratt & Spouse

Toby Tolley & Spouse

Bob & Joan Wallace

Richard Wettereau & Spouse

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L o n g I s l a n d M o u n t a i n e e r - S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 1 9 9 9

A a, From the Editor

If you see an article of interest or have a story and would like to share it with other members through this publication, please send to me at n y e k e l e @ a o l . c o m . Ellen Kelly

MEMBERSHIP

To join the LI-ADK or make an address change please call ADK Headquarters, 1-800-395-8080 or request an application by mail from: ADK, 814 Goggins Road, Lake George, NY 12845-4117. If you have any questions on membership, please call John White at 516-654-2016.

T h e d e a d l i n e f o r t h e N o v e m b e r / D e c e m b e r M o u n t a i n e e r i s S e p t e m b e r 3 0 , 1 9 9 9

T h u r s d a y , S e p t e m b e r 9 . . . H e a r about all the summer trips led by ADK-LI members to N e w Hampshire, England Coast-to-Coast, Jasper and Banff National Parks in the Canadian Rockies and more!

T h u r s d a y , O c t o b e r 2 1 . . . O u r annual dinner meeting. This year it is held at the Maine Maid Inn in Jericho. There 's still t ime to make your reservation. See advertisement on page 9.

Meeting site: St. Elizabeth's Church, 175 Wolf Hill Road, Melville at 8:00 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month (except for July, August and October). Directions from Northern State Parkway: Exit 41N (Wolf Hill Road). Make a left on Wolf Hill Road; go straight, passing through the 5-corner intersection. Immediately after St. Anthony's, make a right into the driveway of St. Elizabeth's. Park in rear lot and enter at lighted doors. Directions from Route 110: At the intersection of Route 110 & Schwab Road (aka) Wolf Hill Road, which is one mile north of Northern State and 3/4 mile south of Jericho Turnpike, (Rite Aid on west side of 110) go east; after three sets of lights St. Elizabeth's will be on the left; take second driveway to rear of building. Come early at 7:45 p.m. to socialize and network.

John White - Membership LI-ADK 143 Maple Street Medford, NY 11763

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PERMIT NO. 163

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