ECHOES FROM THE TRAIL    

Reports from Chapter activities during 2007 and 2008

Oct 6 (Sat) MOUNT GREYLOCK
Leader:  Jim Slavin

We had a great day to hike Mt. Greylock. The weather was unseasonably warm, and there were lots of leaves on the trail, but unfortunately the foliage was not yet peak. The road to the top is closed for repairs, so the only people on the top were hikers--which we believe is a good thing. We were on the trail at 9:00 a.m. and only one other car was in the parking lot. We spread out along the trail and met at the top for lunch and a group picture. On the way down the faster hikers came down the Gould trail and met the rest of us with perfect timing at the junction of the Gould and Cheshire Harbor trail on our way back to the cars. Our hikers were: Kathleen Pacuk, Frank Kuwik, Rick Ryther, Eileen Smiley, Laura Barelski, Arthur Fontijn, Shawn Allen, Mark Hughes, Michael Garcia, Dan Slavin and the leader Jim Slavin.  

Oct 6 (Sat) WRIGHT MOUNTAIN
Leader:  Bruce Allard

David Allard, Jonathan Allard, Bob Priest, John Sheehan, Dan Vanuithuizen, Laurie Traver, Jim Wiedenhoeferer and the leader would like to thank the Wright summit steward for guiding us to the area where a brass plaque imbedded in a stone wall memorializes the January 1962 deaths of  1st Lieutenants  Rodney D. Bloomgren, 26, of Jamestown, N.Y. and Melvin Spencer, 28, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and their crew members Albert W. Kandetski Jr. 25, of Sunnyvale, California and Airman 1.C. Kenneth R. Jensen, 22, of El Cajon, California. There is a website covering newspaper articles about the crash. One of the articles refers to its author’s belief that if the plane had missed Wright it would not have missed Marcy. Actually, it would not have missed Algonquin. Our ascent to the summit was dry with rainless high humidity.  Now and then my 8-year old impatient grand nephew Jonathan got a bit too far ahead of the group. But grand-uncle did not discourage him as long as he could be seen and envied by us old hikers as he scampered down a rock-strewn trail. It was Jonathan’s first time hiking a high peak (his 5th) with a backpack.  During our descent we broke out rain gear in some scattered rain storms, but no one cared. The memorable summit experience including the crash site visit, great views and, for Laurie and Jim, getting their first twosome photo after a lovely year together overcame the slight inconvenience.  The rain added to a great hike by cooling us off from the day’s humidity all the way back to the LOJ parking lot.       

Oct 6 (Sat) FIR & BIG INDIAN
Leader:  Norm Mueller

This outing started out at the Biscuit Brook Trailhead on a very warm and humid morning. It was almost 70 degrees and it was only 8:00 a.m. It was a far cry from the weather that this area was reminded of by the media recalling the freak snowstorm of October 4th, 1987 that brought more than a foot of heavy snow and caused widespread damage and extended power outages. Overall it was a nice day for a hike. The skies were clear with few clouds. Jim Dean was my hiking partner today. We headed for the Biscuit Brook lean-to where we took a break before setting our compasses for the summit of Fir.  The going was a bit slow due to the excessive amount of branches and treetops brought to the ground from the heavy snow of the Valentines Day storm. We reached the canister just after 11:00.  We signed the book in the canister, had a snack and chatted with another group before heading out to Big Indian. The trip to Big Indian was no easier in regards to the blow down and my scratched up and bleeding legs were evidence of that. Jim was very happy that he wore long pants today. We reached the canister just after 1:00 where we had lunch and an extended break so I could treat the numerous cuts on my legs. We managed to find a very distinct herd path to take us back to the marked trail where we ran into the hiking party on Fir. We felt that in spite of the blow down, bushwhacking was much quicker. We passed a few other hiking groups on the way back to the trailhead where we came across a couple visiting from Alabama who commented on how the heat and humidity of the day reminded them of home.

Oct 11 (Thu) MOREAU STATE PARK
Leaders:  Lori McCarron & Marge Karowe

Braving the rather depressing weather forecasts for a rainy day, we decided not to cancel this hike.  Ten of us set out for Moreau State Park , hoping that the rain would hold off until afternoon.  Not only did the rain not come, the sun did.  Although the day was mostly cloudy, we did have sunshine to enhance the views.  Moreau is a delightful area with many trails through woods and a spectacular ridge walk that overlooks the Hudson River .  The color was probably close to peak, but quite subdued, with little sign of the glorious reds and golds that make fall hiking so beautiful.  Our group was happy to relax on this easy walk in the woods and enjoy the company and the day.  Along on the trip were Bill Valentino, Paul Breslin, Karen Ross, Cindy Puccio, Claudia Sommers, Janet Kurzman, Debbi Wein, Adrienne Levinthal, and the two leaders.  

Oct 13 (Sat) MOUNT MARSHALL
Leader:  Skip Young

A rainy week and a questionable forecast discouraged a few, but six determined hikers ventured forth anyway. We were rewarded with a wonderful day for a climb to Mount Marshall . A chilly, frosty but sunny morning greeted us as we prepared to depart from the Upper Works Trailhead. The trails in were a bit muddy but I’d be disappointed if there wasn’t some mud for a hike in the Adirondacks . The meandering trail following Herbert Brook was as beautiful as always with its flumes and falls. Upon reaching the summit the trees were coated in rime ice creating a winter wonderland. As we relaxed and enjoyed the views clouds rolled in and we witnessed our first snow flurries of the season. A quick trip out concluded a great of hiking for, Phyllis Fox, Julie Gibbons, Lori McCarron, Denise Mongillo, Laurie Schweighardt and myself. On a personal note, on today’s hike I completed leading the ADK46 for the Albany Chapter.  

Oct 14 (Sun) WAKELY MOUNTAIN
Leader:  Bruce Allard

What a hike! Two seasons enjoyed in one day. A beautiful Autumn multicolored leaf-strewn trail from its head to half way up the steep incline starting at the site "of an old beaver pond worth a visit" [ p. 90, View From On High by John P. Freeman ]. There, half way up, a dusting of snow bespoke the much higher altitude. No need for an altimeter reading. We three, Kathy Sheppard, Ingrid Wilke and the leader, experienced more and more snow on evergreen branches and on rock slides, bringing up premature thoughts of Christmas.  Reaching the summit we measured one and close to two inches of snowball-making snow on the picnic table and on the staircases of Wakely's fire tower. This is one of the tallest towers in the ADK Forest Preserve.  Kathy decided to climb just 3 of 10 staircases for fear that she, though fear more for Chester , might not make it back down without slipping and falling. Oh, Chester ! That's Kathy's 6-year old Beagle/Basset. How could I leaving him out. Especially since he led most of the tough steep part of the hike, his paw prints in the snow easy to follow.  

Oct 16 (Tue) OWL’S HEAD MOUNTAIN
Leader:  Jim Schaller

A smaller than anticipated group (several cancellations) picked a beautiful day to climb to Owl's Head Mountain 's summit. We took turns climbing to the open cab of the partially restored Fire Tower - for expansive views over the Central Adirondack 's autumn landscape. The valleys were still a mix of greens and browns- with a scattering of vivid colors in some places on the hills. In the distance - the High Peaks already had snowy summits!  Overhead flew a few Canadian Geese, and also Herb Helms' Float Planes - giving aerial rides to leaf-peepers!  The summit rocks were home to a few very aggressive chipmunks and a red squirrel- which kept us busy - keeping THEM out of our lunches and packs!   The trail passes through groves of stately hemlocks and mature maples and other hardwoods - which made a pleasant hike in and out. Hiking were Jim and Bonnie Schaller; Marge Karowe and Mike Clark.  

Oct 20 (Sat) STREET & NYE MOUNTAINS
Leader:  Don Berens

More than an inch of rain fell overnight, but it had stopped by dawn when George Baranauskas, Don Berens, Julie Gibbons, Jane and John Husson, Linda Kolnick, Liz Marchese, Craig Matis, Kyle Shollenberger and Bryce Waldrop left the ADK HPIC lot bound for Street and Nye under a breezy, mostly cloudy sky.  A mile later, we confronted Indian Pass Brook where the herd path ford was under deep, swift water.  We made the conservative choice, abandoned our original goals, and contemplated the chronicidal possibilities.  We followed the brook's eastern bank northward where, augmented by a couple tributaries, the water was even deeper and wider.  We stood in a meadow by a wide gravel bank where we could see the well defended slopes of Street and Nye beyond the brook.  We retraced our steps to the Rock Garden Trail which we took to the top of Mount Jo where we admired the view over Heart Lake to the peaks of Wright, just below the scudding clouds, and Algonquin, well hidden in cloud.  The hardwood forests above 3,000 feet were bare of leaves, but there were patches of orange and yellow on the lower slopes.  We all descended the Short Trail and most of us did a lap around Heart Lake as mists descended.  We spotted a pileated woodpecker at the edge of the ADK ski slope above the southwest shore of the lake.  We visited the beach near the lake's outlet where we watched waves of misty rain blow across the lake.  The sun emerged as we held a lunchtime caucus outside the HPIC.  Jane, John, Linda and Bryce decided to drive home, while the rest of us drove to the South Meadow Road and took the trail north to Mount Van Hoevenburg.  The route is flat for a mile, then skirts a beaver pond and climbs to the south facing ledges near the summit.  There were fine views of Street and Nye to the west, Cascade and Porter to the east and South Meadow Brook below.  An easy jaunt brought us back to the cars before 3:00 pm.  We covered about the same mileage and used about the same time we would have spent on our original objectives.  Although we did not climb as much we had expected, we had much better views from Mounts Jo and Van Hoevenburg than we would have had from Street and Nye.

Oct 22 (Mon) WINDHAM HIGH PEAK
Leader:  Katie Henrikson

Even some Mondays turn out to be a good day for hiking. The weather was more like late summer than late October, the trail has been improved recently, and the views from the top were great. Enjoying a good day out were Shawn Allen, Sharon Bonk, Paul Breslin, Cal Johnson, Ray Henrikson, Lori McCarron, Shelly Nevard, Bill Shapiro, and the leader.

Oct 24 (Wed) WEST BRANCH SACANDAGA RIVER BUSHWHACK
Leader:  Walt Hayes

We looked for the old road going west from where the Northville Lake Placid Trail crosses the West Branch of the Sacandaga River .  After such a long dry spell we were surprised at the high water level from recent rains. We spent some time looking for a good crossing place and finally found one downstream.  We also found a small snake with striking attractive blue black and white coloring which we later found out to be an Eastern Garter Snake. None of us had seen one before.  We eventually found what we agreed must be the route of the old road.  There is no evidence of current regular use (no trimming or chainsaw cutting of blowdown) but some tread making a herd path from time to time.   The woods are open and relatively flat so the going is an easy bushwhack.  After lunch we found a nice waterfall and followed the road to a ford where it crossed the Sacandaga.  Norm Kuchar, Kathy Miles, Tom Ryan and the leader enjoyed this hike.  

Oct 30 (Tue) HOFFMAN NOTCH
Leader:  John Antonio

Rather than executing the car spotting routine, it was decided we would do the southern half of this well known (?) hiking/ski trail.  The plan was to make it to Big Marsh and return, about four miles in and four miles out.  The leaves were off the trees so we got to enjoy the views of the ridges and small mountains that were on either side of the trail.  The walk in, for the most part, is pretty level so we all agreed that, given the proper amount of snow this area would make for a great ski trip.  Four of us extended the day by also hiking in to Bailey Pond, and in addition, attempted to find Marion Pond, but daylight was running out so we decided to save this for another day.  Our group included Lori McCarron, Bruce Allard, Katie Henrikson, Susan Roberts, John Susko, Alan Dellehunt, Paul Breslin, Wally Herrod and the leader.  

Nov 2-4 (Fri-Sun) HAYSTACK & BASIN
Leader:  Don Berens

The atmosphere was cloudless clear as we walked into Grace Camp.  The stars that night were big and bright above the roof of Grace Camp.  The six-bunk dorm was cozy warm inside the walls of Grace Camp.  A white tail doe in grass laid low beside the loo at Grace Camp.  That was Friday.  

On Saturday, Don Berens, Roman Laba, Bob Scaife, Kyle Shollenberger and Skip Young left the cabin at 7:20 EDT, fifteen minutes before sunrise, under high unbroken overcast with temperatures in the low 20s, and headed for the Great Range .  We found increasing ice as we climbed the Orebed Brook Trail and the east ridge of Saddleback to its summit at 10:10.  We descended the steep south-facing cliffs which were free of ice and dry.  Not so the north facing slopes of Basin.  We took an hour to climb 0.7 miles up the often icy ledges.  We would have been over geared to wear our crampons, but we stepped up on each others bent knees, pulled each other up from above, and pushed each other up from below.  We left the top at noon as the sun glowed weakly through the high clouds and the first of several sightseeing planes flew over the range.  Temps were in the 40s.  We descended a thousand not so icy feet to Haystack Brook, where we stopped for thirty minutes to brew hot drinks.  The trail up to tree line was not so icy, and the rock above tree line was dry and bare of ice.  From Haystack's summit we had fine 360 degree views, but a gentle breeze and a ticking clock called us to leave at 2:25.  We descended an icy stretch of the Range Trail to its junction with the Phelps Trail and turned back into the upper Johns Brook Valley where the ice disappeared.  Our pace improved as we passed Slant Rock and Bushnell Falls .  We stopped on the JBL porch where, although it was still cloudy overhead, the sky to the west allowed the setting sun briefly to illuminate the tops of Lower Wolfjaw and Gothics.  A short stroll brought us back to the cabin at 5:50 EDT, fifteen minutes after sunset.  We were glad not to have to do the additional walk between Grace Camp and the Garden trailhead that day.  As it was, we had done 11.8 miles and 5,200 feet of climbing on an unusually fine November day.  We ate well and slept better. 

Then it was Sunday.  While in the sack, the clocks turned back inside the walls of Grace Camp.  T’was not so nice to see two mice inside the walls of Grace Camp.  With dawn came sun, our breakfast done inside the walls of Grace Camp.  We swept the floor and locked the door as we departed Grace Camp.

Nov 3 (Sat) BIG MARSH MTN.  BUSHWHACK
Leader:  Walt Hayes

This was truly a beautiful fall day in the woods.  We saw and talked to lots of hunters but did not hear a shot fired all day.  We climbed Big Marsh Mountain on an old road that was in very nice condition.  The summit ridge itself was a bushwhack through open woods through a series of small ledges.  After lunch on a rock ledge we bushwhacked down the western slope.  At the end of the trip four of us visited G Lake.  It is an attractive lake with a rim of spruces all the way around it.  Connie Cockrell, Kathy Miles, Lin Neil, Jon Pearson, Doug Tinkler and the leader had a great day in the woods.  

Nov 3 (Sat) KAATERSKILL HIGH PEAK
Leader: Norm Mueller

Our hike started at the trailhead around 9:00 a.m. Today’s hikers were Bruce and Pam Barbeau, Cal Johnson, Liz Marchese and the leader. It was cool with temps just under 40 degrees with overcast skies and the threat of rain due to hurricane Noel that was making its way up the coast.  Our hike up the Long Path to the snowmobile trail was uneventful but we all had great conversation ranging from Olympic speed skating to skiing and snowboarding and of course, hiking. As we made our way up the beginning of the muddy snowmobile trail we found the first evidence of the coming winter…ice. We made our steep climb up the herd path on the north side until we reached the summit. We located the USGS bench marker and checked out a few pieces of old plane wreckage not far from there. We all decided to go see the view on the south side where we had to don our jackets and seek shelter from the high winds as we ate our lunch. We had great views of Indianhead, Twin, Sugarloaf, Plateau and a bit of Hunter as well. Cal suggested we go down the south side as he said that it would be drier than the trail we took up, and he also pointed out that we would be passing another plane crash along the way. We all agreed and headed down where we found the path had been marked with blue trail markers that had been flipped over. We investigated the plane crash and then decided to bushwhack from there back to the Long Path to save some time. We made our way back to our vehicles around 1:30 p.m.

Nov 6 (Tue) AUSABLE CLUB RIVER TRAILS & OUTLOOKS
Leader:  Jim Schaller

This hike was a gamble (on the weather) but we won--big time!  Forecasts said "Rain in the AM, partial sun in the PM", but the Adirondacks sometime take awhile to clear out. On the hike day, at 5:00 A.M., it was pouring rain outside. The TV weather map showed a definite line of demarcation--a cold front with clear conditions to its west just at the western edge of the Adirondacks . So--take a chance that we would get at least part of the day with good weather?? OK.  We drove up the Northway in pitch darkness and in a downpour most of the way to Saratoga . At Exit 14 now daylight, there were thick clouds and a drizzle falling. We met the two other hikers, and we decided to head north, and hope for the best. And when we got up near Exit 29 there was blue sky in the Northwest!  Yes!!  By the time we got to St.Huberts, the clouds had been pushed out, and we had a beautiful day, with light winds, and temps in the 40's. At the Ausable Club's AMR we first explored the Cathedral Rocks (all of them!) and then scrambled up the narrow rock passage of Bear Run to a lookout on top. There, we got a great view of Giant with its slides covered with a fresh snowfall. We took the West River Trail past Wedge Brook and Beaver Meadow Falls , both foaming cascades of water from the rains. We looped up to Lost Lookout to a panorama of Nippletop- Colvin- Sawtooth, all with patches of snow and frosty ridgelines. Lower Ausable Lake stretched below us. Farther down the trail we viewed Rainbow Falls cascading gracefully over the cliffs. At the dam, we opted to take the East River Trail back, giving us more opportunities to view the Ausable River 's flumes, falls and rapids. Eleven miles of ups and downs and great views and vistas!  Hiking were Jim Schaller, Bonnie Schaller, Lori McCarron, and Bruce Allard.

Nov 6 (Tue) CAT & THOMAS MOUNTAINS
Leader:  Katie Henrikson

Having faith in the weather forecast paid off on this trip. We drove north from Albany in the rain, drove home in sprinkles, and hiked under clear blue, almost cloudless skies. We walked the road to Thomas, took the challenging new trail to Cat, and walked out on the road. Our travels were enlightened by one hiker’s identification of seeds and spores in plants pretty well killed off by the frost. Enjoying a pleasant day were Paul Breslin, Ray Henrikson, Susan Roberts, Ruth Schottman, and the leader.

Nov 9 (Fri) SILVER LAKE
Leader:  John Antonio

Mission accomplished.  The lean-to at Silver Lake (7.4 miles in on the southern trail head of the Northville Placid Trail) was our lunch destination and we arrived there at 11:55.  All decked out in orange (hunters about), we started our pilgrimage at 8:30 in 32 degrees but in total sun as opposed to the overcast day that was expected.  Passing the beautiful Rock Lake and the pretty little marsh-like Meco Lake on our journey, it warmed to 55 degrees.  We had to contend with one somewhat tricky stream crossing which only seemed to enhance our trek.  We all agreed that the dusting of about one inch of snow added sparkle to the already beautiful forest that we were traveling through.  On the return trip we did meet up with a hunter from Pennsylvania who told of spotting only two mice on his hunt.  Back to the cars at 3:45, we now see possibilities of future trips in this area.  Enjoying the woods were Bruce Allard, Lori McCarron, Andy Janz, Claudia Rosenholz, Charlie Beach and the leader.  

Nov 10 (Sat) JAY RANGE
Leader:  Skip Young

It was perfect late fall conditions, a frosty and sunny morning, as we started out to explore the Jay Range . Deep blue skies and magnificent views lasted the entire day as we traversed the multiple rocky knobs and notches that create this open ridge. Whiteface dominated to the north with its ski slopes already covered in snow. Lake Champlain was clearly visible to the east and almost all of the High Peaks were unmistakably in view as they silhouetted the skyline to the west. To make things interesting we bushwhacked on to the other Saddleback Mountain , visiting several rocky ledges along the way. The views were so spectacular that we found ourselves lingering at every high point the entire day, completing our tour of the range in about nine hours, or dawn to dusk. We all agreed this was one of the best hikes we’d done in the Adirondacks . Joining me for the day was; Jim Dean, Dave Goldman, Roman Laba, Christiane Mulvihill, Bob Scaife and Laurie Schweighardt.

Nov 10 (Sat) FIVE RIVERS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER
Leaders:  Sue & Ted Wright

Nov 14 (Wed) Hadley State Forest Preserve 
Leader: Walt Hayes   

Four of us enjoyed a midweek explore just west of Hadley Mountain .  There is a series of old roads - some for logging and some more substantial - that are still used to access the area by hunters and hikers.  We found several sections and learned more by talking to hunters we met.  It was a good fall day in the woods.  There is potential for a variety of hikes including through trips from the road to Lens Lake .  Participants: Paul Breslin, Phil Fountain, Norm Kuchar and the leader. 

Nov 23 (Fri) HARVEY MOUNTAIN 
Leader: Fred Schroeder 

We worked off half of yesterday's turkey on this short hike in Columbia County. A typical late November hike with open woods, ice on the ground, and a chill wind insured that it would be a successful outing. The open summit surrounded by low bush blueberry plants provided good views in several directions. Returning to our cars before noon, we decided to have lunch at the base of Beebe Hill along the shore of Bartlett Pond. The chance of climbing to the tower on Beebe Hill was offered to the group but no one jumped at the prospect. Apparently the lure of still open malls was too enticing so we headed back home. Enjoying this post Thanksgiving jaunt were Martha Waldman, Cliff Prewencki, Anita Wahlen, Jim Hartnett, Karen Ross and a sprightly Louie, John Cooley, Roman Laba, Martha Schroeder, Susan Roberts, and the leader.

Nov 27 (Tue) BLUE AND SAWYER MOUNTAINS
Leader: John Antonio

Blue Mountain has a reputation as being one of the most frequently climbed mountains in the Adirondacks, but today we saw no one else. On a cloudy day that featured on and off flurries we found ourselves climbing up a stream that changed to sheer ice after forty-five minutes. It’s so nice to scramble over rocks using stabilicers and feel totally in control. There were no views from the fire tower so it was a short stay at the top. Lunch was in our car peeking through the condensation on the window at a very pretty but foreboding Lake Durant. We shot up and down Sawyer Mountain but at the top did manage to catch a quick glimpse of some of the ponds in the area as the clouds did depart for a brief time. Our group: Lori McCarron, Bruce Allard and the leader.

Dec 1 (Sat) TWIN LAKES MOUNTAIN 
Leader: Walt Hayes 

We drove up with a dusting of snow most of the way but near Piseco Lake found several inches of accumulation. For most of us this was the first severe cold of the winter hiking season. Temperature at the cars was 11 degrees. There was a wind from the north making it feel even colder. Soon after starting, some thought it was too cold to continue. After reorganizing we were without enough time to finish the original objective so we switched to a bushwhack climb of 2868 foot Stacy Mountain. We encountered three backpackers who had suffered through the cold night at the T Lake lean-to and were retreating to their car. There was more sun than we expected so the climb of Stacy was a delight with good views of the lake and distant peaks under dark blue skies. We ate lunch in the lee of the wind in the sun just off the summit. There were about 5 or 6 inches of snow on top. It was a relaxed return to the trailhead where the temperature had risen to 15 degrees. Participants were Bruce Allard, Benn Bundy, Paula Crehan, Eileen Daley, Norm Kuchar, Ken and Nilde Marcinowski, James Taft, Doug Tinkler, John Wimmer and the leader.

Dec 4 (Tue) MT. TREMPER 
Leader: Jim Schaller 

A late weekend storm fizzled, and left only 2 or 3 inches of new snow over otherwise bare ground in the Catskills. So- snowshoes were left behind, and only two of our group used stabilicers or crampons. The Phoenicia Trail follows the old Fire Tower access road - with switchbacks, and a moderate grade - most of the way to the summit of Mt. Tremper. On top, every tree, branch and twig held a delicate mantle of snow-as yet undisturbed by wind - a very nice early winter scene. The Fire Tower cab was locked, but from the steps on top, we got partial views of the surrounding mountains - between low clouds and snow showers to the West. The sun appeared off and on, making a nice day, with temps in the 20's. After lunch at the lean-to on top, we made a quick descent- finishing off a nice day on the trail. Hiking were Bruce Allard, Lori McCarron, Dave Esmond, and Jim and Bonnie Schaller.

Dec 7 (Fri) THOMAS AND CAT MOUNTAINS
Leader:  John Antonio

Dec 8 (Sat) ALLEN MOUNTAIN 
Leader: Don Berens 

It is unlikely to squeeze a 19-mile hike into a 9-hour day. But to climb Allen on a mid-December day, you must try. Don Berens, Tim Kase, Roman Laba, Denise Mongillo, Bob Scaife and Claudia Warren left the trailhead at 5:50 am with snowshoes and headlamps under 28 degree cloudy skies. The first adventure began before sunrise, about 2.2 miles in, near the east shore of Lake Sally. In the dark, the four hikers in front missed the spot where the marked trail turns southeast toward the Opalescent River, and instead continued on the old road southwest toward Sanford Lake. The two in the rear discovered the divergence of the track and trail, and so followed the track slowly, hoping the rest would turn back. Within a half-hour, daylight arrived and all hikers were reunited on the correct path. Intermittent snow showers accompanied us along and across the Opalescent and through the post-Floyd blow-down clearing to the herd path. We proceeded steadily on the herd path to Skylight Brook where occasional patches of blue appeared overhead. The last steep mile along Allen Brook took nearly two hours as we encountered about six inches of powdery snow over a base which was often ice. Brief flurries returned at 1:00 p.m. as we reached the summit, where we refreshed ourselves for thirty minutes. The steep descent required more care, but less time, than the ascent. We easily followed our tracks out. By 4:00 pm, as we turned west along Lower Twin Brook, the snow had stopped and we saw the whole western sky glowing gold as the setting sun was diffused by thin clouds. We crossed the Opalescent River bridge at 5:00 p.m. and put our headlamps back on. As we walked the last miles, we talked little and our vision was limited to six small circles of light. Our last adventure was again in the dark and again near the east shore of Lake Sally. The two hikers in front broke through the ice covering a knee-deep muddy wallow in the old road. But less than an hour of walking remained, so we did not stop on the trail to change clothes then. Stars emerged in the sky as we emerged from the woods to the 22 degree trailhead at 6:50 pm. We managed to do the middle thirteen miles of the trip in daylight and the other six miles in the dark. It was a memorable first snowshoe of the season.

Dec 12 (Wed) BLACK MOUNTAIN 
Leader: Katie Henrikson 

Once again, faith in the weather forecast paid off. We left Albany in a light rain, hiked into bright blue sunny skies and drove home before the next big storm. The skies cleared at the top for broad views of Lake George below us and the mountains to the north. Enjoying a pleasant winter hiker were Judy Brandow, Paul Breslin, Ray Henrikson, Mary MacDonald, John Sheehan and the leader.

Jan 8 (Tue) CAT & THOMAS MOUNTAINS 
Leaders: Marcia Hanson & Lorraine Plauth 

Don Berens paved the way with his snowshoes so the co-leaders, Marcia Hanson and Lorraine Plauth, could tag along behind. Conditions were soft snow, blue sky, and temperature in the 50s. All hikers agreed that the rolling ups and downs of the trail were fun, and views from both summits well worth the 7 miles round trip.

Jan 8 (Tue) HUYCK PRESERVE 
Leader: Virginia Boyle Traver 

Our "beginning snowshoeing" outing attracted seven very seasoned outdoors people who were looking for an easy morning walk in the woods on a nice day. A record-breaking 60 degrees and previous days of warmth had decreased snow totals substantially. We were still able to use snowshoes but were stumped by rushing water that made a stream crossing impossible and changed the plans considerably. Our very flexible group, who claimed right to the end that "it was just great to be out," consisted of Dale Blanchet, Paul Breslin, Steve Brown, Martha Connor, Etta Menges, Susan Roberts, and the leader.

Jan 8 (Tue) EAST BRANCH OF THE SACANDAGA RIVER
Leader: John Antonio

Okay, so it’s the middle of the winter – big deal!  We decided it was time for an old fashioned hot dog roast.  Five of us on a beautiful day snowshoe hiked into the lean-to on the way to the Siamese Ponds for a cookout.  The trail was broken, and with the temperature shooting up into the high 50’s we stripped down to one layer.  The streams were running, especially on the way out, so we had a couple of tricky crossings, but the day went like clockwork.  Going over the shoulder of Eleventh Mountain is easy on the way in but somewhat tiresome on the way out, but we made it to the lean-to in about two hours.  The charcoal in a bag worked like a charm.  The coals were ready in eight to ten minutes.  The hot dogs were from the local German store, Rolf’s.  We all agreed this is going to be an annual event.  Our group:  John Susko, John Sheehan, Lori McCarron, Bruce Allard and the leader. 

Jan 12 (Sat) BLACKHEAD, BLACK DOME & THOMAS COLE 
Leader: Norm Mueller 

This outing started at 8:30 a.m. from a very icy trailhead parking lot at the end of Big Hollow Road. Our hiking group today consisted of five members: Richard Dabal, Carol Nester, Karen Rose, Peggy Wissler and the leader. We made our way up the Black Dome range trail toward the Batavia Kill trail under overcast skies with the temp just above the freezing point. There was almost no snow on the ground to speak of and in several spots the trail seemed more like a stream. Our group took short break at the lean-to where we all talked about our past Christmas celebrations and also about Carol Nestor's recent birthday. We all agreed that hiking is what help keeps us young. As we reached the Escarpment trail, we began to see more snow cover and a lot more ice. We decided to stop for a quick break just past 3100 feet at an overlook with a nice view of the Cairo, Acra, Purling and Roundtop area. As we proceeded up the trail toward the northern face of Blackhead, we encountered a great deal of ice that made for a slow ascent even for those wearing stabilicers. We reached the summit to find a great deal of blowdown, as if someone had taken hedge trimmers to all of the trees there. The descent into the col between Blackhead and Blackdome was not as icy, but there was even more damage done to the trees than we had seen earlier. We reached the col at 11:15 a.m. and decided to take an early lunch break. During our ascent of Blackdome, the skies began to clear up and the sun began to soften up the snow. At the summit we enjoyed a great view of Indian Head, Twin, Sugarloaf and Plateau along with Kaaterskill and Roundtop Mountain. We made a quick trip over to Thomas Cole and retraced our steps back to the col to where we had had our lunch earlier. After a short break, we took the Blackdome trail back to the parking area. This section of the trail was extremely icy and covered with very hard packed snow until we dropped below 3000 feet where we again found a lot of bare earth, mud and running water. We finally signed out at the trail register at 3:00 p.m.

Jan 18 (Fri) PROSPECT MOUNTAIN 
Leader: Bruce Allard 

The group traveled in light rain showers from our Exit 12 meeting place and up the Northway, but there was no rain at our exit to the Lake George Recreation Center trail head. Within a half hour or so the Prospect Mountain Traverse became a glorious sunshine-striped trail 3 1/4 miles up to the summit parking lot. We hiked in sticky snowman-making snow up to about a half mile or so from the parking lot. Once there, snow became dry powder all the way to a wind-swept summit where Lori McCarron, Don Berens, Jim McCauley, and Jim and Bonnie Schaller enjoyed a sunlit view south across to distant Hudson Valley . Don replaced me trail breaking the descent. And I was happy that he did so. In my mind Don Berens is the Sultan of Switchback... dodging notorious rocky ice-covered slopes to the bridge over the Northway. We sashayed across the bridge with snowshoes in hand to let the 75 MPH audience below know we completed the Prospect Mountain Traverse in a "winter storm warning." Jack Freeman had committed to joining the group but for a sickness that required hospitalization and subsequent rehab at Ellis/Sunnyview. He was truly missed.

Jan 19 (Sat) TABLETOP MOUNTAIN 
Leader: Don Berens 

An hour into our hike, at Marcy Dam, a brisk 17 degree wind blew snow flurries horizontally. George Baranauskas, Don Berens, Sharon Getman, Tim Kase, Stuart Kurtz, Jan McLaughlin, Christiana Mulvihill, Laurie Schweighardt and Ron Toseland were relieved. There would be no black flies today. Conditions underfoot were excellent: packed trail with a dusting of new powder. The herd path to Tabletop had been traveled by four hikers ahead of us, so there were no route-finding or trail-breaking problems for us. Some of the rougher patches were smoothed by the deep, firm snow, so gravity was the only serious impediment to our ascent. It was 5 degrees, and windy with flurries on top. From the viewpoint 50 yards beyond the summit, Marcy, Haystack and Basin were obscured by clouds, but we could see Saddleback in the mists. Closer at hand, the blowdown around the viewpoint was encased in gray ice and decorated with white rime. We left before noon and reached warmer temperatures at the bottom of the herd path where we watched a pine marten watching us. The return to the trailhead was accompanied by diminishing wind and flurries along with rising cloud ceilings and temperatures. Upon reaching the cars it was 24 degrees and a few bold hikers (not in our group) were seen returning in blue jeans, short sleeves, and even bare-chested. The mosquitoes would not be far behind, so we drove home.

Jan 22  (Tue) EARLY BIRD TWO-FER
Leader:  John Antonio

Jan 27 (Sun) BENNETT HILL PRESERVE FOR SINGLES 
Leaders: Lee Schaller & Ellen Luchsinger 

Our plan to snowshoe turned into a hike. We had a picture perfect day - blue skies and comfortable temperatures, especially for January. While doing the loop at the top of Bennett Hill, we had decent views of the State Campus and Empire Plaza. Our group consisted of a wide age range…a nice young newcomer, Temple Lee, attending SUNY to our otherwise wise mix of fellows and gals…Robbie Roessle, Todd Gardner, Cliff Prewencki, Randolph Franklin, and trip leaders, Lee and Ellen. The more adventuresome, led by Randolph, decided to bushwhack back down and we all regrouped at the parking lot. Pizza at Smitty's in Voorheesville was EXCELLENT. We're hoping to generate more interest in others to join up with each other for various impromptu hikes. All in all, a great afternoon!

Jan 27 (Sun) BIG INDIAN & DOUBLETOP 
Leader: Mary MacDonald 

On a fine winter day our group of 7 hikers had an early start for the long drive to the Arkville area for our snowshoe ascent of 2 peaks in the Catskills. Big Indian was accomplished by following a well packed trail up the Seager Trail and the Biscuit Brook-Pine Hill Trail nearly to the summit where we had a short walk to the canister off trail. We were on the ridge before we needed to use our snowshoes. The ensuing bushwhack to Doubletop was much more challenging through some thick wooded areas and thence to the south summit, along the ridge to the north summit, Our exit was down along another ridge which took us back to the Seager Trail. Hard working hikers included Dan Pekrol, Judy Brandow, Betty Dykstra, Phil Fountain, Bob Scaife, Kevin Cox and Mary MacDonald, leader.

Jan 27 (Sun) SANTANONI GREAT CAMP XC SKI 
Leaders: Sue & Ted Wright 

We promised we'd find snow somewhere and we did--several inches worth of powder on the road into Santanoni Great Camp at Newcomb on Route 28N. We had lunch on the porch of the Camp and got back in daylight by 4:15. One carload had dinner at The Place in Chestertown. Skiers were: Gail Carr, Nancy Feiker and Deb Spicer.

Jan 29 (Tue) CAT MOUNTAIN 
Leader: Katie Henrikson 

This was a pleasant snowshoe hike up the road to Cat - with a little freezing drizzle for about half the trip up the mountain. Not enough to stop the trip - just enough to freeze the zippers on packs and make it hard to get at our lunches. Rain cleared off for the trip back. Most came down the road, and two intrepid hikers returned on the blue trail. A great time was had by Bruce Allard, Fred Barker, Judy Brandow, Steve Brown, Ray Henrikson, Dick Hughes, Lori McCarron, Lorraine Smith, and the leader.

Feb 9 (Sat) GRAHAM & BALSAM LAKE MOUNTAINS 
Leader: Norm Mueller 

Today's outing started out at the Dry Brook Ridge parking area on Mill Brook Road at 10:00 a.m. The hiking group today consisted of four members: George Baranauskas, Ron Toseland, Kathy Pacuk and the leader. The ascent up the Dry Brook trail to the register was quite icy with only a light coating of snow. The skies were slightly gray and it was just below freezing. The entire trail all the way to Balsam Lake Mt. was very icy and there was a great deal more snow as we got closer to the summit. A light but steady snow began to fall as we made our way up to the fire tower, which prevented us from enjoying any views whatsoever. After some photos and some snacking, we headed back down the junction to pick up the path to Graham, but this time we all decided to break out the snowshoes as the trip up to this point was a bit slippery. On our way over to Graham, we ran into ADK trip leader, Tim Kase and his hiking friend, Laurie. We chatted with them for a few minutes before heading on toward the summit. The snow began to fall much heavier and we were all fairly well frosted by the time we reached the summit. Kathy took the opportunity to break out her homemade cookies. The oatmeal raisins were very good, but the chocolate-chocolate chips were well worth the trip. George teased us about how good it was to have a hot cup of cocoa on the summit instead of leaving it in the car like Kathy had chosen to do. After our lunch, we headed back down to find our tracks had been completely covered by the fresh fallen snow, but Ron still did a fine job leading us back to the junction with the Dry Brook trail. The snow continued to fall for the rest of our trip back to the parking area. Our timing could not have been better as a snow plow and sander had just passed as we reached our car to clear a path for us down Mill Brook Road. We headed home around 3:00 p.m.

Feb 9 (Sat) LOST POND PEAK 
Leader: Don Berens 

Lost Pond (3,705') is 1-1/2 miles south of Street Mountain (4,166') and 2-1/2 miles northeast of MacNaughton Mountain (4,000'). The high pond, which drains westward toward the Chubb River, is nestled in a rugged horseshoe of wooded, craggy peaks rising on the north to Lost Pond Peak (~3,890'), about the height of Street's neighbor Nye Mountain (~3,895'). Lost Pond Peak is higher than at least one of the 46, but it is not, and was never thought to be, over 4,000 feet, so it is rarely visited. John Arnason, Don Berens, Annie Dagastine, Bob Scaife, Kyle Shollenberger, Rick Taylor and Claudia Warren left the ADK Loj lot at 6:35 with 19F and clouds. Wednesday's 5 inch snowfall had been broken 2.4 miles to the turn-off for the Rocky Falls Lean-To. We took turns breaking a further 1.4 miles to the Scott Clearing Lean-To where we rested. We continued breaking the trail across Indian Pass Brook and up toward the Wallface and Scott Ponds. About 1.1 miles up this trail is a height of land. We descended about 70 feet and 0.2 miles west of the H-of-L, to a snow-covered bog or pond on the north side of the trail. From there, we bushwhacked NNW past a small pond (shown on the metric map of Ampersand Lake). We then turned NNE to climb over the southern arm of the horseshoe ridge guarding Lost Pond. We descended northward to the west-flowing drainage, which we followed upward to the pond. There we enjoyed the cliffs and icicles framing pond and saw the summit. We looked for an easy way through semi-open woods, occasionally wallowed in snow, walked halfway around the summit, then decided to swarm up, around and through the thickly wooded cliffs to the top which we reached at 12:35 as it began to snow. After 15 minutes on top, we decided that it would be faster to follow our spiraling tracks generally south back to the trail near Scott Pond, rather than to bushwhack a new more direct route east back to the Scott Clearing Lean-To. We moved twice as fast descending our broken track as we had ascended while making it. After another rest at the lean-to, we proceeded back to the Loj which we reached at 4:25 with 29F and snow flurries. No headlamps were harmed during the visit to this peak.

Feb 9 (Sat) Rogers and Poplar Mountains
Leader: Walt Hayes  

Feb 10 (Sun) GRAFTON LAKES STATE PARK FOR SINGLES 
Leaders: Ellen Luchsinger & Lee Schaller 

It started out as a "very blustery day" as a mini-snow blizzard passed through the meeting location in Troy before five women set off to snowshoe at Grafton Lakes State Park. Due to the predicted high winds and a recent ice storm, we opted not to hike to or climb the Dickinson Hill Fire Tower. The snow and ice laden trees presented a "Narnia" appearance from the recent snowfalls. Martha and Marie snowshoed part way along the Long Pond shoreline and turned back. The remaining three made it to the boat launch parking lot and enjoyed their lunches in the now present warm sunshine. They then continued their trek around the pond and returned to the parking lot. Kathy left to return home to an anxiously awaiting puppy. Lee and Ellen were enjoying an early dinner at Pancho's in Troy as the second mini-blizzard whiteout passed through. They say timing is everything! Thank you to Warren Broderick for providing pamphlets to trip participants regarding the fire tower's history and preservation efforts. Trip participants: Marie, Kathy Sheppard, Martha Waldman with co-leaders Lee Schaller and Ellen Luchsinger.

Feb 20 (Wed) THACHER PARK — LONG PATH HIKE/SNOWSHOE
Leaders: Bonnie & Jim Schaller

This mid-week hike dawned clear and cold, and turned into a partly sunny day with temperatures in the high 20’s. We found varying conditions in Thacher Park- from nearly bare ground- to icy spots; but mostly hard crusted snow in the woods. So, it was decided to just wear stableicers all day. We began walking along the fence and cliff-side escarpment from the Park Headquarters. That gave us a string of view spots right away! We soon rejoined the Long Path, and began a long trek through variable terrain and woodland types, before going out to “Hang-Glider Cliff” for the view.  After that we put in some more distance through the snowy woods that led us to “High Point Cliff” where we had lunch with a view of Altamont and western Albany County . Then we finished with a combination of trail, woods and road walking out to Old Stage Road, and the spotted car. The 6 mile hike was enjoyed by Paul Breslin, Kathy Gilchrist, Anita Wahlen, and the leaders.

Feb 29 (Fri) HOFFMAN NOTCH
Leader: John Antonio

A very cold day led to a batch of cancellations but four of us did make it to Big Marsh – our lunch destination. The day started out strangely. We actually shoveled out a portion of road to a private Rod and Gun Club before we realized our false start. After driving up the road to the “real” parking area we started out in our shoes in extremely deep snow on a trail that was not broken whatsoever. It took us three hours to walk a little over three miles but we did make our appointed reservation at Big Marsh. Hiking up Hoffman were: Lori McCarron, Bruce Allard, Cliff Prewencki and the leader.

Mar 18 (Tue) GARNETT HILL XC SKI
Leader: Katie Henrikson

This trip was listed for cross country skiing at Lapland Lake , but we changed to Garnet Hill. Damage from the recent ice storm was much in evidence, with piles of brush beside the trails and some leaf/twig litter on the trails. Conditions warmed in the afternoon, softening the ground up ice surface we skied on in the morning. The highlight of the day was a trip down Thirteenth Lake where there was a little snow covering the ice, making for fast but easy skiing conditions. A pleasant day was had by Ray Henrikson, Judith Maguire, and the leader on new skis.

Mar 22 (Sat) Eagle Pond, Eleventh & DIAMOND Mountains
Leader: Walt Hayes 

We had reports from DEC on heavy ice damage to trees on Eleventh Mountain so on Thursday the location was switched to Eagle Pond.  On arrival we found there was no parking for Eagle Pond so we switched back to the Eleventh Mountain parking area.  We could see extensive ice damage to trees at the parking lot.  We decided to take the trail over the shoulder of Eleventh Mountain into the Siamese Ponds Wilderness.  There were lots of trees on the trail but most were easy to get around.  The open rock on Diamond Mountain looked like an attractive lookout over the valley of the East Branch of the Sacandaga.  We bushwhacked to the summit of Diamond through open woods for lunch with great cliff top views.  The temperature at the parking lot had been 16 degrees but the sun warmed our lunch spot to the 30's.  Taking a different route down, we found extensive moose rubbing on trees in a small area.  There were at least a dozen small striped maples that had been marked by a moose.  The leader had seen this before but never more than two or three trees in one place.  We had crust with an inch of powder making the travel very easy under a bright blue sky.  Participants:  Walt Addicks, Bruce Allard, David Caso, Gail Gaskin, Norm Kuchar, Lori McCarron, Mary McManus, Kathy Miles and the leader.

Apr 11 (Fri) PEEBLES ISLAND
Leader:  Fred Schroeder

We took a pleasant stroll around this popular local island surrounded by an awful amount of water doing interesting things like flowing tranquilly, fully charged standing waves, and thunderous cascades pouring over dams.  Although the day wasn’t brilliant it was still relaxed walking with such a convivial group.  We had hoped for eagles but saw none.  Following lunch in the pavilion along the Hudson , we headed for the Cohoes Falls Park and a view of the very spectacular falls.  Our strollers were: Barb Cooley, Lori McCarron, Anita Wahlen, Bruce and Cory Allard, Martha Schroeder, Kathleen Marshall, and the leader.

***This is a bitter sweet moment for me since it may be the last hike that I will lead for the Chapter because of a tired body.  What an incredible experience it has been over the past thirty years and one that I would encourage anyone to follow.  There certainly are aspects of leading groups that may cause a pause, as there is with everything in life, but the rewards are so palpable and rewarding and, once the routine is in place, the effort seems commonplace.  Hikers seem to be, by nature, wonderful people.  They accustom themselves to some hardships for the ultimate goal of reaching a destination and encountering the unusual, and they experience transcendent moments.  Knowing them and making many friends has kept me charged for a long time and I will miss it.  Try leading a trip—it may work wonders for you.

Apr 23 (Wed) Paul Creek Falls                                                             
Leader: Walt Hayes 

This trip was planned to find a northern route to the network of old logging roads on state land just west of Hadley Mountain .  We had been told there were no old roads from the north.  John Brown told about waterfalls on Paul Creek .  Finding the falls was added to the original goal. It was a perfect spring day.  Temperatures were in the 60's and 70's.  The snow had just melted in the past week.  There was significant blowdown from the March ice storm on the road to the starting point so we had to walk the road the last half mile to the start of the bushwhack.  An unseen owl greeted us just after we entered the woods.  We hiked below the level of the car (1900 feet) all day so the ice damage was limited to the area near the road.  Most of our bushwhacking was through very open hardwood forests. The falls are a series of handsome waterfalls in a stairway where the creek drops about 150 feet in 2 tenths of a mile.  After lots of photos and lunch by the falls we moved on to connect with the logging roads.  We located a previously visited road junction and then followed the remains of an old logging road to a ridge to where we failed to find a continuation.  We concluded that there was no road out to the north and followed a different route back to the car.  A great day in the woods was had by all.  Bushwhackers were Judy Brandow, Norm Kuchar, Dave Loux, Mary MacDonald and the leader. 

Apr 24 (Thu) DRY BROOK RIDGE & PAKATAKAN MTN.
Leader Jim Schaller

The unusual string of warm days in April brought out spring wild flowers in the Catskills. “Spring Beauties” carpeted the forest floor, and a scattering of others too.  We also found—in the higher elevations of the trail- lots of blowdown – still remaining from an ice storm of a year past!  We wound up clearing away smaller branches and trees as best we could, while hiking along.  The temperature climbed to 72 this day—but the black flies were just pesky. At the Dry Brook Lean-to -private lands close in on two sides—and a brand new house has been built almost right in front of the lean-to!! Talk about a ruined view. We reached the first of 3, or 4 rocky cliff lookouts for lunch. We could see from Balsam Lake Mountain- to the Pepecton Reservoir. A long descent took us from the heights of the ridge—down steep slopes-interspersed with flat “shelves”- and finally an old ski road – down to the car at Margaretville. It was almost a 3000 ft. descent!! We had a refreshing Ice Cream stop in town before the trip home. Hiking were: Lori McCarron, Anita Whalen, Jim Hartnett, Sharon Bonk, Walt Addicks, Bonnie Schaller and the leader.

Apr 25 (Fri) PHARAOH MOUNTAIN
Leader: John Antonio

What was supposed to be a nice easy spring hike up Pharaoh Mountain in the Adirondacks took an unexpected turn when after five miles of rugged hiking through late winter blowdown in rough terrain, eleven of the group of twelve hikers reached the summit of Pharaoh to find one of their party missing. The missing party had gone ahead of the group and had not stopped at the next intersection, and should have reached the summit first. It was clear the hiker had gone off the trail. The lost hiker was able to be reached by cell phone and reported bushwhacking in an unknown direction for about an hour, was now lost in heavy blowdown near the top, and was unsure about how to proceed. DEC rangers were called and dispatched to the area, and our group began to descend the mountain in shifts, calling and whistling for our lost member. After 200 yards, a member of our party slipped on the wet unstable rocks and badly twisted his ankle. He could not bear any weight on it. DEC was called again to request assistance – this time for evacuation. With one hiker unable to walk and one lost, DEC staff hurriedly adjusted their plans and called in a NYS Police helicopter to both search for our lost hiker and to land on the summit of Pharaoh to carry out our injured party. After several hours while a team assembled, the helicopter swept back and forth over the valley trying to locate our lost party and then repeatedly circled the summit. The hikers who had not gone down to look helped carry the injured hiker to the summit where he was airlifted out and treated at a hospital for his broken leg. The rest of the group, in the company of a ranger who had hiked up, proceeded down the trail, calling and whistling for our missing member. Near the bottom of the mountain, word was received that our lost member had made it to a remote pond and had been found by two fishermen and paddled across the pond to a trail where other DEC rangers were waiting. It was a fortunate outcome for what could have been a tragedy. As it turned out our now found hiker had no compass, flashlight, extra clothes or matches and had not taken a map that was offered by the leader. The big lesson here is do not leave your group on a hike, wait at trail junctions and carry all required safety gear. Our group: Karen Ross, Jeff Ross, Lori McCarron, Bruce Allard, John Susko, Sharon Bonk, Jacob Gehrlein, Robert Whitaker, Peter Zmyewski, John Sheehan, Nola Royce, and leader.

Apr 27 (Sun) SCHENECTADY MUSEUM PRESERVE
Leaders: Sue & Ted Wright

After two weeks of perfect spring weather, we awoke Sunday to overcast sky. We met Renee Eck and Syma Lapides at the appointed hour and place but decided on the basis of a scouting of Old Maids Woods a week before (only Skunk Cabbage and trailing arbutus) to switch to the Schenectady Museum Preserve at Lock 7 and were rewarded with a profusion of Dutchman's Britches, Wake Robin Trillium, Trout Lily, violets and a few each of Blood Root, Colts Foot, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Baneberry, Rue Anemone, and Toothwort. We finished with lunch at Lock Seven.

Apr 29 (Tue) CRANE MOUNTAIN
Leader: Katie Henrikson

Once again, we started from Albany in the rain. However, the weatherman prevailed and we hiked in cloudy, but dry, cool, windy conditions. The trail had lots of things – snow, much water, large amounts of blowdown, not a lot of trail markers. We reached the top in good time and came down through snow to Crane Mountain Pond. The steep downhill was made easier by the absence of snow on the south facing slopes. We admired the commemorative plaque for Philip Schaefer, placed where only hikers will see it. The leader felt well taken care of by her three companions: Bruce Allard, John Antonio, and Lori McCarron.

May 6 (Tue) HURRICANE MOUNTAIN
Leader: John Antonio

There were seven of us on a sunny but very windy day who decided to tackle Hurricane Mountain from the Crows parking lot.  We began our journey at 9:50 a.m. and crossed Gulf Brook at the Gulf Brook lean-to at 10:15.  The brook was flowing pretty well, much to the consternation of one in our party, but we managed to cross and suffered only one wet sock.  We lunched on  the top at 12:55 and started back at 12:30, recrossing the brook seven more times.  It was a little icy at the top, but for most part this was an easy uneventful trip.  Hiking Hurricane were:  Bruce Allard, Anita Wahlen, Lori McCarron, John Sheehan, Katie Henrikson, Claudia Rosenholz and the leader.

May 7 (Wed) Little Hopkins Mountain
Leader: Walt Hayes  

This trip required two crossings of the East Branch of the Sacandaga River .  The snow melt was past and recent rainless days gave the river a low enough level for easy wading. We found out that stabilicers do work in place of wading shoes although the Velcro straps do not give a snug fit on bare feet. After the first crossing we found and followed an old road along Cook Brook where there is evidence of past farming efforts.  At a large beaver meadow we took a compass course to the top of Little Hopkins up its steep southern flank.  The top is flat and covered with large trees and almost no undergrowth so without leaves many nearby mountains can be identified – Gore, Eleventh, Puffer, Bullheads and many more.  After lunch we headed down to the north to pick up the old road coming from Curtis Clearing.  After an easy wade we were at Burnt Shanty clearing and on the NYS trail from Siamese Ponds back to the trailhead on Route 8. A little over 6 and 1/2 hours in the woods with about 6.5 miles covered.   Hikers were Walt Addicks, Charlie Beach, Gail Gaskin, Norm Kuchar, Dave Loux, Mary MacDonald, Kathy Miles and the leader.  

May 9 (Fri) loon lake kayaking
Leaders: Katie Henrikson & Bill Valentino

We set off from the northern end of Loon Lake in Chestertown for a paddle all around the lake.  A loon and an osprey were spied by members of the group. A pleasant time was had by all on this early season shakedown cruise. The day was partly sunny and mild though the water was still cold. Enjoying the day were Ed Ashley and Dave Belsi, Dave and Alice Esmond, Ray Henrikson, Chuck Newland, John Pecorini and Betsy Kaido, Bill Smollin, and the leaders: Katie Henrikson for organization and Bill Valentino for water safety.

May 10 (Sat) NORTH MOUNTAIN & STOPPEL POINT
Leader: Jim Schaller

May 20 (Tue) Grass Mountain & Spruce Peak
Leader: Charlie Beach

These are the high points in the range south of the Batten Kill in western Vermont . We had a clear, cool and breezy day for the climb. Many typical spring flowers were in bloom. The black flies were scarce until the day warmed. We bushwhacked Spruce and off the summit of Grass back to the col. The majority of the route was on logging roads which provide access from several directions. Participating were Katie Henrikson, John Susko and the leader Charlie Beach.

May 30 (Fri) CATHEDRAL ROCKS, BEAR RUN & RAINBOW FALLS
Leaders: Bruce Allard & Lori McCarron

I like to think that those who've hiked the Rocks/Run/Falls believe, like I do, that it’s the most scenic and relaxing hike in the Adirondacks, and surely amongst all others approached via the Ausable Club Road.  Even the affable bearded keeper at the rustic road gateway smiled and nodded his approval of our choice of destination. We had great spring weather and lots of sunshine and just enough wind providing relief from some humidity. Besides Rainbow Falls , we enjoyed  Pyramid Falls , a scramble through the 25 yard narrow Bear Run slot, and the awesome Cathedral Rocks, rocks that remind one of churches like St Patrick's.  We also took a side trip to Lost Lookout. No one got lost, though we were lost as to the names of the beautiful mountains we enjoyed viewing over lunch. We needed Fred Schroeder to explain that Nipple Top could not be seen nor could we see each of our favorite other mountains across the sun swept valley below us. Joining me and Lori were other pros of Adirondack topography—John Antonio, Phil Fountain, Barbara Northrup and Claudia Rosenholz.   

May 30 (Fri) VANDERWACKER MOUNTAIN
Leader: Katie Henrikson

There were 8 hikers and 8,000,000 black flies going up the mountain. After a back-country ride into the trail head, we set off with much bug dope and about half the party in head nets. There were painted trillium, hobble bush, star flower, and spring beauty to be seen along the trail.  At the summit, we all went up the fire tower to appreciate the view, and stayed up there to eat lunch above the black flies. The view from the top was as advertised; many of the high peaks were visible through a slight haze.  Enjoying the day were: Charles Beach, Paul Breslin, Steve Oberhofer, Claudia Rosenholtz, John Sheehan, Bill Valentino, Anita Whalen, and the leader.

Jun 3 (Tue) CRANE MOUNTAIN
Leader: John Antonio

Crane, “the super mountain” according to Barbara McMartin, provided for a great time for nine of us on a warmish clear June day.  We tackled the mountain on our usual counter-clockwise loop with Lori in the lead all the way. Would you expect anything else?  We were all on our good behavior – we all stayed together -  always regrouping at junctions and vistas.  This was Bob W.’s first trip up this little peak and he was really impressed with the steepness of this mountain.  We decided to have lunch at the pond but don’t you know it – the wind dies down and the black flies do come out.  A good day was had by all.  Climbing Crane were Claudia Rosenholz, Karen Ross, Anita Wahlen, Charles Beach, Bruce Allard, Lori McCarron, Bob Whitaker, Sharon Bonk and the leader. 

Jun 12 (Thu) HUDSON RIVER PADDLE FROM TOWN OF HUDSON
Leader: Bill Valentino

It was a beautiful day to be outdoors: sunny 78 degrees, no humidity, and not a cloud in the sky.  There were twelve of us in ten cars, driving in formation from Rensselaer to the historic town of Hudson .  It was surprising no one got lost because of at least three unnecessary turns in the city of Hudson due to an over reliance on my GPS.  A spur of the moment decision to make a bathroom stop at the old Hudson Railroad Station resulted in cars parked at all angles and directions around the station.  It also resulted in a startled lady at the Amtrak ticket window observing a dozen strangely clad (at least to her) paddlers sprinting through the station for the rest rooms before their cars were ticketed.  We started by paddling around one of the more interesting lighthouses on the Hudson River .  It was built in 1874 and constructed in very attractive brick with decorative pointing.  Its function was to guide ships around the Middle Ground Flats and apparently it still has a working fog bell mechanism. After viewing the lighthouse we circumnavigated Middle Ground Flats, an island that separates the river into two flows.  Middle Ground Flats is a couple of miles long and was made years ago from the dredging of the channel.  We stopped near the northern tip of the Flats for lunch and did a bit of exploring in the woods.  Apparently the State is taking possession of the island this year.  There are numerous abandoned camps, actually squatters’ houses, dating back many decades in various states of disrepair on the island.  The State is expected to demolish and remove all these dwellings sometime next year and make the island available for public use.  On the return we saw at least one bald eagle.  Our leisurely paddle totaled about six miles. The trip participants included John Pecoroni, Lynn Filarecki, Betsey Kaido, Millie and Danny Grossberg, Tom Sausville, Chuck Newland, Paul Breslin, Dan Odell, Audrey Wyman, Katie Henrikson, and the leader.   

Jun 13 (Fri) INDIAN HEAD AND FISHHAWK CLIFFS
Leader: John Antonio

According to the King of the Mountains, every hiker owes it to themselves to do these spectacular overlooks sometime in their hiking career.  On a day like we had you could do these two vistas over and over again and never tire from the magnificent views.  With the Ausable Lakes below you and the Great Range strung out to their right in perfect relief, these have to be some of the most defining sights of the Adirondacks .  The big quandary was looking down the Ausable Lakes and asking, “What are those peaks that show up way in the distance?”  We broke our time honored tradition by using a cell phone to contact all-knowing  Fred Schroeder, but no one was at home. Inching up Indian Head were Lori McCarron, Anita Wahlen, Peg Donnelly, Claudia Rosenholz, Sharon Bonk, Karen and Jeff Ross and the leader. 

Jun 16 (Mon) HADLEY MOUNTAIN
Leader: Katie Henrikson

Our luck held again as we left Albany in the rain, hiked under cloudy but dry skies, and got home before the thunder, lightning, and hail. We found a friendly, talkative summit steward on the top, on his third day on the job. Our group of five gained one (no losses in this group) as a lone hiker met us on the summit at lunch time.  A new ADK member, he had planned on meeting us after his late start. A fine time was had by Andy Cavanaugh-Black, Ray Henrikson, Rachael Josil, Susan Roberts, Jim Torriani, and the leader.

Jul 2 (Wed) BUCK MOUNTAIN
Leader:  Katie Henrikson

We had a beautiful day for a hike, with a clear, bright blue sky, low humidity, reasonable temperatures, and a very congenial group. We enjoyed lunch and the view from the top of Buck Mountain , discussed descending by the Chingachgook trail, and finally returned the way we came, to the Pilot Knob trail head. A proposed trip to the Pilot Knob Reserve was vetoed in favor of a stop at Stewarts. A fine time was had by Jacob Gehrlein, Ray Henrikson, Fred Lieber, Lynn Mayack, Kendra Pratt, John Susko, and the leader.

Jul 11 (Fri) PROSPECT MOUNTAIN TRAVERSE
Leader: Bruce Allard

It was a cloudy but nice summer day with nice trail company: Don Berens (getting his hiking legs back after abandoning them for weeks of using biking legs from LA to Boston), Andy Black (a former Chicagoite getting more Adirondackite) Margaret Haviland (all the way from Minnesota for the summer and loving it), Charlie Beach (our Go-to Camera & ADK Mountain Man), Jim Torriani (former Brooklynite no longer a Wannabe Upstater) and Lori McCarron (a fresh new 46’er). Light rain came just about the time we finished lunch on the summit. Despite clouds all day, we enjoyed great views of Lake George village and its busy lake, and east to some  Vermont high peaks. We shared the summit with mucho summer tourists.  A rainless descent on the oft-used trail down to the  Northway Bridge  was uneventful but significant in that we hiked what will soon be a popular traverse hike not far from the Capital District. Plans are in the making to mark the trail from the LG Recreational Center.  Any questions about this fast growing traverse? Contact Leader by e-mail (ballard@nycap.rr.com or 518 583-3473).

Jul 18 (Fri) NOONMARK
Leader: John Antonio

Here once again is “The ADK Trilogy.”  I bill it as such because when I started hiking (I think it was the first mountain I climbed), in addition to the hike a swim in Chapel Pond and a stop for ice cream at the Noonmark Diner was mandatory.  Today nine of us are in pursuit of this time-honored Adirondack (and Albany Boys Club) tradition.  Up the Felix Adler Trail (the standard trail) we arrived at the summit at 11:50. We were greeted by a group of hikers from Michigan and two Canadians drinking wine out of silver goblets.  Don B. pointed out twenty high peaks to us, which was a high point (no pun intended) of the trip. After a nice long lunch we left the top at 12:35.  We heard distant thunder by Round Pond, slightly quickened our pace and pushed on to find the sandy beach at Chapel Pond.  We all had a refreshing swim.  On our way to the third leg of our journey the skies opened up and it poured for fifteen minutes, but we did persevere and make it to the diner for ice cream and pies.  It was a perfect day.  Nine Noonmarkers were Karen Ross, Anita Wahlen, John Sheehan, Kristin Schroeder, Nancy Morrill, Don Berens, Kathy Quoi, Lori McCarron and the leader.

Jul 31 (Thu) PADDLE CEDAR RIVER FLOW
Leader: Bill Valentino

Today there were eleven of us in ten boats.  The price of gas encouraged everyone to double up, so every car carried at least two boats, and everyone had company for the 2 ½ hour drive to Cedar River Flow.  Even in the more heavily used weekend areas of the Adirondacks , midweek trips find few people. Because Cedar River Flow is well off the beaten path, there was almost no one there but us. Over the course of the day we experienced the full range of weather: blue skies with puffy clouds, overcast skies with rain, a calm glassy surface at times and, at other times, strong wind and chop. We departed from Wakely Dam heading south for about three miles.  George led the group searching the reed beds for the channel or any perceptible flow, which was very difficult because we were facing a headwind. We finally found it and entered the meandering stream.  We paddled furiously, fording a few beaver dams and continued upstream about a mile and a half until we reached a lean-to where we stopped for lunch. While it was an uneventful return trip it was also a great day. Two of our number mentioned separately that the day was a great moment to be alive experience.  I couldn’t agree more. Our group was composed of Dan and Karen Jabonaski, George Hallenbeck, Susan Roberts, Mark Pettrone, Katie and Ray Henrikson, Allison Savill, Marge Karowe, Martie Connor and the leader.    

Aug 1 (Fri) WAKELY MOUNTAIN
Leader: Bruce Allard

After our 20 minute park walk to the small wood bridge and another 20 minutes or so of some elevation to view the beautiful beaver pond we began our hike up the steep quarter mile to the summit, where we got a bit damp from an unpredicted sprinkling. Some blowdown had recently been cleared by Ranger Haker whom we happened to meet at the trailhead. His work made for an even more pleasant ascent than a previous one I made with another group.  While some stayed below after lunch on the summit to socialize, having previously enjoyed views from the top of the highest fire tower in the Adirondacks, other first-time Wakely hikers climbed to the newly open cabin atop the tower and enjoyed views of the almost-4000 footer Snowy Mountain with its fire tower to the southeast and Blue Mountain to the north.  Aside from some occasional grand views along the trail approaching the summit, ground views below the fire tower were limited to the Cedar River flow. Joining me on my favorite fire tower hike were John Antonio, Katie Hendrickson, Al Knight and his delightful little poodle/terrier Charlie, Mandy Pertzborn, Kathy Walsh and John Sheehan.     

Aug 5 (Tue) DORSET PEAK, VERMONT
Leader: Charlie Beach

Today John Antonio, Bruce Allard and Charlie Beach climbed this peak.  We got some good advice to climb from Dorset Hollow instead of from Emerald Lake State park as was originally planned. The Dorset Hollow route was a cleared old road with little erosion although it was steep for a good part. Our descent to Emerald Lake was not as exhilarating as the climb. This route was longer, heavily eroded and wet in spots and involved 1000ft. more change in altitude. As we got near the end, we passed through a field with lots of black raspberries just ripening. The Dorset Hollow route is a pleasant hike about 6.5 miles RT with a 2250' climb. There is no view on the summit, but a backward sign announces the top. The west summit on the ridge has the remains of a tower structure and a narrow view to the north. The trails are not marked but are generally easy to follow. 

Aug 8 (Fri) JAY RANGE
Leader: John Antonio 

Jay was scheduled but instead of nine of us, three ended up actually doing the trip.  The weather looked to be less than stellar so Bruce and I convinced our third member with this statement:  “Hey!  How about Giant Mountain ?”  It would mean less time in the car and a slightly shorter hike so John, who is now going to be cajoled into pursuing the 46, jumped right on the opportunity with a big smile on his face.  We started up the Ridge Trail at 9:10 and were at the summit at 11:45.  On the way down thunder came a-callin’ and it drizzled for the last hour and a quarter of the hike.  The views were pretty well socked in but it didn’t seem to matter to John.  So we did hike and had a good day.  Going up Giant were:  John Sheehan, Bruce Allard and the leader.  

Aug 8 (Fri) TONGUE MOUNTAIN
Leader: Katie Henrikson

Our hike was washed out on August 7, but a small group was able to go on August 8.  We found lots of water and mud on the trail, streams full of water, waterfalls flowing like April, and no mosquitoes.  We ate lunch in bright sun with rumbles of thunder and watched the rain move in over southern Lake George . As we reached the car it started to sprinkle, and the skies opened (1.5” in 20 minutes) after we returned to Albany . A fine time was had by Ray Henrikson, Kendra Pratt, Martha Waldman, and the leader.

Aug 10 (Sun) ROUND LAKE
Leaders: Sue & Ted Wright

Repeated weather predictions of thunderstorms and possible flooding of the Poultney River in the Whitehall NY area finally led us to cancel and transfer the trip to Round Lake where we enjoyed a sunny morning there canoeing with Lawren Jacobson (two others having cancelled because of the change of venue).  We saw great blue herons, cormorants, a flycatcher, a kingfisher and one loon.  

Aug 23 (Sat) DIX RANGE
Leader: Mike Becker

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