Susquehanna Chapter ADK

BLUE RIDGE WEEKEND - August 1-4, 2008: Attention, Blue Ridge campers! There’s still time to make reservations at the Lake Durant campground for our annual week-end of trail work, hiking, canoeing, and fireside fellowship and fun. We (Joe and Nina) have reserved site #58 (next to the one we had last year). The new rules don’t permit us to reserve sites for others, so you will have to make your own reservations online at www.ReserveAmerica.com. Plan to arrive Friday, August 1. Saturday will be devoted to Wilson Pond trail maintenance including blowdown clearance. We urge you to stay at least until Monday the 4th, to be able to enjoy a Sunday of activities (canoeing, more hiking, even loafing – your choice). We will be staying until Friday the 8th and would be delighted to have others stay as well. There are many hiking and canoe possibilities in the area; join us for some of our favorites or explore on your own. The Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake is almost within sight. Copies of Enjoying the Blue Ridge Wilderness are still available; for a copy, send a selfaddressed stamped envelope to Nina at P.O. Box 111, Franklin, NY 13775. For more information about this trip, call us at829-8358. Joe and Nina Hart

MEMBERSHIP NEWS: Our Susquehanna membership has grown by 10 members and 6 house holds since Spring. Current Susquehanna membership has risen to 186 households and 273 voting members. Please add our new members to your membership list. Welcome new members. We hope see you on the trails and at meetings soon. Rita Salo, Membership Chair ADK
Audrey Anderson 37 Main St. Laurens, NY 13796 607 432-0489
Mark & Carol Cadwell 6920 Shady Nelms Dr. Dublin, OH 43017 614 675-6236
Jeff & Susan Edmonds 817 Butter Bowl Rd. Cherry Valley NY13320 607 264-8034
Victor Iwanow 29 Delview Terr, Delhi NY13753 607 746-3491
Randy & Carol Lynch 500 Titus Av. Jefferson NY 12093 607 652-6701
Bob & Carol Thomas 15 High St Morris NY 13808 607 263-5918

SUSQUEHANNA CHAPTER MEETINGS RESUME on Wednesday, September 17 at Elm Park Church on Chestnut St. Following a 6pm covered dish supper, the 7pm program will be "Mountain Top to Tap--the Journey of Water from the Catskills to New York City" presented by Aaron Bennett, Director of Education at the ERPF Center in Arkville, NY. The program will be followed by a business meeting at 8 pm.

SUSQUEHANNA CHAPTER WEBSITE REVISED & UPDATED - http://www.susqadk.org - Haven’t visited the Susquehanna Chapter website recently? You’re in for a very pleasant surprise. New webmaster, Currie Marr, and website developer, Bob Thomas, have made some remarkable and very user-friendly changes and additions. Visitors will find included on the opening page: events calendar (just click on month, then event title to see what’s planned), meetings, contact persons, outings schedule, what’s new, reference library, site links, news aggregator, feedback, Newsletter-Footloose (in case you lose your copy), and waiver for trips. Bob suggests on the opening page that visitors should “look over the information on our website for the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK). If you have questions, please call or email any of the listed contact persons. You can see a list of contact persons by clicking on "Contact Persons" in the list on the left. One of the many opportunities provided by the website is the inclusion of hike and trip photos. Enjoy the photo record of where we’ve been and how we did it. Visit the updated revised website and discover how even more userfriendly and informational it has become. Bob Thomas, website developer

FINGER LAKES TRAIL MAINTENANCE REQUEST: David DeForest, former director of the AmeriCorps program based at SUNY Delhi, requests Susquehanna ADKers to take on maintenance (clearing/brushing out) sections of the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT). AmeriCorps had been the principal maintainers for many years of several FLT sections in the Catskill region. Closing the program last fall left a trail maintenance void that hasn't yet been filled. Some of those sections (Beach hill to Alder Lake) have become quite overgrown with new vegetation. ADK members interested and willing to take on this project or at least volunteer assistance are asked to contact David at work, 607-746-4112 or at home, 607-433-8807.

ADIRONDACK COUNCIL PRESENTS 2-HOUR PBS FILM - “The Adirondacks,” a two-hour high definition video that tracks the history and beauty of the Adirondack Park’s protected landscapes through each of the four seasons, premiered May 14 on PBS throughout our area. The film will appear again on PBS affiliates this summer and remain in PBS program rotation for all of 2008 and beyond. The film was partly underwritten by the Adirondack Council and created by WNED-TV, PBS in Buffalo.

2008 LECTURES AT THE ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN CLUB - 814 Goggins Road, Lake George, NY (Exit 21, I-87) Lectures are on the second Tuesday of the month and begin at 7 p.m. All lectures are free and open to the public. Call (518) 668-4447 for reservations.
July 8 Alpine Americas – Don Mellor & Olaf Soot (Local Authors) These mountaineers and photographers will present their latest collaborative effort, a journey down the spine of two continents from the Arctic Circle, over the volcanoes of Mexico and across the Andes and Patagonia to Tierra del Fuego.
Aug. 12 Back Country Preparedness – Pete Fish (Retired Forest Ranger) Enjoy valuable information regarding hiking preparedness and ethics, based on experiences & observations in the Catskills and Adirondacks High Peaks wilderness. Using his daypack, he will focus on contents, attire, rules and regulations, as well as other concerns associated with backcountry recreation.
Sept. 9 Be Wise on Owls – Nancy Kimball (North Country Wildlife Rescue) A Powerpoint presentation offering fascinating information about the rescue network that cares for local wounded or orphaned wildlife with a special visit from Noah, a nonreleasable barred owl.
Oct. 14 Adirondack Environmental Landscaping – Bert Weber (Teacher) Sustainable garden practices for the Adirondack gardener.

2009 ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN CLUB CALENDAR PUBLISHED The 2009 Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) Calendar: With Wilderness at Heart has been published and is available for purchase from ADK and bookstores and outdoor retailers throughout the Northeast. The latest edition of ADK's awardwinning calendar features accomplished Adirondack nature photographers Nancie Battaglia, Mark Bowie, Joanne Kennedy, Mark Meschinelli, and Hardie Truesdale. Among the monthly photographs are views of Lake Placid, Mount Marcy, the Shawangunks, Lake Champlain, Lake George, Lake Colden, and the Catskills. These classic, full-color photographs are complemented by smaller sporeprint images created by Sam Ristich and Carol Shaw. These are produced by placing mushrooms or woody fungus on paper. The late Sam Ristich, known as "the mushroom guru of Sligo Road," was a well known teacher and speaker on things mycological. ADK Publications staff Ann Hough of Keene, N.Y.; Andrea Masters, of Ballston Spa, N.Y.; and John Kettlewell of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., produced the calendar. Purchase of this and other publications helps support ADK's programs in conservation, education, and recreation. Also available are hiking, canoeing, rock- climbing, and cross-country skiing guides; natural history guides; and cultural and literary histories of the Adirondack and Catskill Parks. To place an order contact ADK, 814 Goggins Road, Lake George, N.Y. 12845, (518) 668-4447, (800) 395-8080 (orders only), or visit ADK's Web site at www.adk.org. “

ONE SQUARE MILE OF HOPE 9/13/08 Paddlers may break the Guinness World Record for the largest canoe raft by joining an event called “One Square Mile of Hope” on September 13 at Inlet, NY on Fourth Lake of the Fulton Chain of Lakes. Organized by the Central Adirondack Paddlers Society (CAPS) the group hopes to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. This event is for men and women of all ages; any child under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration will be Friday, September 12, 10am to 8pm at the Inlet, Information Office, and Saturday at Arrowhead Park from 7 to 10:30am. Friday registration is strongly recommended to avoid traffic congestion. All participants must be on the water by 11:30 and within the designated area by 12:00 noon to begin the record attempt. Participants must provide their own canoes/kayaks, paddles and life jackets. Rentals are available locally. (All participants must wear lifejackets in order to participate.) In case of inclement weather the event will take place on Sunday, September 14, 2008. For Inlet area accommodations log on to inletny.com and oldforgeny.com. The current canoe raft record is 776 set May 19, 2001 on Hinkley Lake in Ohio. The record is based on the total number of canoes and kayaks in the raft, not the number of people involved. Registrations forms are available at caany.com/canoe/os_forms.html.

FOREVER WILD DAY The Adirondack Council will present its Conservationist of the Year Award to environmental journalist and activist Bill McKibben as well providing guided nature walks at its annual meeting at Silver Lake YMCA on the shores of Lake George on Saturday July 19 from 9 am to 4 pm. More information is available at the Council’s website: adirondackcouncil.org and lodging reservations can be made at silverbay.org.

TRIP & OUTING REPORTS

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND CANOE RELAY RACE SUNDAY, MAY 25, 2008: On Sunday, May 25, 2008, the Susquehanna ADK Chapter Team completed the Memorial Weekend Grand Prix Relay Race for mixed doubles. The Team paddled in honor of Johanna Koenig, our longtime canoeing inspiration. The weather was glorious, a beautiful green and golden day. So many of you made this event a success. First the paddlers: Kay and Sue Sanford doing the first, most dangerous leg; Barb and Jack Meeks on the second leg; Jean Seroka and Carl Koenig on the third and longest leg; Tony Uhl and Julie Smith on the fourth, and our sweeps, Linda & Stefan Seifried, doing the last leg. Congratulations and thanks to all of you for your effort. Nina Hart followed the entire race with her camera. She and I documented our day, at the suggestion of Barb Meeks, in order to make a photo album for Jo Koenig. Nina hung in right to the very end of a very long day. Hopefully, we will all get to share Nina's pictures at our December meeting. Thanks and appreciation go to all who helped along the way: Norma Lee and Jack Havens, Irv and Monica Peters, Larry Seiders and Carol McIntosh, brothers Rod and Jerry Hebbard, Lucille Wiggin, and the Sanfords who stayed with John and me all the way to Bainbridge after their paddle. Thanks to Linda Wilcox, who took care of the Brooks Chicken for the picnic. We appreciate Joe and Jean Seroka for all that they do to provide a wonderful picnic at their riverside park. They have done the picnic for some years now, generously offering their time, effort and property so that we can celebrate together. Jean also paddled in the race. It has been great fun organizing our participation in this Susquehanna River event. We will not be doing it next year, so if there is someone out there who wants to take it on, please do. See Foot-Loose Newsletter for Nina Hart's photograph. Rita Salo

March 25, 2008 - GILBERT LAKE STATE PARK It is surprising how much a trail can change in three days. John & I checked out the Deer Path Trail at Gilbert Lake State Park on Saturday, March 22nd. It had packed snow and was quite walkable. By Tuesday the path had become a sheet of ice. Eighteen of us walked the trail very carefully. We’d planned to circle back on another trail but decided to take the road instead. Three walkers very sensibly stuck to the roads. It was a bright, sunny day. We were able to sit by the lake to eat lunch and listen to the moaning of the ice while eating. Rita & John Salo

April 1, 2008 - SUCO COLLEGE CAMP Spring fever brought 24 hikers out to walk the SUCO College Camp and Lower Reservoir Roads. We chose these low traffic areas because the forest tails were still covered with either ice or mud. We enjoyed the early flowers and stopping at Bill Swain's maple sugar shack. The forecast rain held off until we were having lunch at the Camp lodge. Perfect timing. Lucille Wiggin

April 8, 2008 - FINGER LAKES TRAIL Fourteen members headed for the Finger Lakes Trail near Oquaga Park. Spring had warmed the air but had failed to melt all the snow from the deep woods, which were wet enough that the hike was re-routed. The beginning, at least, was high and dry. After some slogging through the snow, the group emerged at Oquaga Lake, where the sun shone pleasantly as they ate at the handy picnic tables. Drivers were then shuttled back to the starting point to retrieve vehicles. It was a nice day to be out hiking! Website photographs posted by Currie Marr. Linda and Stef Seifried

April 15, 2008 – MILFORD STATE FOREST Twenty-four participants enjoyed a sunny hike along paths in an area that has not been hiked since the tornado of 1998. The trails have been cleared of logs and many species of young trees occur, including Larch, Spruce, Fire Cherry, Maples, and Birch. Website photographs posted by Norma Lee Havens. Virginia and Currie Marr

May 5, 2008 – FERNLEIGH FARM TO STAR FIELD Eighteen members gathered at the Clark Sports Center, then proceeded to Fernleigh Farm on the east side of Otsego lake. The Clark Estates property overseer met them and told them about the Fernleigh Farm area where they’d be walking. The group headed out on the tote road to VanYehres Road, and up hill to the carriage trail eventually leading to Star Field. It was a beautiful day, lots of sunshine and mild temperatures, which unfortunately brought out all the black flies!!!! But hearty souls that ADKers are, all managed to outstay the bugs and had a lovely walk and rest at Star Field for snacks and the wonderful view, returning downhill to the barnyard and their cars. Observe Carol Saggese’s and Currie Marr’s photographs at the website: www.susqadk.org. Kay and Ted Kantoroski

May 10, 2008 – BICYCLE RIDE On a comfortably cool Saturday morning 13 people gathered at the Milford ONC BOCES to ride 11 bikes up the Cherry Valley to Middlefield (some even to Roseboom) and back. Julia Smith led and organized the ride. How could 13 people manage with only 11 bikes? The solution to that mystery is the tandem bicycle. Observe video and photographs by Bob Thomas and Carol Saggese at the website: www.susqadk.org. Bob Thomas

May 20, 2008 - WINNEY HILL RIDGE We gathered at the Salo home on Winney Hill Road. The hike started from our backyard, meandering up the hill and back and forth on woods trails to the top of the ridge. On the way we found a mass of wild columbine growing on the top of a very large, flat rock. The wildflower experts among us also identified a rare gaywings (polygala paucifolia) which you can see on our website (www.susqadk.org). At the top, we walked on hiking trails made by our neighbor, coming out on the gas line. Friendly horses greeted us as we walked down to Upper West Street, then over the top of Herrick Hill Road, turning back south into the woods to our house. We ate our lunches on the back deck. The sour cream coffee cake seemed to be a hit. All 16 hikers had a good time. Rita & John Salo

May 27, 2008 – GOODYEAR LAKE TO COLLIERS DAM Nineteen hikers met at the Pearce home on Cliffside, Goodyear Lake to walk to the State Fishing Access site along the south end of the lake and on to the Colliers dam. Even though showers were predicted and some clouds looked threatening, it turned out to be a very pleasant morning. As we walked along the railroad tracks, Scott Fielder "rescued" a turtle that seemed unable to get up over the rail. How he scurried off when set down on the other side of the rail. When we got to the lake shore, we were greeted by a catbird overhead who entertained us with a variety of songs. At another location, Irv Peters found some zebra mussels in the water. Reaching the area near the dam, we walked along the path used by the Canoe Regatta participants as they portage around the dam and spent a few minutes there looking over the area at the base of the dam. We returned to my house to eat lunch in my backyard and then enjoyed some ice cream for dessert. Linda Pearce

June 3, 2008 VAN HORNESVILLE GORGE Leader Kathy Allen. Observe Carol Saggese’s photographs at the website: www.susqadk.org.

June 10, 2008 CANOE-KAYAK PADDLE ON THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER Led by Barb Means, the canoe/kayak paddle on the Susquehanna River started from the bridge in Milford and went to the Crumhorn Boat Launch. The river was the place to be on a HOT day with eleven people in eight kayaks enjoying the cool water, sun, and occasional breeze. Observe Ruth Schaeffer’s photographs at the website: www.susqadk.org. Barb