Pineridge Will Be Open New Year's Eve at 9am

We're open for skiing again!

We have weathered the warm and the rain and the cold has returned! We have 1 - 3 inches of base on the lower trails and we received 1/2 an inch of new snow last night. We will reopen at least a portion of our trails on Wednesday, December 31 at 9 am.

There is a possibility of 6" - 8" tonight, so check our website for conditions and updates.

Happy New Year! Think SNOW!

Garnet Hill Boasts Excellent XC Conditions 12/30/08

B&B at Mattison Hollow Road in Cherry Plain offers a discount to card carrying THC members

Helane and I have operated a B&B for over two decades, and what's so great about it (as it relates to your hiking club), is that it abuts one of the entries onto the Taconic Crest Trail. The one that is located on Mattison Hollow Road in Cherry Plain, New York. We are unique in that we not only provide breakfast but also dinner. We're small, with only 3 bedrooms, each with private bath; a 1790 farmhouse, built by Allen Mattison, a revolutionary war veteran. We're surrounded by thousands of acres of State land. We would love to expand our business to the hiking community.

Our location could prove most convenient for hikers of the TaconicCrest Trail who would like to make a weekend of it or just an over night stay.

Also we would be happy to provide a discount to all card carrying Taconic Hiking Club members.
Our address is:
Helane & Bob Rubin, Mattison Hollow, PO Box 92,Cherry Plain, NY 12040
518/658-2946

http://mattisonhollow.com/newpg3.html

Ice Storm December 11th - Hikes Are Rescheduled

Photos by Jordan Jones

Lapland Lake Reports Good XC Conditions!!!

Forecasters are calling for total accumulations of 8- 12" by the time the storm winds down tomorrow. Jammies inside-out!

Olavi will be grooming overnight and tomorrow morning. We expect to have 47km of trails open (94% of our system). 35km will be groomed with trackset and skating lanes and 12km will be open for snowshoeing. The only portion of the system that will be closed will be skiing directly on Woods Lake (3km) as the ice is still thin. Our children's tubing hills will also be open, and our two beautiful reindeer, Talvi and Viima, are anxious to see you!

ADK Meeting, Tuesday, December 9th

This Tuesday December 9th is the monthly meeting of the Albany Chapter of the ADK. The meeting and accompanying program are held at West Albany Firehouse (Station #1), 113 Sand Creek Road, Albany. Click <http://www.adk-albany.org/meetings.html> here for a map.

At 6:30 PM, there will be an Education Committee workshop:

Filling Your Day Pack - The day pack is only so big - what are the most important items to take with you on the hike or ski trip? Join us for a discussion on filling your day pack with the most important gear for safety and comfort.

At 7:30 PM, there will be a brief business meeting, followed by the program:

Hiking, Skiing and Enjoying Nature in Our Own Backyard Looking for outdoor places to hike and ski within an hour's drive? There are more than 900 beautiful acres open to the public in Albany, Schenectady and Montgomery counties thanks to the efforts of the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy and the generosity of our community. MHLC's executive director, Jill Knapp, will

introduce us to the organization which owns and manages lands of significant ecological or scenic value. In addition to telling us about recreational opportunities, she'll tell us about the flora you can expect to find on your wanderings. Jill has worked in land protection throughout her career

including in Iowa and elsewhere in NYS. Refreshments will be served.

Crampons and the Sitting Technique

I can't think of any place in the Catskills where there is as much as a 1,500-foot sheer drop. And even though I have been hiking in the Catskills for nearly 25 years, mostly in the winter, I cannot recall hearing about even a single death or serious injury of the nature that took place on Mt. Shasta.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12032008/news/regionalnews/bklyn_emmy_nominee_dies_in_peak_plunge_141943.htm


But I guess I should mention one incident that happened to me about 20 years ago on a winter hike in the Catskills. I forget which mountain it was, but we were descending a rather steep pitch that was covered with ice. I was wearing 12-point crampons, but somehow, I instinctively tried to sit down while descending the slope -- something that makes a lot of sense under ordinary conditions, but is the worst thing you can do while going down an icy slope, as most of us don't put crampons on our rear ends! Well, I started sliding down and thought that I would go over the edge. And I didn't have an ice axe. Luckily, I was able to grab onto a tree and stop my fall, and I wasn't injured at all. But I'll never forget that incident!
Daniel Chazin
Catskill 3500 Club #556, Winter #214