Note
to All Club Members.
The Taconic Hiking Club has a 15 ft
Grumman canoe available for persons coming on club trips. It has paddles and
life jackets and is "good to go". Call Colin Campbell if you are
interested in using it at 438-9629.
Saturday, June 2:
National Trails Day, Grafton Lakes State Park, Grafton, NY
A work party will
take place at GLSP on National Trails Day.
We will meet at the Park & Ride in the Brunswick Wal-Mart Plaza at
8:15 AM so we can carpool and be at the Shaver Pond Nature Center by 9:00 AM.
We will be putting up new trail markers along the Long Pond Trail. Should only
take a couple of hours. Volunteers also get to partake in a picnic lunch
afterwards. Contact R.J. Hydorn at rjhydorn@lycos.com
or 283-6056.
Monday, June 4: Paddle Upper Schroon River and Clark Island, Schroon Lake,
NY
Put in at
the Rt. 9 bridge if we have enough water, if not we will put in at the Rt.73
bridge.
LENGTH: Approximately 12 miles.
ROAD
DISTANCE: 160 miles round-trip.
Wednesday, June 6: Paddle West
Lake/Canada Lake/Lilly Lake, Caroga, NY
Canada,
West, and Lilly Lakes are but 60 miles from Albany. But these Adirondack lakes have a wilderness
feel about them in places and are abundant with wildlife. Most of the shoreline is privately owned but
we should see little recreational activity this early in the season. We will paddle less than nine miles and meet
at 8:00AM at JCPenney’s parking lot at Crossgates Mall.
LENGTH: Paddle distance 9 miles.
ROAD
DISTANCE: 120 miles
round-trip.
Saturday, June 9: Paddle the
Battenkill
Let's see
how the covered bridges on the Battenkill made out from the high waters and
hurricane floods of the past. Call Colin for details. We will meet at 8:30AM, car pool as much as
possible. Colin can take at
least
one more boat on his rack or if needed,
take his trailer for four canoes/kayaks. Bring lunch, sunscreen and all the
usual. Swimming?
LENGTH: To
be determined by the group.
ROAD
DISTANCE: Contact Colin.
Sunday, June 10: Bike Ride,
Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, Lanesboro, MA
We will
meet at the Rts. 4 & 43 Park & Ride at 8:00AM. Call George for details.
CONTACT: George Astle at (508) 735-2116.
LENGTH:
To be decided by the group.
ROAD
DISTANCE: Approximately 60 miles round-trip from the
P&R.
Monday, June 11: Berlin Mountain,
Petersburgh, NY
We will
hike in from Petersburg Pass on the Taconic Crest Trail. There may be mountain
laurel in bloom in addition to the good views of the Catskills and the Hudson
Valley. Meet at 8:00 AM in the Park and
Ride at the intersection of Rts 4 & 43.
LENGTH: Approximately
6 miles and 800 ft of ascent.
ROAD
DISTANCE: Call Katie for details.
Tuesday,
June 12: Berkshire Ramble (or scramble?)
Maybe the mountain laurel will be
blooming – anyway we’ll get a good leg stretch.
Alander, Brace, Frissel? Call
Susan with your preferences or suggestions and meeting time and place.
CONTACT: Susan Roberts at 766-4170.
LENGTH: 5-8 miles at a slow moderate pace.
ROAD DISTANCE: Under 100 miles
round-trip, depending on destination.
Wednesday, June 13: Martin Dunham
Reservoir, Grafton, NY
We will
paddle the Martin Dunham Reservoir. Meet
at the Rt. 7 Walmart Park & Ride in Brunswick at 9:00AM. Must call Etta for details.
CONTACT:
Etta Menges at 233-8310.
LENGTH:
Desire of the group.
ROAD DISTANCE:
Approximately 40 miles, round-trip.
Sunday,
June 17: Schodack Island State Park
Taconic
Hiking Club Annual Pot- Luck Picnic
Our activities for the day are:
- Noon
to 1:00 PM POTLUCK APPITIZERS.
- 1:00
PM POTLUCK salads, desserts and treats along with THC supplied hot
dogs, hamburgers, cold drinks (lemonade and iced tea) and condiments.
- Please
bring your own soda, beer or wine.
- Lawn
chairs and games are recommended, as well as pictures to share.
- 2:00
PM short THC meeting.
- Enjoy
the park for the rest of the day.
Margaret Parks will be handling reservations
so please contact her at margaretparks213@gmail.com
or 250-5452 to let her know how many people are coming, how many hot dogs
and/or hamburgers you want and what your contribution to the picnic will be
(appetizer, salad or dessert).
Tuesday, June 19: Paddle Round Lake, Round Lake, NY
We will put in at the boat ramp just
off Rt. 9 in Round Lake at 9AM. Call
George for more information.
CONTACT: George
Astle at (508) 735-2116.
LENGTH: Approximately 6 miles.
ROAD DISTANCE:
Your house to Round Lake.
Sunday, June 24, West Stockbridge
rambles and Silk Road Ensemble at Tanglewood
Afternoon easy hiking in Berkshire Natural
Resources Council’s Stevens Glen and Burbank Preserve (5 miles total) followed
by picnic (bring dish to share) on the lawn at Tanglewood and 8PM Concert, Silk
Road Ensemble with Yo Yo Ma. Lawn
admission $20 for picnic/Tanglewood.
Bring a picnic, short lawn chair/blanket; dish to share, drink, warm
jacket Meeting
place will be Schodack Park & Ride, 1PM
LENGTH: To be determined.
ROAD DISTANCE: Approximately
80 miles round-trip.
Tuesday, June 26: Hike Crane Mountain and Pond, Johnsburg, NY
We
will climb to the summit where there once was a fire tower. We will then proceed down to the pond where
we will lunch and swim. After this break we will climb up the ridge NW of
the pond looking for blueberries. Bring swimsuit and container for berries. Our
walk out will take us along the outlet from the pond and down to our cars.
LENGTH: About 8 miles
with a vertical
rise about1300 ft.
ROAD DISTANCE: Call Mary for details.
Wednesday, June 27: Paddle Harris
Lake, Newcomb, NY
The Paddle
from Harris Lake into the beginning of the Hudson River offers beautiful
scenery, the occasional river otter and almost always the appearance of
loons. We will paddle less than eight
miles. We will meet at 7:30AM Exit 9
Park & Ride.
LENGTH: Paddle distance 8 miles
ROAD
DISTANCE: 190 miles
round-trip.
Monday, July 2: The Brothers and Big Slide, Keene Valley, NY
This
trip is 3.9 miles to the summit with elevation gain of 2800 ft. Summit
elevation 4240 ft. This is a high peak. We will have an early start and hope
for a clear day as the views are grand. Bring a container for blueberries that
we may find along the way. Our return trip follows the Slide Brook Trail to the
Phelps Trail and thus to The Garden parking lot. Return mileage is 5.6 miles.
LENGTH: Approximately 9.5
miles.
ROAD
DISTANCE::
Call Mary for details
Monday, July 9: Bike ride, Ft. Edward, NY
We will ride from Fort Edward to Lake George
and return.
LENGTH: Approximately 34 miles.
ROAD DISTANCE: 70 miles round-trip.
Tuesday, July 10: Paddle the Kunjamuk,
Speculator, NY
The Kunjamuk is a beautiful
winding stream up in the Adirondacks near Speculator. It will require some skill in frequently
turning the boat but the reward will be seeing the beauty of nature up
close. The paddle is approximately 10
miles round trip. Contact Etta for a meeting time and place.
CONTACT:
Etta
Menges 233-8310.
LENGTH: Paddle
distance approximately 10 miles.
ROAD DISTANCE: About 150 miles round-trip.
Friday, July 13, Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, Lanesboro, MA
This is twenty-two
miles of essentially flat cycling from Pittsfield, MA to Adams MA and
return. Meeting place will be Rts. 4
& 43 Park & Ride at 9:00AM or trailhead off Rt. 8 near Berkshire Mall
at 10:00AM. Contact Sharon for details.
LENGTH: 22 miles.
Round- trip.
ROAD
DISTANCE: Approximately 70 miles round-trip from the
P&R.
Saturday,
July 14: Hoosic River Paddle, Eagle Bridge, NY
This event is joint with the Rensselaer Land
Trust. Bring your kayak or canoe and
paddle eight miles on the Hoosic River. We will put in at the NYS DEC public
boat launch on the Rensselaer Land Trust's Hoosic River property in Eagle
Bridge, and take out downstream just before the Johnsonville Dam. This attractive stretch of the Hoosic is flat
water and features coves and marshy backwaters with bird and other animal
life. The banks are mostly forested,
with some farms and few houses. Provide
your own boat and PDF. Bring snacks and
water. You need to be in good physical
condition to negotiate about 1/4 mile of dense water chestnut growth at the
take-out. Hoosic River boat launch is
approximately one mile west of Eagle Bridge on the north side of Route 67, at
the DEC sign.
CONTACT: Paul
Schroeder at pschroeder1@nycap.rr.com or
674-2480. If you would like to try the
sport, but don't own a boat, contact Christine Young at cey@chrsitineyounglaw.com
or 859-4363 to borrow a boat. Christine
has a few available that can be borrowed.
LENGTH: Approximately 8 miles.
ROAD DISTANCE: Your house to Eagle
Bridge.
Monday, July 16: Paddle Cedar River
Flow, Hamilton Co., NY
Cedar
River Flow is a very special place. Well
off the beaten path, it takes a bit of effort to get there and few people use
it. The site possesses a man-made lake,
which was a long abandoned holding area for the lumber drives of
yesteryear. This will be a leisurely
paddle of around eight miles with plenty of waterfowl and aquatic vegetation
that we will, hopefully, successfully navigate. We will meet at Northway Exit 9
Park and Ride at 0730
LENGTH: Eight mile paddle.
ROAD
DISTANCE:
Approximately 210 miles round trip. To
the extent people have rack room we will carpool where possible
Friday, July 20: Bike Ride, Amsterdam, NY
We will ride on the Amsterdam Bile Path to
Karen’s Ice Cream stand. We will meet at
9:00AM. Call George for details.
CONTACT: George
Astle at (508) 735-2116.
LENGTH: Approximately 15 – 20 miles.
ROAD DISTANCE:
Your house to Amsterdam Bike Path.
Sunday, July 29: Phil’s Memorial Activity
Today is the first anniversary of
Phil’s passing. We, as a family, have
had a hard time trying to find an appropriate activity to honor Phil. He was a man who was very diversified and
enjoyed all the wonders of the outdoors.
We are asking that instead of
planning a group activity for today, that you do whatever activity brings you
enjoyment and think of Phil, our friend, leader and inspiration for outdoor
fun.
Phil’s
family, Gayle, Andy, Brian, Missy, Tonya, Abby and Claudia.
Wednesday, August 1: Lake George
Paddle-Northwest Bay to the Narrows
Lake
George offers summer paddlers great swimming and some of the most spectacular
views in the Adirondacks. We will launch
from Northwest Bay Brook and paddle south along the western edge of Tongue Mt.
to Montcalm Point. Once past the point
we will turn northeast into the Narrows.
There are many routes, islands and state campsites in the Narrows. We will pick an unoccupied one have a swim
and lunch. After lunch we will retrace
out route. What with boat wakes and the
possibility of increasing wind I would suggest kayaks over canoes. The paddle should be about 12 miles. We will meet at Northway Exit 9 Park and Ride
at 8AM.
LENGTH:
The total trip will be about 12 miles
ROAD
DISTANCE:
Approximately 120 miles round trip. To the extent people have rack room we will
carpool where possible
Wednesday, August 1: Greenport
Conservation Area, Columbia County
Five miles of easy and moderate
trails, via a series of loops in woodlands and meadows with views of the Hudson
and the Catskills, from this Columbia Land Conservancy property. Meet at Schodack Park & Ride at 9:30AM.
LENGTH: To be determined.
ROAD DISTANCE:
Approximately 70 miles round-trip.
Monday, August 6: Canoe or Kayak, Eighth Lake, NY
Explore the Brown Tract Upper and
Lower Ponds near Eighth Lake. We exit by
the Brown’s Tract inlet and take out from Raquette Lake. Call Dick for details.
LENGTH: Approximately 5 miles.
ROAD
DISTANCE: 224 miles round-trip.
Tuesday, August 7: Ashuwillticook Rail
Trail, Lanesboro, MA
Bike a
paved, relatively level trail between Lanesboro and Adams, MA. A very scenic trip past lakes and wetlands.,
with a few road crossings. Call Susan
for meeting time and place.
CONTACT: Susan
Roberts at 766-4170.
LENGTH: 22 miles round-trip.
ROAD
DISTANCE: Approximately 60 miles from Schodack Park
& Ride.
Wednesday, August 8: Taconic Crest
Trail & Berry Pond, Pittsfield, MA
This hike
is designed to help a THC member finish his last segment of the TCT. We’ll
climb 1.75 miles and 800’ to the Taconic Crest Trail on a private access route
from Lebanon Springs, NY. From there
it’s another mile and 400’ vertical going north on the Crest Trail to Tower
Mountain, where we can mourn the loss of former views. Continuing northeast for
a mile of slight descents and uprisings, we’ll come to Berry Pond, the highest
body of fresh water in Massachusetts.
It’s a lovely place for lunch, and we can head up the road a bit for a
fine view down into Goodrich Hollow and NY.
We’ll retrace our steps back to Lebanon Springs for a total mileage of
7.5 miles. If it’s a nice day, plan on a
swim at the end of the hike. Contact leaders for meeting time and place
LENGTH: 7.5 miles
ROAD
DISTANCE: It depends
on where you’re coming from. Lebanon
Springs is 35 miles east of Albany on Rt. 20 and then 2 miles north on Rt. 22.
Thursday, August 9: Fred Schroeder Trail plus Long Path, Thacher
Park
Come for the hike and stay for the AMC Mohawk
Hudson Chapter picnic, or not. The FS trail is a 3 mile loop trail with
connectors and extensions to viewpoints along the Long Path North which will
give us about 5 miles of hiking. Co-leaders will meet you at park office on Rte 157 at the Horseshoe Lot at 11:30
AM for carpool to trail head. Do not pay entrance fee unless you are planning
to stay for the picnic. We'll have lunch along the way and get back to Hailes
Cave around 3:30. For details about picnic call leader.
LENGTH: Approximately 5 miles.
ROAD DISTANCE: Your house to the park.
Saturday, August 11: Lake George Paddle, north of Bolton, NY
This
will be a paddle on Lake George in Northwest Bay and around the Tongue Mountain
Range Island.
Bad weather date is Sunday, August 12.
Bring your kayak or canoe and paddle
about fourteen miles on a river, along the shores and coves of the Tongue
Mountain Range, round the Point of Tongue and paddle around some of the islands
in Lake George and then head back. This
is a long paddle and you must be strong enough to handle 5-7+ hours of
continual steady paddling with breaks for swimming and lunch and be comfortable
in open deep water with possible waves.
This is a beautiful paddle, very scenic with opportunities to swim. You will need water, sunscreen, food, PDF and
a swimsuit. We will meet at the put-in
spot. To get there, take the Northway
north to Exit 24. Go right at the top of
the ramp and continue over the mountaintop to the "T" with Route 9N. Go left.
After about 5-6 miles, you will see on the right the sign for the
Northwest Bay boat launch area. We are
meeting there. Contact Christine for
details.
LENGTH: Approximately
14 miles.
ROAD
DISTANCE: Approximately 130 miles round-trip.
Wednesday, August 15:
Mohawk River Bike Path Cycle, Niskayuna, NY
Niskayuna Lions Park to Cohoes and return
with lunch at the Cohoes Falls. Meet at
10 AM at Lions Park parking lot Rosendale Rd, Niskayuna, off Rt. 7, west of I
87.
LENGTH: Approximately 15
miles.
ROAD DISTANCE: Your house to the park.
Wednesday, August 15: Fall Schedule activities due
Today is the deadline for your contribution
to the fall schedule. Please continue to
do your part in helping to keep our club as diverse and active as it has been,
you really make a difference.
LENGTH: Any length of a bike ride, hike or paddle.
ROAD DISTANCE: No limit.
Wednesday, August 22: Prospect
Mountain, Lake
George, NY
There's
more than one way to get to the top of Prospect Mountain, by Lake George. We
will spot cars in the Lake George Recreation Area, then drive north of the
village and hike in from Big Hollow Road, on a skimobile trail. The ascent is
about 1,000 ft, steady but not steep. We will cross the top summit and descend
the south side of the mountain to the spotted cars.. Meet at 8:00AM in the
Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride in Clifton Park.
LENGTH: Approximately 6 miles.
ROAD
DISTANCE: Approximately 110 miles round-trip.
REMEMBER
“Get out and stay out”!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday, September 6: Paddle Brant Lake, Brant Lake, NY
Brant Lake
is a classic example of an Adirondack lake enjoyed by hundreds of campers,
vacationing at numerous youth camps spread throughout the lake. There is a great boat launch but little
public land available for day visitors to use.
Consequently, we will fully explore the lake, snacking enroute and
returning to the launch for a late lunch.
It will be late in the season so there should be little recreational
activity and there might even be some foliage colors. This will be a leisurely paddle of less than
10 miles.
We will
meet at Northway Exit 9 Park & Ride at 8:00AM.
LENGTH: The total trip will be about 10
miles
ROAD DISTANCE:
Approximately 120 miles round trip. To the extent people have rack room we will
carpool where possible