Do you prefer long, strenuous hikes or short, level ones – or something in between? Local, Finger Lakes, Adirondacks, Catskills, Tug Hill or Mohawk Valley? Hikes that include scenery emphasize nature or embody history? Build or maintain trails? The usual places or new venues? Backpacking, camping, mountain climbing, biking or canoeing/kayaking? Whatever your interests are, I think that you will find them listed in the outing schedules in the Talk of the Trial newsletter.
ADK-ON has lost a long time member. Helen Obrist passed away in mid April at age 89. Although Helen did not climb the mountains as her husband Al did she did often participate in day trips until her arthritis caught up to her. In recent years ADKers enjoyed talking to Helen at cover dish dinners and holiday parties. I always enjoyed hiking and talking with Helen as she was a fountain of knowledge and helpful suggestions. She once told Bill Coffin that if he lived and ate right he wouldn’t have to be swigging on a Malox bottle during a hike. Little did she know that it was just recycled as his WATER bottle! Al survives at 94 and is a 46er and 113er who climbed the 113 highest peaks in the northeast. Al enjoys lunch out and walks on the canal path with of our long time members.
Recently we lost one of our Chapter’s most ardent supporters and dedicated trail workers. He was most active with the Wednesday Hikers, and was a wonderful friend, husband, father and grandparent. Before Paul Sacks became too ill to participate in the events he so dearly enjoyed, he graced us all with his enthusiasm, creativity, knowledge, forthrightness, and, above all, he projected an undeniable joie de vivre. Additionally, he was one of a handful of trail workers that relished every aspect of trail maintenance and construction, including the often maligned “benching”; in fact, I have a photo of him engaged in that much dreaded activity with an ear to ear smile on his face. That is the Paul I will always remember. Continue reading Paul Sacks – Tony Rodriguez, Trails Chair
Three Finger Lakes Trail Sampler Hikes for new hikers are being offered by Bill Coffin and Hal Boyce. They need a few chapter hikers on each trip to give help out. Dates are Saturdays May 19, July 7 and August 18 between New Woodstock and Highland Forest.
If you are interested call Bill at 687-3589.
Summer Newsletter deadline: July 28, 2012
Please mail submissions to: Michael Loftus, 429 North Franklin Street, #1- 402, Syracuse, New York 13204 or e-mail: mtale@twcny.rr.com Word document (.doc) file attachments are welcome.
Earn this patch for hiking all 41 miles of the Onondaga Trail. (FLT Maps O1 – O2)
To qualify for a free patch you must;
1. Be a current ADK Onondaga Chapter member.
2. Must hike the entire Onondaga Trail, or have hiked it with-in the past 5 years.
Special offer for new hikers to experience the North Country National Scenic Foot Trail
- Three easy hikes — MAY 19 — JULY 7 — AUGUST 18
- New Woodstock to Highland Forest
- Each hike less than 3 miles with gentle slopes
- Easy pace for you to enjoy and visit nature and scenery
- All single track hiking paths – almost like wilderness
- Experienced trip leaders
- Hear about natural and cultural history
Continue reading Finger Lakes Trail 2012 Sampler Hike Series For Beginners
Date: 26 March 2012
For Immediate Release
Re: NCTA files lawsuit in New York State
Contact: Bruce Matthews (bmatthews@northcountrytrail.org; 616-897-5987)
The North Country Trail Association has filed a petition under CPLR Article 78 against New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) and Tri-Valley Trail Riders, Inc. seeking to reverse recent actions resulting in the apparent loss of approximately nine miles North Country National Scenic Trail in Madison County, NY. The lawsuit was filed today in Albany County, location of OPRHP administrative offices. Continue reading NCTA Press Release
Event: Eastern Mountain Sports Club Days on Sat., April 14.
Our chapter is in need of volunteers to sit for two hours at either the store at Carousel Center or the Towne Center at Fayetteville to answer questions about our club, to take new memberships or receive a donation for customers to receive a discount on their purchase of merchandise. Instructions and materials will be there. Any of these times: 10AM, noon, 2PM, 4PM and 6PM. Contact Dick Lightcap at 637-3737 or his secretary or recording at 637-3733.
You probably have read about the decrease in membership – sometimes to the point of disbanding – of the various service organizations (such as Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, etc.), volunteer fire departments, youth groups, etc., all of which volunteer valuable time, effort, and/or financial resources to the community. The loss or decrease of this assistance will have an adverse effect on our society.
ADK has always provided service projects on both the club and chapter level, because hikers value and appreciate the gift of the outdoors, and wish to return something back to the environment. Continue reading View From the Chair – Dick Lightcap
These photos show the destruction of the 2-3 foot wide national scenic hiking trail to make way a local 15-20 foot wide snowmobile trail. 40 years of wildlife growth was also wiped out. Snowmobiles already have the 35 mile Erie Canal Park and a large network of trails elsewhere.
This happened last December on 1.5 miles of state owned railroad bed near Canastota. It was like a raid with no warning. The state watched North Country Trail volunteer workers spend 10 years building a hiking trail and now the Office of Parks is threatening it with entire annihilation. Continue reading Destruction of Madison County’s National Scenic Hiking Trail
