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The Fall Newsletter — CMC Dinner,Catskills Lark in the Park!

The CMC fall newsletter is out — read about the upcoming CMC dinner, October 12th, and the Catskills Lark in the Park….

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For Upcoming Events, Check out the 11th Annual Catskills Lark in the Park Schedule

As a founding partner of the Catskills Lark in the Park, the CMC takes great pride in the wealth of various outdoor activities offered each year to recreational enthusiasts during this great celebration of the Catskill Park’s founding. These events are led by volunteers from many organizations that regularly organize outings in the Catskill region. Many are led by CMC members.

Together with our partners, the Catskill Center, the New York/New Jersey Trail Conference and the NYS DEC, we look forward to seeing you out and about in the Catskills this year from October 4 through October 13.  Come for one event or for 10 days full of activities. Pick your pleasure from hikes, paddles, cycling trips, natural and cultural explorations, educational events and more – truly something for everyone!

After the Lark, regular CMC scheduling will resume.

 

New Delhi Trails Opened by the CMC

DSC_1022rcrAugust 30, 2014  –  The Catskill Mountain Club opened the newly constructed Delhi Trails on Saturday, August 30. The well attended ceremony was held at the trailhead in the Immanuel Lutheran Church parking lot on SR 28 in Delhi. Amy Beveridge, project coordinator and CMC board member,  welcomed the crowd and thanked several community organizations and property owners for their support in making the new trails possible. The Delhi Trails were built on lands that belong to the Delaware Academy Central Schools, to the Village of Delhi and to the Immanuel Lutheran Church. They were built with the assistance and financial support of the Town of Delhi, the Bassett Healthcare Network O’Connor Hospital,  the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County, the Rural Health Alliance, the Catskill Ladies Association to Support and Inspire (C.L.A.S.I.) and by SUNY Delhi. Many individuals came out to help with construction, and their efforts were greatly appreciated by all.

After the brief remarks, the crowd headed out onto the trails for an inaugural hike. The weather was perfect and so were the trails as nearly 40 people enjoyed the beautiful woods, cliffs and views. The three trails, two named for characters in the novel My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George and one in honor of the Delaware Academy mascot Bulldogs, together cover about 4.5 miles and offer the option of shorter hikes of varying degrees of difficulty. The longer Gribley Trail crosses the mountain ridge above the village in a little over three miles. The Bulldog Run can be combined wih a section of the Gribley to create a loop hike of over two miles. And the Frightful Falls Trail is a short connector, the steepness of which makes its name seem appropriate.IMG_3449cr

This trail project is another built by the CMC to bring hiking opportunities closer to Catskill communities. The trails are designed to accommodate hikers of all ages and most abilities. The CMC feels that these trails will contribute to the physical, social and economic health of our communities. Offering the ability to easily access a place to go for a hike, however long or short, is an important way to help individuals maintain their health. The availability of a nearby place to spend time alone or with friends, family and children will offer a wonderful opportunity for relaxation, fun and meaningful time spent together in an awe inspiring and peaceful setting. And visitors from near and far will avail themselves of the services provided by local businesses when they come to town for a hike. We are convinced that everyone will benefit in some way from the presence of these new trails and that the Catskills will become an even better place to live and to visit.

For more information about the trails, including maps, visit the CMC website at catskillmountainclub.org. And please consider becoming a member while you’re there. Your support will help with our work to improve outdoor recreational facilities and access in the Catskills.

New Bear Hunting Season Begins

The NYS DEC has decided to implement a new bear hunting season in the Catskills. The early season begins September 6 and runs until September 21. This additional hunting season coincides with one of the most attractive and busy hiking seasons in the Catskills. Because plants continue to be fully leafed out, visibility will be more difficult for all concerned and extra caution is important.

The CMC urges all hikers to wear blaze orange caps and/or vests when hiking. It is advisable to hike in groups in order to increase visibility and draw attention to your presence in the woods. Be observant, be careful and be safe.

Another CMC Trail Opening! Join us on August 30th at 2 pm in Delhi to celebrate the creation of the newest trail.

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August 15, 2014  –  The CMC, in partnership with key community members and organizations including Village, Town, and the School boards, Immanuel Lutheran Church and O’Connor Hospital created this lovely multi-route trail system.  Meet at the Immanuel Lutheran Church parking lot at 2:00 p.m. and join Catskill Mountain Club members and volunteers as they lead guided hikes on the four miles of much anticipated, newly established hiking trails.

The Delhi hiking trails consist of over four miles of hiking trails, named for beloved characters in the classic 1959 children’s novel My Side of Mountain which was set in Delhi.

Read more about the Delhi Trails here in the press release

The Catskill Mountain Club News for Summer 2014 is here!

August 12, 2014  –  The Summer 2014 CMC News is chock full of interesting news and information. Learn some valuable tips for taking that perfect photograph on your hike. Find out about the Finger Lakes Trail and its 90 mile plus route through the Catskills. Read about how to have a good time hiking while improving your physical fitness (yes, even couch potatoes can hike)!  Check it out here.

Did you know that you can get the CMC News sent to your inbox for free? We’d love to have you join the club, but if you’d like to give it a test drive first you can sign up for the newsletter and our announcements via email here. Just provide your contact information and check yes for “Send Me All Event Announcement Emails”. You can unsubcribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of the announcement.

The NYC DEP highlights CMC trails in Newsletter

coverDEPNewsletter July 21, 2014  –  The Shavertown Trail made the cover of the DEP’s Watershed Recreation Newsletter.

To read the full story, click the image and go to page 7.

Maps of Palmer Hill, Shavertown and Andes Rail Trail/Bullet Hole Spur available here!

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You can now print your own map of The Palmer Hill Trail, the Shavertown Trail and the Andes Rail Trail/Bullet Hole Spur.   You can also see them live and interactive!

 

Trail Printable Map Live Map
 IMG_024SpringVista from Palmer Hill

Palmer Hill Trail

Click Here to Open Printable Map Click Here
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Shavertown Trail

Click Here To Open Printable Map Click Here
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Andes Rail Trail/

Bullet Hole Spur

Click Here To Open Printable Map Click Here

Driving directions to the three trails can be found here

 

Map software provided by  www.MappingSupport.com

Palmer Hill Trail Opens to the Public

DSC_0901r_TMJune 9, 2014 – We woke up to a lovely day on Saturday, National Trails Day. And that wasn’t half as good as the rest of it! Over 50 people assembled at the trailhead of the brand new Palmer Hill Trail to celebrate our work and new prize. After a brief ceremony featuring remarks by Andes Town Supervisor Marty Donnelly, NYC DEP Recreation and Property Manager Charlie Laing and CMC President Rick Roberts, we had some refreshments, congratulated one another on a great partnership and its beautiful product and headed off for one of our more satisfying hikes in quite a while.

 

The Palmer Hill Trail consists of three segments that can be hiked in four distinct combinations, allowing hikers the options of short and easy hikes or moderately strenuous and longer hikes. The hiker can make complete routes of 1.2, 2.2, 2.7 or 3.7 miles. Each takes you through beautiful wildflower meadows that offer wide open views of the surrounding mountains and hills and of the bucolic scenery that Delaware County epitomizes. Along the way are centuries old foundations, a lovely stream and age old trees. In season, there will be blackberries and apples galore for the hungry hiker. And in winter the cross country skiing will be a dream come true.

DSC_0910r_TMThe importance of this partnership between the DEP and the CMC is hard to overstate. With the help of the Town of Andes, we have collaborated on two new trails on DEP lands in less than a year, having opened the Shavertown Trail on August 30 of last year. Later this year we’ll open a trail on Bramley Mountain in the Town of Delhi. And there will be more to come, including one on the south side of the Ashokan Reservoir in Ulster County and, eventually, in both Greene and Sullivan Counties.

By making these properties available for public recreation, without fee or required permit, the DEP has made an important commitment to the needs of the residents of the Catskills. The benefits to the health and economies of our communities are already being felt. The CMC is thrilled to have an opportunity of this magnitude to work towards the success of our mission of promoting non-motorized outdoor recreation that is sustainable and environmentally responsible and that benefits the physical and economic health of our local communities.

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The Palmer Hill Trail will be a destination for those who love the Catskills and want to experience them as never before. So come out and enjoy the views. And, if you don’t already know, see one of the finest panoramas of the Catskill High Peaks anywhere. I won’t tell you where to look for it – come find out for yourself!

See video of the opening here. Thanks to Jessica Vecchione.