Minutes 8/4/2005

MINUTES OF A MEETING
of the
TRAILS COUNCIL
of the
NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY TRAIL CONFERENCE
August 4, 2005

1. In the absence of Trails Council Chair Pete Heckler, Bob Jonas called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. at the Trail Conference office in Mahwah, N.J. Present were: Larry Wheelock - Trails Director, Eddie Walsh, Jr. - Trail Projects Director, Estelle Anderson, Jill Arbuckle, John Blenninger, Bob Boysen, Larry Braun, Jim Canfield, Ken Card, Daniel D. Chazin, Chris Connolly, Ellen Cronan, Jane Daniels, Walt Daniels, David Day, Jakob Franke, Joe Gindoff, Gary Haugland, Bob Jonas, Peter Kohlberger, Martin Last, Ron Luna, Bob Marshall, Gail Neffinger, Bob Newton, Sandy Parr, Monica Resor, Trudy Schneider, Manny Silberberg, June Slade, Denise Vitale and Bob Ward.

2. Minutes. At the suggestion of Larry Wheelock, the last sentence of the first paragraph of Item 14 of the minutes of the June 2 nd Trails Council meeting was changed to read as follows: “He requested that this matter be discussed in more detail at a future Trails Council meeting.” The minutes of the Trails Council meeting of June 2, 2005 were then approved as corrected.

3. Schunemunk Mountain Relocation. Larry Wheelock announced that the Jessup, Sweet Clover and Highlands Trails near Taylor Road on Schunemunk Mountain have been rerouted to avoid private property. He noted that because the landowner demanded that the trail be taken off his property, this relocation had to be implemented without prior approval of the Trails Council.

4. Bear Mountain Trails Project. Gail Neffinger announced that PIPC officials have agreed to support our plan for the rehabilitation of the trails on Bear Mountain. He showed to the Trails Council a presentation that had been prepared for PIPC and State officials which shows the existing poor condition of these trails, and explained that although the project will involve changes to the Appalachian, Major Welch and Suffern-Bear Mountain Trails, the most significant changes would be to the route of the Appalachian Trail. He also pointed out that park officials have requested that the A.T. be relocated off of the Perkins Memorial Drive on the west side of Bear Mountain.

Gail Neffinger reported that meetings were held this past November and December with landscape architecture students from Rutgers University to develop plans for these trail improvements. He noted that, after the December 2004 “charette,” the final plan was modified and trail routes were scouted. Due to the heavy trail use on this A.T. section by inexperienced hikers, it has been proposed that the rebuilt A.T. be constructed to a five-foot width and with a 10% maximum grade, and that switchbacks be built so as to minimize lines of sight that might encourage hikers to cut corners.

Gail Neffinger outlined the route of the proposed A.T. on the east and west sides of Bear Mountain, noting that part of the route near the summit of the mountain would follow a previous (1980) route of the A.T. In response to a question by Bob Jonas, Gail Neffinger pointed out that although most of the trail would be constructed by volunteers, the trail route would be professionally designed, and certain sections would have to be constructed by professionals. However, he stated that most of the trail through the boulder field on the eastern slope of Bear Mountain could probably be constructed by volunteers, using the natural materials available, and that professional assistance would be needed primarily with the ADA-compliant sections near the top of the mountain. He also noted that the project would include the restoration of the areas impacted by the current A.T. that will be abandoned, and that the project will include the installation of kiosks and signage. Gail Neffinger stated that the Major Welch and Suffern-Bear Mountain Trails on Bear Mountain would be rehabilitated, but would not be significantly relocated. He estimated that the construction of the A.T. through the boulder field will take three or four years, and that it will take five years to complete the entire project.

Larry Wheelock stated that, although we do not expect to encounter any further regulatory problems, the project needs to pass a SEQRA review. He also noted that once final approval is obtained, the NPS will fund the work of Peter Jensen to design detailed specifications for the trail route, and the project will then continue under the direction of Eddie Walsh, Trail Projects Director. He noted that work on trail construction will alternate with the restoration of abandoned trail sections.

5. New Jersey Trails Plan. Bob Newton explained that New Jersey has a one-person trails office in Trenton with very little funding, and that in New Jersey, local politicians have great influence on the management of state parks. He also commented that funding of New Jersey parks has decreased, in real terms, in recent years. However, he also noted that New Jersey has acquired much land to create and preserve trails. He pointed out that the new trails plan is being financed by the Department of Transportation, rather than the Department of Environmental Protection, and stated that the new plan could help to secure additional funding for trails. He stated that the 1996 Trails Plan was designed from the point of the view of the user, rather than the maintainer, and that we need to ensure that the new Trails Plan will also take the interests of maintainers into consideration. It was noted that the 1996 Trails Plan was not uniformly adhered to by park managers, with some managers paying attention to its recommendations, while others ignored it. It was also pointed out that trails maintained by the Trail Conference are concentrated in six northern New Jersey counties, and that this region should be the focus of our input to the new trails plan.

After discussion, the following committee was appointed to develop a set of proposals that will be presented on behalf of the Trail Conference to the planners that will be formulating the new draft trails plan for New Jersey: Bob Boysen, Ellen Cronan, Gary Haugland, Bob Newton (consultant), Sandy Parr, Monica Resor, Larry Wheelock, Gene Giordano, John Moran (the latter two members joined after the meeting).

6. Casino Trail in East Hudson Highlands. Walt Daniels proposed that the Casino Trail in the East Hudson Highlands, near Beacon, be reinstated (with some changes to the original trail route), subject to obtaining approval from Scenic Hudson, on whose lands this trail is located. He noted that this trail connects the site of the old casino on Beacon Mountain with the larger trail network in the area. After discussion, the Trails Council unanimously approved the reinstatement of this trail.

7. Reroute of Otter Hole Trail in Wyanokies. Bob Jonas explained his proposal to reroute the eastern 0.4 mile of the Otter Hole Trail, near the Weis Ecology Center, by taking the trail off of Snake Den Road and routing the trail through the woods on property of the Weis Ecology Center. He noted that the relocated trail would skirt the Highlands Pool to the north. After discussion, the Trails Council unanimously approved the proposal to relocate this portion of the Otter Hole Trail.

8. The meeting was adjourned at 9:02 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Daniel D. Chazin
Secretary

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