News for May 2007
April Storm Wreaks Trail Damage; Some Catskills Trails Are Closed
Maintainers are urged to get out and check their trails. The mid-April deluge (wet snow in many high elevations) has resulted in erosion on some trails, blow downs on others, and washed out bridges. DEC has closed a number of Catskills trails including portions of the Escarpment Trail, the Devil’s Path, and Hunter Trail. For details, click here. Report trail problems here.
Member-Get-A-Member Race to the Finish!
Our Member-Get-A-Member Campaign ends this month! Many members have participated, but none of our leaders are out of reach. Currently, 4 new members is the number to beat. So get your extended family to sign up for the great benefits of the Trail Conference and you might be off to your two-night stay at the Minnewaska Lodge! Remember, even if you find just one member, you will be entered into our raffle to win mountain gear. Click here for all the program details. Program ends May 31st!
Will He or Won’t He Run the Long Path Run?
David O’Neill’s plan to run the entire Long Path, starting April 27, and raise funds for the Trail Conference were disrupted as a result of the impact of the April storm on trails. Will he reschedule or go to Plan B? Find out and follow his adventure either way. And if you haven't had a chance to make your donation, do it now! Go to www.charityrunners.org. Your donation helps the NY-NJ Trail Conference to preserve the great outdoors.
Sunday, May 20, 4pm: NYC Performance of
“The Outermost House” to Benefit Trail Conference
Written by Cindy Cooper based on the writings of famed writer Henry Beston, The Outermost House will be performed in at The Culture Center in New York City by actor Marvin Einhorn. ALL of the proceeds from the door will go to the Trail Conference. Click here for details.
This Vacation Op Happens Once Every 24 Years
Early Signup Deadline: May 15
Ramapo 2007, July 13-20 at Ramapo College in Mahwah, NJ, will offer opportunities to meet hikers from outside the region, learn skills, and just enjoy yourself on hikes, excursions, and other events. Kids can enjoy a quality program at Weis Ecology Center. Registration is $36 for 8 days of fun. A single day is $20. After May 15 the rate goes up to $45. Online registration is easy and secure. See you there.
Calling All Hike Leaders and Other Volunteers
(and friends of Hike Leaders) The 36th Biennial Conference of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy will be held July 13th through July 20th, 2007, hosted by the Trail Conference. We need your help. Click here for details. Also needed are volunteers to clean up after the Saturday and Sunday entertainments. We must leave no trace! Contact Jane Daniels at info@ramapo2007.org.
Coming Up at Trail University
May 13: Orientation/Work Trip, and Stone Step Construction.
June 2: Maintenance 101 at Port Jervis.
June 3: Turnpike/Causeway Construction.
To learn more about these and other upcoming workshops, and to register, click here (for Maintenance 101) and here (for workshops at Bear Mountain).
Become an Environmental Monitor
Help Protect Rare, Threatened or Endangered Plant Species!
The AT Natural Heritage Monitoring program is a long-term project designed to provide volunteer-collected data on known rare species occurrences in order to track their status over time. Volunteers in this program are trained to monitor the status of rare plants and significant natural communities at known sites in the AT corridor. A training workshop for new monitors will be held on June 10. Click Here for more information.
The Power of a Trail
Our story begins in Miami, Florida, with a computer trainer who was dissatisfied with his job. In spite of having just earned an MBA in international business and management leadership, his search for a meaningful career was not bearing fruit. Finally, in an act of desperation he sold his home, quit his job—and decided to hike the Appalachian Trail. Click here to see what happens...
