Please provide yourself with proper equipment, lunch and adequate fluids. Match your abilities with the difficulty of the event.
Tuesday, May 11 Paddle Mohawk and Hudson Rivers
We will launch from Waterford and will explore the intersecting area of the two rivers including a Hudson River lock and the falls south of Peebles Island, with lunch at Peebles Island. This will be a good seasonal warm up paddle. We will meet at Northway Exit 9 Park and Ride at 9 am. Contact: Bill Valentino at billvalentino113@yahoo.com or 439-9686. Length: Paddle distance 8 miles.
Wednesday, May 12 – Bike Mohawk Trail, Colonie.
This will be a gentle bike ride on a paved trail. You must have recent bike experience and provide your own bike and helmet.
Meet at 9 am at Guptill’s Skating Arena Parking Lot on Route 9 in Latham. Contact: Phil Fountain at pfounta1@nycap.rr.com or 371-8585. Length: 15 to 25 miles round-trip, with minimal elevation. Road distance: 3 to 4 miles to the Bike Path Parking Lot.
Saturday, May 15 – End to End Endurance Challenge
Our End to End will start at 5:30 am at Berry Pond in the Pittsfield State Forest. We are planning to have the hikers led out of the camping area by our own bagpiper, Neil Roberts. After the contestants have left the area the sweeps will be in place and make sure everyone reaches the next area. In the mean time all camping and kitchen equipment will be packed up and the car moving will begin to Rt. 346 and the end of the Challenge. Come and offer your support to the hikers and all the volunteers needed to insure a successful endeavor.
Saturday, May 15 – Taconic Hiking Club summer schedule activities are due.
Wednesday, May 19 – Sugarloaf Quarry and Kaaterskill Falls Tannersville and Palenville, NY
The first hike is on a trail towards the summit to Sugarloaf Mountain. It is a fascinating and unexpected place, featuring extensive stonework crafted out of the remnants of an old stone quarry. The second hike will be a trip to Kaaterskill Falls, which is the highest falls in NY State (260 feet). Plan to walk on a road and then hike on a marked trail to the center part of the falls. We will meet at the Elm Avenue Park and Ride in Delmar (off Route 32) at 9 am. Contact: Phil Fountain at pfounta1@nycap.rr.com or 371-8585. Length: Quarry – about 2 miles round trip with ascent of 200 feet. Falls – about 2.5 miles round-trip with ascent of 350 feet. Road distance: About 90 miles round-trip.
Thursday, May 20 – Paddle Kayaderosseras and Fish Creek
We will be spotting cars in order to paddle the 6½ miles from Kelly Park in Ballston Spa to the State Boat Launch on Saratoga Lake. This is a very attractive semi-rural paddle with the possibility of class I water in spots when the river is up. We should be prepared to wade and clear log jams in just a few places. We will meet at Northway Exit 9 Park and Ride at 8:30 am. Contact: Bill Valentino at billvalentino113@yahoo.com or 439-9686. Length: Paddle distance 6 1/2 miles. Road distance: 30 miles round-trip.
Saturday, May 22 – Bike Washington County
This will be a bike ride in Grandma Moses country via mostly scenic back roads to four protected farms. We will enjoy the history of the area and view a few of Grandma Moses’ painting sites and her still present working farm. We will also bike across the Buskirk Historic Covered Bridge on our way to Cambridge and back. We will meet at the Northway Exit 9 Park and Ride, off Fire Road, at 9:30 am. Contact: Phil Fountain at pfounta1@nycap.rr.com or 371-8585. Length: 22 miles round-trip loop, with some rolling hills. Road distance: About 60 miles round-trip.
Thursday, May 27 – Paddle Round Lake
This will be an early evening paddle to search out the Great Blue Heron nests on this small lake. We will meet at the Northway Exit 9 Park and Ride, off Fire Road, at 5:30 pm or at Round Lake at 5:45 pm. Contact: Phil Fountain at pfounta1@mycap.rr.com or 371-8585. Length: 3 to 4 miles round-trip. Road distance: 10 miles from Exit 9 to Round Lake.
Thursday, May 27 – Housatonic River and Woods Pond Paddle
This will be a leisurely, mostly flatwater with a touch of quickwater, paddle on the Housatonic River between Pittsfield and Lenox. River distance is approximately 4.3 miles and ends in Woods Pond which is a bit over a hundred acres and about two miles of shoreline. According to the guidebook, Woods Pond is like paddling in a large goldfish bowl – lots of goldfish in it along with other pond critters and plants. Contact leader for time and meeting place. Contact: Lynn Filarecki, 674-2125 before 9 pm, Tuesday, May 25. Length: About 7 miles. Road distance: Approximately 120 miles.