THC News April 2019
Prospect Mountain Ski Area Saved!
At its March 21, 2019, meeting, the THC Board learned that the fundraising campaign to save the Prospect Mountain cross country ski area has been a success. Prospect Mountain is now a conserved community nonprofit ski area. Its owner is the Prospect Association, a 501.3c organization, governed by a 9-member board of trustees. The site will continue to be managed by the former owner.
The US Forest Service granted a conservation easement for the mountain and its trails. The base area is now a Recreation Development Zone which will allow the Association to renew and add buildings and other improvements as necessary.
Don Campbell, Executive Director of the Vermont Land Trust, attended the THC meeting and gave us this good news as we had been one of the contributing organizations in the private fundraising sector of the campaign. He reported that the private FR campaign topped its goal by $62,000. Major funds for the transfer came from The State of Vermont with a $285,000 grant and $450,000 from Williams College.
By: Sharon Bonk
A rewarding volunteer opportunity on the Membership Committee can be yours!
After several years Sharon Bonk would like to step down and help someone else assume the membership duties. It only takes about 1 to 2 hours per month, in small 5 to 10-minute increments, maybe more during the renewal period.
The tasks include: Enter new members name and contact information and update renewals into the excel membership spreadsheet. Update the payment page of website to show each application has been completed. Mail new member packets and communicate with the treasurer and web person as needed via email.
Good data entry skills and basic knowledge of excel are needed, as well as having excel capability on your computer. The person taking this position is also encouraged to attend the quarterly board meetings, where growth of membership and other business is discussed. Meeting are only 1.5 to 2 hours long and we do have an enjoyable time!
Contact Martha Waldman at martha829r@aol.com or Karen Ross at kcoyross@aol.com if interested.
Trail work season is here!
It's been a rough winter with some brutal winds. The Taconic Crest Trail will need a good spring cleaning. Did you know most trail workers say that trail work is much more fun than yard work! Consider joining us on one of the three trail works days posted in our Spring outings.
Not available for the posted dates? Let Karen Ross at kcoyross@aol.com know if you would like to be contacted if we go out on an impromptu schedule beyond the days already listed in the Spring Bulletin to do trail maintenance this spring---and thank you in advance!
Upcoming Outings
Check the current Bulletin or the Outings page of the website for complete details, note there have been updates since the Bulletin was published. Also check out the Taconic Hiking Club Facebook page to see pictures from past outings! See you on the trail!
· Saturday, April 6, Taconic Crest Trail Work – Madden Rd/ Robinson Hollow section
· Wednesday, April 10: “Hidden Trails of Lenox Mountain" Lenox, MA
· Saturday, April 20, Taconic Crest Trail Work – Berry Pond to Potter Mountain Rd (Pittsfield Sate Forest)
· Friday, April 26: High Falls Conservation Area in Philmont
· Saturday, April 27: Notchview Reservation
· Thursday, May 2, 2019: TCT Trail Work—southern section
· Saturday, May 4: TCT Series - Petersburg Pass to north end in North Petersburg
· Wednesday, May 8: Stockbridge Trails—Laura’s Tower, Ice Glen, and Mary Flynn Trail
· Saturday, May 18: Schodack Island Paddle
· Tuesday, May 21: Greylock Mt., MA.
· Wednesday, May 29 - Tyringham Cobble, & AT: Shaker Series
· Saturday, June 1: National Trails Day at Grafton Lakes State Park
· Monday, June 3: Steepletop, New Marlborough, MA: Joint outing with BNRC
· Sunday, June 9: THC Annual PICNIC at Grafton Lakes State Park.
TCT in a Year Hike Series, 2019 Sponsored RLT, RPA and THC:
1) May 4 - Petersburg Pass to Snow Hole and on to north end in North Petersburgh.
2) June 29 - Petersburg Pass to Berlin Mountain and on to Southeast Hollow in Berlin
3) July 13 - Southeast Hollow to Mattison Hollow in Cherry Plain
4) August 10 - Mattison Hollow to Robinson Hollow in Stephentown
5) September 7 - Robinson Hollow to Madden Road in Hancock, MA
6) October 5 - Potter Road in Hancock, MA to south end near New Lebanon
Twin Pond, March, 2019. One to two foot drifts along the way.
Hangglider Overlook, Thacher Park, March, 2019.