January Newsletter 2021
Blackhead Range from Windham. Pic by M Waldman
Happy New Year!
2020 In Review
The New Year is finally here, and we extend greetings to our members for a healthy and safe year to come. Like many other organizations, the Taconic Hiking Club has faced challenges. Adhering to COVID guidelines and the general shutdown, we had to cancel our popular and fully subscribed End-To-End Challenge. Unfortunately, it is not looking like a group event like this can be held in the spring of 2021, but we plan to get back on track for the E2E in May 2022, when everyone will be COVID-vaccinated. We thank you for renewing your memberships and supporting the work we do to maintain our signature trail, the 37-mile-long Taconic Crest Trail, and to partner with other organizations to preserve and protect the Taconic Range. We’ll hope to see you out there for an outing or volunteer trail work in 2021.
Despite the pandemic the Taconic Hiking Club (THC) has been very productive in 2020. Here are the highlights of our activities and achievements.
We completed the year with a robust 226 members.
A record 68 hikers reported that they finished hiking the trail in 2020! 66 hikers were awarded the TCT cumulative “Summer” patch and 2 were awarded the TCT cumulative “Winter” patch. Of the summer hikers, 23 completed the trail in one day, and 18 of these were doing it as part of the North East Ultra 8. The following statement by one of the finishers seems to reflect most of the hikers’ thoughts about the trail - “The TCT was a bright spot for us in 2020. Hiking the whole trail was a ‘pandemic project’…We loved the whole trail.” Congratulations to all finishers for your athletic ability and perseverance!
Despite having to “pause” leading outings during the spring, we were able to offer approximately 43 outings during the rest of the year, including hikes, snowshoes, cross-country skiing, cycling, and paddling. Our offerings were also fewer since many of our leaders chose, with good cause, not to lead outings during the pandemic.
531 trail work volunteer hours were recorded. This includes hours on the trail as well as some of the travel time. We are so proud of our volunteers and their efforts and want to thank our volunteer coordinator, Dave Pisaneschi, for organizing, supervising, and documenting the work.
Approximately 30 volunteers were recognized and awarded THC Volunteer hats. The pandemic has slowed down getting them to all the volunteers, so if you haven’t received yours yet, we will get it to you when we see you in 2021! The club is fortunate to have some terrific volunteers who make all this possible. Many thanks to all THC volunteers!!!
The 2020 edition of the “Taconic Crest Map and Guide” was published. See the map page of the website for information on how to purchase a copy!
The Club held its first ever Fall Gathering in lieu of a picnic or banquet, socially distanced, at Grafton Lakes State Park.
Bridge over Kronk Brook
There is now a foot bridge over Kronk Brook in Mattison Hollow! A good neighbor of the trail discussed the idea with the NYS Department of Conservation (DEC). He volunteered to make the bridge, using specifications provided by DEC. No more tottering on rocks trying to cross without slipping into water over the top of your boots! It is refreshing to see such volunteer spirit!
New bridge and Kronk Brook. Pic by E. Slattery
Bridge over Kronk Brook. Pic by E. Slattery
Willard Hoyt Tribute Tree supports Habitat Restoration
The Club purchased a Tribute Tree to be planted in memory of Willard Hoyt this past April. We just heard that the tree has been planted in Crawford County, Michigan as part of the Kirtland’s Warbler Recovery Project. This project, led by American Forests and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, aims to plant 1.8 million jack pine seedlings in 2020 to restore habitat for the rare Kirtland’s warbler. Kirtland’s warblers are uniquely picky — they prefer jack pines between 5 and 20 years old that sit on Grayling sand with upwards of 1.5 acres available. Because of wildfire suppression, these young trees have diminished, and with them the warblers’ territory. But thanks to trees like this, we’re one step closer to saving this bird, which was recently de-listed from the Endangered Species Act after being on the list since 1967. It is the first songbird ever de-listed.
Kirkland Warbler, American Bird Conservancy.
Rensselaer Land Trust opens two new trails!
We wanted to feature in this newsletter another of our partners working in the Taconic Range region.
Rensselaer Land Trust (RLT) works to protect the open spaces, watersheds, and natural habitats of New York’s capital region. Many miles of the Taconic Crest Trail are in Rensselaer County. This land trust protects important habitats and recreational spaces through voluntary land protection agreements, land donations and purchases. Their website and list of public properties is found at www.renstrust.org
RLT has just opened two new public properties! The first, the Featherweald Nature Preserve in Cambridge, New York, is a 44-acre protected area that offers two miles of woodland trails, a great blue heron rookery with more than 20 nests, and seasonal views of the Hoosic River. The preserve offers excellent bird watching opportunities; however, be aware that to protect the rookery from disturbance, there is limited visitation during the February to August breeding season.
The second is the 57-acre Palmer Road Preserve in Schodack, New York. Located in a residential community near Miller Road in Schodack, the property features an extensive walking trail system that the Schodack Area Land Trust maintained for many years. The wooded parcel is one of the sources of the Mordener Kill and is home to a diverse collection of plants and animals. This preserve is part of a strategic initiative to increase the network of neighborhood nature preserves in Rensselaer County to create publicly accessible properties that will complement existing parks and protected areas and are within a ten-minute drive of a municipality.
Renew your membership for 2021 now!
You may renew online or by mail. Be sure to update changes in your contact information: email, phone, or address. If you have recently renewed please disregard this reminder!
To renew a membership by credit card or PayPal, go to the membership page of the Taconic Hiking Club website, or click here https://taconichikingclub.org/membership
To renew by mail, make out a check payable to the “Taconic Hiking Club” in the amount of $10. (per person). Send completed check to:
Taconic Hiking Club
c/o Sue Jordan - Membership Chair
276 South Manning Blvd
Albany, NY 12208
Lily Pond at Grafton Lakes State Park. Pic by M Waldman
Video of TCT trek
Here’s an account of a one-day trek on the TCT we found on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODgbLSf7VfI. This trek involved 8 hikers who did the TCT as part of the North East Ultra 8. It looks like they had an enjoyable time! Because their goal was the Ultra 8, only 2 of the group submitted paperwork for a patch. If you have hiked the TCT you will recognize many of the trail scenes.
Twin Pond, ready to overflow its banks after the 2.5+ feet snow followed by a couple inches of rain, December. Pic M Waldman
Twin Pond in October. Pic by M Waldman