**View from Rounds Mtn, Mount Greylock Reservation, pic by M Waldman**

FALL LUNCHEON: Join us at the annual Fall Luncheon! See old friends, make new friends, enjoy a nice meal and an interesting presentation.

• Where and when: Moscatiello’s Italian Restaurant, 99 North Greenbush Rd (Rte. 4), Troy, on Sunday, November 2, 12:00 to 3:00 PM

• Cost: $25 per person. The Club partly subsidizes the meal.

• Meal: The buffet includes salad & rolls, penne marinara, meatballs & sausage, and eggplant parmigiana, followed by mini cannoli.

• Meeting & Speaker: After the meal we will have a brief business meeting followed by our feature presentation.

Speakers: Andre Dalbec, President and Lynne Mosher, Vice President & K9 Handler of Lower Adirondack Search and Rescue (LASAR)

Presentation: What happens when a hiker goes missing? What resources are needed and used to find the person? Andre Dalbec and Lynne Mosher will tell us about Lower Adirondack Search and Rescue (LASAR) and how they are involved when there is a call out to find a missing person. We will learn how the LASAR volunteers coordinate with NYS DEC Rangers and other volunteer organizations. They will tell us what skills and training are required, search and rescue techniques used as well as how their canine, Lily, is used to assist. We will also hear about actual cases.

LASAR engages in about 10 search and rescues a year. We hope we will never need them, but we are thankful that they are available!

Reservations: Use this link to pay online, via this website by credit card or PayPal. (Klarna not accepted.) Or you can mail your $25 check made out to “Taconic Hiking Club”, to: Taconic Hiking Club, c/o Margaret Parks, 9 Tokay Lane, Schenectady, NY 12309.

Due Date: Thursday, October 30.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Our partners at Pittsfield State Forest (PSF) are holding a Volunteer Workday on Saturday morning, October 18, 2025, from 10:00am-12:00pm. Location: Pittsfield State Forest, 1041 Cascade St, Pittsfield, MA

Join fellow volunteers for painting projects and light trail work. Tools will be provided at the park. Click here for the flyer: Volunteer Flyer PSF PDF. Scan the QR code to the right to register.

The Taconic Hiking Club is partnered with PSF because of the 10+ miles of the Taconic Crest Trail which goes through PSF and our agreement to help maintain the trail. In addition, the park graciously allows us to start the End-to-End Challenge from Berry Pond every two years.

HUNTING SEASON IS HERE! Time to start wearing your blaze orange or fluorescent pink vest, hat, or other articles of clothing while you are out hiking.

You can find specifics on hunting for your region, seasons for specific game, and which firearms are allowed for which game and when on the links below.

**Don’t forget to put some blaze orange on your dog too! Pic by K Ross.**

NYS: NYSDEC 2025-2026 Hunting Seasons

MA: MA Hunting Seasons, 2025- 2026

VT: Hunting Seasons 2025-2026

The good news for hikers is Massachusetts still does not allow any hunting on Sundays.

For hikers, the season to pay extra attention to is the regular deer season. This year, deer hunting season with rifles in the southern region of NYS runs from November 15 through December 7. In the western region of MA shotgun season for deer is December 1 through December 13. Vermont has an earlier regular deer season of November 15 thru 30. It is recommended that during regular deer season you stay on well-used trails when hiking and postponing bushwhacking.

OUTINGS: Refer to the THC website outings page for details about the outings and how to register. We schedule on a monthly and short-term basis, so check the website periodically.

Wednesday, October 1: Rounds Rock Loop Greylock B
Wednesday, October 8: Harding Rd trail - Palenville B
Monday, October 13: Clark Art Institute trails, remembering Blanche Nelson, Williamstown MA C
Wednesday, October 15: Flag Rock & Monument Mt. trails, Great Barrington B
Friday, October 17: Alander Mountain B
Wednesday, October 22: Bozen Kill Preserve, Altamont NY B-
Monday October 27: Sarah Tenney, TCT, Shepherds Well Loop– Williamstown B
Saturday, November 1: Boehme Legacy Forest, Cropseyville, NY C+

QUOTE: “Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day.” — Shira Tamir

October Newsletter 2025