The Hudson Trail

CommuniTyler Event

hudsontrail — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:56:05 +0000

On December 3rd, as the NYC CommuniTyler
(http://communityler.org/index.html)
kickoff event, a group of 2 dozen New Yorkers, led by Kacey Ronaldson, worked with Friends of the Hudson Trail to do maintenance on a portion of the Old Croton Aqueduct used by the Hudson Trail.

CommuniTYler helping out Hudson Trail / Old Croton Aqueduct

Branches were moved and garbage was carted out and a good time was had by all.

NY NJ Trail Conference Hikes

hudsontrail — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:03:54 +0000

The New York New Jersey Trail conference is having the annual meeting and pancake breakfast on October 15. Go to http://www.nynjtc.org/content/pancakes11
to register. All proceeds to the “Good bye Irene Trail Restoration fund”. Bob Jessen will be leading a hike on the Hudson Trail at Blue Mountain.

Game Changer: The Hudson Trail is Back

hudsontrail — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:02:31 +0000

As you may know, the Hudson Trail is a project to build a long hiking trail from the High Bridge in NYC to Mt. Marcy in the Adirondacks. The strategy is to link together existing trails using public roads and right-of-ways. The trail is made up of 4 parts, we call treks: South Trek, Stissing Trek, the Bend Trek and North Trek (see the page About the Hudson Trail). Development was proceeding nicely. Officials, hikers and casual walkers told us that they appreciated our markers. However, something went wrong about two years ago. Our markers were torn down on and around the Old Croton Aqueduct, markers that people had told us were very helpful in making the connections on streets. NY State officials stopped communicating with us. We do not know the problem, but it may have been that we suffered from not being a formal group focused on a local project. We believed and still believe that our strategy of getting a whole trail marked and then working with local groups to improve it is a good one. We also did not want to compete for donations with existing groups, groups that we each belong to as individuals.

But something happened. Fourteen members of the New York State Assembly, led by Assemblyman Bob Castelli, 89th Assembly District, the district for Mt. Kisco where Bob Jessen resides, have written a letter to Commissioner Rose Harvey, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, requesting action to rectify the situation and allow the Friends of the Hudson Trail to proceed.

Please contact us if you want to work on this project. The weather is beautiful. Let’s to out and build a trail.

Off the roads and into the woods?!

hudsontrail — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:09:38 +0000

We have had encouraging meetings with the NYC DEP concerning routing the trail off Rte. 129 into the woods just north of the New Croton Dam. This would be approximately .7 miles. There is still work to go: a formal proposal to make, but we are encouraged.

the proposed off road adjustment

Update

hudsontrail — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:05:35 +0000

Even though we toiled this unusual summer sporting umbrellas and cold weather gear, we have checked many of our original painted blazes. They are in great shape, due in no small part to the paint, disabled-parking blue.

We also did the indoor work using Google Earth to divide the trail into 36 sections, each estimated at a day’s walk, roughly 10 miles. Please look at the updated About the Hudson Trail page at the upper right of the screen. Please comment.

Scouting on the Bend Trek

hudsontrail — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:38:41 +0000

We went camping at the Cherry Plain State Park and drove up to the Grafton State Park. Everybody we met was enthusiastic and encouraging about the Hudson Trail and full of useful advice about the project. Much appreciation to Bob, Liz, Ranger Joe, and all the interns.

The photo shows the beauty of the area and is typical of the Rensselaer Plateau.

Cherry Plain State Park

The next photo shows a monument in Dutch Church, formerly called West Berlin.

Evangelical Lutheran Church marker

Next generation

hudsontrail — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:02:23 +0000

Bob took his grandson, a Cub Scout who lives in Florida, and other family, to Sunken Mine Road and to a side trail up Candlewood Hill for the 360 degree views. Here is Thor Gabriel putting up a marker.

National Trails Day 2009

hudsontrail — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:19:51 +0000

Our group was small but lively and a good time was had by all. We saw many specimens of Natrix Sipedon (the Northern water snake) basking in the sun’s rays after a heavy rain: pictures of fauna and flora coming. Here is our photographer putting up a marker.

National Trails Day–2009

hudsontrail — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:23:46 +0000

We will return to Sunken Mine Road with our new Voss markers. Please join us for the hike (about 2 miles round trip) and conversation about summer plans. We will have potables and depending on Jeanine’s mood, baked goods. Let us know you are coming and, if you are among the first ten, you will get a specially designed T-shirt.

Spitzenberg

hudsontrail — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:28:18 +0000

Carol, Elizabeth and Bob went up the hill to Spitzenberg. Before the top of this mighty massif is reached, the Hudson Trail bends to the right. To the left is the steep ascent of the summit cone. At this magic spot, many things have taken place; to wit, there is the old sign, almost completely grown over.

Sign, circa 1937, erected by the CCC

The bunny shown below had writing on it suggesting a eulogy to a dirt biker. For us, it marked a happy day out hiking and trail blazing.

Where the Spitzenberg summit trail leaves the HT