CATSKILLS - Winter 2022

BACKYARD INVASIVE: MILE-A-MINUTE CATSKILLS BOOKSTAGRAM VINTAGE RECIPE: CINNAMON ROLLS

ON AND OFF THE SLOPES

WINTER 2022

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WHAT’S NEW AT THE CATSKILL CENTER

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FEATURED ARTIST: MEG SODANO

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MILE-A-MINUTE IN DELAWARE COUNTY

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CATSKILLS BOOKSTAGRAM: 2021 ROUNDUP

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ON AND OFF THE SLOPES

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VINTAGE RECIPE: CINNAMON ROLLS

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CONNECTING THE CATSKILLS

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ENDNOTE

ARTWORK: FRONT, INSIDE, AND BACK COVER ART BY MEG SODANO

CONTENTS

STAFF CONTRIBUTORS WINTER 2022 JEFF SENTERMAN Jeff grew up spending weekends in the mountains, and when he’s not steering the ship that is the Catskill Center, can often be found atop a local peak. His column, Endnote, appears in each issue. Jeff is the Executive Director of the Catskill Center.

ALLISON DUNNE After a career in journalism, Allison joined the Catskill Center to tell stories in a different realm as the Communications Manager. She contributed the ski slope feature and is one of the magazine’s editors.

KELLI HUGGINS Kelli is an educator, historian, and native Catskillite. For this issue, she baked up cinnamon rolls. Kelli is a Visitor Experience Coordinator at the Catskills Visitor Center. She also copy edits the magazine.

SARAH MCGINNIS For this issue, Sarah handled the layout and graphic design work. Sarah is the Exhibit, Outreach and Marketing Coordinator for the Catskills Visitor Center.

JOHN THOMPSON John is the Coordinator for the Catskill Center’s Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP). He contributed the piece on the mile-a-minute infestation in Delaware County.

ABOUT US: Since 1969, the Catskill Center has protected and fostered the environmental, cultural, and economic well-being of the Catskill region.

Our mission is to ensure a bright future for the Catskills by preserving our environment, expanding our economy, and celebrating our culture.

Become a member at: catskillcenter.org/membership

43355 Route 28, Arkville, NY 12406 | cccd@catskillcenter.org | 845.586.2611

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WHAT’S NEW AT THE CATSKILL CENTER WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST STAFF MEMBER: CHRISTINA RICCIARDELLI, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Christina’s love of the natural world began in Maine where she was born. It has become a lifelong commitment to understand the natural world and animals. She has bicycled across America and milked cows, is a distiller of essential oils, a trail runner, a maple syrup maker, an expert stone wall builder, a

dedicated

gardener,

and

a

landscape designer.

Before making her home in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, Christina honed her love of nature and the botanical world through living in the High Desert, the Pacific Northwest, and the Rocky Mountains, three unique ecosystems that have deepened her understanding of how location and

HELP US BRING POLLINATORS TO CCCD PROPERTIES Have you heard the buzz? We were so excited to partner with Hudson Valley Bee Habitat for our 2021 year-end appeal to offer our donors a special bonus gift - and there’s still time to participate! For every 50 donors who respond to the year-end appeal, we will be able to install a wooden pollinator house at one of the Catskill Center properties. Check your mailbox for a letter from our Board Chair Peg DiBenedetto with more details - or feel free to reach out to Danielle Tucker at dtucker@catskillcenter.org for more information.

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WINTER 2022

PHOTO: COURTESY OF CHRISTINA RICCIARDELLI

climate shape our environment.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: JOE HERROD, CATSKILLS VISITOR CENTER Where are you originally from?

I

was

born

and

raised

Douglasville, Georgia.

in

I went

on my first backpacking trip in 1963 and regularly hiked the mountains

of

North

Georgia,

North Carolina, and Tennessee. I first came to the Catskills after we moved to NYC in 1980. My wife and I did a backpacking trip out of Pine Hill, NY and over Belleayre Mountain and Balsam Mountain.

When did you first fall in love with the Catskills? On that trip. There’s a viewpoint on Balsam Mountain that looks down on the Big Indian. There PHOTO: JOE HERROD AT THE CATSKILLS VISITOR CENTER/CATSKILL CENTER

were the most brilliant fall colors I had ever witnessed. I thought right then that I would like to retire here. retired in 2006.

We spent most weekends up here until I

I then spent five seasons as an Assistant Forest Ranger

(AFR) in Region 3 of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

What is your favorite hike? Maybe Peekamoose, since I used to hike up it about once a week as an AFR or Table Mountain from the Denning trailhead.

Or Kanape Brook up and over Ashokan High Point. Of course, the view from Giant Ledge is unbeatable.

What do you like most about talking with visitors? I like meeting people and telling them about the Catskills. I especially like advising hikers on where to go, so that they can get the most from what they are looking for.

Maybe they want a leisurely hike like Rochester Hollow or Red Hill, or a really tough one like the Wittenberg, Cornell, Slide Trail. I like to try to match the hike to the person’s desires and abilities.

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DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENTS: FUNDRAISING IN THE NEW YEAR What an extraordinary few years we’ve collectively experienced. Time seemed to have simultaneously stopped and sped up. While our human lives have been tossed around like toy boats on a roiling sea, the natural world has continued on, steadfastly adhering to ancient rhythms. Here, in the depths of winter while many of us are fully enjoying all the snowy, seasonal gifts the Catskills offer, we can begin to imagine the spring to come. The observable shifts will be accompanied by the more subtle, hidden changes. But, like much of the work of the Catskill Center, they are there, working patiently, rigorously, determinedly, often unseen.

Without knowing it, you know it.

You know that nature is planning something spectacular in a few months and the Catskill Center plans to emerge from our global hibernation with your support! We are holding a collective breath that 2022 will see more in-person gatherings, more opportunities to hug our loved ones, more chances to share laughter with those closest to us. We’re 100 percent with you in our hope for a more connected year. We are planning to resume our pre-2020 calendar of live events, including our Summer Gathering, Outdoor Expo, fall benefit, and a number of smaller events.

There have been many changes at the Catskill Center over the course of the past couple of years — the board and staff leadership have determined that to grow, to emerge from this deep freeze, we must increase our reach and potential for growth. As part of that long-range vision, a brand new development team has been created, the first such official department in our history (for which we are gratefully included) and our communications have benefited from the addition of a seasoned pro, Allison Dunne. All this is in an effort to spread the word about the great work being done by the Catskill Center, work that hasn’t taken a break while our community has gathered itself and learned how to operate in this new environment.

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WINTER 2022

Our gorgeous Catskills Visitor Center in Mount Tremper has remained open to the public (with COVID safety precautions in place) and we encourage you to drop by to see our new state-of-the-art interactive installations.

Visitorship to our many sites has increased dramatically as more people sought refuge in the natural wonders of the Catskill Park, and we have increased the number of stewards to meet this new, and very welcome, influx of guests and inform every visitor possible. Our work on invasive species and streamside acquisitions has continued unabated and we hope to increase both our reach and ability to identify and mitigate the threats to our region by adding to an already stellar staff of experts in the field.

Through tireless advocacy we have worked with legislators in Albany and with local politicians across the four counties that contain the Catskill Park to increase both funding and visibility for our priority of sustaining and maintaining the integrity of our pristine wild areas while keeping an eye on the balance of the needs of nature and responsible economic growth.

Like many nonprofits, we have seen a slight dip in revenue during the past few years of upheaval but we are incredibly optimistic for the future and deeply grateful for the ongoing support of so many of our enthusiastic supporters. This is where you come in: We acknowledge and deeply respect the many challenges, large and small, that you have been experiencing alongside your neighbors and friends, and we hope that you, too, are excited to move forward and deepen your partnership with the Catskill Center as protectors of this unique region. We need you. We need you to continue to support our mission to protect and foster the environmental, economic, and cultural life of the Catskills. We hope that you’ll help us spread the word about the work we do. Please be sure to follow us on social media (@catskillcenter) and, of course, donate what you can, when you can.

We cannot wait to see you in person again soon!

Gratefully, the Development Team: Dean Klingler, Donor Relations Manager, dklingler@catskillcenter.org Danielle Tucker, Annual Giving Manager, dtucker@catskillcenter.org CATSKILL CENTER

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FEATURED ARTIST: MEG SODANO Meg Sodano is fascinated with changes in the natural world – life cycles, migrations, seasons, tides, weather – and with interactions among species and their environments. She uses her first-hand experiences, knowledge of animal biology, and training in science illustration to make children’s picture books and interpretive exhibits about ecology and conservation. Her latest picture book, Beaver and Otter Get Along, Sort Of: A Story of Grit and Patience Between Neighbors (written by Sneed Collard III, published by Sourcebooks, 2021), shows the importance of a beaver pond habitat from the perspectives of two very different animals. In 2019, Meg received the John Burroughs Association Riverby Award for her illustrations in Salamander Sky (written by Katy Farber, published by Green Writers Press, 2018), a narrative nonfiction picture book about the migration of spotted salamanders. Research in the Catskills contributed to the illustrations for this book. She has taught drawing and painting workshops aboard a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic ship in Galápagos, Ecuador, has been an artist-in-residence at Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve and Platte Clove Preserve in the Catskills, and at the Connecticut Audubon Center in Pomfret, NY. You can see her work in exhibits at Queens Botanical Garden in New York and Franklin Park Children’s Zoo in Boston. Through her illustrations, Meg strives to communicate the value of nature and the importance of environmental stewardship.

To see more of Meg’s work, please visit: www. msodanoillustration.com AND LOOK FOR MORE OF MEG’S LOVELY ILLUSTRATIONS FEATURED ON THE COVER AND THROUGHOUT THIS ISSUE! CATSKILL CENTER

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PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: CRISP

THE CATSKILL REGIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES PARTNERSHIP MILE-A-MINUTE INFESTATION FOUND IN DELAWARE COUNTY A new population of mile-a-minute

many

(Persicaria perfoliata) was found in

growing season. Fall frost kills the

fruits

throughout

each

Davenport in the fall. Unfortunately,

vines, but the seeds overwinter in

it’s the largest population in this

the soil. Seeds can be viable in the

region that we know of — about

soil for up to six years.

3.7 acres. Fortunately, a landowner noticed a plant that “looked a little

Within the CRISP region, which

different” and took the initiative

extends across seven counties and

to take clippings from the plant

nearly 3.3 million acres, we know

and share them with a forester at

of five locations of mile-a-minute:

the New York State Department

one along the Delaware River,

of

Conservation

three in Woodstock, and now the

(DEC) in Stamford. The DEC forester

one in Davenport. The Davenport

then sent photos of the plant to us

infestation is the first observation

at the Catskill Regional Invasive

of

Species Partnership (CRISP), and

County, 40 miles away from the

we confirmed that it was indeed

closest known infestation.

mile-a-minute

in

Delaware

mile-a-minute.

We’ve been working with private Mile-a-minute is an herbaceous,

landowners to survey and remove

annual vine that is an aggressive

mile-a-minute on their properties,

invader, earning its common name

and hope to prevent it from moving

from its fast growth. This plant

downstream on Charlotte Creek

can grow up to six inches a day. It

to invade other areas of the Upper

smothers native species with its

Susquehanna watershed. Within

ability to climb over other plants

the first month of its discovery,

and shade them out. It reproduces

staff and volunteers removed 55

by seed and is a prolific seeder. The

contractor bags filled with mile-a-

plant flowers from late summer

minute fruits and vines.

through October and can produce 10

WINTER 2022

PHOTO: MILE-A-MINUTE PLANT WITH BERRIES/CATSKILL CENTER

Environmental

We aim to stop the Davenport mile-a-minute infestation from spreading and limit its impact on local homeowners and businesses. Mile-a-minute could impact some of the properties and land uses in the area by ruining the hayfields, impacting campsites, limiting access to Charlotte Creek, and creating a nuisance in the village cemetery.

This invasive plant originally spread from Asia to the United States in contaminated holly seed brought into Pennsylvania in 1930.

There are a number of ways for the seeds to spread, including when people move soil contaminated with mile-a-minute seeds. Seeds can float for seven to nine days and be carried downstream to germinate in previously uninfested areas.

Birds eat the fruits and deposit the seeds in their droppings, as do mammals such as deer, chipmunks, and squirrels. Even ants may move seeds.

Mile-a-minute colonizes disturbed areas that have moist soils and get full sun, on stream banks and roadsides, and in wetlands, old fields, and forest gaps.

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HOW TO IDENTIFY MILE-A-MINUTE Mile-a-minute vines have alternate, light green triangular leaves (1 ½ to 2 ¾ inches long and 2 to 3 ½ inches wide). The vines also are light green and become reddish towards the lower part of the vine as they mature.

Vines grow to 25 feet or more in one season. The vine stems and the undersides of leaves are covered with recurved barbs that help it to hold onto objects and climb. A distinctive characteristic of mile-a-minute is that it has ½-inch to ¾-inch diameter round, flat leaves, called “ocreae” that encircle the stems at the nodes. Clusters of small, white flowers develop into green fruits that become blue when ripe.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP! eradicate mile-a-minute in our region and protect the Catskills from this invasive plant.

You can help us by reporting any observations of this plant to: jthompson@catskillcenter.org. Please include a photograph of the leaves, stem, and fruit.

In addition, you can report mile-a-minute by signing up for iMapInvasives (www.nyimapinvasives.org/report-an-invasive).

If you are willing to help us survey for this plant, please enter your contact information here: www.catskillinvasives.com/get-involved-1

NEED HELP identifying a plant? Tag us on Instagram @CatskillCenter 12

WINTER 2022

PHOTO: DAN SNIDER-NERP WORKING TO REMOVE MILE-A-MINUTE/CATSKILL CENTER

With the continued help of partners and volunteers, we seek to find and

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WINTER 2022

PHOTO: A RECIPE BY CATSKILL CENTER’S OWN MARC NEVES FOR FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE APPEARS IN THE BOOK CATSKILL COOKS/CATSKILL CENTER

CATSKILLS BOOKSTAGRAM: 2021 ROUNDUP KE LLI HUGG I N S Last

year

I

set

a

personal

challenge: I wanted to read more

find poetry or graphic novels that fit the bill.

books set in the Catskills. I knew of some off the top of my head,

I will be continuing the series into

but I didn’t expect just how many

2022, so to get you excited about

books fell into this category. As I

all of the books to come, I wanted

was working through my list (over

to do a little roundup from 2021.

150 works of adult fiction alone), I

There are so many books I could

decided it might be fun to share

have chosen so I needed to limit

some of my challenge finds. I

my selections somehow. All of the

pitched the creation of a Catskills

books listed below were released

book series for the Catskills

in 2021. This isn’t a comprehensive

Visitor Center’s Facebook and

list, but I have tried to give you

Instagram pages. On Instagram,

a range of genres and subjects.

we are able to tap into the very

I hope you find something you

active #Bookstagram community.

want to pick up at a local library or bookstore.

I share a new selection every Monday. My main criteria for a pick

FICTION

is it must be set at least partially in the Catskills. I also read every

Furbidden Fatality by Deborah

book before posting it. I love that

Blake (Berkley Books)

the series takes me into genres I

Cozy mysteries aren’t my most-

don’t normally choose. It has been

read genre, but I really enjoyed

especially fun finding some "deep

Blake’s introductory novel in the

cuts," like a 1990s middle grade

new Catskill Pet Rescue Mysteries

book based on the children’s

series. A lottery winner buys a

television

show

Ghostwriter.

I

failing pet rescue in her Catskills

aim for a mixture of fiction and

hometown and gets tied up in a

nonfiction, and I especially love to

murder investigation. I’m looking

CATSKILL CENTER

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forward to reading the next book,

I’m including this buzzy satire

Doggone Deadly, which came out in

on this list even though the

November 2021.

majority of the story takes place in New York City (there are some

Deadly Summer Nights by Vicky

important

Delany (Berkley Books)

Catskill, so I’m counting it). Harris

This is another new Catskills-

tackles racism in the publishing

set cozy, the first of the Catskill

industry in this genre-blending

Summer Resort Mystery series.

book that feels like thriller, horror,

It’s 1953 and Elizabeth Grady and

and speculative fiction rolled into

her mother are newly in charge

one.

moments

set

in

of Haggerman’s Resort. When a guest turns up dead, it threatens

A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria

the entire operation and Elizabeth

Lee (Random House)

is drawn into the investigation.

Lee's book embraces gothic dark

The next in the series, Deadly

academia: witchcraft, a boarding

Director's Cut, is scheduled for

school,

release in 2022.

and more. Set at the fictional

mysterious

deaths,

historic Dalloway School in the Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by

Catskills, it also has great LGBTQ+

Elyssa Friedland (Berkley Books)

representation.

Friedland

transports

an

Borscht

you

to

hotel

An Englishman in Prattsville by

and introduces you to three

Gary MacKnight (Raven Scott

generations of the Goldman and

Publishing)

Weingold families. As the two

Yes, this is a werewolf novel set in

families debate the future of their

the small town of Prattsville and,

hotel, they reveal secrets, scandal,

yes, it is a lot of fun. MacKnight's

and romance. It's a fun take on a

tale

multi-generational family story

Prattsville businesses so it is

and an ode to the special history

especially fun to pick out all of the

and culture of the Borscht Belt.

references if you're familiar with

aging

Belt

weaves

the town.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris (Atria Books)

in

lots

of

real

Friends Like These by Kimberly

Russell

McCreight (Harper)

Delaney (Black Dome Press)

In this fast-paced thriller, a group

This is a great pick for someone

of friends convene at a home in the

looking for a different kind of

Catskills. Everyone has secrets,

hiking book. Each trail featured

most stemming from an incident

comes with an explanation of

in college that changed their lives.

its history. Local trails featured

And things start to go horribly,

include Dibble’s Quarry and the

horribly wrong. Expect a bunch

old stage road to the Catskill

of unlikeable characters making

Mountain House.

Dunn

and

Barbara

bad choices and an exploration of tensions between locals and

Catskill Cooks: Treasured Recipes

second homeowners.

and

Original

Art

(Pine

Hill

Community Center) I love a community cookbook

NONFICTION

and this one compiled by the Pine Hill Community Center is

Underground

Two

particularly lovely. It does a great

Centuries of Exploration, Adventure

job showcasing the multi-cultural

& Enterprise in New York’s Cave

cuisine of our region. There’s

Country by Dana Cudmore (Black

even a contribution from Catskill

Dome Press)

Center’s very own Marc Neves.

Schoharie are

County’s

fascinating

caves of

If you’re interested in seeing more

geology.

of my picks, log on to our social

Cudmore’s exploration of their

media pages every Monday. Feel

history brings up many surprising

free to send recommendations

tales and is full of illustrations and

of Catskills-set books you might

photographs

the

like to see featured in our series.

caves’ lives as tourist attractions.

I also have started doing library

local

a

Empires:

geography

and

piece

documenting

and bookstore features as part Paths to the Past: History Hikes

of the series, so send an email

Through the Hudson River Valley,

to

Catskills,

to recommend a local spot or

Berkshires,

Taconics,

Saratoga & Capital Region by

khuggins@catskillcenter.org

arrange a visit.

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ON AND OFF THE SLOPES

Last time this year, the COVID-19

We spoke with representatives from

vaccine was available only to certain

four Catskills-area ski centers to find

populations, so the majority of New

out which rules they have in place, as

Yorkers, and others in the U.S., were

well as any new, non-COVID-related

not yet vaccinated. Ski centers last

developments. We’ve also included

season were operating under reduced

some of our favorite off-the-slopes

capacity and increased demand for

spots in each area that are open year-

lift tickets, not to mention a smaller

round.

workforce. One year later, there are still regulations pertaining to

Need help planning a customized

COVID-19, but they look different than

itinerary for your group? Our Catskills

last season, vary from mountain to

Visitor Center staff is happy to

mountain, and are subject to change

help - call 845-688-3369 or email

at any moment.

info@catskillcenter.org.

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WINTER 2022

PHOTO: COURTESY OF BELLEAYRE MOUNTAIN

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR THE 2021-2022 SEASON

BELLEAYRE MOUNTAIN — 181 Galli Curci Rd., Highmount. Belleayre.com New York state’s indoor mask mandate applies not only to buildings, but to shuttle buses and the gondola. It is recommended that skiers wear masks outdoors if they’re with others not in their pods, for example, on the chairlift.

"If you arrive together, you can ride together," suggested Joe McCracken, Marketing Manager at Belleayre Mountain Ski Center. He also recommends social distancing from guests not in one’s pod. "We’re kind of on the honor system," McCracken said of enforcing such guidelines.

He says Belleayre has sold a record number of season passes, breaking the previous year’s record. Half are new customers. Belleayre highly recommends purchasing lift tickets online.

Renovations are under way at Overlook Lodge, which was damaged by a snow slide last season. Belleayre staff are replacing the outside wall and windows. The retail shop has moved to the main floor of Discovery Lodge. The second phase of the heated patio and bar at Discovery Lodge is complete.

The heated patio deck will prevent snow from accumulating without the use of chemicals. The patio is now home to four outdoor fire pits. Other upgrades at Belleayre might not be outwardly obvious to visitors, but are responsible for efficiently putting more snow on the mountain when Mother Nature does not cooperate. There’s a new pumphouse to house all of Belleayre’s electric compressors and pumps. There’s also a new 13,000-foot snowmaking pipe, increasing capacity to pump water up the mountain. Plus, 235 new energyefficient electric snow guns are part of an ongoing project to replace high energy snow guns that run on diesel. Belleayre also added a PistenBully snow groomer to its fleet.

Nearby: — Cross-country trails at Belleayre

— Tree Juice Maple Syrup

— Rochester Hollow Trail

— Peekamoose Restaurant

— Giant Ledge Trail

— Union Grove Distillery

— Village East Cafe

— Woodstock Brewing

— 1053 Main Street Gallery

— The Ark Bowl & BBQ

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HUNTER MOUNTAIN - 64 Klein Ave., Hunter. huntermtn.com Vail Resorts-owned Hunter Mountain began the 2021-2022 season requiring masks indoors before New York state issued its own such mandate December 15. Guests need to show proof of COVID vaccinations for the upstairs portion of the main base lodge. Masks are required for access to the downstairs portion of the main base lodge (bathrooms, lockers, ski shop), though no

This season, masks are not required outdoors (they were last season) and no social distancing is in place outdoors (it was last season).

As for dining, guests ages 12 and over will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations to dine at Hunter’s indoor, on-mountain quick-service (cafeteria-style) restaurants. "We are putting a tremendous emphasis on outdoor food service," said Adam White, Senior Manager of Communications for the Northeast Region, Vail Resorts.

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WINTER 2022

PHOTO: COURTESY OF HUNTER MOUNTAIN

proof of vaccination is required.

Advanced skiers can take to the slopes at Hunter North, an 80-acre terrain expansion that debuted in 2019 and has matured.

Other news at Hunter includes its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) effort.

"We’re working hard to expand access beyond traditional ski and ride guests," White said, adding that the ski population does not reflect population centers like New York City, just more than two hours to the south.

Vail Resorts was awarded a $97,000 grant to work with the National Brotherhood of Skiers to improve youth access. Some of the money will help Hunter Mountain connect with the Nubian Empire Ski Club in Albany to bring Nubian’s youth groups to try the sport.

Nearby: — Mountain Top Arboretum

— Main St. Tannersville Shops

— Mountain Trails Cross Country

— Twin Peaks Coffee & Donuts

— New York Zip Line Adventures

— Mama’s Boy Burgers

— Kaaterskill Rail Trail

— Hunter Mountain Brewery

— Last Chance Antiques & Cheese Cafe

— Doctorow Center for the Arts

DIVERSITY ON THE SLOPES — According to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), 87.5% of participants during the 2020/2021 ski season identified as white; 6.1% as Asian/Pacific Islander; 5.8% as Latino/a or of Spanish origin; and 1.5 % as Black/African American.

Usually, reports show the gender split between male and female hovers around 60% male and 40% female. For the 2020/2021 season, the breakdown varied a bit, with 62% male and 38% female, possibly because of COVID-19 related changes at work, school, and travel.

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PLATTEKILL MOUNTAIN — 469 Plattekill Rd., Roxbury. plattekill.com Plattekill has implemented several practices from last season because they were more efficient and kept the lodge less crowded. “If you can change your boots in the car, change your boots in the car,” said Danielle Vajtay, with family-owned Plattekill Mountain. “If you can spend less time in the lodge, spend less time in the lodge.”

Plattekill is following CDC guidelines and state mandates. Unlike last season, there are no limits on the number of skiers on the mountain.

Plattekill continues to sell all tickets online; same-day tickets may not be available. Rentals also are booked solely online.

There are private lessons for adults, or the option of “renting an instructor” for up to four people in a pod. Plattekill has streamlined its offerings for children this season, and there is one group lesson program for ages 7-12.

There is no longer an introductory group lesson for kids ages 4-6 as Plattekill has found that this age group progresses faster from private instruction.

While there are indoor dining options, the outdoor “Platty Shack” is new this season, offering grab-and-go food and beverage options on an outdoor deck, complete with heaters and fire pits.

Improvements for this season include a new automated snowmaking compressor; 30 new snow guns along with 2,000 feet of snowmaking pipe on Plunge Trail as part of a five-year snowmaking infrastructure upgrade; a renovated rental shop; and a new online web store (shop.plattekill.com).

Nearby: — Kirkside Park

— Catskill Mountain Artisan Guild

— Catskill Recreation Center

— Roxbury General Store

— Woodchuck Lodge

— Roxbury Mountain Maple

— Roxbury’s Victorian houses

— Watershed (restaurant)

— Roxbury Arts Group

— Chappie’s (restaurant)

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WINTER 2022

WINDHAM MOUNTAIN — 19 Resort Dr., Windham. windhammountain.com Windham is again adhering to its "Red & Green Capacity Calendar" this season, to limit the number of guests during peak visitation periods. As the colors indicate, green means there are no anticipated capacity restrictions.

Red means there are significant capacity restrictions in place, and lift tickets for red days must be purchased in advance and online. Season passholders have unlimited access on red days; Season passes have sold out. As for grabbing a bite in between runs, all indoor dining has resumed this season, though Windham does encourage visitors to avail themselves of outdoor offerings, such as the Umbrella Bar and two food trucks. In general, guests are encouraged to practice social distancing outdoors from those not in their parties, but there are no outdoor restrictions.

Apart from COVID-related news, Windham has a new environmentallyfriendly snow groomer, the PistenBully 600 E+. In addition, Windham has revamped its children’s ski and ride facilities, renamed Base Camp, for kids ages 3-12. There’s a new Magic Carpet with an overhead canopy. These are part of the $4 million in capital improvements Windham Mountain has pledged around the resort. Also included in the funding will be the addition of ten electric vehicle charging stations, expanded wedding venues, and more. "We’re excited for everyone to be part of Windham Mountain," said Kate Sullivan, Windham Mountain Marketing & Communications Manager.

Nearby: — The Windham Path

— Higher Grounds Coffee Co.

— Five State Lookout

— Todaro’s Salumeria

— Briars and Brambles Books

— Bistro Brie & Bordeaux

— Windham Fine Arts

— Neapolis Pizza

— Catskill Mountain Country Store

— Ze Windham Wine Bar

***COVID-19 regulations and circumstances can change quickly. New York state reinstated an indoor mask mandate as of mid-December, in effect until at least February 1. Please check the website for each local business or call for the latest information.

CATSKILL CENTER

23

THANK YOU BUSINESS MEMBERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE CATSKILL CENTER We would like to recognize these businesses for their generosity. When you do business with them, you support the Catskill Center and the entire region.

BUSINESS PARTNERS ($1000+) GATES VENTURES TUTHILLTOWN SPIRITS LLC COSMIK ICE CREAM BUSINESS FRIENDS ($500+) WOODSTOCK CHIMES FUND LAMONT ENGINEERS, PC BUSINESS STEWARDS ($250+) BUGGED OUT HUNTER FOUNDATION INC. LVDV OPERATIONS, INC. SAFECO ALARM SYSTEMS, INC. COLUMBIA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SLUITER AGENCY, INC.

BUSINESS MEMBERS ($100+) PHOENICIA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION GREEN LABEL HOMES CAMP CATSKILL KAATERSKILL MARKET RED SQUARE DESIGN OTTO & FRIENDS STORY FARMS LLC BREEZY HILL INN

ERICKSON’S AUTOMOTIVE, INC. ESOPUS CREEK CONSERVANCY HUDSON VALLEY APPRAISAL CORP. MARK LOETE PHOTOGRAPHY PINE HILL TRAILWAYS MEL BELLAR SILVER HOLLOW AUDIO

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO BECOME A BUSINESS MEMBER, VISIT WWW.CATSKILLCENTER.ORG/BUSINESSMEMBERSHIP 24

WINTER 2022

Your tax-deductible donation supports healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities throughout the Catskill region.

Catskillcenter.org/membership Or complete this form and mail to:

Become a Member Individual ($35) Dual / Family ($50) Senior/Student ($25) BENEFITS INCLUDE: SUBSCRIPTION to the Catskill Center’s quarterly Catskills magazine with news from the Catskill Center and across the Catskill Region.

10% DISCOUNT on purchases at the Catskills Visitor Center, all Catskill Center facilities, and Campmor in Paramus, NJ with presentation of member card.

CATSKILL CENTER P.O. BOX 504 ARKVILLE, NY 12406 NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE

ZIP

PHONE EMAIL

MEMBERSHIP LEVEL $35 ­— Individual $50 ­— Dual / Family $25 ­— Senior/Student $100 ­— Partnering member $250 ­— Benefactor $500 ­— Leadership Circle $1,000 ­— President’s Circle

MEMBER-ONLY INVITATIONS to the Annual Gathering, lectures, and special events.

MEMBER PROGRAM SERIES ACCESS TO THE CATSKILL CENTER ARCHIVES at the Erpf Center in Arkville. Please contact the Catskill Center to schedule an appointment.

AMOUNT

MEMBER PACKAGE Members receive a membership package in the mail, including a member card and a Catskill Center cling sticker.

CARD # EXPIRATION CVC

CATSKILL CENTER

25

Vintage Recipe: CINNAMON ROLLS KE LLI HUGG I N S I have a handwritten recipe book

in the early 1930s. The Catskills,

that dates back to my great-

like the rest of the country, would

grandmother. It can be fun to dig

have been in the midst of the Great

back through it sometimes and

Depression. Some farm families,

pick a recipe to try. Interestingly,

like my own, would have had better

none of the recipes contained

access to dairy products, like the

within

became

milk and butter in the recipe, but

family

favorites

long-standing passed

down

other ingredients would have to be

from generation to generation

purchased with slim food budgets.

(except in the preservation of this

Knowing that makes these seem

cookbook). I was concerned when

even more like a treat.

I started making things from it I would discover that the reason for

The cinnamon rolls are gooey

this loss of tradition was that the

and soft and melt in your mouth.

recipes themselves were not good!

They would be perfect for a frosty

However, with what I’ve made so

morning when you’re curled up

far, including these cinnamon

under a blanket by the fire. Or really

rolls, that has not turned out to

any other time, too.

PHOTO: KELLI’S CINNAMON ROLLS/CATSKILL CENTER

be the case. In fact, these rolls are something I have made with some

CINNAMON ROLLS

frequency and they always get rave

FOR THE DOUGH:

reviews.

1 cup milk 1 tsp salt

This calls for simpler ingredients

2 tbsp sugar

than many modern cinnamon

3 tbsp shortening like Crisco (you

roll recipes. There are no eggs or

can use butter, too)

fancy frostings. I wonder if that

3 tsp yeast (I used rapid-rise)

has to do with the era in which

2 ½- 3 cups flour

this recipe was written. My greatgrandmother (with help from her

FOR THE FILLING:

mother, too) wrote this recipe book

¾ cup packed brown sugar CATSKILL CENTER

27

1 tbsp cinnamon (or to taste)

Once risen, roll the dough out in a

Raisins, if preferred

rectangle about ½ an inch thick.

¼ cup softened butter or margarine

Spread the butter or margarine on top and evenly sprinkle the sugar,

Scald the milk (heat just until you

cinnamon, and raisins.

ARTWORK BY MEG SODANO

see small bubbles forming on the surface). Add the sugar, salt, and

Grease a 9 x 13” pan. Roll the dough

shortening and mix well. Let the

from the long side to make the

mixture cool to between 80-90

spiral. Cut the roll into 12 sections.

degrees F. Add the yeast. Transfer to

A serrated knife works, but I prefer

a mixing bowl and add 1 ½ cups of

to use a piece of unflavored dental

flour. When well mixed, slowly add

floss. Put the floss under the roll,

enough of the remaining flour to

crossing the two ends at the top

make a soft dough. You might not

and pull, slicing cleanly through

need the full amount.

the roll.

Knead the dough on a lightly-

Place the slices in the greased

floured surface for 10 minutes. Put

pan with space between them. Let

the dough in a greased bowl and

the dough rise for another 30-45

cover to rise in a warm location for

minutes, or until they puff up a

2 ½ hours or until it has doubled in

little. Bake at 350 degrees for about

size.

30 minutes or until golden brown.

Secure the health of the Catskills for generations.

catskillcenter.org/plannedgiving

YOUR LEGACY

THE FUTURE OF THE CATSKILLS

CONNECTING THE CATS

SKILLS:

NEW TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD HELP SOLVE POOR CELLULAR COVERAGE IN THE CATSKILLS "I can’t search for the trail map.”

"The parking lot is full, but I can’t call to let them know. And I can’t get look up the address of that shop we wanted to visit."

"We’re lost in the woods and can’t call for help! I have no bars, no signal."

By implementing recommendations issued by the Upstate Cellular Coverage Task Force (Task Force), the hope is to minimize the above refrains. In 2019, New York State established the Task Force, which brought together industry

experts,

community

leaders,

government

officials, environmental constituencies, and other key PHOTO: CATSKILL STEWARDS AT KAATERSKILL FALLS/CATSKILL CENTER

stakeholders. Catskill Center Executive Director Jeff Senterman, a member of the Task Force, says the overall charge was to find ways to expand cellular service into New York’s rural areas, especially the Catskill Park and the Adirondack Park. The Task Force issued a report/ recommendations in September 2021.

Catskill Center’s Allison Dunne (AD): You were relying on federal maps that ended up to be inaccurate. In terms of the Catskills, where was the inaccuracy?

Jeff Senterman (JS):

The inaccuracy really was

because the federal data uses census tract information, so if any one place within a census tract shows service, then the whole area shows service. And when we looked in detail, it was clear CATSKILL CENTER

31

that the boxes that were shaded

area, and then again, almost all

in on the federal maps as having

the way to Delhi. So you have two

cell coverage maybe had service

very long stretches of highway

in one corner. [In consultation

that can be challenging in winter

with the Task Force, an advisory

months. That was the biggest area

team performed drive testing to

that was shown. Also, the other

measure cellular coverage along

area that was really shown to be

a subset of major roadways in the

lacking, and kind of surprised

Adirondacks and Catskills.] The

me actually, was Sullivan County,

vehicle being driven along all these

a large majority of the county,

routes was equipped with sensors

outside of any of the small, dense

that could detect the three major

areas. The state Senator at the

carriers — AT&T, Verizon, and

time from that area was really

T-Mobile. The sensors measured

keen

the strength or lack of signal and

because she was saying, you

provided a more nuanced look at

know, I drive around my district

where there is service. And the

and I have no service but, if you

maps clearly overestimated the

look at these maps, it says there’s

amount of coverage. The areas

service. So Route 28 is probably

with significant coverage gaps

the most traveled route without

were even larger than the maps

any service, but many of the

would have had you believe.

roadways

on

understanding

throughout

that

Sullivan

County don’t have service once AD: What are some areas in the

you’re beyond the boundaries of

Catskills that are notorious for

the more populated communities.

horrible cell phone coverage?

AD: On what recommendations do JS: I think the most notorious for

you all agree?

most folks is, once you pass Mount Tremper, on Route 28, heading

JS:

west, you no longer have service

recommendations

until you reach Highmount, right

out of the report. One was, as you

at the Ulster County, Delaware

would expect, to encourage private

County line. Then you’ll have

investment, so encouraging the

service through the Margaretville

Verizons, AT&Ts and T-Mobiles

32

WINTER 2022

So there were three main that

came

of the world to simply build

which provides a distinct process

more towers and invest more

for the companies to follow;

in the existing infrastructure to

whereas, companies that come to

provide better signals. The next

a community here in the Catskills,

was

regulatory

where there is no Park Agency

permitting for cellular towers.

(and we’re not asking for one),

We did work quite a bit on

could encounter a vastly different

understanding

process

streamlining

the

regulatory

in

that

community

environment that cell providers

than in the one next door. One

work in, and what we discovered

community’s

was they like certainty.

process

could

In New

last six months while another

York, you have to go to the

could take two years. And that

municipality and apply for your

uncertainty makes them not want

permit, and each municipality has

to make that private investment.

its own process. So what you might do on one side of the Catskills

AD: In the report, there’s a cost

could be completely different than

breakdown to close the coverage

what you do on the other side, so

gap. For Upstate, which includes

providers never really know what

the

they’re getting into.

region, the estimated cost is $610

Adirondack

and

Catskill

million ($313,000 per mile of new In terms of capital investment, the

coverage). For the Catskills, the

companies would much rather go

estimated cost is $73.7 million.

where they know they can invest,

What was agreed upon in terms

and where they know there are

of where these miles are? (In the

users who will rely on their service.

report, the Catskill region has 1,916

This is one reason why Upstate

road miles, 235 of which have no

has always been a challenge. And

cellular coverage.)

what we actually found was that Upstate

communities,

outside

JS: What the Task Force agreed

of the Adirondack Park, were

upon was that we were looking

seen as more challenging for

at providing service on major

getting through the regulatory

roadways, and what we define

process. The Adirondacks have

as major roadways are federal

the

highways, state highways, and

Adirondack

Park

Agency,

CATSKILL CENTER

33

then county roads and major town

Our opportunity to advance the

roads. The mileage that you see is

recommendations of the Task

the total mileage of those kinds of

Force lies with New York state.

roads, so it’s not a town road that

The legislature and governor have

branches off to another road in the

started

middle of nowhere; it’s the major

There were legislators involved

routes within each community.

on the Task Force who are very

their

budget

process.

interested in expanding cellular AD: In hopes that they could reach

service within their districts. And

those dead-end or spur roads if

I think that for groups that are

the coverage is good enough.

interested in expanding cellular service, like the Catskill Center,

JS: Right, exactly.

this will be something that we need to be talking to legislators

AD: The report’s done, so what’s

about and trying to find ways to

next? How do you get from report

incentivize (I don’t exactly know

recommendations to building cell

what the incentivization would

towers or getting the technology

look like, it’s kind of more for

there to provide coverage? Are we

the legislature to say), whether

talking years?

it’s providing subsidies or prepermitting sites, or whatever else.

JS:

I think for all of Upstate,

We need to find a way in the state

we’re talking years. It will be a

budget to fund these efforts. I

process. The third major report

think that to cover every single

recommendation is looking at

mile that was identified in the

ways to incentivize development

report will be a multi-year process.

of cellular service in the Upstate rural areas. So it’s what kind of

That said, the other good thing

subsidies or actions could New

that we have going for us is

York state take to incentivize

that

AT&T or Verizon to go through

infrastructure bill President Biden

the process and put a tower in an

signed in November includes

area where, at first glance, they

billions of dollars for expanded

wouldn’t necessarily work.

broadband and wireless services.

the

$1

trillion

federal

So we can expect that there’ll 34

WINTER 2022

be an infusion of federal cash

Frankenpines. You always hear

coming into all the states, and in

that there’s going to be this new

New York, specifically, to increase

technology that’s going to make

cellular service and broadband

towers obsolete, and it’s just down

across the state, because one of

the road, yet cellular service really

the challenges is that you can’t

depends on putting receivers and

just install a tower at the top of

repeaters in places that have the

a hill and flip a switch and have

ability to broadcast and receive

service. That tower needs to be

signals across distances, and the

connected to fiber broadband

way you do that is putting them

because the signal from the tower

on towers. There are really two

has to travel through the fiber to

major ways now that companies

get into the regular telephone

do that. There’s a large tower

system. Both of them go hand

on a high point that’s able to

in hand. And what we were

broadcast over a huge area. And

finding was there wasn’t always

then there are towers that are

broadband available on some

strategically placed, that may

of the routes that are currently

only break treeline by a little

identified as not having cellular

bit. And they provide coverage

service. And so both broadband

in

and cellular service would have

because, really, the geography is

to be expanded together through

what’s limiting cellular service. If

those areas.

you had a completely flat place,

geographically

tight

areas

you could put a few towers up and AD:

And what about the look of

have cellular service for miles.

towers? That’s something that some people are very sensitive

But in places like the Adirondacks

about,

and

particularly

resource-rich

areas

in

natural

like

the

Catskills,

you’re

the

surrounded by mountains, you’re

Catskills. And while they’ve come

in valleys. So you could put up the

a long way, making some of the

biggest tower you wanted but, if

towers look like trees, they are not,

you’re surrounded by mountains,

obviously, natural structures.

cellular service is only going to be provided within that valley where

JS: Yeah, some of them we call

that tower is; it’s not going to be CATSKILL CENTER

35

able to go over the mountain to

people get lost in the woods and,

the other side. So the solutions

if cellular service was available,

we were looking at took into

the search and rescue would have

consideration that, these were

been much quicker.

unique areas and part of the Forest Preserve and that much of the

And just as importantly, so much

land couldn’t be developed. In the

of the visitor economy is based

Adirondacks, one of the standards

on people being able to use their

that the Adirondack Park Agency

cell phones, being able to access

uses is "substantially invisible."

Google Maps to get somewhere.

So the towers really can’t be seen.

There was talk of mixing the large

And then looking for more ways

towers with smaller towers, and

to better move visitors around in

even using telephone poles along

Catskill Park and address high

highways, to provide very small

use will depend on having cellular

cellular areas, but to bring that

service so visitors can connect

cell service through the most

with

remote areas that are surrounded

find out whether parking lots are

by protected lands.

full and find alternatives. Also,

information.

People

can

if you’re a small business in the AD: Any final thoughts to share?

Catskills, you’re advertising on these mobile applications, which

JS: We’ve reached the stage where

can prove to be a real lifeblood for

cellular service is no longer a

local businesses.

luxury. Years ago, we all thought of it as, isn’t it cool to have a phone

Cellular service is necessary for

but, nowadays, so much of our

so many things, so it’s important

lives is really based on having

that we have coverage without

access to cellular service. Here

harming the natural resources

in the Catskills, people are at a

here in the Catskills. The Catskill

disadvantage when it comes to

Center sees this as a significant

public safety. We have had people

issue for the region in terms of

that

died

public safety, the growth of our

because they were unable to get a

economy, and the management of

signal and call for help. We’ve had

the Catskill Park.

36

unfortunately

WINTER 2022

have

ENDNOTE - REFLECTIONS ON THE PAST YEAR

Looking back at 2021, it surely wasn’t the easiest year for many people or organizations. The COVID-19 pandemic has continued, and while some semblance of normalcy returned, we have all struggled to find our way forward.

Pressing forward through such a difficult year is one reason why I am very proud of the Catskill Center team. Both the staff and the Board of Directors have worked hard to ensure the Catskill Center didn’t simply make it through 2021, but that we prospered and succeeded despite the challenges.

The work was tougher, but the rewards were even better. Just a few top-line accomplishments in 2021 include: 2021 budget successes for the Catskill Park, including increased funding for the Catskill Stewards Program, funding for the Catskills Visitor Center, and increased funding for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

(NYSDEC) to care for the Catskill Park;

The Catskill Center’s Catskill Stewards greeting more than 84,000 visitors to the Catskill Park; The appointment of a Catskill Park Coordinator by the NYSDEC, a position long sought through Catskill Center advocacy; The full reopening of the Catskills Visitor Center with all new exhibits, a new website, and new interpretive materials; Continued protection of streams and riparian corridors through our partnership with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); Trail and site improvements at our two public Preserves; and

CATSKILL CENTER

37

Increasing staff capacity at the Catskill Center to further our mission to protect and preserve the Catskills.

I’m proud of everyone at the Catskill Center for their hard work, but I am also very proud and grateful for everyone who supports the Catskill Center through their generous donations. By giving to the Catskill Center, you are the reason why we can continue to succeed at the important work of protecting and preserving the Catskills.

2021 was also filled with challenges, both professionally and personally.

Here at the Catskill Center, we continue to adjust to the reality of remote work, for the most part. The few opportunities we had to gather in person were joyous but short-lived as COVID variants spread. We also continue to learn how best to have our public-facing staff stay safe, an ever-changing effort using the best available science and information.

Personally, it’s been a tough year for many of us. We have all experienced isolation and loneliness, and many of us have experienced loss.

It is in that loss that I want to offer a tribute. My mother, Jo-Ann Senterman, passed away unexpectedly this fall. Her story is like many of us who come to love the Catskills. As a child, her parents brought her to the NYC Police Camp in Platte Clove during the summers, as her dad was an NYC police officer. At the time, she had no idea that her future home would be just across the valley, nestled at the base of Indian Head Mountain. Later on, she met my father, who loved hiking and exploring the Catskills. That’s when she realized she had grown up spending summers across the valley from my father’s cabin. They married and raised me and my brother Doug to love and appreciate the outdoors. While we lived and went to school in the Hudson Valley, we spent practically every weekend together in the Catskills. Soon my father became involved with trail maintenance in the Catskills through the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, and, by default, my mother did, too.

She was never the outdoorsperson that my dad is, but she tried, and she supported us in everything that we did to enjoy these wild places, including our work to protect them. No matter the event or activity, she rolled up her 38

WINTER 2022

sleeves and helped however she could — from catering big trail volunteer meetings, to constantly assisting with our outdoor adventure logistics, to taking part in almost every event across the region to support us. She was truly a steward of the Catskills.

I’m sure that as a small child in Platte Clove at that camp, she had no idea just how much the Catskills would influence her life and shape her family, but I for one am so glad and so honored that the Catskills blessed our family

PHOTO: JEFF SENTERMAN WITH HIS PARENTS JO-ANN AND PETE SENTERMAN AT THE 2017 FALL GALA/CATSKILL CENTER

in the way they did. While her loss weighs heavily on us, it brings me peace and hope to know that she’s still very much a part of these mountains, and her legacy, instilled in all of us to honor, treasure, and work hard for these mountains, will live on in my brother and me.

I hope for a more peaceful and brighter 2022 for all of us. The Catskill Center will do its part to make this a reality for our region.

JEFF SENTERMAN Catskill Center Executive Director

CATSKILL CENTER

39

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2022

Catskills, delivered directly to Catskill Center members.

A periodical celebrating New York State’s glorious

PO Box 504 43355 State Highway 28 Arkville, NY 12406

The Catskill Center for Conservation & Development