Catskills Magazine 2020 Issue 2. Firetowers

CATSKILLS CATSKILL FIRE TOWERS

THEN+NOW

FIRE TOWER FIVE-IN-A-DAY CHALLENGE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN HOUSE ROLLS BRAMLEY MOUNTAIN FIRE TOWER PROJECT

ISSUE 2 2020

CONTENTS 3

CATSKILLS VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR

4

CONTRIBUTORS

7

FIRE TOWERS: THEN AND NOW

10

FIND THE TOWERS

12

BRAMLEY MOUNTAIN FIRE TOWER PROJECT

15

A WILL LYTLE COLORING PAGE

18

THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS

21

CATSKILL MOUNTAIN HOUSE ROLLS

25

FIRE TOWER FIVE-IN-A-DAY CHALLENGE

29

BEESWAX WRAPS

30

ENDNOTE

Cover Photo: Heather Phelps-Lipton

GET READY TO FIND YOUR NEXT GREAT CATSKILLS READ

THE CATSKILLS VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR celebrates contemporary Catskills writing through exclusive author interviews and encourages people to support local writers and independent booksellers.

ARCHIVED ONLINE FOR PARTICIPATION AT YOUR LEISURE at CatskillCenter.org < FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @CATSKILLCENTER FOR GREAT CONTENT LIKE “SUSTAINABLE RAMP HARVESTING WITH LAURA SILVERMAN”

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CONTRIBUTORS 2020 FIRE TOWERS

JEFF SENTERMAN Jeff is a Catskill native and when he’s not steering the ship that is the Catskill Center, can often be found atop a local peak.

For this issue, he tells his tale of hiking all five Catskill fire towers in one day. Jeff is the Executive Director of the Catskill Center.

HEATHER PHELPS-LIPTON Heather edits and contributes to the magazine. She’s the Catskill Center’s Director of Communications and for this issue, she photographed the Fire Tower Volunteer Coordinators and Patti Rudge’s method of making wraps with beeswax.

KELLI HUGGINS Kelli is an educator, historian, and native Catskillite. For this issue, she contemporizes an old recipe for Catskill Mountain House Rolls. Kelli is a Visitor Experience Coordinator at the Catskills Visitor Center. She also curated and produced the Catskills VIrtual Book Tour and helps edit the magazine .

WILL LYTLE aka Thorneater Comics Will is a Catskills native comic artist and illustrator. Deeply influenced by the natural environment of the Catskills, Will tries to capture the form of magic they inspire.

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2020 FIRE TOWERS

MICHAEL CONNOR Michael runs Open MIC, a non-profit media advocacy organization, and lives in Phoenicia. He is a member of the Catskill Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Board of Directors and penned for this issue "Fire Towers: Then and Now."

PATTI RUDGE Patti lives deliberately and with a bit of pluck and humor, embracing a lifestyle that lends itself towards sustainability.

She is often exploring the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s woodlot, tending her gardens or helping Bill get evermore firewood. For this issue, she shows us how to make reusable wraps with fabric and beeswax.

NOELLE MARTIN Noelle is a recent graduate with her MA in English. She works as an executive assistant at the Catskill Center and helps edit the magazine. For this issue, Noelle chats with Ann Roberti about the Bramley Mountain Fire Tower Project.

ABOUT US: Since 1969, the Catskill Center has protected and

43355 State Highway 28

fostered the environmental, cultural and economic well-being of

Arkville, NY 12406

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.

845.586.2611

Become a member at: catskillcenter.org/membership

cccd@catskillcenter.org

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6â&#x20AC;&#x192;

FIRE TOWERS

PHOTO: COURTESY OF LAURIE RANKIN

FIRE TOWERS THEN AND NOW

BY MICHAEL CO N N O R

Laurie Rankin remembers when, as a young girl, she would occasionally be invited to join her father for a day at work at the Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Tower in Hardenburgh. "I loved it, I knew it was an important job,"” she says. “"It was very important that my father protect the local community by stopping a fire."”

Laurie’s father, Larry Baker, was the last full-time fire observer at the Balsam Lake tower, working there from 1958-72. He spent long hours armed with binoculars searching for wisps of smoke in the forest. If he spotted something, he’d call or radio other fire observers in nearby towers who would use pieces of string on a tabletop map to triangulate the location of the smoke or fire. With "string, binoculars and people" they accomplished

what is now done largely through

industry and railroads were thriving

telephones

in the region. As a result, "sparks

and

GPS

satellite

technology, says Laurie.

from trains and train tracks often set fire to treetops and brush, "

While fire towers are no longer used

says Martin Podskoch, a writer

to detect fires in New York State,

and author of the book, Firetowers

the Balsam Lake Mountain Fire

of the Catskills: Their History and Lore.

Tower is very much alive. In fact, it’s

Campfires

one of several Catskills fire towers

hunters and other outdoor people

that are open and accessible to

presented additional threats.

and

cigarettes

from

the public. From May to October, volunteers

open

up

the

tower

At one time, there were more than

cabins for visitors to enjoy stunning

100 fire towers throughout New York

panoramic views of the region. The

State, with 23 towers in the Catskill

towers make for some of the best

Mountains. In the 1970s, however,

hiking destinations in the Catskills,

New York State began using planes

offering unparalleled 360-degree

to scan the forests for fires. As

views of the surrounding Catskill

Catskills communities grew more

Park and mountains.

populous and easily connected by telephones, the need for fire towers

THE TOWERS MAKE FOR SOME OF THE BEST HIKING DESTINATIONS IN THE CATSKILLS, OFFERING UNPARALLELED 360-DEGREE VIEWS OF THE SURROUNDING CATSKILL PARK AND MOUNTAINS

waned.

But in many ways, the fire towers "explain the history of the Catskills and

how

they

protected

our

communities," says Podskoch, and in the 1990s local organizations and volunteers began efforts to preserve and reopen them.

Today, the Catskill Center, through

‘A BEACON OF SAFETY’ Catskill fire towers date back to the early 1900s, when the logging 8

2020 FIRE TOWERS

the Catskill Fire Tower Project, manages five fire towers within the Catskill Park. There’s another

1909 WOODEN FIRE TOWER ON HUNTER MOUNTAIN

tower just beyond the boundaries

"A fire tower was a beacon of safety,

of the park, and a tower that’s been

and it’s important that we protect

recently opened at the Catskills

that history," says Laurie Rankin,

Visitor Center in Mount Tremper.

who

In addition to offering a window on

interest in fire towers and is now

history, organizers say these tower

New York State director of the

destinations

opportunities

Forest Fire Lookout Association, a

to engage hikers in discussions of

volunteer position. "On a clear day

hiking safety and best practices

at Balsam Lake, we have 100 mile

for forest conversation, including

views - 60 miles south, 40 miles

Leave No Trace principles.

north. It’s really incredible."

offer

has

pursued

her

father’s

-MC

AT THIS TIME, THE 6 FIRE TOWERS OF THE CATSKILL PARK (OVERLOOK, HUNTER, TREMPER, BALSAM LAKE, RED HILL AND UPPER ESOPUS) ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.

WATCH CATSKILLCENTER.ORG/FIRE-TOWER-PROJECT FOR THE LATEST UPDATES. CATSKILL CENTER

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IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN VISITING A FIRE TOWER IN THE CATSKILLS, THERE ARE SEVEN SITES THAT OFFER HEALTHY HIKES AND CLIMBS PLUS SCENIC VIEWS. Five of these towers were originally constructed for fire control and prevention in the Catskill Park.

BALSAM LAKE MOUNTAIN

OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN

IN HARDENBURGH ELEVATION 3,723 FEET

IN WOODSTOCK ELEVATION 3,140 FEET

The first fire tower on the top of a

The newest of the five remaining fire

mountain in New York State was

towers in the Catskill Park, having

placed at the summit of Balsam

been built in its present location in

Lake Mountain in 1887.

1950. The tower closed in 1988 and was reopened in 1999.

RED HILL HUNTER MOUNTAIN

IN DENNING ELEVATION 2,990 FEET This

60-foot

fire

tower

was

IN HUNTER ELEVATION 4.040 FEET

constructed in 1921, is listed on the

Originally built of logs about a third

National Historic Lookout Register

of a mile from where it now stands,

and has been nominated to the

the current, 60-foot steel tower was

National Register of Historic Places.

constructed in 1917. In 1953, it was relocated to its current location on

TREMPER MOUNTAIN

the summit of Hunter Mountain.

IN SHANDAKEN ELEVATION 2,740 FEET Believed to be the original structure that was built in 1917 and used for fire observation until 1971. It was reopened to the public in 2001.

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2020 FIRE TOWERS

For more information, check out Catskillcenter.org/fire-tower-project

In addition to those towers, there are two others:

UPPER TOWER

ESOPUS

FIRE MT. UTSAYANTHA TOWER

FIRE

An 80-foot tower imported from

Located just outside New York

Florida

renovated,

Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s property boundary for the

opened in 2020 at the Catskills

and

recently

Catskill Park, is above the town

Visitor Center in Mount Tremper.

of Stamford, NY on top of Mount

This tower allows visitors who may

Utsayantha.

not otherwise be able to undertake the challenging hike of several miles to experience a fire tower on the high peaks in the Catskills.

CATSKILL CENTER

11

NOELLE MART I N

THE BRAMLEY MOUNTAIN FIRE TOWER PROJECT A CONVERSATION WITH ANN ROBERTI How did the Friends of Bramley

I read that the Fire Tower was

Mountain Fire Tower get started?

decommissioned and taken down

AR: The Catskill Mountain Club

in the 1975. Why was that decided?

(CMC) built a hiking trail on Bramley

And what do you think has changed,

Mountain, which has become very

45 years later, that it’s being

popular. When the owner of the fire

reconstructed?

tower, Tom Clark, learned about the

AR:

hiking trail he reached out to us to

commission

say that he would like to see the

stopped being used to look for fires,

fire tower (that has been in his barn

because they found that airplanes

since his father, Pete Clark, bought

were traveling the region quite a

it in 1975) put back on Bramley

bit and they could do the job rather

Mountain. He thought because of

than having individuals stationed at

the hiking trail we might be able to

these different fire towers. When the

do it. So, he was the instigator of it

DEC decommissioned all of the fire

all.

towers, they no longer had anyone

Fire

towers by

went the

out

DEC.

of

They

manning them and watching for And we, the Catskill Mountain

fires, so they were taken down.

Club, thought it would be really

Pete Clark, a farmer in Delhi, NY at

cool to get the fire tower put back

the time, thought it would be nice

up, too. The CMC, along with some

to have a fire tower on his property—

residents of Delhi and Bovina, and

and it was a bargain at $50—so he

your own Executive Director, formed

bought it. But his home owner’s

a separate corporation, the Friends

insurer never really wanted him

of Catskill Mountain Fire Tower, to

to put the tower up, so it has been

concentrate on this project.

sitting in a building on his property

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2020 FIRE TOWERS

IN 1975, BRAMLEY MOUNTAIN’S FIRE TOWER WAS REMOVED. FIFTY YEARS AFTER BEING DECOMMISSIONED BY THE NYS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION (DEC), THE FRIENDS OF BRAMLEY MOUNTAIN FIRE TOWER HAVE COME TOGETHER TO SEE THE ORIGINAL FIRE TOWER RECONSTRUCTED AND RETURNED TO THE TOP OF BRAMLEY MOUNTAIN. Here is what Board President, Ann Roberti, had to say about the project [now owned by his son, Tom] for all of

Why have you decided to lead this

these years.

effort?

AR: Well, I got involved in trailblazing

It’s the original fire tower. It was

with the Catskill Mountain Club

taken down with such care that all

because

the pieces are marked and all the

to somehow give back to the

bolts are in buckets, although we

community and help economically.

won’t be using the original bolts;

I was involved in a group that was

we’ll be getting new fasteners. Every

against fracking and we wanted to

piece of it is there—the map table is

not just be against things, we wanted

there—so that’s very exciting.

to be able to contribute in a positive

I

wanted

to

be

able

way. The idea of building trails was What is the map table?

the first way that I thought I could

AR: The map table is a device that

finally do some contributing—this is

has maps on it and triangulating

an outgrowth of that.

equipment that would help when two or three different tower observers

The trails that we’ve built are family-

would see a fire. They would map it

friendly and near towns that bring

with this map table, and then when

a lot of people into the area. I think

you put them all together you could

the fire tower will do even more of

pinpoint the exact spot. Kind of like

that. And it’s a fun project. It’s really

surveyor’s work.

an exciting kind of thing that will be very fun to work on.

CATSKILL CENTER

13

It seems like you’re in the very early

As you explained earlier, there is a

stages. How is progress going?

pretty popular trail leading to the

When do you expect the tower to be

tower. Do you know how long the

completed?

hike is altogether? And how tall the

AR: We are. I’m hoping that it will

tower will be?

be two years, possibly three, to get

AR: The tower is 80 ft tall (one of the

the fire tower up. That’s my goal.

tallest models of fire towers there

It certainly won’t be this year, but

is). The trail up to it is about 2 miles,

the first step (other than working

so 4 miles round trip.

Mountain Fire Tower becoming a

And there is an easy trail that

503b nonprofit organization) is

doesn’t go to the tower, Quarry Trail

that we are going to do a complete

is the name of it, people can take

inventory of the fire tower parts: lay

it and get to this very interesting

them out and inspect them all, and

abandoned quarry and then if their

then we can decide if there are any

friends want to zip up to this harder

that need repair. From there, we’ll be

piece [the fire tower] and then

able to come up with a much more

meet them back, they can do that.

accurate budget. This inventory

But I’m also hoping that having a

check should be done by May of this

fire tower at the top will get some

year.

people to have a goal of working toward making it all the way up the mountain.

Find the entire interview at bit.ly/bramleyfiretower

14

2020 FIRE TOWERS

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ANN ROBERTI

toward Friends of the Bramley

A WILL LYT L E C O L O R I N G P A G E Download a high-res pdf to print and color at bit.ly/firetowercoloringpage

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Volunteer Coordinators

TAMMY PORTER, RED HILL The Catskill Fire Tower Project, a program of the Catskill Center, runs smoothly every year because of a team of Fire Tower Coordinators.

Fire Tower Coordinators wear many hats. From fire tower upkeep to volunteer training and scheduling, historical and naturalist interpretation for visitors, as well as maintenance projects, they encompass the spirit of the Catskill Park with their passion and dedication to the five original Catskills fire towers.

DOUG HAMILTON, RED HILL

18 â&#x20AC;&#x192;

2020 FIRE TOWERS

CHARLIE LUTOMSKI, OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN In the 1990s, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) decommissioned the fire towers located on Forest Preserve lands atop Catskill peaks. Organized by the Catskill Center, an ensemble of volunteers restored the final five fire towers to a safe and sustainable condition and the Catskill Fire Tower Project was born.

Today, the Catskill Center manages the five original fire towers in the Catskill Park for public access and interpretation. In 2019, a sixth tower was added to the Catskill Park and the Catskill Fire Tower Project on the Catskills Visitor Center property.

On weekends during the summer months, the volunteers open the tower cabins for visitors to enjoy the stunning

PHOTOS: HEATHER PHELPS-LIPTON

panoramic views of the region.

MARK ATCHNISON, TREMPER MOUNTAIN Not pictured: Laurie Rankin, Balsam Lake and Gordon Hoekstra, Hunter Mountain.

CATSKILL CENTER

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Vintage Recipe

CATSKILL MOUNTAIN HOUSE ROLLS THIS RECIPE INVOLVES A LOT OF WAITING TIME, BUT NOT MUCH ACTUAL WORK TIME. DIFFERENT FLOURS AND YEASTS ALL GIVE PRETTY RELIABLE RESULTS. EVEN IF YOU’RE NEW TO BREADBAKING, GIVE IT A TRY. K ELLI HUG G I N S

Y

ou’ve probably heard of the

show a variety of rolls and bread options.

Catskill

House,

Regardless of its actual connection to

which

the hotel, the way the recipe spread does

opened in 1824 and overlooked

highlight people’s desire to experience a

the Hudson River.

piece of an elite Catskill’s locale.

the

Mountain

grand

hotel

Despite being

gone for decades, it still holds a powerful place in local history and

The original recipe is pretty bare

imagination.

bones.

I stumbled across a recipe for Catskill

Set a thin sponge with wheat flour

Mountain House rolls in the February 1890

at about four o’clock as follows:

PHOTOS: HEATHER PHELPS-LIPTON

edition of Hall’s Journal of Health, a 19th century wellness publication. Intrigued, I

Stir into a quart of water flour enough

found that the recipe made the rounds in

to make a thick batter, adding half a

national publications beginning in late

cake of compressed yeast dissolved.

in 1889. While I’ve not been able to verify

Let this sponge stand till nine o’clock

if the recipe is authentic, menus from

and then knead up thoroughly; add a

the Catskill Mountain House, like those

piece of butter the size of a large egg.

digitized by the New York Public Library,

Let the rolls stand until morning, then

CATSKILL CENTER

21

roll them out as thin as your hands,

FOR THE SPONGE, COMBINE

handle the dough as little as possible,

IN A LARGE BOWL

cut it into narrow strips and lay in a pan

gives the bread a tangy taste and a nice

2 CUPS OF WATER (about 95-100 degrees, warm but not hot enough to kill the yeast) 3 CUPS OF FLOUR (white or wheat, I tried both and either works) 2 1/4 TSP QUICK RISE YEAST or 2 1/2 TSP ACTIVE DRY YEAST (I tried both and preferred the results of the active dry, but if you have quick rise on hand, you can use that. I did not track down cake yeast for this.)

structure.

Mix well and let sit covered at room

to rise for three-quarters of an hour.

Bake in a quick oven ten minutes.

This left me with a few questions: How much flour? Can you even get cake yeast now? (Yes, but it’s rare!) How long are these "narrow strips?" After some tinkering, I figured it out with modern measurements and ingredients. If you’d like to make your own Catskill Mountain House Rolls, follow along with these steps: First, make the sponge. If you haven’t made bread with a sponge before, this method adds fermentation time and

temperature in a draft-free location for 5 hours. The mix should get all bubbly, puffy, and sticky. Resist the urge to touch it until the time is up

These rolls would be great on your din or for carb-loading before a big hike.

WHEN THE SPONGE IS READY ADD

3 TBSP SOFTENED BUTTER 2 TSP SALT 2 1/2- 3 CUPS FLOUR (if using wheat flour, you will probably need less because it absorbs the liquid more. Add in a little at a time to not use too much.)

Knead the dough for ten minutes until soft and stretchy. A little extra flour might be necessary for kneading, but not much. Lightly grease a large bowl and add the dough ball. Cover and let stand. The original recipe calls for it to sit overnight, but I found that unnecessary.

Mine sat for about 3 hours.

dinner table e.

Once the dough doubles in size, punch it down and shape the individual rolls.

The original recipe is pretty confusing about the shape, but I interpreted it as a short breadstick, batch baked. I also made some in knots and round dinner rolls, so go ahead and try your favorite roll shapes. It should make about two dozen rolls.

Let the shaped dough rise for another 45 minutes.

Bake on a greased pan at 425 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until they are golden brown.

-KH

THE CATSKILLS FIRE TOWER FIVE CHALLENGE: A CHALLENGE TO HIKE TO EACH FIRE TOWER IN THE CATSKILL REGIONâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; SOUNDS EASY, RIGHT?

HOW ABOUT HIKING THEM ALL IN THE SAME DAY?

JEF F SENTER M A N

THE CATSKILLS FIRE TOWER FIVE-IN-A-DAY CHALLENGE It was an ambitious idea born on the afternoon of Governor Cuomoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2019 Catskill Challenge, which is an opportunity to celebrate the Catskill Park and all that the region has to offer. After a morning hike with New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lieutenant Governor and Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), we were listening to Governor Cuomo speak about the Catskills when he announced his new "Catskills Fire Tower Five Challenge," The goal being to climb all five mountains in the Catskill Park that still have remaining fire towers, take a selfie at the top of each tower, and then submit those selfies to the NYSDEC for a certificate and five fire tower pins.

CATSKILL CENTER

25

My husband Moe and I looked at

furthest away, Red Hill Fire Tower,

each

simultaneously

and then traveled north through the

agreed that we had to be the first

Park checking off each of the towers:

hikers to get this challenge done. By

Balsam

the time we got home that evening,

Tremper, Overlook Mountain, and

we had reached out to our good

finally Hunter Mountain.

other

and

Lake

Mountain,

Mount

friend and hiking buddy Greg and hatched a plan to hike to all five fire towers in a single day. Although Moe and Greg are avid hikers who enjoy tougher and tougher Catskills hiking adventures, and I tend to enjoy a more reasonable day of hiking, we were all ready take on this challenge together.

EACH OF THE FIRE TOWERS IN

THE

CATSKILL

PARK

We began at dawn on the day of

ARE ON FIVE DIFFERENT

the challenge and arrived at Red

MOUNTAINS THAT ARE ALL

Hillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trailhead just before 7:30am.

WELL SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER. The first step was understanding the logistics of the day.

They are not connected by trails and, altogether, there are miles of driving between them. Since home for us is in the northeastern area of the Park, we settled on a south to north plan of action. We started at the tower the

26 â&#x20AC;&#x192;

2020 FIRE TOWERS

We quickly reached the summit, enjoyed the view from the fire tower, and had a chance to say hello to the volunteer steward who was just getting everything set up for a day of visitors. Then we made haste back down to the car and off to the trailhead for Balsam Lake Mountain.

Still feeling fresh when we arrived at the Mill Brook Road Trailhead, we made quick work of the almost 3 mile hike to the summit of Balsam

Lake Mountain and its fire tower.

up Mount Tremper definitely felt

After a small snack, our required

longer than the others, but we still

selfies, and a take in of the view, it

made good time and, also unlike

was back down to the car again.

the first two mountains, we took a moment to relax at the base of

The first two mountain trails were

the tower and enjoyed a late lunch

either quite short or fairly gentle

before we headed down.

in their climbing. However, Mount Tremper, our next climb beginning

We felt pretty good as we reached

from Old Route 28, is known for its

the Meads Mountain Road Trailhead

very steady slog up the mountain.

and began to get ready for the fourth

By

the

destination of the day: Overlook

trailhead, we had realized one of the

the

time

we

reached

Mountain. Unlike the other four

unanticipated side effects of our

mountains, the trail up Overlook

journey—sitting in a car between

from Woodstock follows an active

hikes is a sure way to cramp up, as

road so it’s wide and well graded. We

if your body aches are saying: what

were all grateful for the extra food

the heck are you doing to me?

and beverages we had packed in the car. Of course, it was important

Before we slung our backpacks

to keep our calorie intake up and

on

the

stay hydrated along the way. The

Acetaminophen in our first aid kits.

shadows on the mountains grew

Our beautiful July day was rapidly

longer in the late afternoon as we

approaching the heat of mid-

reached the summit of Overlook. Our

afternoon. The roughly 2.5 mile hike

time at this peak was brief since we

again,

we

broke

into

still had one mountain left to climb in our challenge.

PHOTOS: JEFF SENTERMAN

Hunter Mountain, the second tallest mountain in the Catskills and the highest with a fire tower, would be our final destination for the day.

Why did we decide that we’d leave Hunter Mountain as our last hike?

And better yet, that we’d ascend CATSKILL CENTER

27

and descend the mountain via the

at 10:30pm toasting our amazing

Becker Hollow Trail (arguably one

accomplishment.

of the steepest trails in the Park, climbing almost 2,200 feet in about

Was it the best way to fully

2.2 miles)? None of us could seem to

experience the five fire towers of

recall. The reality of that final climb

the Catskills? Probably not. With

hit us in the Becker Hollow Trailhead

the goal being to complete all five

parking lot. We were all a bit tired

hikes in one day, we were unable to

and sore, escaping into our own

pause and really soak-in each peak

little worlds, as we climbed higher

and the journey itself. Each tower,

and the evening light began to fade

as well as each mountain they call

along with our stamina.

home, is truly unique and deserves the

attention

of

an

individual

It was around 9:30pm when we

trip; however, the commitment,

reached the summit of Hunter

perseverance, and teamwork the

Mountain. We paused at the Hunter

challenge required of us created a

Mountain Fire Tower to watch the

day of hiking and climbing that we

last flickers of light disappear off

will never forget.

the horizon. The hike down Becker Hollow, in the dark, was perhaps

Moe, Greg, and I later received our

the greatest challenge of the day.

completion certificates identifying

Exhaustion tested our attention, but

us as the 1st three to meet the 2019

we were determined to reach our

Catskills Fire Tower Five Challenge.

final trailhead.

The certificate hangs proudly in my office as a reminder that the

Once we did, there were high-fives

Catskills Fire Towers are special

all around, much hydration and the

pieces

realization of just how much we had

whether hiked all in one day or over

accomplished in the Catskill Park. In

a lifetime. Either way, be sure not to

a single day, we hit the Red Hill Trail

miss out on your own experience of

at 7:30 that morning and then—five

them.

mountains later, 23 miles of hiking, hours of driving, and more than 7,500 feet of elevation gained (and then lost)—we had made it to the car 28

2020 FIRE TOWERS

-JS

of

Catskill

Park

magic,

Beeswax Wraps with Patti Rudge PHOTOS: HEATHER PHELPS-LIPTON

GET THE WHOLE HOW-TO AT BIT.LY/BEESWAX_WRAPS

Endnote By the time you read this, we will all be

this would have been an amazing

months into adjusting to a new reality

accomplishment. This year it was

with the COVID-19 virus. For us here

beyond any expectation. The budget

at the Catskill Center, the response

also

to this pandemic has changed the

Bond Act that, if approved by the

way we work, but the commitment to

voters in November, will provide $3

further our mission remains strong.

billion to address climate change in

Our staff are working from home all

the State. In addition, fracking was

across the region and continue to rise

banned permanently and a number

to the occasion with virtual efforts

of other environmental priorities were

making real world accomplishments

advanced.

possible.

COVID-19

may

includes

an

Environmental

change

our process, but it will not change

The funding for the CVC is the result of

our fundamental commitment to

persistence and teamwork in action.

protecting, preserving and enriching

The Visitor Center was first envisioned

the

more than 30 years ago as a place

environmental,

cultural

and

economic well-being of the Catskills.

to interpret the Catskill Park and region to visitors. Five years ago this

This April, in the midst of the pandemic

July, that vision was finally realized

and an unprecedented response by

when the Catskills Visitor Center first

New York State, we applauded the

opened to the public. As a public/

Governor and Legislature of the State

private partnership between New

for sticking to their environmental

York State and the Catskill Center,

priorities even though letting those

we quickly found that to properly

priorities slide may have been the

realize the potential of the Catskills

easier choice. The budget includes

Visitor Center, we would need to find

a

Environmental

adequate funding for operations and

Protection Fund; within that fund,

programs. We were able to educate

there is a new line for the Catskills

our legislators and the Governor

Visitor Center (CVC) that provides

on the importance of this resource

$150,000 to the Catskill Center for

through the efforts of the Catskill Park

operations. In a regular budget year

Coalition, our friends, supporters,

30 â&#x20AC;&#x192;

fully-funded

2020 FIRE TOWERS

members, and lovers of the Catskills. We kept at the hard

WHILE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE

work with our partners at

TO INTERACT IN PERSON, OUR

NYSDEC to identify needs and

STAFF

opportunities—resulting in this

LAUNCHING FRESH

newly announced funding in this year’s budget!

IS

EXPLORING

AND

WAYS TO

STAY CONNECTED WITH OUR MEMBERS, SUPPORTERS, AND

Our collective efforts in Albany also

resulted

in

increased

THOSE WHO LOVE THE CATSKILLS.

money for work on the Forest

Watch

for

virtual

workshops,

Preserve, which will create more trail

programs, and more from the Catskill

crews, better trails, improved access,

Center and CVC websites. Stay tuned

new facilities, better campgrounds

to our social media platforms—

and much more. The Governor will

Twitter, Instagram and Facebook—for

also establish a high-use task force

daily opportunities to engage, learn,

for the Catskills; we look forward

and advocate with us.

to serving on that committee and working with all partners to address

Most importantly, know that by being a

the challenges and opportunities that

member and supporter of the Catskill

increasing visitation will likely bring

Center you are helping us protect and

to our region.

preserve the Catskill Mountains that we all love. This glorious Park will be

Thanks to a recent Smart Growth

even better preserved than before

Grant from NYSDEC to create a

because of our collective hard work,

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

and we will one day leave our homes

Plan for the Catskill Center, we are

to explore, travel, and enjoy everything

excited to begin working on this

this region has to offer once again.

DEI plan for the Catskill Park. The Catskill Center looks forward to the opportunity to more comprehensively address these issues internally and is really excited to also explore them

JEFF SENTERMAN is the Executive

further with stakeholders Park-wide.

Director of the Catskill Center.

CATSKILL CENTER

31

FIRE TOWERS

Delivered directly to Catskill Center members.

A periodical celebrating New York Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glorious Catskills.

PO Box 504 43355 State Highway 28 Arkville, NY 12406

The Catskill Center for Conservation & Development