Catskill Center/ Spring 2018 / Platte Clove

CATSKILLCENTER PLATTE CLOVE

A NOTE FROM OUR

I

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR grew up about a mile away

kingpost

from the Platte Clove Preserve;

hikers

my family home was nestled

Later, with the Trail Conference, I

into the base of the Indian

worked with groups of volunteers

Head Wilderness Area. My Dad,

as they maintained trails on the

ever the avid outdoorsman, had

site and I led the effort to replace

me out exploring trails and wild

the original bridge with a fresh

areas with him before I could even

kingpost replica.

walk. As a kid, I especially loved the

At the Catskill Center, I learned

Overlook Trail — it passes through

even more about the history and

the Preserve and into the Forest

the sense of place that Platte Clove

Preserve beyond.

represents. It’s located at the head

Some

of

maintenance

my work

earliest was

in

bridge

across

that

Plattekill

brought Creek.

trail

of a clove that has captivated

the

visitors for centuries, including the

Preserve and as a teen, I helped

Hudson River School painters who​

my father construct the replica

immortalized ​ t he C ​love’s vistas.

The "Grand Canyon of the Catskills" was just down the street from our Preserve, as was the Grand Canyon House.

The Artists’ Cabin has been home to our artist-in-residence program at the Preserve for 20 years. While building a new nature trail, we

2 SPRING 2018

Forest Preserve lands by Catskill Center acquisition and transfer to the State, and most recently discovered the

ruins

by partnering with the New York of

another

19th

century hotel. We are currently investigating the​ ruins and hoping

City Department of Environmental Protection

to

protect

stream

corridors in the region​.

to discover more about its history​ by working in partnership with the

Over the last few years, we have

Mountain Top Historical Society​.

worked hard to improve public access, interpretation and safety

Platte Clove Preserve is integral to

the

Center.

story

of

the

Catskill

Donated by the Griswold

family, just a few years after the creation of the Catskill Center, the Preserve was the first land held by the Catskill Center. Since its acquisition, the Catskill Center has gone on to protect thousands of acres of lands across the Catskills,

at

the

Preserve.

improvements

to

We’ve the

made

Overlook

Trail, installed an informational kiosk, created two new trails and reconstructed the Waterfall Trail to Plattekill Falls. In 2018, we will be installing a public privy and improving

the

Artists’

Cabin,

making the Preserve even more welcoming for all visitors.

including the Thorn Preserve in Woodstock, private lands across

We hope to see you there!

the region through conservation easements,

New

York

State

CATSKILLCENTER 3

CONTENTS 2 A LETTER FROM JEFF 7 PEDALING TO PLATTE CLOVE 10 THE AGE OF THE SUGAR MAPLE 18 LEAVE NO TRACE WITH WILL SOTER 20 2018 MEMBER PROGRAM SERIES 22 WARBLER WEEKEND 26 REFLECTIONS FROM A DREAM

30 CATSKILLS GREAT OUTDOOR EXPO 32 BUSINESS SUPPORTERS

SUGAR MAPLE SAP AT BUCK HILL FARM

28 10 QUESTIONS FOR KELLY SINCLAIR

2018 Fleischmann’s First Maplefest Winner 2 cups pitted dates (chopped) 3/4 cup water (boiling) 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup butter (softened) 2 eggs 1 1/8 cup self-rising flour 3/4 cup dark maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla

Laurie Merwin’s MAPLE STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING 2/3 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter an 8" square pan, muffin tins or individual bundt pans.

Pour boiling water over dates.

Cream butter, sugar and eggs.

Add dates, the water they soaked in and flour.

Pour into pans.

Bake 30-40 minutes.

Caramel Sauce Combine 1/3 cup butter, heavy cream and maple syrup in a small pan.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add vanilla. Give a stir.

Pour over baked cake.

CATSKILLCENTER 5

CONTRIBUTORS JEFF SENTERMAN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

HEATHER PHELPS-LIPTON

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

MICHAEL DRILLINGER LAND TRUST MANAGER

WILL SOTER

CO-FOUNDER OF UPSTATE ADVENTURE GUIDES

KATIE PALM

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

2018

SPRING SINCE 1969, THE CATSKILL CENTER HAS PROTECTED AND FOSTERED THE ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF THE CATSKILL REGION

PEDALING TO PLATTE CLOVE GOT A YEN FOR PLATTE CLOVE, BUT NO CAR?

You’re in luck!

or hop yourself up on caffeine and

Once a day, Greyhound runs a bus from NYC’s

Port Authority to the

neighboring village of Tannersville.

In Tannersville, get off the bus, point

sugar at Twin Peaks Coffee & Donuts, where they make the donuts to order.

Jump on your bike and pedal the 6.5 miles to Platte Clove Preserve.

yourself east, walk about a half a

Catskill weather can be fickle — plan

mile and turn into Hunter Mountain

accordingly. Have some kind of rain

Outfitters. They’ll rent you a bike and

gear in your pack, a sweater or fleece,

steer you in the direction of Platte

and a change of socks. Bring plenty

Clove.

of water, energy food, and insect

Before you roll, stuff your pockets with

repellent.

snacks from the Country Store, have

It’s tough to pedal in hiking boots

a pre-cycle milkshake at Mama’s Boy,

(and for safety’s sake, you must wear CATSKILLCENTER 7

proper hiking boots to hike around Platte Clove), so bring foot gear for the ride.

WATERFALL TRAIL Be sure to hike down to the Plattekill waterfall. It is a quarter of a mile down from the kiosk.

Follow the yellow markers for the Waterfall Trail.

NATURE TRAIL Follow the blue trail south and cross over the wooden

there is a fire tower.

The cab of the fire tower is open on weekends in the summer. For more fire tower information, check out:

catskillcenter.org/fire-tower-

project/#CatskillFireTowerHikes Of course, if you must, you could drive.

If you come by car, park in the DEC

bridge. The Nature Trail loop starts

lot, which is just past the little red

on your left. It passes along the top of

cabin. Taxi services are also available

Plattekill Falls and is about a quarter

through Smiley’s Transport.

of a mile around.

OVERLOOK TRAIL Continue following the blue trail markers south on the Overlook Trail. In about two miles you will see a yellow trail marker to the left.

Follow these yellow markers about 100 yards to Codfish Point, the site of an old bluestone quarry. You’ll also get a wonderful view of the Hudson Valley.

HUCKLEBERRY POINT TRAIL From the parking lot, take the trail left. About a mile north, there is a trail that branches to the right and is marked with yellow trail markers. Follow this trail for about a mile and a half to get to Huckleberry Point, where you’ll be able to catch a glorious view of the Hudson Valley and points east.

If you’ve still got tIme and energy,

Since there is only one bus a day, this

continue on the Overlook trail (blue

will have to be an overnight excursion.

trail marker) for another mile or so

But that’s actually good news. There

to another yellow-marked side trail

are several B&B’s in Tannersville and

down to Echo Lake. There is a lean-

a number of restaurants where you

to at Echo Lake and camping is

can find a good dinner.

permitted. So is swimming. :) After all of that exercise and fresh air, Continue on the blue trail south for

you’ll sleep like a dream.

another mile and a half and you’ll hit the top of Overlook Mountain, where

8 SPRING 2018

- Michael Drillinger

CATSKILLCENTER 9

10 SPRING 2018

THE AGE OF THE SUGAR MAPLE In early spring, when the days begin to lengthen and warm, but nights still freeze, the Catskills can seem to be one big maple fest. Sugar shacks billow steam from their pots of boiling sap, gravity-fed collection systems make the leafless sugar maple glades into works of art — the trees networked with bright blue tubing that run the maples’ water into downslope tanks, and the smell of hot pancakes is everywhere.

Sugaring served as a rite of spring for Native American tribes, who then shared the technique with early European settlers. Some say that maple syrup was served at the 1621 Plymouth Thanksgiving.

The sap of a birch can also be made into a syrup, but for flavor and volume, sugar maple is the primary source for sap collection.

CATSKILLCENTER 11

"Many trees don’t really give off sap

leaves can be yellow, orange or red,

or at least enough to collect," says

or a combination of the three and the

Catskill Forest Association Director

higher the content of sugar trapped in

Ryan Trapani.

the leaves, the more brilliant the color.

A black birch might take 100 gallons

A CATSKILL FOREST WITHOUT MAPLES SEEMS BEYOND COMPREHENSION BUT UNFORTUNATELY, MULTIPLE FACTORS CURRENTLY PLACE THE TREES AT RISK.

of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup, while sugar maple might be between 33 and 50. Continued evaporation results in maple cream and maple sugar.

New York State is a major source of maple products. According to The NYS Maple Producers Association, sugar bushing (the gathering of sap

The

from sugar maples) brings an annual

Beetles, invasive earthworms, and

average of $25 to $40 million in

historically high populations of deer

maple product sales and maple-syrup

feeding on maple saplings, combine

tourism to the Catskill area.

with air pollution to make a maple-

The red maple is New York state’s most abundant tree, with sugar maple

threat

of

Asian

Longhorned

less future a terrible but likely possibility.

coming in a close second. Together

Native to Asia, the Asian Longhorned

they comprise a considerable portion

Beetle

of the Catskills’ hardwood forest and

was first discovered in the US in

in autumn, provide the mountains

1996 on trees in Brooklyn.

with their shockingly vibrant hues.

Longhorned Beetle is a wood-boring

Sugar maple leaves contain three pigments – xanthophyll, carotene, and anthocyanin — that color the trees’ foliage in fall. Sugar maple trees and

12 SPRING 2018

(Anoplophora

glabripennis)

Asian

insect and it is suspected that it was imported on wood pallets. Infestations have been found in Long Island, Manhattan and Queens. In 2008, a large number of Asian Longhorned

Beetles were discovered in both urban

particularly nitrogen-rich and provide

and rural forests around Worcester,

good forage for earthworms who find

Massachusetts.

maple leaf litter highly palatable.

The larva bores into a tree and feeds on the living tissue that carries nutrients and the layer responsible for new growth under the bark.

After

several weeks, the larva tunnel into woody tissue of the tree.

Infested trees do not recover. Once a tree shows evidence of the Asian LongHorn, there is no remedy; it must be cut.

of earthworms, such as the Jumping

"We must completely prevent the Asian Longhorned Beetle from getting to the Catskills. If it establishes here, it would be devastating to our forests", says

Catskill

Species

Thompson says, "Invasive varieties

Regional

Partnership

Invasive

Coordinator

(CRISP) John Thompson.

Because the Asian Longhorned Beetle is moved from region to region on wood matter, it is now against the law to transport any non-kiln-dried wood,

Worm, are aggressive, breed at high rates, and survive at high densities, so they just kind of overwhelm the system and leave the soil void of nutrients."

Thompson points out

the worms’ eggs are moved in soils, compost and mulch.

"There’s really no good solution to avoid the worms, but one way to prevent them is to make your own compost and don’t move it.

including firewood and wood chips

"Another thing you can do is to buy

more than 50 miles in New York State.

bare root stock plants instead of

The leaves of the sugar maple are

plants sold in soil."

CATSKILLCENTER 13

14 SPRING 2018

CATSKILLCENTER 15

16 SPRING 2018

WORM EGGS CAN ALSO TRAVEL IN THE MATTER ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM OF A HIKER’S BOOT AND THOMPSON RECOMMENDS THAT BOOTS AND SHOES SHOULD ALWAYS BE BRUSHED CLEAN OF RESIDUAL SOIL AT THE END OF A WALK OR HIKE.

The Clean Air Bill was passed in

A

the 1990’s and placed controls on the

discharge

from

coal-burning

electricity producing plants. Since, air conditions have greatly improved, but rather than focusing on emissions

recent

Michigan

Technological

from specific companies, proposed

University

study

explains,

new rules take a regional approach to

"Sugar maples have a particular characteristic

making

vulnerable to earthworms.

them Since

ninety percent of their roots grow in the top few inches of soil, the trees rely on leaf litter to prevent this soil

measuring air pollution levels.

According to Bill Wehrum, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, the proposed changes in regulations will "reduce the regulatory burden for industries and states."

from drying out."

Final regulations have not yet been "With their litter gone, maples can slowly die of thirst."

Environmental stressors, such as acid

announced and the topic continues to be under heated political debate.

-Heather Phelps-Lipton

rain, increase the maples vulnerability to stressors such as earthworms.

A 1991 New York Times article, Sugar Maples Sicken Under Acid Rain’s Pall, explains that, "sulfuric and nitrous gases from coal furnaces rise into the air, moving east with prevailing winds and falling to earth as acid rain. This acidic rainfall removes important nutrients from the soil and can also hinder photosynthesis."

CRISP’s mission is to is to promote education, prevention, early detection and control of invasive species to limit their impact on the ecosystems and economies of the Catskills. It is a program of the Catskill Center.

CATSKILLCENTER 17

visit Platte Clove Respect other people’s experiences

Also - think about how all of your little choices can impact a big ecosystem.

You’re going to Platte Clove to

Products like bug spray can harm

connect with nature and have a

trout by harming the bugs that they

good time, but is your good time the

feed on. If you’re planning to swim, its

same as everyone else’s good time?

best to go without.

Be careful not to overwhelm your destination.

Dispose of your waste properly

If it’s a peak time and you have a large

I’m talking about garbage and human

group, consider going another day or

waste.

maybe choose a location that’s not quite as accessible.

Travel on durable surfaces

Its best to use the loo before you head out, but if you’re out there and nature calls, dig a cathole at least 200

That’s a good one for Platte Clove!

feet away from water or a trail (the

There are great new trails on the

minimum legal distance), or about 50

preserve property — stay on them.

adult strides.

In theory, toilet paper biodegrades

If you go off trail and you lose your

if disposed of at proper depths in

footing and slip, you could drop close

catholes; however, in practice, it’s

to 100 feet in some locations.

best to pack it out in a Ziploc bag.

Plan ahead and prepare.

Understand the rules and regulations of the area Catskill Forest Preserve is managed

Wipes and feminine products must be carried out. If you want to know more, here are some great books out there on the subject, like How to Poop in the Woods.

a little bit differently than our state, town, and municipal parks and the

In the majority of the Catskills,

rules for Platte Clove differ a bit from

(including

all of these. Take some time and

Preserve) if you carried it in, you must

familiarize yourself with the rules,

carry it out and that incudes all trash.

which are posted at the Preserve or

"If there’s room for it on the way there,

can be found on the Catskill Center’s

there’s got to be room for it on the way

website.

back."

18 SPRING 2018

at

the

Platte

Clove

Platte Clove is a very pristine area and the goal is to preserve the wilderness character; hence there aren’t trash cans or dumpsters, like those you would find at a state campground.

Don’t steal someone else’s wow Think about how impressed you are

WITHOUT LEAVING A TRACE

with that thing that that thing you want to take — but leave it, so everyone can have that experience. Take a picture of it. Draw a sketch of it. Write a poem about it. But don’t take it.

Minimize campfire impacts Campfires are like caveman television — you don’t like the show? Throw an-

WITH WILL SOTER lumber up and around a mountain to find food; If they can find it somewhere else easier, you’d better bet they’re not going up and over that mountain to find that patch of berries anymore.

other log on and change the channel!

They’re going to rummage through

It’s a lot of fun, but understand when

a camp site over and over again. For

it’s okay to have a fire, how big a fire

their sake, pack up your food waste

you can have, and how you can make

and carry it out with you.

certain there is no evidence that a fire was there. Plus, at Platte Clove, no fires are allowed.

Respect wildlife You throw an apple core out the window of your car, a deer comes over to get that apple, the deer gets hit by a car. All because of an apple core that’s biodegradable, right?

Animals struggle to find food in nature and the availability of humansourced food can alter their behavior significantly.

There’s the saying that, "a fed bear is a dead bear". They’ve got a big body to CATSKILLCENTER 19

Become A Member This extraordinary, four-part educational program series is reserved exclusively for Catskill Center members

CATS KI LLC E N TE R 2 0 18

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER PROGRAM SERIE S

20 SPRING 2018

JULY AVENUE OF CHANGE—THE INFLUEN CE OF THE HUDSON VALLEY ON THE CATSKILL FORESTS MICHAEL KUDISH MARGARETVILLE, NEW YORK

AUGUST RENEWABLE ENERGY AT HANFORD MILLS A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THE RESTORATION AND OPERATION OF THE MILL’S RENEWABLE POWER GENERAT ION EAST MEREDITH, NEW YORK

SEPTEMBER THE BIOLOGICAL INHERITANCE OF CATSKILL FORESTS: BURIAL GROUNDS AND HUMAN TRACES ON THE LANDSCAPE JOHN THOMPSON MARGARETVILLE, NEW YORK

OCTOBER FALL COLORS PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP / ON LOCATION FRANCIS X. DRISCOLL TANNERSVILLE, NEW YORK

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

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

Member Benefits Individual ($35) Family ($50) Senior/Student ($25)

CATSKILL CENTER P.O. BOX 504, ROUTE 28 ARKVILLE, NY 12406 NAME

FREE SUBSCRIPTION to the Catskill Center’s quarterly newsletter with news from the Catskill Center and across the Catskill Region.

ADDRESS

10% DISCOUNT on purchases at the Maurice D. Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center and all Catskill Center facilities with presentation of member card.

EMAIL

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

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

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

CITY STATE

ZIP

PHONE

MEMBERSHIP LEVEL $35 ­— Individual $50 ­— Family $25 ­— Senior/Student $100 ­— Partnering member $250 ­— Benefactor $500 ­— Leadership Circle $1000 ­— President’s Circle

AMOUNT CARD # EXPIRATION SECURITY #

CATSKILLCENTER 21

22 SPRING 2018

WARBLER WEEKEND In the trees of the Catskill mountains, 27 species of warblers build nests and raise their young and (at least) 9 other species have been documented travelling through the region.

Often referred to as "the butterflies of the bird world,"

ILLUSTRATION CREATED BY WILLOW LYTLE

warblers are amazing in their diversity.

CATSKILLCENTER 23

The Catskill Center’s annual bird

night’s keynote address: "Moments of

conference, Taking Flight: Birding in

Magic and Humiliation from the Life

the Catskills has deemed the 2018

of an Unabashed Bird-Lover".

event a "Warbler Weekend".

There will be a hike to the top of

Scott Whittle and Tom Stephenson,

Hunter Mountain to hear the pre-

the authors of The Warbler Guide will

dawn song of the Bicknell Thrush with

headline the weekend. They will

Steve Chorvas of the John Burroughs

present a Saturday night keynote

Natural History Society, and Scott

address, lead workshops, and guide

Whittle and Tom Stephenson will lead

walks.

a "Field Birdsong Walk".

Taking Flight 2018 will take place

Part birding festival, part technical

Memorial Day Weekend - May 25

conference

through May 27 - and will be centered

realization that the Catskills is an

at the Emerson Resort and Spa in Mt.

indeniable,

Tremper, New York.

birding destination, the concept of

IN MAY, SOME BIRDS ARE MIGRATING AND SOME BIRDS ARE NESTING. THE DENSITY OF ACTIVITY MAKES IT A WONDERFUL MONTH FOR BIRDING.

Taking Flight was hatched in 2016 and

and

yet

borne

from

the

under-recognized

has attracted some of the biggest names in the birder world. The event has steadily grown and is gathering a strong following.

2018’s schedule is deep with offerings — Christopher A. Nadareski, who bands the falcons that nest on NYC’s bridges, will lead a workshop on peregrine falcons.

Tod

Winston,

program

manager for New York Audubon’s Plants for Birds program, will give a workshop on "How to build a birdfriendly yard" and will present Friday

24 SPRING 2018

May 25-27 EMERSON RESORT & SPA MT. TREMPER, NY CATSKILLCENTER.ORG/ TAKINGFLIGHT

CHECK OUT 10 (+1) QUESTIONS WITH CHRIS NADARESKI ON THE BLOG AT CATSKILLCENTER.ORG/BLOG

IMAGE COURTESY OF CHRIS NADARESKI

CHRIS NADARESKI CLIMBS THE HIGHEST BRIDGES IN NYC TO MONITOR THE CITY’S FALCONS, AND IS ONE OF THE SUPER-BIRDERS PRESENTING AT TAKING FLIGHT: BIRDING IN THE CATSKILLS 2018.

CATSKILLCENTER 25

IN THE ERPF GALLERY

PLATTE CLOVE #1 SUSAN MILLER

26 SPRING 2018

Detail from THE CABIN CHRIS SEUBERT The 2017 Artist-in-Residence Program was full of enthusiastic artists who couldn’t wait for their week in the Platte Clove Artists’ Cabin.

Novels evolved, sculptures were built, waterfall photos were taken, lush scenes were painted, and books were created. The artists’ works were on display through April 28 at the Erpf Center.

Stay up to date with all gallery events at Catskillcenter.org/erpfgallery.

— Katie Palm

CATSKILLCENTER 27

TEN QUESTIONS FOR KELLY SINCLAIR KELLY SINCLAIR WAS ONE OF 11 ARTISTS WHO WERE AWARDED RESIDENCIES AT THE LITTLE RED CABIN ARTISTIN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM AT PLATTE CLOVE IN 2017

Did you have a specific project in mind for the residency?

KS: I take mostly landscape and nature imagery because I live in the middle of the Catskills In the woods is where I feel most at home, and carrying the camera with me on my daily walks is a natural extension of that. I did not have a specific project, just to photograph the land and water there.

Do you feel like having that density of time at Platte Cove affected the way you work?

KS: ​Yes​. ​Being there, I felt a total fire of inspiration and the time was so precious​, I knew I needed to get in all

Do you live as a photographer?

that I could.​

KS: I don’t. I have been taking pictures since I was in high school and it’s a total passion. My husband and I run a wholesale business reproducing his artwork onto tee shirts and greeting cards, and we also have a store in Woodstock. I do sell my photography there.

What do you create your work with?

KS: I have a Fuji XT1 and it’s digital.

I grew up using the darkroom and really loved that, and when the whole digital thing happened, I was really resistant, but now I love it because it’s so accessible. I have a little studio in my house where I do all my own printing.

28 SPRING 2018

Plan

Have you ever had any other

What month of the year were you

residencies?

there?

KS: I haven’t, no.

KS: I was there in September after

Did you have a regular schedule that you gave yourself, or did you let your day be fluid?

Labor day​, which was great. ​The weather was fine and the light was beautiful.

KS: It was fluid, but I woke up

Did

early, I had some coffee and a little

KS: I didn’t see any animals, no.

breakfast, and then went out with my camera until I got hungry and came back for lunch, and then I went out again in the afternoon to do more exploring.

you

see

any

animals?

Is there anything else that you wish I had asked or that you’d like to share about your time at Platte Clove?

KS: It was an amazing experience and I’m s ​o​grateful to have had

How did you feel about the work

the opportunity. As an artist and

that you created while you were

photographer, it was fuel for my fire.

there?

KS: I really connected with that land and with my vision and I feel like I was able to portray that.

The cover of this newsletter is one of Kelly’s Platte Clove photographs.

CATSKILLCENTER.ORG/BEQUESTSANDWILLS

nned Giving leave what you love

CATSKILLCENTER 29

Ah, the Catskills — hundreds of wild

There will be expert outdoor education

miles to hike, bike, paddle, ride a zip

presentations, raffles, the Catskill

line or spelunk a cavern.

Center Gear Swap and free samples.

If

you

want

to

ski,

snowshoe,

snowboard, watch birds or tie flies, you can do that too. But the Catskills encompasses six and a half counties and it can be tricky to discover all of the outdoor adventures that the region offers.

Problem solved! This year, dozens of Catskill outdoor-focused exhibitors will gather at the Best Western Plus Hotel and Conference Center in Kingston, New York for the first Catskills Great Outdoor Expo.

30 SPRING 2018

Presenters will include hiking clubs, paddling outfitters, climbing guides, skiing/mountain biking centers, gear outfitters, cultural attractions, local trail food producers, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and New York City Department

of

Environmental

Protection.

The Catskill Center hosted their first gear swap as a spring fundraiser in 2017 and it was such a well shopped smash, that Executive Director Jeff Senterman thought to gather "as

many of our outdoor activity-related

York State and beyond.

friends as we can", and introduce

"We’re excited to help those who love the out-of-doors discover activities and points of engagement that will allow them to connect with the Catskills in fresh and unexpected new ways."

them to a growing audience of springfevered Catskill adventurers.

SAYS SENTERMAN,"SPRING IS HERE AND WE ALL WANT TO GET OUTSIDE AND MAKE THE MOST OF OUR GLORIOUS CATSKILLS. WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE, THAN TO GATHER OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS, BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS AND KICK OFF THE SEASON TOGETHER!" The Catskill Center is honored to be working on nurturing the community of Catskill outdoor-centric businesses and organizations and connecting them with people from across New

10AM - 5PM

May 5

KINGSTON BEST WESTERN PLUS HOTEL + CONFERENCE CENTER CATSKILLCENTER.ORG/ OUTDOOREXPO CATSKILLCENTER 31

Supporting the

CATSKILL CENTER

HIGH SPEED INTERNET ~ Speeds up to 100Mbps*

CABLE TELEVISION ~ Over 250 channels with HD and 4K channels included*

DIGITAL TELEPHONE ~ Unlimited long distance within the United States* *Some restrictions may apply. Subject to service availability.

“Connecting Our Communities.”

Main Office:

579 Main Street Margaretville, NY

www.mtctelcom.com | (845) 586-2288 32 SPRING 2018

Wifi. Guidance. Maps.

Sculpture Trail. Snacks.

Restrooms. Events.

Books. Hikes. Treasures.

CAtskill Interpretive Center 5096 Route 28 Mount Tremper, NY 12457 845-688-3369 / catskillinterpretivecenter.org

CATSKILLCENTER 33

34 SPRING 2018

MY FATHER AND HIS FAMILY More and more I think of the still summers under the apple tree, when I took turns on the swing with my sister and cousins, the adults in their lawn chairs, watchful with murmured laughter.

The soft dirt, rich with a smell only rich dirt gives.

The pine cones, not resting or nestled, but simply being pine cones that have fallen from a high place.

I call my father, and he tells me of the weather.

The height of snow or intensity of summer.

He says nothing of his day apart from the house, nothing of people, though possibly the deer who wander the yard or chip-punks who burry seed in our flowerpots.

When I visit home, there are moments I’ll sit at the table with him both of us watching the birds at the feeders.

My mother will repeat a question and we’ll turn; I know my eyes are full of nothing, like his.

GENEVIEVE PFEIFFER

GENEVIEVE PFEIFFER WAS A 2016 PLATTE CLOVE RESIDENT ARTIST

My grandparents were silent at times I thought my grandfather mean, that he didn’t want to talk with me; now there is so little I know how to say.

CATSKILLCENTER 35

Spring 2018

The Catskill Center for Conservation & Development PO Box 504 43355 State Highway 28 Arkville, NY 12406

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