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Campers' Group Bulletin - Winter 2023-2024 |
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January 12-15, Vermont Skiing/Snowshoeing, Green Mountain House Hostel, Manchester Center VT Join us in the beautiful Green Mountains of Vermont for this long holiday weekend! There will be downhill skiing at Bromley Mountain, cross-country skiing at Viking Nordic Center, snowshoeing, hiking, pot luck dinners, and much much more! We'll be staying at the Green Mountain House Hiker Hostel in Manchester, Vermont, just 5 miles west of the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail. We will have the exclusive use of the hostel; it sleeps about 10 people, has comfortable twin beds and bunk beds w/ clean linens, blankets & pillows. Besides a total of eight beds, there is also one couch for sleeping, plus floor space upstairs if anyone wants to bring an air mattress. Towels, soap and shampoo are provided. We will also have the exclusive use of a fully equipped kitchen, with basic breakfast supplies provided for free. Wi-Fi access and a landline phone is available for free long-distance calls. The parking is limited to about 6-7 cars on site. Carpooling is recommended. The hostel will work out additional parking when we arrive. To reserve a spot, please RSVP and pay $98 on the meetup.com page for this trip.
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January 27-28, Cabin Trip, Thendara Mountain Club, Harriman State Park NY Our friends at Thendara Mountain Club have invited us to stay overnight at their rustic cabin in Harriman State Park. The cabin (built 1929) has heat, electricity, a full kitchen, indoor men's and women's washrooms with hot showers, and unheated bathrooms about 50 ft from the lodge. There are seven bedrooms with 2-4 cots each (rooms are shared). The cabin has a big main room with fireplace, comfortable seating, eating table and screened in porch. The weekend includes Saturday night dinner, Sunday breakfast and a bag lunch. Meet us at the cabin on Saturday morning at 9:30am to join us on a hike (TBD). Depending on snowfall, we may instead snowshoe or even cross-country ski. We may also carpool to the trail head. Later in the afternoon we will return to camp for a relaxing and well deserved happy hour in front of the fire! Dinner will be provided by the Thendara host for this weekend. Breakfast and lunch will be available on Sunday. Diet restrictions can usually be accommodated - just be sure to tell the host when you RSVP. You need to bring a sleeping bag or sheet and pillowcase. There are wool blankets and pillows available. On Sunday, after we have breakfast and prepare our bag lunch, we may go out again starting at about 11am from the cabin. The total cost will be approximately $50, depending on what food the host brings to prepare. You must pay the balance in cash to the host during the weekend. This payment will cover meals and lodging for Saturday night (meals are Saturday happy hour and dinner, Sunday breakfast and lunch). YOU MUST RSVP AND SIGN UP FOR MEALS BY WEDNESDAY January 30th. You can take the train or bus to Sloatsburg and can either hike in, ride a bike up scenic Seven Lakes Drive, or we can arrange to have someone from camp with a car meet you at the station. Feel free to bring a spouse, date, friend and well behaved kids, but sorry, no pets. To reserve a spot, pay $50 via PayPal on the meetup.com page for this trip.
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February 10-11, Backpacking trip, William Penn Shelter, Pine Grove PA Join us for an overnight winter backpacking trip to the William Penn Shelter on the A.T., near Pine Grove PA. The hike in to the shelter will be easy to moderate, and approximately 2-1/2 miles with a relatively flat 175 ft elevation gain. We will set up camp, gather wood and possibly hike to Blue Mountain Campsite or a nearby viewpoint before returning to make our fire and dinner. You can sleep in the shelter, but most will set up a tent or hammock near the shelter. Total Mileage: 5 miles Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Elevation Gain: 175 ft (one way) We will park and meet in the lot on PA-645, and return to that lot after we break camp on Sunday. If anyone is interested, we may stop for a bite to eat at a local spot before heading home. This backpacking trip is appropriate for beginner to intermediate backpackers that are prepared for overnight temps/conditions usually associated with winter camping. You must be prepared for the weather! Winter Backpacking Checklist Ten Essentials Everyone should pack in their water unless we determine there is a reliable water source for filtering on the way or near the shelter. Please bring a bear bag or bear canister to hang/store your food/toiletries. More info will be posted as we approach the date. **** Heavy rain cancels, snow does not! **** Well behaved dogs allowed, but you MUST OBEY State Park laws: dogs must be leashed at all times and on leashes no longer than 6'. When you sign up for this event you agree to read, understand, and may be asked to sign a waiver stating the following: If you join us for hiking (or any other event), understand that you are responsible for your own preparedness and well-being and will hold no one else liable in case of injury or mishap. You agree not to hold the Organizer, Assistant Organizers, or any other members responsible for any injuries, mishaps, or any other situation that may happen at a planned event. It is your responsibility to research the event, know the area, and bring the proper gear. Please also be ready to provide an emergency contact phone number. To join, please RSVP on our Meetup page.
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February 16-19, Holiday Weekend Trip, High Peaks House, Lake Placid NY We are returning to Lake Placid! This beautiful area has excellent cross-country skiing, also downhill skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, tobogganing, iceskating, snowmobiling, dog sledding and many other activities in the spectacular high peaks region of the Adirondacks. Lake Placid is an interesting town to explore, having hosted both the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics. The Mt. Van Hoevenberg Cross Country & Biathlon Center is a world class facility for cross-country skiing, ice skating, snow tubing, and even bobsledding or a tree-top gondola ride! Whiteface Mountain for downhill skiing, and a visit to the Olympic Museum can also be great fun! We will be staying at the comfortable and convenient High Peaks House, right on Main Street in Lake Placid. This bunk-style house is less than a block from the skating oval, the toboggan slide, fun downtown shops and restaurants, and even a free shuttle to White Face Mountain. Through High Peaks Cyclery, and their Basecamp Group Lodging, we will have access to a yoga fitness area and an indoor rock gym. They also offer an outdoor guide service, gear rentals and assistance at the full service High Peaks Cyclery outdoor store, all on the same property. With two stories, four bedrooms, and six bunk beds, the High Peaks house sleeps up to twelve. Two of the bedrooms host one bunk bed with a full bottom bunk, while the third bedroom serves as the larger bunk room with three bunk beds. The house has 2 baths, a large gear room, laundry facilities, and a large, comfortable kitchen, bar and living area. Amenities include: all bed linens (although they request that you bring a towel), free Wifi, cable TV and DVD player, as well as a microwave, dishwasher, oven/stove, and large refrigerator. The High Peaks House and Guide House share a large deck with a BBQ grill, both with great views of the High Peaks mountains! Friends from Thendara Mountain Club are again staying at the nearby Adirondack Loj this weekend. We may meet up for dinner, snowshoeing and/or cross-country skiing. Let us know if you can offer or need a ride by posting a message to those attending. Carpooling may be possible; please plan early and do not RSVP until your transportation is confirmed. Buses are also available, leaving from NYC and Newark NJ. To reserve a spot, pay $189 via PayPal on the meetup.com page for this trip.
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February 24-March 6, Cabin Trip, Dominica!, Roseau, Dominica VI Accurately nicknamed the Nature Island, Dominica stands out among other Caribbean islands because of its dedication to preserving its diverse offering of largely unspoiled, natural outdoor experiences. Unlike many neighboring islands in the region that may encourage lounging at the beach with a cocktail in hand, a full itinerary in Dominica may not include a beach day at all. The key value of visiting this tropical paradise is the lush greenery (rain forest covers about two-thirds of the land), which includes a rich array of vegetation touching all edges of the island, plus volcanoes, black sand, hot springs, and waterfalls throughout. Dominica has long been a favourite with eco-adventurers and travellers of a more independent persuasion. Largely spared the development that has blighted some islands in the region, it is an oasis of rainforests, hot springs, nature and, notoriously, a boiling lake. It is also home to the Caribbean first long distance hiking path, the Waitukubuli National Trail. Beginning in the southern village of Scott's Head and ending in the north at Cabrits National Park, the 115-mile long trail takes two weeks to complete and passes through the islands most famous natural attractions, including Morne Trois Pitons National Park and Morne Diablotins. The trail is divided into 14 sections, offering visitors the chance to experience the island natural beauty in bite-sized segments. Discover more of Dominica's active adventures here Not intended to be a leisurely trip, we will enjoy challenging hikes to waterfalls and hot springs in the heavily forested hills, and snorkeling by the rugged coast. The narrow hilly roads are not driven by the faint of heart, so we will need to designate drivers when renting 4-wheel drive vehicles.
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March 2-3, Backpacking trip, Fingerboard Shelter, Southfields NY Another one of the group's favorites! This is a great beginner-level trip for anyone looking to get into cold weather backpacking. Less than three miles in total for the weekend. Plan is to meet at the parking lot at Tiorati Lake Recreation Area around 10:45am for a 11:00am start. Anyone needing a ride can be picked up at the NJ Transit Train Station in Sloatsburg, NY around 10:15am. From Lake Tiorati, we will hop on the blue blazed trail until we hit the Appalachian Trail. From there, we'll turn left and head about a mile over to Fingerboard Shelter. We'll setup camp, collect firewood and if interested, can do a short hike before dinner. Fingerboard has plenty of trees for hammocks and good spots for tents, too. Recommended: 0 degree sleeping bag/quilts; sleeping pad with an R-value of 5 or higher (combining two sleeping pads with lower R-values to reach R-5 works too). The next morning, we'll take our time packing up before heading back to our cars. If interested, we can grab brunch at Rhodes North Tavern.
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| Outdoors Consultant | Ken Q. | |
| Treasurer | Lillian W. | |
| Webmaster | David L. | |
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