Two buffs, orange and and gray

Winter Gear: Neck Gaiter / Buff

Sometimes small tweaks yield big benefits, and that’s exactly what wearing a neck gaiter does.

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trail junction

Trail Maintenance, Balsam Lake, Fall 2019

Finished my 2019 maintenance by tidying up a few things between the two junctions on the south side of Balsam Lake. When I first took on this trail section in the spring, it hadn’t been tended to in many years and was very overgrown.

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catskills fall foliage 2022

The 3 Best Ways to Not Die on a Hike

Every month, people get into trouble in the Catskills, almost always because they are under-prepared. Here are the 3 best things you can do to stay safe on your hike, while making sure you’re prepared in the event of an emergency.

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Lost Clove Trailhead

Trail Maintenance, Lost Clove, Fall 2019

Lost Clove is one of the very steepest trails in the Catskill Park. Which is great, if you’re a hill-running lunatic. If you’re me? Not so great. But trail maintenance is rewarding work, and I was really happy to finish the tidy-up I started in May.

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Two backpacks

Backpack Basics

Your backpack is a fundamental and very personal choice. There are lots of excellent brands to choose from. Here’s the skinny.

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Hiking Kit List

Basic Mountain Hiking Gear

While hiking gear can change from trail to trail, and from season to season, the following items will serve you well on every hike. They are a fleshing out of The Ten Essentials (the absolute bare minimum you should pack for every hike). This hiking gear list focuses on day-hiking.

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Windham High Peak from Burnt Knob

Windham High Peak via Burnt Knob (with Acra Point)

Hike to Windham High peak through beautiful riparian terrain to a long ridge that’s peppered with amazing views.

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