Beacon Dispatch

Highland Wanderer: Walking in a Winter Wonderland

As I sit here writing it’s November 28th. Several days past the Thanksgiving feast but still a couple of days before the beginning of December. And a day that, like the ghost of my California Christmases past, I’m sitting in shirtsleeves in 60º weather. This, of course, does not keep me from dreaming of what bright hope the ghost of Christmas future might bring—namely, two feet of fresh powder and a pair of snowshoe’s strapped to the bottom of my feet.

Last year I had hoped to write here about snowshoeing locally but unfortunately there wasn’t more than a day or two worth of snow to tromp around in. This year, instead of waiting and wishing, I’m sending this month’s column out as a bright (white!) hope for the future.

Stand in the middle of Beacon, point your finger in any direction and you’ll find that you’re anywhere from two to twenty minutes from great snowshoeing country. Mount Beacon, Stony Kill Farm, and Fahnestock Memorial State Park all provide snowshoeing opportunities for everyone from hikers with the most basic of skills to hardcore snowshoeing enthusiasts.

Ramble Down the River

Hudson River Valley Ramble Kicks off its Seventh Year

by Jennifer Sipple

This year’s Hudson Valley Ramble is about to take place with over 160 guided walking, hiking, kayaking, canoeing and biking experiences which highlight the Hudson’s river valley and estuary.  With a wide variety of events, the Hudson Valley Ramble offers something to just about anyone interested in taking a stroll and learning a little local history along the way.

Qajaqs On Muhheakunnuk (Kayaks On The Hudson River)

by Mark Price

The Hudson River has many secrets to reveal. Both the river and its tributaries are steeped in beautiful places, explored and discovered best by kayak. With the surge in popularity of paddle sports over the last few years and a increased desire to enjoy the Hudson Valley’s outdoor activities many more people are using kayaks to explore the Hudson River. If you are going to paddle on the Hudson your experience depends on making the right choices. The paddle craft you choose, the skills you possess, and your understandings of the aquatic environment are the keys to an enjoyable and safe kayaking experience.

Highland Wanderer: Adriatic Sea Expedition

by Ray Fusco & Shane Braddock

Shane Braddock is an Australian of Croatian descent and he would be my partner on the first ever unsupported crossing of the Adriatic Sea by kayak.  Our friendship stems back several years ago when Shane and I guided sea kayak trips together in the New York harbor.  I had vacation time and wanted to paddle with a friend in a beautiful foreign land.  I chose Croatia because my friend Shane lived in Split, Croatia.  After several emails and telephone calls my simple vacation turned into a real expedition and would take us on a wonderful journey.

Highland Wanderer: Sweep the River Clean

Scenic Hudson’s 9^th Annual River Sweep Sets its Sights on Beacon and Beyond

On April 22^nd, Scenic Hudson will kick off their 9^th annual Great River Sweep, a nine-day event that brings thousands of people together—from Manhattan to the Hudson headwaters in the Adirondacks—in an effort to clean up the Hudson River and its tributaries. This year, the first day of cleaning will end with an event at the Beacon waterfront, featuring food, live music, and the celebration of a cleaner River.

In 1998, when the River Sweep first began, Scenic Hudson was making plans to set up a volunteer program, when they received a letter from six-year-old Josh Taubes, who wrote to Scenic Hudson, asking if the environmental group could clean it up. “At the time,” says Scenic Hudson’s director of Education and Volunteers, Andy Bicking, “we were looking for a way to mobilize volunteers to have them work with our organization and to support the environmental issues in the Hudson Valley. We wrote back to Josh and told him that we could only have a small impact by ourselves, but we could help to organize Josh and other people to clean up portions of the waterfront.” That year one thousand volunteers came together to cleanup thirty-seven sites up and down the Hudson.

Highland Wanderer: Gateway to Mount Beacon Park

The holidays typically lead to a great deal of indoor business and frivolity with very little in the way of outdoor recreation. With time of the essence, but a breath of fresh air essential, Scenic Hudson’s Gateway to Mount Beacon Park is the perfect solution for a quick hike. Enough to get the blood flowing without trashing your wrapping and cooking schedule. Plus, what better way is there to work off that Butterball or the pound of fudge you finished off in one sitting!

Highland Wanderer: West Hudson: Stillman/Bluebird Loop

If the rainstorms of the last weeks of fall haven’t completely knocked the leaves from the trees, the end of October into the second week of November can prove to be a glorious time to enjoy the final burst of fall color. These West Hudson trails feature grand north/south views of the river, a secret spring-fed cistern, bird’s-eye views of Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, and a decrepit but safe wooden bridge, all under the cover of the last color of fall.

The trailhead is well marked and begins at two stone pillars which are about 8/10 of a mile from the intersection of Route 9W and Mountain Road in Cornwall. There’s limited parking at the pillars, so if it’s a busy hiking day you may need to park along Mountain Road.