We have had a lot happening lately so to make for a quick read, here are some highlights. 

CATS opened its first office!  It’s in Westport at 6482 Main Street.  The phone number is 962-CATS (2287).  Very exciting!

I received this email from Gary Randorf, who has long envisioned a Champlain Valley, a.k.a. "Adirondack Coast" trail system.  He now lives in the Philipines and is following our progress.  (also a quick reminder--join us for the first trail committee meeting this Sat June 19 at 8:30 at Whallonsburg Grange followed by a trail project at 10:00)

Chris Maron

To the CATS Volunteers,

Three young hikers enjoy the view from the Wildway Overlook Trail.
(Photo by Betsy Bacot-Aigner)

[Originaly published in the Valley News on May 29, 2010.]

Please come to the first meeting for the CATS Trails Committee followed by a trail project.  All this will take place next Saturday, June 19th.   

We will meet at 8:30 at the Whallonsburg Grange to get started on the CATS Trail Committee.  It's a great way to help create and maintain our ever-expanding trail network so we hope you will join us--it will be fun!

View from South Boquet Mountain. (Photo: Dennis Aprill)

[Originaly published in the Press Republican on May 2, 2010.]

We have a great day planned for National Trails Day, Saturday June 5.  You can go to the Events Page or just read below about the hike and event.  Then, please come on the hike and especially, please support CATS at our first fundraising event at Block House Farm (a.k.a. Steven Kellogg's house) in Essex.  This will be a great opportunity to find out more about CATS, talk with your fellow hikers and people who love the idea of trails to connect our communities, and listen to Elle Berger tell stories about countryside walking.

We had a large turnout on May 1st to develop the Rocky Ledges Trail in Essex. As people grabbed their tools, made introductions, and learned about the project, they enjoyed some delicious scones donated by Dogwood Bakery in Wadhams. Yum!

This weekend I had the opportunity to take a group of people out to explore the Forest Floodplain area along the Boquet River in Whallensburg, NY. This was a hike sponsored by the Northeast Wilderness Trust who, with the help of Eddy Foundation, are working to preserve this ecologically important area located off the sharp turn on Cook Road East of Back Kettle Farm.

Image via spacefellowship.com

We had a large turnout for the January animal-tracking hike at Poke-O-Moonshine’s Lost Oak Valley. This hike is a continuation of winter tracking hikes organized by Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine and Keeping Track that began several years ago. Usually, the January hike has temperatures below zero, but last Saturday the temperatures were quite warm, making for a very comfortable and enjoyable day outdoors.