Created from 6 pictures from Giant Ledge





N e w s

The week of July 7th begins with a sunny Sunday with high clouds and highs in the mid 80's. Monday will be humid with partial sunshine and a thunderstorm in the afternoon with highs in the mid 80's. Tuesday will be cloudy most of the time with a couple of showers and a thunderstorm which can bring flooding downpours and localized damaging wind gusts with highs in the high 70's. Wednesday will be humid with times of clouds and sun and highs in the low 80's. Thursday will be mostly cloudy and humid with a couple of showers and a thunderstorm in the afternoon and highs in the mid 70's. Friday will be cloudy and humid with morning thunderstorms followed by occasional rain and a thunderstorm in the afternoon with highs in the mid 70's. On Saturday there will be plenty of sunshine with highs in the mid 70's. Most trails will have some muddy areas with standing water. There was rain last week and some showers and thunderstorms coming this week that will increase the standing water and mud. Daylight will slowly decrease heading toward the autumnal equinox but there will still be plenty of long days. Packing a working headlamp is always a good idea as it may mean the difference between finishing a hike easily and wandering around in the forest. NEVER assume that conditions at the trailhead are the conditions on the mountain. When the weather conditions are constantly changing, be sure you have dressed appropriately in clothing that will wick away moisture to prevent it from accumulating in your clothing, which can, at the very least, be uncomfortable. Layering should be with non-cotton materials as cotton tends to hold moisture. Keeping hydrated is essential no matter the temperatures since hydrating properly will allow you to hike longer and in greater comfort. Be sure to carry plenty of water with you as local water sources can be unreliable and may be contaminated. Once you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated! Remember, the weather forecast is only a prediction and always contains percentages. Be prepared and have a plan for the most likely and least likely forecast! Are you prepared to stay out overnight on a trail? Conditions in the morning can change drastically by the afternoon. Conditions at the trailhead do not always reflect the conditions on the peaks! Variable trail and weather conditions are a hallmark of these mountains. BE CAREFUL AND BE PREPARED!

picture taken during a hike

Sheila: September 24, 2011 - July 12, 2024

Sheila was with us for more than 12 years. She was a great friend and a fantastic hiking companion. She went with me on all but a handful of hikes in many diverse places. Her first hike was at Frick Pond in December 27, 2011. Her last hike was July 1, 2024 on the Parksville Rail Trail. After that hike, her health began to deteriorate rapidly. When she could no longer breathe properly we called on the staff of the Jeffersonville Animal Hospital to put an end to her suffering. We cannot express are gratitude for the caring and compassionate treatment we received. The end was quick and quiet. Cindy and I stayed with Shiela until it was over. She never seemed in distress. We are heartbroken but knew that what we did was right for our good friend.









Friday: May 2nd: Parksville Rail Trail
Thursday: May 15th: Parksville Rail Trail
Tuesday: May 20th: Hodge Pond Lookouts
Wednesday: May 28th: Parksville Falls
Tuesday: June 3rd: Round Top Twisted Figure 8s
Wednesday: June 4th: Bramley Mt Fire Tower
Friday: June 6th: Round Top Figure 8s
Wednesday: June 11th: Neversink Unique: Denton and Mullet Falls
Thursday: June 19th: Big Pond To Little Pond
Friday: June 20th: Round Top Figure 8s
Monday: June 23rd: Catskill Game Farm
Tuesday: June 24th: Kaaterskill Rail Trail and Falls
Sunday: June 29th: Parksville Falls
Tuesday: July 1st: Round Top Figure 8s
Thursday: July 3rd: Parksville Falls
Friday: July 4th: Bear Spring Out and Back


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