ecause
the Catskill Mountains are fairly close to civilization,
Manhattan is only 2 1/2 hours away from Phoenicia
and Kingston is just 45 minutes, people tend to think
these mountains are "tame." They are not. They are
mountains, and they behave like mountains.
The
Weather is highly changeable. Come prepared
for the unexpected. Cold wet weather, even without
freezing temperatures can cause hypothermia. Bring
a slicker and a hat. Bring a sweatshirt, you can tie
it around your waist and look cool.
It's
easy to get confused. While all hemlock trees
are beautiful, they do tend to resemble one another.
Always tell someone (your Bed & Breakfast hostess,
for example) where you are going and when you expect
to return. That way, when you don't show up, she'll
call somebody who will know how to find you. If you
are lost, don't panic and if darkness is falling,
relax and prepare to spend the night. It's probably
a good idea to buy, learn to use and bring a compass.
Sign
trail registers, as they will help you to be
found in an emergency. They also help the DEC plan
for the future and since they are doing such a good
job, we should give them a hand.
Don't
drink the water. While a number of streams
in the Catskills are "pure," you don't know which
they are. So bring your own or, if you must, purify
the stream water before you drink it.
Don't
feed wild animals. It's not fair to the animals,
because they'll forget how to feed themselves and
they might bite you. They also may learn to be aggressive
with other humans and then the animal will be blamed
when it's really your fault. Besides, it's illegal.
Pay
Attention! If you're half-awake, the trails
are easy to follow in the Catskills. Remember to note
the color of your trail marker because there are many
trail junctions and each trail has its own color marker.
And look where you're going. Every year there are
stories in the local papers about someone who's fallen
over a cliff. That's a tough way to make the news.
Seriously, please pay attention.
Hiking
with Children
If you are hiking with
children, don't start out with a tight agenda and
a determination to get to a certain point before the
day's end. The child will want to take her time, wander
a bit, take a good long look at that flower there
or maybe they'll just want to circle the base of a
big tree for a few minutes.
Take your time.
Think of this hike as
a walk.
Then again, the child
may race ahead and be exhausted and cranky an hour
after you start and you may have to turn around and
go home. Be patient.
In either event, include
the child in the planning of the walk, maybe they
can carry a backpack with snacks in it. Or, if they're
big enough, a magnifying glass might be fun. Talk
about it before you go and romance the birds and trees
they'll see a bit so they looks forward to a real
outdoor (as opposed to a back yard) experience. It
will last the rest of their life.
One rule of caution: explain
to the child that they are NEVER
EVER to cross a trail junction by themselves.
If they do, you won't know which way they went.
After this first
hike together, you'll know more about their pace,
their interests, their stamina so the next time you
go walking together, you'll be able to plan a bit
better. Have fun and enjoy opening a child's eyes
to the natural beauties of this planet.
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