\ COORDINATOR BECOMES PAID POSITION We at Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) are extremely proud of our role in creating the Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine in 1998 and have been extraordinarily pleased as we have watched and supported the good work of the Friends ever since. Among fire tower groups, the Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine stands absolutely among the best in terms of overall success. From the restoration of the fire tower, to the interpretive trail and brochure, to seasonal staffing, to all the trail rebuilding and re-routing work, the work of the Friends is nothing short of astonishing, and the lion’s share of this is due to David Thomas-Train’s leadership, vision, and energy. Now AARCH and the Friends have decided to make David’s volunteer coordinator work a part-time paying position. David’s responsibilities will remain essentially identical to those he has carried out since the beginning: coordinating volunteers; hiring and supervising the Tower Steward; directing educational efforts; coordinating with the appropriate agencies and organizations for trail work, fire tower repair, land protection; developing the newsletter and enhancing public relations; and fundraising and financial planning. He will work one day a week. This will ensure that the good work of the Friends continues, and that new projects and ambitions are brought to fruition, too. Our annual budget to make this possible is $12,500.; of this, we have raised $4900. Thank you so much for your wonderful support for The Friends, over the years! Steven Engelhart, Executive Director, AARCH and Zack Floss, Chair, Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine Advisory Board Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine Spring-Summer Newsletter, 2019 c/o AARCH 1745 Main Street, Keeseville, NY 12944 (518) 834-9328 [email protected]www.pokeomoonshine.org friendsofpoko@gmailcom Since 2011, when DEC announced that it was considering closing the Ranger Trail, the Poke-O community stepped up to save the trail. We thought long and hard and decided to tackle the funding and rebuilding challenge. This year, under our and DEC’s guidance, the ADK Trails Program and Tahawus Trails LLC will complete their fifth and final year of work on the project, with three major re-routes past eroded trail sections on the upper and lower mountain. They will have built over 500 solid and beau- tiful rock steps, 12 large rock water drainage structures, three bridges, two wooden staircases, and over a half mile of interesting and adven- turous trail re-routes. In just over five years, you have given over $250,000. We have been so happily astounded and blessed by your overwhelmingly supportive response that took us all “to the summit”! We will complete the project this summer with a $23,000 Reserve Trail Fund in the bank.. To say “thank you” far understates it! Our ongoing projects are detailed below. Map of the new Ranger Trail and Observers’ Trail by Matt Foley Next trail project: connecting their starts—stay tuned. RANGER TRAIL PROJECT FINISHES CURRENT AND FUTURE PROJECTS As the Ranger Trail rebuild nears completion, The Friends are pursuing several other initiatives. We will be working with DEC to connect the lower ends of the Observers’ and the Ranger Trails, so that a loop hike becomes possible, with- out the need to walk Route 9 to get back to a vehi- cle. This will make a day on Poke-O safer and more fun. The 46er Conservation Trust has kindly given us $1500 toward creation of an Interpreter’s Ref- erence Booklet for use by our all our Tower Stewards, paid and volunteer; and toward updating our two interpretive brochures for the Observers’ and Ranger Trails. We are strengthening our volunteer Steward and Trail Work programs. See page 3 for details. We are working with the Open Space Institute and the Northeast Wilderness Trust to protect wild and recreational lands near Poke-O-Moonshine.
Transcript
\
COORDINATOR BECOMES PAID POSITION
We at Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) are extremely proud of our role in creating the Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine in 1998 and have been extraordinarily pleased as we have watched and supported the good work of the Friends ever since. Among fire tower groups, the Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine stands absolutely among the best in terms of overall success. From the restoration of the fire tower, to the interpretive trail and brochure, to seasonal staffing, to all the trail rebuilding and re-routing work, the work of the Friends is nothing short of astonishing, and the lion’s share of this is due to David Thomas-Train’s leadership, vision, and energy. Now AARCH and the Friends have decided to make David’s volunteer coordinator work a part-time paying position. David’s responsibilities will remain essentially identical to those he has carried out since the beginning: coordinating volunteers; hiring and supervising the Tower Steward; directing educational efforts; coordinating with the appropriate agencies and organizations for trail work, fire tower repair, land protection; developing the newsletter and enhancing public relations; and fundraising and financial planning. He will work one day a week. This will ensure that the good work of the Friends continues, and that new projects and ambitions are brought to fruition, too. Our annual budget to make this possible is $12,500.; of this, we have raised $4900. Thank you so much for your wonderful support for The Friends, over the years! Steven Engelhart, Executive Director, AARCH and Zack Floss, Chair, Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine Advisory Board
Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine
Spring-Summer Newsletter, 2019 c/o AARCH 1745 Main Street, Keeseville, NY 12944 (518) 834-9328 [email protected] www.pokeomoonshine.org friendsofpoko@gmailcom
Since 2011, when DEC announced that it was considering closing the Ranger Trail, the Poke-O community stepped up to save the trail. We thought long and hard and decided to tackle the funding and rebuilding challenge. This year, under our and DEC’s guidance, the ADK Trails Program and Tahawus Trails LLC will complete their fifth and final year of work on the project, with three major re-routes past eroded trail sections on the upper and lower mountain. They will have built over 500 solid and beau-tiful rock steps, 12 large rock water drainage structures, three bridges, two wooden staircases, and over a half mile of interesting and adven-turous trail re-routes. In just over five years, you have given over $250,000. We have been so happily astounded and blessed by your overwhelmingly supportive response that took us all “to the summit”! We will complete the project this summer with a $23,000 Reserve Trail Fund in the bank.. To say “thank you” far understates it! Our ongoing projects are detailed below.
Map of the new Ranger Trail and Observers’ Trail
by Matt Foley Next trail project: connecting their starts—stay tuned.
RANGER TRAIL PROJECT FINISHES
CURRENT AND FUTURE PROJECTS As the Ranger Trail rebuild nears completion, The Friends are pursuing several other initiatives. We will be working with DEC to connect the lower ends of the Observers’ and the Ranger Trails, so that a loop hike becomes possible, with-out the need to walk Route 9 to get back to a vehi-cle. This will make a day on Poke-O safer and more fun. The 46er Conservation Trust has kindly given us $1500 toward creation of an Interpreter’s Ref-erence Booklet for use by our all our Tower Stewards, paid and volunteer; and toward updating our two interpretive brochures for the Observers’ and Ranger Trails. We are strengthening our volunteer Steward and Trail Work programs. See page 3 for details. We are working with the Open Space Institute and the Northeast Wilderness Trust to protect wild and recreational lands near Poke-O-Moonshine.
.
Rangers—$500-$999
Stewart’s Holiday Match
Summit Stewards—$1000 and up
46er Conservation Trust
Trailheaders—up to $49
Mark Joslow
Jeff Walshe
Mrs. Donna Appelbergh
Matthew Glowny
Ada & Alan Hutchins
Cliff Climbers— $50-$99 Ronald Strand
Sharp Swan
Jennifer Sausville
Kathy & Paul Kelley-Mudie
Alta Jo Longware
Glens Falls-Saratoga ADK
Overlookers— $100-$499
RECENT DONORS The following individuals, organizations, and companies have made generous donations to the Friends since October, 2018. Thanks to all of you. We have surpassed our $250,000 goal and are now fundraising for future projects, with an annu-al budget of $12,500. See page 1 for details.
VOLUNTEER TRAIL WORK, SUMMIT and TOWER STEWARDING
- We need you to help our volunteer trail work efforts. This involves building and cleaning water drainage structures as well as brushing-in or blocking side herd paths . To help on May. 4, July 6, or August 7, please email Steven Bailey by at [email protected], or text him at 518-728-1347. Please bring rakes or hoes Details, page 3. Regular volunteer trail work days will take place four times a year. - For volunteer summit and tower stewarding through the Spring through the Fall, contact Lori Jarvis - [email protected]. We need help the weekends of July 19 and Labor Day; we will train you.
E-OPTION FOR NEWSLETTER
If you would prefer to receive an electronic copy of the newsletter, please request this by e-mailing us at [email protected].
Our 22nd Fire Tower Steward
Thomas Gamsjager hails from a farm in Greenville, near the Helderberg Mountains, southwest of Albany, and has always been an “outdoor person”. He is a Junior at SUNY Plattsburgh, majoring in Expeditionary Stud-ies. Two summers ago, Tom led a trail crew for the Montana Conservation Corps, for three months, teaching group teamwork skills and specific trail building techniques to a group of six. He thoroughly enjoys the col-laborative educational process, a skill set that prepares him well for his work as our Fire Tower Steward. Thomas is an avid hiker, paddler ,and rock climber and knows Poke-O well. He will train with ADK’s Alpine Summit Stewards, and with DEC, and then work June 14—August 25. His work week will be Thursdays through Mondays. Come meet Tom on the trails, summit and in the tower, and welcome him to Poke-O!
David & Margie Reuther
Linda & Peter Biesemeyer
Lawrence Hinkey
Gordon Howard
Forest Fire Lookout
Association
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ONGOING WORK
You have read about our work on the mountain. We need your help (see page 2)with a work day on the mountain, or on the Steering Committee, or a donation, purchase of a patch, sticker, a signed Carl Heilman poster, or caps, centennial decals, mugs, or t-shirts. Only with your help, can we continue our efforts to take care of this wonderful mountain and to educate its hikers about Poke-O’s natural and cultural history. Please make, as generously as you can, a tax-deductible donation to The Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine, and mail to us, c/o AARCH 1745 Main Street, Keeseville, NY 12944. MANY THANKS!!
The Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine is dedicated to the preservation of Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain and its fire tower, improving and maintaining its trails, and to interpreting the natural and cultural history of the mountain. The Friends is a partnership between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Adirondack Architectural Heritage, the Town of Chesterfield, several Adirondack Mountain Club chapters, and hundreds of people who enjoy this special place. The Friends operates under the auspices of the Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), the non-profit, historic preservation organization for the Adirondack Park. For more information about the Friends contact us at 1745 Main Street, Keeseville, NY 12944 or at (518)
834-9328. Send tax-deductible donations to The Friends at the same address. Please recycle this newsletter.
SPRING and SUMMER ACTIVITIES SATURDAY, MAY 4 Installation of Tower Interpretive Panels, Summit Cleanup Meet at 9:30AM at the campground. David Thomas-Train, coordinator. SATURDAY, MAY 11 Spring Wildflower Walk 9 AM - 12PM. Meet at the Observer Trail parking lot a mile south of the campground.. Bring water, lunch, and gear appropriate for 3 hours in the woods. Meet at the parking lot one mile south of the campground. Led by botanist Michael Burgess of New York Flora Association and SUNY Plattsburgh Spring Trail Clean-Up. Raking out water drainages, Bring hoes and rakes. 9:30 at the Campground. Steven Bailey, coordinator SATURDAY, JULY 13: Trail Work Day on the Ranger Trail. Clean water bars, brush-in herd paths. 9:30AM at the campground. David T-T coordinator WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7: Trail Work Day on the Observers Trail Clean water bars, brush-in herd paths, do minor rock work. 9:30AM at the parking lot one mile south of the campground. Steven Bailey coordinator FOR WORK PROJECTS: Bring a pack with your usual gear and work gloves, liquids, lunch, raingear, etc. Call or text Call David Thomas-Train, 802-989-6134, or Steven Bailey, 518-728-1347, for details.
Please send______ patches (3”, $6 each) and ______Carl Heilman Poke-O-Moonshine posters (14” x 39”, $20)
_____Sum(m)it Up stickers; ____Loco 4 Poke-O stickers
(11” and 5”, $4 each) Enclosed is a one-time gift of $________
Enclosed is my first payment of an annual pledge to be made between now and _______ $_______
I’ll help on a committee or the mountain. Please contact me___ Name______________________________________________ Address______________________________Email__________
VISIT THE POKE-O ONLINE STORE—www.pokeomoonshine.org
Friends of Poke-O-Moonshine c/o AARCH 1745 Main Street, Keeseville, NY 12944 Advisory Board Anne Bailey Jim Bailey Steven Bailey Sarah Disney Zack Floss, Chair Doug Furman Pete Gucker Nancy Hayhurst Tom Hayhurst Lori Jarvis Chad Kilbourne Lynn Valenti Coordinator David Thomas-Train
Naturalist and Licensed Guide Elizabeth Lee Leads Tracking Hike On The Mountain, 5+
