New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Ulster County

Forest Rangers Make Rescues at Phelps Mtn, Marcy, Peekamoose Blue Hole, Kaaterskill Falls

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Rescue on Phelps Mountain in July 2023 (DEC photo)New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents throughout New York State. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people.

What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers. [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Make Rescues at Phelps Mtn, Marcy, Peekamoose Blue Hole, Kaaterskill Falls

261 Acres Protected Adjacent to Sundown Wild Forest in the Catskills

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2023 Sundown Wild Forest acquisition map (courtesy Open Space Institute) The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the acquisition of 261 acres adjacent to the Catskill Forest Preserve’s Sundown Wild Forest. The permanent protection of the land will preserve open space, protect drinking water sources of the New York City watershed, and expand recreational opportunities to support the local economy. [Read more…] about 261 Acres Protected Adjacent to Sundown Wild Forest in the Catskills

Historic New Paltz Documents Translated

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Demand for payment to Simon DuBois (New Paltz Dutch slavery document)Historic Huguenot Street (HHS) in New Paltz, NY, recently commissioned the translation of historic documents from Dutch to English, thanks to a grant of $25,000 as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York. The project encompasses early-American documents ranging from the mid-1600s through the 1700s, part of a larger project to digitize and make these documents available online with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. [Read more…] about Historic New Paltz Documents Translated

Forest Rangers Rescue Hikers Near Lake George, In The Catskills & Shawangunk Ridge

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forest ranger logoNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents throughout New York State. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people.

What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers. [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Rescue Hikers Near Lake George, In The Catskills & Shawangunk Ridge

New Jersey Hikers Ticketed For Leaving Chairs On Wilderness Mountaintop

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Ticketed hikers carrying Adirondack chairs to top of Slide Mountain in July 2023On Saturday, July 8 at about 1:30 pm, the Catskill 3500 Club notified New York State Forest Ranger Martin about a group of hikers carrying two Adirondack chairs toward the summit of Slide Mountain in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County. [Read more…] about New Jersey Hikers Ticketed For Leaving Chairs On Wilderness Mountaintop

Group of 60 Campers Ticketed in State Wilderness Area; Hiker Rescued From Pitchoff

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Giant Ledge TrailOn June 21 at 3 pm, New York State Forest Rangers say they were notified that approximately 60 people were setting up camp on Giant’s Ledge in the Slide Mountain Wilderness Area in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County. [Read more…] about Group of 60 Campers Ticketed in State Wilderness Area; Hiker Rescued From Pitchoff

Nearly 100 Miles of New Greenway Trails in NYS Since Opened Since 2021

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Greenway Trails ReportParks & Trails New York (PTNY) and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) have announced the release of the New York State Greenway Trails Progress Report (August 2021-December 2022), which outlines the accomplishments made, the projects initiated, and the funding secured by state, local, and non-profit partners between August 2021 and December 2022. The report identifies 97.1 miles of new trails completed and 372.7 additional miles of trail in progress in that time frame. [Read more…] about Nearly 100 Miles of New Greenway Trails in NYS Since Opened Since 2021

Belleayre Ski Center Management Plan Released

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Belleayre Ski Mountain lodge courtesy ORDAThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) have released the final Unit Management Plan (UMP) for the Belleayre Ski Center. Belleayre Ski Center is located in Highmount in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, within the Catskill Forest Preserve and is the only State-operated ski center in the Catskills. [Read more…] about Belleayre Ski Center Management Plan Released

Hudson Valley Greenway Map Goes Digital

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Greenway Trail System MapThe Hudson River Valley Greenway has launched an online, interactive Greenway Trail System Map to illustrate and highlight the network of designated Greenway trails throughout the Hudson Valley. The map includes nearly 1,000 miles of designated land trails and over 115 designated water trail sites along the 256-mile Hudson River Greenway Water Trail. [Read more…] about Hudson Valley Greenway Map Goes Digital

Forest Rangers Kept Busy With Multiple Adirondack, Catskills Rescues

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forest ranger logoNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents throughout New York State. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people.

What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers. [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Kept Busy With Multiple Adirondack, Catskills Rescues