BACKYARD INVASIVE: MILE-A-MINUTE CATSKILLS BOOKSTAGRAM VINTAGE RECIPE: CINNAMON ROLLS
ON AND OFF THE SLOPES
WINTER 2022
4
WHAT’S NEW AT THE CATSKILL CENTER
8
FEATURED ARTIST: MEG SODANO
10
MILE-A-MINUTE IN DELAWARE COUNTY
14
CATSKILLS BOOKSTAGRAM: 2021 ROUNDUP
18
ON AND OFF THE SLOPES
26
VINTAGE RECIPE: CINNAMON ROLLS
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CONNECTING THE CATSKILLS
37
ENDNOTE
ARTWORK: FRONT, INSIDE, AND BACK COVER ART BY MEG SODANO
CONTENTS
STAFF CONTRIBUTORS WINTER 2022 JEFF SENTERMAN Jeff grew up spending weekends in the mountains, and when he’s not steering the ship that is the Catskill Center, can often be found atop a local peak. His column, Endnote, appears in each issue. Jeff is the Executive Director of the Catskill Center.
ALLISON DUNNE After a career in journalism, Allison joined the Catskill Center to tell stories in a different realm as the Communications Manager. She contributed the ski slope feature and is one of the magazine’s editors.
KELLI HUGGINS Kelli is an educator, historian, and native Catskillite. For this issue, she baked up cinnamon rolls. Kelli is a Visitor Experience Coordinator at the Catskills Visitor Center. She also copy edits the magazine.
SARAH MCGINNIS For this issue, Sarah handled the layout and graphic design work. Sarah is the Exhibit, Outreach and Marketing Coordinator for the Catskills Visitor Center.
JOHN THOMPSON John is the Coordinator for the Catskill Center’s Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP). He contributed the piece on the mile-a-minute infestation in Delaware County.
ABOUT US: Since 1969, the Catskill Center has protected and fostered the environmental, cultural, and economic well-being of the Catskill region. Our mission is to ensure a bright future for the Catskills by preserving our environment, expanding our economy, and celebrating our culture.
Become a member at: catskillcenter.org/membership
43355 Route 28, Arkville, NY 12406 | cccd@catskillcenter.org | 845.586.2611
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WHAT’S NEW AT THE CATSKILL CENTER WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST STAFF MEMBER: CHRISTINA RICCIARDELLI, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Christina’s love of the natural world began in Maine where she was born. It has become a lifelong commitment to understand the natural world and animals. She has bicycled across America and milked cows, is a distiller of essential oils, a trail runner, a maple syrup maker, an expert stone wall builder, a
dedicated
gardener,
and
a
landscape designer. Before making her home in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, Christina honed her love of nature and the botanical world through living in the High Desert, the Pacific Northwest, and the Rocky Mountains, three unique ecosystems that have deepened her understanding of how location and
HELP US BRING POLLINATORS TO CCCD PROPERTIES Have you heard the buzz? We were so excited to partner with Hudson Valley Bee Habitat for our 2021 year-end appeal to offer our donors a special bonus gift - and there’s still time to participate! For every 50 donors who respond to the year-end appeal, we will be able to install a wooden pollinator house at one of the Catskill Center properties. Check your mailbox for a letter from our Board Chair Peg DiBenedetto with more details - or feel free to reach out to Danielle Tucker at dtucker@catskillcenter.org for more information.
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PHOTO: COURTESY OF CHRISTINA RICCIARDELLI
climate shape our environment.
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: JOE HERROD, CATSKILLS VISITOR CENTER Where are you originally from? I
was
born
and
raised
Douglasville, Georgia.
in
I went
on my first backpacking trip in 1963 and regularly hiked the mountains
of
North
Georgia,
North Carolina, and Tennessee. I first came to the Catskills after we moved to NYC in 1980. My wife and I did a backpacking trip out of Pine Hill, NY and over Belleayre Mountain and Balsam Mountain. When did you first fall in love with the Catskills? On that trip. There’s a viewpoint on Balsam Mountain that looks down on the Big Indian. There PHOTO: JOE HERROD AT THE CATSKILLS VISITOR CENTER/CATSKILL CENTER
were the most brilliant fall colors I had ever witnessed. I thought right then that I would like to retire here. retired in 2006.
We spent most weekends up here until I
I then spent five seasons as an Assistant Forest Ranger
(AFR) in Region 3 of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). What is your favorite hike? Maybe Peekamoose, since I used to hike up it about once a week as an AFR or Table Mountain from the Denning trailhead. Or Kanape Brook up and over Ashokan High Point. Of course, the view from Giant Ledge is unbeatable. What do you like most about talking with visitors? I like meeting people and telling them about the Catskills. I especially like advising hikers on where to go, so that they can get the most from what they are looking for. Maybe they want a leisurely hike like Rochester Hollow or Red Hill, or a really tough one like the Wittenberg, Cornell, Slide Trail. I like to try to match the hike to the person’s desires and abilities.
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DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENTS: FUNDRAISING IN THE NEW YEAR What an extraordinary few years we’ve collectively experienced. Time seemed to have simultaneously stopped and sped up. While our human lives have been tossed around like toy boats on a roiling sea, the natural world has continued on, steadfastly adhering to ancient rhythms. Here, in the depths of winter while many of us are fully enjoying all the snowy, seasonal gifts the Catskills offer, we can begin to imagine the spring to come. The observable shifts will be accompanied by the more subtle, hidden changes. But, like much of the work of the Catskill Center, they are there, working patiently, rigorously, determinedly, often unseen. Without knowing it, you know it. You know that nature is planning something spectacular in a few months and the Catskill Center plans to emerge from our global hibernation with your support! We are holding a collective breath that 2022 will see more in-person gatherings, more opportunities to hug our loved ones, more chances to share laughter with those closest to us. We’re 100 percent with you in our hope for a more connected year. We are planning to resume our pre-2020 calendar of live events, including our Summer Gathering, Outdoor Expo, fall benefit, and a number of smaller events. There have been many changes at the Catskill Center over the course of the past couple of years — the board and staff leadership have determined that to grow, to emerge from this deep freeze, we must increase our reach and potential for growth. As part of that long-range vision, a brand new development team has been created, the first such official department in our history (for which we are gratefully included) and our communications have benefited from the addition of a seasoned pro, Allison Dunne. All this is in an effort to spread the word about the great work being done by the Catskill Center, work that hasn’t taken a break while our community has gathered itself and learned how to operate in this new environment. 6
WINTER 2022
Our gorgeous Catskills Visitor Center in Mount Tremper has remained open to the public (with COVID safety precautions in place) and we encourage you to drop by to see our new state-of-the-art interactive installations. Visitorship to our many sites has increased dramatically as more people sought refuge in the natural wonders of the Catskill Park, and we have increased the number of stewards to meet this new, and very welcome, influx of guests and inform every visitor possible. Our work on invasive species and streamside acquisitions has continued unabated and we hope to increase both our reach and ability to identify and mitigate the threats to our region by adding to an already stellar staff of experts in the field. Through tireless advocacy we have worked with legislators in Albany and with local politicians across the four counties that contain the Catskill Park to increase both funding and visibility for our priority of sustaining and maintaining the integrity of our pristine wild areas while keeping an eye on the balance of the needs of nature and responsible economic growth. Like many nonprofits, we have seen a slight dip in revenue during the past few years of upheaval but we are incredibly optimistic for the future and deeply grateful for the ongoing support of so many of our enthusiastic supporters. This is where you come in: We acknowledge and deeply respect the many challenges, large and small, that you have been experiencing alongside your neighbors and friends, and we hope that you, too, are excited to move forward and deepen your partnership with the Catskill Center as protectors of this unique region. We need you. We need you to continue to support our mission to protect and foster the environmental, economic, and cultural life of the Catskills. We hope that you’ll help us spread the word about the work we do. Please be sure to follow us on social media (@catskillcenter) and, of course, donate what you can, when you can. We cannot wait to see you in person again soon! Gratefully, the Development Team: Dean Klingler, Donor Relations Manager, dklingler@catskillcenter.org Danielle Tucker, Annual Giving Manager, dtucker@catskillcenter.org CATSKILL CENTER
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FEATURED ARTIST: MEG SODANO Meg Sodano is fascinated with changes in the natural world – life cycles, migrations, seasons, tides, weather – and with interactions among species and their environments. She uses her first-hand experiences, knowledge of animal biology, and training in science illustration to make children’s picture books and interpretive exhibits about ecology and conservation. Her latest picture book, Beaver and Otter Get Along, Sort Of: A Story of Grit and Patience Between Neighbors (written by Sneed Collard III, published by Sourcebooks, 2021), shows the importance of a beaver pond habitat from the perspectives of two very different animals. In 2019, Meg received the John Burroughs Association Riverby Award for her illustrations in Salamander Sky (written by Katy Farber, published by Green Writers Press, 2018), a narrative nonfiction picture book about the migration of spotted salamanders. Research in the Catskills contributed to the illustrations for this book. She has taught drawing and painting workshops aboard a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic ship in Galápagos, Ecuador, has been an artist-in-residence at Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve and Platte Clove Preserve in the Catskills, and at the Connecticut Audubon Center in Pomfret, NY. You can see her work in exhibits at Queens Botanical Garden in New York and Franklin Park Children’s Zoo in Boston. Through her illustrations, Meg strives to communicate the value of nature and the importance of environmental stewardship. To see more of Meg’s work, please visit: www. msodanoillustration.com AND LOOK FOR MORE OF MEG’S LOVELY ILLUSTRATIONS FEATURED ON THE COVER AND THROUGHOUT THIS ISSUE! CATSKILL CENTER
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PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: CRISP
THE CATSKILL REGIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES PARTNERSHIP MILE-A-MINUTE INFESTATION FOUND IN DELAWARE COUNTY A new population of mile-a-minute
many
(Persicaria perfoliata) was found in
growing season. Fall frost kills the
fruits
throughout
each
Davenport in the fall. Unfortunately,
vines, but the seeds overwinter in
it’s the largest population in this
the soil. Seeds can be viable in the
region that we know of — about
soil for up to six years.
3.7 acres. Fortunately, a landowner noticed a plant that “looked a little
Within the CRISP region, which
different” and took the initiative
extends across seven counties and
to take clippings from the plant
nearly 3.3 million acres, we know
and share them with a forester at
of five locations of mile-a-minute:
the New York State Department
one along the Delaware River,
of
Conservation
three in Woodstock, and now the
(DEC) in Stamford. The DEC forester
one in Davenport. The Davenport
then sent photos of the plant to us
infestation is the first observation
at the Catskill Regional Invasive
of
Species Partnership (CRISP), and
County, 40 miles away from the
we confirmed that it was indeed
closest known infestation.
mile-a-minute
in
Delaware
mile-a-minute. We’ve been working with private Mile-a-minute is an herbaceous,
landowners to survey and remove
annual vine that is an aggressive
mile-a-minute on their properties,
invader, earning its common name
and hope to prevent it from moving
from its fast growth. This plant
downstream on Charlotte Creek
can grow up to six inches a day. It
to invade other areas of the Upper
smothers native species with its
Susquehanna watershed. Within
ability to climb over other plants
the first month of its discovery,
and shade them out. It reproduces
staff and volunteers removed 55
by seed and is a prolific seeder. The
contractor bags filled with mile-a-
plant flowers from late summer
minute fruits and vines.
through October and can produce 10
WINTER 2022
PHOTO: MILE-A-MINUTE PLANT WITH BERRIES/CATSKILL CENTER
Environmental
We aim to stop the Davenport mile-a-minute infestation from spreading and limit its impact on local homeowners and businesses. Mile-a-minute could impact some of the properties and land uses in the area by ruining the hayfields, impacting campsites, limiting access to Charlotte Creek, and creating a nuisance in the village cemetery. This invasive plant originally spread from Asia to the United States in contaminated holly seed brought into Pennsylvania in 1930. There are a number of ways for the seeds to spread, including when people move soil contaminated with mile-a-minute seeds. Seeds can float for seven to nine days and be carried downstream to germinate in previously uninfested areas. Birds eat the fruits and deposit the seeds in their droppings, as do mammals such as deer, chipmunks, and squirrels. Even ants may move seeds. Mile-a-minute colonizes disturbed areas that have moist soils and get full sun, on stream banks and roadsides, and in wetlands, old fields, and forest gaps.
CATSKILL CENTER
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HOW TO IDENTIFY MILE-A-MINUTE Mile-a-minute vines have alternate, light green triangular leaves (1 ½ to 2 ¾ inches long and 2 to 3 ½ inches wide). The vines also are light green and become reddish towards the lower part of the vine as they mature. Vines grow to 25 feet or more in one season. The vine stems and the undersides of leaves are covered with recurved barbs that help it to hold onto objects and climb. A distinctive characteristic of mile-a-minute is that it has ½-inch to ¾-inch diameter round, flat leaves, called “ocreae” that encircle the stems at the nodes. Clusters of small, white flowers develop into green fruits that become blue when ripe.
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP! eradicate mile-a-minute in our region and protect the Catskills from this invasive plant. You can help us by reporting any observations of this plant to: jthompson@catskillcenter.org. Please include a photograph of the leaves, stem, and fruit. In addition, you can report mile-a-minute by signing up for iMapInvasives (www.nyimapinvasives.org/report-an-invasive). If you are willing to help us survey for this plant, please enter your contact information here: www.catskillinvasives.com/get-involved-1
NEED HELP identifying a plant? Tag us on Instagram @CatskillCenter 12
WINTER 2022
PHOTO: DAN SNIDER-NERP WORKING TO REMOVE MILE-A-MINUTE/CATSKILL CENTER
With the continued help of partners and volunteers, we seek to find and
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WINTER 2022
PHOTO: A RECIPE BY CATSKILL CENTER’S OWN MARC NEVES FOR FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE APPEARS IN THE BOOK CATSKILL COOKS/CATSKILL CENTER
CATSKILLS BOOKSTAGRAM: 2021 ROUNDUP KE LLI HUGG I N S Last
year
I
set
a
personal
challenge: I wanted to read more
find poetry or graphic novels that fit the bill.
books set in the Catskills. I knew of some off the top of my head,
I will be continuing the series into
but I didn’t expect just how many
2022, so to get you excited about
books fell into this category. As I
all of the books to come, I wanted
was working through my list (over
to do a little roundup from 2021.
150 works of adult fiction alone), I
There are so many books I could
decided it might be fun to share
have chosen so I needed to limit
some of my challenge finds. I
my selections somehow. All of the
pitched the creation of a Catskills
books listed below were released
book series for the Catskills
in 2021. This isn’t a comprehensive
Visitor Center’s Facebook and
list, but I have tried to give you
Instagram pages. On Instagram,
a range of genres and subjects.
we are able to tap into the very
I hope you find something you
active #Bookstagram community.
want to pick up at a local library or bookstore.
I share a new selection every Monday. My main criteria for a pick
FICTION
is it must be set at least partially in the Catskills. I also read every
Furbidden Fatality by Deborah
book before posting it. I love that
Blake (Berkley Books)
the series takes me into genres I
Cozy mysteries aren’t my most-
don’t normally choose. It has been
read genre, but I really enjoyed
especially fun finding some "deep
Blake’s introductory novel in the
cuts," like a 1990s middle grade
new Catskill Pet Rescue Mysteries
book based on the children’s
series. A lottery winner buys a
television
show
Ghostwriter.
I
failing pet rescue in her Catskills
aim for a mixture of fiction and
hometown and gets tied up in a
nonfiction, and I especially love to
murder investigation. I’m looking
CATSKILL CENTER
15
forward to reading the next book,
I’m including this buzzy satire
Doggone Deadly, which came out in
on this list even though the
November 2021.
majority of the story takes place in New York City (there are some
Deadly Summer Nights by Vicky
important
Delany (Berkley Books)
Catskill, so I’m counting it). Harris
This is another new Catskills-
tackles racism in the publishing
set cozy, the first of the Catskill
industry in this genre-blending
Summer Resort Mystery series.
book that feels like thriller, horror,
It’s 1953 and Elizabeth Grady and
and speculative fiction rolled into
her mother are newly in charge
one.
moments
set
in
of Haggerman’s Resort. When a guest turns up dead, it threatens
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria
the entire operation and Elizabeth
Lee (Random House)
is drawn into the investigation.
Lee's book embraces gothic dark
The next in the series, Deadly
academia: witchcraft, a boarding
Director's Cut, is scheduled for
school,
release in 2022.
and more. Set at the fictional
mysterious
deaths,
historic Dalloway School in the Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by
Catskills, it also has great LGBTQ+
Elyssa Friedland (Berkley Books)
representation.
Friedland
transports
an
Borscht
you
to
hotel
An Englishman in Prattsville by
and introduces you to three
Gary MacKnight (Raven Scott
generations of the Goldman and
Publishing)
Weingold families. As the two
Yes, this is a werewolf novel set in
families debate the future of their
the small town of Prattsville and,
hotel, they reveal secrets, scandal,
yes, it is a lot of fun. MacKnight's
and romance. It's a fun take on a
tale
multi-generational family story
Prattsville businesses so it is
and an ode to the special history
especially fun to pick out all of the
and culture of the Borscht Belt.
references if you're familiar with
aging
Belt
weaves
the town. The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris (Atria Books)
in
lots
of
real
Friends Like These by Kimberly
Russell
McCreight (Harper)
Delaney (Black Dome Press)
In this fast-paced thriller, a group
This is a great pick for someone
of friends convene at a home in the
looking for a different kind of
Catskills. Everyone has secrets,
hiking book. Each trail featured
most stemming from an incident
comes with an explanation of
in college that changed their lives.
its history. Local trails featured
And things start to go horribly,
include Dibble’s Quarry and the
horribly wrong. Expect a bunch
old stage road to the Catskill
of unlikeable characters making
Mountain House.
Dunn
and
Barbara
bad choices and an exploration of tensions between locals and
Catskill Cooks: Treasured Recipes
second homeowners.
and
Original
Art
(Pine
Hill
Community Center) I love a community cookbook
NONFICTION
and this one compiled by the Pine Hill Community Center is
Underground
Two
particularly lovely. It does a great
Centuries of Exploration, Adventure
job showcasing the multi-cultural
& Enterprise in New York’s Cave
cuisine of our region. There’s
Country by Dana Cudmore (Black
even a contribution from Catskill
Dome Press)
Center’s very own Marc Neves.
Schoharie are
County’s
fascinating
caves of
If you’re interested in seeing more
geology.
of my picks, log on to our social
Cudmore’s exploration of their
media pages every Monday. Feel
history brings up many surprising
free to send recommendations
tales and is full of illustrations and
of Catskills-set books you might
photographs
the
like to see featured in our series.
caves’ lives as tourist attractions.
I also have started doing library
local
a
Empires:
geography
and
piece
documenting
and bookstore features as part Paths to the Past: History Hikes
of the series, so send an email
Through the Hudson River Valley,
to
Catskills,
to recommend a local spot or
Berkshires,
Taconics,
Saratoga & Capital Region by
khuggins@catskillcenter.org
arrange a visit. CATSKILL CENTER
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ON AND OFF THE SLOPES
Last time this year, the COVID-19
We spoke with representatives from
vaccine was available only to certain
four Catskills-area ski centers to find
populations, so the majority of New
out which rules they have in place, as
Yorkers, and others in the U.S., were
well as any new, non-COVID-related
not yet vaccinated. Ski centers last
developments. We’ve also included
season were operating under reduced
some of our favorite off-the-slopes
capacity and increased demand for
spots in each area that are open year-
lift tickets, not to mention a smaller
round.
workforce. One year later, there are still regulations pertaining to
Need help planning a customized
COVID-19, but they look different than
itinerary for your group? Our Catskills
last season, vary from mountain to
Visitor Center staff is happy to
mountain, and are subject to change
help - call 845-688-3369 or email
at any moment.
info@catskillcenter.org.
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WINTER 2022
PHOTO: COURTESY OF BELLEAYRE MOUNTAIN
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR THE 2021-2022 SEASON
BELLEAYRE MOUNTAIN — 181 Galli Curci Rd., Highmount. Belleayre.com New York state’s indoor mask mandate applies not only to buildings, but to shuttle buses and the gondola. It is recommended that skiers wear masks outdoors if they’re with others not in their pods, for example, on the chairlift. "If you arrive together, you can ride together," suggested Joe McCracken, Marketing Manager at Belleayre Mountain Ski Center. He also recommends social distancing from guests not in one’s pod. "We’re kind of on the honor system," McCracken said of enforcing such guidelines. He says Belleayre has sold a record number of season passes, breaking the previous year’s record. Half are new customers. Belleayre highly recommends purchasing lift tickets online. Renovations are under way at Overlook Lodge, which was damaged by a snow slide last season. Belleayre staff are replacing the outside wall and windows. The retail shop has moved to the main floor of Discovery Lodge. The second phase of the heated patio and bar at Discovery Lodge is complete. The heated patio deck will prevent snow from accumulating without the use of chemicals. The patio is now home to four outdoor fire pits. Other upgrades at Belleayre might not be outwardly obvious to visitors, but are responsible for efficiently putting more snow on the mountain when Mother Nature does not cooperate. There’s a new pumphouse to house all of Belleayre’s electric compressors and pumps. There’s also a new 13,000-foot snowmaking pipe, increasing capacity to pump water up the mountain. Plus, 235 new energyefficient electric snow guns are part of an ongoing project to replace high energy snow guns that run on diesel. Belleayre also added a PistenBully snow groomer to its fleet.
Nearby: — Cross-country trails at Belleayre
— Tree Juice Maple Syrup
— Rochester Hollow Trail
— Peekamoose Restaurant
— Giant Ledge Trail
— Union Grove Distillery
— Village East Cafe
— Woodstock Brewing
— 1053 Main Street Gallery
— The Ark Bowl & BBQ
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HUNTER MOUNTAIN - 64 Klein Ave., Hunter. huntermtn.com Vail Resorts-owned Hunter Mountain began the 2021-2022 season requiring masks indoors before New York state issued its own such mandate December 15. Guests need to show proof of COVID vaccinations for the upstairs portion of the main base lodge. Masks are required for access to the downstairs portion of the main base lodge (bathrooms, lockers, ski shop), though no
This season, masks are not required outdoors (they were last season) and no social distancing is in place outdoors (it was last season). As for dining, guests ages 12 and over will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations to dine at Hunter’s indoor, on-mountain quick-service (cafeteria-style) restaurants. "We are putting a tremendous emphasis on outdoor food service," said Adam White, Senior Manager of Communications for the Northeast Region, Vail Resorts.
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WINTER 2022
PHOTO: COURTESY OF HUNTER MOUNTAIN
proof of vaccination is required.
Advanced skiers can take to the slopes at Hunter North, an 80-acre terrain expansion that debuted in 2019 and has matured. Other news at Hunter includes its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) effort. "We’re working hard to expand access beyond traditional ski and ride guests," White said, adding that the ski population does not reflect population centers like New York City, just more than two hours to the south. Vail Resorts was awarded a $97,000 grant to work with the National Brotherhood of Skiers to improve youth access. Some of the money will help Hunter Mountain connect with the Nubian Empire Ski Club in Albany to bring Nubian’s youth groups to try the sport.
Nearby: — Mountain Top Arboretum
— Main St. Tannersville Shops
— Mountain Trails Cross Country
— Twin Peaks Coffee & Donuts
— New York Zip Line Adventures
— Mama’s Boy Burgers
— Kaaterskill Rail Trail
— Hunter Mountain Brewery
— Last Chance Antiques & Cheese Cafe
— Doctorow Center for the Arts
DIVERSITY ON THE SLOPES — According to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), 87.5% of participants during the 2020/2021 ski season identified as white; 6.1% as Asian/Pacific Islander; 5.8% as Latino/a or of Spanish origin; and 1.5 % as Black/African American. Usually, reports show the gender split between male and female hovers around 60% male and 40% female. For the 2020/2021 season, the breakdown varied a bit, with 62% male and 38% female, possibly because of COVID-19 related changes at work, school, and travel.
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PLATTEKILL MOUNTAIN — 469 Plattekill Rd., Roxbury. plattekill.com Plattekill has implemented several practices from last season because they were more efficient and kept the lodge less crowded. “If you can change your boots in the car, change your boots in the car,” said Danielle Vajtay, with family-owned Plattekill Mountain. “If you can spend less time in the lodge, spend less time in the lodge.” Plattekill is following CDC guidelines and state mandates. Unlike last season, there are no limits on the number of skiers on the mountain. Plattekill continues to sell all tickets online; same-day tickets may not be available. Rentals also are booked solely online. There are private lessons for adults, or the option of “renting an instructor” for up to four people in a pod. Plattekill has streamlined its offerings for children this season, and there is one group lesson program for ages 7-12. There is no longer an introductory group lesson for kids ages 4-6 as Plattekill has found that this age group progresses faster from private instruction. While there are indoor dining options, the outdoor “Platty Shack” is new this season, offering grab-and-go food and beverage options on an outdoor deck, complete with heaters and fire pits. Improvements for this season include a new automated snowmaking compressor; 30 new snow guns along with 2,000 feet of snowmaking pipe on Plunge Trail as part of a five-year snowmaking infrastructure upgrade; a renovated rental shop; and a new online web store (shop.plattekill.com).
Nearby: — Kirkside Park
— Catskill Mountain Artisan Guild
— Catskill Recreation Center
— Roxbury General Store
— Woodchuck Lodge
— Roxbury Mountain Maple
— Roxbury’s Victorian houses
— Watershed (restaurant)
— Roxbury Arts Group
— Chappie’s (restaurant)
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WINTER 2022
WINDHAM MOUNTAIN — 19 Resort Dr., Windham. windhammountain.com Windham is again adhering to its "Red & Green Capacity Calendar" this season, to limit the number of guests during peak visitation periods. As the colors indicate, green means there are no anticipated capacity restrictions. Red means there are significant capacity restrictions in place, and lift tickets for red days must be purchased in advance and online. Season passholders have unlimited access on red days; Season passes have sold out. As for grabbing a bite in between runs, all indoor dining has resumed this season, though Windham does encourage visitors to avail themselves of outdoor offerings, such as the Umbrella Bar and two food trucks. In general, guests are encouraged to practice social distancing outdoors from those not in their parties, but there are no outdoor restrictions. Apart from COVID-related news, Windham has a new environmentallyfriendly snow groomer, the PistenBully 600 E+. In addition, Windham has revamped its children’s ski and ride facilities, renamed Base Camp, for kids ages 3-12. There’s a new Magic Carpet with an overhead canopy. These are part of the $4 million in capital improvements Windham Mountain has pledged around the resort. Also included in the funding will be the addition of ten electric vehicle charging stations, expanded wedding venues, and more. "We’re excited for everyone to be part of Windham Mountain," said Kate Sullivan, Windham Mountain Marketing & Communications Manager.
Nearby: — The Windham Path
— Higher Grounds Coffee Co.
— Five State Lookout
— Todaro’s Salumeria
— Briars and Brambles Books
— Bistro Brie & Bordeaux
— Windham Fine Arts
— Neapolis Pizza
— Catskill Mountain Country Store
— Ze Windham Wine Bar
***COVID-19 regulations and circumstances can change quickly. New York state reinstated an indoor mask mandate as of mid-December, in effect until at least February 1. Please check the website for each local business or call for the latest information. CATSKILL CENTER
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THANK YOU BUSINESS MEMBERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE CATSKILL CENTER We would like to recognize these businesses for their generosity. When you do business with them, you support the Catskill Center and the entire region.
BUSINESS PARTNERS ($1000+) GATES VENTURES TUTHILLTOWN SPIRITS LLC COSMIK ICE CREAM BUSINESS FRIENDS ($500+) WOODSTOCK CHIMES FUND LAMONT ENGINEERS, PC BUSINESS STEWARDS ($250+) BUGGED OUT HUNTER FOUNDATION INC. LVDV OPERATIONS, INC. SAFECO ALARM SYSTEMS, INC. COLUMBIA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SLUITER AGENCY, INC.
BUSINESS MEMBERS ($100+) PHOENICIA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION GREEN LABEL HOMES CAMP CATSKILL KAATERSKILL MARKET RED SQUARE DESIGN OTTO & FRIENDS STORY FARMS LLC BREEZY HILL INN
ERICKSON’S AUTOMOTIVE, INC. ESOPUS CREEK CONSERVANCY HUDSON VALLEY APPRAISAL CORP. MARK LOETE PHOTOGRAPHY PINE HILL TRAILWAYS MEL BELLAR SILVER HOLLOW AUDIO
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO BECOME A BUSINESS MEMBER, VISIT WWW.CATSKILLCENTER.ORG/BUSINESSMEMBERSHIP 24
WINTER 2022
Your tax-deductible donation supports healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities throughout the Catskill region. Catskillcenter.org/membership Or complete this form and mail to:
Become a Member Individual ($35) Dual / Family ($50) Senior/Student ($25) BENEFITS INCLUDE: SUBSCRIPTION to the Catskill Center’s quarterly Catskills magazine with news from the Catskill Center and across the Catskill Region. 10% DISCOUNT on purchases at the Catskills Visitor Center, all Catskill Center facilities, and Campmor in Paramus, NJ with presentation of member card.
CATSKILL CENTER P.O. BOX 504 ARKVILLE, NY 12406 NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE
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CATSKILL CENTER
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Vintage Recipe: CINNAMON ROLLS KE LLI HUGG I N S I have a handwritten recipe book
in the early 1930s. The Catskills,
that dates back to my great-
like the rest of the country, would
grandmother. It can be fun to dig
have been in the midst of the Great
back through it sometimes and
Depression. Some farm families,
pick a recipe to try. Interestingly,
like my own, would have had better
none of the recipes contained
access to dairy products, like the
within
became
milk and butter in the recipe, but
family
favorites
long-standing passed
down
other ingredients would have to be
from generation to generation
purchased with slim food budgets.
(except in the preservation of this
Knowing that makes these seem
cookbook). I was concerned when
even more like a treat.
I started making things from it I would discover that the reason for
The cinnamon rolls are gooey
this loss of tradition was that the
and soft and melt in your mouth.
recipes themselves were not good!
They would be perfect for a frosty
However, with what I’ve made so
morning when you’re curled up
far, including these cinnamon
under a blanket by the fire. Or really
rolls, that has not turned out to
any other time, too.
PHOTO: KELLI’S CINNAMON ROLLS/CATSKILL CENTER
be the case. In fact, these rolls are something I have made with some
CINNAMON ROLLS
frequency and they always get rave
FOR THE DOUGH:
reviews.
1 cup milk 1 tsp salt
This calls for simpler ingredients
2 tbsp sugar
than many modern cinnamon
3 tbsp shortening like Crisco (you
roll recipes. There are no eggs or
can use butter, too)
fancy frostings. I wonder if that
3 tsp yeast (I used rapid-rise)
has to do with the era in which
2 ½- 3 cups flour
this recipe was written. My greatgrandmother (with help from her
FOR THE FILLING:
mother, too) wrote this recipe book
¾ cup packed brown sugar CATSKILL CENTER
27
1 tbsp cinnamon (or to taste)
Once risen, roll the dough out in a
Raisins, if preferred
rectangle about ½ an inch thick.
¼ cup softened butter or margarine
Spread the butter or margarine on top and evenly sprinkle the sugar,
Scald the milk (heat just until you
cinnamon, and raisins.
ARTWORK BY MEG SODANO
see small bubbles forming on the surface). Add the sugar, salt, and
Grease a 9 x 13” pan. Roll the dough
shortening and mix well. Let the
from the long side to make the
mixture cool to between 80-90
spiral. Cut the roll into 12 sections.
degrees F. Add the yeast. Transfer to
A serrated knife works, but I prefer
a mixing bowl and add 1 ½ cups of
to use a piece of unflavored dental
flour. When well mixed, slowly add
floss. Put the floss under the roll,
enough of the remaining flour to
crossing the two ends at the top
make a soft dough. You might not
and pull, slicing cleanly through
need the full amount.
the roll.
Knead the dough on a lightly-
Place the slices in the greased
floured surface for 10 minutes. Put
pan with space between them. Let
the dough in a greased bowl and
the dough rise for another 30-45
cover to rise in a warm location for
minutes, or until they puff up a
2 ½ hours or until it has doubled in
little. Bake at 350 degrees for about
size.
30 minutes or until golden brown.
Secure the health of the Catskills for generations.
catskillcenter.org/plannedgiving
YOUR LEGACY
THE FUTURE OF THE CATSKILLS
CONNECTING THE CATS
SKILLS:
NEW TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD HELP SOLVE POOR CELLULAR COVERAGE IN THE CATSKILLS "I can’t search for the trail map.” "The parking lot is full, but I can’t call to let them know. And I can’t get look up the address of that shop we wanted to visit." "We’re lost in the woods and can’t call for help! I have no bars, no signal." By implementing recommendations issued by the Upstate Cellular Coverage Task Force (Task Force), the hope is to minimize the above refrains. In 2019, New York State established the Task Force, which brought together industry
experts,
community
leaders,
government
officials, environmental constituencies, and other key PHOTO: CATSKILL STEWARDS AT KAATERSKILL FALLS/CATSKILL CENTER
stakeholders. Catskill Center Executive Director Jeff Senterman, a member of the Task Force, says the overall charge was to find ways to expand cellular service into New York’s rural areas, especially the Catskill Park and the Adirondack Park. The Task Force issued a report/ recommendations in September 2021. Catskill Center’s Allison Dunne (AD): You were relying on federal maps that ended up to be inaccurate. In terms of the Catskills, where was the inaccuracy? Jeff Senterman (JS):
The inaccuracy really was
because the federal data uses census tract information, so if any one place within a census tract shows service, then the whole area shows service. And when we looked in detail, it was clear CATSKILL CENTER
31
that the boxes that were shaded
area, and then again, almost all
in on the federal maps as having
the way to Delhi. So you have two
cell coverage maybe had service
very long stretches of highway
in one corner. [In consultation
that can be challenging in winter
with the Task Force, an advisory
months. That was the biggest area
team performed drive testing to
that was shown. Also, the other
measure cellular coverage along
area that was really shown to be
a subset of major roadways in the
lacking, and kind of surprised
Adirondacks and Catskills.] The
me actually, was Sullivan County,
vehicle being driven along all these
a large majority of the county,
routes was equipped with sensors
outside of any of the small, dense
that could detect the three major
areas. The state Senator at the
carriers — AT&T, Verizon, and
time from that area was really
T-Mobile. The sensors measured
keen
the strength or lack of signal and
because she was saying, you
provided a more nuanced look at
know, I drive around my district
where there is service. And the
and I have no service but, if you
maps clearly overestimated the
look at these maps, it says there’s
amount of coverage. The areas
service. So Route 28 is probably
with significant coverage gaps
the most traveled route without
were even larger than the maps
any service, but many of the
would have had you believe.
roadways
on
understanding
throughout
that
Sullivan
County don’t have service once AD: What are some areas in the
you’re beyond the boundaries of
Catskills that are notorious for
the more populated communities.
horrible cell phone coverage? AD: On what recommendations do JS: I think the most notorious for
you all agree?
most folks is, once you pass Mount Tremper, on Route 28, heading
JS:
west, you no longer have service
recommendations
until you reach Highmount, right
out of the report. One was, as you
at the Ulster County, Delaware
would expect, to encourage private
County line. Then you’ll have
investment, so encouraging the
service through the Margaretville
Verizons, AT&Ts and T-Mobiles
32
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So there were three main that
came
of the world to simply build
which provides a distinct process
more towers and invest more
for the companies to follow;
in the existing infrastructure to
whereas, companies that come to
provide better signals. The next
a community here in the Catskills,
was
regulatory
where there is no Park Agency
permitting for cellular towers.
(and we’re not asking for one),
We did work quite a bit on
could encounter a vastly different
understanding
process
streamlining
the
regulatory
in
that
community
environment that cell providers
than in the one next door. One
work in, and what we discovered
community’s
was they like certainty.
process
could
In New
last six months while another
York, you have to go to the
could take two years. And that
municipality and apply for your
uncertainty makes them not want
permit, and each municipality has
to make that private investment.
its own process. So what you might do on one side of the Catskills
AD: In the report, there’s a cost
could be completely different than
breakdown to close the coverage
what you do on the other side, so
gap. For Upstate, which includes
providers never really know what
the
they’re getting into.
region, the estimated cost is $610
Adirondack
and
Catskill
million ($313,000 per mile of new In terms of capital investment, the
coverage). For the Catskills, the
companies would much rather go
estimated cost is $73.7 million.
where they know they can invest,
What was agreed upon in terms
and where they know there are
of where these miles are? (In the
users who will rely on their service.
report, the Catskill region has 1,916
This is one reason why Upstate
road miles, 235 of which have no
has always been a challenge. And
cellular coverage.)
what we actually found was that Upstate
communities,
outside
JS: What the Task Force agreed
of the Adirondack Park, were
upon was that we were looking
seen as more challenging for
at providing service on major
getting through the regulatory
roadways, and what we define
process. The Adirondacks have
as major roadways are federal
the
highways, state highways, and
Adirondack
Park
Agency,
CATSKILL CENTER
33
then county roads and major town
Our opportunity to advance the
roads. The mileage that you see is
recommendations of the Task
the total mileage of those kinds of
Force lies with New York state.
roads, so it’s not a town road that
The legislature and governor have
branches off to another road in the
started
middle of nowhere; it’s the major
There were legislators involved
routes within each community.
on the Task Force who are very
their
budget
process.
interested in expanding cellular AD: In hopes that they could reach
service within their districts. And
those dead-end or spur roads if
I think that for groups that are
the coverage is good enough.
interested in expanding cellular service, like the Catskill Center,
JS: Right, exactly.
this will be something that we need to be talking to legislators
AD: The report’s done, so what’s
about and trying to find ways to
next? How do you get from report
incentivize (I don’t exactly know
recommendations to building cell
what the incentivization would
towers or getting the technology
look like, it’s kind of more for
there to provide coverage? Are we
the legislature to say), whether
talking years?
it’s providing subsidies or prepermitting sites, or whatever else.
JS:
I think for all of Upstate,
We need to find a way in the state
we’re talking years. It will be a
budget to fund these efforts. I
process. The third major report
think that to cover every single
recommendation is looking at
mile that was identified in the
ways to incentivize development
report will be a multi-year process.
of cellular service in the Upstate rural areas. So it’s what kind of
That said, the other good thing
subsidies or actions could New
that we have going for us is
York state take to incentivize
that
AT&T or Verizon to go through
infrastructure bill President Biden
the process and put a tower in an
signed in November includes
area where, at first glance, they
billions of dollars for expanded
wouldn’t necessarily work.
broadband and wireless services.
the
$1
trillion
federal
So we can expect that there’ll 34
WINTER 2022
be an infusion of federal cash
Frankenpines. You always hear
coming into all the states, and in
that there’s going to be this new
New York, specifically, to increase
technology that’s going to make
cellular service and broadband
towers obsolete, and it’s just down
across the state, because one of
the road, yet cellular service really
the challenges is that you can’t
depends on putting receivers and
just install a tower at the top of
repeaters in places that have the
a hill and flip a switch and have
ability to broadcast and receive
service. That tower needs to be
signals across distances, and the
connected to fiber broadband
way you do that is putting them
because the signal from the tower
on towers. There are really two
has to travel through the fiber to
major ways now that companies
get into the regular telephone
do that. There’s a large tower
system. Both of them go hand
on a high point that’s able to
in hand. And what we were
broadcast over a huge area. And
finding was there wasn’t always
then there are towers that are
broadband available on some
strategically placed, that may
of the routes that are currently
only break treeline by a little
identified as not having cellular
bit. And they provide coverage
service. And so both broadband
in
and cellular service would have
because, really, the geography is
to be expanded together through
what’s limiting cellular service. If
those areas.
you had a completely flat place,
geographically
tight
areas
you could put a few towers up and AD:
And what about the look of
have cellular service for miles.
towers? That’s something that some people are very sensitive
But in places like the Adirondacks
about,
and
particularly
resource-rich
areas
in
natural
like
the
Catskills,
you’re
the
surrounded by mountains, you’re
Catskills. And while they’ve come
in valleys. So you could put up the
a long way, making some of the
biggest tower you wanted but, if
towers look like trees, they are not,
you’re surrounded by mountains,
obviously, natural structures.
cellular service is only going to be provided within that valley where
JS: Yeah, some of them we call
that tower is; it’s not going to be CATSKILL CENTER
35
able to go over the mountain to
people get lost in the woods and,
the other side. So the solutions
if cellular service was available,
we were looking at took into
the search and rescue would have
consideration that, these were
been much quicker.
unique areas and part of the Forest Preserve and that much of the
And just as importantly, so much
land couldn’t be developed. In the
of the visitor economy is based
Adirondacks, one of the standards
on people being able to use their
that the Adirondack Park Agency
cell phones, being able to access
uses is "substantially invisible."
Google Maps to get somewhere.
So the towers really can’t be seen. There was talk of mixing the large
And then looking for more ways
towers with smaller towers, and
to better move visitors around in
even using telephone poles along
Catskill Park and address high
highways, to provide very small
use will depend on having cellular
cellular areas, but to bring that
service so visitors can connect
cell service through the most
with
remote areas that are surrounded
find out whether parking lots are
by protected lands.
full and find alternatives. Also,
information.
People
can
if you’re a small business in the AD: Any final thoughts to share?
Catskills, you’re advertising on these mobile applications, which
JS: We’ve reached the stage where
can prove to be a real lifeblood for
cellular service is no longer a
local businesses.
luxury. Years ago, we all thought of it as, isn’t it cool to have a phone
Cellular service is necessary for
but, nowadays, so much of our
so many things, so it’s important
lives is really based on having
that we have coverage without
access to cellular service. Here
harming the natural resources
in the Catskills, people are at a
here in the Catskills. The Catskill
disadvantage when it comes to
Center sees this as a significant
public safety. We have had people
issue for the region in terms of
that
died
public safety, the growth of our
because they were unable to get a
economy, and the management of
signal and call for help. We’ve had
the Catskill Park.
36
unfortunately
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have
ENDNOTE - REFLECTIONS ON THE PAST YEAR
Looking back at 2021, it surely wasn’t the easiest year for many people or organizations. The COVID-19 pandemic has continued, and while some semblance of normalcy returned, we have all struggled to find our way forward. Pressing forward through such a difficult year is one reason why I am very proud of the Catskill Center team. Both the staff and the Board of Directors have worked hard to ensure the Catskill Center didn’t simply make it through 2021, but that we prospered and succeeded despite the challenges. The work was tougher, but the rewards were even better. Just a few top-line accomplishments in 2021 include: 2021 budget successes for the Catskill Park, including increased funding for the Catskill Stewards Program, funding for the Catskills Visitor Center, and increased funding for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(NYSDEC) to care for the Catskill Park;
The Catskill Center’s Catskill Stewards greeting more than 84,000 visitors to the Catskill Park; The appointment of a Catskill Park Coordinator by the NYSDEC, a position long sought through Catskill Center advocacy; The full reopening of the Catskills Visitor Center with all new exhibits, a new website, and new interpretive materials; Continued protection of streams and riparian corridors through our partnership with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); Trail and site improvements at our two public Preserves; and
CATSKILL CENTER
37
Increasing staff capacity at the Catskill Center to further our mission to protect and preserve the Catskills. I’m proud of everyone at the Catskill Center for their hard work, but I am also very proud and grateful for everyone who supports the Catskill Center through their generous donations. By giving to the Catskill Center, you are the reason why we can continue to succeed at the important work of protecting and preserving the Catskills. 2021 was also filled with challenges, both professionally and personally. Here at the Catskill Center, we continue to adjust to the reality of remote work, for the most part. The few opportunities we had to gather in person were joyous but short-lived as COVID variants spread. We also continue to learn how best to have our public-facing staff stay safe, an ever-changing effort using the best available science and information. Personally, it’s been a tough year for many of us. We have all experienced isolation and loneliness, and many of us have experienced loss. It is in that loss that I want to offer a tribute. My mother, Jo-Ann Senterman, passed away unexpectedly this fall. Her story is like many of us who come to love the Catskills. As a child, her parents brought her to the NYC Police Camp in Platte Clove during the summers, as her dad was an NYC police officer. At the time, she had no idea that her future home would be just across the valley, nestled at the base of Indian Head Mountain. Later on, she met my father, who loved hiking and exploring the Catskills. That’s when she realized she had grown up spending summers across the valley from my father’s cabin. They married and raised me and my brother Doug to love and appreciate the outdoors. While we lived and went to school in the Hudson Valley, we spent practically every weekend together in the Catskills. Soon my father became involved with trail maintenance in the Catskills through the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, and, by default, my mother did, too. She was never the outdoorsperson that my dad is, but she tried, and she supported us in everything that we did to enjoy these wild places, including our work to protect them. No matter the event or activity, she rolled up her 38
WINTER 2022
sleeves and helped however she could — from catering big trail volunteer meetings, to constantly assisting with our outdoor adventure logistics, to taking part in almost every event across the region to support us. She was truly a steward of the Catskills. I’m sure that as a small child in Platte Clove at that camp, she had no idea just how much the Catskills would influence her life and shape her family, but I for one am so glad and so honored that the Catskills blessed our family
PHOTO: JEFF SENTERMAN WITH HIS PARENTS JO-ANN AND PETE SENTERMAN AT THE 2017 FALL GALA/CATSKILL CENTER
in the way they did. While her loss weighs heavily on us, it brings me peace and hope to know that she’s still very much a part of these mountains, and her legacy, instilled in all of us to honor, treasure, and work hard for these mountains, will live on in my brother and me. I hope for a more peaceful and brighter 2022 for all of us. The Catskill Center will do its part to make this a reality for our region.
JEFF SENTERMAN Catskill Center Executive Director
CATSKILL CENTER
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2022
Catskills, delivered directly to Catskill Center members.
A periodical celebrating New York State’s glorious
PO Box 504 43355 State Highway 28 Arkville, NY 12406
The Catskill Center for Conservation & Development