Misplaced Pages

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38-987: The idea of forming the ADK was conceived by Meade C. Dobson, an official of the New York State Association of Real Estate Boards and the secretary of the Palisades Interstate Park Trail Conference , who felt there was need for a private organization that could help the State develop trails and shelters to make remote areas of the Adirondacks more accessible to hikers and backpackers. Encouraged by support from George D. Pratt , Conservation Commissioner of New York State, and William G. Howard, Superintendent of Forests, Dobson invited other like-minded individuals to an organizational meeting. The initial meeting, attended by 40 people, took place on December 5, 1921, in

76-695: A water gap on the border of the U.S. states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where the Delaware River cuts through a large ridge of the Appalachian Mountains . The gap makes up the southern portion of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area , which is used primarily for recreational purposes, such as canoeing , fishing , hiking , and rock climbing . Though the US National Park Service manages

114-525: A 2,100-mile (3,400 km) trail from Maine to Georgia (subsequently named the Appalachian Trail ) was publicized by the New York Evening Post . The project generated great enthusiasm, and on October 7, 1923, the first section of the trail, from Bear Mountain west through Harriman State Park to Arden , New York, was opened by groups of enthusiastic volunteers. The first trails built were

152-831: A ravine to rejoin the Appalachian Trail at Sunfish Pond. Running from Springer Mountain , Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park , Maine , the Appalachian Trail enters the Delaware Water Gap at the Delaware River on the Route 80 Bridge. It goes to Sunfish Pond, and continues northeast to Stokes State Forest . The trail crosses Route 206 and continues along the ridgeline of the Kittatinny Mountains to High Point State Park , eventually entering New York . Of

190-458: A red shale, are at the gap under Dunnfield Creek. The Delaware Water Gap is nearly 1,300 feet (400 m) wide at river level and about 1 mile (1.6 km) wide from the top of Mt. Tammany to the top of Mt. Minsi. It is more than 1,200 feet (370 m) from mountaintop to the river surface. The river through the gap is 290 feet (88 m) above sea level. The ridge of the Appalachians that

228-500: Is 1,540 ft (470 m) above sea level. In 1739, America's first botanist, John Bartram of Philadelphia , followed the course of the Delaware River in his search for American trees, evergreens and shrubs to supply new species that were formerly unknown to British naturalists. These gardeners waited months for shipments of saplings, seeds, and pinecones to be sent by sea that were then introduced into English gardens. Using Native American trails, Bartram rode on horseback through

266-412: Is a geological feature where a river cuts through a mountain ridge. The Delaware Water Gap formed 500 million years ago when quartz pebbles from mountains in the area were deposited in a shallow sea. The Martinsburg Shale on the eastern side of what was to be Kittatinny Mountain was uplifted 450 million years ago when a chain of volcanic islands collided with proto-North America. These islands slid over

304-806: Is a volunteer-based federation of approximately 10,000 individual members and about 100 member organizations (mostly hiking clubs and environmental organizations ). The conference coordinates the maintenance of 2,000 miles of foot trails around the New York metropolitan area , from the Delaware Water Gap , north to beyond the Catskill Mountains , including the Appalachian Trail through New York and New Jersey. It also works to protect open space and publishes books and trail maps . The organization's headquarters are at 600 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah , New Jersey . On October 19, 1920 local hiking clubs gathered in

342-523: The Congress authorized the building of a dam across the Delaware River at Tocks Island, upstream of the water gap. Meant to control hurricane-related flooding, it was never built. The land for the proposed reservoir, which had already been purchased, was used to create the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in 1965. There are two visitor centers, one in New Jersey near the Delaware River bridge and

380-832: The Johns Brook Lodge in Keene Valley , which provide bunkrooms and private rooms, and communal meals as well as campsites . Johns Brook, at the foot of the Great Range , is accessible only by hiking, with the easiest route being a 3.5-mile (5.6 km) hike from Keene Valley. ADK offers extensive programming all across New York State all year around. Activities include hiking, biking, paddling, snowshoeing, skiing and much more. 44°10′58″N 73°57′59″W  /  44.18278°N 73.96639°W  / 44.18278; -73.96639 Palisades Interstate Park Trail Conference The New York – New Jersey Trail Conference ( NYNJTC )

418-896: The Outings page of the New York Evening Post , and included representatives from the Appalachian Mountain Club , the Fresh Air Club, the Green Mountain Club , the Tramp and Trail Club, the Associated Mountaineering Clubs of America and the League of Walkers. Major Welch guided the organization during its first ten years. Raymond Torrey served as its Secretary. In 1922 a proposal by forester Benton MacKaye to build

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456-520: The U.S. Forest Service , was an early member, and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt were life members of the ADK. In an introduction to the club's 20th anniversary Annual Report in 1942, then president Roosevelt wrote "[This is] an appropriate time to emphasize the Club's initial statement of policy, adhered to and acted upon vigorously throughout the years, that 'the Adirondack Forest preserve belongs to

494-588: The Yosemite Decimal System scale. Climbers follow the gray dot trail along Route 80, then pass the large rock face, then go up the path to the route they choose. Beginning in 2010, the Pennsylvania side has been periodically closed to climbing during the nesting season for the endangered peregrine falcons . The Easton Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America operated Weygadt Scout Reservation at

532-532: The 2,174 miles (3,499 km) of trail, 28 miles (45 km) are within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Additional trails also traverse through the area. The gap is a popular place to rock-climb in New Jersey. The climbs are 150 to 300 ft (46 to 91 m). Most climbing is done on the New Jersey side due to easier access. There are about one hundred climbs on the New Jersey side. Climbs range from 5.1 to 5.14 on

570-751: The Delaware River crosses is called the Blue Mountains in Pennsylvania and the Kittatinny Ridge in Warren County, New Jersey . This is the first major ridge of the Appalachian mountains. New Jersey's mountain is Mount Tammany , named after the Lenni-Lenape Chief Tamanend . The Pennsylvania mountain is Mount Minsi , named after the Native American tribe of the area. The summit of Tammany

608-762: The Log Cabin atop the Abercrombie & Fitch sporting goods store in New York City . The meeting was proposed by Meade C. Dobson of the Boy Scouts of America and organized by Major William A. Welch , general manager of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission to plan a system of hiking trails to make Harriman - Bear Mountain State Park more accessible to the public. In addition to Welch and Dobson, those attending included Raymond H. Torrey , who edited

646-556: The National Recreation Area, portions of the water gap are also patrolled by New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry . The park does not charge an entrance fee but does have expanded amenity fees, including vehicle season and daily passes, bicycles amenity fees, and charges for beach use. Most of the park is open 24-hours a day, with most day-use areas within the park open sunrise to sunset (such as trailhead parking lots, Millbrook Village, and all picnic areas). A water gap

684-664: The New York - New Jersey Trail Conference had helped expand the Huckleberry Ridge State Forest in Orange County, New York by transferring 389 acres from the New York - New Jersey Trail Conference holdings to the State of New York. The Huckleberry Ridge State Forest grew to 1500 acres with the acres purchased from the Trail Conference. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation paid $ 1.55 million for

722-537: The North American plate, and deposited rock on top of the plate, forming the Highlands and Kittatinny Valley. About 400 million years ago, a small continent collided with proto-North America. The heat from the pressure melted the quartzite, which allowed it to bend the quartz pebbles. This layer was then uplifted and cracked over thousands of years. During this period, the Delaware River slowly cut its path down through

760-752: The Orange County Land Trust was also reported by the Times Herald-Record. The Trail Conference has been active in open space preservation in its region since its earliest days, including the efforts that led to the preservation of Storm King Mountain , now Storm King State Park. In that project, the Trail Conference joined with The Nature Conservancy to found the Scenic Hudson Preservation Committee, which eventually became known and established as Scenic Hudson, and which continues to protect land today. The Trail Conference also led

798-801: The Ramapo-Dunderberg, the Timp-Torne, the Tuxedo-Mount Ivy Trails, and the Boy Scouts' White Bar Trail; all are still in use. In 1923, the Palisades Interstate Trail Conference changed its name to the New York New Jersey Trail Conference. During the 1930s, as more trails were built, a system of trail maintenance was developed giving each hiking club a share of responsibility. Over the ensuing years, as

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836-580: The Water Gap, which allowed entry to the lands beyond. A northern deciduous forest cloaks the slopes of the Delaware Water Gap. Hardwood species comprising the forest include various oaks , hickories , maples , ash , elm , cherry , walnut , birch , sycamore , and beech . Coniferous species include Eastern White Pine , Pitch Pine , Eastern Red Cedar , and Eastern Hemlock . Black bear , white-tailed deer , gray squirrels , red squirrels , raccoons , gray fox , fisher , and chipmunks are some of

874-661: The base of Mount Tammany from 1931 until 1968. The Reservation was originally home to two Scout camps—the Easton Council's Camp Weygadt on the southern part of the reservation and the Minsi Trails Council's Camp Minsi on the northern section of the reservation. In the later part of the 1930s, the Bethlehem Council moved their camp to the Poconos, and the entire reservation in the Water Gap became Camp Weygadt. Camp Minsi

912-400: The effort to preserve Sterling Forest in New York and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania . The Trail Conference participates in, or attends in an advisory or information gathering capacity, a number of governmental, quasi-governmental, or not-for-profit agencies, including: Delaware Water Gap The Delaware Water Gap is

950-413: The existing gap assumed its present form. The mountain is composed of Silurian shawangunk conglomerate . This is gray quartzite, which makes the mountain highly resistant to weathering. The Silurian High Fall formation of sandstone is on the western side of the gap near the base. The eastern side of the gap has Ordovician Martinsburg shale. Sedimentary rock is along the river. The Bloomsburg Red Beds,

988-458: The forest species of the area. Hunting of deer, turkey, and small game is permitted, following NJ Fish & Wildlife regulations, but is not permitted at any of the campsites. Shad migrate up the river through the gap in the spring. Other fish include bass , trout , carp , and walleye . Dunnfield Creek has been designated a "Wild Trout Stream" because of its natural brook trout fishery. Timber rattlesnakes and copperheads also inhabit

1026-648: The gap and north toward Pahaquarry. Interstate 80 passes through the gap on the New Jersey side as of the early 1970s via the Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge , and occupies the former right-of-way of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway . The Pennsylvania portion of the New Jersey Cut-Off mainline of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad comes into Slateford, Pennsylvania . The Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority owns

1064-624: The gap. The second trail to the top of Mt. Tammany. The most challenging hike in the park is to combine the Red Dot and Blue Blaze trails into a 3 mi (4.8 km) loop. Park Services suggest ascending the Red Dot and descending the Blue Blaze, and the Blue trail is less steep. Dunnfield Creek Trail departs from the Appalachian Trail above the Delaware River, follows the creek for two-thirds of its length with numerous stream crossings. The trail then climbs

1102-517: The land purchase from the New York - New Jersey Trail Conference, the Times Herald-Record reports. Stephen Sacco goes on to report that throughout New York and New Jersey, the New York - New Jersey Trail Conference has managed to preserve 2400 acres through direct land purchases in the past 10 years. Protecting the 43 mile long Shawangunk Ridge Trail has been a priority for the New York - New Jersey Trail Conference and other conservation groups including Open Space Institute , The Nature Conservancy , and

1140-410: The log cabin atop the Abercrombie & Fitch sporting goods store in New York City . An organization committee was formed, including representatives of outing, recreational, educational, government, and business interests. The club's objectives were to develop and maintain hiking trails, to construct and maintain campsites and permanent camps, to publish trail maps and guidebooks, and to educate

1178-601: The new trail. On October 14, the ADK had a ribbon cutting ceremony and 50 members hiked up the trail to celebrate. The trail is near Lake Placid, and more than 18,000 visitors come to the trail annually, which le to the trail needing restored. The trail restoration was funded by the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund. The club maintains two lodges, the Adirondak Loj in North Elba and

Adirondack Mountain Club - Misplaced Pages Continue

1216-492: The number of miles of trails maintained has grown, the Trail Conference has relied on trained individual volunteers as well to maintain the trails. They also have developed skilled volunteer trail crews to repair and build trails. According to one study, for every $ 1 invested in trails, $ 2.94 is returned in medical benefits from improved health . On May 31, 2011 the Times Herald-Record reported by Stephen Sacco that

1254-518: The other in Dingman's Ferry, Pennsylvania . Headquarters is located on River Road in Pennsylvania. The New Jersey side of the gap is also protected within Worthington State Forest , a forest wholly contained within the recreation area. One of two trails leading up 1,200 vertical feet to the summit of Mt. Tammany. Once completed, one can see views of Mt. Minsi in Pennsylvania on the other side of

1292-654: The people of the State of New York' and that 'we believe in a continuing policy that shall give the widest and wisest use of the Forest to all.' " The Adirondack Mountain Club has worked to make sites more accessible. In August 2023, they opened two accessible sites at the Wilderness Campground at Heart Lake. Beginning in 2020, the group planned to work on the Long Trail up Mt. Jo, and in October 2023, they finished their work on

1330-588: The public regarding the conservation of natural resources and prevention of forest fires. In its early years when there were few trails, ADK supplemented the work of the New York State Conservation Department by clearing and marking 140 miles of trails. One of the first trails constructed by club members was the 133-mile Northville-Placid Trail which traverses the Adirondacks in a north-south orientation. Gifford Pinchot , first chief of

1368-414: The rocky areas of the mountain. Salamanders are found in the moist areas of the forest. Eastern prickly pear cactus also grows on the mountain near the red dot trail on the south eastern facing slope halfway up the mountain. Steep rock walls prohibited foot travel through the gap until a road was built on the Pennsylvania side of the river in 1793. In 1830, a road was built on the New Jersey side through

1406-408: The shattered and cracked quartzite. If the quartzite had not been cracked, the river would not have been able to cut its path through the mountain to form the gap. Millions of years of rain, ice, snow, and wind erosion shaped the area. The Wisconsin glaciation , which occurred between 21,000 BCE and 13,000 BCE, covered the entire Kittatinny Ridge and ended near Belvidere. When the glaciers retreated,

1444-457: The trackage in the Water Gap area. Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad operates the lines that run through the gap. Pennsylvania Route 611 occupies the right-of-way of a former trolley line. Martz Trailways has a bus station within the municipal boundaries of Delaware Water Gap. There are also numerous jitneys that stop there on their route between New York City and towns further areas such as Hazleton , Wilkes-Barre , and Scranton . In 1962,

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