Queen of the Catskills

Huntersfield It was too nice a day to not get a hike in before I headed to the city, so I opened for this quick one.  There were a couple deep muddy spots near the lean-to on the Huntersfield Access trail, but other than that, the trail was in decent shape. Perfect weather. You can feel fall approaching.

Hunter Mountain via Spruceton If you're on a mission to see awe inspiring views, then fire towers are the place to be. I did a sunset jaunt up Spruceton and had the trail (and tower) entirely to myself.  Most of the trail was pretty dry except for a couple muddy spots past the intersection to the Colonel's Chair. The bugs were also minimal except for one fly that took a particular liking to me.  Right before leaving for the hike, I had watched a YouTube video of this Buddhist monk who was answering questions from people who write to him. One of the questions was about how to get along with someone who is being consistently hurtful to you in a relationship. His answer was a play on the "kill them with kindness" trope.  I couldn't help but be struck with how naïve (and potentially dangerous) this advice was. If this person is in an abusive or toxic relationship, kindness isn't going to help. Furthermore, it might keep this person hopelessly dedicated to fixing a...

So proud to be taking over as trail maintainer for the Schutt Rd trail, platform trail for Kaaterskill Falls, and the yellow connector trail. What a privilege to preserve the land around one of the most beautiful landmarks in the Catskills!

Balsam Mtn. (From McKenley Hollow to Belleayre Ridge to Rider Hollow & back via Oliverea Mapledale Trail & Pine Hill West Branch) I've never taken McKenley Hollow to Balsam before so I figured I'd try something new. The steepness of the trail is offset by a lot of switchbacks which makes things easier on the legs. While the views aren't the most stunning in the Catskills, it was still a gorgeous sunny day. There is a blowdown on the Mine Hollow trail down by Rider Hollow, but other than that, the trails were in good shape. They're getting drier and less muddy. I'm just trying my best to preserve some time for my personal projects. I think most people feel dissatisfied with their jobs not necessarily when the workload is too much, but when you're not appreciated for the amount of work that is being asked of you. I think that's something that teachers struggle with a lot because people think our summers are carefree. However, in city districts, there a...

Plateau from 214 Plateau isn't something I need to nab for any current projects, but something was just calling me to it. The DP up from 214 had some wet spots, but since the rain has diminished, things are getting more firm and less wet. There is some blowdown blocking the trail when you get close to Orchard Point. The summit walk was really beautiful with golden sun lighting the way. On the trip back, I sat down at the viewpoint for a little bit just to take it in and I think it's exactly what I needed. I have been so stressed this summer preparing for the school year. I haven't taken any days off from preparing lessons because we have so many changes and initiatives to implement. It's made it really hard to access my inner voice because so much of my attention is focused outward and on the future. However, being able to look at a beautiful view for ten minutes allowed me to relax enough to access my internal self. It's strange, when I have a problem or worry that...

Big Snow I always knew my friend Nichelle is an amazing leader, but this was further confirmed by the fact that she chose skiing as a team building activity for her marketing group. She needed some coaches to help out so she called on Bobby , Brandon (who is also the head of ski school for Winter4Kids), Orianna , and myself. I have been so stressed with planning for the upcoming school year and all the changes that will be happening, that my summer has not really felt very relaxed at all. I haven't been able to get into the state of consciousness I long for all year. However, while I was helping to coach Nichelle's team, and spending time with my ski friends, I didn't think or worry about work at all. I almost forgot I have this other stressful aspect to my life altogether. I truly love skiing and how it can make any place feel like heaven to me -- even a super mall in NJ. Teaching (especially skiing) is very rewarding. You get to see people make progress and know you had...

Twin Mountain I think of all the outstanding views in the Catskills, that Twin is my favorite. The hike up to the Jimmy Dolan notch was muddy and slippery. There was debris everywhere from the heavy rains, and it kind of reminded me of a teenager's messy room. But once you get into the notch, you start seeing the beauty again. My favorite part of the hike was that moment you see the golden glow of the sun on the trail and you know you're about to hit the viewpoint. The first thing you come upon at the clearing is my favorite tree in the Catskills, which has almost a bonsai quality to it. Then, you look upon a view that makes the mountains seem like they go on forever, and you think to yourself, "Wow, the Catskills really are not to be underestimated." There are two things that when I have doubts, always make me believe there is some higher power at work: the beauty of nature and synchronicities. Last fall, two people from my past directly contacted me the same weekend...