Tag Archives: seasonal

Wild Blueberries in Harriman State Park, NY

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It’s a sure sign that summer is here when the blueberries are ripe! Ask any Harriman Hiker and they will tell you the joys of many July / August summer hikes include wild blueberries! Right now, end of July 2008, seems to be peak season this year.

wild blueberries in Harriman State Park, NY
Click the image for a better view :-)

Blueberries / Wikipedia

“Blueberries are flowering plants in the genus Vaccinium, section Cyanococcus. The species are native only to North America. They are shrubs varying in size from 10 cm tall to 4 m tall; the smaller species are known as “lowbush blueberries”, and the larger species as “highbush blueberries”. The leaves can be either deciduous or evergreen, ovate to lanceolate, and from 1–8 cm long and 0.5–3.5 cm broad. The flowers are bell-shaped, white, pale pink or red, sometimes tinged greenish.”

…read more…

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Harriman Hikers
A New York – New Jersey Singles Hiking Club
Established 1974
www.harrimanhikers.org

Stabilicers Positive Experience

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Stabilicers, manufactured by 32 North, Inc., Biddeford, ME, is the brand name of a foot product made to provide firm footing in icy conditions.

Metal cleats are attached to a rubber shoe sole which is then secured to the foot using nylon straps and velcro.

Such foot products are often loosely referred to as “ice cleats” or “crampons”.

Note: in a more specific sense, “crampons” actually define a different type of long-tined product made specifically for ice climbing, but we tend to use the term interchangeably.

Stabilicers sell for btn $40 and $50 and are available directly from the manufacturer or at many local outdoors stores.

Many members of Harriman Hikers own and wear Stabilicers during the Winter hiking season; after different hikers tried many different products available on the market, the consensus seems to be that Stabilicers, effective at providing traction in icy hiking conditions and while slightly more expensive in the short run than most of the other products, are made to the highest quality standards and therefore are less likely to present the hassle of having to be replaced or repaired.

It was with this information that I went to the 32 North website after a hike several Sundays ago and odered a pair of Stabilicers online. I was pleased and amazed that my order arrived Tuesday!

The next Sunday I wore my Stabilicers on the hike and was a little disappointed when, toward the end of the hike, I discovered I had lost about 10 of the metal cleats, however, thru the duration the icy, snow covered hike, I always had improved footing.

Many other hikers have been using Stabilicers in similar conditions for a number of years without losing significant quantities of cleats so I was curious if my pair somehow were defective.

On Monday, I called 32 North to let them know about the problems I had with my pair of Stabilicers and Doug Norton (the person I spoke to) gave me their UPS account number and requested that I send my Stabilicers to their factory overnight express.

Today, Thursday, I was once again surprised and delighted that my return merchandise order had been processed and returned to my door and I was even more impressed that my Stabilicers had been repaired, but an additional free pair! accompanied by a very sincere hand written letter from Doug thanking me for my feedback and affirming in its contents that the extra pair was not a mistake. Doug mentioned in his letter that my original pair did not appear to be defective and emphasized that “Stabilicers are not intended to be used as crampons for rock or ice wall climbing”.

THAT’S what I call SERVICE and with that I would like to nominate Stabilicers as “Official Ice Cleat of Harriman Hikers”.

signed, a pleased customer,

R. Richard Hobbs | Webmaster and Fellow Hiker

Harriman Hikers

A New York- New Jersey Singles Hiking Club Established 1974

Holiday Greetings From Harriman Hikers

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The Harriman Hikers would like to wish one and all a Happy Holiday Season and a prosperous, joyful New Year!

****NEWS****

***HOLIDAY HIKES***

Once again we would like to remind you that we (typically, for about 30 years now) hike each and every Sunday, rain or shine and that this Sunday, December 25th (Christmas Day) and Sunday, January 1st, 2006 (New Years Day) we will be on the trail hiking.

After you unwrap all those presents (bring your new hiking toys to show off ;-) Christmas morning, come on out and enjoy a hike!

Make your New Year resolution to increase your health and well-being by hiking and enjoying the fresh air and outdoors!

***CHRISTMAS EVE (DAY) HIKE LED BY ED***

Ed will will lead a FREE HIKE Christmas Eve Day, Saturday, December 24th
Please call Ed for details 973-471-0492 FREEE! (as are all Ed Hikes!)

***THANKSGIVING HIKE 2005 REPORT***

The Thanksgiving Hike was once again a huge success and well-attended. We met up at Ramapo College, organized carpools and travelled to our trailhead at the Rt. 6 parking lot in Harriman State Park after which we hiked to Stockbridge Shelter, built a roaring fire and enjoyed one another’s company and culinary delights on the mountainside. We had wonderful weather and a fine time was had by all!

Several people photographed the Thanksgiving Hike festivities and have contributed pictures from the day as well as other hiking photos. We would like to take this opportunity to specially thank Dan Yukon and Doug Williams for their photographic contributions and hope you will visit our online photo galllery and check out the pix:
http://www.harrimanhikers.org/index.php?name=coppermine

***INFORMAL APRES-HIKE HOLIDAY GET-TOGETHER SUNDAY DEC 18***

A bunch of us regularly get together after the hike each Sunday for dinner at The Mahwah Bar & Grille (on Rt. 202 north of Ramapo College past Rt.17 in Mahwah) and this week we would like to extend a special invitation to everyone to join us there between 5 and 6pm (depending on when the hike ends and we all get back to the parking lot).

If you are not hiking Sunday you are still invited to attend.

If you get there early dont worry, we will eventually show up. Relax, have a drink and catch some football on tv in the bar.

We will be there in due time, aplomb in our fashion-statement gaiters!

Our Hike Leaders, Ed Burdzy and Greg Paret will be there so if you have not hiked with us before this will be a good opportunity to meet them.

If you missed the Thanksgiving Hike this might be an additional chance to catch up with friends.

*If you think you might be coming please drop us a line at harrimanhikers@gmail.com in case it turns out a lot of people end up showing up so we can call ahead and get a table big
enough to accomadate all of us.

***FIRST SNOW(S)***

The week after Thanksgiving we had our first significant snow of the season and we were out enjoying the scenery as we do every Sunday. The woods were lovely as you will see in our photo gallery:
http://www.harrimanhikers.org/index.php?name=coppermine

Last week we got a 2nd snow- this time even more (8-10 inches) and we were outdoors on Sunday as always!

On Saturday some folks got together for an impromptu cross-country skiing expedition at Anthony Wayne Recreation in Harriman State Park over by the Palisades Interstate Parkway that went along the bike trail and Beechy Bottom.

If you are interested in cross-country skiing please look below for more details about groups
and other people in the area who are also interested.

***HARRIMAN HIKERS GUIDE TO WINTER HIKING***

Based on our collective years of experience hiking under just about every kind of weather condition (including cold, snow, sleet and ice) we have compiled some information we think think will help make your outdoor hiking experience in the winter a comfortable and dry one.

Go here:
http://www.harrimanhikers.org/Harriman_Hikers_Guide_to_Winter_Hiking.html

This document is also available for viewing with Acrobat Reader or download as a .pdf file:
http://www.harrimanhikers.org/Harriman_Hikers_Guide_to_Winter_Hiking.pdf

***OTHER WINTER ACTIVITIES***

Cold weather is no excuse to become a couch potato! In addition to hiking there are a number of other cold-weather activities available in our area to help you stay fit and trim as well as meet new people:

Snow shoeing: Are there enough people with snowshoes (or willing to buy them?) and interest in using them to warrant organizing a snowshoe hike? Email us! harrimanhikers@gmail.com

Cross-Country and Downhill Skiing/Snowshoeing/Ice Skating:
(this list is by no means complete):
There are a number of local Ski Clubs that are very active and organise local skiing events, trips (day trips, weekends) and impromptu get-togethers:

Garden State Ski Club http://www.gardenstateskiclub.com
Mid-Hudson Cross Country Ski Society http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mhxcss/
NJ Nordic Ski Club http://www.njnordic.cjb.net/
HighLife Ski Club http://www.highlifeskiclub.org/
Hudson Valley Ski Club http://members.aol.com/hvsc/
Hoboken Ski Club http://www.hobokenskiclub.com/
Ramapo Mountain Ski Club http://www.ramaposkiclub.org/
! Tons more listings here: http://www.skicentral.com/

There are also a number of destinations in the area that are great for winter activities when there is snow:

Harriman State Park! (A number of fire roads and trails in the park are good for cross-country skiing)
Fahnestock Winter Park, Cold Spring NY http://www.roberts-1.com/fwp/
Mohonk, New Paltz, NY http://www.mohonk.com
Minnewaska State Park, New Paltz, NY
http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=78
High Point Cross Country Ski Center, NJ http://www.xcskihighpoint.com/
>>>Some of the above rent equipment- check the websites for details<<<

Ice Skating:

Bear Mountain Ice Rink http://tinyurl.com/c3szg
Palisades Ctr Ice Rink W. Nyack, NY http://www.palice.com
Ice House Paramus NJ http://www.icehousenj.com/

Other stuff to do:

Sledding/ tubing- If you grew up in these parts you know that tubing down the hill at Silver Mine is a Rite of Passage. If you are new to the area what’re ya waitin’ for?
Tip: Fahnestock Winter Park rents inner tubes when they are open (when there is snow)

A closing thought in the old year for the coming New Year:

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Thats it for now- See ya outdoors!~

Ed Burdzy, Hike Leader
Greg Paret, Hike Leader
R. Richard Hobbs, Webmaster
–
Harriman Hikers
A North NJ Singles Hiking Club
Established 1974
http://www.harrimanhikers.org