Sharing the Trail

With an abundance of opportunities for hiking and exploring throughout the year, a local business owner asked me why I didn't stay out of the woods during big game season in the Catskills for a couple of weeks and hand the mountains over to the hunters.

The answer is simple, but two-fold.

1. 2017 has been one of the most challenging years to hike in the Catskills due to an explosion of ticks. The tick problem has been compounded by the lack of trail maintenance with high grasses providing those nasty blood-sucking parasites a trampoline to easily attach to a host - dog, horse or hiker. The overgrown trails also created a semi-dangerous condition in which one could not see where they were  stepping.  Rocks became ankle-twisters and swampy mud holes swallowed-up boots all season.  There was also a lot of rain this year - more than the area has seen in many years. The extra moisture in the air contributed to incredibly humid conditions which if in itself didn't discourage outdoor exploration, provided the the perfect breeding ground for mosquitos and other irritating buzzing insects. Conditions simply haven't been conducive to hiking from spring through early autumn in the western Catskills.

2. In addition to being my preferred method of recreation, meditation and relaxation, the outdoors is a subject I write about. I get paid to go outdoors, explore and write. There is no better way to write a story than to find the story and experience it. I've met very few hunters, hikers, explorers or people generally, who aren't willing to tell you the best - and worst - parts of their experiences in nature. Nature lovers, even if they don't love the same things, have a wealth of invaluable information to share and exchange. I've appreciated a hunter telling me where a bear den is (so I could stay away from it!) as much as upland game bird hunters have appreciated my directions to a flush, overgrown meadow tucked away on an obscured hillside.

Beside, there is such an expanse of public and private acreage to explore throughout the Catskills, that it truly is a rare occurrence to accidentally cross paths with another person, let alone a monster trophy buck, although .... I can tell you where they are 😊😊😊

*Between hikes, Lillian Browne writes about the environment, politics, crime and business in Delaware County. She is a NYS licensed outdoor adventure guide exploring the world around her, one step at a time, with her dog - Charlie.