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July 09, 2002 Take a hike in mid-Hudson, but be prepared By David Dirks This is the first of a two-part series on hiking in the Hudson Valley. Looking for an inexpensive way to enjoy the great outdoors this summer? Trying to find that special family event? Want to get away from the stress of your workplace and replenish you batteries? Need another challenging pastime? The answer may be here in the Hudson Valley: Take a hike! The multitude of hiking trails available for almost everyone of any age rates as one of our No. 1 natural resources. From Sterling Forest to the Catskill Park and beyond, we have hundreds of miles of trails that can take you from the hustle and leave you a better person when you return. Like most anything in life, preparation is the key to getting the maximum benefit from any hike. Not investing the time needed to prepare for a hike is a recipe for potential disaster. Let's take a look at some basic rules when preparing your hiking adventure. -- If you have never done much in the way of hiking, do your homework first. I define hiking as more than just walking in your backyard. To some folks, a hike is a meander for about 40 yards into the woods behind their house. That doesn't qualify. A real hike is going to be anywhere from a mile or more in length and last anywhere from 1½ hours to a day or more. For the inexperienced hiker, it's strongly suggested that you join a group that can give you opportunities to go with experienced hikers. Two key resources for organized hiking are the New York New Jersey Trail Conference (www.nyjtc.org) and the Appalachian Mountain Club (www.outdoors.org). -- Check your physical condition before you do anything. Coach potatoes shouldn't do anything too strenuous unless they check with their physician first. Don't do more hiking than your body can handle. Most hiking trails are rated based on how strenuous they are. Pay attention to those ratings. -- Understand exactly what you need to bring depending upon the type of hike you are taking. This is a common area for errors. Not bringing enough of the appropriate gear can cause considerable hardship. This is especially true if you plan to hike with children. A great source for checklists to use when preparing for day or extended hiking is the Catskill Hiking Shack and it's information-filled Web site at www.catskillhikes.com. They also organize guided hikes in the Hudson Valley. -- The weather can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Researching to determine what the weather forecast is during your planned hike will determine what you bring or whether you even go. Also, if you are planning on a hike that is outside your neighborhood, don't assume weather conditions are the same at your hiking destination. The weather patterns in Orange County, for example, can be completely different than in the Catskill Mountain range. For a great site for Catskill weather and other information, try www.catskill.net. Bass regulation correction A few readers pointed out that the bass minimum sizes listed in our recent bass opener feature were misleading. For the record, bass in most rivers and streams, except the Delaware and the Hudson rivers, must be 10 inches or more to be considered legal size. In all other waters, the legal minimum size is 12 inches or more. Always check your local environmental regulations before you go if you are not sure of legal size minimums and daily limits. David Dirks' outdoors column appears Tuesday in the Times Herald-Record. Write to him at P.O. Box 87, Westtown, NY 10998, or via e-mail at dirksoutdoors@hotmail.com. 40 Mulberry Street * PO Box 2046 * Middletown, NY 10940 Telephone 845-341-1100 or 800-295-2181 outside the Middletown, N.Y., area. For optimal viewing experience, click here. Copyright Orange County Publications. All rights reserved.
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