Winter Festival - there will be Ice and Snow no matter what Mother Nature does!!

The Walton Fairgrounds will be transformed into a celebration of winter in true Northeastern style for the 3rd Annual Winter Festival on Saturday, January 21, 2012. 

The event will feature a spectacular ice carving competition, with carvers from the American Culinary Federation and including Delaware County's own SUNY Delhi Ice Carvers competing against one another and Mother Nature. Beautiful forms to local business logos will be carved that day.Competitors will be toting chainsaws, chisels, blowtorches, and other special tools of the trade. Top professional ice carvers will judge the sculptors and crown a champion by day's end.

 

     This one-day, family-oriented festival will also feature a horse-drawn carriage and sleigh exhibition, figure skating demonstration, ice skating, snowmobile races, wood carving competition, and children’s’ winter-related activities. Food vendors will be on-site to make sure everyone has a warm and full belly!

     Registration for the snowmobile races will begin at 8 a.m., and the festival opens at 9 a.m. The Hamden Hill Ridge Riders will collect $5 per person at the gate; half of the funds will be designated for Delaware County flood victims.  This event is sponsored by the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, the Hamden Hill Ridge Riders, the Walton Chamber of Commerce, Mang Insurance Agency and the Watershed Post.

The Winter Festival and ice makes us think about the Hanford Mills Ice Harvest festival coming on its heels on February 4th - so mark that date as well.  There's always winter fun on tap in the Great Western Catskills of Delaware County. Check out another great winter blog we love - Winter In The Catskills!!

Hankerin' for a Harvest Vacation?

Most folks think of going on vacation to a place where there is something you like to do.  The doing could be skiing, antiquing, golf, beach relaxing…..you know the options.  There is a whole new world of vacationing that revolves around food.  Not just eating it, but going to where it’s grown, selecting from the freshest harvest, and bringing it home.   Some folks bring the extra foldable bag in their suitcase and fill it up with trinkets to bring home.  Foodie folks bring an empty cooler and a few milk crates and fill them up with a winters worth of provisions. There are staples like garlic braids, honey, jams and maple syrup, or new foods like raw milk to freeze.  There are fruits that are easy to freeze like blueberries, store like apples, dry like apricots, or turn into sauce like tomatoes,  There are veggies that are easy to pickle or freeze like beets, peas and beans.  Fill up the burlap sacks with items like winter squashes and potatoes and your root cellar will be overflowing. The coolers get filled to capacity with locally raised meats and poultry, smoked trout – add a little ice and you’re set for the ride home.

My grandmother always had 3 cases of apples in the garage over the winter that we’d eat out of.  She knew the orchards she liked and got to know the owners.  Over the years, the day trip upstate extended into an overnight trip with a stay at a local B&B and dinner at a favorite German restaurant.  You can experience the route your food takes too.  Come to the Catskills, enjoy the fall foliage, cruise the farmers markets and on farm stands, place an order for your Thanksgiving turkey, pick up some local wine or beer and you’re set.  So pack light and leave room to fill the car with the fruits of our local farmers labor.  It’s a gift to yourself that will keep on giving every time you sit down to a wonderful meal.

You can research great Catskills farms at the Watershed Ag Council's Pure Catskills website.  For great farm stay vacations - like Stone and Thistle Farm, Turquoise Barn, La Basse Cour B&B, and Stony Creek Farm via FeatherDown.  Check out our lodging properties on the Great Western Catskills website.  

Weathering Storms. Silver Linings.

The Cheese Barrel in Margaretville

Water, water everywhere.  The lushness of the mountains, the verdant green of the hayfields - all fed by the bountiful water and land that filters it down to the rivers, streams and reservoirs.  The towns here have weathered floods big and small. Folks talk about the flood in '96.  The 2006 flood. Most scars are gone. Rivers are now lined with huge rip-rap boulders to protect their banks.  Farm fields have new crops planted.  Riparian buffers planted with bushes and grasses to hold the soil.

Floods make people come together and help each other out with a contagious sense of community and pride.  It's what makes our small Catskills towns so welcoming and tactile. All that strength and warmth at the same time. So Irene pummeled almost every town in the county, in some manner this past weekend.  But she really threw her might at the villages of Margaretville, Arkville, and Fleischmanns.  And while we all know in our bones that these towns will be rebuilt, there is the sense that the storm did have a silver lining.

The towns along the East Branch of the Delaware River are working together to come up with a recreation plan that accesses the river and uses it to promote tourism and recreational opportunities.  Looking at these rivers towns, not for their ability to move timber and farm products downstream, but to move kayakers and to encourage fishing, are strong forces that can shape how we rebuild these communities.

Welcoming travelers has been something Delaware County has done with pride since the railroad starting bringing city folk up to escape the heat of the concrete jungle.  It is something we will do this weekend for Labor Day travelers, and the next weekend, and for fall foliage and Columbus weekend and for generations to come.  We look forward to your supporting our communities as you travel here and promise we'll try our hardest to put the polish back on our main streets.  We'll see you in the mountains!!

The Ladies who Lunch in Stamford!

We heard lots of the same sort of stories from the 4th of July weekend with it's rainy Sunday weather. Folks were determined to get out and about, whether to the Taste of the Catskills event in Delhi, the fireworks in Margaretville, a rainy ride along the Catskill Scenic Trail, or elsewhere.  A delightful group of gals reported in via Betty from the Beaver Spring Lake Campground with this accounting of their day out in Stamford a little later in the week.  This is the kind of laid back charm our village main streets hold for so many..........

Ladies being ladies, a group of my seasonal camping ladies and I like to shop for unique items and are always on the lookout for bargains.  We took the opportunity last Thursday, July 7 to explore a couple of ‘new’ places to us in Stamford; one being a craft store and the other a jewelry and gift shop.  Lunch was also planned.

We first checked out Inspire Me a craft store on Main Street which had opened last September….besides beading and crocheting yarn, gifts and supplies, they have lots of scrap booking and wedding supplies.   After making our purchases, we walked across the street to another interesting store called, ‘Country Chic’ which was tiny, but filled with unique hand-made gifts, bags and jewelry. 

We left our cars parked and walked along the shaded sidewalk to Railroad Avenue to T.P.’s Café where the seven of us enjoyed a variety of soups, salads and sandwiches in their newly renovated dining area. After getting caught up on everybody’s news and happenings over lunch we decided to duck into Cores Thrift Store and of course, found several bargains. 

We headed back to our ‘homes’ at Beaver Spring Lake Campground and managed to do all this shopping within four hours and used less than one gallon of gas.  Now, that’s a real bargain.

Delhi's Outdoor Education Center

We receive email news updates from several of our local businesses.  One I personally look forward to reading every word of are the weekly updates from Good Cheap Food on Main Street in Delhi. Faiga Brussels, the owner, loves Delhi and constantly adds tidbits to her market updates on events and other goings-on in the village and outlaying areas.  I just had to repost her email from yesterday which was dedicated to one of the wonderful recreational assets of Delhi.........

Hello Everyone,

I  wanted to take a moment to remind you about the Outdoor Education Center of SUNY Delhi--a park two miles out of Delhi on the right side of Rte 28 as you head toward Andes. You'll see a wooden sign, and can pull down in to the parking lot.

The park is an old farm that belongs to the college and was turned into a park by Americorps volunteers years ago.

Now is a great time to go. The park is lush, beautiful and perfumed by stands of wild phlox (otherwise known as dame's rocket or its latin  hesperis matronalis, info courtesy of Mermer Blakeslee) and the flowering black lotus trees.

Walk from the parking lot to the little welcome kiosk, and follow the path beyond the kiosk, bearing right until you pass a stone bench. After the bench there is a path on the left leading down to the lower level of the park. When you get to the bottom of the incline, the road will split. Don't worry about getting lost, as all roads eventually converge and will lead you to a path that goes uphill back to the parking lot. But at the bottom, where the path splits, bear right. This route is a little longer, but takes you along the bottom of the hill under a canopy of trees and a lovely stone wall built years ago by  Americorps volunteers, including Delhi's Jane DeWitt who now has her own stone masonry business in town. Keep bearing right. The path  narrows and winds  through ferns, wild phlox and a profusion of buttercups,  across wooden planks and out to the river. Turn left at the river, under a forest of Japanese knotweed, and wonder along the river path. Woods and fields are littered with wild phlox.

There are Adirondack chairs and access points to the river to cool your feet, fish, or let your dog go for a swim.  Eventually you'll come upon a stand of black locusts that are in riotous bloom, covered with white lantern like sweet smelling flowers that drape down over the river. Under the largest of these trees there is a picnic table.  Keep on going, and you'll find a butterfly garden not yet in bloom, but with benches for a rest. Soon there is the first path back up, but just beyond this  you'll see a gate which leads to the labyrinth, which has been mowed recently.

If you continue walking eventually you'll come upon another path up, and further along, after a bog and two stands of wild yellow irises, the path you came down upon will be on your right. The boggy water is home to lots of peepers.

BTW, this stroll takes only ½ hour. Lengthen the walk by trying detours and walking the upper fields near the parking lot. You will usually be the only car in the parking lot.

This place is a piece of heaven. Enjoy.

Cannonsville Recreational Boating - give it a paddle

New York State’s Western Catskills  have long been a place for those who know the secrets of its waters: the best fly-fishing spots, early season high water kayaking on the rivers, fishing from canoes on the reservoirs. What had been lacking are large bodies of water for recreational use.  That changed in 2009 when the New York City Department of Environmental Protection opened up of  most of the Cannonsville Reservoir for recreational kayaking, canoeing, sculls, and for small sailboats, like Sunfish. The Cannonsville is western-most reservoir, and runs from south of Walton west and south towards Deposit and Hancock.   Last year almost 200 people went through the process of getting a permit and steam cleaning their boats – and got to paddle on these pristine waters. 

Two steps are required to access the Cannonsville.  First the boater will need a DEP Access Permit, which you can get online at www.nyc.gov or at local sports stores. Second is the Recreational Boat Tag, which you get once your boat has been steam cleaned. All craft must be steam cleaned prior to being placed on the water and permits affixed to the boats. Trailers are not allowed in the water and there is no camping at these sites. 

The NYC DEP has nine launch sites: Roods Creek, Mormon Hollow, Dry Brook, Speedwell, Patterson, Apex, Fish Brook Beers Brook, and Dryden Brook all listed with GPS coordinates on the free brochure.

Boat Cleaning
Five  boat cleaning businesses will be in operation in the towns surrounding the reservoir – Downsville, Deposit, Trout Creek and Walton and each charges their own rate. The cleaning process will take about 20 minutes per boat, so make sure you give yourself enough time if you have a few boats.   These vendors will  issue you Recreational Boat Tag good for 1-7 days during which your boat must stay on NYC DEP lands. When you visit these locations, please remember to support these local vendors and purchase your supplies from them. For those wishing to obtain a full-season pass, steam cleaning services will be provided by the DEP Downsville Operation’s office located on NYS Route 30. Call 607-363-7009 to schedule an appointment.

Boat Rentals
Here are a few options for renting boats – though you’ll still need to have the boat steam cleaned.  Als Sport Store in Downsville will be renting out canoes and kayaks - call them at 607-326-3500 or visit  www.alssportstore.com.  Catskill Outfitters in Walton will be renting kayaks and canoes – call them at 607-865-8827 or visit www.catskilloutfitters.com. Border Water Outfitters in Hancock will be renting canoes and they can be reached at 607-637-4296 or at www.borderwateroutfitters.com.  Catskill Outback Adventures has kayaks and canoes to rent out to the public, complete with car-top accessories for transporting the boat. Call them for more info at 845-254-9888 or visit their website at www.catskilloutback.com.

Access is from sunrise to sunset and will run from Memorial Day weekend to Columbus weekend.  The Delaware County tourism office is providing a brochure outlining all the information you need to know on the rules and regulations for the Cannonsville. You can receive a copy by calling 866-775-4425 and leaving your name and address or by emailing your request to info@greatwesterncatskills.com.  You can download the brochure on the tourism website www.greatwesterncatskills.com.  


This is a three year pilot program running from 2009 – 2011, after which the City will assess the benefits and local impact and determine whether to keep it open or possibly expand it.

How To Pack For A Catskills Vacation

A few things you may not know, that you need to know, if you want a truly great vacation experience in our neck of the woods.

Bring a light sweater or long sleeves when you go out at night, even if it's been a hot summer day. Our evenings are always cooler than you'd expect. There's a nice breeze - it's a double benefit - it keeps the bugs away.

Hiking in shorts is what most folks think they should wear in the summer. We do it sometimes - but always regret it when we come back scratched up from the wild raspberry and blackberry brambles we encounter along the way. It's all good if you're hiking when the berries are ripening!!

And hiking shoes.  No sneakers please. Our moutains are rocky and there are roots and fallen branches. You need your ankle support. Let's hope you'll never twist an ankle but you need to be able to walk out as cell phones don't have great coverage here and in the Catskill Park.

Don't bring skinny heels, especially if you're coming here for a wedding. They're all held on lawns and ours can be a little "punky" - meaning your heels will sink right in.  Outside of villages, we don't have lots of sidewalks - more along the lines of gravel or stone paths leading to houses. Some events have port-a-johns and, well, it's just easier to go in and out of one in comfy shoes.

So what are we really saying?  It's a relaxed, comfortable, rugged, and quirky kind of place you'll be coming to experience. 

A this tip is just to make sure you experience our country vibe completely. If you're on a slow back road small village street,wave to folks when you drive past them. We do it all the time. Sometimes we know them. Sometimes we don't. But it always makes everyone feel good.

The CAT Race - Cannonsville Adventure Triathlon

There'll be no pussyfooting around this race course!!!  (Sorry we just had to write one feline line.)  The Cannonsville Adventure Triathlon is coming to the Western Catskills and what a day it's going to be!  Sunday, June 5th is the date.  The NYC DEP is allowing use of the Cannonsville Reservoir for the paddle leg.  This kicks off their third year of a three year pilot program allowing recreational boating on the reservoir. This is a great sign and hopeful indication that the program will be opened up in the future to other reservoirs.

The race is a 6.5 mile run (just over a 10k), then a 4 mile paddle, finishing with a 12 mile bike (mostly downhill with a dismount finish).  There will be awards of $500 for the fastest man, woman and team. All racers will get medallions and a free t-shirt and meal/drink voucher.  Hancock is hosting and rolling out the carpet for racers and their friends and family.  Post-race party next to the Hancock House Hotel with live music sponsored by the Hancock Partners. 

Folks who live here know how beautiful the reservoir lands are and we're hoping lots more folks will get the same vibe coming here for this race. Bald eagles nest along the reservoir lands and can be see from the water easily when paddling.  Bear, deer, turkey, fox, grouse, rabbit, coyote, and other wildlife abound as well.

Racers will need to get their boats steam cleaned by an authorized site prior to the race, and stored at the transition area by Saturday evening.  While this (and the required NYC DEP Access Permit - easy to obtain online and free) are extra hurdles for out of area racers - the ability to be on the City's reservoir in the company of other racers, and to hang out and get to know the area will make for a great trip and worth the effort.

The race website http://cannonsvilletriathlon.blogspot.com has all the information you'll need to know and links to get your Access Permit and online registration for the race. There are Google maps for the course as well as area lodging and dining and attractions. 

Organizers are very appreciative of the City's allowing the use of the reservoir for the race, as well as the assistance of the town, local officials, NYS DOT, local law enforcement and volunteer EMS, local volunteer organizations, the County and Economic Development. Especially noteworthy is the Catskill Watershed Corporation's sponsor funding for this inaugural year event and the three year pilot program to allow recreational boating on the Cannonsville.

Help spread the word about this great event and if you are so inclined and capable of performing the feats necessary to complete the course - come on out and race with us!!

April's Just Fine For Me

We've got some sap snow on tap. Just learned that phrase. The snow that comes down while folks are out tapping the maple trees. It's cold at night - cold enough for snow and to get the sap running.  You see the buckets hanging on trees the old fashioned way, or the tubing running through the woods to the collector bin on the side of the road.  Once I had the pleasure of hanging out in the sugar shack, eating some homemade (not box) mac and cheese, stoking the fire along the length of the long trays, adding long logs, and watching the maple syrup simmer and clouds of evaporating liquid fill the air in the barn.  It's a wonderfully relaxing experience. Conversation is small.

The daffodils and tulips are 2 inches high and will handle last night's snow easily. The robins and red-winged blackbirds are everywhere pulling fat worms out of the loosening dirt.  In late afternoon you see dozens of deer in the fields filling their bellies and delighting in the ease at which they can get food these days. Same for turkeys - the farmers are spreading their winter piles of manure and there's something for all the birds to eat. Toms are strutting their stuff - tailfeathers all fanned out - getting ready for mating season.  Quails are sitting on nests on the sides of hayfields, blending their grey, tan and brown into the spring colors. 

Muddy roads are usually when I get myself in trouble. Get going a little to fast and you pop in and out of rutts and then slide over to the ditch on the side of the road.  That's my only warning for the warming month.  Otherwise, just get out and enjoy the longer days. Take a hike, go for a leisurely bike ride. Warm up those muscles that have only shoveled snow or brought in firewood all winter.  Spring's coming back to the mountains and there'll be lots to do!!! 

April is a month usually overlooked as a fun month. But for me it's one of the ones I like best. It's the month before it gets busy - when you can still relax and just think about what you've got to do. Clean up tasks are easy and cathartic.  The pace is comfortable. So get out and enjoy your weekend house, your hayfields, plan a weekend trip chock full of relaxation.  The vibe is mellow and welcoming.

For every season, turn, turn, turn.......

Ducks sunning on the East Branch of the Delaware.

March.  March madness. Spring skiing. The month before the melt. What can I say? I love the snow, especially when it's deep and fluffy and dry and fun to be out in.  I'm sitting in front of a fire as I write this after a great sunny cold winter day. It's dark later which is so nice as we can be outside after work for a while and enjoy the outdoors. Downstate the snow is melting away in the rain, and folks are already thinking spring. But we don't have to go there - yet.

Why should you come here for a weekend? It's winter with the temperatures a little milder.  It's skiing in a sweater. Hiking without snowshoes. Picnic table lunches in snowpants. Awesome snowman making snow.  Then there are great deals on rooms as we move into the "off-peak" months.  Plattekill is only open weekends so the mountain never gets skied off during the week. There are cool St. Patrick's Day parades. Maple sugaring open houses with pancake breakfasts. BBQ fundraisers for the ski patrol. And auctions. And local music.  And even karaoke. 

If you need a little winter break.... pre spring rejuvenation...  a place to hear only quiet and calmness... then book a room or rent a cabin and escape to bliss in the mountains. 

Winter, inside and out

Catskill Scenic Trail

I popped into Lucky Dog Farm Store to pick up a sandwich for lunch the other day and met a retired couple that  I had hiked with a few years back.  Lucky for me his memory was better than mine! We had a great chat about hiking in the Catskills and about how some folks absolute LOVE for the winter season.  His body loves cold weather and is uncomfortable in the heat of the summer. I asked if he meant the heat of the summer here and laughed when he said yes.  I find summers incredibly delightful, blissfully cool in the evenings. But I did agree with him on winter. After ten years of being here full time, I have finally found the winter cold enjoyable as well.  Go figure.

What makes someone a winter person?  I'm not sure if my metabolism changed to work better in the cold or if it was more the clothes and tools!!!  Now that we have heat packs for our boots and gloves, high tech super-wicking fabric for long johns, polar fleece, balaclava's, heated handles and seats on snowmobiles and in cars, 4 wheel drive, uber-insulated boots,  there's almost nothing to worry about!!

But if you're looking for things that don't require layers of clothing, yet do provide an inside space - there are lots of fun and healthy things going on during the cold months. 

SUNY Delhi opens their aquatic center, and the mini-dome, which houses their fitness center and tennis courts, to the public during the year.  The hours can vary depending on when school is in session and student related activites - but the facilities are wonderful and a great way to work-out indoors over the winter.

The Roxbury Arts Group holds classes from Yoga to Dance throughout the winter.  Check in with them to see if anything is up and coming.  You may think the West Kortright Centre shuts down during the winter but not so..... They hold workshops too just in other locations. Check into their upcoming book binding workshop.

There are a plethora of local yoga instructors holding classes in churches or community centers - but we're at a loss for an online resource to give you. This is a word of mouth - flyer on the window of a local business - source of information, so ask around.

One of the unknown gems of the winter is the Honest Brook Music Festival's winter series.  Their once a month concerts take place in private homes so you are guaranteed an intimate environment in which to hear wonderful classical music.  

While I used to spend the winter hunkered down and safe from storms - having a great attitude about getting out and about and taking advantage of everything that local business owners and organizations do to keep us entertained and fit really does pay off in fun times and great memories.  Try some out for yourself and comment here on the results!!

 

Lake Effect Snows Providing Great Backdrop for Winter Fun in the Western Catskills

The Western side of the Catskills is the first mountain range east of the Rockies that gets hit with weather systems as they cross the plains.  Not only that the Great Lakes provide just the right conditions to bring storm systems that pack a precipitation punch to the upstate region.  This translates into lots of fresh powder at area ski slopes, like Plattekill Mountain in Roxbury, NY. In last years whopper of a storm, Plattekill was tapped by the National Weather Service as receiving the most snowfall of the storm – almost 9 feet!!

Plattekill maintains its charm as a challenging mountain that is incredibly family friendly.  Double black diamond runs thrill expert skiers.  The ski school offers great instruction, a bunny hill and two side trails for easier runs.   Plattekill is open Friday-Sunday from 8:45 a.m.-4:15 p.m. Plattekill will be open for ten days straight for school break starting with the Presidents’ Weekend holiday.  Saturday nights are especially exciting with snow tubing available in two sessions, from 5-7 and 7-9 p.m. Holiday week will have additional tubing nights as well.  Check the conditions live with their mountain cam at www.plattekill.com.  New to the mountain this year is a boatload of infrastructure improvements. 

  Keeping Plattekill’s trails in peak condition is a constant effort. The mountain has almost 100 snow guns, 7,000 feet of buried snowmaking pipe, 1,000 feet of heavy electric wire (and nine electric stations) to power 2 new fan guns, a grooming machine, and new rental equipment.  A great way to understand just what it takes to get, make, and keep snow can be found on a new winter blog that features mostly Plattekill but also other winter activities in the region.  http://winterinthecatskills.blogspot.com   This blog has a little of everything from links to local teenagers terrain park videos, interviews with the snow making and grooming staff, as well as ice fishing and local village round-ups.

A number of nearby lodging facilities have partnered with Plattekill Mountain to offer money-saving packages. The most popular offering is one of their two BOGO (Buy One Get One) options. When visitors stay with a participating lodging facility, children 17 and under will receive one free lift ticket for each paid adult ticket (limit two).  Adults without children can save big too. Buy a full day lift ticket for Saturday and get Sunday’s lift ticket free.  The mountain boasts a great family cafeteria, upstairs lounge bar, child care center, fireplaces throughout and sunning benches on the deck.

If your winter adventure tastes are more leisurely, Delaware County has many fine cross-country skiing and snowshoeing options. The ideal cross-country or snowshoe route is the 26-mile rail bed known as the Catskill Scenic Trail running between Roxbury and Bloomville.  Use of the trail is free. For additional information on the rail trail, visit www.catskillscenictrail.org. All this activity is in Roxbury which boasts the award winning boutique motel, The Roxbury - check out their theme rooms at www.theroxburymotel.com. 

The Great Western Catskills Facebook page now includes a Photo of the Day section so you can remember just for real how much is on the ground, and be inspired to plan a visit. When it comes to lodging options, the Great Western Catskills features accommodations that include everything from cool and hip inns, charming bed and breakfasts, affordable and accommodating motels to private rental homes complete with fireplace and firewood. For winter lodging packages visit the getaways section of the area’s travel website at: www.greatwesterncatskills.com.

Learn more about the Western Catskills

Delaware County is located conveniently to the NYC / Albany / Rochester / Philadelphia areas for weekend getaway. For more information on travel to the Great Western Catskills visit www.greatwesterncatskills.com. For a free activity guides, art gallery and antique shop map, fishing map or event calendar, call 866-775-4425.  

Winter In The Catskills blog

This is a cool new blog for the area..... local writers are working together to talk about what they like best about the western Catskills.  Right now it's mostly on Plattekill but blame that on the holidays keeping everyone busy and traveling except obviously Jen who's been jammin' at Plattekill.  She's giving great insights to the mountain operations, back story, and trails so you feel like you know the mountain before you even get there.

Check it out here....   http://winterinthecatskills.blogspot.com

They've got some cool ideas coming up like Best Pizza reviews, ice fishing, winter hiking and more.