Its that time of year again. The time when the deciduous trees cease their photosynthesis processes and the chlorophyll starts to fade from the leaves thereby allowing the xanthophylls, carotenoids and anthocyanins to be unmasked.

Didn’t quite follow? Let me put it in simpler terms…

“Oooh! Pretty leaves!”

It is our mission here at the JOC to bring our fellow Jews to the outdoors so that everyone can appreciate nature, each person in their own way.

So… Welcome to the Fall Foliage Hike – Strenuous Catskill Mountains edition announcement! Everything you need to know regarding the event has been presented below in the manner to which you have become accustomed.

What: JOC Fall Foliage Hike, 2011 – Strenuous Catskill Mountain Edition

When: Sunday, October 30, 2011

Where: Sugarloaf Mountain, located in scenic Elka Park, NY  

Length of the hike: Approximately 6.85 miles

Duration of hike: Approximately 4.5 hours

Difficulty of hike: 7.5 out of 10.

Difficulty of hike explanation: This will be a strenuous hike. We will be hiking on one of the more challenging parts of the famed Devil’s Path in which we will be climbing 1200+ feet in about a half a mile. There will be climbing/scrambling. You must be in good shape to attend. If you have difficulty walking up/down hills or have problems with your knees/legs/ankles/hips/toes/etc, please sit this one out. You will be asked to answer a question regarding your hiking experience and/or fitness level at registration.

Cost of hike: $3 (please have exact cash)

Payment to Drivers: $15 per passenger

Clothes to wear: Please wear clothing that 1) afford you the mobility required to hike comfortably, 2) are appropriate for the weather and 3) you don’t mind getting dirty or possible damaged. I recommend wearing layers that can be removed/added as you get hot/cold. Try to avoid cotton as it stays wet and will chill you when you start to sweat. Remember, we will be in the Mountains where the forecast for this week is already in the lower 50’s.

Footwear: Please wear footwear appropriate for hiking and overall outdoor activity. Appropriate: Hiking boots, trail shoes or sneakers. Not appropriate: Open toed or backed shoes and sandals, flip-flops, Crocks or anything with a heel.

Food to bring: Please bring whatever food you will require to survive a day of hiking. This will include lunch and snacks (preferably something with carbs for energy and salt/minerals to replace lost electrolytes). Do not rely on other people having enough to share.

Drinks to bring: Please bring a minimum of 2 liters of water for the hike – this does not include whatever you may drink on the way to the trailhead. Additionally, you may wish to ALSO bring sports drinks to help replenish those electrolytes (this is in addition to the 2 liters of water). If you feel that you will need more water, please bring more. DO NOT BRING LESS THAN 2 LITERS OF WATER. If you do, you will not be allowed to come on the hike. There will not be an option of buying drinks at the trail head.   

Necessary Gear: Backpack to put your stuff in. If you come with your stuff in a shopping bag or some other bag you have to carry in your hand, we will leave you to admire the foliage in the parking area.   

Other Gear to bring: Aside from the appropriate clothes, footwear and backpack, recommended items include – hat, sunglasses, rain gear/windbreaker, hiking poles, camera, binoculars, first aid kit (if you are trained in its use), sun screen, insect repellant, snow board (in case it snows and you want to shred the gnar).

Warning: I/we reserve the right to turn you away if you come inappropriately equipped. So please, dress properly with proper footwear, and bring the requested food and water.

Meeting Time: We will be meeting at the trailhead at 10:00 AM Sharp! If you come late you may miss us and will have to spend the day frolicking in the new playground at Rip Van Winkle Lake. Tannersville also has a new skate park if that is more your speed.  

Return Time: If all goes according to schedule, and there is no traffic, I hope you should be able to make it back to NYC by 7:00 PM (probably a lot earlier). Please keep in mind – this is an educated guess as to when you may get back. It is not an exact science and it depends on many factors (i.e. hike start time, speed of hike, number and length of breaks, traffic, etc). If you have a pressing engagement that you cannot miss, please plan accordingly (i.e. stay home, ask Scotty to beam you up, etc).

Distance to Trailhead: as a point of reference, it is about 112 miles from the Westmont (with some of those miles local traffic).

Note about registration: Registration is open to everyone – drivers and non-drivers. I will try to accept the passengers in accordance with the number of passenger seats I have available on a rolling admission policy. Please note – your registration is not confirmed until you receive an e-mail from me stating that you are. Please don’t send multiple e-mails asking if you are in.

Getting to the Trailhead: The drivers will be driving. For passengers, on Wednesday or Thursday (10/26 – 10/27) (depending on how registration fills up) I will be sending a spreadsheet with the drivers’ names and contact info to the registered attendees only. Passengers are responsible to contact the drivers directly for a ride. Please note that by signing up you are agreeing to have your name, email, and phone number distributed to all who have registered for the hike.

Reservations: To reserve a spot, please navigate to the URL:  http://jocffhcatskillmtn2011.eventbrite.com/, click on the “Register” button and fill out the registration information.

Please note – the eventbrite system will send a e-mail confirming that your registration information was accepted. THIS IS NOT ATTENDANCE CONFIRMATION. I will be sending a personal e-mail to confirm if you have been accepted to the hike.

Number of hikers: I will be accepting registration for up to 15 hikers ONLY on a first come-first served basis. Please only register if you are really planning on coming. Last minute cancelations and no-shows (without a really good reason) will receive pink bellies. You will also be added to our Deadbeat list, which may affect your eligibility to register for future JOC hikes and events.

Rain cancellation: Any precipitation will probably cancel the hike due to the slippery conditions on the rocks. Please check back later in the week and on the morning of the hike.

Questions?: Please re-read the above info.

Questions?: Please re-re-read the above info.

Still have questions: Please e-mail me at joc_hike AT mlehmann DOT com, but beware –silly questions or questions that could have been answered by reading or re-reading the above info will make me grumpy. You don’t want me grumpy…

To Review: Strenuous hike in the Catskills @Sugarloaf Mountain. 6.85 miles @7/10 difficulty. Must be properly dressed, shod, supplied, and watered to attend. Must be able to scramble. Meeting at 10:00 sharp. $3 JOC/ $15 Driver. Registration link above. Rain is a bummer. Don’t make me grumpy.

So grab your fleece and a biology textbook and I’ll see you on the 30th at the JOC Fall Foliage Hike, 2011 – Strenuous Catskill Mountains Edition.