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Schenectady Wintersports Club Northern New York Paddlers Mohawk Valley Hiking Club Newsletters October 2025 |
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This month offers several unique opportunities to celebrate SWC. On October 11 we are participating in the Maple Ski Ridge Fall Festival for the first time. There is a long standing relationship between Maple and SWC and we’re looking forward to enjoying the day there. Also on October 11th we will have the honor of celebrating a once in a lifetime event at Yantaputchaberg where we will unveil the Historic Marker made possible by the documented research of Jim Schaefer. Just a short drive from Maple Ski Ridge, it will be worth the trip to 1199 Crawford Rd Schenectady 12306 at 2:30 to view the spectacular commemoration of the birth of skiing in New York, all thanks to SWC. Just a few days later, on Tuesday October 14th we’ll be joining together to form a flotilla to view The Seneca Chief as it travels through the Mohawk River celebrating the 200th anniversary of the completion of the Erie Canal.
Two of these three events are once in a lifetime, making for a great October for SWC.
My best to all,
Karen |
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February Break at the Clubhouse
Mark your calendars for February break at the clubhouse.
February 13 to 18: Hosts Ellen and John Bidell will have lots of activities for both children and adults.
February 19 to 22: Richard and Cindy Westoff will be hosting to finish the week.
Check swcweb.org. Signups will be available soon. |
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Help Keep 90+ Years of Tradition Alive!
SWC isn't just about skiing, it's also about community. From the Slopes to the Socials, we've always been powered by members who pitch in and make it all happen. Join the fun by Volunteering. Click here for more information.
Erie Canal 200th
Tuesday, October 14th
Paddlers of all kinds are invited to escort the Seneca Chief on the Mohawk River through Schenectady County from Lock 9 to the Mohawk Harbor. Launch sites at Lock 9 Park, 1290 Route 5, Kiwanis Park, and Gateway Park @SCCC. See Erie Canal 200th
National Ski Council Federation Auction is open to all ski clubs and all ski councils across the USA and to the skiing public. Bidding starts Oct 1 and ends November 1. For more information click here. |
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IKON Pass prices will be increasing on 10/10. For best pricing, you need to purchase by October 9th. To purchase, click here.
Early Season Ski and Snowboard Clinic
Dec 12 - Dec 14
SWC is pleased announce our plan to host the 2025 Early Season Ski Clinic at Stowe Mountain Resort read more
Information on Ski Trips 2026.
Please check the website HERE
CHAMONIX Feb 28 - Mar 7
SUNDAY RIVER Jan 4 - Jan 9
TELLURIDE Jan 31 - Feb 7 |
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Adirondack Serenity: SWC at Rock and River
August 2025 By Don Streed
A handful of members took advantage of what could be the inaugural opportunity for a high peaks adventure at the historic Rock & River lodge in Keene NY. Rock & River is a noted Adirondack climbing school with two classic guest lodges with very comfortable, modern accommodations in a secluded, majestic mountain valley. “Open fields and mountain views surround each building with the gardens and apple trees of the original 1800’s homestead.” Read more and view photos. |
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#82: Whiteface Mountain SummitBy Michael V Schaefer The northern terminus of the Long Path of New York is not well known by such a title. Instead it is better known as the highest commercial ski area in the northeast, 5th tallest mountain in New York, site of the 1980 Winter Olympics Downhill Skiing, home to the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC) field station, Veteran’s Memorial Highway, and more! What a perfect spot to make the climax of a hiker’s journey north from the 176 St Station of the NYC Subway System – the southern terminus of the Long Path in New York City, Read more.
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See our Classified Forum page. Items for sale include:
Burnt Hills Kevlar Canoe. Approx 16’ + light weight
Titanium bike lite speed.large frame. wheels 26". XT AND XTR THROUGHOUT. rock shox. GOOD CONDITION |
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The Adirondack Canoe Classic: Affectionately Known as “The 90-Miler”
By Kim Greiner
I had the wonderful opportunity to paddle this three-day race this year, my 9th finish, with another Club member, Beverly Blinn-Knapp, her 3rd finish. We trained very hard throughout the season, including practicing putting the wheels on and off in a timely manner, as well as carrying the boat. We both had very good fitness levels and made sure our nutrition was correct. We raced together most of the season and did several long paddles (4-6 hours). All of this hard work paid off.
Day one is a long one starting in Old Forge and paddling about 35 miles to Blue Mountain Lake. As you can see from the map, paddlers travel the historic route of the Fulton Chain of Lakes. Day one offers four carries, one of which is about a mile through the Eighth Lake campground. The weather was perfect on this first day. A hot shower, a nap, and a good meal (maybe a little BioFreeze and Ibuprophen also) soothed most of the aches.
Day two starts south of the beach in Long Lake. Canoes, kayaks, guideboats, and SUPs (stand up paddle boards) make their way to the end of the Lake into the Raquette River for a total of about 30 miles. Even though there is only one carry on this day, it is a brutal one over the Raquette Falls. Of course, it was pouring the whole day making the climb up the rocks, over fissures and roots, very tricky. The put-in was also a challenge as the water levels this year were very low.
Day three starts in Fish Creek Pond from the Fish Creek Campground. The course makes its way through Upper, Middle, and Lower Saranac Lakes and River into the village of Saranac Lake in Lake Flower, approximately 25 miles. There are three carries on this day, but they are fairly short and not too treacherous. There is no greater feeling than rounding the last bend, seeing those orange buoys, and hearing the cheers of the crowd!
Because Bev and I were the only C2 stock women in our age group, we were put into the class of younger women, many of whom were college students. We finished 5th out of 6 the first day, 3rd the second day, and first the third day (we were on a mission!). Overall, our cumulative ranking was 3rd, putting us “on the podium”. The winning team came to hug us after we received our trophy and said that if the race had only been on the water, Bev and I would have smoked them! Not too shabby for the team of “2 Spunky Old Hens”.
New York State, and the Adirondacks in particular, has some of most beautiful land, waterways, flora, and fauna in all of the U.S. You might not want to race this course, but if you did any or all of it over a week or more, you would never regret it.
Thank you, Bev, and our husbands, Ed and Bruce, who served as our pit crew.
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The Ninety-Miler
Boats silhouetted in morning mist,
Paddles splash where loons persist.
River bends and lake winds roar,
Three long days — a thousand strokes more.
From Old Forge docks, racers surge,
Through Fulton Chain our wakes converge.
Portage paths, our footsteps drum,
Spruce and pine where shadows hum.
Brown’s Tract twists, winding and tight,
Blue cradles the weary into night.
Paddlers gather, that evening meal,
Stories and laughter the miles reveal.
Long Lake shimmers, horizon wide,
Herons lift from her reedy side.
Raquette bends, a silver thread,
around banks where mergansers fed.
My heart finds home, my boat its way,
Saranac sings on that final day.
Currents swirl through marsh and flow,
Under the gaze of peaks a glow.
Camaraderie in every bend,
Strangers start, but finish friends.
Ninety miles, not just a race,
but a journey through a sacred place.
-Matt Skeels 2025 |
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Click here for NNYP Race Results
For information on canoe and kayak races across NYS visit NYPRA.ORG
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Notes from the President
This is the golden season for hikers. The colors are golden, the day time temperatures are perfect, and the opportunities are unlimited.Those of us who are trail maintainers do most of our hiking when we work on clearing and signing trails for everyone to enjoy.
One such project, which has been on Long Path radar for a very long time, is the extension of the blazed trail to a new location point at a beautiful kiosk in Altamont. Hikers no longer end their hike in Thatcher Park, but can continue down the hill to the village.
The second project, which has been quite a lot of work, is the building of a new privy near the lean to located on Section 32 of the Long Path. Lots of work but the result is a beautiful camping location along the Path.
Although I’ve learned that Vince Schaefer never planned for the Long Path to be as refined as it has become, I hope that he would be pleased with the high number of hikers who have hiked the entire blazed length and enjoy the 358 miles available to them.
Bill Simmons |
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The Long Path North Project
By Michael Schaefer
See the links below for access to the Long Path North (LPN) project in collaboration with Warren County.
This link provides general LPN information along with write-ups on many already documented points (landmarks).
This link is for contributing to these locations with GPS info, photos, description, etc.
In addition, I've compiled all the points from the original LPN document into a mapping software here. Blue marks are already part of the "official" LPN. Brown marks notate landmarks not yet incorporated into the main trali system; solid circles have been confirmed with GPS, while open circles have yet to be documented.
If anyone is interested in helping map out this project, please let me know. I'll be making several scoots around before winter to knock a few off. |
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For a printable version of this Newsletter click here |
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