Nice job ...team.!
and a pleasant evening under the stars.
North Lake Catskills camping and hiking weekend
- 10/2002
Advanced Winter Weekend at Adirondack Loj
- 2/2002
A winter day hike in the Shawangunks (11/99)
Canoeing - a weekend down the Delaware River
(5/99)
Spring Backpacking - Appalachian Trail (4/99)
Winter Weekend - Frost Valley YMCA Center (1/26-27/99)
New York City - A day in Harlem (11/12/98)
Catskill Forest Preserve Service Project
(10/9-10/98)
Catskills - Woodland Valley Base Camp weekend
(9/19-20/98)
This was the inaugural Breakfree outing, and as such, we tried to keep it simple yet challenging enough for the eight Poughkeepsie High School young men and women. For most it was their first camping experience and the first mountain they climbed.
| After arriving at the Woodland Valley State campground Saturday morning, the group prepared for the hike up Wittenburg mountain.... filling up day packs with trail lunches and water....thanks to the bounty prepared by Mrs.L. |
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| But before we departed for the day, everyone needed to set up their campsite for the upcoming evening.
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| A well deserved rest on the way to the summit.
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| At last, the top of the mountain.... Nice job ...team.! |
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| Back at camp, a fire in the fireplace, the evening meal, a group discussion about the days events, toasted marshmallows, and a pleasant evening under the stars. |
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| Next day was easier but the views were great from Giant Ledge.
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As part of the Mid-Hudson chapter's Conservation and Trails programs, the Chapter has been partnering with the NYSDEC, NYNJTC, ATC and other organizations to help fund, staff and lead projects in the NYS wilderness areas. This year, the chapter partnered with the NYSDEC to add a needed privy by the Shandaken lean-to in the Catskill forest preserve. This project was seen as a great opportunity to introduce several high schoolers to a unique wilderness service project and to develop some new skills.
So, on a rainy late October weekend, two Poughkeepsie High School youth and two Mid-Hudson Chapter members sloshed their way to the Shandaken Lean-to where privy materials were waiting for them to be assembled and installed. Highlights of this wet but fruitful backpacking and work weekend follow:
| We arrived at the Shandaken lean-to site about midday on Saturday and spent the afternoon assembling the privy next to the lean-to during pauses of the rain showers. Thanks to the lean-to shelter, we all stayed reasonably dry and comfortable during our stay. |
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| After a long wet day, and a hearty dinner, we were all ready for a welcome nap. The pitter-patter of the rain on the lean-to roof put us to sleep in no time.
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| On the next day we dug the hole, built a log foundation, moved the privy to the site, anchored it to the foundation, installed the toilet seat, and tidied up the area.
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| The finished project.... Nice job ...team.! |
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Although the focus of ADK and Breakfree is to the wilderness environment, the young men and women participating in the program are primarily urban dwellers. By offering occasional programs within urban environments and providing educational connections between the two, the participants, both adults and youth, should develop a broader appreciation for both environments.
On November 12, 1998, we took 8 students to Harlem, NY. We left Poughkeepsie High School at 8:00 am. Upon our arrival in Harlem, we visited the Schomberg Museum. There were many interesting works of art on display there. From the Schomberg, we walked to 125th Street where we visited the Studio Museum of Harlem. This Museum had other works of art on display, and had a gift shop from which some of our students and staff purchased items. After our visit to the Studio Museum, we walked to Sylvia's Restaurant for lunch. At Sylvia's, there was a jazz band performing. We had the opportunity to talk about Breakfree with the customers at Sylvia's. We made some wonderful contacts which could open some further opportunities for us. After lunch, we drove down to the Harlem Outdoor Market on 116th Street. We had the opportunity to shop at the market for about an hour before we departed for home.
BREAKFREE is now a four season program! Thirteen students and ten counselors spent the weekend of January 29 --31 in the Catskills at Frost Valley YMCA. We admit that the facilities made it less than roughing it, but as you can tell from the photographs we did get outdoors and the students had a great time.
| The weekend began with Paul Schwartz and LizaBeth Urrico working on the contract for the weekend with the students. Everybody had a part in deciding activities and rules for the weekend |
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| Fabiola makes it across a single cable foot bridge and is successful! The rest of the crew is waiting their turn. |
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| After snow tubing or tobogganing the evenings were spent in group sessions and team building. We learned a lot and it was fun. |
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| Z'ontha is about to do a trust fall into our arms. Would you trust us? |
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| The whole gang in front of the Frost Valley Office. Are we a happy crew or what? |
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Breakfree sponsored two spring backpacking trips on the Putnam/Dutchess county sections of the Appalachian Trail. Eleven students participated in this first time event for most of them. Their reaction: "It was rough, but next year it is Mt. Marcy and the High Peaks for us". "We are now backpacking veterans". Six counselors led these trips and special thanks to the ADK education department for the loan of the backpacks.
| We did it! The victory salute at the end of the hike tells it all for this group who enjoyed a good weather weekend. |
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A winter day hike in the Shawangunks (11/99)
| At the start of a day hike in the Shawangunks with Middle schoolers. They are getting aquainted and receiving last minute instructions for the day ahead. |
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| We reached the summit of Millbrook Mountain overlooking the hudson valley. |
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