~ Current Schedule ~

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Crooked Canes hiking group outings are scheduled weekly throughout the year, and members enjoy spring, summer, fall and winter hikes in the Adirondacks.

Practices: Advance signup is not required. However, prior to attending your first outing, read the information on our Practices and Acknowledgement of Risk pages. Download and sign the Acknowledgement of Risk Agreement form and submit it to the leader of your first Canes outing.

Meeting times & places: 9.15 at "CTL" unless specified otherwise in the outing description. More info on CTL and meeting places.

Outing types: Outing types are listed as Regular, Alternate (ALT) or Bonus. More info on outing types.

Difficulty: Outing difficulty ratings are shown as "Easy," "Moderate," "Difficult", or a hybrid. These are subjective ratings, and even an "Easy" outing will require attendees to be fit and aware of their physical limitations. More details about difficulty are typically shown in the outing description. Distance and elevation gain shown are generally derived from GPS readings, which are approximate. More info about ratings.

Lead an outing: If you would like to volunteer to lead an outing, please contact the Outings Co-Coordinator. Here's a more detailed information guide. The earlier you respond, the more time your fellow Canes will have to plan to attend your outing.

Air quality: Wild fires in Canada and the western US can cause hazy skies and may also affect ground-level air quality. Check regional air quality for today. More info on haze and air quality and other useful info.

Co-Coordinator: Leo Demers has volunteered to become our Outings Co-Coordinator upon Peter's retirement, and Peter and Leo are seeking a Co-Coordinator-partner to train and share the responsibilities. This is an opportunity for a member to give something back to the Canes and assure we continue to thrive. Contact Peter to volunteer and/or ask questions. As Outings Coordinator Emeritus, Peter will provide the co-coordinators with oversight and support.

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Special note to outing leaders: Outings Co-coordinator Leo Demers will be vacationing in Maine until Sep 25th and has asked me to coordinate outings while he is away. No doubt we'll have several opportunities to enjoy September and color season outings. If you would like to lead an outing, please email me. — Jerry the Web Guy

Thanks to beautiful weather, excellent planning by our Picnic Committee, and the enthusiasm of our members, the Canes enjoyed another great annual picnic at Moreau Lake State Park. Thanks to Fran, Margie and Peter for handling all the details; to Diane, Jim and Steve for leading our morning activities; and to Jim and Larry for tending the grill. See Margie's entry in the Canes Journal for a description and photos.

Scheduled outings:

Sep 20, 2025 Sat Bonus hike and special event Stonewall Trail Memorial Dedication and Hike (Moreau Lake State Park) Rating: Easy/Moderate Leaders: Margie Litwin 518-928-0600, Bonnie Whitman, Lenore and Jack Reber Email Margie WX

This is a memorial to former Cane Sam Lantz, a long-term active participant in the Crooked Canes, an avid outdoorsman, woodworker, man of faith and a kind and gentle presence on many outings. He was always willing to help out others and to impart stories with his warm sense of humor. Sadly, he passed last October. He was also very active as a volunteer at Moreau Lake State Park, where he was trail steward on Western Ridge trails and helped to develop the Stonewall Trail on the west side of the Hudson River in the Park. He assisted with the annual Naturefest, helping youngsters assemble birdhouses to take home.

At 9am we will gather with family and friends to dedicate a bench and memorial plaque in Sam's honor at the Stonewall Trail kiosk. The parking area is off Hawk Road (details below). All are invited to share memories of times with Sam.

Hike at 10am: You can hike even if you don't attend the memorial. After the dedication (at approximately 10am) anyone not attending the dedication is invited to join the group to hike the Stonewall Trail loop. The Stonewall Trail is part of the trail system of Moreau Lake State Park (MLSP) situated across the Hudson River from what most people consider the main body of the park where Moreau Lake is located. The trail, mostly wooded, was appropriately named for the large number of stone walls and foundations located nearby, is 3+ miles long with about a 500-foot gain over rolling terrain, with some moderate hills. Along the way there will be views of the Hudson River and of the Spier Falls Dam from a new perspective for some of you. This will be a leisurely hike with lunch at a location to be determined on the day of the hike.

The trailhead is located at the end of Hawk Rd. which is a dead-end road off of Call St (CR 32/Corinth Rd.) about 4 miles east of the Village of Corinth. Directions from Corinth: From the intersection of Rt. 9N (Main St) and River St. (across from Tops) proceed E on River St., over the bridge crossing the Hudson, for 0.7 miles and turn R on CR32/Call St. Continue on CR32/Call St. for 3.2 miles and turn R on Hawk Rd. Continue on Hawk Rd. for 0.4 miles to the end of the pavement to the open gate. Continue on the trailhead access road up the hill for 0.4 miles to the parking lot and the TH. The dirt/stone road is a little rough but passable. Directions from Exit 18 of the Northway: From Exit 18 proceed W on Corinth Rd./CR28 for 6.4 miles and turn L on Hawk Road to park at the trailhead. Please contact Margie Litwin with any questions.

Sep 25 2025 Regular Hurricane Mtn Hike Rating: Moderate/Difficult Gail Stauble 518-932-1251 Email leader WX

Although not a High Peak, from its bald summit at 3,694’ the views are expansive in all directions - from Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains of Vermont to the east, the High Peaks to the west, Whiteface Mtn to the northwest, and Giant Mtn due south. It also has a restored fire tower on its summit, but you don’t need to climb it for spectacular views. It is one of the mountains included in the ADK Fire Tower Challenge. We will take the trail from the Rt 9N trailhead between Keene and Elizabethtown. Total RT distance is 6.8 miles, with an elevation gain of about 2000 feet.

Meet at CTL at 7:45 for a departure at 8:00, or the High Peaks Rest Area at 8:50, or the Rt 9N trailhead at 9:30. The trailhead is located 3.5 miles E of the junction of Route 9N and Route 73, south of Keene. Carpooling is strongly advised. Please contact me with any questions.

Sep 25 2025 ALT Inman Pond Trail Hike (Fort Ann) Rating: Easy/Moderate Joanne Armstrong 310-948-8221 Email leader WX

From the Sly Pond road trailhead we will hike to the rocky outcrop overlooking Inman Pond with views of the mountains to the east. After lunch we will go north from the outcrop to cross the stream that feeds into Inman Pond, circumnavigating the pond or if the group prefers we can head back via our inbound route.

Meet at CTL at 9:45am for a 10:00 departure or at the trailhead on Sly Pond Rd at 10:30. Directions to the trailhead: From Rt 9, take Rt 149 east for 6 miles, then turn left on Buttermilk Falls Rd. Follow this road for 3.1 miles, then turn left onto Sly Pond Rd for 3.3 miles. Drive past the trailhead and park on the left. Please contact me with any questions.

Oct 2 2025 Regular Hopkins Thru-Hike Rating: Moderate/Difficult Gail Stauble

We begin by dropping off hikers at the Mossy Cascade Brook trailhead and then spot cars at the Rooster Comb parking lot 2 miles north on Rt. 73. From the trailhead we will follow Mossy Cascade Brook for a good portion of the way, ascending about 2,100 feet in nearly 3 miles to the summit. After a leisurely lunch and exploring the bare, rocky top, we backtrack approximately 0.9 miles to the junction with the Ranney Trail, descending 1.7 miles along Hopkins Brook to our cars for a total of 5.5 miles for the day.

Meet at CTL at 7:30 for a departure at 7:45, or the High Peaks Rest Area at 8:35, or the Mossy Cascade Brook TH at 9:00. Carpooling is strongly advised. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Oct 2, 2025 ALT Lake Ann/Bonita Loop Hike Rating: Easy Kim Brown 908-305-8357 Email leader WX

From the Bonita Lake Trailhead we will take the green trail to the purple trail that goes to the lean-to at Lake Ann. We will then have a quick snack and return to Lake Bonita, where we will have lunch at the picnic table on the southeast side of the lake. After lunch we will continue on the green trail around the lake counterclockwise. Total mileage is about 4 miles round trip with approximately 350 feet elevation gain.

Meet at Lake Bonita Trailhead at 9:15 for 9:30 departure. Trailhead is at the ridgetop on Corinth Mtn Rd/WiltonRoad approx 4 miles west of Exit 16 of the Northway (I-87). Hike is rain or shine. No need to confirm coming - just show up! Please contact me with any questions.

Oct 9, 2025 Regular Moxham Mtn Hike Rating: Moderate Steve Mackey Email leader WX

This is a 5.5-mile out-and-back hike to a beautiful mountain summit near Minerva. A moderately easy hike with some ups and downs with a cumulative gain of about 1,500 feet. There are many overlooks with scenic views along the trail and expansive views from its rocky summit. The trailhead has limited parking so carpooling from one of the meeting locations is encouraged.

Meet at CTL at 8:45 for a departure at 9:00 or at the Black Bear Restaurant, Northway Exit 26 at 9:30, or the trailhead at 10:00. Please take advantage of the Mobil Station just off the Northway at Exit 26 to pick up something you may have forgotten or use the restroom before meeting at the Black Bear. Please contact me with any questions.

Oct 16, 2025 Regular Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob Hike Rating: Easy/Moderate Fran Herve 518-477-0932 Email leader WX

The Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob is owned and maintained by the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) and offers a couple of options of hikes totaling 3.7 miles. From the trailhead we will hike the orange trail 0.7 mile with about a 620’ gain to a Gazebo with fine views of the southern basin of Lake George. Anyone who wishes may opt for a relaxing stay and an early lunch at the Gazebo enjoying the sweeping view of the lake and mountains before returning to their car. I will lead others from the Gazebo along the blue trail another 1 mile and an additional 400’ gain to the waterfall loop trail. There we will have lunch and visit both the bottom and top of the falls before retracing our steps to the Gazebo and returning to our cars.

Meet at CTL at 9:15 for a departure at 9:30, or at the trailhead, located 0.7 miles north on Pilot Knob Rd from its intersection with NY 9L, at 9:50. Please contact me with any questions.

Oct 23, 2025 Regular Castle Rock Loop Hike Rating: Easy/Moderate Lenore and Jack Reber 518-859-8555 Email leaders WX

Castle Rock is one of the most popular destinations in the Blue Mountain Lake Region, with an open summit at 2480 feet, 700 feet above Blue Mountain Lake, providing spectacular views of the lake and surrounding area. The hike to the summit is generally a gentle slope except for one steep section just below the summit. We will return on the Sargent Ponds Trail for a total distance of about 3.4 miles.

Meet at CTL at 8:15 for a departure at 8:30, or meet us at Indian Lake Stewarts at 9:30 for a short pit stop. We are confident that someone will be able to lead the group from CTL to Stewart’s in Indian Lake. Directions to the trailhead: It is a 20-minute drive from Stewart's to Blue Mtn Lake. From the intersection of Route 28 & Route 30 in Blue Mountain Lake, head north on Route 30 and drive 0.6 mile to Maple Lodge Road. Make a left onto Maple Lodge Road, park near the Minnowbrook Conference Center and follow a private road to reach the trailhead. Please contact us with any questions.

Oct 30, 2025 Regular Rock Pond Hike (Putnam Pond area) Rating: Easy/Moderate Scott Anderson

Details to follow

Nov 6, 2025 Regular Daniels Road State Forest Hike Rating: Easy/Moderate Lenore and Jack Reber