News

Richard J. (“Dick”) Lightcap, 92, of Manlius, New York, passed away on October 6, 2026 at Crouse Memorial Hospital. Dick grew up in Queens, New York, the youngest of four boys born to William and Mabel Lightcap. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America as both a Scout and Leader and later served in the US Military. Upon graduation from Queens College, he worked as a history teacher at Grant Junior High School… Read more: Richard Lightcap Obituary

Fall Potluck / Business Meeting 2026 Saturday, November 7, 2026       2:00 P.M. Please feel free to bring a friend Meeting Place: Collamer United Church, 6865 Fly Rd., East Syracuse. (Enter from back of the Church) Leaders: Pat Urban, 315-420-9382, Sandy Manca, 315-807-9442 Directions: Take Rt. 481 North from Syracuse to Exit 7 (Rt. 298), take right onto 298 West to Fly Road, go south on Fly Road (left turn by Adirondack Furniture) the driveway to… Read more: Fall Potluck / Business Meeting – 2026

Spring Potluck / Business Meeting 2026 Saturday, March 14, 2026       2:00 P.M. Feel free to bring a friend Meeting Place: Collamer United Church, 6865 Fly Rd., East Syracuse. (Enter from back of the Church) Leaders: Pat Urban, sabharp@att.net, Sandy Manca, smank777@aol.com Directions: Take Rt. 481 North from Syracuse to Exit 7 (Rt. 298), take right onto 298 West to Fly Road, go south on Fly Road (left turn by Adirondack Furniture) the driveway to the… Read more: Spring Potluck / Business Meeting – 2026

Mary Crittenden Coffin, 81, from Chittenango died peacefully on October 25 under Crouse Hospital life-ending palliative care. She had sudden multiple strokes. Growing up in a rural family setting she finished high school in LeRoy, NY, college at SUNY Potsdam and her graduate work in science education at Syracuse University. Her 34 years of teaching included East Syracuse Minoa Central School, Syracuse University and on assignment at the U.S. Embassy in Burma. She was cited… Read more: Mary Coffin Obituary

To find out more information go the North Country Trail Website or click here

The Northville Placid Trail is celebrating it’s 100th Anniversary this year.  Since its completion in 1924, the 138-mile trail has given hikers—whether through segments or a thru-hike—the chance to immerse themselves in the outdoors: an adventure and an experience that celebrates our public lands. Enjoy many remote and quite lakes and ponds, abundant rivers and streams as you hike this fairly moderate terrain. Check out it’s 100th Anniversary Web Site.  

Fellows Hill Loop (4 miles, 577 ft. ascent) Take Herlihy Road from Route 80 near Apulia and park on the west side of the road at the top of the hill. To walk the trail clockwise, cross the road heading east and up a fairly long hill.  At the top of the hill there is a cemetery but no view. The trail heads south descending slightly until curving west and descending more rapidly.  There is… Read more: Fellows Hill Loop – Favorite Hikes

 

The attached document contains  information on archeologic sites in or near hiking trails in Central New York.  The site data was provided by Bill Coffin and Ed O’Shea.  There is a short description of each site along with a trail map indicating the location along with it’s GPS co-ordinates.  The GPS co-ordinates have not been fully verified.  Please use them with caution.

by Meg Keech “You’re going to do what??”  “Won’t you be scared?” “Won’t you be lonely?”  These were the reactions I got when I told my non-hiking friends about my plan to do a solo through hike of the Northville Placid trail (NPT), a 135-mile trail running from Northville in the southern Adirondacks to Lake Placid.  I can see their point.  A woman hiking alone in a wilderness setting is not what a lot of… Read more: Solo on the Northville Placid Trail – July 2018