The 25 people who came out for the Champlain Area Trails (CATS) Blue Moon Hike Saturday evening, the 29th were rewarded when not only the blue moon emerged from behind the clouds but the International Space Station made a rare appearance as well, streaking across the sky to the delight of hikers.
The moonlight made the 4-mile round trip on the MacAuliffe Road Trail in Willsboro magical as hikers walked through evergreen forests and rock ledges, beside open meadows and above the Boquet River. Two abandoned barns along the way had an otherworldly character in the moonlight. A light wind blowing in the trees along with the sounds of falls on the Boquet provided a special almost musical accompaniment.
“The Blue Moon Hike was a unique opportunity to see a popular CATS trail from a completely different perspective,” said Executive Director Chris Maron. “First, we began at twilight and hiked until about 7:30 p.m. Then, the blue moon, as the second full moon in a calendar month is rare enough, but when combined with the lovely weather and a fun crowd, it is a very special CATS hike that everyone enjoyed. This year, March also has a blue moon so watch for CATS’ events as we plan to take advantage of that as well.”
After the hike, many of the participants gathered at the Turtle Island Café for food and drink to extend the fun evening and fulfill CATS’ mission of promoting economic vitality.
Champlain Area Trails (CATS) is a nonprofit organization that creates and maintains hiking and cross-country ski trails in the Champlain Valley, with the goal of linking communities, connecting people with nature and promoting economic vitality. CATS is also an accredited land trust working to conserve natural communities, farmland, clean water, and scenic vistas. Information on future CATS events and activities is available on the website at www.champlainareatrails.com and by following CATS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Please call (518) 962-2287 for more information.
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