Two Virtual Hikes & Art Farm Trail Opening

"On the Trail to the Monitor" hike with local historian Morris Glenn (Credit: CATS) — “On the Trail to the Monitor” hike with local historian Morris Glenn (Credit: CATS)

Over 25 people showed up last Saturday to walk “On the Trail to the Monitor” with local historian Morris Glenn. “The weather was perfect,” said CATS board member Delia Thompson. “We were all intrigued by Morris Glenn’s explanation of the iron industry in the mid 1800’s, and the Penfield Museum helped to complete the picture of the town that grew out of that industry.”

If you weren’t able to make Saturday’s hike but would like to check out the Penfield Pond Trail, now you can by taking a VIRTUAL HIKE on that trail, and on the Wildway Overlook Trail. Thanks to our two summer interns, James Gilmore and Theo Bakewell for coming up with the idea to take “Go-Pro” videos of some of our trails to post on our website so you can “hike the trail” before you actually “hike the trail!” Visit our website (near the bottom of the Home Page or on the CATS Trails Page) to take a virtual hike of these two trails. (Thanks also to Taylor Haskins for providing the music.)

Opening of Art Farm Trail

Our next event will be Sunday, September 27, 2015, when we open the ART FARM TRAIL. Chris Maron and Bill Amadon will be leading guided hikes of this new trail at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. As some of you know, property owner and artist Ted Cornell has been a little under the weather lately, but he’s expected to make a full recovery and hopes to be on hand to discuss his artwork. However, if he can’t make it, he’s arranged to have others give guided tours of the farm and the artwork located on the farm and in his studio.

There is no registration required for this hike. You can come for the guided hikes, or hike the trail on your own at any time during the day. Come…enjoy the hike, enjoy the art, and enjoy meeting some new people!

Winter Events

The CATS Events Committee is currently setting the schedule for our winter events. Please visit the Events Page of our website often. We will be updating the page as we finalize the plans for each new event.

One of the trails Chris & Michelle recently walked in France (Credit: Chris Maron)

Adventures in France

Chris and Michelle are on the final part of their walk across France. As of this past Wednesday, they have walked 185 miles and they plan to walk another 60 miles to Moissac where they will catch a train to Paris and spend a few days before flying back to the Champlain Valley.

“We’ve walked out of the high country and are now in more of a midwestern US landscape,” Chris said. “It’s been fascinating to meet so many other hikers — most from France but also Belgium, Australia, Germany, Canada, and one other American couple. Body language, more than our French and others almost non-existent English, gets us by,” he continued. “Most lodging places have family-style dinners so we smile, laugh, and make a lot of hand motions as we enjoy the many-course dinners. There are so many lessons from this long walk that we can apply to hiking between communities in the Champlain Valley.”

We look forward to hearing more about their amazing adventure from Chris when he returns the end of next week.

Gail Testa
CATS Operations Manager

Moonlight Hike Fun (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Volunteers from Across Country Help CATS Trail (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
2014 Grand Hike Retrospective (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

About Champlain Area Trails (CATS)

Champlain Area Trails (CATS) is a non-profit organization, begun in 2009, which creates and maintains hiking and cross-country ski trails in the Champlain Valley that link communities, connect people with nature, and promote economic vitality. In its short history, CATS has developed 35 miles of trails that when added to existing trails, gets it half-way toward the long-envisioned goal of a 30-mile trail loop between Westport and Essex. CATS will extend its trails to neighboring towns and eventually connect them to trails in the Adirondack Mountains, Vermont, and Quebec. Learn more on the CATS website.