2025 Spring Stewardship Projects
Spring is here and the crags are warming up.
As the climbing season gets underway, the GCC will be hosting several stewardship events. These events are great opportunities to be involved and learn about conservation efforts along the Shawangunk Ridge. Please consider coming out and lending a hand, meet some of your fellow climbers, and at the end of the day – do some climbin’!
If interested, sign up on this form or send an email to our volunteer coordinator Sharon Fix at volunteering@gunksclimbers.
April 19 – Marking and Planting at the Antlion
Start your season with a day of important conservation work at the Antlion – one of the Gunks warmest cliffs!
We will be breaking into two teams.
Team 1 – In 2023 the GCC began our Hemlock Conservation Project, marking over 1500 hemlock trees for treatment to save them from an invasive beetle (the hemlock woolly adelgid). We are nearing completion. Most of these trees have now been treated and are looking healthy, but we still have a few left to treat.
Team 2 – We will be finishing another project we began last fall, planting oak trees (very small and easy to plant) along an old logging road.
Please come out on April 19th and help us get these important and timely projects over the finish line.
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on hemlock tree.
April 26 – Celebrate Earth Week with the Mohonk Preserve
On April 26 the Mohonk Preserve will be hosting a crag cleanup event. As most of you who climb at the Preserve have noticed, this amazingly managed land is remarkably clean. Thank you Mohonk Preserve and to responsible users! However, for those of you who search and find, the Mohonk Preserve will be offering a free one-year membership for the biggest bag of garbage. Stay tuned for more details.
May 9th and 10th – Near Trapps Boulder Bolt Removal *POSTPONED*
Some of you may remember the controversial addition of handholds to a boulder in the Near Trapps a few years ago. GCC recently received permission from the property owner to remove these holds. Work will include bolt removal and filling of existing holes. And while you’re at it, take a lap on the classic Winnebago Man 5.10 (established before the gym holds were added).
Double digit bouldering your thing? Come on out and send a new problem-sans artificial hand holds. The routes on this boulder go!
Removing bolts is a skill so please indicate in your response if you have any experience.
Mid-May Kickoff – Join the GCC Climber Stewards
Last fall, in collaboration with the Access Fund, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, and Parks and Trails New York, the GCC kicked off our climber stewards program. This program is modeled after the Access Fund program but is volunteer based. The climber stewards are playing an important role in helping Minnewaska manage climbing at the heavily used Peter’s Kill area with trail head tabling and crag side chats. Stewards educate climbers on best land use practices, and environmental concerns that are unique to the area. Many incentives are offered for those interested in participating including free camping, free park passes, free admission to festival clinics, in addition to special mid-season clinics done at the Peter’s Kill crag. For those who stick with the program SPI and WFR courses will be offered. All stewards are trained by the park.
The program will be returning this spring with an expected mid-May kickoff date.
June 7 – GCC BBQ and National Trail Day
On June 7 the GCC will be hosting our annual Spring BBQ. As part of the festivities, we will be celebrating National Trail Day with a trail upkeep day at Peter’s Kill before the party. Stay tuned for more info on the trail work and on our annual spring raffle!
Mapping invasive species – Not yet scheduled
We will be mapping invasive species this summer on land in the vicinity of the Antlion cliff as part of a larger project to create an invasive species management plan. A phone with the appropriate mapping app will be needed. We will be giving instruction on how to use the app on the day of the event. Stay tuned for more details.
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