Good Thursday morning.
Though I generally do not like being cold and uncomfortable – especially as I age, and not terribly gracefully – I am a big fan of winter hiking.
Hiking in general is very underrated. I mean, those who are fans are usually BIG fans. They’ll tell anyone and everyone how great it is to get outside and climb steep mountains, and drag you along for good measure. (I am in this category of people, though I don’t get out onto the trails nearly as much as I would like these days).
But those who aren’t into it might ask: Why the heck am I putting in all this energy just to get to the top of something that may or may not afford a view – depending on the (very fickle) weather that one tends to find at the top of a mountain, only to turn around and come back down again in a manner that is punishing on the knees?
To those in the latter camp I say: Get yourself some good hiking poles. And boots. And wicking high-performance clothing. And really good, breathable socks. And get outside.
Winter is good for hiking for a number of reasons, not the least of which that it is neither tick season nor black fly season. The existence of both of those especially annoying – and in the case of the former, potentially deadly – biting bugs is certainly enough to deter even the heartiest of outdoorspersons. Take it from someone who has had Lyme at least twice. Maybe more. I’ve lost count.
Another bonus of going out in the winter: Few people on the trails. We have some premier hiking in this part of the state – both the Adirondacks and the Catskills are world renown. And yet they getting seriously overloved, thanks in no small part to the rise in popularity of outdoor pursuits during the lockdown period of the Covid crisis.
Some trails are so popular that they now require permits in the High Peaks, and the Catskills might not be far behind. Peekamoose Blue Hole, which is a very highly trafficked summer swimming spot, already does require a permit to access.
And yet another great thing about winter hiking: The views. Since there isn’t any foliage on the trees, you can more easily see the vast expanses of beautiful vistas from more points along the trail, assuming, of course, that it’s not socked in by fog, or rain, or snow, or sleet.
You get the idea.
And here is where we come to the caveat portion of this post. Winter hiking is amazing and great and everyone should do it – BUT only if they are well prepared and also have some degree of training. If you are unsure how to survive a night in sub-zero temperatures, perhaps stick to the trails that do not present a risk of stranding you out in the cold.
And also be careful to stay on the marked trails, which is a good idea in any season, but particularly important in winter, when snow-downed trees can present serious hazards for unwary hikers.
If you do decide to try winter hiking, it’s wise to adopt the buddy system. Also make sure you always let someone know your planed route and estimated completion time, so they can call for help if you don’t show up at home on time.
Be aware of the signs of hypothermia. Stay hydrated – just because it isn’t hot doesn’t mean you aren’t sweating and don’t need adequate water. And be sure to carry the 10 essentials, which includes adequate and calorie dense food and water (or a water purifying system, if you’re going to be out for longer than just a day) and a First Aid kit that you know how to use.
Today, if you hadn’t already had an inkling, is National Take A Hike Day. It’s a good day to get out there and hit the trail, with a mix of sun and clouds in the forecast and temperatures in the low 40s, though it might be a bit on the muddy and/or icy or snowy side. (Consider investing in some crampons, or, at the very least, YakTrax).
In the headlines…
Republicans seized a slim majority in the House, a delayed yet consequential finish to the midterms that will reorder the balance of power in Washington and is expected to effectively give the GOP a veto on President Biden’s agenda for the next two years.
The outcomes in seven close races that remain undecided will determine the final size of a slim Republican majority that will be far narrower than party leaders had expected, though Republicans still cheered the achievement.
Hours after they were projected to retake the majority, House Republicans were discussing plans to investigate President Joe Biden and people around him.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will reveal her future Congressional career plans to her colleagues today.
Legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages crossed a major U.S. Senate hurdle, putting Congress on track to take the historic step of ensuring that such unions are enshrined in federal law.
With 12 Republicans joining Democrats in advancing the Respect for Marriage Act, the 62-37 vote represented a rare and notable demonstration of bipartisanship by a lame duck Congress as lawmakers looked toward an era of political gridlock in a divided DC.
The bill to provide federal recognition of same-sex marriages cleared a key hurdle in the Senate, with 12 Republicans joining all 50 Democrats to break a filibuster.
The Senate passed a bill designed to expand medical marijuana research by unanimous consent. It’s the first standalone marijuana-related bill approved by both chambers of Congress. The House passed the bill in July, also by unanimous consent.
Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell won reelection as Senate Republican leader, squashing a challenge from Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, fueled by the party’s flop in the midterms and his bitter feud with former President Donald Trump.
Biden emerged from an emergency meeting with top allies during his final day at the G20 in Indonesia promising to “figure out exactly what happened” after a Russian-made missile fell inside the borders of a NATO ally.
Biden disputed Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s assertions that the missile that landed in Poland and killed two people was not of Ukrainian origin.
A top NATO official and Poland’s president said that a Ukrainian air-defense missile, not a Russian weapon, had most likely caused a deadly explosion on Polish territory, easing fears that the military alliance would become more deeply embroiled in the war.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ripped Biden for the ongoing “invasion” of migrants at the southern border and warned the White House that Texas will escalate its efforts to repel illegal immigrants.
Early signs suggest Trump may struggle to win over Republican Party leaders for his third presidential bid, after a string of disappointments, but his staunchest voters are another matter.
The Republican Party is plunging into an identity crisis after its November red wave dissolved. And while almost everyone with power and influence in the GOP agrees it’s a mess, no one can agree on how to fix it. Or whether Trump should be involved.
Democratic Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline is eyeing legislation that would bar Trump from serving in office under the 14th Amendment “for leading an insurrection against the United States.”
McCarthy refused to say if he would endorse Trump in 2024. “You guys are crazy,” he responded to reporters asking if he would endorse the recently announced run.
The NYT editorial board took a strong stand against another Trump presidency, saying America “deserves better.”
Karen Bass, a veteran Democratic congresswoman, became the first woman elected as mayor of Los Angeles after pledging to build coalitions in a metropolis torn by racial tensions and fed up with homelessness.
The University of Virginia senior charged with shooting five fellow students, three of whom were killed, appeared by video in a brief court hearing yesterday morning, where he was ordered held without bail.
Idaho police are now warning there could be a threat to the city of Moscow after four University of Idaho students were slain by an unknown suspect over the weekend.
A sevenfold surge in coronavirus infections during the past two weeks is testing China’s new policy of loosened measures that aim to reduce the impact of zero-Covid restrictions.
As the flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) have spread rapidly this fall — inundating and overwhelming hospitals and their staff across the country — Covid has not.
US Senate lawmakers voted this week to end the federal government’s emergency declaration on the Covid-19 pandemic, a status that has given the Biden administration tools to combat the coronavirus.
Employers may be pushing for more workers to return to the office. But that’s proving to be an uphill battle, especially as the cold and flu season gets underway.
A federal appeals court, for the second time, reinstated New York’s strict concealed carry law after portions of the statute were temporarily suspended by a judge last week.
After an election with crime as a major focus, criminal justice reform advocates are now pushing Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers to overhaul New York’s sentencing laws.
Hochul appears to have put New York’s controversial bail reform law on the back burner following her electoral win over tough-on-crime challenger Lee Zeldin — despite bipartisan calls for action.
Hochul declared November “Transgender Awareness Month” in New York.
The governor also announced that New York State landmarks will be lit pink, white and light blue on Sunday, November 20 in honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Lake effect snow was expectedly to significantly impact portions of Western New York and Hochul announced plans to declare a state of emergency ahead of the storm. Up to four feet of snow is expected.
Hundreds of women who have accused prison guards of sexual abuse going back decades plan to sue New York State under new legislation that allows survivors to take legal action no matter how many years have elapsed.
Dozens of workers who care for people with disabilities converged at the Capitol, calling on Hochul to invest in a workforce that has seen record turnover and staffing shortages, complicating the lives of thousands of New York residents living with disabilities.
Elections may be over, but political boundaries for the state Assembly are far from settled after voters were allowed to elect candidates under district maps that were determined by courts to be unconstitutional.
Incumbent state Sen. John Mannion moved ahead of challenger Rebecca Shiroff by 27 votes yesterday, flipping New York’s 50th District from the Election Night count.
New York Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins appointed Deputy Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins to fill an open seat on the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission following the abrupt resignation of the commission chair.
A bill awaiting Hochul’s consideration would make key changes to a little known, but important spending oversight board, and a coalition of government watchdog organizations is urging her to sign it.
A state comptroller’s audit confirmed a multitude of deficiencies in the state Department of Labor’s oversight and management of its unemployment insurance system that led to widespread fraud during the coronavirus pandemic.
A $780 million soccer stadium deal in Queens green-lighted this week by Mayor Eric Adams was a win for one of his top political advisers, Nathan Smith, who lobbied City Hall for months on behalf of the project’s developer, public records show.
Adams is leaving untold millions of dollars in reimbursements on the table while pinning his hopes on a $1 billion federal grant to pay for the staggering cost of dealing with the city’s migrant crisis.
Facing growing pension costs and stiff inflation, New York City officials projected that the city’s budget deficit would shrink to $2.9 billion next year after recent belt-tightening efforts, before ballooning again in subsequent years.
The loss of fare revenue due to lower ridership “will destroy the MTA” if the state doesn’t step in to provide funding for the cash-strapped transit system, a government watchdog said.
The cash-strapped MTA allowed subpar contractors to continue working on its dime despite bad reviews, a new audit has found — the latest red flag for the agency as it advances controversial congestion tolls and seeks a bailout from Albany.
Between June 2021 and June 2022, the NYPD hit its second-highest recorded level of overtime by uniformed officers — $762 million — overshooting its budget by more than $100 million.
Part-time faculty members at the New School, a historically progressive university that includes the Parsons School of Design, walked out en masse yesterday to protest pay and working conditions.
Hunter College will announce that Leonard Lauder, the chairman emeritus of the Estée Lauder Companies, is giving $52 million to Hunter’s nursing school in honor of a Hunter alumna — his late wife, Evelyn.
At least seven City Council members are now urging a federal judge to appoint a receiver for Rikers Island, saying it has only become more deadly and the only way to turn things around would be through a federal takeover.
A Queens dad was charged with brutally murdering his 3-year-old namesake son inside their apartment after the city Medical Examiner ruled the battered little boy was a homicide victim, police said.
Yellow taxi fares are set to jump an average of 23% per ride, the Taxi and Limousine Commission says – the first increase in a decade.
Anticipated to go into effect before the end of the year, the price hikes include a 10-cent increase in base fares for yellow and green taxis, from $2.50 to $3.
State University at Albany men’s basketball coach Dwayne Killings, athletic director Mark Benson and the school have been sued by former player Luke Fizulich over a pre-game incident that occurred a year ago.
Work crews this week are replacing display panels on the Palace Theatre marquee that have promoted upcoming shows and run advertising since being installed in spring 2004 as one of the final components of a two-year theater renovation.
The Lehigh Hanson cement plant in Glens Falls, which has been in operation since 1893, will be closing next year with operations shifting to Indiana, according to the plant’s Texas-based owners.
Yale Law School and Harvard Law School are pulling out of the U.S. News & World Report law-school ranking that they have dominated for decades, issuing a significant blow to the credibility and power of the high-profile rankings.
Elon Musk gave Twitter employees a deadline of 5 p.m. Eastern time today to decide if they wanted to work for him, and he asked those who did not share his vision to leave their jobs, in his latest shock treatment of the social media company.
Jay Leno, the comedian and television host, underwent surgery this week and will need a second procedure in the coming days after he sustained “significant” burns while working on a car over the weekend, his doctor said.
