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It's winter in central New York. The days are shorter and colder. Be sure you bring enough water for your hiking adventure! Will you have enough time to finish your adventure before it gets dark? Are you prepared to spend a cold night in the woods? Will you have enough water for your hike? We suggest carrying a Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System to ensure you are able to replace water if you happen to run out. Be sure you keep yourself well hydrated on your adventure. Will you be warm enough on your hike? Cold temperatures can be very dangerous if you are not prepared, EVEN IN THE SUMMER. The weather can be very unpredictable, so be prepared for anything!  Do you have energy snacks? Do NOT wear cotton during cold weather hikes!!! It can be a matter of life and death! Do you have hand warmers in your pack? The ability to start a fire if you need to?

Be sure to protect yourself from ticks when hiking! Wear gaiters such as Liberty Mountain Nylon Gaiters (Navy) on your hike. They will help keep ticks from crawling up under your pant legs. You can also just tuck your pant legs into your socks and boots. Also use Repel 100 Insect Repellent, 4 oz. Pump Spray, 1 Bottle or Repel 33801 6-1/2-Ounce Sportsmen Max Formula Insect Repellent Aerosol 40-Percent DEET Spray or REPEL Tick Defense Unscented Aerosol Spray, 6.5-Ounce and spray your socks, pants, gaiters, shirt, neck, hands. Use sprays with at least 40% DEET!!! We also always use Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent Trigger Spray, 24-Ounce and spray it on our clothes/equipment to help repel ticks and other unwanted bugs.

Are you hiking with your dog? We highly recommend that you keep your dog on a leash when you are hiking, no matter how well trained you think your dog is. It will protect you, your dog, other hikers, other dogs and wildlife out on trail. You do not want your dog to have a run in with a skunk, porcupine or even a bear while hiking. Our dog, Kyra, is always on a leash when we are out hiking or camping.

We have created a new page with gear recommendations, please check out our Hiking Gear webpage. We hope that you'll check out that page as well as our You Tube Channel.

Recent additions and updates on CNY Hiking

		Mercy Mountain 8/26
Hurricane Mountain 8/24	NCT-Robert Treman 7/21	Wakely Mountain 7/13
Silver Lake Mountain 7/8	Catamount Mountain 7/8	Cobble Lookout 7/6
Dix Mountain Region 6/30	Bearfence Mountain 4/15	Stony Man Trail 3/31
Northampton Beach 3/11	Sacandaga Campground 2/24	Meacham Lake Campground 2/18
Sharp Bridge Campground 2/17	Shingletree Pond 2/17	Flatrock Mountain Tract 2/11
Fifth Peak 1/21	Tongue Mtn Range Trail 1/20	Five Mile Mountain 1/13
Deer Leap 1/6	Siamese Ponds 12/31	Palmer Hill 12/24

What if you get lost and have to stay overnight in the woods? Are you prepared for a cold, dark night in the woods? Does someone know your hiking route plan? Be safe. Be prepared. It might save your life! Carry a day pack complete with plenty of food and water. You should also bring extra clothing, rain coat, map and compass, first-aid kit, flashlight/headlamp, sun glasses, sun-block protection, ensolite pads, a stove and extra fuel, and bivy sack or space blankets. Matches with a good fire starter is a life saver.

Be safe while on your outdoor adventure. Be prepared out on the trails. Know how much daylight you have and how long your hike will take! Are you prepared for a night in the forest? Would you be ready? What's in your backpack? You can never be too prepared, even with a short hike. 

Use our Hiking Safety webpage to help you plan for a safe hiking adventure. Hiking with your dog? We always had our dog on a leash everytime we are hiking. You should too! You certainly don't want to find out what happens when your dog runs into a porcupine or into a skunk! It's not fun, trust me.

We are not affiliated with any hiking clubs or any hiking trail maintenance. If there any problems with trails, we suggest contacting the hiking club or NY DEC directly. All the information on this website is based on our best knowledge from our experience hiking the trail or where noted, from others who wanted to share their hiking experience. We try to keep the information up to date, but sometimes trails have changed that we are unaware of. If you see an error, please contact us at contact@cnyhiking.com.

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Here are some tips to help you be prepared on your hiking/backpacking/camping adventure --> 

• Wrap some duct tape on your hiking pole so you have it available for any emergency!
• Throw some dryer lint in a zip lock baggie to use as a fire starter. Don't forget matches!
• Do you have hand or foot warmers in your backpack?  Even in the summer!
• Don't wear cotton in the winter! Or at any time of the year while hiking!
• Do you have enough water?  What about a high energy snack?
• Did you tell someone your hiking plans and when to expect you?

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Be sure to check yourself for ticks!

Be very wary of high grass and use our tips below. You can minimize your chances of exposure to ticks by following a few simple steps:

• stay toward the center of trails and away from brush as well as high grass
• tuck pant legs inside socks and/or wear gaiters
• wear light-colored clothing (makes spotting ticks easier)
• use insect repellant (at least 40% deet) and don't forget to spray your pants, socks plus your boots as well.
• search all those places that ticks love to hide: in your hair, under your arms, between your legs, behind the knees, and even in your belly button
• Put the clothes you wore on your hike in the dryer, and tumble them on high heat

Be sure to check your pets as well for ticks. It's a good idea to contact your health care provider if you find any attached to you. We use Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent Trigger Spray, 24-Ounce and spray our clothes and equipment.

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