Buck
Mountain-Pilot Knob Trailhead Steward Program
2024 End-of-season report
June 29 - October 19 (Saturdays and Sundays only)
20 stewards, 10 new stewards
27 stewarding days
215 volunteer hours
1,289 hiker contacts
Hourly traffic count:
8:30 - 9:30: 367
9:30 - 10:30: 406
10:30 - 11:30: 376
11:30 - 12:30: 340
Traffic count
Inman Pond: 31
Stewarts Ledge: 283
Pilot Knob: 77
Parking lot filled 13 days
Summary:
2024 hiker contacts increased by 18% over 2023.
Although a very wet summer, stewards experienced mostly good weather hiking days with occasional showers or light rain. The new popup tent proved useful for sun and rain shower shelter.
Stewarts Ledge popularity continues to grow presenting a very strong argument for marking the trail which can be easily achieved with volunteer labor. Volunteers cleared July storm blowdown keeping the trail accessible.
“Rattlesnakes” - a popular discussion topic due to news media reports of encounters in the greater Lake George area. Stewards advised hikers with dogs to keep them on leash.
Hikers expressed gratitude for our stewarding presence with the highest degree of appreciation.
No parking bad behavior. No unruly or ill mannered hiker encounters reported.
Portable toilet needed service occasionally and was reported to NYSDEC.
Hikers were mostly prepared with the “usual” number of hikers not having the 10 Essentials. One Stewarts Ledge barefoot hiker.
This trailhead steward program in its third year continues to grow. The addition of fall stewarding days has been very successful. It is important to know that our stewarding work is part of a process. It is unrealistic for us to expect immediate behavior changes with each hiker contact. Hiker education becomes learned behavior through multiplicative messaging and experience. Our hikers will again hear messaging at other stewarded trailheads and summits along with online and social media sources. There’s also learning from experience. The hikers advised about carrying adequate water on a hot, humid day. The hikers cautioned about wearing proper footwear on the wet slippery rock slabs on the Buck summit approach. We as highly skilled hiker educators gained our knowledge through our experiences and training. It’s a process,
Thank you to all the 2024 Buck-Pilot Knob trailhead stewards! You made it happen. Your
time and efforts are greatly appreciated. You make a
difference. We
care about protecting public lands and we take pride in sharing stewardship
messaging. We are appreciative of the opportunity
provided by the Adirondack Mountain Club. Great job everyone!
Thank you to Kayla
White, Adirondack Mountain Club Deputy Director of Stewardship, for her
passion, training us, support, administration, paperwork, and all the
behind-the-scenes unglamorous necessities.
Thank you to Rebecca
Terry, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Forester, for being a
superb collaborator always ready to help us in any way possible.
Thank you to NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Ranger Kaitlyn Clute for participating in our training session updating us on Lake George Wild Forest details of her patrol area.
Thank you to the Pilot Knob Volunteer Fire Department for their support and allowing us to stage our supply shed and provide parking for our stewards.
Lastly, a HUGE thank you to the ADK Glens Falls-Saratoga Chapter for its steadfast financial
support making this project possible. Proceeds from
the chapter’s annual presentation of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour pay for our
supplies and equipment. This year’s shows will be January 31, February 1,
February 2. Get tickets early - it will again
sell out!
Recommendations for 2025:
- With more stewards, starting the season in June.
- Expansion of recruiting efforts using all available resources. Last year’s presentation at an ADK Albany Chapter spring meeting was very successful. IMIS database could be a useful tool for outreach particularly identifying outings leader certification by members possibly interested in trailhead stewarding.
- Closer contact with the Adirondack Mountain Club throughout the field season and integration with the club’s other stewarding enterprises.
- Adirondack Mountain Club advocacy for the official marking of the Stewarts Ledge trail and a VSA for volunteer trail maintenance.
Respectfully submitted by Jim Schneider, ADK Glens Falls-Saratoga Chapter
November 2024