Sam's Point Update
6.28/16
Minnewaska State Park is now open after a wildfire over the weekend burned 25 acres. Human negligence is generally believed to be the cause of the fire just off the overlook on 44/55 in the Town of Rochester.
As of 4 p.m. Monday afternoon the fire was one hundred percent contained. A fire-line encompassing the fire was created by bulldozer and there is about a quarter of an acre of unburnt fuel left, according to Town of Rochester Supervisor Carl Chipman.
This should allow the fire to be extinguished or burn itself out. There will still be smoke probably for the next couple of days so don’t be alarmed if you see or smell it.
Chipman credits the Ulster County Emergency Management, Ulster County Fire Coordinator Charlie Mutz, the DEC Rangers, the State Police, and especially the hard working firefighting men and women from Accord Fire District, Kerhonkson Fire District for preventing a much worse outcome from the fire. No structures were damaged.
Last month a fire raged at the Sam's Point section of Minnewaska State Park. Read about the regeneration after the fire here -Life is Returning to Sam's Point .
Minnewaska State Park is now open after a wildfire over the weekend burned 25 acres. Human negligence is generally believed to be the cause of the fire just off the overlook on 44/55 in the Town of Rochester.
As of 4 p.m. Monday afternoon the fire was one hundred percent contained. A fire-line encompassing the fire was created by bulldozer and there is about a quarter of an acre of unburnt fuel left, according to Town of Rochester Supervisor Carl Chipman.
This should allow the fire to be extinguished or burn itself out. There will still be smoke probably for the next couple of days so don’t be alarmed if you see or smell it.
Chipman credits the Ulster County Emergency Management, Ulster County Fire Coordinator Charlie Mutz, the DEC Rangers, the State Police, and especially the hard working firefighting men and women from Accord Fire District, Kerhonkson Fire District for preventing a much worse outcome from the fire. No structures were damaged.
Last month a fire raged at the Sam's Point section of Minnewaska State Park. Read about the regeneration after the fire here -Life is Returning to Sam's Point .
5.28.16
Lake Minnewaska State Park, Sam's Point trail restrictions as of May 28th:
The following trails will be OPEN: The Loop Road, Ice Cave Road and the Ice Caves Trail.
The following trails will remain CLOSED until further notice: High Point Carriage Road, Verkeederkill Falls Trail, High Point Trail, Blueberry Pickers Trail, Indian Rock Trail
The following trails connecting the Minnewaska area to the Sam's Point Area will remain CLOSED until further notice: Lower Mine Hole Trail, Mine Hole Road/Long Path, Scenic Trail, Smiley Carriage Road, Stony Kill Carriage Road and South Gully Trail.
#gunks #wildfire #samspoint
Lake Minnewaska State Park, Sam's Point trail restrictions as of May 28th:
The following trails will be OPEN: The Loop Road, Ice Cave Road and the Ice Caves Trail.
The following trails will remain CLOSED until further notice: High Point Carriage Road, Verkeederkill Falls Trail, High Point Trail, Blueberry Pickers Trail, Indian Rock Trail
The following trails connecting the Minnewaska area to the Sam's Point Area will remain CLOSED until further notice: Lower Mine Hole Trail, Mine Hole Road/Long Path, Scenic Trail, Smiley Carriage Road, Stony Kill Carriage Road and South Gully Trail.
#gunks #wildfire #samspoint
5.17.16
As a result of the 2000 acer fire at Sam's Point in the Minnewaska State Park Preserve the ENTIRE Sam's Point Area will remain CLOSED until further notice. Additionally the trails connecting Minnewaska to the Sam's Point Area will remain CLOSED until further notice. Those trails are: Lower Mine Hole Trail, Mine Hole Road/Long Path, Scenic Trail, Smiley Carriage Road, Stony Kill Carriage Road and South Gully Trail.
Please be mindful of the closures it's not just about what you want to see or weather you feel you will be safe but also for the protection of sensitive regrowth areas.
Here is a Map of Closures.
The Jolly Rovers trail crew will be up in Sam's Point June and July working to rebuild the trail network there.
Please give nature and the trail crews time to do there work.
As a result of the 2000 acer fire at Sam's Point in the Minnewaska State Park Preserve the ENTIRE Sam's Point Area will remain CLOSED until further notice. Additionally the trails connecting Minnewaska to the Sam's Point Area will remain CLOSED until further notice. Those trails are: Lower Mine Hole Trail, Mine Hole Road/Long Path, Scenic Trail, Smiley Carriage Road, Stony Kill Carriage Road and South Gully Trail.
Please be mindful of the closures it's not just about what you want to see or weather you feel you will be safe but also for the protection of sensitive regrowth areas.
Here is a Map of Closures.
The Jolly Rovers trail crew will be up in Sam's Point June and July working to rebuild the trail network there.
Please give nature and the trail crews time to do there work.
Sam's Point Fire-
Photos Katelyn Kearney and Russ Van Sickle- Pilot Lucy Van Sickle. From 5100 feet. 4.24.16.
Sam's Point Fire- update |
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Photo credit- Russ Van Sickle and Katelyn Kearney.
Pilot Lucy Van Sickle.
4.25.16
Minnewaska State Park in the Shawangunks remains closed for the second day due to a forest fire in the Sam's Point section of the park.
The fire seems to be moving in the southerly direction according to local fire officials. Approximately 500 acres are on fire.
Local firefighters have been working to create a barrier around the blaze in order to contain it to the area around Verkeerderkill and Mud Pond, although the fire has spread into area near the Hamlet of Summitville. There have been no mandatory evacuations as of Monday morning.
More than 100 state and local emergency personnel continue to fight the blaze in the Sam's Point Preserve.
The Firefighters dug nine miles of fire barrier on Sunday, removing all fuels in the form of trees and shrubs in order to starve the fire. Road access and the nature of the mountain terrain are contributing to the difficulty of getting the fire under control
The scuttlebut around the ridge is that the fire was started by hikers smoking and throwing unextinguished cigarettes into dry leave and shrubs near Verkeerderkill Falls.
Another hiker saw the small blaze and hiked back to the visitor's center where he had cell service to call 911. By the time firefighter go to the scene the blaze had grown.
In May of last year a forest fire destroyed about 2,700 acres further south in the Shawangunk Ridge State Forest in Ulster and Sullivan counties.
Prior to 2015, the last major forest fire in Ulster County was in 2008 in Minnewaska State Park. That fire, also blamed on a discarded cigarette, burned for nearly a week and charred 3,100 acres.
The Rock the Ridge 50 Mile Endurance Challenge is coming up on April 30, it is uncertain yet if the fire will affect the course of the the run.
There is a burn ban in effect because of the dry conditions and low humidity.
Minnewaska State Park in the Shawangunks remains closed for the second day due to a forest fire in the Sam's Point section of the park.
The fire seems to be moving in the southerly direction according to local fire officials. Approximately 500 acres are on fire.
Local firefighters have been working to create a barrier around the blaze in order to contain it to the area around Verkeerderkill and Mud Pond, although the fire has spread into area near the Hamlet of Summitville. There have been no mandatory evacuations as of Monday morning.
More than 100 state and local emergency personnel continue to fight the blaze in the Sam's Point Preserve.
The Firefighters dug nine miles of fire barrier on Sunday, removing all fuels in the form of trees and shrubs in order to starve the fire. Road access and the nature of the mountain terrain are contributing to the difficulty of getting the fire under control
The scuttlebut around the ridge is that the fire was started by hikers smoking and throwing unextinguished cigarettes into dry leave and shrubs near Verkeerderkill Falls.
Another hiker saw the small blaze and hiked back to the visitor's center where he had cell service to call 911. By the time firefighter go to the scene the blaze had grown.
In May of last year a forest fire destroyed about 2,700 acres further south in the Shawangunk Ridge State Forest in Ulster and Sullivan counties.
Prior to 2015, the last major forest fire in Ulster County was in 2008 in Minnewaska State Park. That fire, also blamed on a discarded cigarette, burned for nearly a week and charred 3,100 acres.
The Rock the Ridge 50 Mile Endurance Challenge is coming up on April 30, it is uncertain yet if the fire will affect the course of the the run.
There is a burn ban in effect because of the dry conditions and low humidity.
