Doghiker

Alan Via

Description

Much more than a guidebook showing readers great places to hike with their canine companions in upstate New York, Doghiker is a dog owner's operating manual and tool kit. A lifelong dog owner, Alan Via makes a strong case for responsible ownership and offers guidance on selecting a canine hiking companion, training, safety, appropriate gear, canine first aid, and keeping your dog fit and healthy. Covering the Adirondacks through the Catskills, and areas in between, this unique guidebook includes seventy-seven beautiful hikes that are great for dogs. Each hike has a custom topographic map showing parking areas, trails, viewpoints, water sources, and other points of interest. Included are a peak-finder map and chart showing every hike and a summary of rating categories, as well as information on total mileage, elevation gain, ratings for views, difficulty level, dog safety and hazards, hiker traffic, trail conditions, and whether a leash is suggested or required. Detailed driving directions for each outing, including GPS coordinates for key intersections and trailheads, are also provided. By presenting all of this information, drawn from Via's forty-plus years of hike leadership, readers can easily evaluate which hike fits their needs and get outside and explore the great outdoors with their four-legged friends.
Foreword
Acknowledgments

Don't Worry, He Won't Bite
Getting Your Dog
Training
Safeguarding Your Dog
First Aid
Doghiker Gear

The Hikes

Peakfinder Map
Peak Chart

North Region
Baxter Mt.
Black Mt.
Black Bear Mt.
Buck Mt.—Hogtown Trail
Catamount Mt.
Cheney Mt.
Clear Pond—Chain Lakes
Cobble Lookout
Coney Mt.
Cook Mt.
The Crows
Hackensack Mt.
Hadley Mt.
Hammond Pond
Hopkins Mt.
Jay Range
Kane Mt.
LeVine Nature Preserve
Moxham Mt.
Noonmark Mt.
Owls Head Lookout
Pine Mt.
The Pinnacle
Poke-O-Moonshine Mt.
Prospect Mt.
Rattlesnake Mt.
Record Hill
Sawyer Mt.
Severance Hill
Sleeping Beauty Mt.
South Boquet Mt.
Tooley Pond Mt.
Mt. Van Hoevenberg

Central Region
Beebe Hill
Bennett Hill Preserve
Berlin Mt.
Bozen Kill Preserve
Capital Hills at Albany
Dickinson Hill
Holt Preserve
Schoharie Creek Preserve
Thacher State Park
Thunder Mt.
Wolf Creek Falls Preserve

South Region
Acra Point
Alder Lake
Andes Rail Trail and Bullet Hole Spur
Ashokan High Point
Balsam Lake Mt.
Belleayre Mt.
Bramley Mt.
Catskill Scenic Trail—Hobart to Bloomville
Delhi Trails
Huckleberry Point
Hunter Mt.—Spruceton Trail
Huntersfield Mt.
Huyck Preserve
Jennie Notch
Kelly Hollow
Lake Heloise to Jennie Notch
Leonard Hill
Overlook Mt.
Pakatakan Mt.
Palmer Hill
Mt. Pisgah
Plattekills
Red Hill
Rip's Ledge
Rochester Hollow
Rock Rift
Shavertown Trail
Silver Hollow Mt.
Slide Mt.
South Escarpment
Twin Mt.
West Cave—Cave Mts.
Windham High Peak

Glossary
Suggested Reading
Index
About the Author

Sujets

• Trekking
• Regional
• Walking
• Region
• Hiking

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 mars 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781438478371
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Doghiker
The dog enters thoroughly into the spirit of the enterprise; he is not indifferent or preoccupied; he is constantly sniffing adventure, laps at every spring, looks upon every field and wood as a new world to be explored, is ever on some fresh trail, knows something important will happen a little farther on, gazes with the true wonder-seeing eyes, whatever the spot or whatever the road finds it good to be there, -- in short, is just that happy, delicious, excursive vagabond that touches one at so many points, and whose human prototype in a companion robs miles and leagues of half their power to fatigue.
—John Burroughs, “The Exhilarations of the Road,” Winter Sunshine
DOGHIKER

Great Hikes with Dogs from the Adirondacks through the Catskills
Alan Via
Cartography by Liz Cruz
Photographic credits
front cover: Winter, Deb Osterhoudt
Rev—Pilot Knob, Mike Arthur
Take a Look at this—Hopkins view, Rob Osterhoudt
back cover: Enjoying the view from Buck Mt., Aldo DiVirgilo
page i : Bookah on Acra Point, Joanne Hihn
page ii : Bookah running thru flowers on Cave Mt., Alan Via
page v : Bookah in ferns, Moonray Schepart
Toby, Lillian Browne
Page 271 : Jim Harrison, “Mary,” from Songs of Unreason . Copyright © 2011 by Jim Harrison. Used with the permission of The Permissions Company Inc. on behalf of Copper Canyon Press, www.coppercanyonpress.org .
book and cover design, Laurie Searl
Published by
State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2020 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.
Excelsior Editions is an imprint of State University of New York Press
For information, contact
State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
www.sunypress.edu
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Via, Alan, [Date– ], author.
Title: Doghiker : great hikes with dogs from the Adirondacks through the Catskills / Alan Via.
Description: Albany : Excelsior Editions, an imprint of State University of New York Press, 2020. | Includes index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2019040020 | ISBN 9781438478388 (paperback) | ISBN 9781438478371 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Hiking with dogs. | Hiking with dogs—New York (State)—Adirondack Mountains—Guidebooks. | Hiking with dogs—New York (State)—Catskill Mountains—Guidebooks. | Dogs—Training. | Adirondack Mountains (N.Y.)—Guidebooks. | Catskill Mountains (N.Y.)—Guidebooks.
Classification: LCC SF427.455 .V53 2020 | DDC 796.5109747/1—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019040020
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Dedicated to our beloved Bookah (10/31/2004–10/28/2013), friend and partner. She began this adventure and her spirit still haunts my summits. And for Toby who follows in Boo’s pawprints.

One way to get down the Cornell Crack.
—Joanne Hihn
Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Don’t Worry, He Won’t Bite
Getting Your Dog
Training
Safeguarding Your Dog
First Aid
Doghiker Gear
THE HIKES
Peakfinder Map
Peak Chart
NORTH REGION
Baxter Mt.
Black Mt.
Black Bear Mt.
Buck Mt.—Hogtown Trail
Catamount Mt.
Cheney Mt.
Clear Pond—Chain Lakes
Cobble Lookout
Coney Mt.
Cook Mt.
The Crows
Hackensack Mt.
Hadley Mt.
Hammond Pond
Hopkins Mt.
Jay Range
Kane Mt.
LeVine Nature Preserve
Moxham Mt.
Noonmark Mt.
Owls Head Lookout
Pine Mt.
The Pinnacle
Poke-O-Moonshine Mt.
Prospect Mt.
Rattlesnake Mt.
Record Hill
Sawyer Mt.
Severance Hill
Sleeping Beauty Mt.
South Boquet Mt.
Tooley Pond Mt.
Mt. Van Hoevenberg
CENTRAL REGION
Beebe Hill
Bennett Hill Preserve
Berlin Mt.
Bozen Kill Preserve
Capital Hills at Albany
Dickinson Hill
Holt Preserve
Schoharie Creek Preserve
Thacher State Park
Thunder Mt.
Wolf Creek Falls Preserve
SOUTH REGION
Acra Point
Alder Lake
Andes Rail Trail and Bullet Hole Spur
Ashokan High Point
Balsam Lake Mt.
Belleayre Mt.
Bramley Mt.
Catskill Scenic Trail—Hobart to Bloomville
Delhi Trails
Huckleberry Point
Hunter Mt.—Spruceton Trail
Huntersfield Mt.
Huyck Preserve
Jennie Notch
Kelly Hollow
Lake Heloise to Jennie Notch
Leonard Hill
Overlook Mt.
Pakatakan Mt.
Palmer Hill
Mt. Pisgah
Plattekills
Red Hill
Rip’s Ledge
Rochester Hollow
Rock Rift
Shavertown Trail
Silver Hollow Mt.
Slide Mt.
South Escarpment
Twin Mt.
West Cave—Cave Mts.
Windham High Peak
Glossary
Suggested Reading
Index
About the Author
Foreword
If you live with dogs, you’ll never run out of things to write about.
—Sharon DeLarose
One might ask, “Do we really need a guide that encourages people to take their dogs hiking?” You may even feel that dogs don’t belong on hiking trails. So why this book?
It’s not my intent to recruit, encourage, or otherwise get more dogs hiking. Even if you firmly believe dogs belong at home, you’ll discover my aim is to encourage good behavior rather than wishing away potential problems. Getting dog owners to think about positive trail behavior benefits everyone. I believe a better outcome results from encouraging responsible dog ownership and training rather than deploring bad trail behavior. My hope is that Doghiker encourages positive environmental impact and the enjoyment of those with whom doghikers share trails.
A recent survey shows dog ownership in America is at its highest-ever level with over seventy million canines and 63 percent of households containing at least one dog. According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spent over $72 billion on pets in 2018, with more than $30 billion of that for pet food. Combine these statistics with an active population wanting to be fit and outdoors with their dogs, and it’s an easy leap to see why we’re seeing more dogs on trails. One of the most frequent inquiries hiking clubs and trip leaders receive is, “Where can we take our dog?” It was one of the most common questions asked at a recent outdoors expo.
I’m often asked what makes a good dog hike. Dogs don’t care if the views are great, the trails are lined with wildflowers and interesting sights, or whether the photography may be stunning. Dogs love being outdoors with their people. If there are places for them to sniff and explore along a trail, any dog will be happy. I believe the most important factor for a good dog hike is that it needs to be fun, interesting, and engaging for dog owners. In my view, any hike has the potential to be a great dog hike if the human hikers are really enjoying it.
Doghiker differs from other guides in a number of ways. It covers the Adirondacks, the Catskills, and areas in-between. It’s also a great standalone guide for hikers without dogs. I saw little point is selecting hikes people wouldn’t really enjoy. You’ll quickly realize Doghiker is not the typical trailhead-to-destination hiking guide. I’ve tried to put myself in your boots (and paws), pointing out terrain features and those of the surrounding forest. You’ll read about wildflowers, fern glades, bird and animal life, as well as the best places for photography and views. Hikes were selected for interest, variety, geographic diversity, range of difficulty, and enjoyment.
The peak finder map locates each hike and a chart provides individual details. Each hike has a custom topographic map designed specifically for it. The maps show trailheads, surrounding roads, side trails, water features, and places of note. Each hike description begins with a paragraph outlining the highlights of the hike and what to expect. Directions, including GPS coordinates for intersections and trailheads, are provided to make it easy to locate the trailheads. Trail mileage, elevation gain, trail conditions, canine hydration opportunities, and potential dog hazards are all provided, as well as a difficulty rating for each hike, whether leashes are necessary, view ratings, and the best time of year to hike that trail. The summaries make it easy to select hikes suitable for you and your doghiker.

Leo relaxing on the summit
—Alan Via
Doghiker provides more than a where-to-go with maps. There are chapters on dog selection, training, conditioning, and equipment. Others have information on canine first aid, nutrition, and how to keep your dog safe and happy on and off the trail. Even experienced dog owners should discover useful tips.
My family has enjoyed active dogs over a lifetime. Our pooches came in all sizes and types. They were mutts, a hound, two springers, a setter, and two labs. Our hiker dogs, Bookah and Toby, were the book’s col LAB orators. I’ve had the chance to observe my dogs and those of others over the years. Some are excellent hikers, with great demeanor and woods courtesy. Others demonstrate they’ve received little training, giving all doghikers a bad name. You’ll notice I’m as concerned with the enjoyment of dog-