BLAZE >> Backpacking Gay Men of NYC

Ready for a nice spring hike this Saturday? Let's go for a day hike to Stokes State Forest! This time we will hike a loop from Culvers Gap to Sunrise Mountain.

The hike will be up to 12 miles long with the total elevation gain of about 1500 feet. This is a difficult hike because of the mileage hiked. Only physically fit individuals can participate, though no prior hiking experience is necessary. The number of participants is limited only by availability of carpool seats. (I'll open more spots as more drivers sign up, so go ahead and put yourself on the waiting list. If you are willing to rent a car, indicate so. If we need a car rental, I'll let you know. In that case the car rental cost gets split across all people who need carpooling from NYC.)

The plan is to leave New York City around 9:00 a.m. so that all of us can meet at Dunkin' Donuts in Lafayette, NJ (Route 15) by 10:15 a.m., see the exact address above on this page. Drivers should take I-80 West to Exit 34, then Route 15 North to the Dunkin' Donuts in Lafayette. From there we'll drive our cars together to the park and start hiking.

Everyone should bring a lunch snack and at least 1.5 liters of water for the hike. We'll stop for dinner on our way back home. We should be back to NYC around 7:30 p.m.

As to the gear, everyone should have good boots. The weather forecast looks good (mostly sunny, in the 70's), but you should still bring a rain jacket. Also bring sunscreen and sunglasses.

I'll have a map, a compass, a first aid kit, and some other essential gear. If you have any question, please e-mail me. If you have a question for everyone, post it. I will contact you on Thursday evening to organize the carpool.

Milos

Please join us for the Fourteenth annual Fire Island Blaze camping at Watch Hill. This centrally situated venue will give members a chance to enjoy a variety of activities, such as just lounging around soaking up the sun, doing some backcountry hiking (and possible backpacking), or indulging in the gay life of Fire Island at Cherry Grove and the Pines.

The trip is limited to 40 people. Available spots will be preferentially assigned to Blaze members who have been on a Blaze overnight trip before, or have been among the most active members of our group. Please add yourself to the waitlist even if many more people sign up... there are usually spots that open up at the last minute.

The Watch Hill Restaurant & Bar has been rebuilt, finally. Third time is the charm!!!

Dates:
July 16-18. You are welcome to arrive Thursday, Friday or Saturday. We will be leaving Sunday afternoon. A logistics spreadsheet for carpooling and tents will be created. Campsite Cost is $30 per person (regardless of how many nights you stay).

Text us:
We will communicate via WhatsApp. Details to come....

Where:
Fire Island Watch Hill Camp Grounds:
First and foremost, this is not back country camping. It is more like modified car camping. The Watch Hill Campgrounds are located in the Watch Hill Section of Fire Island about 1/4 mile from the ferry terminal. See the attached map of Fire Island. So basically whatever you can carry, drag, put in a cart, etc. for 1/4 mile is what you can bring. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/NPS_fire-island-watch-hill-map.jpg?20170516212447

The campsites are only a one minute walk to the beach. The facilities include running water, grills, picnic tables, showers and bathrooms. We will be located minutes from the marina, visitor center, Restaurant & bar. Friendly dogs are permitted at no extra charge. (But it is up to you to verify about the dogs on beaches.) Other restaurants and bars are within walking distance.

For those interested in hiking (we are a backpacking group after all), the campsites sit at the entrance to Otis Pike Wilderness reserve,where you can explore miles of undeveloped beach, a natural barrier island ecosystem, salt marsh nature trails, back-country hiking, 40-foot high dunes with roaming deer, and many natural seaside artifacts all while savoring the solitude. It is one of the Nation's few federally designated oceanfront wilderness areas.

Mosquito bite prevention:
Some people are bothered by mosquitoes at this site while others are not bothered at all. If you want to be among those who are not bothered by mosquitoes, one combination that works is a cocktail of Permethrin & Picaridin to apply to your clothes and tent and Deet (at least 30%) to apply to your skin. (Also, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus)

Fire Island Pines & Cherry Grove:
Also, for those interested in checking out the gayer side of the island (we are also a gay group after all), the two largest gay resort destinations in the NYC area are a short, enjoyable and fairly inexpensive water taxi ride away, or a long walk along the beach (3-4 miles).

Getting There:
The campground is accessible via the ferry from ferry terminal in Patchogue NY (this is not the same ferry that runs to Cherry Grove). The ferry is accessible by Long Island RR or by car. More on transportation as the time gets closer. http://www.davisparkferry.com

Cost:
There will be $30/person charge to cover the cost of the site, etc. Cost is the same regardless of how many nights you stay.

Text us:
We will communicate via WhatsApp. Details to come...

Should be a fun time. Hope to see you there.

Join us for some strenuous, exhilarating all-day hikes in the Adirondack High Peaks region.

Pay the Signup Fee (see below) to move from "Waitlist" to "Going".

We’ll stay at Wildnerness Campground at Adirondack Loj, located on Heart Lake, with hike-out access to multiple high peaks including Mt. Marcy. It is a 15 minute drive from Lake Placid.

In addition to hiking we will also enjoy swimming, kayaking, hot breakfasts at the Loj, group dinners, campfires, and exploring Lake Placid and Saranac Lake.

We have 4 sites reserved in the Wilderness Campground, near the washrooms. Each site sleeps 6 people in 3 tents, for up to 24 people total. Parking is included for 2 cars per site. Additional paid parking is available nearby.

Signup Fee / Campsite Cost: $70 per person
This amount assumes 16 people pay. If more pay, you will get some amount of refund.

To reserve your spot, Venmo @DavidHAndrew “Adirondacks” (last four: 5460).

If that seems like a lot, keep in mind this is for 4 nights in one of the best campgrounds in the High Peaks region. Day parking alone is $18 at Adirondack Loj for ADK non-members.

We will organize carpools from NYC and nearby suburbs this summer.