Hiker dies at Sam's Point Preserve, Shwangunks

Here is a news story link on a 67 year old man that died while hiking in a steep, wooded area of the Sam's Point Preserve on the Shawangunk Ridge. The report is sketchy, but the location is indicated by

was hiking with a friend in a heavily wooded area at Sam's Point Preserve, about 1.75 miles east of Berme Road, when he fell backward while trying to climb a steep incline.

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I know the area quite well and I believe the hiker was climbing up Shingle Gully and was not far off the Old Smiley Road (unmarked trail) that begins at a small park on Berme Road in Ellenville, NY. From Old Smiley Road there is a herd path that leads up Shingle Gully to the "Greater Ice Caves". This series of crevices includes features known as Grand Canyon, Sunken Forest, Labyrinth, and others. It is an area that requires (with good cause) a special use permit that can be obtained from the Sam's Point Preserve or the Nature's Conservancy.

The hiker's death seems to have been a simple fall in steep terrain and not a fall off one of the many cliffs. It points out the hazards of climbing in icy shoulder seasons before any significant snows arrive.

I thought that area was marked Off-Limits on the maps for Sam's Point. I'd love to go visit that area again, it's a beautiful hidden gem in the 'gunks. Do you know if SPP or the Nature Conservancy gives the special use permits to anybody or do you have to have some kind of reason to be there other than being a hiker?

Jay

It points out the hazards of climbing in icy shoulder seasons before any significant snows arrive.

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Although the article doesn't say whether he slipped on ice, it's certainly not beyond the realm of possibilities. I was in the 'Gunks that same day, and there was a lot of ice on the Millbrook Mountain Trail below Lake Minnewaska.
We had to go off-trail several times, and one part was extremely dicey. There was a wall on one side and a fairly steep drop on the other, and we had to very carefully find just enough ice-free spots to put our feet and hands.
While the 'Gunks are nowhere near as challenging as the high peaks, their countless cliffs, cracks and crevasses make them a potentially dangerous place. It's sort of weird knowing that this happened while I was hiking about 15 miles away.

Matt

Mark Schaefer said:

... It is an area that requires (with good cause) a special use permit that can be obtained from the Sam's Point Preserve or the Nature's Conservancy...

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Special use permit? How long has that been required?

The only further news I have heard on the accident were radio reports that the victim was from New York City. I do not know for sure that the location was Shingle Gully (although that is the most popular destination from Berme Road). The herd path starts about 1.5 miles from the trailhead and leads steeply up about 0.5 miles to the reach the crevices. The reports don't mention ice, but that entire area oozes water, and night time temperatures have been below freezing.

The Sam's Point Preserve was purchased by the Open Space Institute (OSI) in 1997. It is operated by the Nature Conservancy. Their maps (as early as 1998) have identified the area of Shingle Gully and the Greater Ice Caves as "Access by Permit Only". This has not been well publicized, and most who visit the area are probably unaware that a permit is required. There is a small info kiosk at the start of the Old Smiley Road, but I don't recall that it states anything about the permits. I recall that the early (1998) maps indicated that the permits were to monitor usage of the area. I suspect it was also done for liability reasons.

For further information on permits, hikers should write or call one of the Nature Conservancy offices:

• Eastern New York Chapter, 200 Broadway, 3rd Floor; Troy, NY 12180, (518) 272-0195, [email protected]
• Shawangunk Ridge, 108 Main Street, New Paltz, NY 12561, (845)-255-9051
• Sam's Point Preserve, PO Box 86, Cragsmoor, NY 12420, (845)-647-7989

When the new visitor's/conservation center opens at the parking lot for Sam's Point you should be able to obtain the permit there.

mcorsar said:

Although the article doesn't say whether he slipped on ice, it's certainly not beyond the realm of possibilities. I was in the 'Gunks that same day, and there was a lot of ice on the Millbrook Mountain Trail below Lake Minnewaska.
We had to go off-trail several times, and one part was extremely dicey. There was a wall on one side and a fairly steep drop on the other, and we had to very carefully find just enough ice-free spots to put our feet and hands.
While the 'Gunks are nowhere near as challenging as the high peaks, their countless cliffs, cracks and crevasses make them a potentially dangerous place. It's sort of weird knowing that this happened while I was hiking about 15 miles away.

Matt

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Matt,

I passed this man and his friend on the Berme Road Trail going up, as we were finishing our hike that day!

Wow, that really is freaky! I even had a brief conversation with his friend. He remarked that my friends and I had a lot of gear (they didn't). I told him that it was Winter, and it was essential to have all the right gear.

I'm saddened to see that the lack of crampons or other gear might have cost him his life.

Last I heard the permit was not required anymore. Normally if the was the case the area that is off limits would be posted stating so. How else would one know unless the have the TC maps.

snowshoe said:

Last I heard the permit was not required anymore. Normally if the was the case the area that is off limits would be posted stating so. How else would one know unless the have the TC maps.

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I know the director of the Nature Conservancy. Our Astronomy club meets at Sam's Point once in a while. She mentioned to me Sunday that you do in fact need a permit to go off the main trail up there. Unfortunately, the register box at the trailhead is empty, and no signs mention registration.