Appointment to FLTC

bubba · Mar 6, 2012

Its official – on Saturday, the Finger Lakes Trail Conference Board of Managers confirmed my appointment as the new Executive Director.

For those who are not familiar - The Finger Lakes Trail Conference is responsible for managing and protecting a foot-trail system of over 950-miles in length that runs from the Pennsylvania-New York border in Allegany State Park (Finger Lakes Trail) to the Long Path in the Catskill Forest Preserve. Branch trails to Niagara Falls, the Genesee River valley, the Great Eastern Trail, the central Finger Lakes, and the Syracuse region are part of the system. From the PA border to the northeast end of the Onondaga Branch, the Finger Lakes Trail is also the North Country National Scenic Trail. The Finger Lakes Trail system covers some of the most scenic land in New York – built and maintained by volunteer workers using funds derived primarily through conference membership dues!

Needless to say - I'm pretty excited about taking on this position and the potential it has for me and the hiking community in New York and all of you in the NE hiking community. I look forward to working together with many of you and hope you will feel free to tap into me as a special resource!

The FLTC is now celebrating 50-years – you can learn more and even join here:
http://www.fltconference.org

MichaelJ · Mar 6, 2012

Woot! Congratulations! Now we can all call you "Mr. Director," too.

Creag Nan Drochaid · Mar 6, 2012

Congrats and have fun

Bubba,
Please accept my congratulations on your appointment. I do not pretend to know you save through vftt, but that alone indicates that the Board has chosen someone who is very active on the trails, and that is fitting given the FLTC mission.
I read all the pages of the FLTC website relating to trail work before deciding to write this morning. To me it is apparent that you are now the executive head of a very focused and well-organized club who get a lot of good work done by matching the volunteer's time availability with the work. A small paid staff, dedicated volunteer leaders, hundreds of volunteers all working to the same guidelines, good record-keeping so as to be properly accountable to the agencies who oversee the lands where you work: this is a model quite similar to what your neighbors and colleagues to the east do. We have all arrived at it somewhat independently, but the people and the nature of the work are the same, so let me offer two rules from AMC-NH Chapter:
1) Have fun!
2) When in doubt, follow Rule # 1.
Yours ay,
Creag nan drochaid

peakbagger · Mar 6, 2012

Finish one project (the house) and take on a bigger one. I didnt think you were retired

David Metsky · Mar 6, 2012

I moved this to Q&A NY - just general housecleaning.

Congrats! What a great honor - and a great responsibility. You'll do fantastic, I'm sure.

-dave-

DSettahr · Mar 6, 2012

(copying this from my post in ADKHighPeaks!)

Can you please, please, please make the new trail around Doubletop and over Wildcat in the Catksills a priority?

Once the Cross Mountain trail is completed, the road walk between the Fall Brook and the Slide Mountain trailheads will be the only obstacle remaining in the way of a more or less contiguous hiking trail (with minimal road walking) that crosses the entire Catskill Park...

Peakbagr · Mar 6, 2012

Bubba, congratulations on the new position.

Commenting on the previous post -
A trail over he Wildcats would be an abomination and would destroy one of the wildest ridgetops the Catskills - an area with large areas of first growth forest.
In the last few years, someone has tried to flag and slash a crude 6' corridor that coincided with the 'proposed trail' shown on the last few editions of the NYNJ Trail Conference maps. This is something the rangers are aware and monitoring. The route has been brushed in and the rangers and volunteers have collected zip lock gallon bags of old and new flagging.
At the urging of a number of people, the Trail Conference removed the dotted proposed trail from the last edition of the map and people in the environmental community have said that not only would DEC never undertake the marking, supervision, and patrolling of a new trail, the approval of such a trail would be a war DEC would not want to engage in.

Little Rickie · Mar 6, 2012

bubba said:
Its official – on Saturday, the Finger Lakes Trail Conference Board of Managers confirmed my appointment as the new Executive Director.

For those who are not familiar - The Finger Lakes Trail Conference is responsible for managing and protecting a foot-trail system of over 950-miles in length that runs from the Pennsylvania-New York border in Allegany State Park (Finger Lakes Trail) to the Long Path in the Catskill Forest Preserve. Branch trails to Niagara Falls, the Genesee River valley, the Great Eastern Trail, the central Finger Lakes, and the Syracuse region are part of the system. From the PA border to the northeast end of the Onondaga Branch, the Finger Lakes Trail is also the North Country National Scenic Trail. The Finger Lakes Trail system covers some of the most scenic land in New York – built and maintained by volunteer workers using funds derived primarily through conference membership dues!

Needless to say - I'm pretty excited about taking on this position and the potential it has for me and the hiking community in New York and all of you in the NE hiking community. I look forward to working together with many of you and hope you will feel free to tap into me as a special resource!

The FLTC is now celebrating 50-years – you can learn more and even join here:
http://www.fltconference.org

Wonderfull!! Really really excelent wonderfull news!!!! I've been meaning to join and will do so now. I've only hiked the High Tor, Naples, Camp Cutler to Ontario State Park and would love to do some over nights on the trail. I'd love a connection to FLTC. The museum will be coming soon and we support it as well.

Gremlin · Mar 6, 2012

Congratulations.

bubba · Mar 6, 2012

Thanks for the nice posts everyone!

Creag Nan Drochaid said:
...To me it is apparent that you are now the executive head of a very focused and well-organized club who get a lot of good work done by matching the volunteer's time availability with the work. ... this is a model quite similar to what your neighbors and colleagues to the east do. We have all arrived at it somewhat independently, but the people and the nature of the work are the same, so let me offer two rules from AMC-NH Chapter:
1) Have fun!
2) When in doubt, follow Rule # 1.
Yours ay,
Creag nan drochaid

That is so very nice, Creag. Thanks.

David Metsky said:
I moved this to Q&A NY - just general housecleaning.

Dave - by placing the post in General Backpacking - I didn't wish to limit the scope to only those who might read about a hiking trail that exists in NYS, but rather was hoping to make the announcement open to all NE hikers, avail myself to them and possibly introduce them to an unknown gem.

Peakbagr · Mar 6, 2012

Bubba, I thought the same thing when I saw it had been relocated.
I'll place it back where you intended so it will receive a wider audience.

Woody · Mar 7, 2012

Bubba, Congratulations. I really have to get some hiking done in NY soon!

Paradox · Mar 8, 2012

Congratulations! I better start calling you "Mr." Bubba.

Tom Rankin · Mar 8, 2012

Peakbagr said:
Commenting on the previous post - trail over he Wildcats would be an abomination and would destroy one of the wildest ridgetops the Catskills - an area with large areas of first growth forest.

First of all Congrats!

Second, I agree with Alan. Currently the trail ends quite close to the Wildcats, but in the middle of the woods, over a mile from the nearest parking lot, which is just ridiculous! Can't it just be extended to the Denning parking lot, or Slide PA, or whatever?

Jay H · Mar 8, 2012

Tom Rankin said:
First of all Congrats!

Second, I agree with Alan. Currently the trail ends quite close to the Wildcats, but in the middle of the woods, over a mile from the nearest parking lot, which is just ridiculous! Can't it just be extended to the Denning parking lot, or Slide PA, or whatever?

I think the trail BEGINS in the catskills

I spoke about the location with Bubba but my reasoning for the start in the middle of the woods is that it joins the Long Path without any overlap but yeah, I think it could perhaps start at Peekamoose trailhead cause then the long distance thruhikers could stay at Sundown before heading out..

Jay

Tom Rankin · Mar 8, 2012

Jay H said:
I think the trail BEGINS in the catskills I spoke about the location with Bubba but my reasoning for the start in the middle of the woods is that it joins the Long Path without any overlap but yeah, I think it could perhaps start at Peekamoose trailhead cause then the long distance thruhikers could stay at Sundown before heading out..

Jay

I think the sign does say 'end of trail', but whatever!

Pick a trailhead, any trailhead. Better than the middle of nowhere.

ow2010 · Mar 8, 2012

Congratulations, bubba! I'm originally from the Finger Lakes area...some nice scenery. Haven't done any hiking on the FLT tho.

Good luck with your new responsibilities.

una_dogger · Mar 9, 2012

Congratulations, Bubba! With your amazing people skills, attention to detail, and love of the mountains and trails - they couldn't have appointed a finer Director! I'm sure you will make great progress for the Trail

As for the Wildcat proposal - no trail! John Burroughs must be rolling in his grave. Keep the Cats Wild.

PA Ridgerunner · Mar 9, 2012

Tom Rankin said:
I think the sign does say 'end of trail', but whatever! Pick a trailhead, any trailhead. Better than the middle of nowhere.

I'll be the contrarian here. I love that it ends where it does! I've been hiking the FLT near home for years and have a great fondness for it. On a hike of Peakamoose and Table last summer with Tom and Laurie, I got a real kick out of seeing the "End of FLT" sign in the middle of the woods!

marty · Mar 9, 2012

ow2010 said:
Congratulations, bubba! I'm originally from the Finger Lakes area...some nice scenery. Haven't done any hiking on the FLT tho.

Good luck with your new responsibilities.

Same with me, but my brother-in-law is on the FLT all the time and loves it! We hiked the Keuka Outlet Trail last time I was back home. The FLT will be on the agenda for next time.

Congratulations Bubba. I am certain that you will do an awesome job.

Marty

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