Not a bad day at ‘work’ when we get to spend it hiking through gorgeous landscapes with a great group of people. Alas, that was our day today as we took newly introduced Chazen to the sites. Chazen comes on to the project team to design Phase 1 of the Narrows trail network.
Pictured here are Kevin Hasselwander, with Chazen Companies, and Steven Ovitt, from Wilderness Property Management Inc. standing over the falls just downstream of the Smarts Pond Dam. Also on the team are Brit Basinger and Andy Rymph, both from Chazen, and Stephanie Roberg-Lopez and Beth Selig from Hudson Valley Cultural Resource Consultants, Ltd.
Phase 1 of the trails reaches from the bottom end of the Burden Preserve up to the Staalesen Property, owned by Rensselaer Land Trust. This phase extends over 2 linear miles, crossing the Wynantskill twice.
Starting in the morning at Staalesen, we worked our way through the entire series of properties, exploring the nooks and crannies, existing trails, possibilities, and generally getting excited about the prospects. With the properties generally off the radar, it feels fantastic to watch the team’s eyes light up as they see the beauty and history present here.