I’d first like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy New Year, and to thank all of our readers and advertisers for their support in 2007. May 2008 bring you everything you wish for.

2008 will mark a turning point for the Guide magazine. We will continue to offer complete travel and tourism information for the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley, but will be making some changes in content and frequency of publication. Loyal readers need not fret: each month will still include articles on the arts, things to do, places to go, etc., but each issue will have a special editorial focus, including the Arts, Summer and Winter Sports, Weddings, Fairs & Festivals, Food and more. We have also decided to combine four issues of the magazine so that we will be published ten times a year. The March/April issue will help you with spring cleaning and renovations with a special “Your Home, Inside and Out” section, and the November/December issue will give you lots of ideas for holiday shopping with an expanded “Gift Giving” section.

A few months ago, I wrote about the environment, and how global warming is changing the face of tourism in upstate New York. I’m happy to report that after a few years’ worth of bad seasons, all of the major ski resorts in the Catskill Region are reporting record numbers of skiers and riders. Not only has Mother Nature provided us with lots of natural snow, but the temperatures have been perfect for the mountains to maintain the snow they’ve made themselves.

And that’s a good thing, because if you’re anything like me, all those holiday goodies have added a few extra pounds that just beg to be worked off with some fun playtime outside.

Luckily for me, and for those of you who are reading these words, we live in (or visit) one of the most beautiful places in the world, a natural playground for adults and children alike, with just about anything you could wish for just outside your door.

Just a short distance from New York City and combining spectacular beauty with serious skiing and snowboarding, the Catskill Region is one of the best places for winter sports in the northeast. Each mountain offers something different, and while many skiers and riders have their own preferences, some find it’s exciting to experience all of the ski areas in the Region. All of the mountains have made significant improvements in recent years, offering exciting new trails and terrain and increasing the number of services they offer, making your visit more convenient and affordable than ever before. “Skiing and Riding the Catskill Mountains” provides an overview of the changes and upgrades each of the mountains have made in the past year.

Of course, there are plenty of other outdoor options for those klutzes (I include myself in that category) who find the idea of careening down a slippery ski slope a scary proposition. Most of us can only admire from afar Jimmy Buff’s level of fitness, allowing him to go on an overnight hike through the Catskill Mountains on the first day of winter (see “Outdoor Adventure”), but, much like the old National Geographic story that inspired him to undertake the hike, perhaps his story will inspire you to get outdoors and have some fun at your own pace!

Sometimes we all need to slow down a bit and enjoy some outdoor fun the old-fashioned way. Jonathan Ment has some great ideas (“Enjoy Some Old Time Fun”), and if you’re in the mood for some really, really old-fashioned fun, drive out to East Meredith for Hanford Mills Museum’s annual Ice Harvest, for a taste of life before modern conveniences.

Now get outside and have some fun.

See you in the mountains!

Sincerely,


Sarah Taft
Managing Editor
tafts@catskillmtn.org