NEW PATCH COURSE??? State and Local Decisions Could Lead to Re-Routing

For the third time in its storied history, the Patch Sprint may be undergoing a course redesign.      Two recent factors have contributed to this possible change:  First, the denial of access on the Bare Mountain property from one landowner.  The second, and not as major development, is the closing of the state public campground at Mt. Pok-O-Moonshine.      Patch Sprint board members were guests at a recent conference of Adirondack Park Agency officials; members of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; The Willsboro Planning and Zoning Council and various hunters and trappers.

The foremost issue deals with the land along the route on Bare Mountain.  “The owner is concerned about overuse, as well as liability,” said one official at the conference.  This is not the first time this issue has been raised.  In 2004, the same property owner closed off the route to the public.  At the time, an alternate trail was cut by the Pok-O-MacCready Outdoor Education Center, and used during a successful attempt at the winter Patch Sprint.  By May of that year, successful negotiations on behalf of Pok-O-MacCready Director Sharp Swan resulted in the re-opening of the standard route.

“We are confident that Sharp can again broker a deal,” stated P.S. Co-Director Greg Henderson.  “Last time this happened, we offered the owner some cash- which he declined- and assured him that we are only talking about roughly two hours of passage during the morning of the event.”      In the event that the path remains closed to the public, an alternate route will again be in place, most likely leaving behind the Reinckens house, and heading to the right, southerly direction of the “bare spot” (above, left), prior to hitting the summit ridge about 100 yards from the top.  Racers and trekkers would probably have to retrace their steps on the decsent, although other alternative routes are being explored.

“That sucks,” complained Patch veteran Jake Gittler (right, leading the pack).  “I’ve been visualizing the route every night before bed, with designs on trying to better two hours and 40 minutes!  Now, I’ll be lucky if I can break three (hours) on the longer route!”  Countered Lauren Glickman:  “This is my first time racing and I don’t know what I’m getting into, so what’s an extra half mile or so?”  Concluded Cole Starkey, perennial top-five contender, “I’m never sure where I’m headed so I’ll just follow Fiegl and hope for the best.”

As for the closing of the Pok-O-Moonshine State Campground, The February 21st edition of the Albany Times Union, Pete Grannis of the DEC reports, “canceling the summer season at six sites in the Adirondacks and Catskills with nearly 260 campsite is one of the state's "hard choices ... in these tough economic times,"      How the closure effects the Patch Sprint is uncertain.  “It could actually be good for us,” stated Patch co-director Tim Singer.  “Now we may be able to park there, and drink Franzia at the base.  On the other hand, the cops could be combing the place, keeping people out and basically ambushing the start of the Kindersprint”

Pok-O-Moonshine State Park

The original Patch Sprint course, starting in 1996, began at the 1812 Homestead.  In 1999, the start was switched to its current location, at the pillars at Pok-O-MacCready.  And in 2003, the order of mountains:  Bare, Rattlesnake, Sugarloaf and Pok-O-Moonshine was mandated.

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