Annual Lake George Hike-A-Thon Off to a Strong Start

For Immediate Release: March 22, 2016

 

Bolton Landing, NY – Just three weeks since the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) opened registration for its annual Hike-A-Thon, more than 200 people have signed up to join in the lake-wide event set for July 5, 2016. The LGLC anticipates a total participation of nearly 600 hikers, paddlers and volunteers.

The Lake George Hike-A-Thon is a one-day event held each July 5th, created to showcase the LGLC’s parks and preserves around Lake George as free public resources, and to promote a healthy, active lifestyle and appreciation for the outdoors.

Hikes take place simultaneously all around Lake George, culminating with aerial photography of each group by Carl Heilman, II, who will be flying in a helicopter piloted by Bruce Mowery of North Country Heliflite.

Now in its fourth year, the event has a following, and many of those who signed up are participants from past Hike-A-Thons.

“We’ve been amazed by the number of people who have signed up so quickly,” said LGLC Communications and Outreach Manager Sarah Hoffman. “The Hike-A-Thon has become an anticipated event; we had inquiries as early as December, wanting to know when they could register.”

Past participants also know that early registration is essential to get a spot at a popular site. Of the 14 available sites, two have already filled to capacity, including a new site for 2016, Rogers’ Rock/Little Slide in Ticonderoga. Other new sites include Pole Hill Pond Preserve in Bolton, and a paddle to Northwest Bay, also in Bolton.

“It’s exciting to add new sites each year,” said Hoffman. “It’s essential for us in order to grow the event, and to keep the interest of our participants who want to try something new. That’s the spirit of the Hike-A-Thon – to get people excited to get out and explore new places around Lake George.”

Although the property that includes Rogers’ Rock’s Little Slide is owned by the LGLC, there is no official trail to the spectacular view overlooking Heart Bay and the north end of Lake George. The hike’s inclusion in this year’s Hike-A-Thon was made possible thanks to Gray and Susan Densmore, owners of Valley View Farm, and Dean Cook (Heart Bay Association), who have allowed the LGLC to use their land to access Little Slide.

Pole Hill Pond Preserve is a NYS Forest Preserve property managed by the LGLC. With a nearly 6-mile round-trip hike, its addition provides another option for those wanting more of a challenge.

The paddle to Northwest Bay will start at the NYS boat launch on Rt 9N, and end at the tip of the LGLC’s Loines Preserve, just at the mouth of the Bay. The 37-acre Loines Preserve was donated to The Nature Conservancy in 1964 by Hilda and Elma Loines, and Sylvia Loines Dalton. The land was transferred into the care of the LGLC in 2004.

For those looking to climb the face of Rogers’ Rock as part of the Hike-A-Thon, you can do that too! RockSport, an indoor rock climbing facility and outdoor guiding service in Queensbury, will lead a climbing group on the Slide during the Hike-A-Thon. There is a fee to climb, and all climbers must sign up through RockSport. Contact RockSport owner and guide Tom Rosecrans at (518) 793-4626 for details.

The LGLC is also seeking Hike-A-Thon volunteers. A large crew of volunteers is needed to help lead hikes and keep things running smoothly on the ground. For those who want to be part of the event but are unable to hike, joining the Ground Crew is a great way to get involved. Further information is available at lakegeorgehikeathon.org/volunteer.

The 2016 Hike-A-Thon is made possible thanks to the generosity of its sponsors, including the Lake George Mirror, as the event’s media sponsor, Carl Heilman, II/Wild Visions, Inc., Bruce Mowery of North Country Heliflite, KIND Healthy Snacks, JUST Beverages, and Cedar Graphics. The LGLC  is especially grateful for the generous financial support of the 2016 Hike-A-Thon from attendees of the LGLC’s 2015 gala and the Town of Bolton. For a complete list of donors, please visit lakegeorgehikeathon.org/sponsors/.

Additional Registration Information:

Free event t-shirts are offered to those who register by April 30; those shirts will also available for purchase by those who register after that date. Those who choose to make a donation in support of the LGLC’s stewardship activities may also receive a limited edition Hike-A-Thon baseball cap for each $25 they give. Additional exclusive premiums are also available this year for donations of $50 or more – Nalgene water bottle with Hike-A-Thon logo and ChicoBag sling bag printed with a Hike Lake George imprint.

The LGLC will also continue offering the chance to win a ride in the Hike-A-Thon helicopter as part of its spring appeal. The winner will be able to enjoy the Hike-A-Thon from a unique birds-eye perspective, in an exclusive ride in North Country Heliflite’s helicopter piloted by Bruce Mowery. Fellow passengers include Carl Heilman, and LGLC Finance and Office Manager Cornelia Wells. More details will be available in May.

“Despite having known and loved Lake George for over 70 years as both a camper and then a summer resident in the Narrows,” said the 2015 winner of the Hike-A-Thon helicopter ride, Jerry Malovany, “the experience of over-flying the watershed by helicopter with the LGLC was a unique and awesome experience. The vastness and pristine nature of the watershed, and the incredible clarity of the water (which allowed us to see to the bottom in many areas) was impressive, and reminded me of the critical importance of supporting the various conservation efforts in and around Lake George for future generations.”

For more information about the Hike-A-Thon visit lakegeorgehikeathon.org, or contact Communications and Outreach Manager Sarah Hoffman at 518-644-9673, or email shoffman@lglc.org. Fans may also follow the Hike-A-Thon on Facebook: facebook.com/LakeGeorgeHikeAThon.

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