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To all readers:

Because of a spam attack which entered nearly 100 viagra and cialis ads as comments in less than 24 hours, we have shut down the feedback page.

For now please send comments or posts to me at estammel@stny.rr.com

Comments

Downtown Revitalization

Submitted by Guest on Wed, 07/22/2009 - 05:41.

Many members of the community participated in the Visioning Workshops a year and a half ago and also attended follow up meetings. A Study was written as a result of those meetings and can be found on the first page of the Western Catskills Website at www.westerncatskills.org

In all honesty, the study is not easy reading but there's good information there and those interested in seeing the Village prosper should take the time to review it.

Western Catskills is looking into funding a "streetscape" design and will hold meetings in the fall or early winter to get the community's input. In the meantime, if you have questions or comments, give us a call at 652-2823.
Thanks to the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation, the NYS Department of State and NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal for their financial contributions to the Village of Stamford Downtown Revitalizaiton Plan.
Thanks to everyone who helped in the creation of the plan...

Sincerely
Linda Stratigos
Executive Director
Western Catskills

Utsayantha Cave

Submitted by Guest on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 01:34.

I grew up in Stamford, a Vandermark. When I was a boy, around 1960, we sometimes ran up Utsayantha from the cemetery. About 500 feet from the top -- distances vary in the woods, and over 50 years too -- there was a cave. It was probably about 100 feet West of the trail, and big enough for a good cool breeze on a hot day. We were boys, and had no skills or equipment for exploration, other than to throw big stones around the corner and count til they landed, more than two seconds, generally. The only other person was my boyhood friend, Don Kendall, whom I believe stayed in Stamford for much of his life, although I have had little news or contact with the area for several years. The entry is not clearly visible, its a little above the small rockfall/cliff area we called "Hell's Kitchen", although that was probably just a given appelation.
So I've never heard of anyone else finding the cave, and its big enough to be noteworthy -- any word?
-- Jack Vandermark, Walla Walla, Washington

Cave

Submitted by webmaster on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 02:19.

Jack,

Thanks for the note.

I have heard about the cave for years. I have explored all over Utsayantha and the only one I've found is on "Devil's Slide" which faces about northeast. I have never gone far in it since I never had lights with me, but from what I could see it did not appear very big.

Proper caves require limestone and a period of sustained water flow. To the best of my knowledge these never happened here. I think what we have is the result of normal weathering and erosion creating a "cave" with resistant rock overlying softer. Most of the Catskill Peaks have this where the Shawangunk conglomerate sits on top of the softer shale.

I'll keep on looking though.

Regards,

Ed