Included in Governor Paterson’s 2010 budget cuts is the planned closing of 55 state parks in New York State. Minnewaska State Park is on that list. This would drastically change recreation on the Shawangunk Ridge, one of the recreational and scenic crown jewels of the eastern United States.

Minnewaska State Park is home to incredible rock and ice climbing, amazing cycling, absolutely scenic hiking, clean freshwater swimming and has a storied recreational past. The state park comprises the majority of the land on the Shawangunk Ridge (approximately 22,000 acres). The Mohonk Preserve and Mountain House properties are small in comparison. Closing the state park will severely limit recreational opportunities in the Shawangunks.

For rock climbers, Minnewaska is an untapped resource. Climbing there isn’t allowed there (except at Peterskill – a great little spot) yet. You’ve visited the Mohonk Preserve and you thought the Gunks had a lot of climbing, right? You haven’t even seen the motherlode yet. As a climber you’re jaw will drop as you approach the top of Hamilton or Castleton Points and see Gertrude’s Nose across the Palmagatt Ravine. And if you stand on top of Gertrude’ Nose? Well your jaw would drop upon looking at Hamilton and Castleton Points across the way. The carriage roads traverse under gigantic roofs and above sheer vertical drops of 30 meters or more. It goes on and on, all the way to Sam’s Point at the south end of Minnewaska state park. Unlike the Trapps and the Near Trapps the cliffs of Minnewaska wind in and out as they traverse the ridge top.

I could go on and on but instead I’m going to tell you what you can do to help keep this park open:

• Check out saveminnewaska.org
• Join the Facebook group “Save Minnewaska” – it has 20,000 members already
• Write to your state senators, assembly members and contact the governor’s office
• Attend a rally this Saturday, March 20th from 3pm – 6 pm at Rock and Snow, 44 Main St. New Paltz, NY 12561
• Tell others about this soon!

I live, work and play in the Shawangunks so this is near and dear to me. As a guide the closing of Minnewaska is going to directly affect my job and close a large portion of what I feel is the most beautiful parcel of land in the northeastern US. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think the ridge is an amazing place. I am thankful that a group of very dedicated individuals recognized the beauty of the place and had the foresight to preserve it. Let’s make sure that doesn’t change come April 1.