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Patch Challenge

The Southern Tier Patch Scramble Challenge

Are you up for a challenge? Wondering where to hike in the local area? Interested in meeting new people? How about learning more about responsible outdoor recreation and taking part in conservation efforts? Maybe you simply like to collect patches. The Binghamton Chapter is proud to offer for the first time ever a local patch challenge. Complete the challenge and get a patch. This is a great opportunity to get you family and friends out on the trail. You do not have to be an ADK member to participate in the challenge.

The Binghamton Chapter membership primarily covers five counties in the southern tier: Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware and Tioga. We have selected 3 great hikes in each of these counties. Complete a total of six of these hikes and you are well on your way earn the patch. Organized hikes will be offered by the chapter, but you can complete the hikes on your own time and schedule as well. Visit the web site to review an up-to-date schedule of organized hikes.

To complete the challenge, you must participate in two conservation and two education activities. Conservation options include the annual river bank cleanup along the Chenango river in Otsiningo Park, trail work on a section of the Finger Lakes Trail that the chapter adopted, or an overnight trip to the Tirrell Pond lean-to in Blue Mountain Lake or the Silver Lake Lean-to near Upper Benson. Education challenges include attendance of two of the following presentations: Leave No Trace, Back Woods First Aid, Introduction to Hiking and Backpacking and, an overview of the Adirondack and Catskill parks. These presentations will be held at the Chenango Town Hall. The chapter website has an up-to-date schedule of events for these on the Events Page.

The first 100 people who complete the challenge will receive the patch free of charge!

Outdoor Conservation Activities

Currently planned conservation activities include two local challenges as well as two opportunities in the great Adirondack Park. Each conservation event will likely be offered only once a year. Choose any two for credit towards you patch.

  1. Riverbank Cleanup: This is a single day event held in the fall to clean up the river bank at Otsiningo Park or another location.
  2. Finger Lakes Trail work: The Binghamton Chapter has adopted the Rock Rift section of the Finger Lakes Trail. Each year the chapter schedules one day to spend removing fallen trees and repairing steps and runoffs.
  3. Tirrell Pond lean-to work: The Tirrell Pond lean-on is adopted by the Binghamton Chapter and is in the town of Blue Mountain Lake. While the lean to is on the NP, the hike in is on a spur that is not considered part of the NP. This is an over night event and is about a 3 and 1/2 mile moderate hike one way. Lean-to work includes general clean up of the area, hauling out trash and potentially minor repairs. This is an ADK Level 1 trip. See map
  4. Other lean-to work: Our members and friends have adopted other lean-tos in the Adirondacks and Catskills. Look for scheduled events on the home page.
  5. Other trail maintenance work: We perform periodic maintenance on local trails. Look for scheduled events on our home page or on Facebook.

Preservation Education

All education activities will be held during one of the chapter’s scheduled meetings which are typically held on the second Tuesday on the month at the Chenango Town Hall. Each education event will likely be offered only once a year. Complete any two of the following.

  1. Leave No Trace: This is an overview in the practice of recreating in the outdoors while preserving the beauty of the area for both future and other current visitors.
  2. Basic First Aid: An hour discussion on being prepared the unexpected and what to do it happens. The presentation will be given by a professional from the medical practice field.
  3. Introduction to hiking and back packing: An hour long hiking 101 presentation.
  4. Adirondack and Catskills Parks Discussion: An hour long presentation on the history of the two parks.

The Hikes

Complete 6 of the 15 hikes listed below to complete the hiking portion of the challenge. Hikes can being done independently or you can join a chapter led outing.

Are you interesting in organizing and leading a hike? If you are a member of the club you can do just that. Contact one of your chair members for information or send an email. We will announce the outing and provide release forms for the participants to sign. It’s as simple as that.

Trails are rated by a difficulty score based on mileage and elevation change. Difficulty rating is a range of 0 to 28 where 0 is the easiest. Rating are estimated using the ADK Outing Guide and Northwest Hiker Rating App web-based application. Choose hikes that suit your ability or enthusiasm. For reference, Mt Marcy (NYS highest peak) is rated at 24. Each trail description includes the difficulty rating (D#) followed by the change in elevation (E#). Outings Page.

Broome

  1. Chenango Valley State Park: complete the two circular trails around both lakes, Chenango Lake and Lilly lake, 4 mi round trip (ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D4, E0). map
  2. Binghamton University Nature Preserve: Hike the trails and see all the following – Vernal Pool, one anthill, the 3 water towers, and cross the bridge across the pond, possible in 3 mi (ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D4, E100) map
  3. SUNY Broome Hiking trails: do all the trails behind the college, approx 4.5 miles. [Complete Perimeter trail ~1.8mi (ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D13, E500) ] map

Chenango

  1. Bowman Lake State Park: Hike Trail #1 and # 2 loops, 5.2 mi round trip (ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D6, E100) map
  2. FLT-Basswood: Hike from Brooks Bank Road to Cooper Schoolhouse Road, 6 mi. (ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D9, E400). map
  3. Plymouth Loop Trail:, on FLT, 5.6 miles. (ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D6, E100) map

Cortland

  1. Virgil Mountain Loop trail: approx. 4.7 miles(ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D12, E800). map
  2. Spanish Mountain Loop trail: approx 5.9 miles (ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D11, E792). map
  3. Hoxie Gorge Section of the FLT: from Russell Hill Road to Underwood Hill road, approx 9.3 miles(ADK Level 2; NW Hiker D17, E various) map

Delaware

  1. Mount Utsayantha: Climb the highest point in Delaware County, approx 2.2 miles roundtrip. (ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D15, E680). map
  2. Bramley Mountain: Bramley Mountain Loop, approx 6 miles roundtrip(ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D12, E850). map
  3. Shavertown Trail: 5.6 miles roundtrip(ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D9-12,E521). map

Tioga

  1. Oakley Corners: On the north side, follow the North Blue trails 3, 5, 6, 3 , approx 3 miles (ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D9, E350). map
  2. Finger Lakes Trail-Dryden Section: Rt 38-79, 6.2 miles(ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D14, E650). map
  3. Jenksville State Forest: Hike the blue trails, approx 5.1 miles(ADK Level 1; NW Hiker D6, E100). map

Getting Started

Review the Events page often for currently scheduled hikes. If you would like to receive email notices regarding patch events join our email list (We will not share your email address). Keep a journal of challenges and completion dates for submission when you have finished.

Get The Patch

Once you have completed all the required challenges send an email and include your completion date of each challenge to receive your patch.