Not sure if this has been discussed:

http://www.osiny.org/site/PageServer?pagename=PressRelease_03_10_2010&autologin=true

Open Space Institute

Wow. I didn't see that coming. I truely hope this does not mean an eventual parking lot and trail to the base of Millbrook. Can't imagine OSI would go for that but who knows? Certainly better than having the cliff closed by land holders, eh?

There was a GCC email and FB announcement made about the acquisition, but I haven't seen any discussion about it aside from the usual congrats and stuff.

I have no idea what the preserve will do, I hope just leave it alone (in terms of adding parking lots or permanent structures). With the current zoning, could they even build a driveway or parking lot?

Nice to have it protected.

Yes, and it's nice to know some fat cats are still fat and generous.

I'm haven't followed who owns what at Millbrook, so forgive my ignorant questions.

Does anyone know how much of the cliff face was purchased? (Like the southern half? All of it?) Also, how much of the cliff top does this include? The map shows a skinny property that connects Mountain Road to Minnewaska.

I guess the real question is: After the Preserve begins management, will climbing at Millbrook be legal and assured?

Jim,
It covers south of what is currently Preserve Land (which stops at around Westward Ha)
All cliffs on Preserve are / will be legal to climb on. I think this is good news for all of us.
We're still in process of figuring out exactly which routes will be covered. I'm thinking (hopefully) as far south as the Old Route.

PS. there won't be plans for a parking lot or trail; I don't see how that could happen.

Phlan,
Given the substantial misunderstandings that often surround Millbrook, could you elaborate a bit?

That press release didn't help, talking about 67 acres of cliff rather than 67 acres; and "Weissner and Kraus forged a path on the highest cliff in the area—located on the just-protected Millbrook Mountain Cliffs parcel," which I guess means they forged the first routes on Millbrook - but what route did they forge ON this parcel? The High Traverse + Recollection?

And re: you don't see how trail/parking could happen - could you just elaborate a bit as to the reasons, to avoid confusion?

And how do you figure out which routes are covered? Is there a decent survey or property boundary, or what?

Thanks.

And for Jim Lawyer:

Forgive MY ignorant questions, but I went to OSI's website and apparently they've just gotten a chunk of land on Poke-O - is that the private bit of Poke-O, or further north?

Thanks!

there won't be plans for a parking lot or trail; I don't see how that could happen.

With a permitted access corridor, this may lead to cars parked along the highway as they used to be near the Trapps in times gone by as well as impromptu trail(s) from the road to the cliff base.

It's hard to imagine this is anything but good news, although it really doesn't change the situation on the ground in the sense that climbing has occurred on the entire Millbrook cliff since the discovery of the Shawangunks by climbers.

As for the potential for providing access from below, my memory of that process, from back in the day when there was a landowner who allowed it, was that it had nothing to offer compared with what are now the usual means of approach. I certainly wouldn't go back to approaching that way, and I doubt anyone who tries it once, slogging up the long talus and then climbing the lower cliff band, will repeat the experience given the better options from the top. Perhaps some hikers might find a lower access point of interest, but I doubt this will have any effect in terms of increasing the climbing population at Millbrook.