so ive been doing many trips in harriman during cold weather in order to beat the ticks though last weekend i saw a bunch of boy scouts in a tick infested shelter. now im wondering how far north i have to go in order to get in some 3-4 day trips without bieng too paranoid about catching the lyme again . it seems that the problem isint as bad in the gunks and catskills as it is nearer to the city and westward into P.A.. Can any one verify this or recommend any nice(low tick count) weekend spots within a few hours of the city? thankspeas

Your observations are correct Charlie. The Catskills and the Shawangunk Ridge do not have as high a tick density as the Hudson Valley lowlands. I'm not saying they are not there, because they are, but once you get north of Orange County, their numbers seem to drop somewhat. I don't near the amount on me as I do in Orange, Dutchess, Rockland, or Putnam. The key is to do a complete body inspection as soon as possible after the trip. I do it in the car as soon as I get out. Check legs, groin, head and neck, and armpits especially. Ticks like to burrow in at places of constriction, like sock line, underwear line, back of the knees, armpits, etc.

RangerRob

I was in Harriman last weekend and the weekend before with my dog who was totally tick infested by the time we got home. I was surprised, I thought it was a little too early for ticks.

great, i thought or rather was hoping that the extra wintery winter would slow things down though it seem s thats the opposite, a week before i saw ticks at harriman i was hiking there in at least two feet of snow.

since the large amount of snow last winter actually created an insulating atmosphere protecting tick larve were supposed to have a record lyme year, now my first thought was that all the rain were having may help though i suppose it's probly having a bruce banner effect? yikes

protect yer nek

My doctor told me after a suspicious bite that Lyme disease isnt the worst thing anymore. Apparently there is a new disease that's worse. Plus the meds make you sensitive to the sun.

Plus the meds make you sensitive to the sun.

Several antibiotics have that effect.