This year was the toughest yet... it was also our most successful. In August a fire tore through our headquarters. Equipment, tools, furniture and files were either damaged or destroyed. Nevertheless, as has been the case since our beginning, tough times yield stronger bonds for those that make it through them together. What was destroyed was not the Jolly Rovers, only some of the stuff we owned. Once the flames were extinguished, the fight to recover began. Crew members and supporters rallied quickly to sort through the wreckage, salvage and account for damaged items. An online fundraiser shortly thereafter was successful in raising over $10,000 to cover the cost of lost time and revenue ca
How often in our lives do we get to think big? As in, really big – no holds barred? This fall, the Rovers got to inaugurate the construction of an ambitious trail project that quickly developed into the manipulation of stones of record-breaking size. The project, spearheaded by Tahawus Trails, LLC for the Palisades Parks Conservancy, has brought the Jolly Rovers in to tackle several dramatic sections of the trail. The ultimate goal is to create a half-mile, 200 foot climb from Shaft 2A Road around the southern flank of Stony Kill Falls. The end result would not only bring hikers to stunning views above the falls but also connect them to the parks greater carriage road system. Over two weeke
The Jolly Rovers returned to the Appalachian Trail for a fourth time at Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park for the final trip of the 2016 season, refining a steep section of trail on the rocky highlands east of the Hudson River. The Rover’s collaboration with the Ralph’s Peak Hikers Cabin Volunteer Club, has gone back to 2012. The humble ascent just off the Cold Spring Turnpike in Hopewell, NY serves as an interesting slideshow of the Rovers’ progress in the last 5 years. The original span of steps was installed in 2012, functional and utilitarian, the steps have carried countless hikers in their journey through New York. Three years later, the Rovers returned for a full crew trip to Fa
