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Campsites and Lean-Tos in Catskill Park

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This table is based on the data in the Catskill State Land Master Plan. I believe most of these sites are tent or lean-to sites, some fairly far back in.

Setting Up My Tent

Catskill F.P. Unit Designated Campsites Lean-Tos Major Desinations Unit Yearly Usage
Big Indian Wilderness 5 6 n/a 4,500
Hunter – West Kill Wilderness n/a 2 Hunter Mountain, West Kill Mountain n/a
Indian Head Wilderness 10 3 Echo Lake 8,000
Slide Mountain Wilderness 29 10 Slide Mountain 23,000
Windham-Blackhead Wilderness n/a 2 Blackhead Mountains n/a
Balsam Lake Mountain Wild Forest 15 5 Alder Lake 5,000
Bluestone Wild Forest n/a n/a n/a n/a
Colgate Lake Wild Forest n/a n/a Colgate Lake n/a
Delaware Wild Forest n/a n/a n/a n/a
Dry Brook Ridge Wild Forest n/a n/a Dry Brook Mountains n/a
Halcott Mountain Wild Forest n/a 1 n/a n/a
Elm Ridge Wild Forest n/a 1 Windham High Peak n/a
Overlook Mountain Wild Forest n/a n/a Overlook Mountain n/a
Phoenicia – Mt. Tobias Wild Forest 0 2 n/a n/a
Rusk Mountain Wild Forest n/a n/a n/a n/a
Shandaken Wild Forest 10 n/a n/a n/a
Sundown Wild Forest 60 0 Kaaterskill High Point n/a
Willowemoc Wild Forest 2 12 n/a n/a
Crystal Lake Wild Forest n/a n/a n/a n/a
Catskill Total 131 44 – –

I’ll Be Age 67 in 2050

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Folks in my age group under Social Security can retire at Age 67 if they so please. While I don’t know if I will retire at Age 67, I generally believe that Social Security will be fixed by that point, and that will be an option if I so choose. I hope I have the finanical savings and a pension at that point to supplement social security if that’s what I want, or choose to continue to work if work is my passion and I feel that I am doing good for society by continuing to work.

The year 2050 is an interesting one. It’s a popular round number taken up by political pundits and futurists trying to predict the future.

Alander Mountain

Bill McKibbean and the 350 people insist that humanity must reduce it’s carbon outputs by 80% of 1990 levels by 2050, also known as the 350 ppm by 2050 goal. Others insist that there will be no Social Security in 2050, or that fossil fuels will run out by 2050, or that the world will be otherwise awful dark and bleak in 2050. Some like James Howard Kunstler think the year 2050 will be one of mass suffering and misery, as humanity fails to move away from it’s excessive use of fossil fuels and international commerence.

More hopeful futurists look at 2050 as era of great progress, an age of great equality, and technocratic success. Transportation will be automated and run on clean electricity generated from renewable sources that won’t harm the planet. Flying cars will wisk you to your destination! People will overcome their evil ways, and war will be obsolete. Humans will be healthier and avoid much of the suffering that is the norm of the day. Poverty will be a thing of the past.

Remsen Falls

I suspect both predictions will be look increadibly dated by the time I’m ready to enter retirement and my golden years. After all, the year of 2050 is about as far away as the year 1972. Since 1972, the world has not choked and died from smog or excessive development. There are still vast areas of open lands, forests, and farm land. Yet, there are still pollution problems, and we have yet to enter an age of golden prosperty. 39 years later, still a lot of people are still suffering, but things have gotten better for many people.

I truly believe that world is not coming to an end. I also don’t believe the world of 2050 will be vastly different then today, even if fashions change as do technologies. Some things will become easier, and maybe more automated, but the world will look remarkably like today.