Catamount Country: Shadows in the Hills

A friend of mine showed me a picture off his trail cam: a dark shape with a long tail - clearly not a bobcat - but was it really a mountain lion? We exchanged knowing nods, sipped our beers, and let the silence hang in the air before ordering another round and moving on to talk about trout fishing.

You'll hear these stories if you spend enough time up here, maybe you even have your own - massive cats glimpsed in the twilight or mysterious tracks in fresh snow. While the DEC officially says there are no mountain lions in the Catskills, debates about their presence never really stopped, even after they were declared extinct in New York over a century ago.

There's no debate about one thing - these mountains were once catamount territory. The cats that ruled here, known today as mountain lions, were apex predators that could leap 40 feet and take down deer twice their size. Their presence ran so deep, they might have even given our region its name. The origins of "Catskills" have been debated since Dutch settlers arrived - some say it comes from Kaaterskill meaning "Cat Creek," others point to Dutch family names or a ship called de Kat.

Those same settlers would bring about the cats' downfall. As forests fell and farms spread through the 1700s, counties offered significant rewards and bounties for each cat killed. Between the hunting and the widespread deforestation, numbers dwindled and the last confirmed catamount in New York was killed in the Adirondacks in 1894.

But in 2011, something happened that changed the conversation. A young male mountain lion was killed by a car in Connecticut, and DNA testing revealed something remarkable - it had traveled over 1,500 miles from South Dakota. This single cat proved what many had long suspected: mountain lions could move vast distances through modern landscapes while remaining largely undetected.

Today, our mountains might actually be better suited for catamounts than they were in the 1800s. The forests have returned, deer are abundant (drive slow), and there's plenty of remote terrain where a skilled stealthy predator can remain hidden.

Their legacy is written across our landscape - from Kaaterskill Falls to Wildcat Mountain to Painter's Bend on the Beaverkill. Whether or not they still prowl these parts, that trail cam photo adds one more story to the mystery. Got a mountain lion story of your own? Let me know.

Winner: Ski Bear

The people have spoken, the final vote has been cast, and the Ski Bear design will be hitting the slopes. Congrats to Michael Hovsepian for taking the W for the first ever Crew Member design competition! Michael made an executive decision to go with a 7 panel charcoal chassis for Ski Bear.

We're going to do small batch pre-orders to make sure everyone who wants a Ski Bear gets a Ski Bear, while reducing any overstock. Deadline to place your order is Sunday the 23rd at 9pm. Details in that little link down below.

Crew Question: Puzzles

I love a good puzzle, even when I’m 3 hours into trying to find that "one piece." Given how much you all loved Catskill-opoly, and how fun it was to actually make it - I’m cooking up a new idea for a 1,000-piece puzzle. Any interest? Or am I just a weird puzzle guy and no one else likes them anymore?

Night Sky: Antares

We've got a pretty special celestial meetup happening in the pre-dawn hours on Feb 21st. The waning crescent moon will be cozying up with Antares, an absolutely massive red star that the ancient Greeks named "like Mars" because they kept mixing it up with the red planet. The pair will be hanging out just 0.93° apart around 3:31 AM, low in the southeastern sky. I know it's early, but grab a coffee and catch this one - seeing these two bright objects nearly touch is the kind of sky show worth losing a little sleep over!

Adopt Pets: Lil Mama & Bella

Meet Lil Mama, a three-year-old shorthair cat that wants her space and needs some patience before opening up, along with Bella, a four-year-old Chihuahua that we know very little about - other than the fact that she is probably awesome.

Trivia: Reservoirs

3-Course family style menu, welcome libations featuring Hetta, DJ Harlan spinning vinyl, and good hangs with good folks. Sunday the 23rd at Shandaken Inn. The fun kicks off at 5pm.

Assembly, Kingston - Boondocks Film Society presents: Punch-Drunk Love with line music by Eleanor Friedberger and film-inspired food and craft cocktails, fun starts at 6:30 check it out

Keegan Ales, Kingston - Trivia Break Tuesdays with Andre at 6:30pm

Camp Kingston, Kingston - Queer Kingston putting on CUNextTuesday with Chef Eryn Stutts from 6-10pm details

Colony, Woodstock - Major Mayhem Karaoke in the Ballroom at 6:30pm

The Rosendale Theatre, Rosendale  - Movie night with WTF Wednesdays: The Substance at 7:30pm rated r

Tubby's, Kingston - Classic metal DJ night with Alex K and Jo from 6-10pm more info

Avalon Lounge, Catskill - Upstairs Wednesdays: Alex Topornycky from 7-8pm details

Unicorn Bar, Kingston - Open Mic Night at 7pm sing it

Belvedere Inn, Stamford - Trivia, Mexican Food By Azul, and DJs holy trinity

Lost Book Shop, Delhi - Book Discussion: The Buddha in the Attic from 6-7:30pm read more books

Ommegang Brewery, Cooperstown - Trivia Thursdays from 6-8pm

Roxbury Arts Group, Roxbury - Meet Your Neighbor: A Wintertide Event from 6-8pm details

Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock - Ladysmith Black Mambazo at 8pm tix

Tinker Street Tavern, Woodstock - Major Mayhem karaoke at 8pm i wish i could sing

Avalon Lounge, Catskill - Alatadena Fundraiser with a heck of a line up from 7:30-11:30pm dive in

Colony, Woodstock - Jenna Nichols & Kate Prascher in the Ballroom at 7pm more info

The Falcon, Marlboro - Analog Jazz Orchestra Plays Sesame Street with Joe Fiedler & Kenny Rampton at 7:30pm details

Bearpen Mountain Sports, Prattsville - Live music with Shady Groove from 1-4pm get outside

Griffin House, Palenville - Stand up comedy show with Anthony DeVito, Rob Christensen, and Josh Fromer at 9pm laugh more it’s good for you

Left Bank Ciders, Catskill - Northern Spy Reading Series with Temim Fruchter and Sarah Jean Grimm at 6:30pm read books and drink cider

The Callicoon Theater, Callicoon - Oscar Nominated Shorts: Live Action at 7:30pm tix

Tinker Street Tavern, Woodstock - Live music with BillyX at 8pm have fun

The Half Moon, Hudson - Performance by Leek River that included two step lessons from 8-11pm dance

Colony, Woodstock - Hayley Jane with Ginger Winn in the Ballroom at 7pm and Friday Night Fever with DJ MK Ultramatic at 10pm info

The Rosendale Theatre, Rosendale - Nickel Boys at 7pm tix

Tinker Street Cinema, Woodstock - The Brutalist at 6:30pm tix

Tubby's, Kingston - Tiki Night with Moon Mullins + Saapato from 7-11pm info

The Falcon, Marlboro - Performance by Club d'Elf at 7:30pm looks groovy followed by a performance by Minivan at 9pm deets

Mountain Top Arboretum, Tannersville - Winter Tree Identification with Marc Wolf from 1-2:30pm very cool

Catskill Center, Mount Tremper - X-Snow Community Science Launch Event 12:30-2:30 register and i’ll see you there

Spillian, Fleischmanns - The Winter Wonder Games: A Frosted Festival for Misfits at 1pm (until Feb. 23) check it out

Impact Concerts, Kingston - Stand up comedy with Todd Barry at 8pm go have fun

Lost Book Shop, Delhi - Writing Workshop: Writing Out of Time & Place from 6-7:30pm enjoy yourself

Skatetime, Accord - Queer Skate Night from 5-10pm lace up

Stamford Coffee, Stamford - Live tunes with Far Trio Love from 6:30-8pm

The Local, Saugerties - Good Vibes Explosion, Krakauer and Tagg's Square Peg Throwdown at 8pm read the details

Unicorn Bar, Kingston - Mardi Gras Celebration with Demolition Brass Band and Unicorn Brass Band at 8pm more unicorn

RMV Cellars, West Park - Paynes Grey Sky performing live and a beer release from 5-8pm deets

West Kill Brewing, West Kill - Ice Fishing Clinic from 10am-2:30pm get out

Ashokan Center, Olivebridge - Maple Sugaring: How to Tap a Tree in Your Backyard from 2-4pm maple syrup

Urban Cowboy, Big Indian - DJ Bailey Birthday party 6-10pm info

Union Street Brewing, Hudson - Fudnraiser for Columbia Community Recovery Kitchen from 5-7pm info

Woodstock Community Center, Woodstock - Break Bread World Potluck and Conversation at 6pm enjoy

Stamford Coffee, Stamford - Clothing Swap from 5-7pm deets

Hotel Lilien, Tannersville - Jazz series from 5:30-7:30pm sip sip

The Local, Saugerties - Korean Swing, Funk and Rock: Sangjaru 상자루 at 5pm sweet

Catskill Center, Mount Tremper - Winter Surveys for Forest Pests: Spotted Lanternfly and Beech Leaf Disease from 5:30-6:30pm check it out

Mirador, Kingston - Moonburger pop up with wine and DJs classics at 5pm feast

Catskill Brewery, Livingston Manor- Open Mic Night with Caswyn Moon and Faith Kelley at 6pm cheers

Left Bank Ciders, Catskill - Northern Spy Reading Series with Francine Prose at 6:30pm info