Our History

In celebration of the New York Ramblers 75th Anniversary an article was written by Chris Zeller, club Treasurer, and appeared in the Sept./Oct. 1998 issue of the Trail Walker, The New York / New Jersey Trial Conference's bi-monthly publication. The following is excerpted from it:

NEW YORK RAMBLERS CELEBRATE DIAMOND JUBILEE

 According to former New York Ramblers President Jerry Silverstein, the club was founded by Edward Bursht and B. W. Blandford on October 25, 1923, at the summit of High Mountain, Haledon, New Jersey, at the cabin of a Mr. Ellis, the same place where the Paterson Ramblers hiking club was founded in 1904. The Ramblers were described in the original New York Walk Book as "having been organized to promote an outdoor and social spirit among congenial people of both sexes." Laura and Guy Waterman, in Forest and Crag --their book on the history of hiking in the north-eastern United States --describe the Ramblers as being "notorious for fast-paced hikes." Both of these descriptions are apt; however, hiking fast is not a Rambler objective, nor are the Ramblers by any means the fastest group. The average Rambler hike is 14 to 16 miles in length, depending on the terrain and time of year; Ramblers like a full-day workout.

 What primarily distinguishes the Ramblers is their creative hiking choices; they are constantly scouting new areas and trying out new approaches to familiar territory. The club takes full advantage of the great diversity of hiking environments in the metropolitan area from city parks to beaches, canals, abandoned railroads, woods roads and trails from the Catskills to the Jersey Pine Barrens and all points in between. The club hikes every Sunday throughout the year with some long holiday weekends and week-long trips farther afield. In addition, the club has embarked on an ambitious series of Saturday walks, whose goal is to traverse all the streets of Manhattan. So far there have been 33 walks; Kurt Ramig, who conceived of the series, estimates that the club will take 20 to 30 more walks in the program. (Can the other boroughs be far behind? Is there a patch?) The club has hiked out West and in Canada, Europe and Africa.

 The Ramblers currently maintain the State Line Trail and part of the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail. In addition, the club has observed the Torrey Memorial with a hike to the inscription site on Long Mountain every year since its inception in 1938. The Ramblers have attracted people from all walks of life and all economic backgrounds. Possibly the most famous person to hike with the Ramblers was the science fiction author H. P. Lovecraft, who mentions an outing with the club in a diary entry from the mid-1920s.

 There are currently just over 100 Ramblers. Prospective members are expected to complete two hikes before applying for membership.

 If a long, interesting hike with an unpretentious group appeals to you, try hiking with the New York Ramblers. Maybe you can be there for the 100th anniversary!

--Chris Zeller