One of the freelance jobs I have been working on now for over a year is writing a regular column on the outdoors in the Catskill Mountains in the Catskill Mountain Guide Magazine.  The column focuses on trail news and outdoor activities that are occurring throughout the Catskill Mountain region.   Each month I like to pick a general topic (December 2012 was the Trail Conference’s rehabilitation of the Mink Hollow Lean-to and January 2013 will be winter hiking) and use that as a platform to introduce the great outdoors to readership of the Guide.  I also work with lots of organizations, individuals and businesses to get a good idea of what is occurring throughout the region and use that information to list events, activities and opportunities for readers.

I had never really written a regular column before (unless you count blogging), but I have found the Great Outdoors in the Catskills column to be really rewarding.  I have been able to talk about what I love in the outdoors in the Catskill Mountains, help promote what the Trail Conference and other groups are doing and educate people who may not have any other exposure to outdoor responsibility before they hit a trail in the Catskills.

You can find my column in the 2012 issues of the Guide Magazine on their website or on the Trail Conference’s website under their news section.

A little more about the Guide Magazine in general, here’s their description:

The Guide, which is the only four color monthly arts oriented magazine serving the Catskill Region, is distributed free of charge throughout the Catskill Region. The magazine is also available at tourist information centers on the New York State Thruway.  It is widely read by tourists traveling through the Catskill Region, and affluent NYC residents who own weekend homes in the Catskill Mountains. It regularly features articles on the performing arts, local artists and craftspeople, dining and lodging, and area events, attractions and history.