FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Erin Mooney, Publicist
267.788.2196
mooney@fow.org
Friends of the Wissahickon Schedules July and August Walks in the Park
Philadelphia, PA—(June 2015) Enjoy summer in the Wissahickon, when Friends of the
Wissahickon (FOW) Trail Ambassadors are offering free hikes in Wissahickon Valley Park and
free talks at the Cedars House, located at 200 Northwestern Avenue.
Trail Ambassador Walks
Registration is recommended for all hikes so that participants can be informed of weather or
other emergency cancellations. Unless otherwise specified, Trail Ambassador hikes may use
rocky, rugged trails that may be wet and slippery. Wear sturdy shoes or boots with socks. Bring
water and a snack if desired. Unless otherwise noted, children over seven years old are
welcome if accompanied by a responsible adult. Walks are cancelled in heavy rain. For more
information or to register, contact Sarah Marley at marley@fow.org. For updates, go to
www.fow.org.
Wednesdays, June 5 to September 16
Wissahickon Walkers with Kris Soffa, 9 to 10 a.m.
Meet at The Cedars House Cafe located at the north end of Forbidden Drive at Northwestern
Avenue and Andorra Road.
Join us every Wednesday for a brisk-paced two-mile walk on Forbidden Drive from The Cedars
House Cafe to the Covered Bridge and back. Learn fitness walking tips about posture,
stretching, fitness poles, weight vests, etc. Suitable for adults. No pets, please. Rain cancels
the walk.
Sunday, July 12
Invasive and Native Plant safari with Mike Kopena, 2 to 4 p.m.
Meet in the Kitchens Lane parking lot.
Exotic alien plants are invading local ecosystems and local native species struggle to stand their
ground. See firsthand the difference between a disturbed, invaded woodland and some more
naturally balanced areas. Identify problematic exotics, meet some of our treasured native
species and find out how you can help at home. Easy to moderate hiking. Sturdy comfortable
footwear recommended. Suitable for children 10 and older with a responsible adult.
Sunday, July 12
Trails less travelled I with Gerry Schweiger , 1 p.m.
Meet at Johnson Street between Wissahickon Avenue and Lincoln Drive. Park on Johnson Street
as close to Lincoln Drive as possible.
Did you know that there is a trail along the Monoshone Creek? Or that there are trails that
climb the draws leading up to the Yellow Trail from the Lincoln Drive bike trail?
We’ll hike over several of these little used trails. We will alsol visit Lover's Leap and the
'Monoshone Overlook' as well as climb up to Bluebell Plateau and then back to our starting
point. There are three stretches of about 1/4 mile each that are rugged with poison ivy dotting
the edges. Please wear pants and long-sleeve shirts. We will cross busy streets three (3) times
so this hike is recommended for children 10 years old and older with a responsible adult.
Sunday, July 19
Exploring the ABC’s of the Wissahickon with Cathryn Fassbender and Bruce Wagner 3 to 5
p.m.
Meet at the Cedars House at Northwestern Avenue and Forbidden Drive
Explore the Wissahickon as we look to spell our names with the shapes of tree limbs, plants,
and everything we can see on the hike. We will be working together to find as many letters to
create a photographic collage with each participant's name. Moderate difficulty. Hiking boots
or sneakers recommended. Pace will be determined by group and children (8+) are welcome
with a responsible adult.
Sunday, July 19
Trails Less Traveled IV: Icons of the Lower Wissahickon with Gerry Schweiger, 1 p.m.
Meet at the parking Lot on Gypsy Lane near Lincoln Drive (across from Wissahickon Hall).
Most points of interest in the park are on Forbidden Drive. In contrast, we will go to some less
visited places on the lower creek. We will start and finish on the Rittenhouse Trail along Lincoln
Drive. In between, we will visit the 100 Steps, Hermit’s Cave, Lover’s Leap and Rittenhouse
Town. The hike will take about 2 ½ to 3 hours. There will be several strenuous climbs.
Tuesday, July 21
Moth Night in Andorra Natural Area with Kris Soffa (Celebrate National Moth Week ) 7:30 to
9:30 p.m.
Meet at Wissahickon Environmental Center at 300 Northwestern Avenue.
Learn about these alluring nighttime beauties. Watch a short Powerpoint orientation and learn
how to: best observe moths in your home garden, construct a simple catch and release moth
trap, set up Ultra Violet light lures and "sugaring" with our secret Moth Bait recipe. Meet a
special guest, environmental scientist Vaughn Shirey, who will share how to participate in his
new citizen scientist moth identification project. Bring flashlights and smartphone (to register
your sightings on the Citizen Scientist project at
http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/philabugorg). Be prepared to walk quietly on the trails and
woods in the dark. Suitable for children over 10 years old with a responsible adult. Rain cancels
the event.
Sunday, July 26
Explore the Woods and Andorra Meadow with Kimberly Quinn, 4 to 6 p.m.
Meet at Cedars House, Northwestern Avenue and Forbidden Drive.
Hike about three miles covering the Andorra Meadow from Cedars House and then circle
around to Bells Mill Road and return to Cedars House. Learn about the former Andorra Nursery
and visit the Wissahickon Environmental Center, the Tree House. See “The Great Beech” and
“Fallen Magnolia”! Moderate level hike. Please wear good sneakers or hiking boots. Children
over 8 years old are welcome with a responsible adult.
Friday, July 31
Butterfly Walk in the Wissahickon Andorra Area with Kris Soffa , 10 a.m. to noon.
Meet at the Wissahickon Environmental Center (Tree House), 300 Northwestern Avenue.
We'll hike the gorgeous Andorra Area Trails—the forest and meadow loops and meadow
observation loop past the Black Farm ruins. You'll learn how to identify common butterflies and
fun facts about them as well as how to "go native" and attract butterflies to your home garden.
Bring a smart phone (to register your sightings on the new Citizen Scientist database
at http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/philabug). Please wear long pants and bring an
identification book, binoculars, magnifying glass, water and snack. This is a moderate hike that
is suitable for children over 12 years old with a responsible adult. Pre-registration
required. Rain cancels the event.
Sunday, Aug 9
Invasive and Native Plant safari with Mike Kopena
200-4:00 PM. Meet in the Kitchen Lane parking lot.
Meet in the Kitchens Lane parking lot.
Exotic alien plants are invading local ecosystems and local native species struggle to stand their
ground. See firsthand the difference between a disturbed, invaded woodland and some more
naturally balanced areas. Identify problematic exotics, meet some of our treasured native
species and find out how you can help at home. Easy to moderate hiking. Sturdy comfortable
footwear recommended. Suitable for children 10 and older with a responsible adult.
Saturday, August 15
Kid-Friendly Hike with Marv Schwartz, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Meet at the Valley Green Inn.
This family-friendly hike will take in many of the most interesting Wissahickon sites. From the
Valley Green Inn, down Forbidden Drive, we will visit the Livezy Dam and Gorgas Creek
cave. Crossing the Mt. Airy bridge, we will take the hillside trail upstream past interesting rock
formations, and pass through the intriguing, enclosed, steel mesh Fingerspan Bridge. We will
stop to enjoy our snacks and drinks on the stone steps high above the scenic Wissahickon Creek
and continue on to Devils Pool and Pee Wee rock on our return path to the Inn. A hike of
moderate difficulty on some rocky trails.
Sunday, August 16
Finding a full dozen icons of the Wissahickon Valley with Bruce Wagner and Cathryn
Fassbender 3 to 5 p.m.
Meet at Valley Green Inn
We will walk from Valley Green Inn to the Mt. Airy bridge and back going through some of the
most interesting icons and points of history in the park. Our three-mile walk takes us to points
of history, use, and pleasures of the Wissahickon Valley. We’ll see what is happening today,
and see what used to be over the course of two centuries.
Our paths include rocks and hills, and we will even ford Cresheim Creek, so wear good hiking
shoes. Our pace will be easy, and the terrain will be moderately difficult.
Sunday, August 23
Explore the Woods and Andorra Meadow with Kimberly Quinn, 10 a.m. to noon
Meet at Cedars House, Northwestern Avenue and Forbidden Drive.
Come and hike about three miles covering the Andorra Meadow from Cedars House and then
circle around to Bells Mill Road and return to Cedars House. Learn about the former Andorra
Nursery and visit the Wissahickon Environmental Center--the Tree House. See “The Great
Beech” and “Fallen Magnolia.” This is a moderate level hike. Please wear good sneakers or
hiking boots. Over 8 years old are welcome with responsible adult.
About Friends of the Wissahickon
Founded in 1924, FOW is a 1,600-member nonprofit organization and works in partnership with
Philadelphia Parks and Recreation to restore historical park structures, eliminate invasive plant
species, monitor watershed management issues, and restore trails throughout the Wissahickon
Park. Follow FOW on Facebook and Twitter. For more information or to become a member, visit
www.fow.org
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