Hello Hikers!
Wed Dec 9
This report was written by Jim
Monkey Run Natural Area, north side of Fall Creek
Approximately 15 hikers and 2 dogs met in the parking lot at the intersection of Hanshaw and Lower Creek Rds, for a wintery, seasonal hike of the red and orange blazed trails on the North side of the Monkey Run Natural Area.
The number is “approximate”, because people and their animals both showed up late and left early over the course of the hike.
Throughout the hike there was almost constant snow falling on the group, but it wasn’t an unpleasant or particularly dangerous amount of snow from what I saw. With weather conditions in mind I had held off on pre-planning a specific route, thinking that the group might want to take some alternate routes rather than travel down slopes in snow-covered conditions, but such was not the case. A couple of people chose to turn around early and end their hikes because of trail conditions, but the majority of people hiked through despite the snow-covered trails. The group managed to pick its way both down and up a couple of steeper sections; we had one or two falls in the group along the way, but no one sustained any injuries. The ropes on steeper sections were put to good use on this hike.
The scenery was good on the hike in spite of the snow, which was not so heavy that it obscured visibility of the surrounding hillsides and woods.
Overall I would describe this hike as being a good reminder to everyone who hikes with the group about how foot traction is an important equipment component on many of our more rural hike locations during the winter months. Unlike other individuals and groups who suspend their hikes in winter months, we hike in all seasons and just about any weather condition.
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Sat Dec 12
This report was written by Jim
Upper Buterrmilk Falls SP
In the matter of 72 hours between hikes, the group experienced a shift in weather and trail conditions for which Ithaca is so well known.
Where Wednesdays hike had been in a snowstorm and over snowy trails, this hike was held in warmer temperatures and muddy paths. Wednesdays hike had been pretty much one of the group hiking alone; Saturdays hike was one in which we were sharing the trails with a multitude of other park patrons.
Approximately 16 hikers and five dogs met at the parking lot at Upper Buttermilk Falls State Park.
I say approximately, as one hiker went to the parking lot at Lower Buttermilk Falls, resulting in one of our regular hikers going there to guide the hiker to the Upper Park; those hikers ended up doing their own hike on the route the larger group took.
After meeting in the parking area of upper Buttermilk, the larger group struck off along the Bear Trail. There is a new bridge crossing the stream from the parking lot at this location. This gives a great view up-stream as you cross over while doing away with the need to hike out to West King Rd to make a dangerous crossing of the bridge that was by necessity the groups prior practice.
We broke out of the woods at the end of the Bear Trail and re-assembled before attempting the trail around Treman Lake.
The group continued on, eventually reaching and admiring the recent excavation efforts of the streambed around the stone arched bridge at the far end of the lake. Visibility was good throughout the hike; the views of the lake and surrounding hills and cliffs along the trail were excellent. The group turned around at the hour mark rather than doing a loop as is our normal summer hike practice on this trail, due to seasonal closures of sections of the lake trail.
This set of photos was taken by Tiger
More photos:
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Sun Dec 13
This report was written by Jim
Ellis Hollow Nature Preserve
Sixteen hikers and five dogs met on Ellis Hollow Creek Rd for a walk of the FLLT Preserve there.
Temps were cool but bearable. The group encountered a small amount of rain within the first few minutes of starting our hike, but the rain soon ended and the group suffered no ill effects from the precipitation.
From the parking lot the group jumped onto the blue blazed trails, which involve a couple of water crossings, none of which proved difficult on this day. The blue blazes soon enough transitioned to the red blazed trail; by the last quarter of the first circuit the group found itself on the yellow blazed trail and headed back towards the parking lot area.
There was one brand new trail re-route on one of the steeper hills, with the re-route and its switch-backs marked by cairns and smaller colored flags. In the past when we’ve hit that section of trail in the winter it’s always been a hazardous ice-covered slope, so this re-route should come in useful for those types of hikes. Thanks to whatever organization is responsible for the work and effort involved in these sorts of trail improvements.
Once the group completed its first circuit of the preserves trails at around the hour mark, some hikers chose to call it a day and head for home. A few hikers reversed their course and re-traced their route to get a second lap in. A couple of us chose to add one of the sections of yellow blazed trails to our hike that aren’t part of our usual hike routine at this location.
In the end and regardless of which path we chose for the second hour, all of the remaining hikers ended up back at the parking lot at roughly the same time.
