Wednesday, April 10
Robinson Hollow State Forest, Richford
Hike report by Greg
Another wet gloomy Wednesday hike. Heavy rain before and after but for us steady drizzle. This hike is a rigorous up down up down with a brief level stretch hike. Eight of us started, one turned early, 7 continued. Mud while tolerable was annoying. At 45 minutes we took a vote and decided to turn around. On our early return some road walked to add time.
Saturday, April 13
Lower Treman Park
Hike report by Mark Sussman
Twenty hikers and 1 dog showed up at the parking area off of Route 34 for a hike into Lower Robert Treman State Park. The weather was chilly and a steady drizzle was falling. The hikers soon warmed up as they ascended the first steep section of the hike. The steep section also served to spread out the hikers, with the fast group galloping ahead. The group further spread out on the long uphill section. After that there is little significant elevation gain, but there are some small uphills and downhills. The trail, which is usually not very muddy, was quite slippery in spots. At least one hiker slid in the mud on a steep downhill section.
The lead group of the hikers made it all the way to the overlook of Lucifer Falls. The falls were roaring that morning due to all the rain we’ve been having. The main group made it back to the parking area in about 2.5 hours. Everyone was a bit damp and muddy, but there were no complaints.
Sunday, April 14
Cayuga Trail from Freese Rd
Hike report by Leigh Ann
Twenty-four hikers met at the Cornell Garden Plots parking lot off Freese Rd. to hike easterly along the Varna Cliffs and North Monkey Run. The first quarter mile of this hike is reliably muddy even during drier parts of the year. After a week of mostly rainy days, the trail was chocolate milk water and peanut butter mud most the way. Everyone’s boots and lower legs got thoroughly sleazed. It was horribly wonderful. With that said, it was slippery enough on the steep parts that five hikers headed back via Hanshaw Road once we got to our turn-around point at North Monkey Run gravel road (2 miles in). All together, it took a little less than two hours for the remaining 19 hikers to return to the cars.
