Wednesday, August 7
Sweedler Preserve/Lick Brook
Hike report by Leigh Ann
Seventeen hikers and one dog met at the Shady Corners parking lot off of Rt. 13 to hike east up Lick Brook. This is a great hike. We headed over to Lick Brook Falls, then took the blue trail up to Townline Road. From there, we crossed over to the orange trail, then took the upper blue trail south across the creek and back to Townline. From there, we retraced our steps, but we took the gentler and differently scenic FLT down to the base of the falls rather than do the blue trail again.
We were happy to experience the new holding pattern for weather: highs are in the 70s for the next 10 days, and although the humidity is still high, the temperature is more seasonable for this location. We made it back to the cars in 4.1 miles, 2 hours, and about 700 feet of elevation gain.
Saturday, August 10
O.D. von Engeln Preserve, Freeville
Hike report by Roger Beck
Twenty-five hikers and two dogs gathered at the O. D. von Engeln Preserve on West Malloryville Road. It was sunny and in the high seventies, lovely hiking weather. A highlight was seeing the many pitcher plants at and near the Florence Beck Boardwalk. Florence was my aunt (Aunt Flossy) and she was a real nature lover.
In about half an hour we left the preserve, went up past my deceased brother Bob’s and his wife Gwen’s house and proceeded to the abandoned Leigh High Valley railroad bed. We stopped at the first trestle where, a short time ago, I had worked with a hydraulic excavator and a group of people to remove a lot of logs and brush that had washed up against the pilings of the trestle.
We continued and crossed the next trestle then turned into the woods and climbed up onto the mile long esker that the area is known for. It was beautiful seeing the sun glistening off Fall Creek and up through the trees.
Soon we came to the beaver dam, crossed it and admired the Great Blue Heron rookery where two months ago there had been half a dozen or more young high up in the nests.
We hiked along the esker a bit farther, then retraced our route along the railroad bed back through the von Engeln and to our cars.
Sunday, August 11
Logan Hill Nature Preserve, Candor
Hike report by Leigh Ann
Eighteen hikers and two dogs met at the Candor HS parking lot for a lovely hike on Logan Hill. This Nature Conservancy preserve has a varied and satisfying hike on well-marked trails. Most of the almost 700 feet of elevation gain on this 4.2-mile hike is at the beginning, in the half mile from where Water Rd. becomes seasonal.
The weather was clear and summer morning cool at the beginning. By the end a front had moved in with spooky, atmospheric clouds. In the future, this hike could be on a Saturday rather than a Sunday so folks can head to the goat dairy in Candor for some yummy cheeses.
