Wednesday, October 2
Fischer Old Growth Natural Area, Newfield
Hike report by Jim
Nine hikers and a single dog met on State Route 13 in the Town of Newfield for a hike of Fischer Old Growth Forest. This is hike # 15 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-15.
The day was cool and overcast throughout the hike. There was a small amount of precipitation throughout the hike at various times, but while under the forest canopy it was barely noticed. After the hike was completed the weather took a turn for the worse with heavy rain, so in retrospect I have no issues with the minor sprinkling we got during the hike.
My main fear before today’s hike was that the preserve would be closed for hunting, as it’s been known to have hunting closures outside of the regular hunting season in the past. I arrived early to verify that the trails were open, and found staff busily engaged in mowing portions of the open fields near the parking area.
The hikers started down the hill, passing through the open fields to reach the red blazed trails that lead deeper into the forest. The fields around us were in muted but still enjoyable fall colors. The group initially took the red blazed trail to its junction with the yellow blazed loop, which we completed mostly without incident. The footpath was a little slick in spots, particularly on the steep hillsides, and a hiker or two slipped along the way without sustaining any injuries.
Completing the yellow blazed loop the group returned to the red blazed loop, following that further downhill to the lower areas of the forest, crossing dry streambeds and passing under fractured tree trunks along the way.
A year or so there was an addition to the preserve’s acreage, and while there aren’t any new trails there seems to be a change to the red blazed loops route that made that section more enjoyable than what I recall from past hikes at this location.
On the uphill portion of the red blazed loop the group passed over the old stone wall and made the final climb to where the red blazed trail returns to itself.
Climbing the hillside from that trail junction, we soon turned onto the blue blazed trail that loops around the open field below the parking area. We returned to our cars without incident and a few minutes earlier than normal, but the hikers reported that it had been an enjoyable hike despite its somewhat abbreviated duration.
Saturday, October 5
Trail Maintenance Day and Optional Get-Together
Report by Jim
Five hikers met at the junction of Lower Creek and Hanshaw Rds in the Town of Dryden for trail maintenance on our adopted section of the Cayuga Trail.
Despite the low turn-out the group still managed to cover about 75% of our adopted section. The group identified a small number of blowdown trees across the trail, which were reported to the CTC sawyer. Other than that, only minor trimming and pruning was required.
Parts of the Cayuga Trail maintenance is overseen by the Cayuga Trails Club. Trail maps for the Cayuga Trail are available in paper or electronic formats through the Finger Lakes Trail Conference at: https://fingerlakestrail.org/store/maps-and-gps/…. Sale of the map sheets helps to defray costs associated with trail maintenance.
No group photo was taken. Thanks to all who came out today for the work detail.
Sunday, October 6
Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale
Hike report by Jim
Twenty-four hikers and four dogs met on Braley Hill Rd in the Town of Caroline for a hike of area trails within Shindagin Hollow State Forest on a nice sunny fall morning. This was hike # 28-3 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-28
The trails proved to be a popular place today, as the two parking lots opposite each other were mostly full of the cars of other hikers and many bicyclists by the time our hike started, forcing our arriving hikers to park along the shoulder of Braley Hill Rd.
Our hike today consisted of a loop route spliced together from sections of Blue-blazed trails #1 and 3, the Finger Lakes Trail, Red – blazed Trails # 1 and #4, and Yellow-blazed trails #4 and #1. Normally I would refer readers to the appropriate Finger Lakes Trail map sheet ( in this case map sheet M18, available for sale here in electronic or paper formats: https://fingerlakestrail.org/store/maps-and-gps/…, but that map sheet doesn’t adequately detail the other trail systems within Shindagin Hollow State Forest as well as the DEC map available here: https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/shdhll.pdf.
This hike starts off from the parking lot, the trail underfoot for the first short stretch consisting of some nicely arranged flagstones. If you’ve hiked with our group for a number of years you might recall when this initial section was always a muddy quagmire, a fun start to any hike.
Soon the trail transitions to passing through some nice stands of evergreens that are in such neat and orderly rows they must surely date from the CCC days when so many of the local forests were planted.
Blue #1 tends to be a steady downward route until reaching Blue #3, which begins a steady climb upwards until we reach the snowmobile trail that takes us back to Braley Hill Rd.
Crossing Braley Hill Rd, the hike route takes us uphill via the FLT, crossing over a seasonal road or two and making a couple of quick turns along the way until we reach the Red-blazed #4 trail. Red #4 in turn becomes the Red- blazed #1 trail, which takes us to a trail crossing where we find ourselves on the yellow blazed trails. Ultimately the group finds itself back at the parking lot on Braley Hill Rd at the appropriate time.
We had multiple interactions with bicyclists on the trails today.
Trail conditions were good, with very little mud. The leaves have been falling, and while the footpath is somewhat obscured in places it’s not difficult to discern the path ahead of you through the fallen leaves.
We also had an event close to the end of the hike where a member of the group took a spill and required medical assistance from the medical people in our group. Thanks to the hikers who remained with the injured hiker to render appropriate aid!
A quick reminder to all hikers that now that we are officially into hunting season, I would appreciate it if everyone could make an effort to hike in either blaze orange or pink clothing articles, both for yourself and your canine hiking partners. The neon yellow safety vests that some hikers wear are also acceptable.
We are also stil in tick season. Some hikers reported that they or their canines picked up some ticks on the previous Wednesday hike. Be sure to check yourself and your animals after hikes, and consider spraying youself with tick spray before each hike.
