Hello Hikers!
Wed March 31
This report was written by Jim
Lower Treman SP on the FLT
Four hikers set off from the parking area at Shady Corners, walking under the bridge there and onto the FLT as it crosses through lower Robert Treman State Park
It was a cool morning, and our only company in the parking lot was what I assumed were a couple of fishermen checking out the water a day before their season officially opened.
As with so many of our hikes, this particular hike hits us with a long series of up-hills with what seems to be a very few flat spots along the way on the outbound leg of the out-and-back hike. It was a great hiking day, a sort of not-too-hot, not-too-cold perfect hiking weather, so I found that the up-hills seemed just a little easier than they sometimes are in the heat of summer. Having such a small group was no issue, as we were able to keep the conversations going while stopping to look at one or another thing in the section of trail we were travelling through.
Eventually we reached a good spot to turn around; upon starting the return leg we had a short period of very light rain that stopped by the time we returned to lower Treman. Even with the slight amount of precipitation it was not unbearable nor uncomfortable.
We saw only a couple of other hikers on the trail for the duration of the hike.
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Sat April 3
Hike report by Leigh Ann. Photos by Cian
Woodard Road to Rockwell Road, Enfield
Hi, everyone.
Fifteen hikers and two dogs met up at 9:30 at Woodard Road and the FLT. We hiked west on the FLT, passed the Treman Center (the big red barn), crossed Hines Road, and followed a pretty stream to Rockwell Road, and went back to Hines Road. From there, we road walked back to the cars on Hines and Woodard.
By this point, we had spread out into two groups, and the group of seven that I was in arrived at the cars at 11:00 – 30 minutes earlier than we’d anticipated. The sky was clear, and the day was warming up nicely, so the seven of us extended the hike by going east on the FLT to Fishkill Creek. We crossed the wooden bridge and followed the creek southwesterly on Butternut Creek Road and Van Ostrand Road, then returned to Woodard Road on Stone House Road.
This was an amazing early-April morning. After the mid-week snowstorm, there was still snow left in the shadows. The mud had extruded ice flowers that we were turning to slush. The north-facing slopes of hills were sparkly blue, the south-facing slopes of hills were warm tan. The sky was clear and from the hilltop near stone house, there were unobstructed views all the way across the north.
It was so pretty that I went on another hike that afternoon.
Best wishes,
Leigh Ann
You can see Cian’s complete photo album here
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Sun April 4
Hike report by Jim
Nine hikers and two dogs met at the parking lot where the Jim Schugg Trail meets Lake Rd
A tenth hiker arrived late but later met up with our faster hikers as they returned to our cars, and finished with the group.
A short walk up Lake Rd and a quick turn to the Northwest had the group crossing the field that was wet and spongey with the spring thaw. A cool breeze chased me across the field to find shelter inside the treeline as the climb up Havington Hill commenced.
On this side of the hill ( I guess that it doesn’t quite qualify as a mountain? ) we were still in the relative shade, and this showed with the patchiness of remnant snow and over-all cooler temperatures than what we found on the rest of the hike.
Cresting the top of the hill ( blessed relative flatness for some of us ) and then coming to the crest of the hill on the opposite side facing Cortland county seemed like night and day to me. The fields were awash with light, there was no sign of remnant snow, and it almost seemed to me as if the Cortland side of the hill was a week or two ahead seasonally than the Tompkins County side.
Descending quickly to the opposite side of the hill, the group crossed along the open fields and plunged back into the woods as the FLT meandered across a couple of streams and onwards through the woods. The streams were flowing vigorously, the streambed bottoms slick for those trying to cross over without benefit of stepping stones.
Arriving at the blue blazed side trail that leads to a slightly different view of the same field, the group paused briefly before turning around and re-tracing our steps back up Havington ( the trail on this side of the mountain always seemed less steep to me, which makes no sense at all if you think about it, as it’s the very same hill as on the opposite side ) and to our cars.
All in all this was a great hike .
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Some non-hike report business for members of the group:
Traditionally since I’ve been with the group, we’ve had our traditional three day hike format. I understand that in the early days of the group the hikers hiked only one day a week, then two, and then finally adopted the third hike day.
A couple of years ago some members of the group set up some additional hikes at locations further away from Ithaca, and hikes of longer duration than our standard two hour format.
I am proposing a temporary change to the groups traditional three day hike format, This change would only be for the months of July and August.
For those months, I propose that the weekend hikes remain unchanged.
For July and August, I propose that we do away with the Wednesday hike. In its place, we have a Tuesday hike and a Thursday hike. One of those hikes will be at one of the standard local/ area trails in the standard two hour format we always do. This way, the people who don’t want to join in the extra hike day will still get their three hikes a week. For the other day, we may pick a local hike, or we may pick a place somewhat further afield, with a hike of longer than two hours. For instance, last fall a group member suggested last fall a day long hike outside of the county in a state park near him… ultimately people were concerned about rising Covid cases and no vaccinations being available yet, and that hike suggestion got scrubbed. If we choose to do this, It could be a long day hike of the Interlokken, or the entire Abbott Loop, or something similar.
Another idea I have is that because of Covid the group has largely been unable to have our normal social gatherings after hikes, or picnics at members houses. Now that its warming up and the street dining situation is improving, I am suggesting that in June the group pick a non-hike weekday such as a Tuesday and meet for an outside dining lunch , either Downtown or at some place of the groups choosing. Jacks favorite outdoors post-hike dining experience at the Grist Iron on a hike day would be another option.
Feel free to reach out to me with your input on either of these issues.
JIm