Monday, September 2
Wildflower preserve, Giles Street
Hike report by Jim
Nineteen hikers and four dogs met on Giles Street in the City of Ithaca for a special Labor Day hike of the Mulholland Wildflower Preserve and Wells Falls. This is hike #1 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-1.
The city doesn’t seem to maintain a webpage dedicated to the Wildflower Preserve, but here is a running groups fairly accurate description of the area in question: https://mountaingoattrailrunning.weebly.com/…/mulhollan…
The morning was overcast and cool as the hikers arrived. As has been the case in the past, parking at this location was at a premium, with several other individual hikers and dog walkers not associated with our group arriving or leaving as our people showed up and jockeyed our cars around to make the most of available parking space.
After a group photo the hikers walked into the Wildflower Preserve, hiking the wide and well-maintained trail as it followed the creek bed. Obvious signs of recent trail work to clear the path of blowdowns were observed. Water levels in Six Mile Creek were a little low today, not unexpected given recent amounts of rain, but the creek was still flowing adequately for the time of year. During wetter times of the year the cliffs on the opposite side of the creek usually have a steady stream of water falling to ground level, but those areas were dry today.
The group arrived at the blue blazed trail that ascends the hill towards the Second Dam access road, and we began the short climb. Near the top of the hill the blue blazed trail makes a sharp turn and follows the contours of the hillside as we approach second dam. This section of trail is always very enjoyable due to the views it affords hikers, even during the summer when the trees are leafed out. One or two minor water crossings along the way seem to add some character to that section of the trail system.
At the dam the blue blazed hiking path joins the graveled access road until it reaches the overlook area for Second Dam. The path beyond the dam becomes unsafe in my personal opinion, so I usually turn groups around at the overlook and walk the access road back to the blue blazed trail.
The hikers descended the blazed trail back to the flats, where we followed our previous route back to the cars. By now the sun was out and it was a very enjoyable portion of todays hike.
Arriving at the parking lot some hikers chose to end their hike there; the remaining hikers walked to Giles Street, crossed the bridge and turned into the blue blazed trail for Wells Falls. After turning off form Giles Street, first we ascended the trail branch that winds its way up to the crest of the hill before descending on the opposite side until it reaches the base of the cascades below the bridge. Returning to Giles Street, the by-now diminished group of hikers returned to the trail entrance, this time taking the lower blazed trail that goes to the base of Wells Falls. There we found a number of people fishing, hammocking or otherwise enjoying the natural surroundings on a holiday.
As the group made its way back to the parking lot the first raindrops began to fall; another perfectly timed hike!
Welcome to Lena, Mary C and baby Noah on their first hike with the group!
Thanks to all who came out to share an enjoyable hike on a holiday weekend!
Wednesday, September 4
Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale
Hike report by Mary Weiz
Eighteen hikers and three dogs meet on a sunny Wednesday morning in early September, the 4th. In addition, we welcomed three new hikers to the group!
At meet-up the air temperature was 58℉. After hiking about 4.4 miles in just over 2 hours the air temperature rose to 72℉. The forest remained pleasant throughout with little-to-no pestering insects, dodging cyclists, nor was the creek crossing difficult. We stayed on the Rim Trail proper and walked it to Gulf Creek Road. There, we walked up Shindagin Hollow forest road back to the rim and walked it in the opposite direction back to the cars. A few hikers chose to walk the seasonal road exclusively back to the cars on their return route.
The Shindagin Rim trail is a multi-use trail that shifts in subtle ways, and sometimes apparent ways, due to single-track riding mountain bikes. These adventure cyclists ride the trails regularly. Typically the trail isn’t well marked. This morning, we skirted around one blow down (not new) and steep mountain bike “jumps” without any trouble.
We encountered only one cyclist who was inflating his bike tires in preparation to enter the rim trail. There were no cyclists riding the trail during the time we were hiking it.
Saturday, September 7
Texas Hollow State Forest, Hector
Hike report by Casey
It was a rainy day, but that didn’t stop 11 hikers and one impressive dog from showing up. It didn’t rain hard and I was happy to not have to wear a rain jacket.
We did the FLT going east from Texas Hollow Road. Leigh Ann led the lead pack and managed to get all the way to Newtown Road to turn around, head back, and take in the blue loop on the way back.
I was the sweep as I was recovering from spending all day Friday working the Grand Prix Festival in Watkins Glen. And we even had one of the Festival’s participants take us up on our invitation to hike with us for this one.
Sunday, September 8
Hinchcliff Family Preserve, Spafford, Onondaga County
Hike report by Jim
Seventeen hikers and two dogs met on Vincent Hill Rd above Skaneateles Lake, for a loop hike of the Hinchcliff Family Preserve. This is hike # 60-8 on our list of regular hike locations https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-60.
While this by now what I consider this a “regular hike location”, as we’ve been here a number of times, it’s always been an infrequent Wednesday hike for the group, so we had some of our regular hikers with us today who had never been on this particular hike previously.
The morning was sunny and cool, with a steady wind blowing throughout much of the hike.
Leaving the parking area the group plunged into the woods, the red-blazed trail winding through the trees with only minor elevation changes. We encountered the first of a couple of blowdowns on the trail that we’d encounter today, but neither was significant enough to delay the hike. Water in the streams was flowing well after recent rains, but not so much that it made stream crossings difficult.
Reaching the intersection with the yellow-blazed loop, the group turned downhill to make a clockwise lap around the loop. Along the way we paused at the chimney of the old cottage to take a group picture before pressing onwards.
Soon after the cottage site the trail reaches Randall Gulf and the footpath skirts that very attractive gorge area as it climbs towards the open fields in the northeasterly section of that trail. With Leigh Ann in the lead the group maintained a strong pace up the hill and through the open fields.
The open fields were a short but welcome respite from the forested section of the hike. With the persistent winds the open fields were sunny and bright, but not as oppressively warm as those areas have been in the middle of summer.
Passing through the parking area that enters the preserve from State Route 41, we were soon back in the woods for a number of open fields that alternate with short sections of woods. The last open field offers a great view of the lake below before the trail returns to the woods for a final time.
Soon the group had completed the yellow loop and were back on the red-blazed trail for the return leg of the hike that took us to our cars. We arrived back at the cars right on time.
We encountered a few small groups of hikers today, but mostly had the trail to ourselves.
Warm welcome to new hikers Geoff A, Michelle, Russ, Anne and canine hiker ” Finnigan”, on their first hike with the group!
