Author: shesse

Hello Hikers!

Wed Oct 14

This report was written by Jim

Treman SP from Route 13 west on the FLT

Eleven hikers and four dogs met in the parking area near the junction of State Routes 13 and 34/96, for a hike of the Finger Lakes Trail in the area of lower Robert Treman State Park.

The day had started out noticeably cool,  but by the time the hike started things had warmed up to a comfortable level.

The walk through lower Treman was uneventful, the freshly fallen leaves crunching underfoot as the group climbed the hills and progressed towards upper Treman.

The sun filtered through the leaves that were still on the trees, but at no point did it seem that the light intensity was uncomfortable. On the climb from lower Treman the group encountered only one other hiker/ trail runner on the FLT.

The majority of our group turned around  after an hour and headed back to their cars. Two hikers continued on to the Rim Trail, taking that to Upper Treman and then hiking the length of the Gorge Trail back to lower Treman. Both the portion of the Rim Trail that we hiked as  well as the Gorge Trail saw a moderate level of other park patrons on the trails  for being a mid-week hike.

The water in the stream in many spots we saw was quite clear, with the leaves floating on the surface creating some interesting shadows on the creek bed as everything moved with the current.

The two hikers arrived back at their cars about an hour later than normal compared to our normal hikes. The parking area we use beyond the bridge was still fairly full of other peoples vehicles, so we were clearly not the only group deciding to hike that area that day

I’m pretty happy with this hike over all. I was glad to see that the park system has been investing in a good amount of trail maintenance in recent years, with many areas of broken stonework that I recall on the Gorge trail in past years having been repaired.

If anyone else chooses to hike this area before the state closes the trails  for the season, be aware that the water fountains have already been turned off for the year, so you should bring your own water supply with you.

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Sat Oct 17

This report was written by Jim

Shindagin Hollow SF — Shindagin Hollow Road east toward South Road and beyond on the FLT

The route I took on my drive to the trailhead passed over Irish Settlement Rd, where the fields were covered with the seasons first hard frost. Other hikers reported that their drive from Ithaca a little later in the morning on Slaterville RD had them passing through fields of mist.

I was standing at the trailhead waiting for the rest of the hikers to arrive , when the sun came over the hilltop and started warming the frosty leaf canopy in the trees around me. Soon the forest around me was filled with the sound of thawed frost falling to the ground as a sort of rainfall within the treeline. These are the sorts of sounds that get obscured when the larger group begins to assemble and the volume of hiker chatter obscures the background noises.

Other people were getting in some last minute outdoor recreation in the area; there were tent campers set up near our parking area, and the lean-to was occupied when we got there on the out-bound leg of our hike.

Streams near the trailhead and during the hike were still bone dry, although the stream water source at the lean-to had more water running than it did a month ago.

Seventeen hikers and six dogs met on Shindagin Hollow RD to hike to and beyond South RD. Of that number a couple of late arrivals never met up with the lead group of hikers, so  from the start of the hike the group was fractured into two distinct clusters of hikers who had little interaction with each other. Trail conditions on some of the up-hills were a little treacherous due to the slick leaf cover and roots, but there were no falls or other ill effects from these conditions.

The early morning lighting made picking out some of the more worn blazes a little bit of an adventure in places, particularly when the fresh leaf covered caused the trail to disappear somewhat into the surrounding terrain. . A small trail re-route was enjoyed by the group on the outbound leg.

Upon reaching South Rd, the first group of hikers continued on, through a straight, mostly flat,  section of trail that skirts along near-by fields. As the trail took a couple of 90 degree turns the group hit its turn-around time and re-traced its steps back down the trail without incident.

It’s my understanding that the second group of hikers turned around upon reaching South RD.

More photos:

Annie

Cian

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Sun Oct 18

This hike report was written by Jim

All photos in the report were taken by Tiger

Monkey Run Natural Area, south side of Fall Creek, Varna

18 hikers and 5 dogs met on Monkey Run Rd for a hike on the South side of Fall Creek through the Monkey Run Natural Area.

We were lucky to have several relatively new hikers and some long-absent Ithaca Hikers re-join us on the hike today.

This proved to be a popular destination today for others as well. Our group encountered multiple other trail users before during and after our hike.

Things started out a little cool temperature wise, but it was a comfortable hike throughout. We haven’t done this hike in some time now; I had delayed in choosing this for one of our hikes because of reports over the summer of a possibly rabid animal in the area. No animal encounters were made on the hike day.

This was a really comfortable hike terrain-wise; none of the hills are particularly strenuous, the forest surface covered with needles and fallen leaves is always pleasing to walk on, and the portions of the hike where the group crosses open fields near Rte 366 can be visually stunning as well on clear crisp days like today was.

The portions of the hike that travel alongside the steep precipices next to Fall Creek are always of particular interest to me, and todays hike was no exception.

The group paused as we always do alongside the streambed at one point before plunging back into the brush and tree cover to continue with the hike.

There was a little confusion on my part over one of the yellow blazed side trails towards the end  that resulted in us doing a small extra circle, but ultimately we wound up back at the cars only a couple of minutes past our normal end time.

More photos:

Cian

Jack V

Hello Hikers!

Wed Oct 7

This report was written by Jim

Lime Hollow Nature Preserve, Cortland County

Six hikers met at the Lime Hollow Nature Center parking area on Gracie RD in Cortland County. The day was generally overcast, much more so than on Tuesday when I had done an exploratory hike of the trails in anticipation of Wednesday’s hike.

Hikers started out by walking Easterly on the Lehigh Valley trail. Eventually the group met an intersecting blue trail that loops to the North; this trail is fairly new and doesn’t appear on the maps of the trail system that we had.

The trail is a bit rough in spots, particularly around one area where it skirts a solar farm that’s under construction.

We completed this loop in just under an hour.

By this time the group was getting the first threatening drops of rain accompanied by wind, but nothing that would cause too much concern.

We returned to the cars and continued Westerly across Gracie Rd to continue the hike on the other half of the Lehigh Valley Trail. Upon reaching the Fen Way loop the group took that in a southerly direction.

By the time the group reached the Fen Connector near the bottom of the loop, the rain had started to fall much more severely, The group completed the loop, returning to the Lehigh Valley Trail and from there back to the cars.

Despite the rain, it was a good hike.

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Sat Oct 10

This report was written by Jim

Bock Harvey Forest Preserve and Riemen Woods, Enfield

Sixteen hikers and three dogs met at the Bock Harvey Preserve on Rockwell RD in the Town of Enfield

The day was predicted to be warm and sunny, and the weather people actually got it right this time.

There were some other users of the preserve, including a bow hunter and some overnight guests at the lean-to; these users were all leaving as the Ithaca Hikers arrived. A solitary dog walker was encountered late in the hike.

Trail conditions were about as perfect as I have seen them on this hike in the past; no mud whatsoever, no water to wade through. Freshly fallen leaves somewhat obscured the trail from time to time, but the well-maintained blazes kept the hikers on the right path.

Hikers started by quickly climbing the hill to the lean-to on the blue blazed trail; beyond that we jumped onto the FLT and headed towards Porter Hill Rd. After crossing Porter Hill Rd hikers took the broad loop that brings trail users back to Porter Hill RD. Rather than re-trace our steps back up the hill on the FLT hikers walked up Porter Hill Rd to reconnect with the trail.

Hikers took the FLT back onto Bock Harvey Preserve land, following the trails to Rockwell Rd, where the group turned around and made our way back to the blue trail via the yellow blazed trail.

Hikers found ourselves with extra time to burn, so an extra lap around the blue and yellow blazed trails brought hikers back to our cars more or less exactly on time.

One item of note on this hike was that within a short span of distance the group observed some trees well into their color shift, while only a short distance down the trail trees were encountered whose leaves were still fully green with no hint of color change whatsoever.

More photos:

Cian

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Sun Oct 11

Danby SF — Loop trail from Bald Hill Road to Diane’s Crossing and back

Beautiful cool morning — lovely muted sun shining through the colored leaves

Such a pleasure not to have another day of intense sunshine like we had so often all summer. We could appreciate the subtleties of the woods, rather than constantly having to squint in overly dark areas and then overly bright ones

There was a fantastic sweet smell of pine needles in the air along this first leg of the walk, down Bald Hill Road

This hike is not a super ass-breaker like some we do, but it’s definitely pretty strenuous, and definitely easier to do on a cool day

A lot of the leaves were down — makes a great carpet on the forest floor

The way we do this walk, this segment on the Abbott Loop is supposed to be heading downhill, but there’s actually a surprising number of uphills too

This is the very brushy area next to Michigan Creek, at the low point of the loop

It barely warmed up during the hike — just 51 when we got back to the cars — but it felt very balmy at Diane’s Crossing. This is a great place to just stare into the bushes — extremely satisfying.

We saw a fair number of other hikers as we came down the Abbott Loop — just a few on our way back to the cars along the FLT past the Chestnut Lean-to.

Really beautiful morning.

Official head count: 12H, six D

More photos:

Cian

Hello Hikers!

Wed Sept 30

Hike cancelled — threat of rain

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Sat Oct 3

This report was written by Jim

Logan Hill Nature Preserve, Candor

12 hikers and 3 dogs met in the Candor Middle School/High School parking lot.

After a short walk up a near-by residential street the group climbed a well-maintained seasonal road towards the Logan Hill Nature Preserve.

Fall colors were in full effect, and despite a cool morning the climb warmed everyone quickly.

The group took the full loop on the yellow-blazed trail, bypassing the abbreviated hike offered by the intersecting blue trail.

The hike took the group on a very-well blazed trail through  a combination of open fields and wooded areas.

Other than a meeting with a couple of other hikers towards the end of the hike, we had the entire trail to ourselves.

I had missed this hike the first time Leigh Ann led the group on it earlier this year; I think this one was a great addition to our repertoire of hike locations.

More photos:

Cian

Mary

Jack V

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Sunday Oct 4

This report was written by Jim

Shindagin Hollow SF — rim trail along Shindagin Gorge

16 hikers and 6 dogs met on Shindagin Hollow Rd where the blacktop ends and the seasonal road continues into the valley.

Temperatures at the start of the hike were cool, although layers for many group members were shed as the hike progressed. Rain threatened us at the very beginning of the hike, but never materialized as a serious impediment to the group.

Hikers walked to the Shindagin Rim Trail and walked the length of that trail, to where it comes out at the lower parking area opposite the Jeep trail marked by the yellow metal gate.

Trail conditions were generally dry, although some lower areas later in the hike were soft mud.

Leaves on the majority of trees along the rim trail were still green, although many trees along the way were clearly in a state of transition.

Once the group emerged back onto the seasonal portion of Shindagin Hollow Rd the majority of the group walked a short distance down the road and onto the bike trail that leads down the hill to the streambed. We  followed that trail to its road crossing on Gulf Creek Rd.

The majority of the group then roadwalked Shindagin Hollow Rd back to the cars. Some people chose to jump back onto the rim trail, but the majority walked the length of Shindagin Hollow RD back to the parking area. This portion of the hike really became a “hike your own hike” experience, where individuals chose to pick the route that worked the best for them. I walked the road all the way up the hill, this portion of the hike was especially pleasing for me despite being a roadwalk, which I often find somewhat monotonous.

There were some fine views along the road as the group would come around some of the bends in the road;  the hillsides in these areas were awash with an impressive variety of colors for a considerable viewing distance. On the S bends while climbing the road the overcast diffused lighting, combined with the darker colors of the shale cliff faces and earth tones of trees, rock, and earth all made for some interesting color combinations.

More photos
Jack V

Cian

A little too much excitement for one weekend

By Katharine

What a weekend…

 As a prelude to the weekend…something seemingly innocent may have set the weekend up for events.

Timeline and brief outline: 

Friday after chill time with Sabine and Laurel..

 an innocent stop at Agway for one item…

             As I opened my door a handsome red Pitbull to whom of course, I said hello, jumped into my lap and kissed me… moments later, the “papa” asked me for a favor: “could I drive him to Newfield?”… guess you can guess, I did.. (after two stops at other stores… during which the pit and I waited in the car)

             Saturday Morning Hike:  South Hill Rec Way… As the dogs and I lingered with Big D..

We came to Stephen’s described Y trail devide: “only for the brave” (or foolish..) and Big SMART D went to the right and I to the left…but it was not the reasonable challenge one that I recalled as the upper level trail with one rocky waterfall gorge crossing ..it was the one that takes one to the floor of the gorge and the creek… with the BEST option: TURN around….the second option, the cliff path that appeared to be gone-filled in by large old disintegrated tree trunks…

or…

…… scale the steep (VERY STEEP) “hillside” to the path above..which seems not so far from the bottom…(oh the trickery of the eyes and the foolish wish)

… well we made it, but not without immense fear and shaking knees..and many epitaphs and urgings and dodging sliding rocks and reaching for roots… POOR DOGS… leashes held tightly to keep the little ones from certain injurious falls and urging Vivien to move ahead and to the side to keep the rocks from bombarding the little loves…and praising her for her good listening.. .

We got to the top and noticed a small goat trail to which we had to descend a few feet.. yikes… but, we lived to tell the tale..I ACTUALLY considered whether we would need to call for ropes… we could not return down… we will NOT NOT NOT do that again.. I have scaled other cliff sides but not like this with three dogs in tow and a pole (and a poop bag..haha which I would not let go of… strange what we consider when life passes in front of us).

           Sunday Morning Hike:  Connecticut Hills and the cairns hike… lovely…

yet, midway… I noticed Vivien’s odd behavior to be caused by a ground bee/yellow jacket on her side… she trying to disengage it… I flicked it off, AND POOR Cary Grant stepped on it… pause the hikers… is there a shorter way out? Nope…so I carried Cary Grant and a bit further along… Eckhart to the rescue with onion and his advice to squeeze the juice of the onion into Cary Grant’s pad… it helped.. I carried poor little love and Gopi led (or was led by) Vivien.. by the end… to quote Jim Rolfe from his Friday, “all’s well that ends well”…

Hello Hikers!

Wed Sept 23

This report was written by Jim

Spur trail from upper Lick Brook to upper Buttermilk Falls SP

14 hikers

6 Dogs

The Ithaca Hikers met at the parking area on the corner of Sandbank and Townline Rds

We changed up the initial entry point we usually take for entering the Thayer Preserve, choosing to enter in on the blue trail that we normally end the hike on.

This gave us a slightly different perspective on the area we were initially walking through.

After crossing the dry streambed ( first time that I can recall it being this dry), the group resumed the normal hike route we usually take.

Coming out of the overhead cover of the woods into the open fields at various points on the hike was an example of a contrast of colors; the transition to fall foliage was clearly underway and visible on this hike, and the bright, stark nature of the sunlight in the open fields really made the various fall hues and shades really stand out.

Hikers crossed over West King Rd and continued on the FLT Spur Trail to Upper Buttermilk.

Upon reaching Yaple Rd some of the group chose to break from the main body and explore a near-by bridge reconstruction project that was very audibly underway. Others of us chose to take the short walk up Yaple Rd and continue on the spur trail to round out our hiking time.

The return trip to the cars was uneventful, with the group taking the route back to the cars that we normally start the hike with.

I enjoyed the alternate route enough that I am thinking about making it the normal route we take on this hike.

I’m going to ask hikers who may have some favorite hikes that we haven’t done recently to reach out to me and offer your suggestions. With hunting season upon us, some hike locations may be unavailable for a while, but if there are some favorite hikes you like that we haven’t done recently, please let me know so we can do them before winter weather sets in.

Thanks very much!

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Sat Sept 26

This report was written by Jim

South side of Six Mile Creek from Crescent Place east toward Burns Road

14 hikers and 6 dogs, including a couple of late arrivals, met on Crescent Place and hiked the various blue and white blazed trails that run between the South Hill Rec Way and Second Dam.

Conditions were warm and sunny

The Rec Way was seeing moderate use by other Ithacans, but other than short stretches on it at the beginning and end of the hike the group  found ourselves alone on the hiking trails

Hikers found only one water crossing with any water flowing at all.

Ground conditions were extremely dry, and more than one hiker commented that the dry soil in conjunction with the gravel mixture underfoot seemed to be making hiking conditions especially hazardous. This was particularly true on some of the narrower and steeper portions of the trail. One hiker had a spill early-on, without any resulting injury.

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Sun Sept 27

This report was written by Leigh Ann

Connecticut Hill Cemetery to Carter Creek

Fourteen hikers and six dogs met up at the Connecticut Hill Cemetery, which is at the western junction of Boylan Road and Connecticut Hill Road. (Connecticut Hill Road bows to the north and Boylan Road is like the string of the bow.)

Nancy Lorr led this hike down to Carter Creek, past tall, squared-off chimney cairns in the dry creek bed, up to a gravel quarry with a great view, and back to the cars. Any hike with “lost” in the name is likely to be exciting, and this one did not disappoint.

Smoke from West Coast fires clung to blue sky all morning. The sun looked like a red ball when it was a fist’s width or two above the horizon at about 8:00 a.m. As it rose, it lit up the air to be fiery orange on hemlocks until well after 10:00 a.m., then salmon-tinged, and then still lightly peach by the end of the hike. These colors of sunlight made the forest look very northern European, and they played off the colors of the trees, which had exploded into barn reds and road-sign yellows over the past few days. The air was humid, but the woods were very dry. Carter Creek braids a lot along this hike, and the wide, southern branches had no water at all. The northernmost branch had a trickle.

There were two bee stings during the hike, both to hiker dogs. Vivian got stung on her side, and Carey Grant got stung on his front paw and had to be carried for a while. He was walking by the end of the hike, though. These stings happened when we were on our way back uphill after we had left the creek beds.

At the end of the hike, several hikers explored the Connecticut Hill Cemetery, which someone had decked out for Halloween. There was a ghost sheet hanging from one tree and a glow-in-the dark skeleton hanging from another.

Best wishes,

Leigh Ann

More photos:

Cian

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Coming tomorrow — Special report

A stressful weekend on the hiking trail

by Katharine