Category: hike reports

Report to Hikers — week of Oct 28-Nov 3

Hello Hikers!

Wed Oct 30

Watkins Glen SP gorge trail

If you haven’t been here in a while, the main entry area has been completely redone. What used to be a big parking lot has been transformed into a very pleasing landscaped area that sets a much better mood for entering the gorge.
This is an overview of what it looks like now.
Coming here so late in the season really cuts down n the crowds — we had it almost, but not quite, to ourselves
Many visitors pay extra to get bused to the top of the gorge, so they can skip any uphill stairs. We always walk up the gorge and come down the Indian Trail, which runs along the north rim. This charming cemetery is just a few steps off the Indian Trail.

Official head count: 13H

More photos:

Annie

Jack V

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Sat Nov 2

Michigan Hollow Road to Hill Road and beyond, Danby SF

Official head count: 17H, one D

More photos:

Jack V

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Sun Nov 3

Hammond Hill SF ski trails, Dryden

The small black dog and the brown and white dog in this shot, Diego and Ruby, dashed off into the woods chasing an animal just as we were getting back to the cars — Roger, who’s been bringing them to the hikes for many years, spent two extra hours in the woods searching for them — as the search dragged on, five of us drove back to the trail head from Hopshre, where we were drinking beer, to help — the search effort was hampered by very poor phone reception.
Otherwise, we had a great walk — wonderful atmospherics …. dark brooding clouds, snow off and on, a few sprinkles of rain
We ran into other people hiking on the trail more often than usual — but by the time our lost-dog rescue squad got back to the parking lot after 1 pm, there was no one else around and the woods seemed bleak and a little ominous

Official head count: 22H, six D

More photos:

Jack V

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Jack recently came back from a trip to Morocco. You can see his travel photos here

Report to Hikers — week of Oct 21-Oct 27

Hello Hikers!

Wed Oct 23

Woods road walk — Curtis Road, Danby SF

We got a good bit of rain the afternoon and evening before the hike, and it was still very wet when we arrived at the trail head — the air had a wonderful mild damp quality, and the light was extremely bright but a little misty — very nice!
This miniature horse lives in the farm area at the top of Curtis, and he’s always interested and energized when our group comes hiking here — I think farm animals are amused at the novelty of a group of walkers coming into their neighborhood
I picked this woods road because I thought it would be less slippery and muddy than one of our usual forest trails after all the rain we’ve had this month — that was pretty much the case, but not entirely ….

Official head count: 18H, five D

More photos:

Jack V

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Sat Oct 26

Malloryville countryside, with Bob B

The beaver dam crossing was especially tricky this time because the water had overtopped part of it, forcing us to walk along the extreme downstream edge — some hikers chose to cross the stream at the base of the dam instead ….
Here’s another view of the scene — I took the lower crossing myself — pretty challenging — you can see a photo of me in Annie’s photo album of the hike, looking like I’m about to fall down
One of the two old railroad trestles — it’s much higher above the creek than it looks in the photo
Bob’s property abuts the Malloryville bog, and we entered the bog this time by walking up his amazingly long driveway to his house and garage — I saw a photo op
In the bog — there are some pitcher plants inside this observation platform

Official head count: 21H

More photos:

Annie

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Sun Oct 27

Hike rained out. According to the various rain loggers, it rained briskly between 9 and 10, and just a little between 10 and 11; then the rain stopped.

Report to Hikers: week of Oct 14-Oct 20

Hello Hikers!

Wed Oct 16

Black Diamond rail trail, from Perry City Road to Willow Creek Road, Ulysses

It took me a long time to warm up to this trail. When it opened a few years back, Tiger and I checked it out by getting on it at the south end, in Cass Park. I hated the huge electric transmission line poles and the highway running right next to the walkway. Later we tried out the trail from its upper end, at Taughannock Park. No ugly infrastructure, but I thought it was boring.
More recently, we’ve had occasion to walk on the central portion of the trail. I’ve been very surprised at how different this stretch is, and how pleasant. The scenery along the way is extremely good, fields and clumps of woods and distant views
Always a high point of our walks — a strange-dog meet-and-greet. The dogs clearly enjoy it, and it always produces a sense of subdued high spirits
There was a big rainstorm rapidly approaching us from the south, and the air had a lovely damp sultry quality to it. Really nice morning to be outside.

Official head count: 15H, six D

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Sat Oct 19

Connecticut Hill WMA with Dave G — Carter Creek Loop

Dave said a lot of leaves had come down since earlier in the week thanks to the wind and rain — it really opened up the woods and we had great views into the neighboring hills — I’d say late October on a sunny day with plenty of colored leaves still up makes for a gorgeous hike here
Our nature photographer Annie, with her sister Margaret

Official head count: 27H, 10 D

More photos:

Annie

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Sun Oct 20

Shindagin Hollow SF, Braley Hill Road to Shindagin Hollow Road on the FLT

Official head count: 26H, seven D

Report to Hikers: week of Oct 7-Oct 13

Hello Hikers!

Wed Oct 9

Yellow Barn SF, Dryden

Official head count: 22H, five D

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Sat Oct 12

Van Lone Hill Loop, Catharine

Another case of, “Hey! it wasn’t supposed to rain until later!”

Official head count: 13H, one D

Get-together at Randy and Nancy’s

It started to rain pretty briskly as we drove from the trail head to Randy and Nancy’s, and I wondered if the bad weather would discourage people from coming to the get-together, but a number of people who hadn’t hiked showed up

Randy skipped the hike and stayed home creating a variety of fancy tapas-style hors d’oeuvres. Nancy made a cake and created some tapas-style vegetarian relishes. Everyone loved the food. It was drizzling outside and there was a fire inside and it was wonderfully cozy and fun.

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Sun Oct 13

Michigan Hollow Road southeast on the FLT to Hill Road and beyond, Danby SF

I decided we’d start out doing the very short first leg of the hike on the road, so Tiger could get a couple of photos. Once we stepped into the woods the light was impossible for taking photos — none that Tiger got was worth using, IMO

Official head count: 23H, three D

More photos:

Annie

Report to Hikers: week of Sept 30-Oct 6

Hello Hikers!

Wed Oct 2

Flat Rock — area along Fall Creek, Forest Home

I decided to completely trust the weather forecasting services this time — they were predicting it would rain hard between 7 am and 9 am and then stop during hike time ….
…. they turned out to be 100% right — the rain stopped right on time and we had wonderfully atmospheric conditions for our hike, damp, dark and sultry
Everyone shown except one person (and me)

Official head count: 15H, one D

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Sat Oct 5

Texas Hollow SF, Bennettsburg

It was too dark in the woods to get any photos beyond this one, which is pretty murky, but, I hope, interestingly atmospheric
The first part of the trail, from the parking lot to the big field, is horribly challenging. Rather than struggle with it any longer, we decided from now on, we’ll use Texas Hollow Road for a few minutes to reach an alternative entrance to the field

Official head count: 22H, eight D

More photos:

Annie

Jack V

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Sun Oct 6

Willseyville Creek, Caroline

Official head count: 21H, seven D

More photos:

Jack V