ithacahikers

Wednesday, January 1

Loop Hike in upper Treman State Park from Woodard Rd., Enfield

Hike report by Jim

For the First Day hike of 2025, twenty hikers and two dogs met on Woodard Rd in the Town of Enfield for a loop hike of portions of several area trails, including the FLT, The Rim Trail and the CCC Trail in Robert Treman State Park, and the Margarets Woods Loop with the associated access trail that runs from the FLT. This particular hike route isn’t in our current hikes list but is a mish mash of portions of several other hikes. As with past First Day hikes I expected that we would have several new hikers with the group today, so it’s a little bit of a “highlights hike route” for new hikers. Several of our regular hikers with us today hadn’t been on our recent Margarets Woods hike when that trail loop first opened this fall, so this was a new location for them today.

After the group photo we set off on the FLT in the direction of Fishkill Creek. Passing the junction with the CCC and Margarets Woods access trails, the hikers crossed the creek on the wooden bridge, then hiked a short distance up Butternut Creek Rd to where the FLT turns left to return to state park property. Here the FLT footpath follows the edge of the bluff above Fishkill Creek, passing through a nice section of pine trees until it emerges at the end of the maintained portion of Thomas Rd. The FLT continues along the park access road portion of Thomas Rd until it arrives at the Rim Trail.

The hikers took this short section of the Rim Trail down to the Upper Treman parking lot. By this time the faster hikers had gotten ahead of the other hikers, so we paused briefly at the Old Mill to allow the slower hikers to catch up again. Once reunited, the hikers took the CCC trail through the old campgrounds and the old CCC camp area back to the junction with the FLT.

Leigh Ann took the lead at this point, and she led the group to Stonehouse Rd and through the loop of the Margarets Woods trail. By now the morning rain had turned to a wet heavy snow, the sound of the flakes striking the ground providing an auditory accompaniment to the water flowing in the streambeds we were passing by or over.

Completing the Margarets Woods Loop, the group returned to the FLT via the Margarets Woods access trail. The hike ended on time as the hikers climbed the short section of FLT back to our cars.

This section of the FLT is depicted on map sheet M16, available for purchase in either electronic or paper formats from:  https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual-maps/. Purchase of the map sheets helps to defray on-going costs of trail maintenance.

Resuming in 2025 I am noting in my hike reports the number of FLT miles in that hike for those who wish to apply those miles towards obtaining an FLT 50 or FLT 100 patch. See here for further information:  https://fingerlakestrail.org/whats…/hiking-programs/flt50/. Today’s hike included .6 FLT miles.

New hikers today included John, Jennifer and Snehal. Thanks to all of you for joining the group on this hike!

Saturday, January 4

YMCA Outdoor Education Center trails through Ecovillage and beyond

Hike report by Jim

Twenty-two hikers and two dogs met in the town of Ithaca for a somewhat looping hike that included trails in the YMCA Outdoor Education Center lands and the un-blazed Ecovillage trails, with a short section of the Coy Glen Natural Area linking the two ends of the hike. This hike is not on our hikes list due to the infrequency that we hike this location.

This hike was intended to be a memorial hike for recently departed Ithaca Hiker Jaime Z. Unfortunately, this week we also lost Ithaca Hiker Tom B just prior to this hike.

Trail conditions were good, with a thin dusting of fresh snow covering the footpath and trees around us during the hike. Wind was a little brutal when crossing some of the open fields along the way

As I was concerned about, despite written route directions for the Ecovillage portion of the hike I managed to get us temporarily lost, bringing us closer to the residences than I normally like to get. We were soon back on course and we turned around at our normal spot in Elm Street Extension.

Skirting the Ecovillage property on Town of Ithaca trails, we returned to Ecovillage land long enough to use their trails to return to the YMCA trail system. We arrived back at our cars about five minutes later than I had planned.

Warm welcome to new hikers Emily with family member and Christine, on their first hike with the group!

At the end of the hike, one of our group left a set of foot traction in the parking lot. See me if you are missing your foot traction!

Sunday, January 5

Bob Cameron Loop, Connecticut Hill, Newfield

Hike report by Jim

Twenty hikers and a single dog met on Tower Rd in the Town of Enfield, for a wintery hike of the Bob Cameron Loop and parts of the FLT. This is hike # 47 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-47.

This hike was on trails on FLT map sheet M16. Paper or electronic versions of the maps are available for purchase at https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual-maps/. Map sales help in defraying costs associated with trail maintenance.

There was a thin layer of fresh snow covering the areas of Connecticut Hill that we hiked through this morning. Stream crossings were ice-covered, and the streams themselves had a good amount of water flowing. Mud was minimal and only found in a couple of low-lying areas that hadn’t entirely frozen over by the time of our hike.

The snow wasn’t deep enough to be an impediment to the hikers. Most of the group wore some form of foot traction, but I don’t think that it was needed. Based on tracks in the snow there were a small number of people who had apparently preceded us on the Loop this morning, but we never encountered any other trail users during our hike. I think that I saw more wildlife tracks over the distance of the loop than I did of footprints from hikers other than our own group.

Leaving Tower Rd, the group travelled a short way on the FLT before turning onto the Cameron Loop. The first half of the hike is a steady downhill, with the inevitability that whichever way you go on the Loop, the second half of the hike will be an uphill slog. I generally take the group in a clockwise direction on the Loop, although some hikers today mentioned that they normally go in the other direction. Maybe I’ll try that direction in one of our future hikes here. The terrain is varied enough throughout the hike that I enjoy the variety of sights and sounds and even the gradual ups and downs, switchbacks, straightaways trail sections and other aspects of this loop that make it so enjoyable for so many hikers.

Leigh Ann took over leading the group at about the halfway point in our route. Once the hikers made it back to Tower Rd, Leigh Ann crossed that road and continued on the FLT for a short out-and-back portion of the FLT to bring the hike time up to our regular hike duration.

By the end of the hike I estimate that the group had completed about 3.5 FLT miles. Those of you who want to apply for an FLT 50 or FLT 100 patch for 2025 here: https://fingerlakestrail.org/whats…/hiking-programs/flt50/ can include todays trail miles towards either of those patches.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album for the week.

Wednesday, December 25

Stevens Suspension Bridge – Cornell natural areas

Hike report by Jim

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all Ithaca Hikers!

Four hikers met on a snowy Christmas Day morning at Flat Rock in the Forest Home neighborhood, for a “loop-ish” hike of parts of the Cayuga Trail and Cornell Natural Land trails. This is hike # 4A on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-04.

After crossing the Stevens suspension bridge the group turned westerly, following the Cayuga Trail along the northerly shore of Fall Creek until we reached the golf course. Looping around the edge of the golf course we returned to the trail system, following the fenceline of the horse pastures with the woods on one side of us and the sloping hills above Fall Creek on the other side of us. With the leaves off the trees and the fresh layer of snow on the ground it was a beautiful morning. Most of this section of the hike we had been preceded by only a few skiers and walkers, so the trail was not terribly beaten down or slippery.

Eventually we reached the orange blazed trail, descending from the high bluffs to creek level. We followed that trail back to the suspension bridge.

Once across the bridge we turned left onto the blue and red blazed trails which now followed the southerly shore of Fall Creek. The group hiked those trails until we came to Forest Home Drive, which we crossed and entered Park Park. Once in Park Park we hiked the yellow blazed trail to the overlook area above Varna.

The hikers left Park Park and returned to our cars via the red and blue blazed trails.

Welcome to Dani on her first hike with the Ithaca Hikers!

Saturday, December 28

Cayuga Trail from Freese Rd., Ithaca

Hike report by Jim

Twenty-eight hikers and two dogs met in the community gardens parking lot on Freese Rd in the Town of Dryden, for an out-and-back hike of part of the Cayuga Trail. This is hike # 5-3 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-5

There was a slight chilly breeze, and the sun was making short appearances as hikers arrived at the trailhead. The footpath was covered by a slushy layer of snow over much of our route this morning. Stream crossings had a layer of ice, and the ascents and descents that had the rope assists available were most welcome.

The group made it almost to the Cornell outdoor pavilion before turning around and re-tracing our route back to the cars.

Sunday, December 29

Potato Hill State Forest, Caroline

Hike report by Jim

Twelve hikers and two dogs met on Level Green Rd in the Town of Caroline, for an out and back hike of the FLT through Potato Hill State Forest towards and beyond Blackman Hill Rd. This is hike# 29-1 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-29. This section of the FLT is on map sheet M18, which is available for purchase in paper or electronic formats at: https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual-maps/. Purchase of the map sheets helps to defray on-going costs associated with trail maintenance.

The weather forecast called for rain today, but thankfully the rain came early before arriving at the trailhead and never reappeared during the hike. The entirety of the hike was done in dense fog that gave a very spooky and atmospheric feeling to the hike.
Snow depth on the trail was at best a couple of very slushy inches. The various mudholes along the route were filled with several inches of ice-covered water, and the mud was, well, it was mud. Self-explanatory on that issue.

The outgoing leg of the hike was uneventful. I ended up dealing with some hike leading issues on the phone during the hike, leaving the group to fend for themselves for the remainder of the outbound leg of the hike as I tried to catch up with them from behind.

Reaching and crossing Blackman Hill Rd, the FLT enters the Summerland Farm Preserve. The preserve is notable during good weather for the excellent views from its open fields. Today, there were no views, other than the all-enveloping fog. By the time I reached the stone wall and bench in the main field, the rest of the group had reached their turn-around point and met me at the bench.

The return leg of the hike was uneventful. It was mostly downhill, although the outbound leg could hardly be called ” uphill” except in the most moderate of ways. We got back to the cars a few minutes earlier than planned, but overall it was an excellent hike.

Wednesday, December 18

Upper Buttermilk State Park, Ithaca

Hike report by Jim

Twenty-seven hikers and five dogs met in the parking lot of upper Buttermilk Falls State Park https://parks.ny.gov/parks/buttermilkfalls/details.aspx in the Town of Ithaca for an out-and-back hike led by Leigh Ann. This is hike # 10-1 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-10.

The day was cool and overcast as hikers pulled into the parking lot. The number of hikers mostly filled the available spaces; I can only assume that the hikes’ central location and this morning’s weather being the last nice weather before the predicted snowfall tonight were motivators for joining the hike.

After the group photo we crossed the wooden pedestrian bridge near the parking lot and set off up the Bear Trail. Trail conditions were generally good, and it didn’t take long before the group was spread out over a good distance. Before too long we were at the open fields near the vehicle ford. Continuing on towards Lake Treman, the group stopped often to take photos of the small waterfalls and the lake itself.

Once on the Treman loop trail the hikers walked to the FLT spur trail, which we took to Yaple Rd, and from there walked to Comfort Rd and crossed the bridge to re-enter park land from the Comfort Rd access trail.

The hikers walked as far as the closed wooden staircase before turning around and re-tracing our route. Most hikers chose to return to the parking area via the Bear Trail; a small group chose instead to road walk from the fording area back to the parking lot.

Everyone arrived back at the parking lot at about the same time, Leigh Ann having taken the main group to West King Rd and walked them across the main bridge there before returning to our vehicles.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Saturday, December 21

Ithaca Lakefront Hike

Hike report by Jim

Sixteen hikers and a dog met in Stewart Park for a wintery hike to and from Steamboat Landing on our semi-traditional farmer market hike on the last day of Market operations for the year. This is hike#53-2 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-53.

The lake was dark and sullen, the wind coming off the lake seemed nearly brutal in its intensity. Snow drifted across the park roads before plows came through clearing the lanes as hikers arrived.

I didn’t want to stand around waiting any longer than necessary due to the wind, so we took off walking very promptly on time. We circled the old swan pond, then crossed the first suspension bridge and entered the Renwick Wildwood Paths. Here away from the winds off the lake we found the tree limbs thick with a coating of snow, some branches leaning heavily into the path and creating a canopy at most hiker’s head height that we had to pass under. The snow under foot was only a few inches deep but almost like walking in sand.

We paused by the old archway for our group photo, then continued the blue blazed loop as it followed the shore of Fall Creek. The geese were particularly vocal today as they gathered on the open patches of water; a good amount of the calm sections of the creek had a skim of ice on the surface this morning as we crossed the second suspension bridge towards the golf course.

Because of the wind I chose to not visit lighthouse point nor circle the golf course as we normally would do on this hike. Instead, we walked more or less directly to Steamboat Landing, where we found the farmers marker already well attended and the infamous rutabaga curling contest underway.

After arriving at the farmers market, it was pretty much every hiker for themselves; some opted to turn around immediately and continue hiking. Several of us loitered about the farmers market for a little while. My personal tradition there on this hike is a cup of warm cider and an apple donut. That task fulfilled, I located the last of our group still at the market. They indicated that they would be staying a while longer, and so I set off on my return trip to Stewart Park.

The wind and snow had picked up by now; while it wasn’t white out conditions, the intensity of the snowfall was more than it had been on the outbound portion of the hike.

I arrived back at my car as the last of the group caught up with me.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, December 22

Owl Creek Trail, lower Buttermilk Falls State Park, Ithaca

Hike report by Mark Sussman

Seven hardy hikers showed up on this cold Sunday morning for a hike up the Owl Creek trail at Buttermilk State Park. We hiked up the hill, stopping to enjoy the view from the overlook until we got to the cemetery. The group was shown the plaque commemorating an early settler who made their way to Ithaca by canoe and then overland through the wilderness. We walked down the hill and detoured through the Buttermilk cabins. The group then explored the rail trail that passes by Buttermilk.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, December 11

South Rd. & Hurd Hill Rd., Caroline

Hike report by Jim

Six brave souls defied the elements to meet at the junction of South Rd and Hurd Hill Rd for a very wet out-and-back hike of the seasonal Hurd Hill Rd and Prospect Valley Rd.

The rain was not much more than a drizzle at the outset but gradually increased through the hike into a steady downpour for the latter half of the hike. Definitely a bone chilling morning for me despite the layers and rain gear, and I’m posting this more than an hour after the hike and ready to fire up my wood stove to beat back the chill!

This is one of those occasional hike locations I save for winter and hunting season. Typically, it takes us around 40 minutes to reach the bottom of Hurd Hill Rd. From the next road junction we walk Prospect Valley Rd, sometimes as far as the Shindagin FLT bridge which was repaired and moved slightly downstream this summer by a dedicated bunch of Cayuga Trails Club volunteers after summer floods pushed the bridge off its foundation. If we make it that far, we’ll sometimes hike to the Shindagin lean-to, which is my favorite lean-to in the county. Today that was not meant to be. The group hiked until the turn-around time and then simply re-traced our route back to Hurd Hill Rd and our cars.

One item of interest: the house on Prospect Valley Rd where the dogs always loudly greet our hikers seems to have acquired a couple of emus, who watched us rather stoically until the dogs charged to their property line upon our approach, at which time the emus raced around their enclosure. As with the bison along the Black Diamond Trail, the llamas in Caroline, etc, its always a little interesting to see the unusual animals we encounter on some of these hikes!

Saturday, December 14

Hill Road and Curtis Road, South Danby

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Twenty-three hikers and five dogs gathered at the corner of Curtis Road and Hill Road for a sparkling, hill-top, road hike. This was a clear day in which the temperature felt a little warmer than the actual air temperature – good thing, because the air temperature was in the teens at the start. Everything was covered with frost, which was almost entirely gone by 11:30. Our route took us east on Hill toward where the road turns seasonal, then then back to Curtis Road. Most of the group then turned north on Curtis and turned around at the big willow tree that used to be next to a barn, while some of the group headed south on Curtis. Everyone returned to the cars by 11:30. The maximum distance was about 5.5 miles with about 800 feet of elevation gain, but hikers could do as much or as little of this as they wanted.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, December 15

Black Diamond Trail northbound from Kraft Road

Hike report by Jim

Nineteen hikers and three dogs met on Kraft Rd for a southerly out-and-back hike of the Black Diamond Trail. This is hike # 58-1 of our regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-58.

The day was overcast and cold and never seemed to warm up or otherwise improve over the course of the hike.

The hikers quickly split up into several sub-groups based on speed, but everyone was back at the cars at the appropriate time.

Wednesday, December 4

South Hill Rec Way/Six Mile Creek, south side, rim trail

Hike report by Jim

Fifteen hikers and a single dog met on Crescent Place in the city of Ithaca for a hike of the South Hill Rec Way and associated trails in the area. This is hike #2-1 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-2.

Starting on the Rec Way, we soon made a turn onto the blue-blazed rim trail. I had expected that there would be more ice and snow than there was, so the foot traction I wore was unneeded. There was a decent amount of water flowing in some, not all. of the stream crossings.

The day was generally overcast, and at the higher points along our route today we encountered some brisk winds.

I stayed away from some of the lower trails in the rim trail system, as they have some steep descents that I don’t like to attempt in winter months. Still, I had us stop at the stone stairs briefly, along with a stop at the second dam overlook area.

By the time we got back to the Rec Way we were ahead of schedule by a few minutes, so the hikers did a short extra out-and -back hike towards Burns Rd to burn up the minutes.

The second half of the hike consisted of a hike back to Crescent place via the Rec Trail, which was uneventful.

Saturday, December 7

Jim Schug Trail from Lake Road, Dryden

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Eighteen hikers gathered at the meet-up spot on Lake Road, after managing the snowy and slippery roads to get there. We carefully double parked to get us all off the road in case a snow plough came by. The hike was lovely. This section of trail is a good one to stretch out and get some mileage, walk side-by-side for a social hike, and be able to see where everyone is at almost any time. Blue sky broke through just a bit once we were into the hike, and everyone made it back to the cars within two hours.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, December 8

Alex & Michele Gonzalez Hiking Sanctuary & Preserve, Virgil

Hike report by Jim

Twenty-two hikers and three dogs met in Cortland County on a wintery but seasonally warm morning for a mostly out-and-back hike of the Alex and Michelle Gonzalez Hiking Sanctuary and Preserve. This is hike # 36 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-36.

Today’s hike route included trails that are depicted on multiple trail map sheets in different levels of detail that are available from the FLTC, specifically the English Loop Trail, The Swedish Loop Trail, or map sheet M19 (M19 is primarily good for a general overview of all area trails, while the other two show the local trails in more detail). All of these map sheets are available for purchase in either paper or electronic formats from the FLTC at:  https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual-maps/. Sale of the map sheets helps to defray costs associated with trail maintenance. On a personal note, I would not advise first time hikers to the Preserve to attempt this trail system without having some form of paper or electronic maps available, as the various blazed trails do tend to weave in and out from each other on a regular basis.

Because of the recent snow we’ve had and my memories of the first time I pre-hiked the sanctuary in deep snow with Casey C a few winters ago, I was a little leery about taking todays group on the normal looping route we do here, which involves following Cristina Creek early in the hike before jumping onto some other trails as we climb the hill. Today, instead, we initially took the Spanish Loop orange blazed trail to the five-point junction and then got onto the Irvin Trail at the trail register box, which is on a flatter section of the trail system.

Leigh Ann led the group up over the crest of the hill on a combination of sections of the Irvin, Spanish Loop and English Loop trails, until the hikers tapped on Adams Rd before turning around a few minutes earlier than we normally would time-wise. Beyond that point in the Spanish Loop is a rather boring section of road walking, so we tend to always turn around at the road.

On the return leg of the trip, we opted to skip the red-blazed section of trail that has ropes in place to assist hikers in navigating the steep descent there before the trail crosses the utility pole right-of-way back to the five point junction. Instead, we opted to take the blue blazed Irvin Trail in a downhill direction to and beyond Cristina Creek. This section of trail switchbacks across the hill, and at the upper elevations there are some nice views down the ravine into Cristina Creek. Eventually we reached the creek and found that the snow depth there wasn’t anything close to what I had feared it might be. The hikers got back to the cars a few minutes earlier than I expected, so in the future I might want to add an extra loop or two of the trail system into our route to use up that extra time. It can sometimes be difficult to judge differences in pace between the summer and winter hikes due to trail conditions. Given our experiences on today’s hike, I might use this choice of routes through the trail system in the future when we hike here!

Welcome to Beth, Margaret S and John on their first hike with the group!

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.