ithacahikers

Report to Hikers: week of Nov 19-Nov 25

Hello Hikers!

Thanksgiving Day

Road walk from Ithaca HS into Cayuga Heights, followed by our Thanksgiving get-together in Fall Creek

We all knew it would be cold, obviously, but it was actually horrible at the meet-up because of a fierce wind probably caused by the nearness of the lake

We headed up through Lake View Cemetery into Cayuga Heights, and I was really hoping the wind would diminish a bit as we got away from the lake floodplain

When you leave the cemetery at the top and head up into the residential area, you immediately come to this mansion — estimated value just under $1 million — I’d love to live here

Sunset Park — great views — this is the whole group minus Jack V, who was standing beside me taking his own photos — 13H total

This is the view to the west

I love the way so many of the roads curve, and the way so much of the landscape was left in the natural state

Almost no cars and we saw I think just one person, a runner

This is the view to the south-southwest from Sunset Park

If you like cemeteries, Lake View is a great one — there’s a deep gorge on two sides and this adds a nice air of menace if you want to walk over and imagine falling off

Visually it was a beautiful day when we got back to the cars, but the wind was still blowing much too hard and it was raw and nasty back down on the flood plain — so it was extremely fun to have the get-together waiting for us just a few blocks away

Big turnout — loads of food — what a delightful way to pass a frigid afternoon

More photos:

Jack V

Sat Nov 24

Stevens Suspension Bridge to the Cornell golf course, horse barns and arboretum, Forest Home

Official head count: 21H, four D

Sun Nov 25

Woodard Road east into upper Treman SP, Enfield

We hit a problem trying to start the hike — the short final stretch of road up to the trail head was a treacherous sheet of ice — so we parked below in the regular Treman parking lot and walked up — those with good foot traction were able to waltz right up the hill on top of the ice

Very sloppy conditions, but it was actually possible to proceed without any foot traction at all by choosing your steps carefully

Fabulous atmospherics — mist and fog

Great hike, the best we’ve done in a while IMO, and we’ve done some really good ones recently.

Official head count: 22H, three D

More photos:

Jack V

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Jack just got back from a trip to the Grand Canyon — you can see his photos here

Hiking in the snow: Wearing foot traction definitely helps

We have a number of new people who will be doing their first hiking in snow with us — if they stick around as the weather gets worse — most of our regulars have at least one kind of foot traction that they bring to the trail head when there’s snow on the trail, even if they decide at the last minute that the traction’s not actually needed. Tiger and I have three different types.

YakTrax

These are the cheapest of the three devices we have. We learned always get YakTrax PRO, which has a strap across the instep. Otherwise they can come off your feet and possibly get lost. These work well except in wet snow, when they can clump up and form ice balls. Another drawback: they’re a bit flimsy and the rubber connection points can break (though you can repair them using rubber bands).

Kahtoola Microspikes

These are a lot sturdier and they provide much more biting traction. You can walk on serious ice in these and not worry. But they’re quite a bit more expensive. Drawback: They do clump badly in heavy wet snow. They’re more awkward than YatTrax for walking on pavement

Kahtoola Nanospikes

We bought these late in the season last year. They have a different design and we don’t recall them clumping up. They have protruding studs instead of claws. They’re more comfortable to wear and they seem very sturdy. Less expensive than Microspikes. We don’t know how they’ll work on serious ice but they seem like they’ll be OK.

You shouild always shop around for better prices — they seem to be always on sale somewhere.

Our Nanospikes also work well on ice-covered sidewalks in town, where YakTrax and Microspikes are too bulky and uncomfortable.

Report to Hikers: week of Nov 12-Nov 18

Hello Hikers!

Wed Nov 14

Woodard Road NW to Hines Road and beyond on the FLT, Enfield

Another raw hike morning

Such a beautiful morning despite the inauspicious start

….. provided you like a bit of gloom and mist and somber colors

Official head count: H, one D

Sat Nov 17

Upper Buttermilk Falls SP

Official head count: 27H, 12 D

More photos:

Jack V

Sun Nov 18

Lime Hollow Nature Center, McLean

Official head count: 20H

Two of our snowbird hikers who are scheduled to leave for Arizona right after Thanksgiving pulled up on Gracie Road at the parking lot as we were standing around waiting to start. The lot hadn’t been plowed and the situation looked very unpromising — before we had a chance to reassure them it was actually OK, they roared off heading back home.

More photos:

Annie

Report to Hikers: week of Nov 5-Nov 11

Hello Hikers!

Wed Nov 7

Roy H Park Preserve to Canaan Road in Hammond Hill SF

Official head count: 20H, six D

More photos:

Jack V

Sat Nov 10

Connecticut Hill WMA — Carter Creek Loop — with Dave B

Raw and blustery standing around waiting to start — once we got moving, a fabulous hike

Official head count: 17H, three D

Sun Nov 11

Kennedy SF, Virgil

Official head count: 32H, 11D

This hike is wonderfully picturesque, but there is a significant downside — the first half hour is pretty challenging — the trail surface is very uneven, covered with protruding roots and rocks, constantly going up and down and twisting and turning — it was worse than usual this time because there was a good bit of mud and a covering of fresh slippery leaves, and the roots and rocks were wet and slippery because of the snow — it was hard to take your eyes off the immediate trail and look around.

A good crowd headed over to Hopshire Brewery after the hike but we ran into a problem there too — there was an engagement party in the big room we normally have to ourselves — we had to jam into a very small room next door with almost no seats — everyone stood around basically shoulder to shoulder — we’re not used to such extreme crowding, but in fact it was fun anyway and we had a good time.

Report to Hikers: week of Oct 29-Nov 4

Hello Hikers!

Wed Oct 31

Watkins Glen SP gorge trail

All photos by Annie and Jack V

Report on the hike by Jack V: “There were 9 hikers. It was herding cats. Some wanted to hike fast, some much slower. The weather was very nice, there was lots of water flowing.”

Regrettably, Tiger and I had to miss this hike, which is almost certainly the most dramatic one we do. I had a chance to see how the distance from town affects the turnout — at least five hikers had to skip this walk because they needed to be back in Ithaca earlier than was possible coming from Watkins Glen.

You can see the full sets of photos from Annie here and from Jack V here.

Sat Nov 3

So Danby Road east on the FLT to Travor Road, Danby SF

Yet another rainy Saturday morning ….

Another tricky ditch to kick off the walk ….

Like I hoped, the trail wasn’t terribly muddy — but there was lots of standing water in the trail

When we got to Travor Road the FLT was closed — the state has been logging just beyond Travor and their heavy equipment has created a large stretch of impenetrable mud — instead, we walked north on the road for a while to fill out the time