ithacahikers

Wednesday, October 29

Finger Lakes Trail from White Church Rd., Brooktondale

Hike report by Jim

Thirteen hikers and a single dog met on White Church Rd in the Town of Caroline for a hike of the current and former FLT footpath along Wilseyville Creek.

This is hike # 24 on our list of regular hike locations:  https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-24.

The morning was frosty, and the hills around us sheathed in various shades of brown and green. The fowl at the neighboring home who are usually vocal in objecting to our presence were noticeably quiet today.

Today’s hike took place entirely on FLT map sheet M18 Map sheets may be obtained in paper or electronic formats from the FLTC at:  https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual…/…

Sale of the map sheets helps to offset the on-going costs of trail maintenance.

After the group photo we set off, crossing White Church Rd and entering the FLT. Here the FLT crosses an open field, the tall summer weeds now turned brown in the fall. The trail exits the field and enters some woods, with a couple of rolling hills along the way that stop once or twice to give a hiker a good view of adjacent waterways.

The FLT takes a solid left turn and passes along several open fields and through earth cuts from the days when this section of trail was an active rail line. Soon we reached White Church Rd at Coddington Rd, where the FLT follows Coddington Rd until it turns into the Eberhard Preserve.

Rather than road walk up Coddington Rd the main group turned around and retraced our path on the FLT. A few hardy souls in the group DID continue up Coddington Rd on their own for the remainder of the hike.

Reaching the FLT turn we had previously made, I led the group on what was the former route of the FLT prior to a trail re-route a couple of years ago. This section of trail will soon become part of the Coddington Valley Trail, which will connect the FLT to the South Hill Rec Way when it is completed:  https://www.townofcaroline.org/…/project-south-hill-rec…

The group reached Ridgeway RD, where we took a minute to check the area on the opposite side of Ridgeway Rd where I expect the new trail will pass through eventually.

The group turned around and re-traced our route back to the FLT and from there back to White Church Rd and our cars.

For those hikers who are tracking their FLT miles for a 2025 FLT50 or FLT100 patch, I would count todays hike as 4 FLT miles. Since the group split up and had slightly different distances on the FLT, it’s up to hikers to measure their own mileage towards the patch.

Sunday, November 2

Monkey Run from Hanshaw Road

Hike report by Leigh Ann

What a brilliantly leaf-jewel shiny day for a hike! Thirty hikers and two dogs on leash headed south from the junction of Hanshaw and Lower Creek Road. We walked down to two “beaches” (that is, rocky places by the creek), up some steep stairs that were each about knee high. Then we travelled up and down through fields, small bridges, and creek beds until we got to the far end of the new section of trail the Ithaca Hikers built about a month ago. We returned without going down the steep stairs again, instead staying along the side of the fields at the top of the bluffs. 

This difference in route on the way back meant we returned to the cars about 15 minutes early, having just hiked under 4 miles. Nobody seemed to mind coming back a bit early, and lots of people hung out chatting in the parking lot once we’d gotten back.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, October 22

Sapsucker Woods Trails Cornell Ornithology Lab

Hike report by Margaret F

This Wednesday (10/22) 17 hikers met at Sapsucker Woods on a beautiful blue sky day.  The group wandered through the woods and meadows, around ponds and over boardwalks enjoying the scenery and remaining fall colors. Hiking conditions were perfect over the dry, leaf covered trails.   A few mallard ducks and Canada geese were seen floating on the ponds and blue jays were heard singing over the meadow.  The delightful fall weather was matched by good conversation and camaraderie for the full 4.5 miles hiked.  

Saturday, October 25

Fillmore Glen State Park, Moravia

Hike report by Nancy Lorr

16 hikers and 1 dog met at Fillmore Glen State Park in Moravia New York on a beautiful fall day.  Some recent light rains replenished the falls for a beautiful display.  We climbed the North Rim trail until we reached a side loop giving us a view of Dalibarda falls the tallest falls in the Glen.  We continued on the North rim to the dam.  After crossing the dam we walked back down a road on the South side until we reached a trail down to the gorge.  Now that all 8 bridges on the gorge trail are repaired we were regaled with all the beautiful falls along the gorge trail.  After a steep climb of stone steps down to the bottom of the trail we went to see cowshed falls before heading to our cars.

View Nancy and Randy’s photo album.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

View Randy Suwara’s photo album.

Sunday, October 26

Ithaca City Cemeteries Hike

Hike report by Nancy Holzner

Seventeen hikers and one dog gathered at Stewart Park on a chilly, foggy morning for our annual Halloween hike, an urban walk through two of Ithaca’s cemeteries. Everyone hoped the fog would stay around long enough to make our climb through Lake View Cemetery appropriately atmospheric—and it did. We climbed the hill, looking at grave markers as we passed, visiting the mausoleum and paying our respects at Carl Sagan’s grave.

From there, we went to Sunset Park, where we could see the fog beginning to life on Cayuga Lake’s western shore. After pausing for some photos in this picturesque spot, we walked though Cayuga Heights to the Cornell campus. As we neared the City Cemetery, we turned right down Cornell Street past Llenroc, the mansion built by Ezra Cornell that’s been the home of the Delta Phi fraternity since 1911. By this point, the sun had come out. We entered the City Cemetery near the firefighters’ memorial, then wandered through the ground in a couple of loops before we emerged onto Dewitt Place and descended the trail that runs along the rim of Cascadilla Gorge. (The Cascadilla Gorge Trail itself has remained closed since last year, so we couldn’t do our usual climb back up the hill on that trail. Maybe next year!)

We walked through the Fall Creek neighborhood, looking at decorations residents are getting ready for trick-or-treat night. Because we were starting to run short on time, we decided not to stop at Ithaca Falls. Instead, we walked along the path that runs beside Fall Creek, then crossed Cayuga Street and returned to Stewart Park through Renwick Wildwood, arriving at our cars just a few minutes late.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

View Norm Trigoboff’s photo album.

Wednesday, October 15

Hill Road and Curtis Road, South Danby

Hike report by Jim

Twelve hikers and one dog met at the junction of Curtis and Hill Roads in the Town of Danby for an out and back hike that included parts of the seasonal portion of Curtis Rd, the Finger Lakes Trail and the Abbott Loop.

Today’s hike took place entirely within Finger Lakes Trail map sheet M17. FLT map sheets may be purchased in paper or electronic formats at:  https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual…/… . Sales of map sheets helps to defray the on-going costs associated with trail maintenance.

The day was cool and blustery as hikers arrived, some being delayed by a power outage in the city of Ithaca. Hikers set off on the unpaved portion of Curtis Rd, which runs between open fields and forested lands. The open fields often have good views across the rolling hills, for the price of some stiff winds on cooler days like today. Things were no different on this cool morning, with the fields being dotted by the many large hay bales spaced across the field. It was unfortunate to see that these fields are now for sale, so it is most likely that these views will soon be replaced by another development.

Curtis Rd enters the state forest, the last few driveways into private residences soon being replaced by a rutted seasonal road. Soon the road intersects the Finger Lakes Trail, and it was here that we turned onto the FLT into a westerly direction. The FLT here passes through many stands of pine trees, in a mostly continuously downhill trail section. The trail section was well-blazed and the footpath in places well-covered by recently fallen leaves. The deciduous trees are well along the process of color change, but around half of the leaves are still in the trees.

The FLT soon meets the Abbott Loop. The group turned southerly onto the Loop, still in a mostly downhill direction. This section of the Abbott Loop can sometimes be a little watery, but despite recent rains there was little evidence of mud. The roots and puncheons proved to be a little slippery from recent overnight rains but were no problem with some care being taken.

Soon enough the Abbott loop begins an uphill climb towards Hill Rd. It was here that the group hit its turn-around time, and so we all reversed course and retraced our route back to the cars. By the time we hit the open fields again it was clearly much closer to the high temps for the day and the sun was out, making the return portion of the hike much more enjoyable than our outbound portion

For those hikers who might be tracking their 2025 FLT miles towards an FLT50 or FLT100 patch. I estimate that today’s FLT mileage at around 3 miles, not including the various sections of road walks that were part of the route.

Saturday, October 18

FLT Watkins Glen West

Hike report by Mark Sussman

On Saturday, October 18, twelve hikers and 1 dog met to enjoy the section of the Finger Lakes Trail just west of Watkins Glen. It’s a beautiful and interesting section of the trail. The weather was mild and overcast, and we did get some light rain towards the end of the hike, but it was not an issue in the woods. The trail has some modest ups and downs, and passes some beautiful stonework stairs, a dam, a lake and a 4H camp that bring interest to the hike.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, October 19

Loop Hike: Lower Treman Park

Hike report by Anne Becker

20 hikers and one dog headed up the Treman section of the FLT on this gorgeous fall day. The group quickly spread out with the early hill climbs. A great out and back hike that works well for hikers both fast and not so fast.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, October 8

Finger Lakes National Forest

Hike report by Mark Sussman

On Wednesday, October 8, 17 hikers and 1 dog assembled for a jaunt through the Finger Lakes National Forest. The paths take us through a combination of open grazing land, dramatic vistas, and lovely forested areas. Fall colors were just beginning to show.
We began in sunshine on Picnic Area Road, and headed south on the Burnt Hill Trail. At the intersection of Interlokin Trail we headed back up north. By this time, the weather had turned, and the clouds moved in. We did get some light rain, but by this time we were back in the woods and hardly got wet. The hike finished 15 minutes before the 2 hour prescribed time.

Saturday, October 11

Connecticut Hill from the South End of Carter Creek Road, Newfield

Hike report by Nancy Lorr

10 people and 1 dog gathered near the South end of Carter creek road to Head for a trail that climbs 600 feet up to the ridge of Connecticut Hill. After cutting across to Cabin Road, we hiked down to some cascades on one of the branches of Carter Creek. On the way back to our cars, we stopped by the ruins of a dam built in 1935.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

View Nancy and Randy’s photo album.

Sunday, October 12

Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Twenty-one hikers and two dogs on leash met at the parking area past the last house on N. Shindagin Hollow Road for this lollypop-shaped hike. The route went down the road until it went east into the woods to go right along the rim of the hollow. Then it crossed the stream – which had flowing water in it after the previous night’s rain – and went back up to Gulf Rd. At that point, it was a road walk back to the cars. 

Although the hilltops in the area were a bit past peak this weekend, I considered our Shindagin Hollow hike to be Week 4 of peak fall. This hike which is satisfying any season, were magical. We all arrived back in two hours and enjoyed having a visit at the end as we stood around the cars.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Saturday, October 4

Sessions Hill

Hike report by Steve Schwartz

On a beautiful October 4, eleven hikers and one dog met at the corner of Sessions Hill Rd and Forbes Rd in Homer.  The hike is a loop or more accurately a rectangle on very little travelled dirt roads.  The hike offers stunning vistas of rural countryside, fields, woods, and streams, and at one point a sweeping view over I-81 and the small town of Preble.  The hike around the loop takes one and half hours (about four miles) even with stops to enjoy the scenery, so five of us did an extension of half an hour.  The hike is all on public roads and passes only two houses at one corner.  During our hike we saw only two vehicles.  The day started out chilly and sunny but everyone soon shed outer jackets.  By 11:30 the weather was sunny, light wind, and 73 degrees.  The main part of the hike is N on Vern King Rd from Sessions Hill Rd, to Maxson Rd.  E on Maxson Rd and then S still on Maxson Rd to Sessions Hill Rd and W on Sessions Hill Rd to the intersections of Vern King Rd and Forbes Rd where the cars are parked.  Alas the fall colors were not in their full glory yet, but the lovely shades of green and brown and rust of the leaves were still delightful.  We even got to see the herd of cattle who viewed us with curious suspicion.  Note the photo of Leigh Ann climbing on a fence rail to get a good shot of them.  

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, October 5

Spur trail from upper Lick Brook/Townline Road to upper Buttermilk Falls SP/Yaple Road

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Twenty hikers met at the junction of Townline Rd. and Lick Brook for a hike up to Buttermilk Falls S. P. and back. I like to think of this weekend as Week 3 of peak fall. It was another stunningly pretty, clear day with rainbow colors everywhere: purple asters, blue sky, green everywhere, and yellow, orange and red leaves. Shadows were cut-out-of-cardboard sharp. The creek beds were almost dry, and normally sketchy stream crossings were easily walkable. There were fallen leaves where there would normally be little rapids. We crossed Buttermilk Creek just north of the ruins of the old stone bridge at one hour. With the complete lack of mud, the going was easy and almost everyone had arrived back to the cars in just under two hours. 

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.