Wednesday, July 2
Fischer Old Growth Natural Area, Newfield
Hike report by Jim
Ten hikers met in the Town of Newfield for a hike of the various loop trails within the Fischer Old Growth Forest led by Leigh Ann.
This is hike #15 on our list of hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-15.
The day was very sunny and muggy throughout the hike. The group took a quick photo by the cars and then set off across the blue blazed trail that loops around the open field before finally entering the forest on the red blazed trail. Trail conditions were generally good, with minimal water at stream crossings and very little mud. We had the trails to ourselves with the exception of one other hiker.
We made a brief stop at the dead-end trail by the plaque before continuing on the red trail to the yellow blazed loop. Completing the yellow blazed loop the group then did two complete circuits of the red loop before returning to the cars.
Welcome to new hiker Caroline on her first hike with the group.
Saturday, July 5
Bahar Nature Preserve and Carpenters Falls, Cayuga County
Hike report by Jim
Twenty hikers and three dogs met in Cayuga County for an out-and -back hike of the connected trails of the Carpenter Falls Unique Area and Bahar Nature Preserve trails. This is hike # 60-9 on our list of hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-60.
The day was warm and sunny with very clear skies as the group gathered. Initially we walked from the parking lot to the Carpenter Falls overlook on the fairly new boardwalk. Nobody opted to take the stairs to the lower viewing area, so we returned to the parking area and headed down the trail towards the Bahar Nature Preserve and Skaneateles Lake.
The trail was in mostly good condition; a couple of blow-down trees were easily navigated, and a handful of usually muddy sections on this trail were mostly dried up today. The numerous roots on the footpath were the main hazard, sometimes difficult to navigate through simply due to the sheer number of them preset.
We stopped along the way to look at the lower falls from the edge of the ravine. Unfortunately, some of the other observation points along our route have been rendered inaccessible by DEC closing one of the unofficial trails.
The group reached the lake frontage and hung out there for a few minutes before turning around to retrace our route. A couple of hikers opted to take the road directly back to the cars, but the rest of the group returning to the parking area via the trails.
We encountered a few individuals or couples hiking the trail this morning, but for the most part had the trail to ourselves.
Sunday, July 6
Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale
Hike report by Leigh Ann
Fourteen hikers met at the northernmost parking lots on Braley Hill Road for this hike. The heat index was expected to get to near 90 degrees by the end of the hike, so I had prehiked a route the previous day that maximized shade and minimized elevation change. We headed out through the magnificent pine plantation on B1, took B1 down to B3, and took B3 down to B4. We stayed on B4 to where it does a big, mountain-bike-friendly switchback down to the northern junction with G1, where we turned around and headed back the same way. This five-mile round-trip hike had only 476 feet of elevation gain. Even though the route was on lovingly constructed bike trails, with lots of banks and log-balance challenges, we only saw two bikers the whole time. I guess it was too hot that day for many bikers to want to be out there.
This is a tunnel-of-trees hike that is ideal for a hot summer day, and it begins and ends in the best part: the magnificent pine plantation near the parking lot for B1. With that said, about 1.25 miles in, we got to another interesting part. This part of the hill is being devestated by spongy moths. There weren’t any moths or catepillars to be seen, but for about ½ mile, the forest floor was covered with a thick, still-green carpet of leaf confetti that looked like it had blown down in the storm three days earlier. The forest there didn’t even smell like regular forest: it smelled like cut leaves. Everything green had holes in it, even may apples. Later this season and into the fall, there might be a lot less shade than there was on Sunday, once the stressed trees drop their leaves early, though I expect this also would be interesting to see.
