Author: Nancy H.

Tuesday August 16

Steege Hill Nature Preserve, Chemung County

Hike report by Jim

Eight hikers and one dog met to hike the Steege Hill Nature Preserve in Big Flats. Unlike last year, this hike was dry: no precipitation and no wet trails. A vast improvement on last year’s hiking conditions. I had no formal route planned, other than not wanting to repeat the blue and red trails from last year.

We set out from the parking area and took the access trail up the hill, as it slowly makes its way to the first trail intersection. Here, we opted to hike the lengthy yellow-blazed loop trail, which involves a long downhill segment and the inevitable upward climb on the reverse side of the loop. Nothing proved too steep of a grade.

Last year, blueberries were beginning to ripen when we visited this preserve. This year we hiked a bit later, and they had already gone by for the most part. In the future this hike will need to be planned earlier in the month for those in search of trailside food sources.

We took the blue-blazed trail to the nearby white-blazed trail, which had a much more significant downhill and uphill climb. We hadn’t hiked this particular loop last year, and the map reconnaissance I did failed to account for the actual time to complete the loop based on the steep inclines on the reverse side of the loop. As a result, we ran over the scheduled hike time by a significant amount. (Another option, which we did not try, is taking a side trail to a service road that leads directly back to the access trail to the parking lot; in the future I’ll take that route if the group is concerned about completing the hike in two hours.)

Norm, as he often does, did his own hike of the area and had a run-in with a rattlesnake along the trail. He survived to tell the tale and share his photos.

No bears were observed by any member of the group.

Wednesday August 17

Texas Hollow State Forest, Hector

Hike report by Jim

Eight hikers and a dog met at Texas Hollow State Forest for a hike of the FLT and loop trail there. It was a warm day, and as we set out there was a short period of light rain that barely penetrated the forest canopy. By the time we had traversed the short section of trail from the parking lot and arrived at the pond area, the rain had dissipated.

Very quickly we arrived at the blue-blazed loop trail and took that side trail, climbing the hill above the pond area. We then returned to the FLT and continued on, crossing over the many dry streambeds as the trail slowly crept upward.

The trail reaches a point where it begins a serious upward climb, and the group split up into smaller clusters of hikers who pressed forward at their respective hiking speeds. Eventually we reached the one-hour turnaround point and started the return trip to our cars.

Bypassing the loop trail, we took the slightly shorter and more direct FLT route, arriving back at the cars with five minutes to spare.

Overall, this was a very straightforward hike with no extraordinary events to report.

This hike represents 3.5 FLT miles for hikers working to earn the FLT60 patch.

Saturday August 20

From South Danby Road west on the FLT, Danby State Forest

Hike report by Nancy L.

On Saturday, August 20, 19 people and two dogs gathered on South Danby Road to walk west on the Finger Lakes Trail. It was a pleasant, cool morning.  

The trail was quite pleasant with a thick bed of pine needles. Initially the going was easy, but in the end we got a workout.  The first uphill portion was just practice for the second, which was quite steep.  

In between we crossed a new, well-built bridge labeled “Dave’s Bridge” to honor our ubiquitous and endlessly helpful trail maintainer, Dave Priester.

We hiked a little beyond where we intersected the Abbott Loop.  We reached another picturesque creek and beautiful bridge before turning around to retrace our steps.

Photos by Nancy L.

View Cian’s photo album.

Sunday August 21

Bahar Nature Preserve and Carpenters Falls, Cayuga County

Hike report by Jim

Seven hikers met on an overcast day for a hike of the Carpenters Falls and Bahar Nature Preserve area in Cayuga County.

A light rain was falling as we started out from the parking lot toward the newly constructed Carpenters Falls observation area. Soon the rain increased in intensity. We went down a short flight of stone steps to check out a lower falls observation area, then returned to the parking lot of start the trail toward Bahar Preserve. Several of us retrieved umbrellas from cars as the rain volume increased.

The trail along the gorge was largely uneventful; hiker James reported frequenting the area as a teen, before the trail system was created, and pointed out several smaller falls and cascades along the stream’s path that, for whatever reason, haven’t been afforded official viewing areas from the trail system on the bluffs above.

Throughout the hike, rain volume increased and decreased. Umbrellas would be put away when the rain would slacken, then come out again in short order as the deluge returned.

The unimproved trail grew increasingly muddy as the rain continued. Careful route selection on steeper descents to avoid slick tree roots prevented any accidents from occurring.

The group reached the shoreline at the bottom of the trail and spent a few minutes looking out over the lake. In the interest of time, we opted for a road walk back to the cars.

By this time the rain had stopped and the sun was out. While a misty fog still lay in the low areas, the views across the lake to the opposite shores were greatly improved from just a short time earlier in the hike.

After the hike several hikers reconvened at Summerhill Brewing in Locke. With a change into dry clothes and some good food, it was an enjoyable end to what had been one of our wetter hikes in recent memory.

View Nancy L’s photo album.

Tuesday August 9

FLT, Sugar Hill State Forest, Schuyler County

Hike report by Jim

Eight people and one dog met in Schuyler County for a first-time Ithaca Hikers group hike of the FLT in Sugar Hill State Forest.

Having never hiked the trails in the immediate area, we spoke to State Forest staff who were on site at the car camping area there. They advised we should stay on the FLT due to muddy conditions on the multi-use trails there.

Our hike consisted of an out-and-back hike of a green tunnel section of the FLT. Trail conditions were good overall.

While the area was nice, it lacked the sort of significant viewsheds, geographical landmarks, etc., that make a particular hike location stand out in my mind. I doubt that we will be making a return trip to the area, given the drive time. Those who want to car camp in the forest would likely enjoy the area.

The length of the hike was 3.5 miles for those earning their FLT60 patch.

After the hike, a number of hikers stopped by Casey’s saw business and were treated to a wonderful demonstration of saw repair by Casey. Thanks for giving us your time, Casey!

Wednesday August 10

Virgil Mountain, Cortland County

Hike report by Jim

Twelve hikers and one dog met in Cortland County for a hike of the FLT on Virgil Mountain.

Temperatures were moderate compared to recent days, which made the hike much more enjoyable. A small amount of rain fell during the hike but gave us no problems.

After we left the parking area, the group made a short road walk to where the trail starts toward the peak. The trail initially runs through some open woods alongside a grove of evergreens, then begins a series of ups and downs, crossing a few streambeds, which were dry on this hike.

Eventually the trail begins a more or less straight climb up the hill before it emerges onto the seasonal portion of Van Donsel Rd., where we paused for a quick photo. From there, a short hike brought us to the area behind the Greek Peak upper chair lift. Here we paused to check out the apparatus and admire the views cross the valley.

The group continued to the peak, where some berry harvesting took place. A short walk beyond the peak brought us to an overlook area, where the clear skies gave us an excellent view across the valley.

After milling about for a short while (and picking more blackberries and raspberries) we turned around and made our way back down the hill, arriving back at our cars about 15 minutes beyond our normal hike time.

Today’s hike counted as 4.6 FLT miles for those attempting to earn their FLT60 patch.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Saturday August 13

Logan Hill Nature Preserve, Candor

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Fifteen hikers and two hiker dogs met at Candor High School to climb up into Logan Hill Nature Preserve. After a week of fronts and thunderstorms, the sky was so clear that it looked like the far hills were cut out of cardboard. Trees, wildflowers, and grasses were shiny, healthy, and waving in the breeze.

This hike was unusually satisfying today, and it wasn’t just because of the company and the weather. A few weeks from now is when the preserve mows all the fields to keep them fields. So, mid-August is a great time to visit because the wildflowers and tall fields of grass are still uncut, and the well-mowed and wide trail goes through them where it crosses the fields.

The elevation gain on this roughly 4.5-mile hike is front-loaded. From Candor High School to the eastern turn-off to the yellow trail, Water Road/Logan Hill Road ascends to the hilltop through the preserve. The yellow trail is well marked and fairly level. It loops two miles out and back through tall deciduous woods, deep hemlock forest with a rapidly deepening gorge, and fields with ponds and “hills are alive” views. The yellow trail comes out on Logan Hill Road about half a mile to the west of where it went in, and the hike along the road to the initial trailhead is lovely.

Because the road at the top is not good for vehicles with low clearance, it’s unusual to see any vehicles on the one-lane road. We did see one, and the driver let us know he had just seen some coyotes crossing the road.

This hike took just under two hours to do. After hanging out to chat in the High School parking lot, some of the hikers headed to the goat dairy in Candor.

View Cian’s photo album.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday August 14

Potato Hill State Forest, Caroline

Hike report by Jim

Twenty hikers and four dogs met on Level Green Rd. for  a hike of the FLT towards Blackman Hill Rd. and beyond. Trail conditions along this section of the FLT today were the driest I can recall ever seeing in my time with the group. And we benefited from not having to encounter the ground bees that the group has run into during previous summer hikes on this section of trail.

The first quarter of this hike involves a very gradual climb toward Blackman Hill Rd. Along the way we enjoyed the use of two new trail bridges that replaced some older models that were definitely starting to show their age.

Just before Blackman Hill Rd., we stopped to check out the newly built parking area near the trail crossing. I feel that it’s a little small for our larger group hikes, but individual hikers will certainly be able to put the parking lot to good use.

We crossed Blackman Hill Rd. and soon reached the open meadows. Skies were clear, and we could see the far-away peaks that were two or three ridgelines distant.

After a short pause for a group photo, we plunged back into the woods for a gradual decent toward Rt. 79. Here, the forest trees open up a little more than what was prevalent on the Level Green Rd. side of the trail; the trees are somewhat more distant from each other, and the low-lying forest growth doesn’t greatly impede line of sight across the forest as it does in so many other hike locations.

We reached our turnaround location just before the FLT begins a serious descent towards Rt. 79. From there, we made our way back to the open fields and, beyond those, the descent back to Level Green Rd. and our vehicles.

Today’s hike came out to 4.5 FLT miles for those trying to earn their FLT60 patch.

View Cian’s photo album.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Tuesday August 2

Green Lakes State Park, Fayetteville

Hike report by Steve S.

Eleven hikers and one dog met at Green Lakes State Park for a hike and meander around the lakes.  We hiked past beautiful and unique meromictic Green Lake and Round Lake and then up to the golf course restaurant and club house, with a charming view over Green Lake.  We availed ourselves of the chairs provided by the restaurant and rested and snacked.  Then back down to the lakes and back to the cars via the beach.  In all, we hiked  5 ¼ miles over three hours at our leisurely sightseeing pace. 

Photos by Steve S.

Photos by Randy O.

View Nancy and Randy’s photo album.

Photos by Norm

Wednesday, August 3

Hammond Hill, Dryden

Eleven hikers met in the parking lot on Hammond Hill Rd. for a hike of the trail system in the state forest. An additional hiker and three dogs met the group during the hike.

We weren’t alone on the trails this day; several bicyclists and runners were using the trail system. The Cayuga Trails Club also had hikers on Hammond Hill, checking out their hike route there for later in the week.

Trail conditions were generally favorable, with dry footpaths, lots of sunshine, and some much-appreciated breezes.

I wanted to try a different route from the ones we’ve most often done when starting from the parking lot on Hammond Hill Rd., and I ended up combining fragments of several other hikes and running the route in the reverse direction of the one we usually take for these hikes.

From the parking lot, we hiked to the blue-blazed trails, then took the Rabbit Run snowmobile trail downhill to the seasonal part of Canaan Rd. We continued north over a variety of yellow-blazed trails until we reached Time Square.

The group crossed the seasonal portion of Star Stanton Hill Rd., doing a loop on the north side of that road that returned us to Star Stanton Hill Rd. From there we walked the yellow-blazed trails back to the parking lot.

As with some of our more recent Hammond Hill hikes, this one ran over our normal two-hour hike time. I’m pretty sure that I can make the hike shorter by choosing some alternative routes from the one we took this day.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Saturday August 6

Woodard Road east into upper Robert Treman SP and Summer Cookout

Hike report by Jim

On a hot humid Saturday morning, 16 hikers set out on the FLT from Woodard Rd. As we crossed the wooden bridge over Fish Kill creek, it was nice to see that the water volume had increased, thanks to recent rains. We walked in the shade of the trees lining the seasonal Butternut Creek Rd., finally reaching the graveled road surface of Van Ostrand Rd.

We passed through the more recently developed neighborhood and reached Thomas Rd., turning onto that road and hiking along the more exposed section of our hike.

Soon we reached the other end of Butternut Creek Rd. and walked along it to where the FLT turns back into the woods. The trail in this section follows the edge of a cliff or two, and while the foliage blocked any good views, it’s a pleasant section of trail.

Soon the FLT turns onto the park access road portion of Thomas Rd., which finally ends at the Rim  Trail. We walked the Rim Trail to the Lucifer Falls overlook. After a picture or two, I changed our normal hike route by leading the group down the stone stairs to the flatlands below.

After stopping to check out Lucifer Falls from ground level, we crossed the wooden bridge and climbed back to Upper Treman via the Gorge Trail stairs. My fear for this section of the hike was that we would be much more exposed on the stone steps, but the cliffs along the stairs offered enough shade along much of the trail that we were able to shelter from the direct sunlight for much of the walk back to the Upper Treman parking area.

We passed the Old Mill and turned onto the CCC camp trail, which in turn led back to the FLT and our cars, where we arrived bwith about 10 minutes to spare. Most of us jumped into our cars and drove to Roger’s house for the summer picnic.

Over the course of the afternoon we enjoyed the company of approximately 50 hikers at the cookout, although many had come and gone by the time Roger broke out the clams.

Thanks to the many hikers who donated their time toward the prep work that made the picnic possible, and thanks to all who contributed money toward Nancy H.’s operating expenses of the websites. Thanks especially to Roger for opening his home to the group once again.

On another note, we had one hiker who got lost en route to Woodard Rd due to relying on Google maps and ended up missing the hike entirely. I would like to once again say that in the more rural parts of the county Google maps is not entirely reliable, and that if anyone has any questions about the meeting location to contact me ahead of the hike day for directions. It’s a good idea to download a map of the area so you can use Google Maps even when you’re offline. For a video tutorial on how to download offline maps in Google Maps, click here.

Photos by Randy O.

View Cian’s photo album.

View Leigh Ann’s photos of Saturday’s hike.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album of the cookout.

View Nancy and Randy’s photo album.

Sunday August 7

Lick Brook

Hike report by Jim

Seventeen hikers met on Townline Rd. in the towns of Ithaca and Danby for a hike of the Lick Brook/ Sweedler Nature  Preserve.

The group started off down the hill from our cars and soon turned onto the white-blazed FLT. We made our way down the slope, traversing a dry streambed and along the narrow ridgeline with a steep drop-off on either side.

Soon we found ourselves on the flatlands, inching our way through the overgrown trail until we reached the waterfalls. We stopped there for a few minutes and then returned to the trail, continuing on the FLT toward Route 13.

There were a few new members of the group on the hike today and it was my intent to help them piece together this section of the trail in their minds; when I first joined the group I sometimes had difficulty “seeing” the various sections of the trails we were hiking in the context of a larger overview of the trail system. I called this “ connecting the dots”; Leigh Ann referred to it today as “snapping together the various Lego pieces.”

We left the Lick Brook property and crossed the Tapan Mitra Preserve and the railroad bridge. Upon reaching the parking area near Shady Corners that we use for hikes of Lower Treman, we discussed the “emerald necklace” of preserve and state park properties in the area linked by the FLT. Then we turned around and retraced our steps.

When we got back to the falls area, Casey took the lead on the blue-blazed path up the hill. At Townline Rd., hikers crossed the road and did a short loop through the Thayer Preserve.

Several Ithaca Hikers arrived in the parking area for solo hikes just as we were ending our two hour hike, and several of us stayed a while to catch up on small talk with the new arrivals.

For those trying for their FLT60 patch, today’s FLT mileage was 2 FLT miles.

View Cian’s photo album.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Tuesday July 26

High Vista Nature Preserve/ Hinchcliff Family Preserve,
Skaneateles Lake

Hike report by Jim

I’ll preface this hike report by saying that I was impressed by this location and would like to bring the larger group here in the fall at peak color change. Obviously it’s a little farther away than some of our hikes, and depending on the route taken the hike will run over two hours. If people are not interested I won’t consider it. Feedback appreciated.

Six hikers and one dog met on Vincent Hill Rd., located on the line between Cortland and Onondaga counties, for a hike of the Hinchcliff Family Preserve loop and the associated access trail from the parking area. Half of our group had been to this location previously; I was not one of those people, so this entire hike was a new experience for me.

There was some concern about temperatures in the hike area being a little lower than Ithaca, but I found that was not an issue at all.

The access trail from the parking lot is a nice 1.1-mile trail with some easy elevation changes. The access trail crosses a couple of streams and old logging roads; the recent rains had revitalized the streams so that we actually had some water flowing around our feet as we navigated the streams. I think that I saw exactly one muddy area, so that was not a concern at all.

We stopped briefly to examine the ruins of an old residence along the trail, and shortly afterwards halted our hike long enough to check on an excited dog that was barking a short way off the trail at a water crossing; we found the dog with its elderly owner. Both dog and owner were fine.

We stopped to admire some views up and down the valley; the views of the nearby lake were welcome. Some berry picking also halted our forward momentum along the trail, but I heard no complaints.

Overall, this hike took us about 40 minutes over on our normal hike time, but much of that was due to stopping for the various views and berry options along the way.

Wednesday July 27

Groton Village Trails

Hike report by Jim

Thirteen hikers met in the Town of Groton for  a hike of the Groton Village trails. It was a clear warm day, with good views across the valley as we set off from the trailhead across the open fields. Entering the woodline away from the heat of the sun was a relief; soon we were walking deeper into the woods under the forest canopy.

At the first trail junction we turned onto a very long and steady downhill  stretch. Joel noted that this surely meant that we would soon have a long uphill trek, and he wasn’t wrong. There are quite a few steady uphill or downhill segments throughout this hike, the most notable one being a short section that follows the utility line as it runs along a steep section of Sovocool Hill Rd.

There were a couple of blow-downs; nothing too severe or difficult to navigate around.

Soon enough we crossed Sovocool Hill Rd and continued on the lower trail loop that lets out at the Groton High School track field. We re-entered the woods and completed that lollipop section of trail, returning to Sovocool Hill Rd.

After crossing that road, we returned to the upper trail loops that led the us back to our cars with a few minutes to spare.

Ripening blackberries and raspberries lined the trail, and many in the group took time along the route to sample some.

Welcome to Tom on his first hike with us.

Saturday July 30

Finger Lakes Trail from Comfort Rd through Danby State Forest

Hike report by Jim

Fourteen hikers  and two dogs met up on an extremely nice hiking day. The weather was nearly perfect, with sun and little humidity, and a decent amount of wind.

Hikers left the parking lot on Comfort Rd. and walked to the FLT where it crosses Bald Hill Rd. The outbound leg of the hike was well paced, the streams being empty of any water hazards and the trails having no mud to contend with. We paused at Diane’s Crossing for a group picture before continuing onward.

We crossed Michigan Hollow Rd. and resumed our hike on the FLT. After crossing Smiley Rd., we continued for another 10 minutes or so before reaching our turnaround point.

The return leg of the hike back to Comfort Rd. was uneventful, and soon we found the hike completed and the journey home started.

This hike counted as 3.6 FLT miles for those attempting to earn their FLT60 patch.

View Cian’s photo album.

Sunday July 31

Ithaca Urban Walk

Hike report by Jim

On the last day on July, 16 hikers and four dogs met at the Ithaca High School parking lot for a hike of the surrounding hills and Fall Creek area.

We started by climbing through Lakeview Cemetery and making a quick stop at Sunset Park for a photo. We continued south on Stewart Ave., then entered the city cemetery and walked through it to University Ave.

We then walked down the hill to the Cascadilla Gorge trail, which we climbed to College Ave. From there it was a quick downhill trek through Highland Place ad Williams St. back to Stewart Ave., where we picked up the Cascadilla Gorge walkway on the north side of the gorge, which soon deposited us back at the junction of University Ave. and Linn Street.

We walked through the Fall Creek neighborhood, admiring the various beds of flowers and the hum of activity as people went in and out of the homes we were passing.

Fopr the last leg of our hike, we walked to Lake Street, where we stopped to admire Ithaca Falls. Then, we returned to the high school parking lot and our cars.

Total hike time was about two hours and 15 minutes, and we hiked over 5 miles today.

A warm welcome to Sandy and Sagara on their first hike with the group!

Tuesday July 19

Waterman Interpretive Center, Apalachin

Hike report and photos by Jim

No one showed up for the Tuesday “farther away” hike of the Waterman Conservation Education Center outside of Owego, so I opted to do a solo exploratory hike of the center’s trails, as I’d never been there.

Chris, one of the staff members at the center, was nice enough to take a few minutes away from his hectic job of welcoming participants of the center’s summer youth program to talk to me about the various trails and the general geography of the center’s property.

Based on that discussion, I set off on the red-blazed trail outside of the parking area. The first few hundred yards of trail consisted of boardwalk that soon gave way to a more normal hiking footpath. The main trails I walked — the red-, blue-, and green-blazed trails — were all well maintained. The yellow-blazed side trail that led to the ravine area and a dry waterfall was a little more rustic and had some blowdown obstructions.

The red-blazed trail was mainly a needle-covered path under the tree canopy, which put me in deep summer shadows, while the blue-blazed trail was a more open path of mowed grass as it passed through the high ground on center’s property.

I skipped the yellow loop trail that circles what’s essentially an open field, as I had no interest in hiking that trail in the heat of the day under the full glare of the summer sun.

There was little water flowing in the streams, and while the many short wooden bridges indicate that there are normally numerous wet locations along the trails, I found no mud or other impediments on my hike today.

If you find yourself in the Owego area, I believe that this trail system is worth stopping and checking out.

Wednesday July 20

Ellis Hollow Nature Preserve

Hike report and photos by Jim

Twelve hikers met on Ellis Hollow Creek Rd for a hike of the preserve there, on what proved to be a very sunny, hot and muggy day.

The creeks we crossed were bone dry, and mud along the trail was a distant memory. Thankfully the trees and other foliage doesn’t seem to be browning or wilting from the lack of rain we’ve been experiencing.

We shared the trail with a small handful of other hikers and dog walkers we encountered along the way.

The initial clockwise loop was completed at a pace that seemed to be fairly quick. A majority of hikers opted to do a second, counterclockwise circuit, while others chose to tailor the second half of the hike to directions of travel and speed of hiking that they felt comfortable with, given the heat of the day.

A small number of the group opted to call it a day with a single circuit of the trail system; that’s something this particular location is good for — tailoring the hike to fit your own needs.

Saturday July 23

Bald Hill Preserve, Brooktondale

Hike report by Nancy L. and Randy O.

Near the summit of Bald Hill School Road, 15 people and two dogs gathered an hour earlier than our normal hike time to avoid the predicted heat. After parking along the edge of the road, successfully avoiding the ditches, we headed into the Cornell preserve. 

It was shady and pleasant in the woods.  The trail wound through the preserve for about a mile before reaching a path that was formerly a dirt road which headed down hill, still in shade.  After about half a mile we encountered another former road and made a left, continuing down the hill. Although the leader, Nancy L,  was unfortunately unaware, at some point along the way we entered private property.

As those in front approached White Church road, an indignant owner appeared and informed the group of 11 hikers and a dog that they could not return the way they had come.  Four of the hikers and the other dog met another owner somewhat farther up the hill, who begrudgingly allowed them to turn around and go back.  This involved  an 800 ft climb back up the hill to the cars.

On the way back, the path along the old road heading uphill was taken all the way to Bald Hill School Road, where we turned left to make our way back down to the cars.  By the time the four hikers reached the cars, all of the other hikers and the dog had returned. Fortunately, several cars had stopped to pick up stranded hikers. One of the hikers drove back down and picked up some more hikers, and other hikers were picked up by some very kind Finger Lakes Trail hikers. This is not a hike we will repeat.

Photos by Nancy L. and Randy O.

View Nancy and Randy’s photo album.

View Cian’s photo album.

Sunday July 24

FLT from Carson Rd to Woodchuck Hollow Lean-to, Cortland County

Hike report and photo by Jim

Ten hikers and two dogs met on Carson Rd. for a day hike on the FLT toward the Woodchuck Hollow lean-to. I’ve previously done this as a Wednesday hike for the group, never on the weekend, because I’ve never been certain of the parking along the shoulder of Carson Rd. We have a previous invitation to use a residence driveway down the road for our group to park in, but that would involve a bit of a hike back to the trailhead.

While at the trailhead the group was introduced to “Dingo,” a friendly and inquisitive dog that lives across the street and is, according to its owner, the canine trail guardian.

The day was bright and sunny as we set off, but under the canopy of leaves it was shady and we even had occasional breezes to spur us down the trail. The footpath was bone dry, as were all of the usual mudholes along our route. Roger’s hiking partner Diego managed to find the only standing pool of water along our route and was soon belly deep in it.

There were  a fair number of blow-downs, which forced the group to crawl over or bushwhack around the trees and get back onto the footpath. I’ve said it before, but our trail maintainers on the Tompkins sections of the FLT spoil us.

The outbound leg of the hike was uneventful; it was a nice walk overall, although I prefer this route when the water is running in the streams that we pass along.

We stopped at the Woodchuck Hollow lean-to and took a group photo. I replaced the shelter trail register, which I had noticed during my last section hike in the area had been torn apart, probably for its paper content for bonfires.

We pushed down the FLT, soon encountering the blue-blazed trail that allows us to lollipop our route back to the FLT and our vehicles.

We ran into one other day hiker, but otherwise we had the trail to ourselves today.

Welcome to Sara on her first hike with the group!

For  those trying to earn their FLT60 patch, today’s hike counts as 4 FLT miles.