Category: hike reports

Wednesday, January 29

Monkey Run Natural Area, south side of Fall Creek, Varna

Hike report by Jim

Twelve hikers met in the Town of Dryden at the fisherman’s parking area just east of the state route 13/ Hanshaw Rd intersection, for a winter hike of the Monkey Run trail system. This is hike # 6-2 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-6.

The day was overcast but warm as we set off from the parking area, passing underneath the bridge and entering the woods on the other side.

Our group followed the shoreline of Fall Creek for quite a distance, the twisting footpath under us never far in sight or sound from the water. We passed several intersecting trails along our route; yellow and orange blazed trails, some of which we would see parts of later in the hike.

As the trail moved away from the creek, we had the first of a couple of short uphill sections. Eventually the trail returns back to the creek, only now seen from an elevated position. Eventually our route brings us to a junction with the yellow blazed trails and the final observation point of the creek, from bluffs far above the creek. While we were at this location the skies overhead grew ominously darker than during the first hour of the hike. The group paused here for a while before continuing on the hike.

Jumping onto the yellow blazed trail, we hiked for a while in semi-darkness in a steady squall of snowflakes. We soon encountered the orange blazed trail that took us to the dead-end parking area of Monkey Run Rd. Crossing over the parking area we continued on the orange blazed trail, stopping to make a trail journal entry before walking to the nearby Dryden Rail Trail. By now the skies had cleared and the snow had stopped

Once on the Rail Trail we walked in the direction of state route 13 until we turned back into the Monkey Run trail system very near to the state highway. We took this short section of orange blazed trail, in the process passing over the new puncheons installed in that area last summer by the CTC. Soon we arrived back to our entry point in the Monkey Run trails, returning to the path under the bridge and our cars.

This route was a little short on time but overall still very enjoyable.

Saturday, February 1

Jim Schug Trail from Dryden Village

Hike report by Jim

Twelve hikers and one dog met in the Village of Dryden at the Kenny Van Sickle Ballfield parking lot, for an out and back hike of parts of the Dryden Rail Trail and Jim Schug Trail. This is hike # 49-1 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-49

The day was cold and snowing lightly when we started the hike. The forecast had been for temperatures below 0 F with wind chill factored in, and while it didn’t seem to reach those lows during the hike, it was definitely cooler than it had been in recent days.

The group posed for a picture at the beginning of the hike and then set out, hiking the Dryden Rail Trail to West Main Street where we picked up the Jim Schug Trail. Both trails had a packed surface in the middle of the trail, while the outer edges were basically untouched.

Snow fell intermittently during the hike; by the end of the hike the skies and cleared and the sun shone brightly off the fresh snow. Crossing several foot bridges along the way it was an enjoyable hike, being able to study the contrasts between the dark water flowing in the creek bed and the snow-covered creek banks.

I think that we saw only one other dog walker and a cross-country skier sharing the trails with us today.

The faster hikers in the group reported that they had completed about a six-mile hike today; everyone’s hiking mileage apps didn’t seem to agree with each other on the issue of distance hiked.

After the hike several members of the group reconvened at Hopshire Brewery for some good conversation and an occasional adult beverage.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, February 2

Lindsay Parsons Preserve, West Danby

Hike report by Jim

Thirteen hikers and a single dog met in the parking lot of the Lindsay Parsons Biodiversity Preserve in the Town of Danby, for a hike of trails within the preserve. This is hike # 16 on our list of regular hike locations:  https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-16.

Setting out from the parking area we found that the trails were in good shape, with only the inclined portions a little slippery in places due to frequent use compacting the snow into a skim of ice. Windblown snow in the open fields had resulted in somewhat deeper snow around the perimeter of the fields, with patchy bare spots of soil showing through elsewhere.

The group stopped briefly at the very frozen-over Coleman Lake, but the biting winter wind proved to be too persistent to stay in one place for too long before moving on.

Crossing the open fields, we looped around the bogs on the red and yellow blazed trails, finally entering the woods and hiking the orange and purple blazed trails on the opposite side of the railroad track with Leigh Ann in the lead. Piled remnants of the many blow down trees from last year were all around us on parts of this loop, but the trails themselves were in great shape and the blazes along our route only recently re-painted.

Re-crossing the railroad track, the group made its way back to the blue blazed trails via the yellow and red blazed loops. The blue blazed trails led over the crest of the first field we’d crossed and led the group back to the parking lot. Leigh Ann burned up the last few minutes of time by leading the group to the short viewing loop at the opposite end of the parking area that provides a view of the more southerly end of Coleman Lake.

Warm welcome to Dawn on her first hike with the group!

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, January 22

Ellis Hollow Nature Preserve

This hike was cancelled due to severe weather.

Saturday, January 25

Cayuga Trail South Loop

Hike report by Jim

Nineteen hikers and two dogs met on Forest Home Drive in the Town of Ithaca for an out-and-back hike on a combination of the Cayuga Trail South Loop and the Monkey Run trail systems. This is hike # 4-2 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-04.

While the Cayuga Trail itself is a frequent location for our hikes, the South Loop hasn’t been a recent hike for the group. I had recently done a hike here with the Cayuga Trails Club and thought that it was worth bringing the Ithaca Hikers along this route today.

After crossing the suspension bridge the group took a right turn and continued to bear to the right at the next two trail junctions. This kept us walking along the northerly shore of Fall Creek, which was very enjoyable as it was nearly entirely covered in ice for much of the area immediately around the suspension bridge.

Soon the orange blazed Cayuga Trail enters a couple of open fields. The” Trail” here morphs into a service road for a couple of Cornell fields. The orange blazes are few and far between, but the change to an actual dirt road allows hikers to walk side by side as they talk during the hike.

Soon the route brings hikers out to Freese Rd at the long-closed Freese Rd bridge, which seems to finally be making progress towards being replaced in the coming years: https://tompkinsweekly.com/…/town-of-dryden-gets…/

Crossing the bridge the Cayuga Trail makes a sharp left and follows the southern side of Fall Creek, passing through some minor woods areas before coming out on more Cornell agricultural fields. The winds were a little strong blowing across these open fields, but I enjoy following the bluffs above Fall Creek here as the waterway winds through several twists and turns. We encountered the only other hikers we saw all morning on this portion of the hike.

Soon enough the Cayuga Trail comes to an intersection with the red blazed Monkey Run trail system. Our group took the red blazed trail, while the Cayuga Trail turned to circle around the fields. Re-entering the woods, the Monkey Run trail is never far from the water, and at several points offers a nice viewing location of the Creek at stream level as well as the high Varna bluffs on the opposite bank of the Creek.

We set a better pace than I expected; I had planned on the group being a little slower than it was today, and so we got to my planned turn-around point a full ten minutes sooner than I had planned. Had we continued further on the trail it would have taken us into more open fields.

Turning around, the group was led for the return leg of the hike by Leigh Ann. We did stop at a couple of the viewing locations to check out the bluffs and the Creek and managed to still make it back to our cars with ten minutes to spare.

Thanks to all who came out to hike today!

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, January 26

Finger Lakes Trail in Danby State Forest

Hike report by Jim

Twenty-one hikers and three dogs met on South Danby Rd in the Town of Danby, for an out-and-back hike of the FLT in Danby State Forest to the Tamarack Lean-To. This is hike 23-1 on our list of regular hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-23.

Today’s hike was entirely on the Finger Lakes Trail, depicted on map sheet M17, available for purchase in paper or electronic formats at:  https://fingerlakestrail.org/…/purchase-individual-maps/. Sale of the maps helps to defray the on-going costs associated with trail maintenance.

While I say that this is on our list of regular hike locations, we actually haven’t done this particular hike in about a year, and I’m not sure why I haven’t scheduled it sooner. We’ve more recently hiked to the Tamarack Lean-to from the other direction (State Route 96B) on the FLT, but for whatever reason I’ve slipped up on having us hike to it from South Danby Rd. I’ll have to do better to get it in the rotation more often, as this is a nice hike.

Leaving South Danby Rd, the FLT begin a steady climb that lasts for much of the outbound leg of the hike. The footpath weaves in and out of the trees as it climbs the hillside, repeatedly crossing a snowmobile trail along the way. There are a few short flat sections on this uphill climb, and the climb isn’t really steeply pitched, it’s just more or less a continuous climb.

There are some trail sections along the way that are fairly muddy in the summer months. Today those sections had a fragile crust of frozen mud and ice, resulting in hikers in the lead of the group repeatedly crushing through the thin shell. Most of the footpath was in good condition, with a firm footing of snow. I do suspect that we put more boots on the trail on this section today than it’s seen in a few weeks.

There was a steady breeze blowing through the treetops, which consisted of stands of pines and several large deciduous tree species, as well as the Tamaracks that the lean-to takes its name from. The day was sunny, the blue sky full of clouds a good day to be on the trail. The sun broke through the trees in long beams of sunlight, contrasting sharply with the shadows deeper in the treeline around us.

The FLT crosses seasonal Travor Rd as it gets closer to the lean-to.

The faster hikers, led by Leigh Ann, arrived at the lean-to and took a short break before starting the return leg of the hike and picking up the slower hikers on the return portion of the hike. The group was back at the cars more or less exactly on time. Good job Leigh Ann!

For those hikers tracking their FLT miles for the 2025 FLT 50 or FLT100 patches, todays FLT miles total was 3.8 FLT miles.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, January 15

Six Mile Creek, Mulholland Wildflower Preserve and Businessman’s Lunch, Ithaca

Hike report by Jim

Sixteen hikers and two dogs met in the parking lot of the Mullholland wildflower preserve off Giles Street, on a chilly, wind-whipped morning, for a hike of area trails. This is hike # 1 on our list of frequent hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-1.

The hikers set off into the Wildflower Preserve, the footpath not straying far from Six Mile Creek for much of the first part of the hike. There are a couple of spots along the route where the footpath veers away slightly from the Creek, but it is never far from the hikers view or hearing.

A few minutes into the hike we stopped for a group photo, the ice hanging on the rock cliff faces on the opposite side of the creek behind the hikers.

Continuing onwards, we soon turned and began climbing the hill towards the access road to second dam. Before reaching the road, we turned onto the blue blazed footpath that clings to the side of the hill as it leads hikers towards second dam. There are a couple of tricky spots along this section of trail, including a stream crossing that today was a solidly encased sheet of ice above and below the point where the path crosses. I didn’t get a photo of that point, but I do know that some other hikers paused long enough to snap some photos. Hopefully they are willing to share those pictures here on Facebook.

This path merges with the dam access road very near second dam itself. The group continued on to the overlook area above the second dam reservoir. After a few minutes there we reversed course, walking back towards Giles Street on the access road until we reached the turn that leads back to the lower trail system.

The hikers walked back to the parking lot, where some of the hikers opted to leave the hike early. The rest of the hikers followed me to Giles Street where we turned left, crossed the bridge and turned right onto the blue blazed trail leading down to the base of Wells Falls.

While crossing the bridge I noticed that the bottom of the upper trail that leads to the cascades immediately under the bridge seemed to be too iced over to navigate safely, as many people in the group had neither trekking poles nor foot traction. Given that, I chose to skip the upper trail loop entirely and walk the group to the lower Wells Falls area, where the group stopped to admire the very active falls, the massive wall of ice on the opposite cliff face, etc.

After a few minutes the group retraced our route back to Giles Street and our cars.

We ended the hike a few minutes early due to the last-minute route change, but I don’t think that anyone minded.

Warm welcome to new hikers Rick B, Bonney and their canine hiking companion Ziggy, on their first hike with the group!

Saturday, January 18

Red Mill Road, Hile School Road and West Malloryville Road, West Malloryville

Hike report by Jim

Twenty-seven hikers and five dogs met in the Town of Dryden at the O.D von Engeln parking lot, for a road walk of area roads. This is hike # 57-7 on our list of hike locations: https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-57. The group hasn’t done this particular road walk in several years, but with the return of traditional winter weather in recent weeks I have decided to revisit this location today.

The open fields along today’s hike route did little to stop the intermittent winds that battered the group. The long-distance views across the valley in most directions along the route were good for the most part, although a bit hazy in some directions, probably thanks to the snow that started shortly after the hike concluded.

Leaving the parking area with Leigh Ann leading the group, the hikers walked down West Malloryville Rd to Red Mill Rd, soon assuming a very elongated line of pedestrians along the roads shoulder into the distance. We walked past the Beck Farm fields and buildings to Fall Creek Rd. The bridge here was closed for many years but was replaced within the last few years. Reversing course, the hikers walked back up Red Mill Rd to the junction with Hile School Rd. The hikers turned onto Hile School Rd, crossed Ed Hill Rd and continued on Hile School Rd until it was time to turn around.

Returning to Red Mill Rd the group hiked back towards West Malloryville Rd. Some hikers chose to return immediately to their cars to leave, while other continued on Red Mill Rd to use up some additional hike time.

Today’s hike included new hikers Joel, Christine, Gil, Tony and Anna. Welcome to all of you and hope to see you on future hikes!

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, January 19

Arnot Teaching Forest, Newfield

Hike report by Jim

Twenty-one hikers and three dogs met at the north gate of the Arnot Teaching Forest in the Town of Newfield for an out-and-back hike of the roads within the teaching forest. This is hike # 52 on our list of regular hike locations:  https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-52

Hikers found the first segment of the road from the north gate to be plowed, probably due to some logging that’s taking place within the forest. After making the first turn we found the middle section of the hike to be unplowed but only a few inches of snow that were easily hike-able due to some vehicle tracks. The final segment of the hike found the hikers breaking trail through the few inches of snow on the road. Leigh Ann, leading the faster group of hikers, reported that they had reached our usual turn-around point of some ponds along the road before her group turned around to return to the trailhead.

There was a minor but steady snowfall throughout most of our hike. A couple of places along the road early in the hike provide a good view across the valley in good weather. Today, the views were obscured due to the snowfall.

If anyone in the group lost a red handkerchief during the hike, that was recovered from the road and can be returned to you.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Wednesday, January 8

Roy H Park Preserve

Hike report by Jim

Ten hikers met at the southerly parking area of the Roy Park Preserve. This is not our usual hike from the northerly boardwalk towards Hammond Hill Rd, but the shorter hike through the Baldwin Tract from the smaller southerly parking area that the group (to my knowledge) has never done because I always perceived this hike as being too short to get a full two hour hike out of the route. Because of that I’ve had this hike listed as one of our “short hikes” for individual hikers, hike #67-5 https://www.ithacahikers.com/hike-67-bonus-hikes. I might need to re-evaluate that for future hikes after today.

The morning temperatures were near single digits as I drove out of Freeville en route to the hike trailhead. Snow was falling heavily, with a steady wind blowing. Still, the roads were in good condition; I saw multiple plows along my short ride to the Preserve, keeping the roads clear. Despite this there were still cars in the ditches; no sooner did I get to today’s hikes parking area than the Sheriff’s Office blocked off Irish Settlement Rd just north of the parking lot because of a car in the ditch near Midline Rd.

I was pretty happy that ten hikers made it to the parking lot. We managed to squeeze everyone’s car into the very small parking lot before setting off through the several inches of fluffy snow that by now covered the ground.

A couple of the hikers today mentioned that they hiked this particular trail on a regular basis and described a couple of interesting spots along the way that they were familiar with. I, on the other hand, have only hiked this particular trail once in the summer with the CTC. I was pretty happy that a couple of the hikers could point out some spots along the way that might extend the hike to something closer to our regular hike duration. Before today I had planned to extend todays hike with a short road walk, an idea I quickly scrapped today given road conditions.

The group set off on the blue blazed and very winding ” Phenology Trail” that passes through a green tunnel of hemlocks on the way towards the ” Heart Wall” portion of the Six Mile Creek streambed in that area. Leigh Ann stopped at one spot to point out some interesting light refracting qualities we noticed when looking at the distant tree line through the blowing snow. After a quick pause at the Heart Wall and near-by stream junction, the group turned around and re-traced our steps to the orange blazed trail, which we followed to another side trail that descended back to the streambed. I considered this second section of streambed even more enjoyable than the Heart Wall, as there are several cascades here as well as the streambed below the junction opening up into a wider area quite nicely. At both of these creek locations the group found the streams running forcefully, the dark water making quite a racket as it flowed. The greenish ice was thick along the stream banks, with only the center of the creeks remaining ice-free. The tree limbs all around were covered in a thick layer of fresh snow, the white a sharp contrast to the dark bark.

Climbing the hillside away from the streams, I paused often to take in the views of the streambeds below; quite a sight as we left the creeks below us, the noise of the rushing water receding into the distance. The hikers resumed our previous course on the orange blazed loop trail. This particular route took the group through several treeless clearings that are too small to be called ” meadows”, but in which there were several “snow devils” sending the freshly fallen snow skyward.

I was pretty happy that we had some hikers who were more intimately familiar with this trail system than I was, as we ended up taking a final looping informal route through the woods that at last brought us back to the cars only a few minutes short of our regular hike duration. Thanks to our informal hike leaders today!

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Saturday, January 11

Dabes Diversion Loop, Kennedy SF, Cortland County

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Eleven hikers and two dogs gathered at the junction of Bleck Road and Hauck Hill Road for this two-hour hike. The snow was 5-6 inches deep and hadn’t been broken yet. As we approached the rock pile and field that’s near the half-way point, the sun came out. It was brilliant and made the field seem about 10 degrees warmer than it otherwise would have. Some hikers made snow angels to celebrate. By the time we reached the Kuzia Cutoff, clouds had rolled in an it felt like a completely different day. At one point, we had reached the top of a steep hill. The woods were completely quiet, and when a puff of wind blew snow onto our faces, we stood for a minute in silence feeling pleasantly small – it was awesome. We returned to the cars at 11:30. The hike was 3.5 miles with 570 feet of elevation gain.

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

Sunday, January 12

Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Brooktondale

Hike report by Leigh Ann

Nineteen hikers and one dog met near the snowplow turnaround where northern Shindagin Hollow Road turns seasonal. It was a relatively warm day for this rewarding hike. We were in the sun and shadow throughout the hike, and blue sky was in sight the whole time. Snow was only about 3 inches deep and prints from one or more canines – cayotes? – had broken the trail.  Near the end of the hike, we encountered a horse and rider: a fuzzy Icelandic horse out for the first time on this road. The horse initially wasn’t sure what to make of all the humans with sticks but eventually calmed down. We also encountered a birder who said she heard more birds than she saw, e.g., ravens, chickadees, several types of woodpeckers. By the time the last car left, snow was starting to melt. This hike came in at about 5 miles with about 500 feet of elevation gain.

And the golden shoe is still there. If you’ve done this hike with us before, you know what I’m talking about. If not, you can ask!

View Leigh Ann’s photo album.

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.