Report to Hikers: week of Dec 3-Dec 9

Hello Hikers!

Wed Dec 5

Ellis Hollow Nature Preserve



Shortly after we set off, we came to a stream that’s normally slightly tricky to cross, but by no means impossible  —  this time it was so full we couldn’t see a way across  —  one hiker tried but had to turn back half way  —  then he fell in trying to get back to shore  —  fell sideways, landed on his hip, and wet half his body.  He had to head right back to the car.  This is the site of the accident  —  we swung by later in the walk so I could get a shot 

Gopi is demonstrating exactly how the hiker was standing when he toppled in

After the falling hiker went back, the rest of us pushed on.

Official head count:  13H

More photos:

Annie

Sat Dec 8

Jim Schug Trail, Dryden

Official head count:  19H, three D

More photos:

Annie

Sun Dec 9

Monkey Run Natural Area, north side of Fall Creek  —  Hanshaw Road

Official head count:  30H, seven D

More photos:

Jack V

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Report to Hikers: week of Nov 26-Dec 2

 

Hello Hikers!

 

Wed Nov 28

A walk through Cornell’s natural areas along Fall Creek  —  the arboretum, Mundy Wildflower Garden, botanical garden and Beebe Lake

Another raw morning, but this time we had an exceptionally beautiful snowfall to divert us

These winter wonderland-type scenes usually don’t last very long  —  the snow starts to fall off the trees and bushes of its own weight, or the wind comes up and blows it off

We finished up by going into the Cornell Dairy Bar for ice cream  —  by the time we came out, the beautiful draping of snow was already disappearing from the landscape.

Official head count:  11H

 

 

Sat Dec 1

Taughannock Falls SP  —  Gorge Trail and North Rim Trail

Official head count:  25H, six D

 

 

Sun Dec 2

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

A couple of hours before hike time, Tiger and I were trying to get a handle on how likely it was to rain  —  one weather service said it was almost guaranteed, another said it was probable, and a third said it would not rain.

After 45 minutes on the trail, it did start to rain  —  a little hard at a few points but overall it was tolerable, and somewhat mild out  —  I thought it was nice.  After a while, the rain stopped.

The trail was very wet in the first half of the hike —  in the second half, the trail was actually flooded in spots and we had to inch our way along past the bushes growing at the edge of the path

It got wetter and wetter as we progressed  —  finally we hit a swollen stream we couldn’t find a way across, and we had to bushwhack our way up the hill

We came back on the old railroad right of way up the hill that parallels Fall Creek  —  that was pretty much flooded too

I got my shoes soaked but somehow I didn’t get my socks wet  —  overall, I had a great time

Official head count:  19H, four D

 

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