Cayuga Trails Club Annual Meeting & Luncheon

Cayuga Trails Newsletter of the Cayuga Trails Club Founded in 1962 “…to explore, enjoy and preserve wild lands and places of natural beauty…”

January-February 2016 Late Winter Edition Volume 56, Nos. 1&2

Sunday, January 24, 2016, 12 - 4 p.m. Ramada Inn 2310 North Triphammer Road, Ithaca, New York, (607) 257-3100 Registration deadline for luncheon is Friday, January 16th.

Special Presentation: What’s going on in our Finger Lakes Parks and Historic Places? Josh Teeter, Environmental Educator for the Finger Lakes Region of the NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, will talk about a variety of projects taking place throughout the region. The projects to be discussed will range from those that that deal with the protection of our native biodiversity to storm damage repairs, as well as some major facility upgrades. Some of projects to be featured are the five million dollar main entrance redesign at Watkins Glen, the latest news on the Black Diamond Trail, ash seed collection, ongoing hemlock wooly adelgid treatments, before and after trail repair photos and the opening of the Seneca Art and Culture Center at Ganondagan State Historic Site. About Josh Teeter: Josh received his undergraduate degree from Binghamton University in 1999 and earned his Master’s degree in recreation management at SUNY Cortland in 2009. He is also currently the Central Regional Director of the New York State Outdoor Education Association (NYSOEA) and adjunct lecturer at SUNY Cortland. 12:00: Social gathering – Coffee, tea and cash bar 12:45: Buffet Lunch: Buffet is $13 for CTC members and guests. (CTC subsidizes actual cost of $17). 1:30: Annual Meeting: Along with annual committee reports and election of 2016 officers, we will be considering a proposed bylaw amendment:

Revision to the Cayuga Trails Club By-Laws – Action Required at the Annual Meeting New York State recently revised the law that regulates not-for-profit corporations such as the Cayuga Trails Club. One important addition to the law is a requirement that all non-profits adopt a Conflict of Interest policy, which the Executive Board did in the spring of 2015. The complete text of the amendment is available from the website at http://cayugatrailsclub.org. But because the bylaws set out the powers and management of the Cayuga Trails Club, the Board believes that the bylaws should include a mention of the Conflict of Interest policy, and provide for a means of enforcement. Thus, the proposed bylaw amendments as presented have provisions for both establishing the policy and for removing members of the Executive Board as the means of enforcement. The removal of an Executive Board member is proposed as the reverse of selecting them; only a vote by the full CTC membership can remove an officer elected by the membership; and a Board member appointed by the President (generally Committee Chairs) can be removed by the President. This amendment to the bylaws and creation of the Conflict of Interest policy is solely due to the requirement of the Not- for-Profit Corporation Law, and to make sure that the CTC operates to preserve its not-for-profit status. Amendments to the bylaws must be approved by at least two-thirds of the members attending a members meeting. The Executive Board recommends approval. Complete text of existing bylaws and proposed amendments can be viewed on page eight in this newsletter.

1 FLT through hiker Roy Dando. photo by Cayuga Trails Club President’s Column Jim Connors. By Gary Mallow The View from 2,099 Feet People in leadership positions talk about seeing the big picture, the view from 30,000 feet. I went to the highest point here in Tompkins County, Connecticut Hill, and took a look at our situation from there. Here's what your club accomplished last year, and the work ahead, as I see it from 2,099 feet: We had some challenges in 2015 and I'm proud of the ways we overcame them. The first challenge was adjusting to a new green President who followed a very capable guy in Roger Hopkins. Leading an organization of over 200 hikers, guiding an executive board of twelve, reaching out to affiliated organizations, keeping an eye on our expenses so that they stay within a tiny budget, making sure we had plenty of hikes and good trails…serving as President was a look into another world. In my CTC role, I am in almost daily contact with board members, with regular members and with affiliated groups. I learned a lot about myself and something about how a well-organized club operates. What we accomplished in 2015: The highlight of 2015 has to be construction of the Locust Lean-to and its many amenities for hikers at the Bock-Harvey Preserve. The preserve is a gem in rural Tompkins County that is getting heavy use. We owe Paul Warrender, Roger Hopkins, Matt Brenneman, Robin Carlisle Peck and their crew a debt of gratitude for building the lean-to; barring a massive hemlock crashing down on it, it should provide shelter to hikers and campers for decades. This year our hike coordinator, Barbara Nussbaum, scheduled nearly 80 hikes, including the Tuesday Evening hike series, which was a success for your club. If any proof was needed, this hike series demonstrated that you respond to a regular, weekly, moderate hike in the evening that starts at the same time every week. The Tuesday hikes were Barbara's idea. She also led many other hikes this year. This past spring, we faced a severe weather event that damaged, destroyed, or washed downstream eight bridges and puncheons, and washed out creek crossings. You responded by helping restore three of the bridges and clearing a half mile section of trail with 40 trees down. Those who made it to trail repair sessions found what I've known for a long time: the fun and camaraderie that comes with shared work and a common purpose. Editor Judy Austic provided two trial runs of a digital version of this newsletter, and she is now ready to offer you a digital version of Cayuga Trails as an attachment to an email sent directly to your inbox, eliminating the paper version. The digital version is a greener alternative and it gets to your in-box quickly. If you choose digital, it will save funds that can be put to use to build puncheons, repair trail equipment, and buy the next edition of our trails guide. Our trail ahead in 2016: The business of your club is hikes and hiking trails, and that boils down to organizing a mix of interesting walks that enrich our experience in the woods, along with physically challenging hikes for the hard core hikers. To do that, we need well-maintained, safe, well-blazed hiking trails. We could stop there-lead 70 hikes and maintain 100 miles of trail-and it would be a good year. I think we can do more. This year, we need to be in personal contact with our permitting landowners. Andy Sciarabba has agreed to take on Chair of the Landowner Relations Committee, and his charge is to contact landowners who currently allow the Finger Lakes Trail to cross their land. We haven't done anything like this in my memory, and it's time to get reacquainted and find out what's on landowners' minds. The other half of this project involves working with landowners who don't know us yet. That's another way of saying we should be creating more trail, eliminating road-walks, and that means we need people willing to knock on doors and talk to landowners, creating a good impression and asking landowners if we can walk across their land, even if only one time. More to come on this one. From June 17th to the 19th we'll host as many as 200 hikers from around the state for the Finger Lakes Trail Conference Spring Weekend. The event is coordinated by Robin Carlisle Peck, and she and her committee are well on the way to completing the weekend program, including reserving housing, arranging speakers, and planning a full schedule of hikes. John Andersson has stepped up to edit the next edition of the Guide to Hiking Trails of the Finger Lakes Region. The guide has always competed with traditional hiking guides, but the real competition is now online, where maps from a wide variety of sources can be downloaded to your PC, laptop, tablet, or phone. To carve out a niche for our trails guide, John has to come up with something that offers great value and convenience. He will. In short, your club had another in a series of good years, but let's not sit on our laurels. We have challenges ahead, we have clear goals and talented people willing to contribute their time and energy. Let's get going!

2 Tom Reimers Receives Volunteer Service Award By Barbara Nussbaum Long time Cayuga trails club member Tom Reimers received an award for 30 years of continuous Volunteer Service to Cornell Plantations at the annual Volunteer Appreciation event in the Nevin Welcome Center at Cornell Plantations on December 4th. His main contribution to Cornell Plantations is his maintenance of a 4.5 mile long section of the Cayuga Trail between Freese Road and the end of the Cayuga Trail in Varna. The Cayuga Trail is entirely on Cornell Plantations Property. The Cayuga Trail is 51 years old and the celebration of the 50th anniversary in 2014 was also organized by Tom. The Cayuga Trail is one of the most scenic trails maintained by volunteers of the Cayuga Trails Club. But Tom’s section is also a difficult one. The trail near Freese Road and on other places above steep cliffs has broken off and reroutes were necessary frequently to keep the trail safe. Steps were built on steep, hazardous slopes and creek crossings have become safer with steps and bridges. There are sections that require frequent mowing and a section with poison ivy hanging from trees and growing into the trail which is cut by Tom year after year to keep us safe. If anyone new to trail maintenance wants to get an idea of what a well maintained trail should look like, check out Tom’s section of the Cayuga Trail. Even the orange blazes are in the right spots and have a neat appearance of exactly 2x6 inches. But, his maintenance of the Cayuga Trail is only a small part of Tom’s service to the Cayuga Trails Club and the general public. We could easily fill a whole issue of this newsletter with Tom’s accomplishments alone. Here is an incomplete list: Tom also maintains two other section of Finger Lakes Trail. He has been the president of the Cayuga Trails Club, Trails Chair, Newsletter editor and editor of the Guide to Trails of the Finger Lakes Region. He is a frequent, wonderful hike leader, well versed in the history and natural features of the land trust preserves and other natural areas he brings hikers to visit. He served in many positions on the boards of the Finger Lakes Trails Conference and the North Country Trail Association, including serving as NCTA president from 1987-90. He is a recipient of a couple of high awards of these organizations like the prestigious Wally Wood award for his outstanding service. Tom is a volunteer for many Finger Lakes Land Trust work details, especially trail projects and annual easement inspections. Congratulations and thank you, Tom, for your service in maintaining this section of the Cayuga Trail and all your other service to the Cayuga Trails Club and the general public!

Volunteer Opportunities with Cayuga Trails Club Cayuga Trails Club runs on volunteer power. We have no paid staff and a tiny budget. With volunteers, we are a vibrant group of 220 hikers that get out in the woods over 70 times a year, maintain 100 miles of hiking trail, do occasional weekend camp-outs, and contribute to the Ithaca and Tompkins County community in a variety of ways. In the last issue of Cayuga Trails, we asked members to consider volunteering for three roles: Trails Guide Editor, hike leader, and landowner contact person. Since then, John Andersson has stepped up to take the role of editor. We now have seven hike leaders for next spring's FLTC Conference: Marsha Zgola, Peter Marks, Tom Reimers, Charlie Strohman, Paul Warrender, Carol Mallison, and Anna Keaton. Andy Sciarabba stepped up to chair the Landowner Relations Committee in 2016. Come join these talented, generous people who are willing to contribute their time and energy to make our club's offerings better. The club needs your help. Here are the critical volunteer opportunities for us in 2016: Landowner Contact: Outgoing personality who likes to meet and greet new people. This role calls for a special person who enjoys meeting rural landowners and talking with them in a low-key friendly conversation about their land. Objective is to open up a dialogue about allowing hikers to cross their land and possibly hosting the Finger Lakes Trail. Hike Leader: Pick your favorite place to hike, name a date and time, and work with Hike Coordinator, Barbara Nussbaum, to work up a brief description for the website. With a little preparation and some coaching, you're ready to lead a group and have a fun and interesting morning or afternoon with friends in the woods. Not a difficult undertaking, but takes some prep. Trail Adopter: Trails Chair Paul Warrender has several opportunities to adopt sections of trail that need a little love. If you like trail work, and like to spend time in the woods without a lot of people around, this job is for you. See Paul's Trails Report. To volunteer for any of these roles, contact: [email protected].

3 A Look Back: Allegany State Park Camping Weekend

Report of the Second Cayuga Trails Club Camping Trip, Sept. 4-7, 2015 By Barbara Nussbaum

Campers relaxing at Allegany State Park. Left to right: Tom Formanek, Iris Milich, Karen Serbonich, Vera Tietze, Barbara and Michael Nussbaum. Photo by Gundy Lee. The mere thought of this year’s CTC camping trip in Allegany State Park warms me up as it is cold outside now. It was almost too hot for hiking, but eleven CTC members and eight guests hiked anyway between September fourth and the seventh. Thirteen of us had been staying overnight. The idea for the CTC camping trips was born when a couple of CTC members in pursuit of hiking the entire Finger Lakes Trail from end to end in separate sections (not like Heather Houskeeper by backpacking it) were thinking about how to avoid long drives to the trail heads at the Eastern and Western ends of the Finger Lakes Trail for single hikes all the time. While last year’s trip brought us to the Catskills at the eastern end of the FLT, this year’s trip allowed us to see the Western end of the trail and hike into Pennsylvania for a couple of miles. Nine hikers worked towards finishing the FLT from end to end. Anna and Bodhi became end-to-enders that weekend and four hikers made good enough progress in order to join the end-to-enders club two weeks after the camping trip. Together we hiked a total of about 230 miles on the Finger Lakes Trail. This included a hike through Little Rock City which is one of the most scenic parts of the FLT. But, we were not only hiking the Finger Lakes Trail. There was so much else to do. Encouraged by Iris Millich and Sigi Schwinge some of us visited Griffis Sculpture Park, Zoar Valley, the Bear Caves in Allegany State Park, the Seneca- Iroquois National Museum in Salamanca and the Historical Museum in Ellicottville. Some of us rented canoes and paddled on Red House Lake near our camp on Labor Day. Everybody brought good food, we cooked together and shared dinners and some of us shared breakfasts too. As I’m not a very experienced camper, I needed help with setting up our tent and getting the stove started without blowing it up. That’s one reason why I appreciated the support of the group so much. We have not planned next year’s trip yet, but we are thinking of camping somewhere near any of the far away FLT branch trails. All CTC members are welcome to join us. If you are interested in next year’s CTC camping trip, please contact one of the regulars: Karen Serbonich ([email protected]), Iris Millich ([email protected]), or Barbara Nussbaum, ([email protected]).

4 Trails Report By Paul Warrender, Trails Chairman

As We Wrap Up Another Year of Maintenance… I’d like to thank all of the hard working Cayuga Trails Club trail adopters and trail project volunteers for their hard work and dedication in 2015. If I’ve missed anyone, please reach out to me in and I’ll make sure you’re recognized in the next newsletter. Thank you all for volunteering to help maintain New York State’s premier hiking trail system! It’s a long list: Judy Austic (also CTC newsletter editor) Peter Marks Tommy Beers Charles Marquardt William Bergmark Joe McMahon & Gail Steinhart Jonathan Bernstein Neal & Diane Melveney (FLT-hosting landowner) Dave Bock (also FLT-hosting landowner) Barbara Morley (CTC Archives Chair) and John Andy Boehm & Connie O’Brien Chamberlain Vito Brancato Gail Neely Lincoln Brown and June Meyer Stephen Nicholson Robin Carlisle-Peck (also CTC Board Secretary) Michael & Barbara Nussbaum (WLL Hikes Chair) Marcus Coppola and Family Chris Olney Philip R. Dankert PJ Peterman Nigel Dyson-Hudson David Priester (FLTC board member & Highway Cleanup Charlie & Lori Elrod (also FLT-hosting landowner) Chair) Herb Engman Tom Reimers Kenny Fellers & Linda Ratsep Rhonda Roaring Tom Formanek David Ruppert Matthew Glenn Andy Sciarabba (CTC board member-at-large and Ian Golden Landowner Relations Chair) Richard “Griff” Griffin (also FLT-hosting landowner) Dr. Danny & Kristin Scott Rick Grossman Eric & Cyrus Shatt Marcia Herrick Fred Sibley (FLT-hosting landowner) Roger Hopkins (also operates CTC’s website) Charlie Strohman & Sheila Stone (CTC board member-at- Bryan Isacks large) Gary Johnson Michael Turback George Little Maedeline Ulinski John & Kathy Ludders, and Erica Gardner Jack Vanderzee (photography) Carol Mallison (CTC Publicity Chair) Greg Wooster Gary Mallow (Current CTC President) Tina Wright

Trail Sections Open for Adoption Interested in adopting a part of the trail? CTC members and other Finger Lakes Trail Conference affiliated hiking clubs or organizations have built the trail during the past 50-plus years, and we get out on the trail throughout the year to keep it in shape. In need of adoption:  Map M16; mile 3.4 (Todd Rd.) to mile 4.8 (Ridge Rd.). This trail section is entirely within the Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area. The section has been very well maintained for several years by its former adopters, so there shouldn’t be much to catch up on. Currently, the Finger Lakes Trail Conference is looking for adopters on 3 sections of the Interloken Trail, Map M15 or I1, which runs south to north through the Finger Lakes National Forest in Hector, NY. Sections needing adopters are:  Burnt Hill Trail/Interloken Trail intersection to Picnic Area Rd., 1.8 miles  Picnic Area Rd. to intersection of Interloken Trail and Backbone Trail (second intersection), 2.5 miles  Intersection of Interloken Trail and Backbone Trail to Seneca Rd., 2.4 miles If you are interested in trail adoption, contact Paul Warrender at [email protected].

5 Trail Sections Open for Adoption, cont’d. As a Trail Section Adopter you assume responsibility for a section of trail. You agree to visit your section three times per year minimum, and perform routine inspection and maintenance: clear vegetation and fallen branches, pick up litter, refresh blazes and signs as needed, check up on trail infrastructure such as register boxes, benches, bridges, lean-tos, etc., and inform the CTC Trails Chairman or the FLTC Regional Trail Coordinator of any issues with infrastructure. Any fallen tree across the trail that can’t be handled by handsaw you will inform the Trails Chairman or Regional Trail Coordinator about; he will dispatch certified sawyers to clear the hazard. You will also be invited to attend occasional training meetings.

Recent FLT Map Revisions Finger Lakes Trail maps I1 (Interloken Trail), M15, M16, and M17 have been updated with new information and trail routes. The Cayuga Trails Club website trail notices page has the latest map updates. The most up-to-date editions of Finger Lakes Trail maps can be purchased via the Finger Lakes Trail website at www.fingerlakestrail.org.

Adopt-A-Highway 2014 Report by David Priester As winter sets in, if it ever does, remember that highway cleanup season is coming soon as one of the signs of spring. Again, I want to thank all those who participated in this important and visible community service project. It is one of the most consistent efforts the club has had over the years (begun years ago by Tom Reimers, as I'm told). We had a wide range of participation last season ranging from two to nine of us participating on the various sessions. The new season dates will be announced in February, with the initial spring cleanup scheduled on a Saturday in early May. Check the web site for the postings. See you in the spring, gloves, pickers and bags in hand! Thank You, Departing Board Members By Gary Mallow In 2015 we said farewell to four departing board members who went on to pursue other endeavors after service to the hikers of Tompkins and Schuyler Counties. Eric Mastroberti, Peter Marks, Lincoln Brown, and Carol Mallison all relinquished, or are about to relinquish, their positions on our board. All four are great people who contributed their time, energy, intelligence and hard work, in some cases serving for many years and in multiple roles. We were lucky to have them, and they will be missed. Thanks to all four for their dedicated service to hikers.

Mark Your Calendar

Fri, Jan 1 *OPRHP: First Day Hike at Taughannock Falls Sat, Jan 2 Watkins Glen in Winter — Tom Formanek Sat, Jan 9 *FLTC: FLTC - 2016 Howard Beye Winter Hike in the Mitchellsville & Bath areas, Maps B3 (rev 3/15) and M12 (rev 10/11) Sun, Jan 10 Walk, Look, and Learn Hike # 586 in Cornell Plantations Natural Areas — Tom Reimers Sun, Jan 17 Oakley Corners Hike — Tom Formanek Fri, Jan 22 Full Moon Hike — John Andersson Sun, Jan 24 Annual CTC Luncheon Meeting - 2016 — Marsha Zgola Reservation Required! Sat, Feb 6 Bob Cameron Loop in Connecticut Hill - Snowshoe or Hike — David Priester Tue, Feb 23 Tuesday Evening Hike: Waterfront Trail West — Gary Mallow Sat, Feb 27 Winter Hike on the Abbott Loop and Chestnut Lean-To — David Priester Check our website at CayugaTrailsClub.org for events that may not be listed in this issue and for any last minute changes.

6 Hike Reports By Barbara Nussbaum

Hikes in 2015 and “Suggest a Hike – Lead a Hike” in 2016 We had 76 hikes with 667 participants overall in 2015. Two additional hikes were scheduled, only one was cancelled last winter due to dangerous trail and road conditions, no one showed for the second hike in heavy rain, but the hike leader braved the elements (Tom Formanek, subbing for Gary) and checked the car pool meeting place and the trail head. The total number of hikers is up from 603 hikers last year, even though the number of hikes last year was slightly higher (83 hikes). There were nine participants on the hikes on average. Our 2015 hike leaders were: John Andersson, Judith Austic, Bob Beck, Charles Culp, Tom Formanek, John Greer, Roger Hopkins, Anna Keeton, Gundy Lee, Susanne Lorbeer, Carol Mallison, Gary Mallow (39 hikes!), Joyce Noonan, Barbara Nussbaum, David Priester, Tom Reimers, Kristin Schafer, Sigi Schwinge, Jennifer Wilson and Marsha Zgola. Thank you to all of them! May all of you stay healthy and young forever and lead hikes in 2016. The highlight of our hiking season was clearly Gary’s Tuesday hike series, which was even more successful than last year, with 39 hikes overall and 11 participants on average. The total number of hikers on Gary's hikes was 426. But, the success is not only in the numbers, but the best thing is probably that the regular hikers developed into a group of friends; some of the regular hikers adopted trail sections, volunteered at group trail work events and were leading hikes on Tuesdays when Gary needed a break. The next Tuesday hike is already scheduled for February 22nd. Thank you so much, Gary. To make 2016 a good hiking season for every member and guest, we need more volunteers willing to lead a hike or hike series. You are certainly the right person to become a hike leader if you know some trails or natural areas very well either from hikes with the CTC, with other clubs or from exploring them by yourself. In case your favorite hikes are missing in our schedule, please go ahead and lead a hike or hike series. Here is my story: about 10 years ago I loved the hikes in Arnot Forest which Tom Reimers was leading year after year in October very much and I was looking forward to them each fall. Suddenly there was no such hike in the schedule. I was very disappointed and asked Tom about it. I didn’t like his answer at all back then. He said: “You can lead that hike, too. Why don’t you do it?” I was very reluctant to do this because I knew that I would never be such a good hike leader as Tom with all his background knowledge about trees, birds, wild flowers, salamanders, snakes etc. And my heavy accent? I did it anyway although I was extremely nervous at first, but Carol and Tom helped me through this. That’s how I became a hike leader and I like doing it very much, even though I prefer leading the 10–12 miles hikes where not much talking is needed, just find the trail head, read the map, organize the car shuttle and simply hike. Hopefully my plantar fasciitis will heal and let me hike long hikes soon again. Cayuga Trails Club members are diverse in the way they want to be on the trail, and you can assume that some others share your beliefs on how to enjoy the outdoors. We had a full moon hike series which John Andersson led. How about special slow paced or fast paced hikes? How about hiking with dogs where they are allowed? (Finger Lakes Trail rules require that dogs are kept on a leash on private property at all times.) How about a hike series to the Catskills or Adirondack peaks? There is always more to learn, so suggest a “Walk, Look and Learn Hike.” This is all summed up on our website: http://cayugatrailsclub.org. Go to Events: Suggest a Hike. Do you have a favorite hike that you would like to suggest for a club event? Better yet, are you willing to lead a club event on your favorite hike? It's fun and rewarding and we have a form and checklist to help you get organized. And, if you have never led a club hike, we'll get one of our regular hike leaders to help you. Please contact us at [email protected] or talk to me, Gary or any of our hike leaders.

“Thank You” to Our Trail Landowners Please accept the appreciation of the Cayuga Trails Club Board members for your continuing permission to route local trails through your property. Perhaps your trail's caretaker has said so directly. Please know that we are all grateful for the privilege of enjoying your back woods, streams, and fields. On behalf of all hikers and CTC members, we acknowledge that, without your generosity, we would simply never have a continuous trail to enjoy in our part of the Finger Lakes.

7 Revision to the Cayuga Trails Club By-Laws – Action Required at the Annual Meeting Cont’d from p. 1 Paragraphs in bold text are the proposed amendments. Amendments to the bylaws must be approved by at least two- thirds of the members attending a members meeting. The Executive Board recommends approval. II - OFFICERS The officers shall consist of a President, who shall preside at meetings and act as Chairperson of the Executive Board; a Vice-President, to act in the absence or incapacity of the President; a Secretary, who shall keep the minutes and records and perform such other duties as may be requested by the President; and a Treasurer, who shall receive dues and disburse funds and be a member of the Finance Committee. (For detailed duties of officers, see Standard Practices.)

A Nominating Committee, composed of one member of the Executive Board and two members from the general membership, shall be elected by the membership in November or earlier. It shall propose a slate of officers to include a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, to serve for a period of one year, and a Memberat- Large, to serve for a period of two years. None of these shall be limited to one term. The officers and the new Member-at-Large shall be elected at the Annual Meeting, designated in Article IV. Additional nominations may be made from the floor before the election. Any vacancies arising between elections shall be filled by the Executive Board until the next Annual Meeting.

An elected officer (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Member-at-Large) may be removed from office for failure to fulfill the duties of the position, including failure to comply with the Conflict of Interest Policy, by a majority of voting members at an annual or special meeting as described in Article IV.

III - COMMITTEES AND EXECUTIVE BOARD The President, with the advice of the Executive Board, shall appoint the Archivist and the Chairpersons of the following standing committees: Finance, Guidebook, Information Technology, Landowner Relations, Membership, Newsletter, Publicity, Social, Trails, WLL (Walk, Look, and Learn Hikes), and such other committees as the President may deem advisable. (S)he shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and should be notified in advance of meetings.

An appointed member of the Executive Board may be removed from office for failure to fulfill the duties of the position, including failure to comply with the Conflict of Interest Policy, by the President with the advice of the Executive Board.

Note: Section III of the bylaws continues without change from this point forward. Read the entire bylaws text on the website, www.cayugatrailsclub.org.

Upcoming Hikes and Other Events By Barb Nussbaum

OPRHP First Day Hike at Taughannock Falls Friday, January 1, 2016  Time: 1:00 p.m.  Hike Rating: Level of Difficulty-moderate. Approximate walking distance-1 1/2 to 5 miles. No age minimum. Well behaved pets are welcome.  Contact: Pre-registration is greatly appreciated but is not required. To register, call 607-387-7041 or email [email protected]. Phone: (607) 387-7041 Start off the New Year by making a healthy resolution you will love to keep: a breathtaking hike at Taughannock Falls. Join the Finger Lakes Regional Educator for a hike down and back on the Gorge Trail, up to the Overlook, across to the multi-use trails, and back to the parking lot. Hot drinks and light snacks will be available before and after the hike! Plan on being outside for at least two hours (more if you hike all 5 miles), so dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear. If there is enough snow, feel free to bring your snowshoes or cross country skis. We will meet at the start of the Gorge Trail by NYS Route 89.

8 Watkins Glen in Winter Saturday, January 2, 2016  Time: 9:00 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: 9:00 a.m. - EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St. Please park in front of the store but at the end of the lot furthest away from the store.  Event/Trailhead location: 9:45 a.m. Watkins Glen State Park, Lower Parking Lot on 1009 North Franklin Street (click for map)  Contact: Tom Formanek Email: [email protected] Telephone: 585-975-9312  Hike rating: Distance: About 3.5 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Moderate Let's start the New Year with a brisk winter hike!

*FLTC: FLTC - 2016 Howard Beye Winter Hike in the Mitchellsville & Bath areas, Maps B3 (rev 3/15) and M12 (rev 10/11) Saturday, January 9, 2016  Time: 10 a.m. with a departure time of 10:10. We’ll need to place cars for the car shuttle.  Hike Rating: Length - 5.7 miles  Carpool meeting place: If you want to car pool from Ithaca, please contact Barbara Nussbaum at 607 257 6906, or email: [email protected] as she will be coordinating carpooling.  Contact: Cate Concannon email: [email protected] The Finger Lakes Trail across upstate NY was started in 1962, and for nearly 25 of those years, Howard Beye was THE major volunteer for the organization that tends it. He was a deeply involved trail chair, keeping track of map updates, organizing and training those who adopt portions of our over 900-mile trail system, tracking volunteer hours for every one of them during an annual “census,” arranging Challenge Cost Share projects, and organizing every one of our three to four special work-week projects, the annual “Alley Cats,” and handling the majority of correspondence with the state agencies who host many miles of our trail. Hike Description - Map B3, Access 18 to Map 12, Access 2: This hike will start with a steep uphill at Access 18 off Mitchellsville Road on the Bristol Hills Trail. We will follow the BHT through the forest, past Lake David and through gullies for a total of 3.6 miles, and then cross over to the main FLT with a short road walk on Harrisburg Hollow Road. We should have some nice views of the area and finish the hike on 2.1 miles of the main FLT trail. A hike encompassing two maps and two different trails – how fun! Perhaps someone will know if this is the first time this has been done on the Named Hike series. Meeting place - We will meet at the Hickory Hill Campground. From there we will drop cars at our end point and proceed to our starting point, Access 18 on Route 13. From exit 38 off I-86 (Route 17), follow signs to Route 54. After following Rt 54 through town including a 90 degree left turn, Route 13/Mitchellsville Road will branch off to the left. There are prominent signs for the campground, which will be on your left off Rt. 13 just north of Bath. Notes - Please dress for the weather, but as a general rule of thumb, dress in layers and bring extra clothes. Waterproof jacket & pants will most likely come in handy, plus hat and gloves. Pack a lunch that can be eaten quickly on the trail, plus lots of water. Be prepared for steep ascents and descents! E-mail hike leader with your interest in joining the hike – carpooling is encouraged and she will help to organize. *Non CTC event - FLTC: Finger Lakes Trail Conference. For further information see FLTC Website.

Walk, Look, and Learn Hike # 586 in Cornell Plantations Natural Areas Sunday, January 10, 2016  Time: 1:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Cornell Plantations Horticultural Center (Wildflower Garden) parking area at intersection of Caldwell Road and Forest Home Drive.  Contact: Tom Reimers Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-272-8679 Tom Reimers will lead this 2-3 mile hike through several natural areas on and near the Cornell University campus. Depending on the weather and snow cover, these areas may include Gymnosperm Slope, Beebe Lake, Mundy Wildflower Garden, Slim Jim Woods, Fall Creek Plateau, and the F.R. Newman Arboretum. Some of these places have magnificent old growth forests with huge, wonderful trees. We’ll try to identify trees, pods, berries, and wildflowers in winter.

9 Oakley Corners Hike Sunday, January 17, 2016  Time: 9:00 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: 9:00 a.m. East Hill Plaza. Park near Tompkins Trust branch office, 1012 Ellis Hollow Road, Ithaca.  Event/Trailhead location: 9:50 a.m. Oakley Corners State Forest South Parking  Contact: Tom Formanek Email: [email protected] Telephone: 585-975-9312  Hike rating: Length - 5-6 miles Tom Formanek will lead a 5-6 mile hike, snow shoe or cross-country ski tour (depending on the snow conditions) on the yellow trails in Oakley Corners State Forest which is located in the towns of Newark Valley and Owego in eastern Tioga County. The highlight of this hike on the yellow trails will be a couple of ponds, lots of woods and small elevation changes.

Full Moon Hike Friday, January 22, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Carpool meeting place: 5:00 p.m. - Meet in the Dunkin Donuts parking lot in the Village of Dryden. Please carpool- parking is limited at the trail head.  Event/Trailhead location: 5:15 p.m. Roy H. Park Preserve of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, on Irish Settlement Road in Dryden, about 0.4 miles north of Midline Road. There are two FLLT parking lots about 1 mile apart. This is the one nearest the intersection of Midline Road, Hurd Road, and Irish Settlement Road.  Contact: John Andersson Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-539-7096 Join John Andersson for a short hike in the moonlight (hope for no clouds!). Bring snowshoes or spikes if you have them, depending on the weather. Bring lights but we will try to hike without them. Dress for the weather! Please no dogs. We can continue visiting at the Dryden Hotel after the hike for those willing. Really foul weather will postpone the hike one day.

Bob Cameron Loop in Connecticut Hill - Snowshoe or Hike Saturday, February 6, 2016  Time: 12:00 p.m.  Carpool meeting place: 12:00 p.m. - EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St.  Event/Trailhead location: 12:30 p.m. Take the access road to the radio tower off of Tower Road, 0.7 miles south of Cayutaville Road. The trail head is about 200 yards south of the radio tower. There is only shoulder parking at the trailhead; best parking is near the radio tower  Contact: David Priester Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-280-5074  Hike rating: Length-4 miles We will do a loop hike/snowshoe beginning and ending at the FLT crossing, around the loop into the glen and back out. This is about a 4 mile route with some steep pitches. Getting into and back out of the glen on snowshoes will be a good workout. In the event of no snow, we will hold a bare boot hike instead. Dress in layers, bring a pack to stash what you peel off. This will be a moderate pace hike. The group will be expected to stay together throughout the afternoon. We will also need to be respectful of the ski tracks as well. Please be sure and have appropriate clothing and especially foot gear. Depending on the weather, we will either snowshoe, walk, or a combination of both. If we are walking some sort of additional traction may be essential, microspikes, Yaktracks or some such. Bring water and whatever and snacks you choose. Check the website for updates on the expected trail conditions.

10 Tuesday Evening Hike: Waterfront Trail West Tuesday, February 23, 2016  Time: 4:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: From Rt. 13 in downtown Ithaca, go west on NYS 79 across the flood control channel bridge and turn left onto Floral Avenue. In 0.3 mile, park at the southern parking lot on the waterfront trail.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length - 4.6 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain - Easy Tonight's destination is the western half of the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, along with about a half mile through the old dog park near Treman Marina. We start and end at the southernmost parking area along the Flood Control Channel on Floral Avenue. Could be cold and blustery, but the view up the lake around sunset is usually pretty good - ten miles or more. The Waterfront Trail is a joint effort of the Cayuga Waterfront Trail Initiative, the City of Ithaca, and the Chamber of Commerce. Cayuga Trails Club has contributed a brick and a bench. Dress in layers according to the weather, wear sturdy boots and be prepared for icy or slippery trails. The trail is usually plowed this time of year, but since part of our hike is on unmaintained trail, traction devices like micro spikes (brand names include Yaktraks and Stabil), are a good idea, depending on conditions. Bring water and the other Ten Essentials. If you need help with navigation, email Gary. As a last resort, Gary will stop at the Eastern Mountain Sports parking lot on Meadow St. promptly at 3:50 P.M. to guide you.

Winter Hike on the Abbott Loop and Chestnut Lean-To Saturday, February 27, 2016  Time: 8:30 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: 8:30 a.m. - EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St.  Event/Trailhead location: 9:00 a.m. FLT trailhead on Michigan Hollow Road, about 2.4 miles south of Route 96B in Danby.  Contact: David Priester Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-280-5074  Hike rating: Length - about 6 miles Join David Priester for a 6 mile winter hike. Starting on the Finger Lakes Trail on Michigan Hollow Road near Diane's Crossing we’ll hike to the Chestnut lean-to and will continue to Bald Hill Road, walk on Bald Hill Road to pick up the orange blazed Abbott Loop trail, head up to the Thatcher Pinnacles (1,700 ft.) and back around and down to Bald Hill Road and back to Michigan Hollow Road where we started. Thatcher’s Pinnacles provide a scenic overlook over West Danby, the Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve and the forested hills beyond. Bring lunch, dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy boots, traction devices or snowshoes according to the weather. Be aware that there might be much more snow and/or ice on the upper parts of the trail than in Ithaca.

Cayuga Trails Club Executive Board

Officers President Gary Mallow, Vice President Paul Warrender, Secretary Robin Carlisle Peck, Treasurer Jim Connors Members-at-Large, Andy Sciarabba, ’14-’15 and Sheila Stone, ’15-‘16, Past President Roger Hopkins

Committees Trails Paul Warrender, Walk, Look, and Learn Hikes (WLL) Barbara Nussbaum, Guidebook John Andersson, Adopt-a-Highway* David Priester, Archives Barbara Morley, Finance John Andersson, IT/Website Roger Hopkins, Webmaster, Landowner Relations Andy Sciarabba, Membership Sigrid Connors, Newsletter Editor Judith Austic, Publicity Carol Mallison, Social Marsha Zgola * Ad-hoc Board meetings are on the first Tuesday of even months. Members are welcome to attend (email [email protected] for meeting place and time). Next Board meeting: Feb. 2, 2016.

Cayuga Trails Club, Inc. NON-PROFIT P.O. Box 754 ORGANIZATION Ithaca, NY 14851-0754 U.S. POSTAGE PAID ITHACA, NY PERMIT NO. 94

Welcome New Cayuga Trails Club Members By Sigrid Connors Bradford: Cindy Schamel Freeville: Thomas R. Brotherton Sr. Interlaken: Deanna Johnson and Bob Holtzman Ithaca: Linda Barnett Margaret Griffin Harold Craighead Paul Nicotera Polly Foureman Tziona Szajman

Thank you to our new Life Members! # 42 - Joan Jedele and Jack Rueckheim, Freeville # 43 - Linda Woodard, Ithaca

Cayuga Trails is published six times a year and is edited and published by Judith Austic. Comments and original contributions are welcome. Deadline for the next edition is Feb. 15, 2016. Send contributions to [email protected] or 5 Stevenson St. Seneca Falls, NY 13148. Visit Cayuga Trails Club website at www.CayugaTrailsClub.org

12 Cayuga Trails Newsletter of the Cayuga Trails Club Founded in 1962 “…to explore, enjoy and preserve wild lands and places of natural beauty…”

March-April 2016 Early Spring Edition Volume 56, Nos. 3&4

Cayuga Trails Club Annual Meeting & Luncheon The Cayuga Trails Club annual meeting was held at the Ithaca Ramada on Sunday, January 24, 2016, with a good crowd in attendance. After the luncheon and business meeting, Josh Teeter, Environmental Educator for the Finger Lakes Region of the NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, spoke about a variety of projects taking place throughout the region. The projects ranged from the protection of our native biodiversity to storm damage repairs, as well as some major facility upgrades. Included in his presentation were slides of the main entrance redesign at Watkins Glen and the opening of the Seneca Art and Culture Center at Ganondagan State Historic Site. Oscar Brown, his baby and Oscar Grey were in attendance, ready to be awarded to members in recognition of their service. Last year’s recipients, Barbara Nussbaum and Gary Mallow presented the awards to Roger Hopkins and Tom Formanek, respectively. Here are their edited remarks:

Oscar Brown By Barbara Nussbaum I’m very fortunate that I have had the chance to work with Roger Hopkins for a couple of years, and most of all, l learned a lot from him. He is an extremely good and patient teacher, who is able to explain complex problems in an easy way. Roger has brought our membership database into the 21st century and changed the way we are sending out email reminders to our membership. Our website is an ongoing piece of art and we are envied by many other volunteer organizations for having it. This same combination of new ideas “outside the box,” patience, background team work and diligence was used when creating the wonderful Bock-Harvey Forest Preserve including the Locust Lean-to and kiosk. Roger had a major part in making this project possible, even finding new ways of financing it. When you hike on the Barbara Nussbaum and Roger Hopkins. Finger Lakes Trail or in Land Trust Preserves, you will run into various types of Photo by Jack Vanderzee. kiosks explaining the Preserves. The “extra perfect” kiosks can all be called “Roger–kiosks” because our past president (2013-14) played a major role in building them. It should also be mentioned that Roger is a frequent participant in trail projects. Thank you, Roger Hopkins.

Oscar Gray By Gary Mallow Tom Formanek has filled in for me as hike leader on the Tuesday hikes many times, and when he wasn’t leading, he was very often serving as sweep. When Tom had my back on a hike it always put my mind at ease. Tom is very focused on safety when he’s in the woods. He carries the Ten Essentials whenever he’s out hiking, and I always felt good about having someone as reliable and safety conscious as Tom is on a hike. Tom has volunteered on several work projects, and I think I can say he has caught the bug. He is now a Trail Adopter for a section of the Abbott Loop. He’s a regular volunteer at our display at EMS Club Days, and he just recently agreed to take on a new role as our Trails Guide Marketing Chair. Tom is a great listener and a supportive friend. Gary Mallow and Tom Formanek. Photo by Jack Vanderzee.

FLT through hiker Roy Dando. photo by President’s Column By Gary Mallow Jim Connors. Why We Do This "Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world." - John Muir I have family members, friends and co-workers who can't fathom why I spend days and weeks in the woods climbing steep hills or mountains, getting bitten by mosquitoes, cut by thorns, rained on, snowed on, and come back frozen, hot, sweaty, muddy, exhausted, or some combination of the above. And be relatively happy about it. Not to mention the lions, tigers and bears we face at every turn out there in the wilderness. I get some wide eyes and funny looks at what I call fun. When you think of it in those terms, it does sound a little off. Wouldn't you rather go to a movie? Maybe work in the garden? How about volunteering for Habitat? There are those five degree days in February when the wind is blowing at 30 mph, the snow is coming at me horizontally, I've lost feeling in my fingers and it does give me pause. Or in mid-July, when it's 90 degrees and 95% humidity, and I am essentially lunch for the mosquitoes and black flies. I've come home from hikes totally sodden in my supposedly waterproof hiking boots, soaked to the skin, shivering, with mud up to my calves, and sporting cuts on my forearms and legs from my perpetual battle with multiflora rose. In my lighter moments I can laugh after one of these outings. Why do I do this? When you are confronted by these perfectly reasonable questions, a common riposte is to downplay the discomfort and danger. If you're out there on a regular basis, you're going to be uncomfortable from time to time. But it's a small price for the reward of challenging yourself to do something unusual, something that only a tiny percentage of Americans would even consider when most of our friends and neighbors prefer the comfort of a warm, dry living room. Anyway, the days when you're really uncomfortable are infrequent. Gear up, use insecticide, bring an extra pair of socks... toughen up. In our part of the world, the lions and tigers are gone and the bears are pretty skittish. But I have been out at night at Park Preserve and heard the howls of coyotes, coming from my right and my left, a little too close. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I've gotten confused on the trail, realized that I didn't know where I was. There is a moment of uncertainty, even panic before you calm down, stop, get the right side of the brain working again, and figure out where you went wrong. Get a grip, Gary. You're not in Mongolia. Look at the map or the GPS. The physical challenge is also something most of our contemporaries have trouble comprehending. Yes, you are going to climb out of this hollow for an 800 foot gain in elevation. Yes, then there is a long descent down the other side. Repeat steps A and B. For many, this appears nonsensical: sweating, breathing hard, and struggling for good footing. You can get the same workout in the gym, finish in the sauna, and you won't have to deal with mud. Trail work takes it to another level. Now not only are you hiking into the woods, you are carrying a chainsaw, tools, lumber and fasteners. Then, when you get to your work site, you engage in hard physical labor. And you are doing this because... other hikers will have a safer, easier time getting through. Very few will know what you are doing for them, and there are few thank-you’s. Trying to explain my reasons for hiking and trail work to those who don't participate in either is a losing battle. Not only do friends and family fail to comprehend it - the more I talk about it, the crazier I sound. In the end you can't really explain to someone the haunting scree of a pileated woodpecker, or the strikingly bright plumage of a scarlet tanager. How to explain the vastness of Skaneateles Lake seen from Hinchcliff Preserve; or the wonderful, restful sound of the cataracts and waterfalls at Lick Brook? Can one really convey the joy of seeing life renewed when you spot the first red and white trilliums emerging from the ground in April after a long, grey winter? There are no words for it; the beauty and grandeur of these things are incomprehensible to those who haven't been lucky enough to experience them. Why do we hike? For some of us, it's the endorphins and that good feeling we get in our tired but limber legs after a twelve mile hike. We do it for the rare sighting of a rafter of wild turkeys, or the silent, soaring flight of a red-tailed hawk working the thermals while looking for lunch in a farm field. We do it to escape from the responsibilities of work or home for a few hours, entering into another world, the natural world. A world where humans are not in charge, Mother Nature is. The rules are different there. We do it because there is something that keeps calling us back. It is a small fraternity, but we are a hearty bunch. We have much in common. We know what we know.

2 Seven of Eleven: The Seneca Wine Trail on Foot, Part 1 By Andy Sciarabba In 2012, at the ripe old age of 45, I intended to walk around Cayuga Lake in a week’s time. But I discovered that I was woefully unprepared. A 50 pound pack with the center of gravity way too close to my eyeballs and 85 degree weather teamed up with asphalt so hot it could cook an egg. Needless to say, a day and a half later, the asphalt cooked me. I ended up lying in a roadside ditch with blisters beyond repair and a spirit to match. Defeated, but determined to finish, I completed the hike in segments throughout the rest of the year. Not quite what I had imagined, but I felt elated when I finished the trip. I was unstoppable. I was so proud I even made a movie about it. You may have heard that Robert Redford agreed to play me as a warm up for a Walk in the Woods. (Follow the link https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47833596/CL%20Hike%202012%20Alt%20End_0002.mov or watch it on Netflix). Fast forward to September, 2015. After a whole lot of Planning, (“Planning” is defined as talking to real backpackers, watching endless YouTube videos, reading volumes of hiking books, spending a small fortune on lightweight gear, learning how to dehydrate my own food and testing all makes and models of footwear), I was ready for redemption. Eleven by Fifty was now the goal. Complete all eleven lakes before my fiftieth birthday. I had already tackled five of the ‘smaller’ lakes; Owasco, Skaneateles, Otisco, Hemlock, and Canadice (with my son, Ryan,) and was ready for Seneca! Ready for Lake Seven, Seven of Eleven. In preparation for my hikes I scope out my path on Google Earth and search for places to camp, eat, get water, restock and take breaks. Then I use advanced graphics to create a polished, highly detailed orthographic, topographic, systematic, hydromatic, ultramatic (sorry for the brief Greased Lightning tangent) digital map worthy of the most sought-after hiking publications. Okay, it’s a hand drawn map - but it’s extremely lightweight! Speaking of lightweight, remember those 50 pounds? My entire pack weight (including consumables) for this trip was a feathery 35 pounds. That includes all my clothing, tent, sleeping and cooking gear and miscellaneous items necessary for a modestly comfortable 4-day trip. Plus I fasted for a week before the trip and was down to my ‘fighting’ weight. Mother Nature was very kind and offered me a week-long forecast with little rain, moderate temperatures and a few days of sunshine. I started out at Seneca Lake State Park, headed east then south following paved trails, railroad tracks, lake roads and abandoned sections of roadway. Railroad tracks really suck to walk on but sometimes it beats the heat of a paved road. Plus, it kept me closer to the lake which was the whole point of this adventure anyway. The Trail Angel on this 13.2 mile stretch of the trip (there are always Trail Angels!) was Tom, who loaned me the huge oak tree in his front yard to kept me dry during a drizzly lunch, then filled my water bottles. The break and rehydration were enough to get me to my first destination: Sampson State Park. The campground proved to be adequate with accommodations including fire wood, a cheeseburger, a bottle of Gatorade and fried mushrooms. Like I said…I’m no Survivorman. It also delivered my only thunderstorm for the week and a chance to find all the seams in my tent that I thought I had sealed. On my second day I woke to temperatures in the mid-fifties and no rain. Perfect! I started my day (as I do most days in the ‘wild’) with a breakfast of my patented steel-cut oat-egg-maple syrup-mayonnaise dehydrated power meal, banana chips and instant coffee. For you “gram-counters” my entire breakfast weighs in at 4.5 ounces dry but is very filling after rehydrating. Next stop, Sunset on Seneca Campground, was11.8 miles south. You see, I’m realistic about my abilities and have learned to always do the hard parts first. So I planned my longest days early in the trip and kept the average mileage to around 10 miles. Now you may think that I have an incredible memory in order to provide you with so much detail. Not so. I journal a lot. I journal to capture my experiences, to gauge my gear choices and to leave a record of my travels should I meet an untimely death. About 3 miles into my second day the trail leaving Sampson skirted the lake and offered a spot to return to the beach. That is where the first “Trail Magic” happened. I should set the stage by letting you know that my son makes me a corded neckless before each trip for good luck and, most importantly, to remind me of home. He always leaves enough cordage to attach items I find along the way as mementos of my trip. This beach offered many items including beach glass, drift wood, many flat stones and even a bocce ball in my favorite color, forest green. I chose the stone, with its perfectly sized hole, and continued on my way. The bocce ball would have been too much “bling” for me anyway. During the day’s travels I was passed by five friendly and obviously curious Amish families. My pace was a fraction of that afforded by their horse and buggy but I averaged an admirable 2.5 mph over the duration the trip. Amish generosity would reveal itself later in my trip. (Stay tuned for Part 2 of this story.) My next Trail Angel came that afternoon. The day had grown warmer, the sun came out and the breeze stopped. My water was running low and I took the opportunity to say hi to a young man. He invited me into his garage (man-cave) complete with bar, table for 500 of his closest friends and a 60” flat screen TV. Two bottles of water made their way to me and once again my faith in humanity was restored.

3 Seven of Eleven: The Seneca Wine Trail on Foot, Part 1, cont’d. I arrived at the campground close to dinner time and checked in to my cabin. The brand new cabin was spacious, had A/C, electric, a mini fridge and best of all a queen sized bed. I got a campfire going and started dinner. Dinners for most of the trip included dehydrated meals which can be rehydrated using minimal water and fuel. Some meals are store-bought but I find the packaging bulky, the prices steep and the meals overloaded with salt. So I make up meals by dehydrating frozen dinners. Steel-cut oat dinners (more steel cut oats?) work well and tonight’s menu consisted of a Porcini Mushroom Chicken entrée and a store-bought Pasta Primavera. The pasta was not bad but was no match for the oats. Walking all day then downing a large, carb-loaded meal leads to early nights so no camp songs by the fire. Besides the “queen” was calling. On the third day of hiking my true love gave to me: Three Fresh Blisters, Two Steep Inclines and a Day in the Lower Forties. Sounds chilly but I grabbed a hot shower before I left. I also had an uphill climb ahead of me so I welcomed the cool temperatures. One challenge to hiking around the Finger Lakes is the wide swings in elevation. The north end of Seneca is at lake level but as you head south connected roadways, trails or tracks take you towards the lake-then away from it-many times. So, again, planning is critical. Start the day with the steep inclines and finish with moderate grades. Midway up the hill a third factor helped raise my core body temperature. Fido (Actually a female Fidette as I soon found out) decided my shin would make for a great chew-toy. There is something about a middle-aged man with trekking poles, sunglasses and a cap that infuriates small dogs. Luckily, the tiny hairball stopped about a poles- length away just long enough for her owner to scoop her off the roadway. Oh right…this is the Seneca Wine Trail… but partway into day three and…no wineries. Then suddenly, out of the mist, at the top of the hill, an image magically appeared…Route 414. That wasn’t the magic. The Idol Ridge Winery, just down the road, was. It was close to lunchtime so I decided this was a prime place to stop. As I entered the tasting room Trail Angel Bonnie welcomed me. I grabbed a grape juice, (no wine tasting…yet) and a chunk of homemade fudge and went to the counter. Bonnie informed me that the grape juice was free for kids so there would be no charge. An angel and a flatterer all in one! She also gave me a cork with the winery logo on it for my necklace. That would be one of many I would acquire along the trip. The fudge proved to be just the right compliment to my lunch which always consists of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, made with mom’s homemade peach jelly, and dehydrated apple chips. Subtle but strong reminders of family along the way give me the strength to keep going. The sugar boost helped kick off the afternoon trek but soon wore off. I break up my days into quarters. The third quarter is always the hardest. This is where the real test for me always is. I’ve had a good lunch, I’m rested, I’ve journaled, stretched and strapped on the pack. Even though I know I’m half-way there…I’m only half-way there. But I push on. Every step is one step closer. Aim for that next bend in the road, or the shady shoulder by the tree. And when I get there…go a little farther. Just to prove that I can. And I do. By the afternoon break my pace picks up. One quarter to go. I’m moving faster, I drift into weird song choices and sometimes shuffle as I walk. Ever pull an all-nighter at work or in college? At 2 am, after the cranky spell, you get goofy? Same thing happens to me in the fourth quarter and I have to remind myself to control my pace or else suffer the consequences of nasty blisters. I’ve been on Route 414 most of the nine miles today and sorely need a break, when I see Rasta Ranch Winery. Yes Rasta, like Bob Marley Rasta. Amazing, laid-back kind of place. Even the dog moved in slow motion. He strolled by, waaaaggggiiiinnnngggg his tail and giving my feet one long drawn-out sniff. Then he rolled on his side and took a nap. I almost joined him. As a gram-counter, adding weight to my pack is a big no-no, but Rasta Ranch had something I could not resist. I love coffee and I love hats and they had a hat made out of a coffee sack. Yah Maan! The last push of the day was a short 2.5 miles to the Smith Memorial Park in Hector. Nice campground with a seemingly perfect campsite overlooking the lake. Not so much. The site I had picked was all gravel, full of tree roots, had no spot for a tent but did come with a trash can overflowing with garbage and bottles from the previous occupants. The second Trail Angel of the day took care of the situation. Janine is the Park Manager. She is also the Town Clerk so it was no surprise when she arrived in her “clerk clothes.” Finely dressed, she loaded me and my pack into a golf cart, helped me fill the back with firewood and chauffeured me around the campground to select a suitable site. She even loaned me a 30 amp converter so I could charge up my phone. After dropping me off at my site she had to go clean up the trash since the maintenance crews had not done so. Because of this work she was going to miss her daughter’s volleyball game. But that is what Trail Angels do. They give of themselves unselfishly often missing out on things important to them. cont’d. p.5

4 Seven of Eleven: The Seneca Lake Wine Trail on Foot, Part 1, cont’d.

Andy Sciarabba, Clute Park, Watkin Glen. Day four was a relatively short leg of the trip but eight of the 9.4 miles would be on Route 414. Highway walking sloped paved shoulders, heavy traffic and car exhaust. Not very glamorous but the half-way point was very close. Half-way meant the south end of Seneca Lake. It meant a hotel. It meant a hot non-rehydrated meal prepared by someone else. It meant a bed. It meant time with my family. So with my head down, off I went. Just before my mid-morning break I heard someone honk. I looked up and saw a friend across the highway waving me over. Kate had been following me on Facebook (yes I was posting along the way) and happened to be in the area. It was the first interaction with someone I knew for three days which was a welcomed surprise. Kate is a local realtor and we kicked around ideas on how to integrate hiking trails through vineyards and hook them up with bed-and-breakfasts to create a non-motorized wine trail experience. Food (and wine) for thought. I had lots of time for thinking ahead of me. The rest of the day was spent on narrow shoulders way too close to traffic. I’m writing this article so no bodily harm was done, but you have to keep a keen eye on oncoming traffic and be ready to swan-dive into a ditch or over a guide-rail if someone gets too close. I must have sprinted the last 1.5 miles once small glimpses of Watkins Glen and the south shore came into view. I reached the lakeside park and felt grass under my feet for the first time in four days. The sun was out all day which made for a perfect setting in the park. I met Mike, who offered to take a photo of me (proof that I actually walked the whole east side), and we chatted about hiking for a bit. He was a hiker in his day but a bad foot halted his adventures. I felt bad for him but maybe he was able to live a bit vicariously through me and my recent experiences. The evening proved to be beyond perfect. I showered, met up with my wife and son, had a filling Italian dinner, restocked my pack and got a good night’s sleep. I made it half-way! I was not in a ditch. I walked 46 miles in 4 days and my feet had fewer blisters than most two-day hikes. Forty-six miles does not seem like a lot, it’s not like I hiked the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Coast Trail. But next time you are by a large lake, standing on a dock or sitting on the beach, look left as far as you can. Then look right as far as you can. Makes you feel small, very small. …Stay thirsty my friends-for Part 2…

5 Volunteer Opportunities with Cayuga Trails Club Our club runs on volunteer power. We are a small organization of 220 members, a tiny budget and no paid staff. We organize 80 hikes and weekend camp-outs, maintain and improve 100 miles of hiking trail, engage landowners, publish trail guides, and host a hiking weekend for 200 hikers from all over New York State - all with volunteers. Join us. Consider one of the following volunteer opportunities. You'll be supported all the way, and you might find it's one of the most satisfying things you've ever done. Fun, too. Hike Leader. Hike Coordinator Barbara Nussbaum needs leaders for regular weekly hikes, and Robin Carlisle Peck needs leaders for the spring FLTC weekend, June 17th through the 19th. Some preparation and coaching needed, but it's not overwhelming. We also need sweeps for the spring conference. Trail Adopter. Trails Chair Paul Warrender has a few nice sections of trail that need love. He's also organizing several interesting and fun trail-building projects this season. If you've never done trail work with a group, you've missed some wonderful camaraderie and a real sense of shared purpose and goals. Landowner Outreach. Landowner Relations Chair Andy Sciarabba needs to engage at least 50 landowners who currently permit hikers to cross their land. We also need to contact landowners who don't know us yet. Ability to establish rapport with rural landowners is a requirement. To volunteer for any of these roles, contact: [email protected].

Finger Lakes Trail 2016 Spring Weekend June 17-19, 2016 Academy of Fire Science Montour Falls, New York Hosted by the Cayuga Trails Club

Mark your calendar and register now for the Finger Lakes Trail 2016 Spring Weekend, hosted by our club. Note, registration will close on May 20th. The event features twenty hikes spread over three days, informative programs, plus the pleasure of reconnecting with friends. Two evening programs feature speakers not to be missed. Friday evening, Linda Spielman will teach you to identify and interpret animal tracks and signs, nature's clues to what goes on in the woods and fields when we're not around. Heather Houskeeper, “The Botanical Hiker,” completed the first thru hike of the FLT and all the branch trails in 2015. On Saturday evening, Heather will present her story as well as a description of edible/medicinal plants along the trail. A wine and brewery tour will be offered, and the Trail Conference’s annual meeting is also part of the agenda. For more information on scheduled events, accommodations, and registration check the FLTC website, http://www.fltconference.org/trail/whats-happening/hikes/spring-weekend/ or the events tab at www.cayugatrails.org. Information will also be in the FLT News. If you would like to volunteer or if you have any questions, please contact Robin Carlisle Peck, 607-227-7413, email [email protected].

6 Trails Report By Paul Warrender, Trails Chairman Want to give back? Like working on our trails? Save The Date! Saturday, June 4th For the fourth year in a row the Cayuga Trails Club will host a National Trails Day trail stewardship event on Saturday, June 4th, 2016. This year, the project will be on the Cayuga Trail at Cornell Plantations. Give back to our beautiful hiking trails! Please plan to join us. Participants will receive a National Trails Day t-shirt (awarded after participation) and the pride of knowing that you have made local hiking trails even better by devoting just a day of your time. Project tools and lunch will be provided by the CTC. Check the Cayuga Trails Club website events page beginning April 1 for project details. We hope to see you there!

Adopt-A-Highway 2016 By David Priester

Although some days it might not seem like it, Spring is really approaching, Punxsutawney Phil said so after all, right? Volunteers will be needed again this year to clean up our long-adopted section of Route 366, which runs for about 2 miles from Judd Falls Road to just before the old railroad overpass in the hamlet of Varna. The roadside will be, unfortunately, littered with the winter’s trash and debris of many kinds yet again this spring. We have a number of loyal trash collectors and welcome anyone who would like to help out. It is a very visible function for us. I have had folks pull over in their cars on their way through Varna and thank us for cleaning up the roadside. Most volunteers will be done around an hour or so depending on the trash volume, renewing acquaintances with old friends, or finding new friends during their time working together. Although the job sounds unattractive, the time spent usually goes by quickly and most volunteers leave feeling they contributed to their community. Wednesday, May 4th, will be the first cleanup of the year and continues a long tradition of community service of this type by Cayuga Trails Club. The club provides the tools, bags and safety equipment needed. Helpers are assigned in pairs to sections of the highway to search for trash. Please come out and join the fun. Scheduled Adopt-A-Highway dates for 2016 are: Wednesday, May 4th, Tuesday, July 7th, Tuesday September 7th, at 5:30pm, and Saturday, October 29th at 10:00am.

“Thank You” to Our Trail Landowners

Please accept the appreciation of the Cayuga Trails Club Board members for your continuing permission to route local trails through your property. Perhaps your trail's caretaker has said so directly. Please know that we are all grateful for the privilege of enjoying your back woods, streams, and fields. On behalf of all hikers and CTC members, we acknowledge that, without your generosity, we would simply never have a continuous trail to enjoy in our part of the Finger Lakes.

In an effort to improve communication with our very generous landowners we have formed a Landowner Relations Committee and will be working hard in 2016 to expand our outreach. We may give you a call. Or send you an email. Or stop by to say Hi! We hope you will welcome us. If you need to reach out to us please contact Andy Sciarabba, Landowner Relations Chair, at 607-327-0578 or [email protected].

7 Hike Reports Check the CTC website or Facebook page for more photos

Watkins Glen in Winter January 2, 2016 By Tom Formanek

The Saturday hike drew 22 people. Fifteen were members and seven were guests (I originally didn't notice a couple had used one line to sign in). Things got off a little roughly. There was so much excited chatter before we began that getting everyone's attention was a challenge. Consequently, one of our drivers to the starting point thought she had the directions. Not quite. We had to call her and get that car (five people) back with us. No question, you always benefit more from complete instructions. While parking, one of my erstwhile friends tapped my bumper, humoring a woodsman (already at the parking area) to no end. At that point my head count was five short. Rather than keeping the greater group standing around in a breezy 27 degrees, I got the main group going while Dave Priester, Charlie and Sheila waited for the lost sheep. I herded the cats on, and we were on our way. While overcast and cold, Photo by Tom Formanek the views were great and the water was running high due to recent rains, so the noise from the various falls and spillways was very prominent. We paused toward the end at a suspension bridge over the deep part of the chasm, where the turbulent water was roaring and rushing. That is where the group picture was taken (see it on the club’s Facebook page). Sara determined that she had to leave, but everyone else waited patiently in the cold parking lot for the drivers to return with their vehicles from the starting point. Fortunately, this time these drivers knew the way. Off to the Crooked Rooster. Charlie and I got to sit with two grad students and a spouse and everyone did their best to make the generation gap disappear. Before departing at the beginning, I made sure everyone knew that Gary would have given anything to have been there, and that if they had a good time, Gary would love to hear about it. He also deserved a lot of thanks for this great CTC tradition. After the hike, I thanked everyone for coming out and wished all a Happy New Year, at which 20 happy hikers all thanked me.

Bob Cameron Loop in Connecticut Hill Saturday, February 6, 2016 By David Priester We had a wonderful afternoon on Connecticut Hill. A great group of ten hikers tramped the Bob Cameron Loop. It was a perfect day, no snow but cold enough to freeze the muddy spots. Everyone made it across the upper gorge crossing without incident. And to top it off we did some trail work, clearing a blowdown and replanting the trail register/Passport emblem in the ground. A special recognition to a few folks new to our group, thank you for joining us and we hope to see you again

soon.

Photo by David Priester. 8 CTC Full Moon Hike January 22, 2016 By John Andersson Despite the temperature in the mid-teens (or maybe because of) only two Cayuga Trails Club members got to enjoy the January Full Moon Hike at the Baldwin Tract of the Roy H. Park Finger Lakes Land Trust Preserve on Irish Settlement Road in the Town of Dryden. Snowshoes and flashlights were unnecessary due to the moon reflecting off a few inches of snow. We began hiking about 5:30 and finished two miles later at 6:45 after taking the side trails to Six Mile Creek and the lean-to. The creek water rushing over the rocks and under the ice were the only sounds in the night. The lack of wind plus the exercise kept us plenty warm under the Wolf Moon. We were glad we were able to enjoy the unusual experience of walking in the moon-lit snow. Check the CTC Facebook page for photos.

Winter Hike on the Abbott Loop and Chestnut Lean-To February 27, 2016 By David Priester

Photo by David Priester. What a glorious winter day to be out in the woods. Our group of five successfully made the anticipated 6 mile circuit passing the Chestnut lean to, a couple old building cellar holes, the graveyard on Bald Hill Road, and the Thatchers Pinnacles overlook. We welcomed some hikers who had not hiked with us before which is always a pleasure. No one got lost (Not that anyone ever does), no one got wet feet (OR Worse) though the water crossings are a little more challenging than usual. It seems that some of the water courses have rerouted themselves a bit. Thank you everyone who came out today. We had a great time, good company and a beautiful walk.

Welcome New Cayuga Trails Club Members By Sigrid Connors Welcome to eight new CTC memberships and five new Lifetime memberships! Homer: Marie Kautz, Individual Ithaca: Michelle Cox, Family Meena Haribal, Individual Debra Nero, Supporting Trumansburg: Kristy Mitchell, Supporting, Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce Gretchen Salm, Family Jennifer Tavares, Supporting, Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce Thank you to our new Lifetime Members: Brooktondale: # 48 – Lucy Gagliardo, Individual Dryden: # 46 – Martha Ferger, Individual Ithaca: # 44 – Susan Suarez and Wayne Gottlieb, Family # 45 – Gayle Gray, Individual Tonawanda PA: # 49 – Nancy Williams, Family

10 Upcoming Hikes and Other Events By Barb Nussbaum

Check the Trails Club website for more information on each hike

Tuesday Evening Hike: Goetchius and Ellis Hollow Preserves Tuesday, March 1, 2016  Time: 4:00 p.m.  Carpool meeting place: EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: 2 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Moderate Tonight's hike takes us to two Finger Lakes Land Trust Preserves, Goetchius Wetland Preserve and Ellis Hollow Nature Preserve. We will carpool and drive first to Goetchius in Brooktondale. Bring water, waterproof hiking boots, and dress in layers for the weather. To minimize logistics and reduce our environmental impact, this hike requires a car pool, beginning at Eastern Mountain Sports, 722 South Meadow Street. Drivers will be asked to carry passengers.

*OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Robert H. Treman State Park Registration Required! Saturday, March 5, 2016  Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Treman State Park upper parking lot off of NY Route 327.  Contact: Josh Teeter Email: [email protected] Telephone: (607) 383-7041 ext. 131 Meet at the Upper Entrance parking lot by the Old Mill. This hike will begin on the Rim trail to see Lucifer Falls from the overlook and will also include portions of the Finger Lakes Trail. Total hike mileage approximately 4 miles. Hike length and exact route subject to change due to weather conditions. *Non CTC event - OPRHP: NY Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Places

Tuesday Evening Hike: Hinchcliff and Hi Vista Preserves Tuesday, March 8, 2016  Time: 4:00 p.m.  Carpool meeting place: EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow Street  Event/Trailhead location: Parking area for Hinchcliff Preserve, Covey Road, Spafford, NY. Note Covey Road is not maintained in winter and is steep and winding. If your car is not equipped for winter driving, park at the end of the road and walk down to the preserve.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: About 2 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Moderate Tonight's hike begins at the Hinchcliff Family Preserve, and ends at Hi Vista Preserve, which is just down the road. These are short hikes to lovely Finger Lakes landscapes protected by the Finger Lakes Land Trust.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Three Preserves Tuesday, March 15, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Bock-Harvey Forest Preserve, 150 Rockwell Road trailhead, Enfield, NY.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: About 4 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Easy Our destination this week takes us to three preserves, two of which are protected by the Finger Lakes Land Trust: the Bock-Harvey Forest Preserve, Rieman Woods, and Stevenson Forest Preserve. We will do a loop hike around Bock- Harvey and Rieman Woods, then drive the short distance to Stevenson. The Land Trust now has over 17,000 acres of natural areas under protection, including over 30 Preserves.

11 Tuesday Evening Hike: Waterfront Trail East Tuesday, March 22, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Chemung Canal Trust Company parking lot, corner of Taughannock Blvd. and Buffalo Street, Ithaca.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: 4 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Easy Tonight's destination is the eastern half of the Waterfront Trail, with a spur out to the lighthouse at the south end of the lake, and additional mileage in Renwick Wildwood. This is long loop route.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Cayuga Trail East Tuesday, March 29, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: The Flat Rock parking area is on Forest Home Drive in Ithaca, opposite the Cornell Arboretum maintenance buildings near the Stevens Suspension Bridge.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: 5 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Moderate Tonight's destination is a portion of the eastern section of the Cayuga Trail along with an unnamed, unofficial trail which takes us downstream along Fall Creek, and then through a part of the golf course and past the equestrian center.

*OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Taughannock Falls State Park Registration Required! Saturday, April 2, 2016  Time: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.  Contact: Josh Teeter Email: [email protected] Telephone: (607) 383-7041 ext. 131 Meet at the Gorge Trail parking lot. We will hike the Gorge Trail, North Rim Trail and the South Rim Trail. Total hike mileage approximately 3.75 miles. Hike length and exact route subject to change due to weather conditions. *Non CTC event - OPRHP: NY Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Places

*FLLT: Tree Identification Walk in the Sweedler Preserve Sunday, April 3, 2016  Time: 2:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Finger Lakes Land Trust Sweedler Preserve at Lick Brook, Upper Entrance on Townline Road near Sandbank Road in Ithaca.  Contact: Akiva Silver Email: [email protected] Telephone: (607) 589-7937 Join Akiva Silver, naturalist, landscaper, and outdoor educator for a walk that will focus on identification, natural history, wildlife value, the role of invasive plants, as well as survival uses of trees and shrubs. The walk will last two hours or more so please come prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear for the weather and terrain. *Non CTC event - FLLT: Finger Lakes Land Trust

Tuesday Evening Hike: Excelsior Tuesday, April 5, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m. Event/Trailhead location: Shoulder parking on Jolly Rd. 0.4 miles east of Route 79 near the Route 414 intersection in Watkins Glen.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: About 3 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Severe; Change in elevation: about 700 feet This week's short hike takes us to the Finger Lakes Trail as it traverses Excelsior Glen near Watkins Glen. Excelsior is a lovely little natural area which boasts at least three dramatic waterfalls.

12 Tuesday Evening Hike: Roy H. Park Preserve Tuesday, April 12, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Roy H. Park Preserve of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, on Irish Settlement Road in Dryden, about 0.5 miles south of Hammond Hill Road. There are two FLLT parking lots about 1 mile apart. This is the one nearest the intersection of Hammond Hill Road and Irish Settlement Road.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: About 4.5 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Moderate Our destination this week takes us to the Roy H. Park Preserve in Dryden, and its two sections of trail. Note that the two sections are not connected, so there will be about 0.9 mile of car shuttle on this hike, but it's worth the small inconvenience.

Walk, Look & Learn Hike # 587 - Fischer Old-Growth Forest, Town of Newfield, Tompkins County Saturday, April 16, 2016  Time: 9:00 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St.  Contact: Tom Reimers Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-272-8679  Hike rating: Length - 1.5 miles Magnificent! This word very appropriately describes the location of our hike. Other adjectives are majestic, magical, and inspirational. Even though this hike is short in terms of distance (about 1.5 miles), we may spend a couple hours in this sanctuary enjoying trees over 150 feet tall, mini-gorges, ridges, early wildflowers, waterfalls, and birds.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Lucifer Falls and Treman State Park Tuesday, April 19, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: FLT trailhead and Finger Lakes Land Trust Sweedler Preserve at Lick Brook, Lower Entrance access.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: 5 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Difficult Our destination tonight is Lucifer Falls and Treman State Park, one of the most lovely and dramatic vantage points in central New York.

Earth Day Hike on the Cayuga Trail Sunday, April 24, 2016  Time: 1:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Cornell Community Gardens  Contact: Tom Reimers Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-272-8679 The Earth Day Hike will follow a 4.4-mile-long section of the Cayuga Trail and (time-permitting) a 0.6-mile-long out- and-back trail to a breathtaking vista high above Fall Creek. All 5 miles will be hiked on beautiful natural areas of Cornell Plantations. Tom Reimers will lead the hike from the community gardens beginning at 1:00 p.m. Transportation will be available at the end of the hike to take participants back to the beginning. The Cayuga Trails Club started building the Cayuga Trail in 1964; it has been expanded several times in its history. This trail takes hikers along the high banks and water’s edge of Fall Creek, through hardwood forests, pine plantations, and interesting areas of lush ferns and hawthorns. This hike features early spring wildflowers, birds, breathtaking vistas, interesting geological features, and the beauty of very wild sections of Fall Creek and Cornell’s off-campus natural areas. The Cayuga Trail is considered one of the most beautiful foot trails on a university property. Wear sturdy footwear and bring drinking water and rain gear if needed. Be prepared for steep ups and downs; the trail is challenging in some places.

13 *FLTC: Wally Wood Spring Hike on the Interloken Trail Saturday, April 30, 2016  Time: 9:00 a.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Blueberry Patch parking lot on Picnic Area Road in the Finger Lakes National Forest.  Contacts: Debra Nero Email: [email protected] Telephone: (607)227-7957 Laurie Ondrejka Email: [email protected] Telephone: 585-727-6495 We will hike the entire 11.2 mile long Interloken Trail from south to north. This trail is easy to moderate as it follows the high land between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. *Non CTC event - FLTC: Finger Lakes Trail Conference

Walk, Look and Learn Hike # 588: Guided Tour of the O.D. von Engeln Preserve at Malloryville Saturday, May 14, 2016  Time: 12:30 p.m.  Carpool meeting place: East Hill Plaza. Park near Tompkins Trust branch office, 1012 Ellis Hollow Road, Ithaca.  Event/Trailhead location: 1:00 p.m. Von Engeln Preserve on West Malloryville Road between Freeville and McLean (look for parking area with large white Nature Conservancy sign).  Contacts: Bob Beck Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-423-0397, Tom Reimers Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-272-8679 Naturalist Bob Beck will lead a tour of the amazing O.D. von Engeln Preserve. This wetland preserve includes several post-glacial features such as eskers (river beds that ran through glaciers), wooded swamps, bogs, fens, marshes, and springs. These unusual features provide habitats for a variety of uncommon plants such as northern pitcher plants, highbush blueberries, water arum, and sundew. Songbirds are also abundant this time of year. For more information about the preserve, visit O.D. von Engeln Preserve at Malloryville | The Nature Conservancy.

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Cayuga Trails Club Executive Board Officers President Gary Mallow, Vice President Paul Warrender, Secretary Robin Carlisle Peck, Treasurer Jim Connors Members-at-Large, Sheila Stone, ’15-’16, PJ Peterman, ’16-’17, Past President Roger Hopkins Committees Trails Paul Warrender, Walk, Look, and Learn Hikes (WLL) Barbara Nussbaum, Guidebook John Andersson, Adopt-a-Highway* David Priester, Archives Barbara Morley, Finance John Andersson, IT/Website Roger Hopkins, Webmaster, Landowner Relations Andy Sciarabba, Membership Sigrid Connors, Newsletter Editor Judith Austic, Social Marsha Zgola, Trails Guide Marketing Tom Formanek, Publicity Sheila Stone * Ad-hoc Board meetings are on the first Tuesday of even months. Members are welcome to attend (email [email protected] for meeting place and time). Next Board meeting: April 5, 2016.

Cayuga Trails is published six times a year and is edited and published by Judith Austic. Comments and original contributions are welcome. Deadline for the next edition is Apr. 15, 2016. Send contributions to [email protected] or 5 Stevenson St. Seneca Falls, NY 13148. Visit Cayuga Trails Club website at www.CayugaTrailsClub.org

14 In Memoriam John Crispin (Cris) McConkey, 1952-2015 Many in the hiking community were saddened to hear of Cris McConkey's passing on December 29th at his home in Trumansburg following a long illness. Cris was a videographer, passionate about the dangers of fracking and the Cuba embargo, among other social justice issues. Cris served hikers by maintaining the Bob Cameron Loop, a part of the FLT, for many years. He had a passion for protection of the ski tread during cold weather months, which was being trampled by snowshoes. He was a strong advocate for skiers on Connecticut Hill. Cris was a good guy and his passing is a loss.

Mark Your Calendar

Tue, Mar 1 Tuesday Evening Hike: Goetchius and Ellis Hollow Preserves — Gary Mallow Sat, Mar 5 *OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Robert H. Treman State Park — Josh Teeter Registration Required! Tue, Mar 8 Tuesday Evening Hike: Hinchcliff and Hi Vista Preserves — Gary Mallow Tue, Mar 15 Tuesday Evening Hike: Three Preserves — Gary Mallow Tue, Mar 22 Tuesday Evening Hike: Waterfront Trail East — Gary Mallow Tue, Mar 29 Tuesday Evening Hike: Cayuga Trail East — Gary Mallow Sat, Apr 2 *OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Taughannock Falls State Park — Josh Teeter Registration Required! Sun, Apr 3 *FLLT: Tree Identification Walk in the Sweedler Preserve — Akiva Silver Tue, Apr 5 Tuesday Evening Hike: Excelsior — Gary Mallow Tue, Apr 12 Tuesday Evening Hike: Roy H. Park Preserve — Gary Mallow Sat, Apr 16 Walk, Look & Learn Hike # 587 - Fischer Old-Growth Forest, Town of Newfield, Tompkins County — Tom Reimers Tue, Apr 19 Tuesday Evening Hike: Lucifer Falls and Treman State Park — Gary Mallow Sun, Apr 24 Earth Day Hike on the Cayuga Trail — Tom Reimers Sat, Apr 30 *FLTC: Wally Wood Spring Hike on the Interloken Trail — Debra Nero , Laurie Ondrejka Wed, May 4 Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup — David Priester Sat, May 14 Walk, Look and Learn Hike # 588: Guided Tour of the O.D. von Engeln Preserve at Malloryville — Bob Beck, Tom Reimers

Check our website at CayugaTrailsClub.org for events that may not be listed in this issue and for any last minute changes.

Cayuga Trails Club, Inc. NON-PROFIT P.O. Box 754 ORGANIZATION Ithaca, NY 14851-0754 U.S. POSTAGE PAID ITHACA, NY PERMIT NO. 94

16 Cayuga Trails Newsletter of the Cayuga Trails Club Founded in 1962 “…to explore, enjoy and preserve wild lands and places of natural beauty…”

May-June 2016 Summer Edition Volume 56, Nos. 5&6

Finger Lakes Trail 2016 Spring Weekend June 17-19, 2016 Academy of Fire Science Montour Falls, New York Hosted by the Cayuga Trails Club

It’s not easy to schedule twenty hikes in three days and line up top speakers each evening, let alone organize, house and feed the many enthusiastic hikers signing up for the Finger Lakes Trail Conference Spring Weekend, but Robin Carlisle Peck and committee have done just that-and more. Don’t wait-the deadline for registering is May 20th. Cayuga Trails Club hosts this year’s FLTC Spring Weekend, and it is shaping up to be one you won’t want to miss. The Montour Falls Fire Academy will be the base of operations, with dorm-style overnight accommodations, belly-satisfying buffet meals, take-along lunches for hikers, and meeting facilities. Nearby motels, B&B’s and camping are also options. Three full days of hikes are designed for all interests and abilities, each led by experienced volunteers, ranging from moderate hikes over easy terrain to more strenuous treks. Check the schedule of events-you may have a tough time choosing. Each evening features a special speaker you won’t want to miss. Friday evening, Linda Spielman will give an informative lesson in identifying and interpreting animal tracks. Saturday’s speaker is long distance hiker, Certified Herbalist and author, Heather Houskeeper. Ms. Houskeeper is the first person to thru-hike the nearly 1000 mile Finger Lakes Trail and its six branch trails in one continuous trek. Along the way, she compiled information on the edible and medicinal plants found there. You will have the opportunity to purchase an autographed copy of Ms. Houskeeper’s newest book, A Guide to the Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Finger Lakes Trail System. If all that wasn’t enough to tempt you, local wineries will be on hand to offer wine tasting both evenings. For a small fee, you can enjoy a morning stretch class with a licensed Yoga instructor and licensed massage therapists will be available both evenings for a relaxing massage. Check the FLTC Heather Houskeeper. website for fees and scheduling. Photo by Robin The FLTC annual meeting is on the schedule for Saturday afternoon. Led by the FLTC Board Carlisle Peck. President, the program includes annual awards, reports, election of members to the Board of Managers, and other events. Remember-registration ends May 20th. You can register online anytime and pay securely via PayPal using a PayPal account or a credit card. Alternatively, you can register by US mail with a check using the registration form found on the FLTC website. Check online for a complete schedule of events and more information: FLTC: http://www.fltconference.org/trail/whats-happening/hikes/spring-weekend/; Cayuga Trails Club. http://cayugatrailsclub.org/events/eventdetails.php?eid=829&page=index. For other questions, please contact Robin Carlisle Peck, telephone, 607-227-7413; email [email protected].

FLT through hiker Roy Dando. photo by President’s Column By Gary Mallow Jim Connors. I’m Excited A few of my hiking friends are chuckling at the title of this column right now. Gary… excited? How would we know? Apart from a Bills game, you're unlikely to see me jumping up and down, screaming, or yelling, and my friend Vito Brancato will tell you I'm no dancer. My standard response to most news is to see the darker side of issues and events, and I can be a tad cynical. But today is not one of those days. Things are in motion in your club, most of them quietly gaining momentum, mostly behind the scenes, that could result in positive outcomes for hikers this year. Execution is always where the rubber hits the road, and we may fall flat on our face. But I don't think so. We've got good people heading up these projects, and, more important, we are heading in the right direction. The key is to keep the momentum going. Here's what's got me feeling positive about hiking and trails right now: Trails Chair Paul Warrender has four reroutes in the planning phase, including a National Trails Day work project on Saturday, June 4th. A lot of things have to fall just right for all four reroutes to be accomplished this year, and I am reluctant to provide any more details. There are landowners to enroll, land managers to bring on board, good routes to flag, volunteers to recruit to actually cut and blaze the trail, and good weather is critical...there are just too many variables. I am also a believer in hexes, so that's all I'm going to say about the specifics. Building new trail and eliminating road-walks is one of the most exciting things I've been involved with in the last 15 years, and I can't wait to hear when Paul is ready to schedule the first project. It is so cool to build, and then hike, a new section of trail. I can hardly contain myself. The last time I checked, our website listed 56 different hikes, camp-outs, trail work projects, social events or club meetings listed, 45 of them sponsored by your club or the Finger Lakes Trail Conference. You have no excuse to sit home and grouse about nothing to do and no one to do it with – your club is providing at least two events each week. The credit for a full schedule like this goes to Barbara Nussbaum, her committee, and her tiny but growing band of hike leaders. Barbara is working diligently to provide you plenty of opportunity get outdoors and be with like-minded hikers, and the results of that hard work are evident. She's doing a great job. After a year of planning, Landowner Relations Chair Andy Sciarabba, along with members of his committee, is just about ready to start making phone calls and knocking on doors of current permitting landowners. The goal is to reintroduce ourselves to friends whom we haven't seen in too long. Andy and his committee will ask landowners how things are going, what we could do to be better stewards of the FLT and Cayuga Trail, and get a better feel for what's happening in the neighborhood. If there is a question or concern about the trail or hikers, we may be able to address and resolve it quickly. Along the way, Andy hopes to reestablish relationships and make new connections with folks to whom we owe a debt of gratitude. It incredibly generous for landowners to allow us to cross their woods and fields, and one of the most important goals for Andy is to let them know how much we appreciate their generosity. There may even be a small gift delivered. Robin Carlisle Peck and her committee have been busy arranging housing, setting up menus, lining up speakers and scheduling hike leaders for the Finger Lakes Trail Conference Annual Meeting in Montour Falls. At last report we had 80 hikers signed up, heading towards 200 hikers coming from all over the state. To my surprise and delight, Robin is inviting a number of Finger Lakes vintners to provide us with wine tasting demonstrations. There's a good chance we'll have yoga classes and even massage. This is going to be a great weekend, a lot of fun. Robin and her crew are making it happen. John Andersson graciously accepted the assignment of Editor for our trails guide, and he has begun the daunting process of revising a dense manuscript with a lot of detail and many sources. He is the right man for the job. Finally, we welcomed a number of new members to our leadership group - our Board of Directors – over the past couple of years, and it looks like we made some good choices. Andy Sciarabba dug into his Landowner Relations assignment immediately and his low key, personable approach is an asset when working with landowners. Sheila Stone graciously took over Publicity and she is facing some familiar challenges, but I think she has just the right personality and persistence for the job. In the end it all comes down to execution. I can write a dozen editorials like this and hand out all the accolades in the world, but if the work isn't executed then that's all they are – words and empty accolades. I have no crystal ball, but it looks good for your club, and for hikers, right now. I'm excited – and for a guy like me, that's saying something.

2 Two Camping Opportunities with the Cayuga Trails Club By Barbara Nussbaum We will be having two camping trips this summer, which is a 100 percent increase over last year. Both trips offer the opportunity of hiking branch trails of the Finger Lakes Trails system: the Letchworth trail and the Bristol Hill trail. If you are interested in participating in the camping trip, contact the hike leaders immediately to find out if there is a camping spot still available. If you don’t want to camp, you can also join us for the hikes. The trailheads are about 90 minutes to 2 hours from Ithaca.

Hike the Letchworth State Park Trail from Sunday, July 17 – Tuesday, July 19, 2016 Are you trying to become an End-to-Ender for the Branch Trails of the Finger Lakes Trail, or would you just like to hike through a beautiful state park? Join us for three moderately-paced hikes on the Letchworth Trail in mid-July. The Letchworth Trail is a comparatively level forest trail following along the eastern high banks of the Genesee River where several vantage points present a panoramic view of the river canyon. The trail skirts ravines that open up to the river. We will cover 20.5 miles of the 25-mile trail over the three days, plus a bit more mileage to get from parking access to the trail each day. The trail is currently closed between Access K to L due to nearby construction, so we will stay north of that area. Some participants will be camping at Letchworth State Park under their own site reservations and are responsible for their own transportation. Those who are camping must provide their own transportation, lunch/snacks and food for breakfast and dinner. Contact the hike leader ASAP via email for more information about camping. Hikers should have the basic day hiking essentials, plenty of water, and lunch/snacks in their daypacks. Wear appropriate hiking footwear and clothing. Hikers are expected to stay with the group during the hikes; we’ll make time for photo-ops at the scenic viewpoints on the trail, and will stop for a short lunch and necessary breaks. Drivers are expected to have room for at least one additional passenger with a seatbelt to facilitate car shuttles each day. No dogs allowed. Purchase trail maps in advance and prepare your driving routes using the Finger Lakes Trail Conference website: http://www.fltconference.org/trail/store/maps-and-gps/ and http://www.fltconference.org/trail/go- hiking/interactive-map-segmented/. Check the CTC website http://cayugatrailsclub.org/events/ for the hike descriptions of each day. Contact: Anna Keeton, email: [email protected]; telephone: 607-351-3466.

Labor Day Campout in Ontario County Park - Hike the Bristol Hill Trail Friday, September 2 – Monday, September 5, 2016 The plan for some CTC members is to hike the entire 56 mile long Bristol Hill Trail in four days during Labor Day weekend. The Cayuga Trails Club has reserved a few campsites in Ontario County Park at the northern end of the Bristol Hill Trail, which is a branch trail of the Main Finger Lakes Trail. Ontario County Park at Gannett Hill is located in the town of South Bristol, just west of the southern end of Canandaigua Lake. The park has 400 acres and about 17 miles of trails. For those looking for other things to do, Canandaigua is very pretty, swimming is possible in Onondaga Beach and Park in nearby Canandaigua Lake. You can also visit the Glenn H. Curtis Aviation museum near Hammondsport. This camping trip is for hikers only and participants are expected to participate in the group hikes. Please, bring your own tent, all camping equipment and your own food. We plan to organize potlucks/joint meals for dinner on Saturday and Sunday evenings. The fee for a campsite is $45 for three nights. The Bristol Hill Trail hiking maps B1, B2 and B3 can be ordered using the Finger Lakes Trail Conference website: http://www.fltconference.org/trail/store/maps-and-gps/ and http://www.fltconference.org/trail/go- hiking/interactive-map-segmented/. Check the CTC website: http://cayugatrailsclub.org/events/ for further details. The hike descriptions for each day will be posted there later. Contact: Barbara Nussbaum, email: [email protected]; Telephone: 607-257-6906.

3 Ed’s Trek: A celebratory trail fun run, hike, and gathering of friends for Ed Hart

South Lower Treman Pavilion, Robert H. Treman State Park Sunday May 8, 2016 10 am At its April 5th meeting, the Trails Club board unanimously approved a donation to support Ed’s Trek. Ed Hart the runner, cyclist, trail adventurer, land conserver, historian, civil rights activist, physician, and friend to all, endeared many in our community by sharing his unique approach to life and enthusiasm for the great outdoors. He was an integral part of many organizations in our community including the Finger Lakes Running Club, Cayuga Trail Club, Finger Lakes Land Trust, Finger Lakes Cycling Club, and the History Center. Kim Snedden is one of the organizers. “I initially met Ed through the Finger Lakes Running Club in the early 90's. We shared many early morning and weekend runs. During the last several years, Ed, my young son, and I would find a trail every Thursday to explore. Recently, these adventures were not very fast or long, but fulfilling in many ways. He always spoke very highly of his friends in the CTC.”

Ed Hart. Photo by Kim Snedden Read more about Ed’s Trek in the Upcoming Hikes section of this newsletter, or for or more information, check the events page on the Cayuga Trails Club website or contact Carol Mallison, email: [email protected]; telephone: 607-564-3396, or Kim Snedden, email, [email protected]; telephone, 603-504-4035

Volunteer Opportunities with Cayuga Trails Club Our club runs on volunteer power. We are a small organization of 220 members, a tiny budget and no paid staff. We organize 80 hikes and weekend camp-outs, maintain and improve 100 miles of hiking trail, engage landowners, publish trail guides, and host a hiking weekend for 200 hikers from all over New York State - all with volunteers. Join us. Consider one of the following volunteer opportunities. You'll be supported all the way, and you might find it's one of the most satisfying things you've ever done. Fun, too. Hike Leader. Hike Coordinator Barbara Nussbaum needs leaders for regular weekly hikes, and Robin Carlisle Peck needs leaders for the spring FLTC weekend, June 17th through the 19th. Some preparation and coaching needed, but it's not overwhelming. We also need sweeps for the spring conference. Trail Adopter. Trails Chair Paul Warrender has a few nice sections of trail that need love. He's also organizing several interesting and fun trail-building projects this season. If you've never done trail work with a group, you've missed some wonderful camaraderie and a real sense of shared purpose and goals. Landowner Outreach. Landowner Relations Chair Andy Sciarabba needs to engage at least 50 landowners who currently permit hikers to cross their land. We also need to contact landowners who don't know us yet. Ability to establish rapport with rural landowners is a requirement. To volunteer for any of these roles, contact: [email protected].

4 Trails Report By Paul Warrender, Trails Chairman Want to give back? Like working on our trails? Save The Date! Saturday, June 4th For the fourth year in a row the Cayuga Trails Club will host a National Trails Day trail stewardship event on Saturday, June 4th, 2016. This year, the project will be on the Cayuga Trail at Cornell Plantations. Give back to our beautiful hiking trails! Please plan to join us. Participants will receive a National Trails Day t-shirt (awarded after participation) and the pride of knowing that you have made local hiking trails even better by devoting just a day of your time. Project tools and lunch will be provided by the CTC. Check the Cayuga Trails Club website events page beginning April 1 for project details. We hope to see you there!

Adopt-A-Highway 2016 By David Priester

“Thank You” to Our Trail Landowners

Welcome New Cayuga Trails Club Members By Sigrid Connors Freeville: Steve Scheidweiler & Family Newfield: Fran Martak & Family Groton: Shannon Fuller Spencer: Stephen Devlin Reenie Sandsted Ithaca: Deirdre Halloran Kristin Kurz Jiyue Ma Nicole MacPherson

6 Upcoming Hikes and Other Events By Barb Nussbaum

Check the Trails Club website for more information on each hike

*FLNPS: Wildflower Walk in Mulholland Wildflower Preserve, Six Mile Creek Sunday, May 1, 2016  Time: 1:00 p.m.  Carpool meeting place: 1:00 p.m. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Ithaca  Event/Trailhead location: 1:15 p.m. Parking at Mulholland Wildflower Preserve, Six Mile Creek Join botanist Robert Wesley for a walk in the Mulholland Wildflower Preserve, home to several spring ephemeral species. *Finger Lakes Native Plant Society

Tuesday Evening Hike: Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve Tuesday, May 3, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: The Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve of the Finger Lakes Land Trust is south of Ithaca on Route 34/96, 1/2 mile south of the hamlet of West Danby. The parking lot is on the east side of the road at the crest of a rise. Beware of oncoming traffic when turning into the parking lot.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: About 3 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Easy Lindsay-Parsons consists of about 510 acres of forests, meadows, brush land, streams, ponds, and other wetlands. The diverse habitats found in the preserve are home to an equally diverse variety of flora and fauna.

Special Hike in Texas Hollow State Forest Saturday, May 7, 2016  Time: 10:00 a.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Texas Hollow State Forest, Access 11: Newtown Rd. (unpaved), wide shoulder parking.  Contact: Judith Austic Email: [email protected] Telephone: 315 406 7090 This will be an out and back hike through part of Texas Hollow State Forest area, ending at Rogers Hill Lean-To. There are long distance views of Cayuta Lake and Connecticut Hill just before we reach the lean-to. Bring a snack or lunch to enjoy before we return.

*FLNPS: Violet Walk in Upper Buttermilk Park Saturday, May 7, 2016  Time: 1:00 p.m.  Carpool meeting place: Cornell Cooperative Extension in Ithaca As follow-up to his lecture on native violets, Mike Hough will lead a walk at Upper Buttermilk Park, where several species can be found. Mike will focus on identifying common violets of the Finger Lakes and other spring wildflowers. If time allows we may travel to another site nearby. Meet at CCE at 1:00 pm to carpool to the site. Parking fees may be in effect at the park. *Finger Lakes Native Plant Society

7 Ed's Trek - A Celebratory Trail Fun Run, Hike, and Gathering of Friends for Ed Hart, the Ultimate Trail Enthusiast. Sunday, May 8, 2016  Time: 10:00 a.m.  Event/Trailhead location: South Lower Treman Pavilion, Robert H. Treman State Park  Contact: Carol Mallison Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-564-3396 Ed Hart the runner, cyclist, trail adventurer, land conserver, historian, civil rights activist, physician, and friend to all, endeared many in our community by sharing his unique approach to life and enthusiasm for the great outdoors. He was an integral part of many organizations in our community including the Finger Lakes Running Club, Cayuga Trail Club, Finger Lakes Land Trust, Finger Lakes Cycling Club, and the History Center. Registration: Hike and run are free to all. Please confirm attendance on Ed’s Trek Google Document so we can get an idea of how many will participate. This event is cosponsored by the Cayuga Trails Club and the Finger Lakes Runners Club.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Cayuga Trail East and Arboretum Tuesday, May 10, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: The Cornell Plantations Visitor parking area is at the intersection of Forest Home Drive and Caldwell Road in Ithaca.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: 5 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Moderate We will hike through Newman Arboretum on clear, paved roads, then across Forest Home Drive, over the Stevens Suspension Bridge, and perhaps another two miles or so on the Cayuga Trail. This is an out-and-back hike; after about 90 minutes, we will stop and retrace our steps.

Walk, Look and Learn Hike # 588: Guided Tour of the O.D. von Engeln Preserve at Malloryville Saturday, May 14, 2016  Time: 12:30 p.m.  Carpool meeting place: 12:30 p.m. East Hill Plaza. Park near Tompkins Trust branch office, 1012 Ellis Hollow Road, Ithaca  Event/Trailhead location: 1:00 p.m. Von Engeln Preserve on West Malloryville Road between Freeville and McLean (look for parking area with large white Nature Conservancy sign)  Contacts: Bob Beck Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-423-0397  Tom Reimers Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-272-8679 Naturalist Bob Beck will lead a tour of the amazing O.D. von Engeln Preserve. This wetland preserve includes several post-glacial features such as eskers (riverbeds that ran through glaciers), wooded swamps, bogs, fens, marshes, and springs. These unusual features provide habitats for a variety of uncommon plants such as northern pitcher plants, highbush blueberries, water arum, and sundew. Songbirds are also abundant this time of year.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Abbott Loop North Tuesday, May 17, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Park on the shoulder at the Abbott Loop crossing on Michigan Hollow Road, about 4.0 miles south of Route 96B in Danby. The orange-blazed trail-head is 1.6 miles south of the white-blazed FLT trailhead on Michigan Hollow Road.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: 4.8 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Difficult Our destination this week is the north section of the Abbott Loop. We will start at Diane's Crossing, just off Michigan Hollow Rd., hiking a steep 400 foot incline on our way to The Pinnacles, which features a beautiful panoramic view to the north and west. Then it's downhill through a pine plantation, mixed hardwoods, and back to Michigan Creek and another pine plantation.

8 *FLNPS: South Hill Walk Saturday, May 21, 2016  Time: 12:30 p.m. South Hill, Ithaca, has long been considered by botanists to be a botanical “hotspot”. Fortunately, large portions of its extensive acreage have been preserved as natural areas by Ithaca College and Cornell University. South Hill contains a wide range of ecological communities, from drier, hilltop niches to lower elevation swamps. Timed to coincide with the flowering of its abundant ericaceous species, particularly the blueberries and huckleberries, this 3-hour field trip will survey one or more sites of higher diversity. Meet at CCE at 12:30 to carpool! The walk will be led by Arieh Tal. *Finger Lakes Native Plant Society

Tuesday Evening Hike: Abbott Loop South Tuesday, May 24, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Park on the shoulder at the orange-blazed trail-head on Michigan Hollow Road, about 3.5 miles south of Route 96B in Danby (click for map). The Abbott Loop crossing is 1.6 miles south of the white- blazed FLT trailhead on Michigan Hollow Road.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: 3.5 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Moderate This week's hike completes the Abbott Loop as we hike the south section. This section includes a part of the white-blazed main Finger Lakes Trail and some nice black locust bridges that span a decaying beaver dam built by the Cayuga Trails Club Trails Committee.

Watkins Glen Area Hike Saturday, May 28, 2016  Time: 8:00 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: 8:00 a.m. - EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St. Event/Trailhead location: 8:30 a.m. The Twin Tunnels parking lot and FLT trailhead is on Satterly Hill Rd. 1/2 mile north of Burdett. (Willow St. becomes Satterly Hill Rd. just north of the village.) We will leave some cars there and then shuttle to the start point.  Contacts: Marsha Zgola Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-546-7367  John Greer Email: [email protected] Telephone: 315-730-2408  Hike rating: Length: 13.6 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Difficult Marsha Zgola and John Greer will co-lead this hike of the Finger Lakes Trail in the Watkins Glen area. This hike in one of the most beautiful in our area and it offers a lot of scenic views of Seneca Lake and Watkins Glen and its water falls. We will start at the Finger Lakes Trail on Van Zandt Hollow Road; proceed through Watkins Glen State Park, through the gorgeous Excelsior Glen, up to Burdett and end at Satterly Hill Road. In Watkins Glen we can make a stop at the neat Crooked Rooster bar and/or get ice cream at one of the tourist shops before heading up to Excelsior Glen. The hike is 13.6 miles with hills and is considered "strenuous". You need to bring food and water. Hiking pole(s) are strongly recommended due to high water in some creeks.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Rogers Hill to Texas Hollow Tuesday, May 31, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Carpool meeting place: 5:00 p.m. - EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St.  Event/Trailhead location: 5:30 p.m. FLT, M 15, Access 10, Texas Hollow Rd.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: 4.4 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Moderate to steep; Change in elevation - 650 feet Tonight's destination is the top of Roger's Hill in the rural town of Catherine, Schuyler County, and then to rugged, rough terrain in Texas Hollow State Forest. If we have clear skies, the view to the north and east from Roger's Hill is dramatic: it reveals the little resort area of Cayuta Lake down in the valley below and the hills of Connecticut Hill WMA beyond. After taking in the view, we have a 0.7 mile road-walk down Carly Rd. to Texas Hollow State Forest.

9 Cayuga Trails Club's 4th Annual Celebration of National Trails Day on the Cayuga Trail Saturday, June 4, 2016  Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Contact: Paul Warrender Email: [email protected] Telephone: 401-439-8285 For the 4th year in a row The Cayuga Trails Club will host a National Trails Day trail stewardship event on Saturday, June 4th, 2016. This year, the project will be on the Cayuga Trail at Cornell Plantations. The project has yet to be determined, but could include constructing puncheon/boardwalk, bridge repair, trail repair and treadway reinforcement; details to be determined soon.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Shindagin Hollow Tuesday, June 7, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: FLT trail-head, Braley Hill Rd., Shindagin Hollow State Forest  Hike rating: Length: About 5 miles; Pace: moderate; Terrain: moderate This hike will go if a hike leader can be found to lead it. This week's hike takes us to Shindagin Hollow State Forest. We start at Braley Hill Rd. and hike eastward for about 90 minutes, then turn back and retrace our steps. This will be an out-and-back hike.

Walk, Look, and Learn Hike #590: Snakes, Salamanders, Newts, and Frogs Saturday, June 11, 2016  Time: 9:00 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St. Please park in front of the store but at the end of the lot furthest away from the store.  Event/Trailhead location: William and Marjorie Thayer Nature Preserve at Lick Brook  Contact: Tom Reimers Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-272-8679 It’s amazing what can be found in our nearby forests and streams, if we look carefully in unusual places. Tom Reimers will lead a short hike along Lick Brook with abundant frogs, snakes, salamanders, newts, and toads. The area is part of a beautiful and rugged nature preserve owned and protected by the Finger Lakes Land Trust.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Edwards Lake Cliffs and Lansing Center Trail Tuesday, June 14, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: 5:30 p.m. Park at the end of Teeter Rd in Lansing. Please be respectful of neighboring property owners when parking. Teeter Rd is a left turn off of Lake Shore Drive when heading north.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: 5 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Moderate Tonight's adventure features two opportunities in one evening: the Edwards Lake Cliffs Preserve, and the Lansing Center Trail. We conclude our evening at Scoops, a favorite Lansing ice cream stand.

Finger Lakes Trail Spring Weekend Friday, June 17 - Sunday, June 19, 2016 Registration ends May 20th!  Time: 10:00 a.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Meet for all hikes at the Montour Falls Fire Academy Chapel located just inside the Main Entrance. Observe all No Parking signs on the driveway.  Contact: Robin Carlisle-Peck Email: [email protected] Spring Weekend is a time when we bring members and guests from across the state together for a 3-day weekend of hikes and programs. The FLTC will gather at the Fire Academy in Montour Falls June 17-19, 2016. Event details and registration information are now available on the Finger Lakes Trail website.

10 *FLLT: Talks & Treks: Bugs & Butterflies Saturday, June 18, 2016  Time: 10:00 a.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Roy H. Park Preserve of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, on Irish Settlement Road in Dryden, about 0.4 miles north of Midline Road. There are two FLLT parking lots about 1 mile apart. This is the one nearest the intersection of Midline Road, Hurd Road, and Irish Settlement Road. Especially for children and families! Cornell entomology graduate student Heather Connelly will help us find and identify the smaller creatures at this preserve. This is an easy walk through field and forest and down to Six Mile Creek. Children of all ages are welcome and must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Don’t forget water and snacks. For further information, visit FLLT website. *Non CTC event - FLLT: Finger Lakes Land Trust

Tuesday Evening Hike: Shindagin West Tuesday, June 21, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: FLT Trail-head at Braley Hill Rd., Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Caroline  Hike rating: Length: About 5 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Steep pitches; Gain in elevation over 800 feet. This hike will go if a hike leader can be found to lead it. This week's hike takes us to a part of the Finger Lakes Trail that demonstrates the rich variety of terrain and the many different ecosystems that exist in our area. We start at Braley Hill Rd. near the western edge of Shindagin Hollow State Forest and one of its many red pine plantations. Then down the steep side of Bald Mountain on an ATV trail through mixed hardwoods and conifers to the floor of the Wilseyville Creek valley. We'll hike in forested groves, along the edge of cultivated fields, and along an abandoned railroad bed that traverses a wetland where Wilseyville Creek is the major natural feature. We'll see the other side of the valley, Eastman Hill, and get a sense of the power of the glacier that formed this terrain, then turn back and retrace our steps up the glacially steepened valley wall. This is an out-and-back hike. On the return leg we have a steep uphill climb with elevation gain of over 800 feet. This is a difficult hike for many hikers; if you do not do well on steep pitches, you might want to join us on another Tuesday.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Satterly Hill Tuesday, June 28, 2016  Time: 5:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: The south end of the Interloken Trail, parking lot on Burnt Hill Road, 1.3 miles north of Bennettsburg and 0.5 mile north of the intersection of Wyckoff Road, Schuyler County.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: 6 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: Moderate This week's hike takes us to Finger Lakes National Forest, the only National Forest in New York, and dramatic Satterly Hill. We will start at Burnt Hill Rd. and hike to Satterly Hill Rd., then turn back and retrace our steps, finishing around dusk.

Hike Reports

Check the CTC website or Facebook page for reports and photos

11 2015 Member Directory Lucinda M Allen John and Luanne Andersson Judith Austic Ray Banzhof and Diana Poyer Linda Barnett Bob and Gwen Beck William Bergmark

Jonathan Bernstein Dave Bock Connie O'Brien and Andy Boehm Rick Bonney

Mark Bouton Paul and Hilary Boyer Vito Brancato Richard Breslin Thomas R. Brotherton Sr Gary Brouse Carol and Dave Burnett Elsie U. Burns Joel Cadbury

Edith Cassel Suzanne Cohen and Phil Davis Sigrid Larsen Connors and Jim Connors Bill Coppard Liz Corey Maureen Cowen and Dale Baker

Michelle Cox

Harold Craighead Charles Culp Bruce Cutter Joe Dabes and Kathy Brennan Philip Dankert Betsy Darlington

Frank and Catherine Darrow Tob and Joan deBoer Bill and Sarah Demo

Stephen Devlen Kathie DeWolfe Craig Dick Richard and Delores Dick Joseph Donovan Nigel Dyson-Hudson and Family Aileen Easterbrook Charles and Lori Elrod

12 Roy Luft and Nancy Emerson

Michael Engle Herb Engman Kathy and Kevin Fairand Kenny Fellers Martha Ferger John and Leslie Ford Thomas Formanek Polly Foureman Len Cohen and Linda Frank Rick Friend Shannon Fuller Roger Fulton Margaret Fuoco Paul and Vicky Gaeta

Lucy Gagliardo Diana Garcia Matthew Glenn and Liz Martin Gayle Gray John Greer

Margaret Griffin Rick Grossman Bryne Hadnott Elizabeth Hageman and Alistair Thompson Deirdre Halloran Meena Haribal

Peter Harriott Rick and Matt Hendrick Marcia Herrick Stephen and Susan Hesse Roger and Ruth Hopkins Mark Humphrey Katharine Hunter and Scott Davis Bryan Isacks and Marjorie Olds Swapna Jayakumar Joan Jedele and Jack Rueckheim Gary and Ann Johnson Timothy Johnson and Family

Deanna Johnson and Bob Holtzman Marsha Kardon Marie Kautz Michael and Holly Kazarinoff Bodhi Michael Rogers and Anna Keeton David Keifer Susan Kendrick and Marilyn Dispensa

13 Dan Klein Bill and Carol Klepack David and Denise Kooperman Terry Kristensen

Kristin Kurz John Guckenheimer and Meredith Kusch Hilary Lambert Steve Landau Ed Lawler Gregory Lawrence Gundy Lee Laura Leso Howard London Linda Loomis John and Kathy Ludders Jonathan Lunine Gail and Nathan Lyman Gwyneth Lymberis

Jiyue Ma Nicole MacPherson Elizabeth Mahon Carol Mallison Nathan and Kai Mallison and Elizabeth Honis Gary Mallow Rick Manning Lawrence Marks Peter and Beth Marks

Fran Martak Eileen and Richard Maxwell Janet McCue and Family Kathy McDonough

Jack McGory Tracy McLellan Joe McMahon and Gail Steinhart Colin and Earla Sue McNaull Judy Mendelson

June Meyer and Lincoln Brown Vicki Meyers-Wallen

Iris Milich Peter J. Miller Louise Miller and Laura Robert Harold Mills and Sabrina Johnston Todd Miner

Kristy Mitchell Pat Monahan

14 Justin and Stephanie Moore John Chamberlain and Barbara Morley John A-X. and Carol E. Morris Curtis Myers Gail Neely Debra Nero Paul Nicotera Joyce Noonan Wendell (Bud) Norvell Michael and Barbara Nussbaum Victoria Nuzzo Peter Lepage and Deborah O'Connor

Chris Olney and Family P.J. Peterman David Priester and Linda Collins

Millie Priester

Allen Quirk Tom Reimers Don Reiter Ronda Roaring Michael Roberts and Family

Kyle Robertson

Gretchen Salm Reenie Sandsted Cindy Schamel Steve Scheidweiler

Dave and Jean Schurman

Sigi Schwinge

Andrew, Bonnie and Ryan Sciarabba Danny & Kristin Scott Karen Serbonich Myra Shulman Chris Proulx and Varya Siegel Diana and Chris Sinton Reyer Sjamaar Philip Snyder and Pat Paine

Fran Spadafora-Manzella Caroline Spellman Christina Stark and David Weinstein

Wendy Stevenson Clara Straight Charlie Strohman and Sheila Stone Susan Suarez and Wayne Gottlieb Jeannie Sullivan Harriet H. Sutherland

15 Sarah Sutton

Tziona Szajam Jennifer Tavares Jeremy Taylor Danielle Thon Alfonso Torres Judith Traxler Jeffrey True and Susan Schattschneider Lowell Turner James Undercofler Jack VanDerzee Janet VanEtten Margaret Wakeley Gail Walker and Joe Falo Gail and Zellman Warhaft Fred and Sandy Warrender Paul Warrender and Robin Carlisle Peck Don Webster Jacqui Wensich Nancy Williams

Donald D. Wilson Joe Wertyschyn and Jennifer Wilson Elizabeth Windstein Linda Woodard Bruce C. Wright

Tina and Lisa Wright

John and Brenda Zavaski Jan and Ken Zeserson Marsha Zgola

Cayuga Trails is published six times a year and is edited and published by Judith Austic. Comments and original contributions are welcome. Deadline for the next edition is June 15, 2016. Send contributions to [email protected] or 5 Stevenson St. Seneca Falls, NY 13148. Visit Cayuga Trails Club website at www.CayugaTrailsClub.org

16 Mark Your Calendar Wed, May 4 Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup — David Priester Sat, May 14 Walk, Look and Learn Hike # 588: Guided Tour of the O.D. von Engeln Preserve at Malloryville — Bob Beck, Tom Reimers Tue, May 3 Tuesday Evening Hike: Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve — Gary Mallow Sat, May 7 Special Hike in Texas Hollow State Forest — Judith Austic Sat, May 7 FLNPS: Violet Walk in Upper Buttermilk Park Sun, May 8 Ed's Trek - A celebratory trail fun run, hike, and gathering of friends for Ed Hart, the ultimate trail enthusiast. — Carol Mallison Registration is open now! Tue, May 10 Tuesday Evening Hike: Cayuga Trail East and Arboretum — Gary Mallow Sat, May 14 Walk, Look and Learn Hike # 588: Guided Tour of the O.D. von Engeln Preserve at Malloryville — Bob Beck, Tom Reimers Tue, May 17 Tuesday Evening Hike: Abbott Loop North — Gary Mallow Sat, May 21 FLTC: Cross County Hike Series 2016 in Cattaraugus County and the Enchanted Mountains of Western New York — Marty Ruszaj Sat, May 21 Walk, Look, and Learn Hike # 589: Birding at the Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve — Tom Reimers Sat, May 21 FLNPS: South Hill Walk Tue, May 24 Tuesday Evening Hike: Abbott Loop South — Gary Mallow Sat, May 28 Watkins Glen Area Hike — Marsha Zgola, John Greer Tue, May 31 Tuesday Evening Hike: Rogers Hill to Texas Hollow — Gary Mallow Sat, Jun 4 Join us for the Cayuga Trails Club's 4th Annual celebration of National Trails Day on the Cayuga Trail! — Paul Warrender Tue, Jun 7 Tuesday Evening Hike: Shindagin Hollow Sat, Jun 11 - Sun, Jun FLTC: FLTC Cross County Hike Series 2016 in Cattaraugus County and the Enchanted 12 Mountains of Western New York — Marty Ruszaj Sat, Jun 11 Walk, Look, and Learn Hike #590: Snakes, Salamanders, Newts, and Frogs — Tom Reimers Tue, Jun 14 Tuesday Evening Hike: Edwards Lake Cliffs and Lansing Center Trail — Gary Mallow Fri, Jun 17 - Sun, Jun Finger Lakes Trail Spring Weekend — Robin Carlisle-Peck 19 Registration is now open! Sat, Jun 18 FLLT: Talks & Treks: Bugs and Butterflies Tue, Jun 21 Tuesday Evening Hike: Shindagin West Tue, Jun 28 Tuesday Evening Hike: Satterly Hill — Gary Mallow Tue, Jul 5 Tuesday Evening Hike: Connecticut Hill West — Gary Mallow Wed, Jul 6 Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup — David Priester Tue, Jul 12 Tuesday Evening Hike: Connecticut Hill from Ridge Rd. — Gary Mallow Sat, Jul 16 FLTC: Cross County Hike Series 2016 in Cattaraugus County and the Enchanted Mountains of Western New York — Marty Ruszaj Sun, Jul 17 Three Days Hiking the Letchworth Trail: Part 1 — Anna Keeton Mon, Jul 18 Three Days Hiking the Letchworth Trail: Part 2 — Anna Keeton Tue, Jul 19 Three Days Hiking the Letchworth Trail: Part 3 — Anna Keeton Tue, Jul 19 Tuesday Evening Hike: Black Diamond Trail North Tue, Jul 26 Tuesday Evening Hike: Connecticut Hill, Highest Point in Tompkins County — Gary Mallow Sat, Jul 30 FLLT: TALKS & TREKS: SNAIL WALK Check our website at CayugaTrailsClub.org for events that may not be listed in this issue and for any last minute changes.

Cayuga Trails Club, Inc. NON-PROFIT P.O. Box 754 ORGANIZATION Ithaca, NY 14851-0754 U.S. POSTAGE PAID ITHACA, NY PERMIT NO. 94

18 Cayuga Trails Newsletter of the Cayuga Trails Club Founded in 1962 “…to explore, enjoy and preserve wild lands and places of natural beauty…”

July-August 2016 Late Summer Edition Volume 56, Nos. 7&8 A New One Mile Stretch of the Cayuga Trail By Gary Mallow The Cayuga Trail, probably the most heavily used hiking trail in the Tompkins County area, is a jewel, and it has just been enhanced. Your club cut the original Cayuga Trail in 1962, and since then it has undergone many extensions, reroutes and improvements like Connors bridges and rough locust and PT stairways. But it's doubtful that the volunteers who shepherded those projects to completion exceeded the enthusiasm of the 23 volunteers who came out to work on a one- mile extension of the trail on National Trails Day, June 4th. Creating new hiking trail is a rare event for our club, so that alone accounts for the high turnout and excitement on a beautiful, mostly sunny, low humidity day. But it was more than that. Although an official distance has not yet been calculated, this extension of the trail brings the total length of the Cayuga Trail close to ten miles. More significantly, it allows hikers to traverse a loop on the east end of the trail without any lengthy road walk or car shuttling. You can now start your hike at, say, the Stevens Suspension Bridge, and hike all the way to Route 13 and back without backtracking, taking in some breathtaking views of Fall Creek and old growth forest along the way. Trails Chair Paul Warrender started the day's events by gathering the volunteers to talk about what we would be doing. He thanked generous landowners Christina Stark and David Weinstein, and Cornell Plantations' Todd Bittner for making this new section possible. He then got down to work and split the crew into three groups. The largest group would attack the jungle-like brush and dead-fall along Fall Creek on the Weinstein property and adjacent Cornell Plantations land. A second group was assigned duty on Cornell ag land, pounding in carsonite and wood posts to be used for blazes. The third group took off for another section of ag land, where they cut away brush to reveal long-abandoned blazes to be refreshed. All three groups attacked their assignments with relish, and many were sweating freely as they cut, hacked, pounded and dragged brush out of the newly created trail tread. Tom Reimers did much of the blazing. Within three hours much of the work was well on its way to completion. The group was rewarded with a lunch provided at club expense and delivered by Robin Carlisle Peck. We were surprised and delighted to be invited to the home of Christina and David, just across Fall Creek, where we ate in the quiet shade of their beautiful back yard, which gave newcomers a chance to get acquainted. We had that indescribable satisfaction of a job completed and well done by 3:00 p.m. See photos in this issue beginning on page 17. Probably the most significant element of this project is the unique collaboration among groups and landowners that it represents. A small parcel of property along the creek was purchased by David Weinstein and Christina Stark to allow the trail to traverse it, and for hikers to enjoy. They have no other plans for the property, and this generosity is pretty special in and of itself. Todd Bittner of Cornell Plantations took on the assignment of gaining the approval of Cornell Ag to cross a couple of experimental plots on existing gravel farm road; Todd also had to assure that the Plantations land we cross was appropriate for a hiking trail (it is). Plantations' Jules Ginenthal and Cayuga Trails Club's Tom Reimers flagged a route and helped nudge the project forward over the past year. The work of organizing the crew to cut and blaze the new section fell to Paul Warrender. Without the enthusiasm, cooperation, collaboration and advice of all six men and women, this new trail section would not have been possible. New kiosks with large maps are planned for trail-heads of the Cayuga Trail, and a new Cayuga Trail map created with the use of GPS is in the planning stages. We hope to make the map available through the Finger Lakes Trail Conference, where you could purchase it online at nominal cost. Watch the website for updates.

FLT through hiker Roy Dando. photo by President’s Column By Gary Mallow Jim Connors. Thank You, Cayuga Trails Club Trail Adopters This column is intended for just 40 people – the Trail Adopters who maintain the 100 miles of trail for which our club is responsible. If you are not among this merry little band, there really is no need to read further, but I hope you will. Trail Adopters are responsible for keeping a section of trail – or two, or three sections – clear, open, well maintained, clearly blazed and well-marked at trail-heads. Since most are not certified sawyers, their responsibility when large dead- fall appears on their section is to notify our Trails Chair, Paul Warrender, who sends out an alert to our three or four sawyers for help. Our certified sawyers take on the added burden of responsibility to work with chainsaws in hazardous conditions. Trail Adopters use more primitive tools than a chainsaw, tools that entail a good investment of sweat equity on a hot, humid July day, or even a cold, clear January day. The tools could include favorite loppers, a hand saw or larger saw, a small human-powered brush cutter, or a hand pruner. The vast majority of the work is done by hand, by an individual or a couple. If you've ever done this work, you know that a little bit of sunshine, warm weather, and adequate rainfall will generate a ton of new brush growth this time of year, quickly obscuring the trail tread. A trail that was cleared a few weeks back could look abandoned today, if conditions are right. Experienced Trail Adopters know this, of course, and try to stay ahead of Mother Nature, but it's a battle that is never really won. And even if you keep ahead of the honeysuckle and multiflora rose, there is always more trail work to do. I swear that shale grows right out of hard-packed trail tread, there is no end of roots that are potential tripping hazards, and a creative mind will use straight saplings and dead-fall to provide a kind of natural rail to hikers who might stray off trail. Blazing is an art unto itself. The acknowledged master in our neck of the woods is Tom Reimers, although he has stiff competition from Jules Ginenthal of Cornell Plantations. Nobody approaches the geometrically exact two-inch-by-six- inch blazes of these guys. They both can paint a perfect rectangle on a gnarled hemlock freehand in minutes. Most Trail Adopters aren't that meticulous, but that does not mean it doesn't take effort to blaze. To re-blaze a two mile stretch of trail in both directions, I'm guessing you're talking about painting 150 blazes. That's time consuming, a labor of love. Another element of this role is its anonymity. Trail Adopters work alone, at their own pace and on their own schedule. They agree to work on their sections at least three times a year, but most do more. They know which sections have to be cut back several times each growing season, and which stands of hemlock or oak are okay without a lot of care. Apart from an occasional email from a hiker or from Paul, there are few if any thank-you’s; when they come, you relish them. Why, then, would someone take on a thankless job like this? Probably no one explanation covers any one Adopter. There is a kind of generosity of spirit that essentially says, “I benefit from hiking on this trail, so I can/should/will reciprocate by providing some small service to maintain it.” For others, the experience of being in a quiet stand of woods, or working near a softly singing unnamed brook, is enough motivation to get them out there. Having some chore to do while you're getting your outdoor fix is enough to get up to your little patch of heaven to do some lopping or brushing-out. Some Adopters like the idea of being a part of something bigger; The FLT is 1,000 miles long when you throw in all the loops and spurs. And if that isn't big enough or important enough for you, the FLT is just one part of the North Country National Scenic Trail. The Cayuga Trail traverses part of over 3,400 acres of Cornell Plantations natural areas. Trail Adopters are part of a small, elite, highly motivated, but quiet, fraternity. They are small in number, but they are absolutely essential to our success and the success and safety of hikers in the Tompkins and Schuyler County area. Our club's history has enough examples of what happens when sections of our trails are left without maintenance. Thankfully, under Paul's leadership, that has not been much of a problem in recent years. Although our sections of the FLT and Cayuga Trail aren't perfect by any stretch, they are pretty darn good. If you're watching your step and paying attention, you're unlikely to get hurt hiking here, and you won't get lost if you follow the blazes. Just wanted to let you know who's doing the work that allows all of us to enjoy the woods and hike unimpeded. Our Trail Adopters deserve our respect and thanks. I hope this note will in some small way acknowledge them for the critical role they play for hikers here in the central Finger Lakes region. Thanks, guys. I really appreciate what you're doing.

2 FLTC Spring Conference Wraps Up By Sheila Stone The Cayuga Trails Club hosted the Finger Lakes Trails Club Spring Weekend, June 17-19. About 130 hikers from across New York attended the conference. The event was held at the NYS Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls June 17th through the 19th. The CTC organized 21 hikes, offered over the three days of the conference, giving the hikers many opportunities to explore the area. Evening presentations were given by Linda Speilman, PhD, who spoke on animal tracking in the forest and Heather Housekeeper, the “Botanical Hiker” who spoke on her experience hiking and foraging while she hiked the Finger Lakes Trail end-to-end. In addition to meeting other hikers and hiking, the conference was an opportunity for the FLTC to honor those who have contributed so much to the success of the 1000 miles that comprise the Finger Lakes Trail network. See photos in this issue, beginning on page 20.

Paul Warrender Earns State-Wide Award for Trail Maintenance By Gary Mallow Although he was surprised, many in the room were not. Trails Chair Paul Warrender was surprised to receive the Finger Lakes Trail award, called the Clar Willis Award, for outstanding work in trail maintenance at the FLTC Spring Weekend. The award is given to only one person each year for his or her work to maintain and improve the Finger Lakes Trail. It is one of three awards given by the FLTC each year. The recognition was well deserved and overdue. In his introduction of Paul to a crowd of about 130, President Gary Mallow noted Paul's accomplishments on the trail in his six years on the job. As Project Manager for four Alley Cat crews, he helped lead a crew of volunteers who built two new lean-to's (Locust and Chestnut) and two very substantial bridges which held up very well to last year's torrential rains (Diane's Crossing and Shindagin). Paul supervises about 50 trail adopters, or stewards, who work on about 150 miles of trail from Watkins Glen to the Cortland area. Although not perfect, trail in our section of the state is in very good condition. Gary said that, even more noteworthy than his accomplishments on the trail are Paul's personal attributes. A New England boy, Paul thinks outside the box. Anyone who knows him knows he is a straight shooter who is unafraid to let you know what he's thinking, whether you agree with him or not. Paul is willing to work with people, including those who might otherwise be adversaries: mountain bikers, ski mobile riders, and horse people. He maintains good working relationships with private landowners, local foresters, and staff. He was in part responsible for obtaining a $5,000 grant for trail work on the main, white-blazed Finger Lakes Trail in the Finger Lakes National Forest. Trust, Cornell Plantations, NY Parks, local Boy Scout troops, the FLTC, and other allied organizations. After accepting his award, Paul immediately accepted more responsibility. FLTC President Pat Monahan announced that, effective immediately, Paul will serve as Vice President for Trail Maintenance for the entire 1,000 miles of FLT, from Allegany State Park to the Catskills. In his new role, he will serve on the Board of Managers for FLTC. It is a huge undertaking involving scores of volunteers. Over the past couple of years, Paul has worked in three capacities for us: as Trails Chair, Vice President, and Regional Trail Coordinator. As a result of his new state-wide responsibilities, he will be relinquishing his position as Trails Chair at the end of the year. Paul did a great job for local hikers in the Tompkins and Schuyler County area, and it is a bit sad to see his tenure as Trails Chair come to an end. He will be a tough man to replace. We are seeking a good person to take on the role of CTC Trails Chair. The role requires the energy to supervise the maintenance and improvement of about 100 miles of trail, and the care and feeding of about 40 trail adopters. The emphasis over the next year will be on reducing road-walks by putting trail back into the woods. Paul has offered to help a new person with the transition.

3 Trails Report By Paul Warrender, Trails Chairman

Interested in adopting a part of the trail? Besides hiking, trail work is a major activity of Cayuga Trails Club. CTC members and other Finger Lakes Trail Conference affiliated hiking clubs or organizations have built and maintained the trail during the past 54 years. We do this because we love the trail, we enjoy working in the woods, and it is a great way to stay in shape ourselves. Trail sections become available for adoption from time to time. If you are interested in adopting one of the above mentioned trail sections, or would like to be on the waiting list for another, contact the Cayuga Trails Club at [email protected]

A Reminder: FLT Map Revisions

Finger Lakes Trail maps I1 (Interloken Trail), M15, M16, and M17 were updated with new information and trail routes earlier this year. The Cayuga Trails Club website trail notices page has the latest map updates. The most up-to-date editions of Finger Lakes Trail maps can be purchased via the Finger Lakes Trail website at www.fingerlakestrail.org.

National Trails Day

Saturday, June 4th, 2016, for the 4th consecutive year, the Cayuga Trails Club hosted a trail work project to celebrate National Trails Day. This year, 23 volunteers worked on the Cayuga Trail, creating a newly opened mile section of trail which now makes two-thirds of the Cayuga Trail into a loop trail system. The new trail is constructed on property belonging to Cornell Plantations, Cornell University School of Agriculture, and property owned by David Weinstein and Christina Stark, the CTC’s newest trail-hosts. Participants received an American Hiking Society National Trails Day t- shirt, lunch, and great memories!

This was a great event and everyone worked hard to erect blaze markings, posts, and scratch out trail. Lunch was brought in by the CTC’s own trail angel Robin Carlisle-Peck and all were invited to David and Christina’s home backyard to enjoy lunch, relaxation, and camaraderie.

The newest trail section runs between the suspension bridge area, across the Freese Road bridge over Fall Creek, and out to the former eastern trailhead in Varna. The new section has been walked across by many in the club and the reviews are great! I’d like to thank the following volunteers for making this historic event a reality. Thanks to all who participated!

David Weinstein Christina Stark Gary Mallow Tom Reimers Justin Scheidweiler Steve Scheidweiler Polly Foureman John Anderson Charlie Strohman Susan Suarez Eileen Maxwell Max Maxwell Phil Dankert Elizabeth Hegeman John Ludders Kathy Ludders Nigel Dyson-Hudson Fran Martel Steve W. Robin Carlisle-Peck Judith Austic  Please let me know if I’ve missed anyone.

4 Announcement and Appeal from the Trails Committee Chairman

To the Cayuga Trails Club membership:

As mentioned in President Gary Mallow’s message, I will be stepping down as the club’s Trails Committee Chairman effective January, 2017. I have recently accepted the position and title of Vice President of Trail Maintenance for the Finger Lakes Trail Conference. Because of my new responsibilities, I have decided that it is time to pass the duties of the Cayuga Trails Club Trails Chairman on, and assist the CTC President, Board, and membership in finding and installing the next Trails Chairman.

I therefore extend an invitation to the club membership, and especially the club’s great group of dedicated, talented trail adopters and trail workers to contact either myself or Gary Mallow if any are interested in filling the role. The best way to contact us is to send an email to [email protected], or [email protected].

Responsibilities of the CTC Trails Chairman include:

 Recruitment and coordination of Trail Adopters, Register Box Adopters, and Project Volunteers  Maintain good and important working relationships public land managers  Collaborate with the CTC Landowner Relations Committee Chairman in the maintenance of good relations and partnerships with trail-hosting, private land-owners  Plan and initiate trail work projects  Maintain the CTC’s tool storage and materials cache located at RH Treman State Park  Attend Cayuga Trails Club board meetings (first Tuesday of even numbered months), CTC Annual Meeting (every January)  Work through and with CTC Trail Adopters and Project Volunteers, the CTC President, and the FLTC Regional Trail Coordinator.

The Trails Chairman is not alone in the endeavor of building, maintaining, and repairing the trail and structures. The CTC is very fortunate to have so many eager, energetic, dedicated, and talented volunteers who devote much time and energy into keeping the trail “open for business.” The successful Trails Chairman will leverage and organize this sizeable talent pool quite often.

For a more detailed description and information of the Cayuga Trails Club Trails Committee Chairman position, feel free to contact me, Paul Warrender, at [email protected], or call me at (401)439-8285. I have absolutely enjoyed my time (so far) as CTC Trails Chairman. It has been personally fulfilling and even fun. It is my goal to assist the next Trails Chair in attaining the same amount of enjoyment and fulfillment as I have had in the position.

See you on the trail! Paul Warrender

Annual CTC Summer Picnic Mark your calendar! Wednesday, August 10, 2016 The Cayuga Trails Club summer picnic will be on Wednesday, August 10th at Upper Treman State Park Pavilion at 6:05 p.m., Treman State Park, upper parking lot off NY Route 327. Note: The parking fee collection booth is frequently closed after 6:00 p.m. Disposable plates, cups, plastic ware, some condiments, and charcoal will be provided. Picnickers are asked to please bring a dish to pass and something to grill for yourself (if desired) as well as your choice of drinks. Guests are very welcome. We will hold this event, rain or shine. For more information, check the CTC website or contact Marsha Zgola: [email protected], telephone 607-546-7367.

5 Hike Rating System Defined By Barbara Nussbaum, Hike Coordinator

If you find yourself wondering if a hike is right for you, Hike Coordinator Barbara Nussbaum has written a clear definition of hiking expectations that might help you decide. The following rating system will be used in descriptions of advertised hikes to help hike leaders and participants in choosing hikes that fit their needs and ability. Terrain  Easy: mostly level, well maintained trails like in state parks on rail trails.  Moderate: less than 1000 ft. elevation change, most well maintained FLT trails, creek crossings with enough stepping stones.  Difficult: More than 1000 ft. elevation change or difficult creek crossings or very steep sections or overgrown trail sections or bushwhacking. Pace:  Relaxed: 1.5 mph or less  Medium: about 2 mph  Fast: about 2.5 mph or faster Overall Hike Rating  Easy hikes are those that most people willing to walk outdoors on other than paved ways can complete in 1 to 3 hours. Terrain will be easy and hiking distance is less than 4 miles. Children accompanied by parents or guardians are also welcome. The hiking pace will be relaxed. Examples of easy hikes are hikes in the Plantations, Seneca Meadows, Lindsey Parsons Biodiversity Preserve and Jim Schug Trail, Waterfront Trail, Black Diamond Trail.  Moderate hikes appeal to people who regularly hike on a variety of terrain and distances between 4 – 7 miles in 2 ½ - 3 hours. Faster – usually a medium pace - and longer than an easy hike, these hikes will almost always involve climbing hills, some of which will be steep. While these hikes are usually on trails, there may be uneven or rocky footing. However, we find that most people are able to start out with these types of hikes. Examples of moderate hikes are: the Cayuga Trail, Sections of the Abbot Loop, most 4 - 6 mile long sections of the Finger Lakes Trail. The Tuesday hikes are usually moderate hikes.  Strenuous hikes are for more experienced hikers, they tend to be more difficult and strenuous and are typically at least four or more hours long (i.e. - 8 to 12 miles). The whole Abbott Loop and the Interloken Trail are typical strenuous hikes. What to bring? One should always bring a (small) day pack to carry at least a quart (liter) of water, a snack, rain coat, and other clothing depending on the season. Bug/tick repellent is also recommended. For moderate and strenuous hikes, bring at least two quarts (liters) of water, lunch and snacks, a rain coat, a personal first aid kit, and other extra synthetic (non-cotton) clothing depending on the season. Sturdy hiking boots and a padded pair of wool or synthetic socks should be worn. Most hikers also use hiking poles. When hiking in the backwoods, all hikers should always carry the Ten Essentials, see http://www.americanhiking.org/resources/10essentials/. New Hikers It is recommended that new hikers contact the hike leader (listed in the hike description in the schedule) and also if you have questions about the hike or to determine if the hike is "right" for you. While membership in the Club is encouraged, it is not required to come along on a hike.

6 Seven of Eleven: The Seneca Wine Trail on Foot - Part 2 By Andy Sciarabba

Part 2? What happened to Part 1? If you did not read Part 1 of my Seneca Lake Adventure I invite you to revisit the March-April, 2016 Early Spring Edition of the Cayuga Trails newsletter. If you can’t find your paper copy follow this link to peruse the digital copy (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/47833596/%2856- 02%29%20Early%20Spring%202016%20Newsletter.s7vjs.pdf)

Now that you are all caught up we will pick up where we left off. Our hero (OK…just me…a normal guy!) had just hiked the east side of Seneca Lake. Fourty-six miles in four days. After a blissful night’s sleep (in a real bed, in a room with a bathroom, where I did not have to go outside in 40 degree weather I headed to the Seneca Lake Marine Pier on the South Shore of Seneca Lake for a dose of early sunshine. Mother Nature was kind this morning providing 52 degree temps and clear blue skies. I stared north up the lake for a bit of motivation then started walking. I quickly had to dodge a very drunk gentleman on the pier walking his dog. Or maybe his dog was walking him. But I made it to Route 14 and was on my way.

I set up this 5th Day to be a short one - nine miles. I wasn’t sure if I would make it past halfway so, if I did, I wanted to kick it off with an easy day. Glad I did as my sciatica acted up within the first two miles and I felt like my back was going to go out every time I coughed. Lots-o-stretching avoided that mess. And a break at the Lakewood Winery helped as well. No wine for me this morning but who co uld pass up a brick of Java Latte Chocolate Bark! Only 5 mile left and it’s not even noon!

Three and a half miles later I happened upon yet another winery, (it is the wine trail after all,) and stopped in for a look- see. Well, it turned into a “sip-see” as I sampled the wares of the Rock Stream Winery. I read on the internet that wine tasting is good for your back so it has to be true, right? After a brief visit with the house cat, “Forest,” I left for my last 1.5 miles of the day.

There are not many campgrounds on the west side of the lake so my overnight accommodation choices were limited. Steven Fulkerson graciously let me camp in the peach orchard at his Fulkerson Winery. A Trail Angel indeed! He mowed a nice spot for me amongst the peach trees and grapevines, let me fill my water bottles, provided me with fresh concord grape juice in the morning (Welch’s doesn’t even come close) and took time, that he did not have, to share some of his stories of hiking the High Peaks. Oh - And the wine was pretty good too. I particularly liked the Gruner Veltliner (a white with peach aromas-how fitting) and the Red Zeppelin (I’m a big Led Zeppelin fan so-no brainer).

The wine helped me settle into my tent early and I woke on Day 6 to a chilly, but sunny, 49 degree morning. Temps like that make the morning coffee taste so much better. And I found out just what happens inside a single-walled tent with poor ventilation. Touch the walls and it’s an instant soaking. I guess that is the tradeoff for the tent only weighing 2 lbs.

I got a late start so I started the 11 mile day on a brisk pace. My usual pace is about 1.75 to 2 mph. I don’t walk to just get from point A to point B. I walk to enjoy and experience people, places and everything along the way. But on this day I was hitting close to 3 mph. An hour into my first leg I heard someone call out “Hey, Andy-Rooney!” It was a friend and colleague from work on her way around the lake. She and her husband took the long way in the hopes of “running into me.” Okay, bad choice of words for a guy walking on the highway.

I stopped for lunch at the Herman Weimer Winery. The staff there greeted me with open arms and offered me a shady table and endless ice-cold water with lemon. I was taken back by their generosity. I mean here is a guy who just wants to crash this high-end establishment, not buy anything of any substance (or in my case anything heavy to lug around) and hasn’t showered in 2 days. Yet they treat me with the same respect as the couple with the top down on their $100,000 convertible, poised to fill the trunk with cases of their finest wines. Restores your faith!

7 Seven of Eleven: The Seneca Wine Trail on Foot - Part 2, Cont.

I stuck with the water this time and kept heading north. 5.2 miles to go today and I’d be off the highway after only two of them. The fast pace of the day caught up with me in the early afternoon. Blue skies and 70 degree weather, combined with little shade, made for high pavement temps. This led to burning feet and a lack of attention to them. The blisters that had hitched a ride on my feet for the first 46 miles were reminding me who was boss. And they invited a few close friends along for the ride.

You see, I have spent the last three years trying every combination of footwear, socks, liners, bandages and techniques to avoid getting blisters. Blisters left me in a ditch on Cayuga Lake and they almost shortened many other trips. Yet, amazingly the first half of this trip I had very few of them. I finally realized that highway walking and walking in the woods are very different. Road shoulders suck once the pavement temps get over 100 degrees and you are wearing rigid hiking boots. Or even a hiking shoe. For this trip I splurged and bought a pair of ultra-lightweight and breathable trail running shoes. I wear one pair of double lined lightweight hiking socks and then apply the “magic”- Body Glide. It’s a small roll-on deodorant-like stick that cyclist use to prevent chafing in those areas that are constantly rubbing against each other. It works like magic and reduces the need for extensive foot triage like moleskin, Band-Aids or duct tape. Yes Duct Tape! Try it sometime.

Back to Day 6: I got off the highway and onto shady lake roads that hugged the shoreline. A nice breeze welcomed me to sea level and it reminded me why I started this whole thing to begin with. Feel the breeze, smell the water. Take a pleasant, level walk amongst century old trees (and a few century old folks as well). Take your time. Experience it. Breathe it in.

I arrived at the Back Achers Campground and Wanda, the owner, checked me in. Wanda and her husband had always rented cabins there and in the 90’s decided to expand to a full campground. It took many years to get the required approvals and permits. Sadly, soon after the campground opened, Wanda’s husband was diagnosed with cancer. Five years later he passed away, but Wanda continues to operate the campground to fulfill their dream. Wanda is at the age where most folks would retire, but she works seven days a week from April through November to keep the place going. Impressive lady. Hard working woman. Trail Angel!

Wanda set me up with a campsite on a bluff overlooking the lake which was quite the beautiful setting. I wandered the beach for a while looking for treasures to add to my good luck neckless. I came across a two-toned stone in the shape of a heart. Had to grab it for the wifey. After a hearty meal on the beach I settled into my tent and was lulled to sleep with the aid of mellow meditation music. Yes - I have my phone and bring ear buds but I don’t listen to music while I hike. If I wanted that experience I’d get a membership at Planet Fitness, hit the treadmill and watch videos of nature scenes. Probably safer than highway walking, but not very fulfilling.

Day 7: 10.3 miles to go today and the finish line is in sight. My final day - Day 8 - will be less than nine miles and will be a “cake walk.” Not the strutting dance popular at the end of the 19th century, but an easy day. But today…no cake. I’m no marathon runner. I did not train for months for this trip. Oh - I did lots of planning - but I had not hiked more than five miles at one time in quite a while.

Off I went - temps in the mid 60’s and another blue sky day. I started out heading west up the hill from the lake. Ran straight into a corn field. My destination was the closest railroad tracks. The corn was high and my pack girth made it difficult to navigate through the rows. When I reached a hedgerow I was greeted with the sight of a tree stand. Oh $#!* - deer season. Guess I missed that checkbox! So I start whistling. Loudly. Very Loudly. And making noises only deranged humans can make. I reach the tracks unscathed but I swear I heard a few critters chuckling at me.

Walking on railroad tracks may sound glamorous (in a kind of Hobo-ish way) but it is really very difficult. The spacing of the ties is just right for a 5 year old with a narrow gate but not a middle aged man close to 6 feet tall. You can’t step on each one and you can’t, comfortably, reach every other one. But if you zig-zag instead of walking straight you can match your stride to the ties. You get in a rhythm. You get in a groove. You are so focused that you walk for miles before coming up for air. And when you finally do the whole world starts to spin. You are so hypnotized from the repetitive motion that you are kind of wiper blind.

8 Seven of Eleven: The Seneca Wine Trail on Foot - Part 2, Cont.

The cure? Get off the tracks, head up the hill to another winery! Nope - hit Climbing Bines Hop Farm and Brewery. A pint of Hefeweizen wheat beer and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich are just the ticket. Two miles (and a few tracks) later I arrive in Dresden at the Cork and Fork restaurant. I had stopped here for lunch on my drive around the lake a few weeks earlier and made it a point to be back. They have the best burger around. OK, after seven days of hiking a cardboard cut-out of a burger would taste good but this is really a special treat. They put pulled pork and coleslaw on top of an expertly seasoned hamburger. They call it the Pork-Er. Almost ate the plate it was on I was so hungry.

But now I’m well-fed (i.e. ready for a nap) and it is mid-afternoon. The sun is out and I’m feeling the effects of not training for this. Seventy-two degrees, no breeze and five miles of sparsely shaded road walking ahead of me. Those pesky blisters are not happy but after 10 minutes my brain sends the correct combo of chemicals to numb the pain and I trudge on. After a while I feel like I’m being followed. I look back and see someone in the middle of the road a mile or so back. Must be a mirage. Now they are half-mile back and gaining. I stop and wait. Carolyn is a retired teacher out for her daily walk and obviously has a faster pace than me. Or maybe the Pork-Er is slowing me down. We walk and talk for a while and I find out that she knows people that I know and once again I am reminded of how small a world we live in. Our paths diverge and once again I head off alone. It was nice to have some company for a bit and it reminded me of when my son and I hiked Canadice Lake together.

The rest of the afternoon was a blur of lake roads and railroad tracks and I finally arrived at camp for the night. Weaver View Farms is an Amish farm just south of Geneva which I had stopped at during my drive around the lake. Pauline had agreed to let me camp in the side yard, charge my phone in the barn and use the water spigot. She even had arranged for her 6 year old son to gather up fire wood for me to make a fire. That was the plan before the “Trail Magic” happened. When I arrived Pauline notified me that the folks renting their huge farmhouse had left a day early. She asked if I wanted to stay in the farmhouse instead of the yard. Hmmm…let me think abbot that for…a millisecond! Yes! I wanted the farmhouse and took advantage of all that it offered. A large queen sized bed, soaking tub (which my feet and other body parts sorely-and I mean sorely-needed), shower and fridge with freshly harvested watermelon. I used the gourmet kitchen, complete with stainless steel appliances, king-sized fridge and professional gas range, to boil my last two cups of water. My rehydrated meal, in a zip-lock bag, looked quite elegant on their granite counter tops and tasted like filet mignon. And the Amish-made desserts (whoopie pie and glazed pumpkin raisin cookies) topped it all off.

Now after seven days of this you would think I would be so tired that I would sleep in and all through Day 8. After all, the bed was comfy and warm and free of morning condensation. For some reason I woke on Day 8 at 5 am. I guess I was ready to wrap up the trip. I took on this eight day adventure as redemption for the Cayuga Lake fiasco. I should revel in the last few miles. Soak them all in. But I was ready to be done with it. I decided to bypass the railroad tracks by the lakeshore and walk on the highway. It was a good move. Temps were in the low 50’s and there was no traffic at 7 am on a Saturday. Put your head down and go.

By 11:30 I was on the waterfront trail to the pier and stopped to chat with Dan who had lived on the Lake for 21 years in “the only lake house formally in the City of Geneva.” Dan was excited that the pine tree he planted in his front yard had grown tall enough to shield the bathroom window from the wandering eyes of the train engineers. I guess Dan does not like curtains.

I arrived at the Pier at noon and stopped to look south once again. I stood here 8 days earlier pondering what lay in front of me. I wondered if I would finish. If I had “it” in me. I’m not sure what “it” is, but I’m glad I found it. It has made for some incredible experiences! And I have no doubts that it will provide many more as I tackle the last 4 lakes.

11 by 50.

9 Welcome New Cayuga Trails Club Members By Sigrid Connors

Brooktondale Laurie Carson Lansing Diane Beckwith Corning Mia Clay Newark Valley Rick Friend Ithaca Rebecca Bell Richford Keith & Kathy Schofield Gene Endres Trumansburg Peggy Dolan Jim Finlay Vera Vico Cindy Massicci Union Springs Janet Reohr Kumari Pingali Watkins Glen Janice Learn Erik & Julie Uy

Adopt-A-Highway 2016 By David Priester Adopt-a-Highway Continues in July & September We had a full crew of nine volunteers to make the first cleanup run through Varna this spring. The first time around each spring usually results in more trash from the winter month’s accumulation. This time wasn’t too bad except for the section I chose to take. Leader gets the tough part this time. We have a number of loyal trash collectors and welcome anyone who would like to help out. It is a very visible function for us. I have had folks pull over in their cars on their way through Varna and thank us for cleaning up the roadside. Most volunteers will be done around an hour or so depending on the trash volume, renewing acquaintances with old friends, or finding new friends during their time working together. Although the job sounds unattractive, the time spent usually goes by quickly and most volunteers leave feeling they contributed to their community. Wednesday, July 7, will be the next cleanup outing followed by another round in September and continues a long tradition of community service of this type by Cayuga Trails Club. The club provides the tools, bags and safety equipment needed. Helpers are assigned in pairs to sections of the highway to search for trash. Please come out and join the fun. See you in July! Future Adopt-A-Highway dates for 2016 are: Tuesday July 7th and Tuesday September 7th, at 5:30pm, and Saturday, October 29th at 10:00am.

10 Upcoming Hikes and Other Events By Barb Nussbaum

Check the Trails Club website for more information on each hike

Tuesday Evening Hike: Connecticut Hill West Tuesday, July 5, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Carpool meeting place: 5:00 p.m. - EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St.  Event/Trailhead location: 5:30 p.m. Gulf Rd. trail-head of the Finger Lakes Trail, Town of Catherine, Schuyler County  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length - 5 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain - Moderate with steep pitches If you like hearing the gentle splash of water rushing over rocks and small cataracts, then this week's hike on a section of the Finger Lakes Trail is for you. Our hike takes us to the western section of Connecticut Hill, a 25,000-acre Wildlife Management Area owned by the people of the State of New York and managed by the Department of Environmental Conservation. It is one of the largest contiguous natural areas within easy driving distance from Ithaca. This is an out-and- back hike starting from the white-blazed trail-head of the Finger Lakes Trail on Gulf Rd. in the Town of Catherine, Schuyler County. Among the natural features to be experienced this evening are two streams, one of them the Cayuta Outlet. We'll hike right alongside it for at least 20 minutes on an old abandoned road. We will also see a number of trees at least 100 years old that somehow escaped the loggers. The major man-made feature of this section of trail is a footbridge made of black locust lumber and steel fasteners. Two bridges were designed by Cornell engineers and built under the leadership of Cayuga Trails Club, and one has survived. Black locust is naturally rot resistant, locally grown and locally harvested. The bridges were built by volunteers using this sustainable lumber resource. Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup Wednesday, July 6, 2016  Time: 5:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Cornell University B-Lot parking lot, NW of Route 366 and Caldwell Road intersection (formerly 'O-lot'). Enter the lot from Campus Road and then go to the south-east corner of the lot closest to the Route 366 and Caldwell Road intersection. (Weekends and evening only with no Cornell parking permit.)  Contact: David Priester Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-280-5074 Join us to help clean up our adopted section of Route 366. Bring work gloves. We'll provide trash bags, safety vests, and spear poles. You need have no prior experience; you'll be matched up with a partner and will be assigned a section to clean up. This is a fine way to donate some volunteer effort to the club, particularly if you are not involved in trail maintenance or other committee activities. It usually takes a bit over one hour. Tuesday Evening Hike: Connecticut Hill from Ridge Rd. Tuesday, July 12, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Ridge Rd. trail-head of the Finger Lakes Trail, in the Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area, Newfield  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length - about 5 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain – Moderate This week's hike takes us to the Finger Lakes Trail on Connecticut Hill in the Town of Newfield. This is an out-and-back hike beginning at the Ridge Rd. trail-head of the Finger Lakes Trail. We will hike for about 90 minutes, stop, and retrace our steps. Connecticut Hill has abundant bird life and wildflowers, and we are likely to see, or hear, both.

11 Special Evening Hike - Fillmore Glen Wednesday, July 13, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Millard Fillmore Elementary School parking lot, Route 38 (Main Street), Moravia  Contact: Jennifer Wilson Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-753-8641 Jennifer Wilson will lead a hike at Fillmore Glen State Park, where water in many forms has shaped the natural landscape. This park features cool, dense woods crowding into a long narrow gorge providing a refreshing respite from the summer's heat. Fillmore Glen is one of the many beautiful gorges in the Finger Lakes region and perhaps the closest to its natural state. The bridges, staircases and railings were built without taking too much away from the natural beauty of the falls and gorge. There are five major waterfalls within the gorge as well as several smaller cascades. The lower falls is very easy to reach and the rock formation around this falls is particularly interesting, creating an amphitheater-like surrounding. However, the other falls in the park are definitely worth the rugged hike. In fact, some of these falls are even more impressive than the lower falls. *FLTC: Cross County Hike Series 2016 in Cattaraugus County and the Enchanted Mountains of Western New York Saturday, July 16, 2016  Time: 8:00 a.m.  Contact: Marty Ruszaj Email: [email protected] Looking for a challenge this summer? How about joining us on the Finger Lakes main trail hiking through Cattaraugus County? This year the series will feature the scenic lands at the western terminus of the FLT. Those of us living in this part of the state realize that none of the elevations that we enjoy in our travels qualify as “mountains.” However, as part of this year’s series as the trail passes into the Allegheny plateau we will encounter a total ascent of over 10,000 feet. To put this in perspective, our highest NYS peak (Mt. Marcy) has an elevation of 5344 feet. Of course we will be hiking the 96- miles of the series over a course of 8 hikes. The hikes will take place over 6 weekends, April to September. *Non CTC event - FLTC: Finger Lakes Trail Conference Summer Camping Trip to Letchworth State Park Reserve your camp site now! Sunday, July 17 - Tuesday, July 19, 2016  Time: 10:00 a.m.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131 There will be another chance to camp this summer: in beautiful Letchworth State Park, sometimes called the Grand Canyon of the East. Hiking will be around the park and visiting nearby places of interest. Each site can take 2 cars and 6 people. If you want to participate, you need to make your own reservation for a campsite through the Reserve America website, and bring your own tent and gear. To ensure you are able to camp in the same loop, please contact the group leaders for a site number to reserve. This is a no pets permitted loop. Walk, Look and Learn Hike # 591: Logan Hill Nature Preserve Sunday, July 24, 2016  Time: 9:00 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St.  Contact: Tom Reimers Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-272-8679  Hike rating: Length - 3 miles; Pace - Medium; Terrain - Moderate Come enjoy a brand new beautiful hiking trail at the band new beautiful Logan Hill Nature Preserve just outside of the village of Candor, Tioga County. This is another preserve owned and protected forever by the Finger Lakes Land Trust. This hike will take us through several different habitats including young and old forests, meadows, and wetlands. The well-groomed trails (about 3 miles) were completed in June, so they are eager to welcome visitors.

12 Tuesday Evening Hike: Connecticut Hill, Highest Point in Tompkins County Tuesday, July 26, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Griffin Road trail-head of the Finger Lakes Trail  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length - about 5 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain - Moderate with steep pitches This week's hike takes us back to Connecticut Hill to experience the Bob Cameron Loop, a 2.6 mile loop trail that starts and ends at Tompkins County's highest point, at just under 2,100 feet. We will tack on another couple of miles on the main Finger Lakes Trail, ending at Griffin Rd. This is an out-and-back hike. The BCL, a spur trail of the Finger Lakes Trail System, is a beautiful section, often used by cross-country skiers, but there is one rough, washed out stream crossing that could be muddy and requires some scrambling to get up and down. However, it's worth the effort: the only sounds we are likely to hear are the flute-like song of the evening thrush and the westerly breeze coming up and over the hill. We are unlikely to come across other hikers. Bring water and wear sturdy hiking shoes or boots. This is tick season. Deer ticks have the potential to carry Lyme Disease, so bringing insecticide and wearing long pants and light colored clothing are good ideas. A careful check for ticks after your hike and a post hike shower are good ideas. Hikers are invited to go for ice cream at a local bistro after the hike. Directions to the trail-head: Travel time is about 20 minutes from Ithaca. Take Route 13 South. Where the highway splits, continue in the right lane on Route 13. At about 4.3 miles from EMS in Ithaca, turn right on Millard Hill Rd. and go 2 miles, all the way up the hill. At the first stop sign, continue straight ahead as the road changes name to become Cayutaville Rd. and go another 0.3 miles. At the next stop sign, turn right on Black Oak Rd. and go 0.3 miles. Turn right on Griffin Rd. Look for the trail-head on the right, and watch for hikers gathering and parked cars. If you have a GPS unit, set destination to: 199 Griffin Rd. *Other: Summer Cook-Out with the Ithaca Hikers Save the Date and RSVP by July 23! Saturday, July 30, 2016  Time: 12:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.  Contact: Stephen Hesse Email: [email protected] Telephone: (607) 272-5853 The Ithaca Hikers have invited all CTC members to their annual summer cook-out at Roger's place on Route 13 a few minutes south of town. This is the one time of the year when formerly active hikers who’ve left the trail can catch up with our current crowd, and everyone can spend a long lazy afternoon sitting around eating and swimming and schmoozing. Tuesday Evening Hike: From Valley Floor to Lovely Vista Tuesday, August 2, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Parking lot/bus stop on north side of Route 79 east of Ithaca, just before the county line at the Owego Creek  Contact: Sarah Sutton Email: [email protected] Telephone: 251-391-7778  Hike rating: Length: About 5 miles; Pace: Moderate; Terrain: strenuous with several steep pitches Tonight our destination is rural Caroline as we hike the Finger Lakes Trail south from Route 79. We'll cross a Cornell Plantations preserve with a nice stand of hemlock, and continue up a steep slope on privately owned land that consists mostly of hardwoods with some nice older maples, oaks, and ash. We'll follow an old logging road for part of the steep climb. When we reach the top of the hill, we'll be rewarded by the view from one of the highest points in Tompkins County. How much we see from the hay field at the top depends on weather. If we have a clear day, the view is pretty good, possibly reaching as far as 30 miles to the southeast. It is a great spot for sweaty hikers to catch a refreshing breeze as you take a break and sip from your hydration bladder or pull out your water bottle. From there, we will continue on into Potato Hill State Forest. At 90 minutes, we will turn around and retrace our steps, making this an out-and-back hike. As we end our trek, we'll walk on the primary man-made feature of this section: several puncheons and an elevated puncheon bridge which allows us to easily traverse a wetland that would otherwise swamp our hiking boots. Thanks to Sarah Sutton, who graciously stepped up to lead this hike.

13 Walk, Look and Learn Hike # 592 at Lime Hollow Nature Center in Cortland County Wednesday, August 3, 2016  Time: 4:30 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: 4:30 a.m. - Meet in the Dunkin Donuts parking lot in the Village of Dryden.  Event/Trailhead location: 4:45 a.m. Lime Hollow Center for Environment & Culture, old parking lot on Gracie Road  Contact: Jennifer Wilson Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-753-8641 For those who wish to observe nature in its summer setting, Jennifer Wilson will lead a 3-4 mile hike at the Lime Hollow Center for Environment & Culture (LH). Participants are encouraged to bring their nature guides to informally identify their surroundings. The preserve features a mixture of drumlins, bogs, meandering streams and mixed forests of pine and hardwoods. Participants will shuttle from Dryden to the walk, which will originate from the old parking lot off Gracie Road and will feature a stop by the fantastic, Adirondack-style newly opened center off Lime Hollow Road. *OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Robert H. Treman State Park Registration required! Saturday, August 6, 2016  Time: 9:30 a.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Treman State Park upper parking lot off of NY Route 327. Note: The parking fee collection booth is frequently closed after 6:00 p.m.  Contact: Josh Teeter Email: [email protected] Telephone: (607) 383-7041 ext. 131 Meet at the Upper Entrance parking lot by the Old Mill. This hike will begin on the Rim trail to see Lucifer Falls from the overlook and will also include portions of the Finger Lakes Trail. Total hike mileage approximately 4 miles. Hike length and exact route subject to change due to weather conditions. *OPRHP: NY Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Places Walk Look and Learn Hike # 592 in Bahar Nature Preserve and Carpenter’s Falls Unique Area Sunday, August 7, 2016  Time: 8:15 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: 8:15 a.m. - EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St.  Event/Trailhead location: 9:30 a.m. Carpenter’s Falls Unique Area and Bahar Nature Preserve parking on Appletree Point Road, 1.6 miles east of Route 41A, Cayuga County  Contact: Anna Keeton Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-351-3466  Hike rating: Length - 3.2 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain - Difficult Anna Keeton will lead this strenuous, short hike along the ridge above Bear Swamp Creek through the Bahar Nature Preserve and Carpenter’s Falls Unique Area, on the west side of Skaneateles Lake. Refer to the Finger Lakes Land Trust website for a trail map and additional information on the areas. Tuesday Evening Hike: Danby State Forest West Tuesday, August 9, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: FLT trail-head on Comfort Rd., Danby. Please park as far onto the shoulder of the road as you can do safely.  Hike rating: Length: About 5 miles; Terrain: Moderate; Pace: Moderate This hike will go if a leader can be found for it. Tonight's destination is the Finger Lakes Trail as it traverses the western side of Danby State Forest. Along the way, we will visit two recent major trail projects: the Chestnut Lean-to and the bridge that spans Diane's Crossing. They were built with volunteer labor by Alley Cat Crews from the Finger Lakes Trail Conference, led by Matt Brenneman and our Trails Chair, Paul Warrender, in 2013 and 2014.

14 Annual CTC Summer Picnic Mark your calendar! Wednesday, August 10, 2016  Time: 6:05 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Treman State Park upper parking lot off of NY Route 327. Note: The parking fee collection booth is frequently closed after 6:00 p.m.  Contact: Marsha Zgola Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-546-7367 The Cayuga Trails Club summer picnic will be on Wednesday, August 10th at Upper Treman State Park Pavilion at 6:05 p.m. Disposable plates, cups, plastic ware, some condiments, and charcoal will be provided. Picnickers are asked to please bring a dish to pass and something to grill for yourself (if desired) as well as your choice of drinks. Guests are very welcome. We will hold this event, rain or shine. Tuesday Evening Hike: Newest Section of the Cayuga Trail Tuesday, August 16, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Flat Rock parking area off Forest Home Drive, Ithaca.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length - about 5 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain - Moderate Tonight's destination is the newest section of the Cayuga Trail, cut by 23 volunteers on June 4, 2016, National Trails Day. The new one-mile section branches off from older trail about a quarter mile upstream from the Stevens Suspension Bridge. From there, the new section meanders through Plantations natural area, along a couple of ag experiment fields and meets Freese Road. We'll cross the creek on a one lane bridge and immediately enter private land, then emerge into another Cornell ag field, eventually getting onto the older section of trail and back into the woods. On the return leg of our hike, we'll travel on the beautiful red-blazed trail which provides some great views of the creek and brings us into old growth forest with a handful of very tall and stately hemlocks and oaks that somehow escaped logging. This is an out-and- back hike. Our starting and ending point is the Flat Rock, across Forest Home Drive from the Cornell Plantations maintenance buildings. *FLTC: Cross County Hike Series 2016 in Cattaraugus County and the Enchanted Mountains of WNY Saturday, August 20, 2016  Time: 8:00 a.m.  Contact: Marty Ruszaj Email: [email protected] Looking for a challenge this summer? How about joining us on the Finger Lakes main trail hiking through Cattaraugus County? This year the series will feature the scenic lands at the western terminus of the FLT. Those of us living in this part of the state realize that none of the elevations that we enjoy in our travels qualify as “mountains.” However, as part of this year’s series as the trail passes into the Allegheny plateau we will encounter a total ascent of over 10,000 feet. To put this in perspective, our highest NYS peak (Mt. Marcy) has an elevation of 5344 feet. Of course we will be hiking the 96- miles of the series over a course of 8 hikes. The hikes will take place over 6 weekends: April to September. *Non CTC event - FLTC: Finger Lakes Trail Conference Tuesday Evening Hike: FLT in Danby State Forest Tuesday, August 23, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: FLT trail-head on Michigan Hollow Road, Danby  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length - About 5 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain - Moderate Tonight's destination is the Finger Lakes Trail in the center of Danby State Forest. We'll start at the trail-head at Michigan Hollow Road and hike eastward for about 90 minutes, then retrace our steps, making this an "out-and-back" hike.

15 Bristol Hill Branch Trail Hike #6, B3, Acc 17- M12 mile 6.3 (9.1 miles) RSVP! Saturday, August 27, 2016  Time: 7:45 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: 7:45 a.m. - EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St.  Event/Trailhead location: 9:00 a.m. Newton Rd. in Mitchellsville - Bath (Steuben County), M 12, mile 6.3., shoulder parking.  Contact: Barbara Nussbaum Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-257-6906  Hike rating: Length - 10.1 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain - Moderate, Overall hike rating: strenuous You can either car pool from Ithaca or meet us at Newton Rd. in Mitchellsville (Steuben County), M 12, mile 6.3. From there we take as few cars as possible to drive to the start of our hike on Glen Brook Rd. (Acc 17 of map B3). We will hike on private land and through Pigtail Hollow State Forest. There will be an elevation gain of about 700 feet and about the same elevation loss. This hike is on the southernmost section of the Bristol Hill Tail and part or series of 6 hikes on this branch trail. The other trail sections will be hiked during Labor Day weekend and on September 10. Tuesday Evening Hike in Arnot Forest Tuesday, August 30, 2016  Time: 5:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Arnot Forest  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131 This hike is easy, mostly downhill and approximately 4.5 miles long. The Arnot Teaching and Research Forest is located in the hilly, forested Southern Tier region of New York State. The “Arnot” is owned by Cornell University and managed by the Department of Natural Resources in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. It is the largest actively managed forest owned by Cornell. In addition to 2,400 acres of mature forest, the Arnot includes some 100 acres of open land (grass and goldenrod), 1,345 acres of old fields, saplings, brush, and pole timber, 170 acres of softwood plantations, 40 acres of sugarbush, 20 acres of field campus, 10 ponds, and Banfield Creek. More than 400 species of vascular plants and 135 species of birds, in addition to numerous amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, inhabit the Arnot. Approximately 100 contiguous acres of grassland are maintained to provide habitats for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Labor Day Campout in Ontario County Park - Hike the Bristol Hill Trail in four days! Registration is open now! Friday, September 2 - Monday, September 5, 2016  Time: 9:00 a.m.  Contact: Barbara Nussbaum Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-257-6906 The Cayuga Trails Club has reserved a few campsites - for tents only - in Ontario County Park at the northern end of the Bristol Hill Trail, which is a branch trail of the Main Finger Lakes Trail. The plan for some CTC members is to hike about 41 miles of the 56 mile long Bristol Hill Trail in four days. This camping trip is for hikers only and you are expected to participate in the group hikes. You can also drive from Ithaca and join us for the day hikes only. If you plan to bring a camper, please call 585.374.6250 for your own reservation. You need to be a member of the CTC, the FLTC or any with the FLTC affiliated hiking club to participate in this event. Please, bring your own tent, all camping equipment and your own food. We plan to organize potlucks/joint meals for dinner on Saturday and Sunday evenings. If you want to reserve a campsite for $ 45 (three nights) in this CTC trip you need to email Barbara at [email protected] and send your check - not later than August 1, 2016 – to: Cayuga Trails Club, P.O. Box 754, Ithaca, NY 14851. Please, include the names of all participants. One campsite can take up to 8 people. Available spots are limited. Please, check availability before mailing your check. Make checks payable to Cayuga Trails Club, memo: CTC Labor day Campout. Checks are nonrefundable after August 15, 2016. Please contact Barbara with any questions at [email protected]. Check the CTC website for more information.

16 National Trails Day, June 4, 2016 Photos by Gary Mallow

Trail landowners Christina Stark and David Weinstein.

Eileen Maxwell (left) and Christina did a nice job clearing brush and stones and raking the trail tread.

Sawyer Nigel Dyson-Hudson

John Ludders clearing honeysuckle.

After cutting brush, setting carsonite posts and blazing, one last group shot to celebrate a job well done. Lunch provided by Robin Carlisle Peck and served in Christina and David’s shady back yard sure tasted good.

19 Finger Lakes Trail Conference

Fourteen of us hiked the entire Interloken Trail on Saturday 6/18/2016 as part of the Finger Lakes Trail Conference Spring Campout. Photo by Kenny Fellers.

The Friday 6/17/2016 afternoon hike led byThomas Reimers through Queen Catherine's Marsh as part of the Finger Lakes Trail Conference Spring Campout in Montour Falls was very informative and enjoyed by all. We saw a Kingfisher and a Great Blue Heron, as well as other birds. Photo by Anna Keeton.

Heather Houskeeper kept her crowd interested with frequent stops along the trail.

Trails Chair Paul Warrender receiving the FLTC Clar Willis Award for outstanding work in trail maintenance.

Tom Reimers led the Walk, Look, and Learn Hike #590 on Saturday, June 11, 2016 in the William and Marjory Thayer Preserve at Lick Brook. It’s amazing what can be found in our nearby forests and streams if we look carefully in unusual places. Tom was joined by five adults and 5 children on a short hike along Lick Brook searching for “herps” (i.e., herpatofauna). The area is part of a beautiful and rugged nature preserve owned and protected by the Finger Lakes Land Trust. During the 1.5-hour excursion, the following critters were found under rocks and rotting logs and in the water: 4 American toads, 1 green frog, 15 red-backed salamanders, 18 dusky salamanders, 14 two-lined salamanders, 5 eastern newts (a.k.a. red efts), 0 snakes, unfortunately. The two girls in the stream are Emma Hagen and Abby Hagen, granddaughters of CTC member Dave Bock. Photo by Tom Reimers.

Not shown: Roger Hopkins, PJ Peterman, Jim Connors, Barbara Morley. Photo by Jack Vanderzee.

22 Mark Your Calendar Tue, Jul 5 Tuesday Evening Hike: Connecticut Hill West — Gary Mallow Wed, Jul 6 Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup — David Priester Tue, Jul 12 Tuesday Evening Hike: Connecticut Hill from Ridge Rd. — Gary Mallow Wed, Jul 13 Special Evening Hike - Fillmore Glen — Jennifer Wilson Sat, Jul 16 *FLTC: Cross County Hike Series 2016 in Cattaraugus County and the Enchanted Mountains of Western New York — Marty Ruszaj Sun, Jul 17 Three Days Hiking the Letchworth Trail: Part 1 — Anna Keeton Mon, Jul 18 Three Days Hiking the Letchworth Trail: Part 2 — Anna Keeton Tue, Jul 19 Three Days Hiking the Letchworth Trail: Part 3 — Anna Keeton Tue, Jul 19 Tuesday Evening Hike: Black Diamond Trail North Sun, Jul 24 Walk, Look and Learn Hike # 591: Logan Hill Nature Preserve — Tom Reimers Tue, Jul 26 Tuesday Evening Hike: Connecticut Hill, Highest Point in Tompkins County — Gary Mallow Sat, Jul 30 *FLTC: Ed Sidote Hike - Summer 2016 - Pharsalia Wildlife Management Area - Chenango County — Bruce and Donna Coon Sat, Jul 30 *FLLT: Talks & Treks: Snail Walk Sat, Jul 30 *Other: Summer Cook-Out with the Ithaca Hikers — Stephen Hesse Save the Date and RSVP by July 23! Tue, Aug 2 Tuesday Evening Hike: From Valley Floor to Lovely Vista — Sarah Sutton Wed, Aug 3 Walk, Look and Learn Hike # 592 at Lime Hollow Nature Center in Cortland County — Jennifer Wilson Sat, Aug 6 *OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Robert H. Treman State Park — Josh Teeter Registration required! Sun, Aug 7 Walk, Look and Learn Hike # 592 in Bahar Nature Preserve and Carpenter’s Falls Unique Area — Anna Keeton Tue, Aug 9 Tuesday Evening Hike: Danby State Forest West Wed, Aug 10 Annual CTC picnic — Marsha Zgola Mark your calendar! Tue, Aug 16 Tuesday Evening Hike: Newest Section of the Cayuga Trail — Gary Mallow Sat, Aug 20 *FLTC: Cross County Hike Series 2016 in Cattaraugus County and the Enchanted Mountains of Western New York — Marty Ruszaj Tue, Aug 23 Tuesday Evening Hike: FLT in Danby State Forest — Gary Mallow Sat, Aug 27 Bristol Hill Branch Trail Hike #6, B3, Acc 17- M12 mile 6.3 (9.1 miles) — Barbara Nussbaum RSVP! Tue, Aug 30 Tuesday Evening Hike in Arnot Forest — Gary Mallow Fri, Sep 2 Bristol Hill Branch Trail Hike #3, B2, Acc 8- B2 Acc 10 (7.9 miles) — Barbara Nussbaum RSVP! Fri, Sep 2 – Labor Day Campout in Ontario County Park - Hike the Bristol Hill Trail in four days! - Mon, Sep 5 -Barbara Nussbaum Registration is open now!

Check the website www.cayugatrails.org for any last-minute changes or additions.

Cayuga Trails Club, Inc. NON-PROFIT P.O. Box 754 ORGANIZATION Ithaca, NY 14851-0754 U.S. POSTAGE PAID ITHACA, NY PERMIT NO. 94

Cayuga Trails is published six times a year and is edited and published by Judith Austic. Comments and original contributions are welcome. Deadline for the next edition is July 15, 2016. Send contributions to [email protected] or 5 Stevenson St. Seneca Falls, NY 13148. Visit Cayuga Trails Club website at www.CayugaTrailsClub.org

Cayuga Trails Newsletter of the Cayuga Trails Club Founded in 1962 “…to explore, enjoy and preserve wild lands and places of natural beauty…”

Sept.-Oct. 2016 Fall Edition Volume 56, Nos. 9&10

CTC Annual Picnic By Sheila Stone

About 30 hikers came to the Cayuga Trails Club annual picnic, held on August 10th at Upper Treman State Park. We all had a chance to mingle with other CTC hikers and enjoy the wonderful food people brought.

The surprise guest of the evening was Murphy, a Great Horned Owl, who escorted board member Marsha Zgola to the picnic. Marsha has held federal and state permits for wildlife rehabilitation for mammals and birds since 1980. Additionally, she has permits for possessing non-releasable wildlife for education. Marsha has been fostering Murphy ever since he was an owlet when he found by the roadside, injured by crows. Murphy lost an eye, but he survived the ordeal. Marsha is now training him to be comfortable around people so he is able to participate in educational venues. Murphy is a most charming and engaging raptor who stole the hearts of all who met him.

After dinner several of us walked down the newly renovated stone steps of the Gorge Trail to view Lucifer Falls, at that time a mere trickle of its former self due to the drought. But as always, the gorge was majestic, a gift of beauty from time.

Many thanks to Marsha, who in addition to introducing us to Murphy, organized this picnic.

Murphy, the Great Horned Owl. Photo by Jack Vanderzee.

FLT through hiker Roy Dando. photo by President’s Column Jim Connors. Thank You, Private Landowners By Gary Mallow

A lot of hikers enjoy trucking along the Finger Lakes Trail and the Cayuga Trail in their hiking boots. Many, perhaps most, are unaware of the land ownership arrangements that allow these trails to exist. If they think about it all, hikers likely assume they are hiking on public land provided for their enjoyment and recreation. Perhaps they think that public agencies like the Department of Environmental Conservation has some kind of power to compel landowners to allow hikers to cross privately owned land. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It is a fact that the Finger Lakes Trail is routed through a complex matrix of city, county, state, and even federal land. The vast majority of that land is state forest owned by us, the people of New York. The FLT also crosses a number of city parks, county lands, and New York's only National Forest, the Finger Lakes National Forest. But that's only half the story; about 50% of the FLT is routed on these public lands. The other half of the FLT, and all of the Cayuga Trail, crosses private land.

In the case of the Cayuga Trail, the private land that it crosses is owned by Cornell University and managed by Cornell Plantations. We have developed a strong collaboration with Plantations that has lasted more than 50 years, and with its director, Todd Bittner, for a number of years. One result of that collaboration is the addition of a one mile section of new trail opened in June. It is our goal to maintain and enhance the relationship with Plantations in the future so that great hiking opportunities like the Cayuga Trail remain available to you.

Look at a Google map view of the privately owned land the Finger Lakes Trail crosses, and you'll see a vast checkerboard of land parcels, which provides a kind of window into our state's history. Almost all the land we hike across was farmland when New York was an agrarian society. Today, there are still many farms, but much of the land that was once used to grow crops is now abandoned and gradually growing up to successional forest. Some of it has been divided again and again to provide building lots for homes and businesses. Some of it is used to generate gas, oil, or lumber, or is now occupied by highways, commercial or industrial operations not compatible with hiking.

Having said all that, there are still over 700 private landowners across New York who have agreed to allow hikers to cross their land on the FLT, about 60 of them in our little patch of paradise. You might be surprised at the arrangement that allows us all to hike all these privately owned forests and meadows.

There is no compensation for private landowners who agree to let hikers pass. There is not even a tax exemption. No money changes hands. In the vast majority of cases, no paperwork has been signed; only about 10% of the landowners have provided a trail easement. For the rest, it is simply an informal, verbal, handshake agreement. In many cases, those handshake agreements go back decades, dating as far back as 1962 when Wally Wood proposed the unlikely idea of a 600- mile-long hiking trail. It must have seemed like fantasy to his contemporaries. What landowner would agree to such a thing?

As it turns out, many private landowners did, and still do. You must agree that this is an incredibly generous gesture by our neighbors, rural landowners who say, yes, if you respect me and my land, and don't disturb my family, you may hike on my property. If we want to continue this arrangement with landowners, it's up to us. We must abide by their very reasonable requests: simple things like staying on the trail; keeping your dog leashed; don't camp unless you have specific permission; don't harvest wildflowers, mushrooms, ramps or anything else; park at designated places and limit the number of cars. I am profoundly grateful to live in this area. I have the privilege of discovering natural areas - the forests, fields, ravines, small waterfalls, streams, and landscapes of the FLT and Cayuga Trail - that would not exist without the permission of private landowners. In my opinion these are wonderful people. They deserve our respect and our thanks.

Telling the CTC Story… By Danielle Thon

Several members recently volunteered their time to “man” the Cayuga Trails Club exhibit at Eastern Mountain Sports. Unfortunately, exhibiting is frequently misunderstood as a marketing activity in which it is necessary to be extroverted, assertive and a good salesperson. In fact, good exhibitors don’t need to be any of those things. Good exhibitors just need to be sincere and willing to tell the story.

The company I work for does 90-100 shows a year. I don’t do that many myself, but early in my career, I developed our protocol for exhibiting, which included no chairs in the exhibit. When we exhibit, we are fully present and engaged. Over the past 25 years I have exhibited at a lot of shows and conferences, so I am somewhat used to full days and multiple days of exhibiting. Having organized a number of these events over the years I also understand the challenges, so when Gary asked for an hour, I really did not think that was a hardship.

Exhibiting is an opportunity to tell people about all the great work CTC does. Who wouldn’t want to tell that story? Your club is fantastic. You have great members, you do great work, your dues are ridiculously cheap and don’t we all believe a walk in the woods is a very cool thing to do? How hard is that to talk about?

In my two hours at EMS I tried to engage every person who walked through the door. For me, it is all about engagement and then just telling them the truth. First I make eye contact then I ask “Have you heard of Cayuga Trails Club?” If they say “no” then it is an opportunity to open a dialog. We are a local hiking club that offers people the opportunity to see lots of local trails they would not normally see on their own. We have volunteers that do trail maintenance, we have several social events throughout the year, and we have great hike leaders who are very knowledgeable about the local area, trees and plants.

You can talk about whatever else your particular experience with the club is. I told a few people my own story about walking some of the trails near my house for years and appreciating how well cared for they were until I finally decided to send a check with a thank you note (thank you again Tom Reimers!).

If they say “Yes, I have heard of Cayuga Trails Club” then just following up with “Are you a member?” can lead to some additional dialog. It really is just about finding a connection with people and telling the story. Many people were curious and wanted to chat for a few minutes so I gave them a brief 2-3 minute overview, and a brochure. It may not turn into a membership but if I conveyed a positive impression of the club, then we gained something.

I don’t think CTC does a lot of this type of marketing, but I feel that there is a place for it. If you have a chance to connect with the broader community you don’t need to be a salesperson or even good at talking to people. I am one of the most introverted people I know, but I can tell the story of a very solid organization doing great work because I know it is true. And, I guarantee if you feel it is true as well, you will convey it with warmth and sincerity, and people will listen. That is all there is to successful exhibiting.

Trails Report

By Paul Warrender, Trails Chairman

Want to Adopt a Trail Section?

Interested in adopting a part of the trail? Besides hiking, trail work is a major activity of Cayuga Trails Club. CTC members and other Finger Lakes Trail Conference affiliated hiking clubs or organizations have built the trail during the past 50-plus years, and we get out on the trail throughout the year to keep it in shape. We do this because we love the trail, we enjoy working in the woods, and it is a great way to stay in shape ourselves. Trail sections become available for adoption from time to time. If you are interested in adopting one of the above mentioned trail sections, or would like to be on the waiting list, contact Paul Warrender at: [email protected].

As a Trail Section Adopter you assume responsibility for a section of trail. You agree to visit your section three times per year minimum, and perform routine inspection and maintenance: clear vegetation and fallen branches, pick up litter, refresh blazes and signs as needed, check up on trail infrastructure such as register boxes, benches, bridges, lean-tos, etc., and inform the CTC Trails Chairman or the FLTC Regional Trail Coordinator of any issues with infrastructure. Any fallen tree across the trail that can’t be handled by handsaw you will inform the Trails Chairman or Regional Trail Coordinator about; he will dispatch certified sawyers to clear the hazard. You will also be invited to attend occasional training meetings. A Reminder: FLT Map Revisions Finger Lakes Trail maps I1 (Interloken Trail), M15, M16, and M17 were updated with new information and trail routes earlier this year. The Cayuga Trails Club website trail notices page has the latest map updates. The most up-to-date editions of Finger Lakes Trail maps can be purchased via the Finger Lakes Trail website at www.fingerlakestrail.org.

A Big Thank You!

The Cayuga Trails Club maintains nearly 100 miles of main Finger Lakes Trail plus branch and loop trails between Watkins Glen and Caroline, NY. Here’s the latest list of trail section adopters in the Cayuga Trails Club region, most of whom are CTC members. If you know any of these folks, or happen to bump into them on the trail while hiking, thank them for all they are doing to make hiking enjoyable in our area!

Jonathan Bernstein Ian Golden Neal & Diane Melveney (they are also trail-hosting property Steve Selin owners) Gary Johnson Kenny Fellers Greg Wooster Linda Ratsep David Priester Vito Brancato Phil Dankert Eric & Cyrus Shatt George Little Charlie Marquardt Carol Mallison Fred Sibley (also a trail-hosting property owner) Michael & Barbara Nussbaum Chris Olney PJ Peterman John Chamberlain Gary Mallow Rick Grossman Dr. Danny & Kristin Scott Marcus Coppola and Family Charlie Strohman Tommy Beers David Ruppert Matt Glenn Tina Wright Herb Engman Peter Marks Andy Sciarabba, Jr. Bryan Isacks Charlie Elrod (also a trail-hosting property owner) Joe McMahon Michael Turback Gail Steinhart Gail Neely Steve Nicholson Maedeline Ulinsky John Andersson Tom Reimers

General Membership Meeting & Dinner Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016 Mark your calendar

The Cayuga Trails Club (CTC) Fall General Membership Meeting and Dinner will be held at the Ellis Hollow Community Building located at 111 Genung Road, Dryden, Tompkins County. Club members are invited to attend this meeting. Please bring a dish to pass. The club will provide table service, coffee, tea and some wine. Meeting agenda is as follows:  4:30-5:30 p.m. - social hour  5:30 p.m. – dinner  After dinner - Business meeting to appoint a nomination committee for 2016 club officers. For an after dinner activity everyone is invited to share up to ten slides/photos each. If you would send these electronically to Roger Hopkins at [email protected], he will transfer them onto a compact disc for easier viewing. We will also have the inventory of CTC logo shirts, hats and guide books available for sale (cash or check only please). Hoping to see you all there! Questions, contact: Marsha Zgola Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-546-7367.

Welcome New Cayuga Trails Club Members By Sigrid Connors

Brooktondale Anne Byrne Candor Norma Kurtz & Family Ithaca Rich Recchia Auburn Christopher Lounsbury Lynn Anderson Newfield Karen Esmus Robyn Bem Dustin James Lindsey Brill Trumansburg Chris & Amy Olney Erin Davis Simeon Darwick & Family Ksenia Verdiyan & Family Freeville Thomas R. Brotherton Sr. & Family

Adopt-A-Highway 2016 By David Priester Adopt-a-Highway Continues in September & October We are in the heat of the summer for sure. We had a full crew of six intrepid, heat braving, volunteers to make the second cleanup run through Varna this summer. This time around wasn’t too trashy. Special recognition is warranted for the couple who jogged from home to the meeting place and home again in spite of the July heat. That’s dedication. We have a number of loyal trash collectors and welcome anyone who would like to help out. It is a very visible function for us. I have had folks pull over in their cars on their way through Varna and thank us for cleaning up the roadside. Most volunteers will finish with their assigned section in around an hour or so depending on the trash volume, renewing acquaintances with old friends, or finding new friends during their time working together. Although the job sounds unattractive, the time spent usually goes by quickly and most volunteers leave feeling they contributed to their community. Wednesday, September 7, will be the next cleanup outing followed by the last round in late October continuing a long tradition of community service of this type by Cayuga Trails Club. The club provides the tools, bags and safety equipment needed. Helpers are assigned in pairs to sections of the highway to search for trash. Please come out and join the fun. See you in September! Future Adopt-A-Highway dates for 2016 are Wednesday September 7th at 5:30pm, and Saturday, October 29th at 10:00am.

Upcoming Hikes and Other Events By Barb Nussbaum

Check the Trails Club website for more information on each hike

Labor Day Campout in Ontario County Park - Hike the Bristol Hill Trail in Four Days! Friday, September 2 - Monday, September 5, 2016 For Registered participants  Time: 9:00 a.m.  Contact: Barbara Nussbaum Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-257-6906 The Cayuga Trails Club has reserved a few campsites - for tents only - in Ontario County Park at the northern end of the Bristol Hill Trail, which is a branch trail of the Main Finger Lakes Trail. Ontario County Park at Gannett Hill is located in the town of South Bristol, just west of the southern end of Canandaigua Lake. The park has 400 acres and about 17 miles of trails. The plan for some CTC members is to hike about 41 miles of the 56 mile long Bristol Hill Trail in four days. For those, who look for other things to do: Canandaigua is very pretty; swimming is possible in Onondaga Beach and Park in nearby Canandaigua Lake. You can also visit the Glenn H. Curtis Aviation museum near Hammondsport. The Bristol Hill trail hiking maps B1, B2 and B3 can be ordered from the Finger Lakes Trails Service Center. This camping trip is for hikers only and you are expected to participate in the group hikes. You can also drive from Ithaca and join us for the day hikes only. If you plan to bring a camper, please call 585.374.6250 for your own reservation. You need to be a member of the CTC, the FLTC or any with the FLTC affiliated hiking club to participate in this event. Please, bring your own tent, all camping equipment and your own food. We plan to organize potlucks/joint meals for dinner on Saturday and Sunday evenings.

*OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Watkins Glen State Park Saturday, September 3, 2016 Registration required!

 Time: 9:30 a.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Watkins Glen State Park, Lower Parking Lot on 1009 North Franklin Street  Contact: Josh Teeter Email: [email protected] Telephone: (607) 387-7041 ext: 131 Meet at the main entrance parking lot on Franklin Street. The hike will go up the Gorge Trail and we will return using the Indian trail and South Rim Trail. Total hike mileage 3.0 miles. Hike length and exact route subject to change due to weather conditions.

Bristol Hill Branch Trail Hike #1, B1, Acc. 0 – Acc. 5 (11.9 miles) RSVP! Sunday, September 4, 2016  Time: 8:30 a.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Access 1 on the Bristol Hill Branch Trail in Ontario County Park  Contact: Barbara Nussbaum Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-257-6906  Hike rating: Length - 11.9 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain - Difficult We will spot cars at Acc. 5 in Naples ahead of time and start our hike right from Acc. 1 on the Bristol Hill Branch Trail in Ontario County Park. We'll hike all the way down into Naples, Acc. 5. This is a long and strenuous hike with more than 1000 ft. ascend and about 2500 ft. descent. This hike will take about 8 hours - not including breaks - due to the elevation change and long distance. Please contact Barbara (cell phone 607-342-2403) if you are interested in this hike and you are not participating in the camping trip in Ontario County Park.

Bristol Hill Branch Trail Hike #4, B2, Acc. 10- B3 Acc. 14 (8.5 miles) RSVP! Monday, September 5, 2016  Time: 10:00 a.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Acc. 14 of map B3 near the town of Prattsburgh on Prattsburgh Pulteney Road  Contact: Barbara Nussbaum Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-257-6906  Hike rating: Length - 8.5 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain - Moderate We will meet at Acc. 14 of map B3 near the town of Prattsburgh on Prattsburgh Pulteney Road, leave a few cars there and drive to the start of the hike at Acc. 10 near the town of Italy Hill on Prattsburgh-Italy Hill Rd. Driving time to Ithaca is about 1 hour 30 minutes. Driving time from Ontario County Park is about 30 minutes. Please contact Barbara (cell phone 607-342-2403) if you are interested in this hike and you are not participating in the camping trip in Ontario County Park.

Tuesday Evening Hike: FLT in Danby State Forest - Middle Section Note New, Earlier Start Time: 4:30 P.M. Tuesday, September 6, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: FLT trail-head at Curtis Road, Danby State Forest  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Distance - 5 miles; Terrain - Moderate; Pace - Moderate; Overall rating - Moderate This week's hike takes us to the Finger Lakes Trail in the middle section of Danby State Forest. This is an "out and back" hike. We will hike from Curtis Road east for about 90 minutes, turn around, and retrace our steps. Because Curtis Road is a seasonal road with no maintenance, it's recommended that you travel in an SUV or pickup the last 1/2 mile to the trailhead. If you don't own this type of vehicle, carpool if possible with someone who does.

Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup Wednesday, September 7, 2016  Time: 5:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Cornell University B-Lot parking lot, NW of Route 366 and Caldwell Road intersection (formerly 'O-lot'). Enter the lot from Campus Road and then go to the south-east corner of the lot closest to the Route 366 and Caldwell Road intersection. (Weekends and evening only with no Cornell parking permit.)  Contact: David Priester Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-280-5074 Join us to help clean up our adopted section of Route 366. Bring work gloves. We'll provide trash bags, safety vests, and spear poles. You need have no prior experience; you'll be matched up with a partner and will be assigned a section to clean up. This is a fine way to donate some volunteer effort to the club, particularly if you are not involved in trail maintenance or other committee activities. It usually takes a bit over one hour.

Bristol Hill Branch Trail Hike #5, from B3 Acc 14 to B3, Acc 17 (6.8 miles) RSVP! Saturday, September 10, 2016  Time: 8:15 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: 8:15 a.m. - EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St. Please park in front of the store but at the end of the lot furthest away from the store.  Event/Trailhead location: 9:30 a.m. Glen Brook Rd at Acc. 17 of map B3 (town of Hammondsport, Steuben County), shoulder parking north of the trail crossing.  Contact: Barbara Nussbaum Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-257-6906  Hike rating: Length - 6.8 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain - Moderate, Overall hike rating: moderate You can either car pool from Ithaca or meet us at Glen Brook Rd at Acc. 17 of map B3 (town of Hammondsport, Steuben County). From there we take as few cars as possible to drive to the start of our hike on Prattsburg-Pulteney Rd. near Prattsburgh. There will be an elevation gain of about 500 feet. We will hike through private property and Urbana State Forest. Lunch break will be at the private Evangeline Shelter. This hike is the last of a series of 6 hikes on the Bristol Hill Branch Trail. The other trail sections were hiked during Labor Day weekend and on August 27.

Tuesday Evening Hike: FLT in Danby State Forest East Note New, Earlier Start Time: 4:30 P.M. Tuesday, September 13, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: FLT trail-head on South Danby Road, Danby  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Distance - 5 miles; Terrain - Difficult; Pace - Moderate; Overall rating - Strenuous This week's destination is the eastern section of Danby State Forest. We will start at the FLT trail-head on South Danby Road, so look for the small hiker's parking area on the right as you approach the trail-head. We'll hike east and uphill past the Tamarack Lean-to, and then downhill towards Route 96B. The hike back up the hill to the lean-to from the highway is rigorous and steep. If you struggle on steep uphill pitches, you might want to join us on another Tuesday. This is an "out-and-back" hike. We will hike for 90 minutes, turn around, and head back, retracing our steps.

*FLTC: Cross County Hike Series 2016 in Cattaraugus County and the Enchanted Mountains of Western New York Saturday, September 17 - Sunday, September 18, 2016  Time: 8:00 a.m.  Contact: Marty Ruszaj Email: [email protected] Looking for a challenge this summer? How about joining us on the Finger Lakes main trail hiking through Cattaraugus County? This year the series will feature the scenic lands at the western terminus of the FLT. Those of us living in this part of the state realize that none of the elevations that we enjoy in our travels qualify as “mountains.” However, as part of this year’s series as the trail passes into the Allegheny plateau we will encounter a total ascent of over 10,000 feet. To put this in perspective, our highest NYS peak (Mt. Marcy) has an elevation of 5344 feet. Of course we will be hiking the 96- miles of the series over a course of 8 hikes. The hikes will take place over 6 weekends, April to September. Check the website for further details.

*Non CTC event - FLTC: Finger Lakes Trail Conference

Tuesday Evening Hike: Shindagin East Note New, Earlier Start Time: 4:30 P.M. Tuesday, September 20, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: FLT trail-head at Old 76 Road, Caroline. Park well off the paved surface of the road, on the shoulder, as far off the paved surface as you can safely. Please gather off the paved surface, as fast moving traffic often passes this trail-head. Do not stand on the road.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Distance - 5 miles; Terrain - Moderate; Pace - Moderate; Overall rating - Moderate This week's hike takes us to Shindagin Hollow State Forest and some private property in rural Caroline. We will begin on Old 76 Road and head southwest for an hour, then turn around and retrace our steps. One of the nicest parts of this section of trail runs parallel to, and at the edge of, Shindagin Hollow. If our hiking pace allows, we will pass by Shindagin Hollow Creek twice, and get to see a nice little cataract that flows in high water. Evidence of trail work is abundant: an older footbridge over Boyer Creek that had a new deck installed a few years ago by Cayuga Trails Club, Shindagin Lean- to, rebuilt in 2004 by a Finger Lakes Trail Conference Alley Cat Crew, a foot bridge over the creek rebuilt in 2013 by another Alley Cat crew. This area was once inhabited by Native Americans and later settled by Europeans, and we hike by a foot path likely used by the former.

Celebrate NCNST day - Watkins Glen Area Hikes Saturday, September 24, 2016  Time: 8:00 a.m.  Carpool meeting place: 8:00 a.m. - EMS Parking Lot at 722 S Meadow St. Please park in front of the store but at the end of the lot furthest away from the store.  8:30 a.m. Long hike: The Twin Tunnels parking lot and FLT trailhead is on Satterly Hill Rd. 1/2 mile north of Burdett. (Willow St. becomes Satterly Hill Rd. just north of the village). We will leave some cars there and shuttle to the start point. 8:45 a.m. Short Hike: TBA  Contacts: Marsha Zgola Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-546-7367 John Greer Email: [email protected] Telephone: 315-730-2408  Hike rating: Long hike: Length - 12 miles or 6 miles; Pace - Moderate; Terrain - Difficult; Overall rating - Strenuous Short Hike: Distance - 6 miles; Terrain - Moderate; Pace - Moderate; Overall rating - Moderate Save the date and help us to celebrate the North Country National Scenic Trail on NCNST Day! The Finger Lakes Trail carries 421 miles of the NCNST in New York. The 80 miles of the FLT/NCNST between Watkins Glen and Caroline is maintained by the Cayuga Trails Club.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Buttermilk Spur and Lick Brook Tuesday, September 27, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: The DOT parking lot off of the northbound lane of NY Route 34/96 in the NY Route 13 and 34/96 interchange is about about 4 miles south of Ithaca. If coming from Ithaca, go through the interchange on Route 34/96 toward Spencer and then use the marked U-Turn to go back north. The DOT parking lot is on the right, just before the bridge over Enfield Creek.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Distance - 5 miles; Terrain - Difficult; Pace - Moderate; Overall rating - Strenuous This week's hike takes us to the beautiful Sweedler Preserve at Lick Brook, the Thayer Preserve, and the Buttermilk Spur, a spur trail of the Finger Lakes Trail. Following spring thaw or a hard rain, Lick Brook cascades down a steep sided shale gorge and becomes one of the most beautiful and dramatic waterfalls in the area, 140 feet high. The creek is the major natural feature of the Lick Brook Preserve, and the Thayer Preserve, which is adjacent. There are also a fair number of very tall, very old sycamores and oaks in the Lick Brook Preserve. This is a strenuous hike with a change in elevation of 500 feet. Not recommended for novice hikers. If you struggle on steep uphill pitches, you might want to join us on another Tuesday evening.

*FLTC: 2016 Fall Campout Friday, September 30 - Saturday, October 1, 2016  Time: 10:00 a.m. The annual FLTC Fall Campout is three days of hikes and two evening programs, usually in a more rustic setting. The annual FLT Fall Campout will be held the weekend of September 30 to October 2, 2016. It will be hosted by the Binghamton area-based Triple Cities Hiking Club, and held at the General Clinton Park in Bainbridge, NY. This campground, located just over a mile from the FLT, offers a huge number of tenting spaces along with RV/Camper sites (electric & water hookups), plus a large enclosed picnic pavilion where we'll be serving meals and holding programs. Several motels are nearby, as well. Full-day and half-day hikes will be offered on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The campground will be open Thursday night for those coming from a long distance. Complete details and registration info will be provided in the Summer 2016 edition of the FLT News. Questions ? Please write to: contact@triplecitieshikingclub. *Non CTC event - FLTC: Finger Lakes Trail Conference.

First Saturday Hike: Fillmore Glen State Park Registration required! Saturday, October 1, 2016  Time: 9:30 a.m.  Contact: Josh Teeter Email: [email protected] Telephone: (607) 387-7041 ext: 131 Meet at the Fillmore Glen State Park parking lot on by main pavilion. The hike will follow the Gorge and will return using the North Rim Trail. Total hike mileage 3.5 miles. Hike length and exact route subject to change due to weather conditions.

*FLTC: Erv Markert Hike Onondaga Branch Trail loop hike in Cortland and Onondaga Counties Saturday, October 8, 2016  Time: 9:00 a.m.  Contact: Sigi Schwinge Email: [email protected] Telephone: 315-437-6906  Event/Trailhead location: Meet at the Shackham Pond trailhead on Shackham Rd. Hike Description Two hike lengths will be offered: a) The 12 mile hike will feature Shackham and Spruce Ponds, the famous Tinker Falls, a million-dollar view over the Labrador Valley, and a lunch stop at the Hemlock lean-to -- what more could you ask for! b) The 7 mile hike will be a somewhat slower hike and will include Tinker Falls, the Labrador Valley view, Spruce Pond, portions of the Fellows Hill Loop, and Shackham Pond. *Non CTC event - FLTC: Finger Lakes Trail Conference

WEDNESDAY Evening Hike: Fischer Old Growth Forest Note Change to WEDNESDAY this week only Wednesday, October 5, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Shoulder parking in small parking area off Route 13 South across the road from Stella's Restaurant, about 6 miles from downtown Ithaca..  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Distance - 2.5 miles; Terrain - Difficult; Pace - Moderate; Overall rating - Strenuous Our destination this week is the Richard B. Fischer Old Growth Forest in Newfield, which contains an ecosystem rare for the Finger Lakes. Fischer is a natural area owned by Cornell University and managed by Cornell Plantations. Its 84 acres of forest, including a small grove of old growth forest, is a part of some 3,400 acres of natural area under the auspices of Plantations. There are stark contrasts in the landscape at Fischer. We traverse two fallow farm fields, forest that was clear-cut at some point, old growth forest, and then we skirt a wetland. The highlight of Fischer is the old growth forest that appears not to have been disturbed by man for over 100 years, perhaps because of the steep terrain. Along clearly blazed trails, hikers can easily pick out a couple dozen hemlocks, oaks and shagbark hickories that could be 150 years old or older. The trails here are quite short, so we will make two loops around the preserve, for a total of 2.5 miles, and a total change in elevation of 500 feet. The hike back up the hill is rigorous and steep. This is an "out and back" hike.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Trail Maintenance on the FLT Tuesday, October 11, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Distance - 4 miles; Terrain - Moderate; Pace - Moderate; Overall rating - Moderate Our hike this week is a trail work session organized to improve a section of the Finger Lakes Trail, on which we have hiked for the last three years on Tuesday evenings. It is a small gesture of gratitude to the trail maintainers on whom we have depended for the great hikes we've enjoyed on well-maintained sections of the FLT. You need no previous trail maintenance experience to join this work detail; instruction will be given to those who need it. Destination to be determined by Trails Chair Paul Warrender. Trail tools, typically loppers, hand saws, hoes and rakes, will be provided by the club, but many trail workers prefer to bring their own implements. If you have favorite loppers or saw, and feel comfortable using it, feel free to bring it.

General Membership Meeting, Dinner Get this on your calendar! Sunday, October 16, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Ellis Hollow Community Center, located between Ellis Hollow Creek Rd. and Ellis Hollow Rd. at 111 Genung Road, Dryden, Tompkins County  Contact: Marsha Zgola Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-546-7367 The Cayuga Trails Club Fall General Membership Meeting and Dinner will be held at the Ellis Hollow Community Building located at 111 Genung Road, Dryden, Tompkins County. Club members are invited to attend this meeting. Please bring a dish to pass. The club will provide table service, coffee, tea and some wine. Meeting agenda is as follows:  4:30-5:30 p.m. - Social Hour  5:30 p.m. - Dinner  After Dinner - Business meeting to appoint a nomination committee for 2016 club officers For an after dinner activity everyone is invited to share up to ten slides/photos each. If you would send these electronically to Roger Hopkins at [email protected], he will transfer them onto a compact disc for easier viewing. We will also have the inventory of CTC logo shirts, hats and guide books available for sale (cash or check only please). Hoping to see you all there!

Tuesday Evening Hike: Six Mile Creek Note New, Earlier Start Time: 4:00 P.M. Tuesday, October 18, 2016  Time: 4:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Mulholland Wildflower Preserve parking lot by the bridge just off Giles Street, Ithaca.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Length: About 4 miles; Terrain: rough, narrow trail with steep pitches; Pace: Moderate; Overall: Strenuous Our hike this week brings us to Six Mile Creek and the Mulholland Wildflower Preserve, a major source of drinking water for Ithaca. There is maintained hiking trail with blazing for part of the way, but as we hike upstream, the maintained trail section ends and the trail is rough, with overgrown brush and terrain that varies from flat to several steep, narrow pitches as you move upstream. But the rewards are worth the effort. This will be an "out and back" hike. We will begin at Giles St., hike for about an hour, turn around, and retrace our steps. Meetup is the Giles Street parking area for the preserve.

Tuesday Evening Hike: Waterfront Trail East Note New, Earlier Start Time: 4:00 P.M. Tuesday, October 25, 2016  Time: 4:00 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Chemung Canal Trust Company parking area.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Distance - 5 miles; Terrain - Easy; Pace - Moderate; Overall rating - Easy Tonight's destination is the eastern half of the Waterfront Trail, with a spur out to the lighthouse at the south end of the lake, and additional mileage in Renwick Wildwood. This is long loop route. We will start from the Chemung Canal Trust Company parking lot in Ithaca and experience the newest section of trail, crossing 7 Mile Creek, walking past the Cayuga Trails Club bench, the Farmer's Market, over Cascadilla Creek, and past the golf course to the lighthouse, then over Fall Creek and through Stewart Park to the south end of the lake. We'll stop at the lake to admire the view and return via Stewart Park, Renwick Wildwood and back to the cars.

Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup Saturday, October 29, 2016  Time: 10:00 a.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Cornell University B-Lot parking lot, NW of Route 366 and Caldwell Road intersection (formerly 'O-lot'). Enter the lot from Campus Road and then go to the south-east corner of the lot closest to the Route 366 and Caldwell Road intersection. (Weekends and evening only with no Cornell parking permit.)  Contact: David Priester Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-280-5074 Join us to help clean up our adopted section of Route 366. Bring work gloves. We'll provide trash bags, safety vests, and spear poles. You need have no prior experience; you'll be matched up with a partner and will be assigned a section to clean up. This is a fine way to donate some volunteer effort to the club, particularly if you are not involved in trail maintenance or other committee activities. It usually takes a bit over one hour.

*OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Black Diamond trail Registration required! Saturday, November 5, 2016  Time: 9:30 a.m.  Contact: Josh Teeter Email: [email protected] Telephone: (607) 387-7041 ext: 131 Meet at the Jacksonville Rd parking lot. The hike will go out on the future Black Diamond Trail 2 miles and then we will turn around and return to the parking lot. Total hike mileage 4 miles. Hike length and exact route subject to change due to trail or weather conditions. *Non CTC event - OPRHP: NY Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Places

July 13 Special Evening Hike at Fillmore Glen State Park By Jennifer Wilson

This summer, storm warnings have been frequent, but actual rainfall rare, so ignoring the forecast on July 13, this intrepid group of seven set out anyway for the approximately three mile hike on a very warm and very sunny afternoon. What began as a pleasant hike through a gorge so parched only a trickle of water ran through it took a different turn when the group reached the south side overlook near the half-way point of the hike. It was too late to turn back as the sky suddenly darkened and big drops began to splatter us. Cooled as well as drenched by the steady rainfall, the hikers led by Jennifer Wilson pressed on and reached the lean-to beside the dam. They tried to wait it out for about 10 minutes. It was no use, and so the bedraggled company continued along the north side, by now enjoying a waterworks that not only caused the gorge to spring to life, but created cascades and curtains of liquid running off the tall conifers. As the rain ceased near the end of the loop hike, rays of sunlight broke through and a mist rose up before the explorers. A soaked and mud spattered gathering bid one another farewell following a most memorable outing.

August 16th Hike on the Cayuga Trail By Gary Mallow

Fourteen hikers joined the Tuesday Hike this week. We traversed the new section of the Cayuga Trail, older sections of the trail, the red-blazed and yellow-blazed trail. Hot and humid, but a nice refreshing breeze now and then, and some great views of Fall Creek gorge. David Weinstein and Christina Stark joined us and did some interpretation on the history of their land, which they have graciously allowed the trail to cross, and hemlock wooly adelgid research. Thank you to the trail adopters here: John and Kathy Ludders, Tom Reimers, David Weinstein and Christina Stark. The trail looks great and recent weed whacking made it easy to hike.

A nice old double trunk red oak. Photo by Gary Mallow.

Mark Your Calendar Sat, Aug 20 *FLTC: Cross County Hike Series 2016 in Cattaraugus County and the Enchanted Mountains of Western New York — Marty Ruszaj Tue, Aug 23 Tuesday Evening Hike: FLT in Danby State Forest — Gary Mallow Tue, Aug 30 Tuesday Evening Hike in Arnot Forest — Gary Mallow Note new earlier start at 4:30 p.m. Sat, Sep 3 *OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Watkins Glen State Park — Josh Teeter Registration required! Wed, Sep 7 Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup — David Priester Tue, Sep 13 Tuesday Evening Hike: FLT in Danby State Forest East — Gary Mallow Note New, Earlier Start Time: 4:30 P.M. Sat, Sep 17 - Sun, *FLTC: Cross County Hike Series 2016 in Cattaraugus County and Sep 18 the Enchanted Mountains of Western New York — Marty Ruszaj Tue, Sep 20 Tuesday Evening Hike: Shindagin East — Gary Mallow Note New, Earlier Start Time: 4:30 P.M. Sat, Sep 24 Celebrate NCNST day - Watkins Glen Area Hikes — Marsha Zgola, John Greer Tue, Sep 27 Tuesday Evening Hike: Buttermilk Spur and Lick Brook — Gary Mallow Fri, Sep 30 - Sun, *FLTC: 2016 Fall Campout SAVE THE DATE ! Oct 2 Sat, Oct 1 First Saturday Hike: Fillmore Glen State Park — Josh Teeter Registration required! Wed, Oct 5 WEDNESDAY Evening Hike: Fischer Old Growth Forest — Gary Mallow Note Change to WEDNESDAY this week only Sat, Oct 8 *FLTC: Erv Markert Hike - Fall 2016 - Onondaga Branch Trail loop hike in Cortland and Onondaga Counties — Sigi Schwinge Tue, Oct 11 Tuesday Evening Hike: Trail Maintenance On The FLT — Gary Mallow Sun, Oct 16 General Membership Meeting, Dinner — Marsha Zgola Get this on your calendar! Tue, Oct 18 Tuesday Evening Hike: Six Mile Creek — Gary Mallow Note New, Earlier Start Time: 4:00 P.M. Tue, Oct 25 Tuesday Evening Hike: Waterfront Trail East — Gary Mallow Note New, Earlier Start Time: 4:00 P.M. Sat, Oct 29 Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup — David Priester Sat, Nov 5 *OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Black Diamond trail — Josh Teeter Registration required! Sat, Dec 3 *OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Buttermilk Falls State Park — Josh Teeter Registration required!

Check the CTC website for last minute changes.

Cayuga Trails Club, Inc. NON-PROFIT P.O. Box 754 ORGANIZATION Ithaca, NY 14851-0754 U.S. POSTAGE PAID ITHACA, NY PERMIT NO. 94

Cayuga Trails is published six times a year and is edited and published by Judith Austic. Comments and original contributions are welcome. Deadline for the next edition is Aug. 15, 2016. Send contributions to [email protected] or 5 Stevenson St. Seneca Falls, NY 13148. Visit Cayuga Trails Club website at www.CayugaTrailsClub.org

16 Cayuga Trails Newsletter of the Cayuga Trails Club Founded in 1962 “…to explore, enjoy and preserve wild lands and places of natural beauty…”

November-December 2016 Winter Edition Volume 56, Nos. 11-12

Another New Section of Trail Opened Private Landowners Key in Eliminating Road Walk

Another new section of the Finger Lakes Trail was opened to hikers earlier this season, and although many people were involved, the accolades go first to the landowners who are graciously permitting the trail to be routed on their land: Charlie and Laurie Elrod, Tom Brown, and Kevin Reilly. Landowner David Bock served as consultant and liaison. The newest section of FLT is located off Rockwell Road and Hines Road in Newfield, and it replaces about .75 mile of road-walk that hikers have endured for several years, following sale of a parcel on which the trail was routed for many years. The new section incorporates older trail that was abandoned, along with completely new trail that was cut by volunteers over the summer. It's a nice hike that features old growth maples on the Bock Harvey Forest Preserve, skirts horse pasture, hay and clover fields, and takes you through very nice forested patches. There is even an old stone fence that once marked the edge of a pasture, or perhaps an old property boundary. The new section begins about .25 miles east of Porter Hill Road, and ends at Kevin Reilly's masonry yard off Hines Road. From there, heading eastbound, you head through more of Reilly's land and Treman Park; going westbound, you enter Rieman Woods. There is still a small section of road walk on Rockwell Road. Roger Hopkins donated and helped install three small bridges to cross road ditches on Rockwell and Hines Roads. Those who helped bring this new hiking trail to you include: Volunteers  Robin Carlisle Peck Permitting Landowners   Charlie and Laurie Elrod Nigel Dyson-Hudson   Tom Brown Roger Hopkins   Kevin Reilly Kathy Ludders  John Ludders Consulting Landowner  Fran Martak  David Bock  Gail Neely Project Manager  Barbara Nussbaum  Paul Warrender  Marc Olshan  Tom Reimers Landowner Relations  Andy Sciarabba  Andy Sciarabba

1 Cayuga Trails Club President’s Column By Gary Mallow Thank You, Tuesday Hikers

I am profoundly grateful to live in this area. I have the privilege of discovering natural areas - the forests, fields, ravines, waterfalls, streams, and landscapes of the FLT and Cayuga Trail - that would not exist without the permission of private landowners, and the foresight of public leaders, natural area managers and progressive people at Cornell who have created the emerald necklace of state forests, parks, and protected natural areas that surround us. I love the place we live. But it’s the people I live among, and hike with, that keep me here. For the last three years on most Tuesday nights, I've been privileged to lead a group of hikers into the woods. These are not classic 15 mile treks into the Adirondacks to summit 6,000-foot peaks. We're usually out for two or three hours, four or five miles, starting late in the afternoon and returning to the trail-head around dusk. Sometimes we're blessed to glimpse through the trees a sky full of purples, reds, oranges, and blues as we hustle to get out of the woods before dark. Sometimes we get drenched by a shower or thunderstorm, and a few of us have lost feeling in our fingers on a bitterly cold, windy February day. We've done most of the steep, glacially carved hillsides that the FLT or Cayuga Trail traverse in this area, and we've been on easy hikes on the Black Diamond and Waterfront Trails. We've seen old growth forest in the Fischer Preserve, the logged areas in Danby State Forest, the dramatic cliffs high above Fall Creek and the boggy beaver dam at Lindsay-Parsons. We've experienced the wonder of early spring risers like ramps, trillium, and blue cohosh in upper Buttermilk, which gives us the reassurance of life renewed after a long, cold winter. We've seen late season delights like white asters, blue asters and goldenrod on Satterly Hill. I can more easily describe the natural wonders than the array of very unique people I've met that I now call friends. Tom has a rapier-quick wit that will skewer the hike leader. Gundy is someone whose support is as unquestioned as her love for Purity ice cream. Sarah is a world traveler who seems to enjoy a challenge and a workout. Iris is a wonder, overcoming challenges just to be hiking who knows her way around a gluten-free kitchen. Charlie doesn't care if he leads or sweeps; he knows how to repair trail as well as he knows how to build a bathroom or a garden. Sheila has the skill to make almost any hiker feel welcome and appreciated. Karen is an accomplished hiker, and End-to-Ender who doesn't mind playing with the boys. I could go on. I, along with anyone who has hiked on Tuesdays, owe Barbara Nussbaum a debt of gratitude for the Tuesday Hike Series, and I suppose for the friendships that have evolved as a result of spending so much time in the woods together. Three years ago, Barbara asked me to lead a regular, short hike, reviving an older, more modest series. The idea back in the day was to give people who work a chance to unwind by going out for a couple of hours in the evening. It wasn't a weekly thing and it didn't last long. Barbara urged me to do it again; I thought it was a crazy idea. Barbara persisted. Together we put together the rudiments of a hike schedule. In the end, I borrowed the idea of a regular, weekly hike on the same day at the same time from another hike leader, Steve Hesse. But the credit goes to Barbara; she saw the value that hikers attached to weekly hikes; she found someone crazy enough to lead it; she pushed the idea. In a couple of weeks the Tuesday hikers will do their last hike and later meet at Iris Milich's home to celebrate the end of another season. We'll say goodbye for deer season and the holidays and pick it up again next year. Over three years, we've done 600 miles on some 115 hikes. Charlie, Gundy, Sarah and Tom pitched in more this year to lead, a welcome contribution for which I am grateful. We got to know each other better, and we welcomed many hikers, some who became regulars, some occasional hikers, and some who joined us just once. It was a good year for me, and I think for all of us. If you hiked even once on Tuesday, thank you for joining me, and us.

2 Chainsaw Camp About 40 members have made the commitment to maintain a section of Finger Lakes Trail or Cayuga Trail in our area. Only seven have gone the extra step to become Certified Sawyers, a requirement to work with chainsaws in state forests. A sawyer agrees to respond when called out on serious blow-downs or downed trees that are too big or too dangerous for a handsaw. In order to work in state forests, sawyers must complete "The Game of Logging," a two-day, hands-on course every three years sponsored by the Finger Lakes Trail Conference, and taught by Bill Lindloff. Bill is a logger with decades of experience in the woods whose full time job is now training sawyers all over the East. Peter Marks and Gary Mallow renewed their certification with Bill September 17th and 18th at Birdseye Hollow State Forest. Training days are long, the course is rigorous, and the focus is on safety. It's tough to correctly perform every step of the process of felling a standing tree, or bucking and limbing a downed tree, in front of 10 or 12 of your peers. Every mistake is noted and corrected, and mistakes are sometimes embarrassing. It's a learning process that the sawyers are unlikely to forget. Training includes segments on saw maintenance and repair, safety equipment, identifying hazards, creating and working your plan, and getting out of potential trouble. The lessons learned from many, many mistakes that have injured sawyers, or even cost them their lives, are passed along, so that we may learn from their mistakes. Safety is emphasized at all times, and sawyers who seem to lose interest or take short cuts are called out. Grades are given to every trainee for every cut. Lindloff is a great teacher who knows what he's doing in the woods. He is committed to passing it along to those of us who want to use these powerful, but potentially dangerous machines, to create safer hiking trail. At the end of a long weekend, receiving your Game of Logging Certificate is a proud moment. It's also a reminder that working with chainsaws in the woods requires careful planning, recognition of potential hazards, a focus on safety, and at least the rudiments of machine maintenance. The Finger Lakes Trail Conference picks up the tab for the training and provides some limited safety equipment, such as head, ear, and eye protection, and chaps. Sawyers provide their own transportation, room and board. Cayuga Trails Club certified sawyers are: Paul Warrender, David Priester, Peter Marks, Gary Mallow, Nigel Dyson- Hudson, Chris Olney, and Kenny Fellers. In addition to making themselves available to be called out to our 100 miles of trail, our sawyers agree to travel to other parts of the state when the need arises. We did that last year in the Greek Peak area. If you see one of the guys, please thank them for going the extra step to make hiking safer and more fun for the rest of us.

The first step in felling is cutting the opening, which should be at least 70 degrees and not too deep. Each cut should meet exactly in the cut of the opening, no further. See one more photo, p. 6.

3 Proposed Revision to the Bylaws of the Cayuga Trails Club New York State recently revised the law that regulates not-for-profit corporations such as the Cayuga Trails Club. One important addition to the law is a requirement that all non-profits adopt a Conflict of Interest policy, which the Executive Board did in the spring of 2015.

But because the Bylaws set out the powers and management of the Cayuga Trails Club, the Board believes that the Bylaws should include a mention of the Conflict of Interest Policy, and provide for a means of enforcement. Thus the proposed Bylaw amendments as presented have provisions for both establishing the policy and for removing members of the Executive Board as the means of enforcement. The removal of an Executive Board member is proposed as the reverse of selecting them; only a vote by the full CTC membership can remove an officer elected by the membership; and a Board member appointed by the President (generally Committee Chairs) can be removed by the President.

This amendment to the Bylaws and creation of the Conflict of Interest Policy is solely due to the requirement of the Not- for-Profit Corporation Law, and to make sure that the CTC operates to preserve its not-for-profit status.

Amendments to the Bylaws must be approved by at least two-thirds of the members attending a members meeting. The Executive Board recommends approval. Proposed changes to the Bylaws are indicated in bold italics. Proposed deleted changes are indicated in bold and inside brackets [ ]. Proposed revisions for January 22, 2017: I - NAME AND PURPOSE The corporate name of this organization is the CAYUGA TRAILS CLUB. Its purposes shall be: to explore, enjoy, and preserve wild lands and places of natural beauty and interest and their plant and animal life; and to encourage the informal study of the natural, historical, and cultural features relating to the out-of-doors through walks and related activities. II - OFFICERS The officers shall consist of a President, who shall preside at meetings and act as Chairperson of the Executive Board; a Vice-President, to act in the absence or incapacity of the President; a Secretary, who shall keep the minutes and records and perform such other duties as may be requested by the President; and a Treasurer, who shall receive dues and disburse funds and be a member of the Finance Committee. (For detailed duties of officers, see Standard Practices.) A Nominating Committee composed of one member of the Executive Board and two members from the general membership shall be elected by the membership in November or earlier. It shall propose a slate of officers to include a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, to serve for a period of one year, and a Member-at-Large, to serve for a period of two years. None of these shall be limited to one term. The officers and the new Member-at-Large shall be elected at the Annual Meeting, designated in Article IV. Additional nominations may be made from the floor before the election. Any vacancies arising between elections shall be filled by the Executive Board until the next Annual Meeting. An elected officer (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Member-at-Large) may be removed from office for failure to fulfill the duties of the position, including failure to comply with the Conflict of Interest Policy, by a majority of voting members at an annual or special meeting as described in Article IV. III - COMMITTEES AND EXECUTIVE BOARD The President, with the advice of the Executive Board, shall appoint the Archivist and the Chairpersons of the following standing committees: Finance, Guidebook, Information Technology, Landowner Relations, Membership, Newsletter, Publicity, Social, Trails, WLL (Walk, Look, and Learn Hikes), and such other committees as the President may deem advisable. (S)he shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and should be notified in advance of meetings. An appointed member of the Executive Board may be removed from office for failure to fulfill the duties of the position, including failure to comply with the Conflict of Interest Policy, by the President with the advice of the Executive Board. The Executive Board is authorized to conduct the business of the Cayuga Trails Club. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers, as designated in Article II, the Chairpersons of the committees mentioned in Article III, Par. 1, the immediate past-President and the two Members-at-Large. The Executive Board shall meet at every other month. Additional meetings may be called with five days prior notice and approval of two Executive Board members. Each member of the Executive Board, as a voting member, is expected to attend and take part in Executive Board Meetings. A quorum for conducting business at Executive Board meetings shall be 50% of the Board members. Cont. p. 5

4 When unable to attend Board meetings, Board members and committee Chairpersons should inform the President in advance and, if possible, suggest a substitute. The Finance Committee shall be responsible for keeping current the financial records, financial procedure and policies, including establishment of an annual budget. The Guidebook Committee shall be responsible for the revision, publication and distribution of the guidebook (Guide to Trails of the Finger Lakes Region). The Information Technology committee shall be responsible for information technologies used by the club, and for maintaining and improving the club’s website. The Landowner Relations committee shall be responsible for cultivating and maintaining good relations with landowners. The Membership Committee shall have charge of all duties pertaining to membership. The Newsletter Committee shall be responsible for publishing and distributing the club's newsletter. The Publicity Committee shall be responsible for newspaper, radio, web site, and other media publicity. The Social Committee shall be responsible for the club's social activities. The Trails Committee shall be responsible for the scouting, mapping, construction, and maintenance of hiking trails as approved by the Executive Board. The Trails Committee shall also be responsible for recruiting trail stewards and working with them to maintain and improve trails. The Walk, Look and Learn (WLL) Committee is responsible for monthly Walk, Look, and Learn trips and other events committee members may wish to initiate. (Detailed duties of committees shall be included in the Standard Practices.) IV - MEETINGS The Annual Meeting and election of officers shall be held in January, the time and place to be designated by the Executive Board. Special meetings may be called by any two officers, or any five members. At least five days prior notice shall be given members of the time and place of meetings, both regular and special. A quorum shall consist of 25 members. A quorum is required for nominating and electing officers, amending the By- Laws and making other vital decisions. V - MEMBERSHIP Membership in the club shall be open to those who are interested in supporting the purpose of the club. Only members may vote or hold office. A membership application shall be completed and submitted to the club with the appropriate dues. VI - DUES AND EXPENSES The Executive Board shall set membership categories and dues for each category. Changes to categories and dues must be acted on at two separate Executive Board meetings. Members' children under age eighteen shall be exempt from dues. Dues of members joining subsequent to September 30 in any year shall apply to the following year as well. Dues shall be payable in January of each year. If the dues of any member are not received by March 15, the member's name may be dropped from the membership roll. The updated membership list shall be distributed to all members as soon as possible. There shall be no power of officers, committees, other than the Executive Board, or membership as a group, to incur indebtedness in the name of the club, act for it, or expose it as a body to any liability whatever. Each member who participates in club activities does so wholly in a voluntary capacity. Since May 1977 the CAYUGA TRAILS CLUB has been exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Therefore, no annual income tax returns need to be filed unless gross receipts of the club exceed $10,000 per year. VII – CONFLICT OF INTEREST The Executive Board shall adopt and maintain a Conflict of Interest Policy that meets the intent of the New York Not- for-Profit Corporation Law. The Executive Board members are to be faithful to the organization’s best interests and refrain from using their organizational position or knowledge to advance a personal agenda at the organization’s expense. Each officer, member of a committee and employee of the CTC shall annually sign and file with the CTC Secretary [or other person identified in the Standard Practices] a statement which affirms that such person: a. has received a copy of the Conflict of Interest Policy; b. has read and understands the policy; c. has agreed to comply with the policy; and d. understands that the CTC is a charitable organization and that in order to maintain its federal tax exemption it must engage primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of its tax exempt purposes. VIII [VII] - AMENDMENTS The By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of those attending a meeting of the members. A copy of the proposed amendment(s) must be sent to the membership at least two weeks prior to the meeting. Bylaws2017.

5 Welcome New Cayuga Trails Club Members by Sigrid Connors Please welcome the following new and returning members to the Cayuga Trails Club! Brea, CA Unlisted Dryden, NY Anne & Abby Culp Geneva Dahlia Elizabeth Wist Ithaca Unlisted Sarah Song Louis Zammiello Newfield John Udall Rochester Brian Kane Van Etten Christine & Richard Nelson Wellsburg Jayme Hettinger Warren, PA Suzanne Klein

Chainsaw Camp

Bill Lindloff (right) carefully observed each student and was not shy in making corrections to technique.

6 Hike Reports By Barbara Nussbaum Labor Day Camping Trip 2016 By Barbara Nussbaum This year’s Labor Day camping trip brought us to Ontario County Park which is located a couple of miles north of Naples, NY on top of the Bristol Hills west of Canandaigua Lake. The main reason for camping there was its proximity to the Bristol Hills Trail which starts right in this County Park and runs about 55 miles south from there to meet the Main Finger Lakes Trail near Hammondsport. Sixteen CTC members and four members of the Finger Lakes Trail Conference participated in various hikes during the four days. Fifteen of us stayed overnight at one of the campsites, in a camper or a cabin. Five hikers joined us on one or more hikes, travelling from home. The weather couldn’t have been better for a camping and hiking trip- mostly sunny, dry and not too hot. Ten of us worked towards hiking all the Finger Lakes Trail branch trails, after many of us had hiked the whole Finger Lakes Trail from the Catskills to Allegany State Park into Pennsylvania in 2015. The Bristol Hills Trail is certainly one of the prettiest branch trails with very little road walks, several long distance views, ponds, meadows, wetlands and beautiful forests, but it is also strenuous with lots of hills. That was the reason we didn’t even try to hike the whole 55 miles in four days. Yet some of us hiked about 12 miles each day on Saturday and Sunday which was very challenging because of an elevation change of over 2000 feet on top of the long distance. A treat at the ice cream shop in Naples at the end of Sunday’s hike was well deserved by everybody and it is impossible to resist as this trail runs right by it. Some of us hiked shorter sections of the Bristol Hills trails soaking in the beautiful scenery and even had time for visits at local wineries. Ontario County Park is a very pretty park. The camp sites without electricity where most of us stayed were especially gorgeous with lots of privacy under some pine trees. The two couples who came with campers were not as lucky. They were out in the hot sun without any shade or privacy. The cabins are also very nice. Most of us ate dinner in a very good local restaurant in Naples on Friday and we shared dinners on Saturday and Sunday. My impression was that we are getting better and better every year with cooking. Thanks to all the hikers who contributed to the delicious food. It was certainly not a weekend to lose weight, even with all that strenuous hiking. I was also impressed that we have a lot of talent in building and maintaining a good fire in the CTC. Just ask Gundy, Iris, Karen, Anna, Bodhi or Lynn and nobody will be left in the dark or cold. One of the many good things about Ontario County Park was that there was plenty of fire wood available for us to use for free. It was obviously left near our campsites from trees which had been cut in previous years. After we will hopefully be done with hiking the FLT and its branch trails sometime early next year we’ll take on the Adirondacks during next year’s Labor Day Camping trip. Karen Serbonich will be organizing the CTC Labor Day Camping Trip 2017, see her separate article in this newsletter.

Ontario County Park campsite. Photo by Gundy Lee.

7 Camping and Hiking At Nick’s Lake State Park, Old Forge, NY Mark your Calendar: Labor Day 9/1 - 9/4/2017 By Karen Serbonich For the past three Labor Day weekends, members of the Cayuga Trails Club along with extended trail club family (FLTC, AdK) have camped and hiked throughout New York State. We had an ulterior motive: to first complete sections toward our E2E on the Finger Lakes Trail, and most recently to work on the Branch Trails. Labor Day, 2017, will provide a more laid-back approach with daily hikes and a chance to explore this part of the Adirondacks. Add in kayaking, the scenic Thendara Railway, Old Forge Lake Cruises or ride the chairlift on McCauley Mountain for a spectacular view of the area, to name a few. What you need to know:  This trip will be limited 20 participants.  You must commit by December 15, 2016.  You must provide your own transportation and gear.  There will be two shared dinners on Saturday and Sunday Nights. We usually eat out Friday night after hiking and setting up our tents. Breakfasts and lunches are your own responsibility.  Sites are limited to two tents or a trailer and 1 tent, a maximum of 2 cars and 6 individuals. Additional cars will pay a fee and park in designated areas. Please contact Karen Serbonich [email protected] if you plan to attend. Provide name, phone number, tenting or trailer and whether you would share your site with another party. Nick’s Lake is a beautiful park and fills fast. All sites are wooded. Information on Nick’s Lake can be found at http://newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/nicks-lake- campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NY&parkId=699 Participants will be asked to reserve an assigned site number on Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 9am, depending on whether sharing or requesting their own site so don't party so hearty that you can't rise and shine to book a site on New Year’s Day. Bookings can happen nine months in advance. If you are familiar with the area and want to offer a suggestion, please do. As the holidays draw near, you will be assigned a site to reserve on 1/1/2017. And yes, on New Year’s Eve, you can expect a reminder! Photos below by Karen Serbonich.

8 General Business Meeting More than 20 members brought original dishes from their kitchens for a dish-to-pass/general business meeting on October 16th at the Ellis Hollow Community Center, Genung Road, Ithaca. There was lots of catching up with hiking friends new and old, CTC hats and mugs were available for sale, and a few members picked up treasures. Some of the many delicious dishes included: enchiladas, gluten-free mac and cheese, spiced green beans, homemade cookies, brownies, and Wegmans pumpkin cheesecake. The brief business part of the meeting was conducted after dinner. Members elected the following to the Nominations Committee: Nigel Dyson-Hudson, Gundy Lee, Carol Mallison, Karen Serbonich, and Marsha Zgola. The committee is responsible for nominating officers for next year and a member-at-large for 2017-18. Candidates will be presented for a vote at the Annual Meeting, January 22, 2017.

New Sign Erected Oct 6, 2016 By Tom Reimers

Photo by Tom Reimers.

As promised by Todd Bittner, a new sign was erected by Cornell Plantations on the Cayuga Trail between the Stevens Suspension Bridge and Forest Home Drive. It clearly shows the old and new CT routes and connectors. There is now a second sign at the parking area at the intersection of Hanshaw and Lower Creek Road.

9 Upcoming Hikes and Other Events By Barb Nussbaum

Tuesday Evening Hike: Newest Section of the FLT Tuesday, November 1, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Parking area for Bock-Harvey Forest Preserve, Rockwell Road, Newfield.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131  Hike rating: Distance - 5 miles; Terrain - Moderate; Pace - Moderate; Overall rating - Moderate Tonight's destination is the newest section of the Finger Lakes Trail, created by volunteers led by Trails Chair Paul Warrender in late August and early September. It exists thanks to three local private landowners who generously granted permission for hikers to cross their land. Prior to creation of this new section, hikers had to do a road-walk on Rockwell Road. *OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Black Diamond trail Registration required! Saturday, November 5, 2016  Time: 9:30 a.m.  Contact: Josh Teeter Email: [email protected] Telephone: (607) 387-7041 ext. 131 Meet at the Jacksonville Rd. parking lot. The hike will go out on the future Black Diamond Trail 2 miles and then we will turn around and return to the parking lot. Total hike mileage: 4 miles. Hike length and exact route subject to change due to trail or weather concerns. *Non CTC event - OPRHP: NY Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Places Tuesday Evening Hike: Hammond Hill Tuesday, November 8, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m.  Carpool meeting place: Trail-head on Hammond Hill Road, Dryden.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131 Tonight's destination is Hammond Hill State Forest in Dryden. We will traverse DEC trail and snowmobile trail, and may hit a portion of the Finger Lakes Trail. We'll start our hike at the trail-head on Hammond Hill Road. We'll go out for about an hour and head back. This is an "out-and-back" hike. Last 2016 Tuesday Evening Hike Tuesday, November 15, 2016  Time: 4:30 p.m.  Contact: Gary Mallow Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-339-5131 Tonight's destination is open. We have hiked to about 40 of the most serene, beautiful natural areas in the Ithaca and Tompkins County area in all kinds of weather: extreme cold, hot, humid, dry, rainy, and windy. We've done the dead flat of the Waterfront Trail and the Black Diamond Trail, and we've done steep glacially carved slopes in Caroline, Ithaca, Catherine and other locales. Now it's time for the group to decide which hike it would like to end the season with. We'll take nominations and decide by consensus on our November 8th hike. Which hike do you remember best? Which was the most satisfying, challenging, beautiful, inspiring? Bring your thoughts and memories from the past year, and we'll toss them all on the table for discussion.

10 *OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Buttermilk Falls State Park Registration required! Saturday, December 3, 2016  Time: 9:30 a.m.  Contact: Josh Teeter Email: [email protected] Telephone: (607) 387-7041 ext. 131 Meet at the main entrance parking lot on Rte. 13. The hike will go up the Rim Trail to the Bear Trail, out to Lake Treman and back to the main parking lot. Total hike mileage 3.5 miles. Hike length and exact route subject to change due to weather conditions. *Non CTC event - OPRHP: NY Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Places

Adopt-A-Highway 2014 By David Priester Saturday, October 29, 2016  Time: 10:00 a.m.  Event/Trailhead location: Cornell University B-Lot parking lot, NW of Route 366 and Caldwell Road intersection (formerly 'O-lot'). Enter the lot from Campus Road and then go to the south-east corner of the lot closest to the Route 366 and Caldwell Road intersection. (Weekends and evening only with no Cornell parking permit.)  Contact: David Priester Email: [email protected] Telephone: 607-280-5074 Join us to help clean up our adopted section of Route 366. Bring work gloves. We'll provide trash bags, safety vests, and spear poles. You need have no prior experience; you'll be matched up with a partner and will be assigned a section to clean up. This is a fine way to donate some volunteer effort to the club, particularly if you are not involved in trail maintenance or other committee activities. It usually takes a bit over one hour.

Mark Your Calendar

Sat, Oct 29 Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup — David Priester Tue, Nov 1 Tuesday Evening Hike: Newest Section of the FLT — Gary Mallow Sat, Nov 5 *OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Black Diamond trail — Josh Teeter Registration required! Tue, Nov 8 Tuesday Evening Hike: Hammond Hill — Gary Mallow Tue, Nov 15 Last Tuesday Evening Hike for 2016 — Gary Mallow Sat, Dec 3 *OPRHP: First Saturday Hike: Buttermilk Falls State Park — Josh Teeter Registration required!

Check our website at CayugaTrailsClub.org for events that may not be listed in this issue. Also check the website before the hike for any last minute changes, cancellations, etc.

Cayuga Trails Club, Inc.

P.O. Box 754 NON-PROFIT

Ithaca, NY 14851-0754 ORGANIZATION

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Cayuga Trails is published six times a year and is edited and published by Judith Austic. Comments and original contributions are welcome. Deadline for the next edition is Dec. 15, 2016. Send contributions to [email protected] or 5 Stevenson St. Seneca Falls, NY 13148. Visit Cayuga Trails Club website at www.CayugaTrailsClub.org