Central & Western NY Outdoors
 December 2007 

Final Edition

     

 ~~~ IN THIS ISSUE ~~~      

New Bridge Along Abbott Loop

The Black Diamond Trail

The Slippery Slope of Waterfalls

Bike the New Erie Canalway Trail - Palmyra to Newark

Draft Plan for Routing North Country National Scenic Trail Through Adirondacks

Swimming Against the Current: An Aging Mermaid's Story

Get Your Groove On for a Good Cause

Outing Club Started by Local Outdoor Adventure Company

Farewell to Our Newsletter - Hello to New York Outdoors Blog

       New Bridge Along Abbott Loop

There is a new puncheon bridge on the Abbott Loop, located between Curtis Rd. and Hill Rd. in Danby State Forest. It's 40 feet long, built out of pressure treated lumber by the Cornell Outdoor Education class. That area floods during spring snow melt and rain, and this puncheon will help keep your boots from getting soggy through that area. Thanks to Mary McQuiggan and her COE class for the sweat equity they contributed to the Finger Lakes Trail and the Cayuga Trails Club.
(submitted by Gary Mallow via the Finger Lakes Trail news group)

Now, if you're not familiar with The Abbott Loop, here's a summary:
New York State’s Finger Lakes were carved by glaciers that slid south. In addition to long, thin, finger-like lakes, the glaciers created north-south ridges that make hiking here an aerobic workout despite the lack of mountains. The Abbott Loop winds to the top of two of these ridges and down to the verdant valley formed by Michigan Creek. It’s an 8.4-mile side trail off the longer cross-state Finger Lakes Trail. You'll find a panoramic view from the top of Bald Hill at Thatcher’s Pinnacles, a limestone cliff which offers a 180-degree view of the lush green in the next valley. From this height, you head back downhill through an aromatic hemlock forest to Michigan Creek Valley. Criss-cross the small, gurgling creek repeatedly, and then climb the next hill, only to once again return to Michigan Creek Valley to complete the loop. The total elevation gain is only 540 feet but some sections are steep and you’ll climb several of the glacial hills. It’s a beautiful woods walk through a mature hardwood forest on a rugged dirt trail that’s sure to get your heart thumping.

Abbott Loop is found in Danby State Forest. It’s a side trail off the longer Finger Lakes Trail which snakes for 563 miles across the width of New York State at the south end of the Finger Lakes. Because of these same north-south glacial ridges, it too is a surprisingly rugged hike. As the name implies, Abbott Loop makes a great tree-shaded summer hike where you can park your car, hike all day, and return to your car – no shuttle needed. Or, enjoy the brilliance of fall colors as the forest turns to reds and golds. The tail is well blazed and easy to follow. Water is available from Michigan Creek and from a tributary of Miller Creek, but be sure to treat it.

A map and all the details you'll need to enjoy this day hike are in Take A Hike - Family Walks in New York's Finger Lakes Region on pages 235 - 237.

       The Black Diamond Trail

The Black Diamond Trail is a multi-use trail network that is being built west of Cayuga Lake, north of Ithaca. It will connect Taughannock State Park, Allan H. Treman State Marine Park (by Cass Park), Buttermilk Falls State Park and Robert Treman State Park. It will connect into the Cayuga Waterfront Trail (see page 123 in Take Your Bike - Family Rides in New York's Finger Lakes Region). When built, it will provide over 15 miles of safe pathways for non-motorized users (i.e. bicyclists and pedestrians).

Black Diamond map and trail info

Public Hearings on the master plan have been scheduled:
* December 5 at the Borg Warner Room East, Tompkins Co. Public Library, Ithaca.
* December 6 at the Franziska Racker Center, 3226 Wilkins Road, Ithaca

For more details and to get involved, visit http://blackdiamondtrail.org/.

       The Slippery Slope of Waterfalls

Waterfalls and the creeks around them are ever changing. The mighty Niagara Falls has eroded upstream 7 miles from its start 12,000 years ago when the Wisconsin ice sheet retreated and water poured over the limestone ledge known as the Niagara Escarpment. Lower Falls in Letchworth State Park is a shadow of its former self. In the 1950s large sections dropped off, leaving a less spectacular 3-tiered falls.

More recently, in April 2005 a massive landslide occurred at Rattlesnake Gulf in Tully Valley. What used to be a challenging but beautiful creekwalk up a bedrock ravine to a spectacular 25-foot high waterfall cascading over a limestone ledge (see the photo on page 326 in 200 Waterfalls in Central and Western New York - A Finders' Guide), became a sluice of impenetrable mud and rocks. As the hillside gave way, large masses of clay the size of houses slid down the ravine.

The eastern side of the gorge below the High Falls in Rochester recedes about 6 inches per year. There used to be an observation platform on the rim that is now in the pool of water below.

Less spectacular, but even more recent, a landslide at Limestone Creek in Manlius occurred behind Suburban Park Apartments, just 1,000 feet below Edwards Falls. People in these apartments now sit in a precarious position on the edge of a cliff. This landslide did not affect the waterfall, but it offers another example that waterfalls and the creekbeds they inhabit are places of constant change - places to be respected and treated with awe and caution.

There are frequent rock slides at Taughannock Falls. A slide in 2002 is documented at Ruth’s Waterfalls: http://naturalhighs.net/waterfalls/falls02/taugh-p7.htm#
Mark Johnson was last at Taughannock Falls during a very dry period in the summer of 2005. He heard many small stones falling from the high walls of the gorge. The scariest experience Mark had at a waterfall was being in Watkins Glen during a thunderstorm in August 2006. Stay away from the edges during a downpour, because there’s likely to be more coming over the edge than water! He saw stones the size of baseballs in the muddy blasts shooting off the tops of the gorge.

Waterfalls and gorges are the result of the action of water, gravity and time — all of which are still very much at work! Be safe out there!

(Thanks to Mark Johnson and Ron Andrews for these recent landslide and waterfall updates. Anyone who has information on changes to the trails or other natural areas in New York State, please email me at sue@footprintpress.com.)

       Bike the New Erie Canalway Trail - Palmyra to Newark

Pete Peterson biked the new section of Erie Canalway Trail from Palmyra to Newark and wrote this wonderful article on it (complete with pictures) for the Ontario Pathways newsletter. He has graciously agreed to let us share the pdf file with you. 
Erie Canalway Trail - Palmyra to Newark.pdf

Of course, maps and descriptions for the Erie Canalway Trail from Lockport to Palmyra can be found in Take Your Bike - Family Rides in the Rochester Area. And, Take Your Bike - Family Rides in New York's Finger Lakes Region covers the Erie Canalway Trail segments in Palmyra and Newark (but not the new connection), as well as the Port Byron to Camillus segment. Both guidebooks cover the Ontario Pathways Trail.

       Draft Plan for Routing North Country National Scenic Trail Through Adirondacks

The North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) is a long-distance hiking trail which is being built to stretch approximately 4,600 miles across North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Already, 1,800 miles of trail has been certified off-road. The development work continues.

In New York State, the NCNST follows the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) and the Onondaga Branch Trail from the start of the FLT in Allegany St Park in western NY, to the northern end of the Onondaga Branch Trail near Highland Forest County Park, in Onondaga County southeast of Syracuse.

Now, the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has developed a 'draft' plan proposal for routing the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) though the central portion of the Adirondack Park. View the draft plan here <http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/39658.html>. Comments are welcome and will be accepted until Friday, January 4, 2008. See the draft plan for how to submit comments.

Kathryn FitzSimmons completed her dream of swimming across and back all 11 of the Finger Lakes in 2007, after a life-changing moment in  2000.  

Her story was featured in the Democrat and Chronicle (October 21, 2007). 

Please join her as she "swims" through her journey of losing 100 pounds and keeping it off and how she learned to challenge herself along the way.

Dec. 5, 2007, 4-5 p.m.  SUNY College Union Ballroom.  Light reception to follow.

Come dance!  Journeys of Inspiration is hosting a benefit concert at the Water Street Music Hall on Sunday, December 9th from 2:00 to 9:30 PM.  All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.  This concert, featuring Hypnotic Clambake, Bottle Train, Teagan and the Tweeds, Sting Theory, and Strangest Angels, was organized by a group of people preparing to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in February and making a pledge to American Cancer Society as part of the climb.  Journeys of Inspiration, an effort to build community around the fight against cancer, has raised over 65% of its $100,000 goal.  Join JOI for an afternoon and evening of great music for a great cause.

Journeys of Inspiration Benefit Concert
Water Street Music Hall
204 N. Water Street, Rochester, NY
December 9th, 2007
2:00 - 9:30 pm

Featuring:

HypnoticClambake
Bottle Train
Teagan and the Tweeds
String Theory
Strangest Angels

$8.00 Advance Tickets, $8.00 Student Tickets, $10.00 at the door.

Tickets on sale at The Bop Shop, Record Archive, and Aaron's Alley.

For more information contact Pat Nicholson, (585) 739-8832 or visit www.journeysofinspiration.com

           Outing Club Started by Local Outdoor Adventure Company

Hanging out with people you enjoy, seeing beautiful places, sharing challenges, sharing life: these are some of the best things in life.  

In 2008, Pack Paddle Ski will be starting an "Outing Club" series.  These are simple outings to enjoy companionship, beauty and nature.  There is a canoe/kayak, bike, and hike throughout the year.  Free to those traveling on longer PPS trips, it is a time to meet other people and share time with the leader.  You can ask equipment questions, training ideas and places.  Each outing will start with a short inspirational moment to set the tone for the day.  If you are not signed up for a trip, you can join by volunteering for PPS or by paying for the outings.  

Please let others know about the outing club!!  This is an attempt to add wellness to our world and create community.  Each outing starts at noon and ends at 4:00 PM, rain or shine.  After each event, the group will stop at a local small diner or restaurant to share a meal or piece of pie together as a way to support local business.  

If you are interested in joining the outing club or have any questions about it, email info@packpaddleski.com for more information.  

       Farewell to Our Newsletter - 
Hello to New York Outdoors Blog

 
This is the LAST ISSUE of the Central and Western New York Outdoors Newsletter. We’re converting it to a BLOG. In fact, the blog is already live and includes all the articles you’ll find in this newsletter, plus much more. We try to add an article or interesting link each day.

New York Outdoors Blog can be found at http://www.newyorkoutdoors.wordpress.com.

Take a simple action NOW to continue receiving outdoors news from us:

Option #1: Receive the Blog via Email (just like you receive the newsletter now, only the email will arrive daily, rather than monthly). And, just like the email message you receive now, you will have to click on the email message to actually go to the blog where full articles with links and photos will be found.

Step 1: Click on http://www.newyorkoutdoors.wordpress.com or copy and past it into your internet browser to open New York Outdoors Blog.
Step 2: Locate the top grey box on the right that says “Subscribe to New York Outdoors Blog by Email” and click on it.
Step 3: Enter your email address. Then type the text you see above the grey box into the grey box and press “Complete Subscription Request.”
Step 4: An email verification will be sent to you. Click on the link supplied to verify your subscription.
Of course, you can just as easily unsubscribe at any time.

Option #2: Subscribe to a Reader

Step 1: Got to http://www.newyorkoutdoors.wordpress.com. Toward the upper right you’ll see an orange icon in a grey box. By clicking on it you can choose from Yahoo, Google, Myaol, Newsgator, Rojo, Bloglines, Netvibes or Pageflakes.
Step 2: I don’t pretend to know or understand most of these (I told you I was kicking & screaming into the 21st century.) For years I’ve had Google as my default page when I log into the internet. I selected the option under Google that adds the blog to my Google home page. Now every day when I access the internet, the Google page pops up with a box on it for New York Outdoors Blog, showing the titles of the latest 3 posts. I can click on any of them to go to the blog.
Hopefully most of you are more RSS Reader savy than me and select an option that suits your preferences.

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