What a great day for a hike. For those of us who were a bit tired of rain and cold for so much of this fall, Sunday was exactly the lift we needed.  While everyone in Fairport was taking advantage of 75 degree weather by putting up Christmas lights,  23 hikers met on Canadice Lake Road to hike two loops on the hill above the lake.  These two loops, created to help manage the forests above the lake, provided us with a view of three different gullys.  The Tourists entered the northern loop at the northern entrance.  They cut across the belt path, then went counter clockwise around the upper loop.  They repeated the belt path and then followed the creek between the two loops down to the cars.

The Climbers earned their name by going straight up the hill to the rim of the northern gully. A short walk along the rim brought them to very nice small waterfall.  We returned to the main loop via a small foot path.

As we walked around the loop, I enjoyed seeing what the foresters had done with the Pine and Spruce trees.  Near the north falls, five or six rows of Red Pines had been cut, leaving an open swath in the forest.  A small pine was growing up in the stump of each tree.  There were also White Pines and Spruce trees which I enjoyed pointing out. Hemlocks filled the northern gully.

We cut across the small creek between the two loops and up to the southern loop. At the top point of the southern loop we caught sight of the neighboring landowner’s tepee.

The hike was a little shorter than usual, but I hope it was enjoyed by everyone.  I am sure that the five dogs that joined us had a good time.