Monthly Archives: March 2013

Snowmobile Trail / Richards Rd / Wolf Gull – March 17, 2013 2:00 PM

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Terrain to Wolf GullThe Springwater Mountains are alive!  On the cusp of late winter/early spring, snow is plentiful, the snowmobiles are still active and the sugar maple trees are producing their spring crop of maple sap.  This week’s hike will take advantage of both of these special seasonal activities located in the highest elevations of southeastern Livingston County, along the borders of Ontario and Steuben Counties.

Thanks to our partners, Hill and Valley Riders Snowmobile Club, local landowners, and
Sugarbush Hollow Maple Syrup Farm,  we will be accessing portions of the C-4 Snowmobile Trail, seasonal roads, and private roads in the area of Pardee
Hollow, Richards, Lanning and Atlanta Garlinghouse Roads.  Our hike will take us into a beautiful geological area called Wolf Gull located near the Schumacker Dairy Farm.

Hunting CabinThe 11th annual Maple Weekend will be taking place at Sugarbush Hollow, so if you come early, please park just off Coates Road, near the yellow house and barns.  You can arrive anytime before the hike and enjoy a pancake meal ($6 donation to the Springwater Gala) and maple events from 10-2.  Our hike will begin promptly at 2:00. We will meet by the Sugarbush Nature Trail sign.  From there we will car pool to Richards Road and Atlanta Garlinghouse/Wolf Gull area.  Note:  There will be no social after the hike, however hikers may hang around the Sugar house after the hike to warm up.  Bring your own beverage and snack if you would like.

Naturalists –  Gene will lead the naturalists on a tour through Wolf Gull.  Bring your binoculars to examine the hemlock trees for wooly adelgid and listen to the call of returning spring birds.   The
ponds in this narrow valley will be explored and early spring plants identified.  The hike will be flat along the snowmobile path. Naturalists will
drive to the entrance on Atlanta- Garlinghouse Road and provide transportation for tourists and climbers back to Sugarbush Hollow.

Above Wolf GullTourists –  Mark will lead the tourists for an exciting hike/snowshoe beginning
on the seasonal Richards Road just off Pardee Hollow Road.  They will travel approximately 4 miles through flat and hilly terrain. There is a climb of 450ft ending with great views down the Cohocton valley.  Then it is a gradual downhill, descending an eventual 638′ into Wolf Gull.  We will exit onto Atlanta Garlinghouse Road for a ride back to to the cars.

Ann and Melissa on Richards RdClimbers –  Melissa and Ann will lead the climbers for a fast paced  hike
and exploration of the Wolf Gull area and surrounding hilltops, traveling approximately 4-5 miles.  The first part is a 1.25 mile with a gradual elevation increase of 480’. The second part is a gradual downhill, with views over the edge down into the gully.  Melissa checks out the steep hill.After descending an eventual 638’ into Wolf Gull and a quick visit to the pond we will exit onto Atlanta Garlinghouse Road for a ride back to the cars.

Click here for directions to the Sugar House.  Richards Rd is one road south off of Pardee Hollow.

comet visible this week

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Ever see a comet before?  You’ll have a chance, this week, to see a bright one, with a long tail  For 3 nights, Tuesday to Thursday, if any of those nights are clear, the waxing crescent moon will help you find it.  Go to a spot where you have a clear view of the western horizon, not later than 45 minutes after sunset.  On Tuesday, it will be close to a tiny sliver crescent moon.  On the next nights, the moon will be bigger and higher and the comet will be below it.  There’s lots of information about comets, in books and on the internet.

Overhead, and slightly to the west, is the constellation Orion, and the big planet, Jupiter.  On Sunday, Jupiter will be big and bright, and close to the moon.

 

Highland Park

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This afternoon, Linda and I took Mac and Duff for a walk in Highland Park.  Although we were a little surprised at how much snow and ice there was, the walk was really great.  BudsWe started with Gene’s sure sign that spring is coming – some Pussy Willows.  They got me in the mood to take some pictures, which I am going to share with you.  However, Norm needs to skip this post, because he knows you can’t get good pictures up close with a phone camera – all you see is the background because the depth of focus is too long.  But the rest of you need to bear with me!

My picture of the pussy willows was really bad, but here is a decent red bud, which I did not read to see what it was.  Behind the buds are the lilacs.  I did not see much of any buds on them.

Blue Atlas Cedar\nCedrus atlantica glauca\nAtlas Mtns., N. Africa

Blue Atlas Cedar
Cedrus atlantica glauca
Atlas Mtns., N. Africa

After walking around the reservoir, by the lilacs and the daffodils which will be so pretty in a month, we walked down Pinetum Dr and through the varied pines. These pictures are especially for Katherine. The Blue Cedar was so striking we had to look more closely. Behind it was a majestic Austrian Pine with a nice example of an Inosculation.  It looked like this pine was a parent since there were several other Austrian Pines right around it.Austrian PineInosculation by an Austrian Pine 
In the same area, we saw a Globe Red Pine (much redder than our common Red Pine) and a Swiss Stone Pine.Swiss Stone PineGlobe Red Pine 
One more picture. This is the house where I grew up across from the Castle.IMG_0192

Rush Oak Openings Preserve – Directions

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The Rush Oak Openings (aka Quinn Oak Openings) (42.9615, -77.6679) parking area is on Honeoye Falls 5 Points Rd.  Use caution parking since this is at a blind curve in the road.

From Springwater: Take Rt 15A north from Springwater through Hemlock and Lima (21.7 miles).  Just as you enter Monroe County (Mendon), stay left on 15A past the fork for Honeoye Falls and turn left onto Honeoye Falls 6 Rd at the traffic light.  Take the second right (2.6 miles) onto 5 Points Rd.  Take the first left onto Honeoye Falls 5 Points Rd.  The parking area is on the left side at the blind curve in the road.

From Geneseo:  Take I390 N to Exit 10 (Rt 5 & 20).  Turn left at the end of the exit, under the expressway.  Take the first right onto Rt 15 North.  Follow Rt 15 for 4.3 miles and turn right onto Honeoye Falls 5 Point Rd.  The parking area in on the right at the blind curve in the road (0.9 mi).

From Rochester: Take I390 S to exit 11. At the light at the end of the exit, turn left onto Rt 15 South.  Follow Rt 15 for 2.9 miles.  Turn left onto Honeoye Falls 5 Points Rd.  The parking area in on the right at the blind curve in the road (0.9 mi).

 

To get to the Social at Tom Wahl’s Restaurant/picnic pavilion: Go west on Honeoye Falls 5 Points Rd.  Take the first left onto Rt 15 South.  After 4.3 miles, turn right onto Rts 5 & 20.  The Tom Wahl’s is on the left just before the Tops store about 1.3 miles.

Tom Wahl’s
283 E. Main St.
Avon, NY 14414
585.226.2420