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Monthly Archives: March 2014
St Patricks Day at Rob’s Trail – March 16 – 2:00PM
Monday is St Patricks Day, but Springwater Trails will celebrate on Sunday on Rob’s Trail and with a social at Bob and Joan’s.
Come enjoy this early spring snow hiking on Rob’s Trail and the Canadice Lake Trail. As we write this, it is a blizzard outside. But check the weather before coming on Sunday.
Based on the amount of snow falling on Wednesday, snow shoes are highly recommended. They will give you a grip going up the hill, but we will take our time anyway.
After the hike, we will meet at Bob and Joan’s for corned beef and cabbage, and your favorite St Patricks Day dish to pass. Bring your own beverage, although Bob will provide the green dye for those who want it. Please bring a dish to pass, or make a contribution to the social fund. The social fund is used to keep the bin with plates, bowls, forks and knives, napkins, coffee etc full, and to allow the host to make a special dish if desired.
This week we will offer four different hikes with different levels of difficulty. All hikers should meet at the Rob’s Trail parking lot at the north end of Old Bald Hill Road South. Be ready to start promptly at 2:00. The four hikes will be:
- Up from Canadice (The climbers).
- Down to Canadice (The tourists).
- Along Canadice with no climbing (The flatlanders)
- At the top, around Rob’s trail (The naturalists)
The Climbers and Flatlanders will carpool from the parking lot to the South end of Canadice Lake. Directions will be available at the start of the hike.
NOTE: Pets are not permitted on Nature Conservancy land at the top of Bald Hill. (See below).
The Climbers will start at the south end of Canadice Lake and will walk the trail on the west of the lake, then climb Bald Hill to Rob’s Trail and continue around Rob’s trail to the trail head and the waiting cars. The Tourists will do the reverse hike, starting at the head of Rob’s Trail. They will hike half way around Rob’s Trail and then descend to Canadice Lake, taking the lake trail out to the south end parking area. They will use the Climbers cars to return to the Rob’s Trail entrance.
Hikers wishing to complete the full 4 mile hike should consider whether they want to climb up Bald Hill or go down the hill. It is a 600 foot climb in 0.4 miles (just under 3%). The Climbers will be going up the hill (requiring more energy), and the Tourists will be going down (harder on the knees). Note: Hikers with dogs should plan to start with the Climbers and then join the Tourists when the two groups meet.
Meanwhile, the Naturalists will stay on Rob’s trail at the top of Bald Hill. This 1.75-mile Loop Trail with easy walking passes through a variety of early successional plant communities.
And the Flatlanders hike is open to anyone wanting a flat walk next to Canadice Like. This group will start with the Climbers and will walk for 45 minutes along the lake trail and then will return along the same trail to the cars.
Click here for directions to Rob’s Trail parking lot. Directions between the parking lot and the south Canadice Lake parking will be available at the hike. Also, directions to Bob and Joan’s.
Canadice Outlet Area Hike – The Hollow Highlands – March 9
The wind is howling outside, either it’s a nor’easter, a chimney fire, or the crackling of ice coming from the outlet or Canadice Lake. Being unable to sleep with the unusual sound of a storm and predicting a power outage, I might as well reflect a little about this past week’s adventure into the Canadice Outlet. We had a great turn out with over 25 hikers, mostly all prepared with ice clamps (which are a little difficult to get on)to explore an area of the outlet we have never experienced before.
Welcome back Pati, Joan, Bob and new hikers Dave and Sherri.
20 hikers began their hike at the Canadice Hollow Cemetary looking for Mary Wintermoot’s gravestone. She was 83 when she passed and was born in 1761. Another woman, Olive Spencer was 93 when she passed and was born in 1771. Could she be related to Harriet Hollister Spencer Park in Honoeye? We diligently followed our fluorescent leader Rick through the narrow snow covered DEC logging trail, cutting through private lands with permission, and picking up the Hemlock/Canadice State Forest again that followed the rim of a very steep gorge. Far below the rim we caught glimpses of the frozen Canadice Creek. Some dam hikers actually made it to the end of the outlet, a restricted zone, being picked up by their favorite chauffer Bob on Rt. 15A. 
Other hikers chose to hike the woods back, rather than hiking the road, and unfortunately missed seeing the water from the creek flowing at the dam location. An underground tunnel actually takes the waters from Canadice Lake through the Canadice Outlet to Hemlock Lake. Maybe I can post the video on u-tube for all to see.
Naturalists followed the old Dixon Hollow Road, lead by Jim and Pati’s wonder dog, Goose. I’ll have to find out what they saw so I can post more. Jim said they hiked down to the Hemlock Grill, had a beer and hiked back when we ran into them. Gene confirmed. Wow they are fast! I did hear a few hikers did make it to the creek and indicated it was ice covered with some open spots of flowing water. Naturalists met up with the Climbers and Tourists at the Dixon Hollow Road to exchange stories.
After hike social was enjoyed by all leaving their boots dancing by the door. A variety of fruit and vegetable salads, brussel spouts, kale, maple barbacue pulled pork and chicken, and yummy chocolate desserts. You don’t loose weight on our hikes.
Thanks to the City of Rochester for giving us permission to hike in the restricted area by the dam, Dan Bock and Lydia Edlund, Mary Jane and Mike Bowman, for letting us cross their property.
Special thanks to Rick and Ellen for leading our hikers on a very well planned route
that avoided many deep ravines that would of been slippery this time of year. Make sure you watch the outlet during the spring thaws to learn why the old mills of Hemlock were located here and why the City of Rochester wanted this land in 1910. It’s quite powerful!
HINT: This post has several small thumbnail size pictures. Click on any picture to see it full size.
Ontario Pathways Rail Trail, Sunday, March 2
Last Sunday, 10 hardy souls discovered something many active outdoor groups are doing, all across the country, converting former railroad beds into hiking trails. The Ontario Pathways Organization has created such a 23 mile trail throughout Ontario County and Springwater Trails member, Georgia Binder, significantly contributed to this project.
We hiked a small portion of the western part of this trail. Starting at the Ontario County Fairgrounds, and going east from there, one group hiked about 2 miles, the other, close to 4. Mother Nature can be a sweetheart, if you don’t try to fool her with margarine. 
The night before, she gave us a couple of inches of snow, which gave us just enough traction so we didn’t have to try to keep our balance, walking on the bumpy ice beneath. Also, although the temperature, at hike time, was about 15, she held the wind down, making a most pleasant winter hike. Among the observations was a groundhog burrow, woodpecker nest holes in trees and last summer’s polypore mushrooms.
After the hike, most of us went to the Beehive Bar & Grill in Canandaigua where many enjoyed a sample from the wide selection of beers, and their nice dining menu.
Around Halloween, those of you with young grandkids, might think about taking them on the great pumpkin walk, on the trail portion between Routes 10 and 46. Members of OP carve real neat original jack-o-lanterns, and place them at intervals along this section of the trail. The small admission charge you pay is used to maintain the trail.
Remember your little job next Sunday, or you’ll be an hour late for the hike.