We have no hike scheduled for this Easter Sunday. I hope that in your spare time, you will have an opportunity to take a hike with a friend or family.
Meanwhile, I have installed a new calendar with events up to the end of the spring season. Let me know what you think! The major change, is that all pages seem to display faster.
You may also want to read Marty’s posts from New Zealand before he returns. And check out Pam’s post about bears. Please give a thanks to our dedicated writers.
members of Victor Hiking Club reached summit
This past Saturday and Sunday I had the rare opportunity to join two area hiking groups. Saturday I joined the Victor Hiking Group in the Hemlock/Canadice State Forest for an enjoyable walk down the trail on the west side of a slightly ice covered Canadice Lake. A few miles down the lake we entered a forest trail which led to the Nature Conservancy area of Rob’s Trail, climbing 700 ft up Bald Hill to it’s summit and back. I was a little skeptical of being able to complete the climb, but our gracious leaders from the Victor Hiking Club were a little different than our climbers in Springwater Trails (who travel at great speeds), taking a break at every 100′ feet to rest and observe the area. Much to my surprise tourists are capable of the climb if you take your time!
lake had a slight icey coat, ready to melt in a 60 degree day
Observations included a strange kermit type rock, large cropping of oak trees on Nature Conservancy property, a strange oily substance coming from the wetland area at the summit, and first sightings of the wildflower coltsfoot. On the way down the slippery hill, we ended back at the lake trail, and decided to travel closer to the lake. The water was a turquoise color, the ice was just about to melt, and one could feel a cold temperature adjustment like you were opening a refrigerator. It was an interesting and refreshing sensation on a warm spring day.
is it Kermit the Frog? a turle head?
I thanked the Victor Hiking Group for inviting Springwater Trails to hike with them, gave them some maple granola and BBQ sauce, and showed them access areas to Hemlock Lake and the Canadice Outlet if they wanted to return at another date. It was a nice day off with no responsibilities. There are more pictures at the bottom of this post.
Ninety hikers attended celebration of Crescent Trail / Victor Senaca Trail connection.
10 springwater trails hikers attended
On Sunday, 10 country Springwater Trails hikers went to the “burbs” to join the Victor Hiking Club and the Crescent Trails Association in 70 degree summer like weather for the dedication of the new Seneca Trail and merging of two county trails, Monroe and Ontario, in the Towns of Perinton and Victor. 90 hikers showed up for the celebration behind the old Valentown Museum near Eastview Mall. For country hikers, Springwater Trails had a variety of new terrain experiences walking through mall parking lots, behind corporate buildings, across main intersections, as we began and ended our 4 mile hike through a forested area around a highly developed area. Our climbers were quick to be at the fore front of the hike, and some even hiking back for a distance of 8 miles. I think we impressed a few with our skills! Except for a few ST hikers most were pick up at the Woodcliff where buses transported us back to Valentown.
early skunk cabbage in wetland
Observations by Gene include sounds of spring peepers, cardinal, red wing blackbird, blue jay and song sparrows. Georgia and Pam identifed many trees, plants, mushrooms and wildflowers including beech, black cherry, red oak, white oak, chestnut, muscle, cottonwood and hornbeam trees, first spring wildflowers of skunk cabbage and coltsfoot.
Thanks again to our neighboring hiking clubs and David Wright, President of Victor Hiking Trails for inviting us to participate! Hope to join you again!
I started this article last year about this time and decided it was time to finish it. Although I have never seen a black bear, many of my neighbors have had sightings at their bird feeders, crossing the back roads, swimming across Hemlock Lake, or coming into their yard to eat garbage or compost. My up close and personal experience was hearing a growl, smelling an awful smell in the night air around my house, watching my dog sniff in the air for a few nights and bark to indicate a strange animal was close by. Although I did not see anything, I’ve been told it is a black bear.
Click for an article on one bear in Livingston Co (2008)
Last year I called the DEC to let them know something growled at me and my grandchildren in the Canadice Outlet and followed us home that night. I thought that this animal was injured, or even questioned if it was a cougar, as the smell was very strong like a dead animal and it seemed to be stalking us. My response from an officer was “get used to living with the bears lady, take your bird feeders down and keep your garbage inside! This past fall I was told by some other neighbors that someone had documented 18 bear living in the Canadice Outlet. Although I have trouble believing this, I’ve gone down to the outlet which is behind my house for many years, never thinking there were bears out there. I have to admit I am a little hesitant hiking there alone now.
A week ago neighbors on Canadice Lake Road reported seeing a large black bear walking down the road and another seen on Canadice Hollow Road near the outlet area. The bears are waking up (they do not hibernate, just go into a deep sleep) and are on the move now that the weather has warmed. If anyone has any reports or pictures please comment to this article and we can begin to document stories. Maybe we can learn to live with the bears if we can see their patterns, be aware of their locations, and know how to handle an encounter if we have one.