This weekend, February 11th & 12th, 2017, you’ll have two Springwater Trails (ST) hike event opportunities.  The Sunday hike is a “travel hike” to Steege Hill in Big Flats, NY.  There is also a ST “Bonus Hike Event” on Saturday in form of a Hike Combo Event in Penfield, NY, … which is the subject of the ‘event post’ you are reading (here and now). This Hike Combo Event in Penfield is also a “travel hike”, albeit a closer travel than is Steege Hill.

The Saturday 2/11/2017 ST hike starts at 1:00PM in Penfield, NY.  There are two separate start points for the ST hike event!!!   In fact there are two different parks, both in Penfield NY, which are holding the hike routes and start points for this ST hike event.  One hike is described as strenuous, hilly, 5-6 miles in length at Lucien Morin Park (aka Rifle Range Trail & more trails), a hike for ST Climbers. (Mildly stated, it is highly likely you’ll want TDs for this hilly hike at this time of year, be it snow/ice/mud for trail conditions.  See the further description about TDs below.)   The other hike is described as easy, ~ 2 miles on mostly flat trails, a hike for ST Tourists & Naturalists.  After-hike social to be held at MacGregor’s Grill & Tap Room at 1129 Empire Blvd, Penfield.

This ST Bonus Hike Combo Event is scheduled in Penfield so as to conveniently sync with the 6th Annual Hikers’ Jamboree (HJ2017), which is badged as an “Indoor Hike” event, organized by Penfield Trails Committee (PTC), scheduled for 10:00AM-12:00Noon at Penfield Town Hall Auditorium situate at 3100 Atlantic Avenue, Penfield, NY.  Following HJ2017, two outdoor hikes are subsequently provided at 1:00PM at two separate parks in Penfield, both with some included history components.  This years program presentation for HJ2017 is on the famed railroad high bridge (viaduct) situate in Letchworth State Park. The viaduct high above the Genesee River is 140+ years old and will soon be replaced by a new viaduct.  You’ll learn much more about these two viaducts at the HJ 2017 viaduct program presentation which runs ~10:30-11:40am.   Penfield Town Hall is located at 3100 Atlantic Av, Penfield NY; ~ GPS coords  43.160959 , -77.446125

(Of note, many ST hikers will recall a ST hike on Oct 13, 2013 in Letchworth State Park where all three hiking subgroups by chance were on the trail near the base of this 1875 railroad high bridge, when we all had chance opportunity to view a train pass overhead!  Thanks go to superb arrangement by that day’s Hike Planners Joan & Bob for the rare experience.)

During HJ2017 light refreshments will be served, so you’ll have sustenance/fuel opportunity before availing of choice of two outdoor hike locations with an 1:00PM start time.        For easy reference and more info, here is an Event post about Hikers’ Jamboree 2017 as published on the ST website.

  ⇓ TWO HIKES ⇓ Start times for both at 1:00PM.

Those ST hikers desiring a  Climbers level hike, (which will finish ~ 3:15PM), will hike in Lucien Morin Park, an “undeveloped” Monroe County Park, located at 1135 Empire Blvd. Climbers, as a ST subgroup, will actually be “joining-in” a GVHC hike that is led by Ryan B.  (A number of ST hikers are previously acquanted with Ryan from previous hikes & socialization.)  The hike start is at the entrance to Lucien Morin Park (a Monroe County Parks System park), the park entrance is off Empire Blvd near the foot of Irondequoit Bay, and situate immediately east of MacGregor’s Grill & Tap Room Restaurant (1129 Empire Blvd).

This hike will be hilly and will be adjacent Irondequoit Creek in some areas, and will traverse areas that were used in World War reserve troop training, including rifle training and more.  Remnants of training areas still remain suggesting some of the training that took place.  The “lost city of Tryon” lies on the the east side of Irondequoit Creek as does Tryon Park, an undeveloped Monroe County Park.  Tryon Park can be seen accros the creek at various places on this hike.

Parking at Lucien Morin Park: There is a parking lot for this park at the end of the rather short park entrance road (entrance road runs off Empire Blvd).  You can see the parking lot from Empire Blvd.  Additional parking if needed can be had at MacGregor’s Grill & Tap Room Restaurant parking lot, said parking lot is immediately adjacent the park’s parking lot and entrance road. Please be respectful of this business who allows hikers to utilize the lot for overflow parking, if needed please park as far back in this business’s parking lot as is possible.

Being Climbers subgroup is joining-in a GVHC hike, GVHC hike rules apply (which are quite similar to ST hike rules).  Perhaps the most glaring difference of hike rules … on GVHC hikes DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED!  So, if you want to hike with your dog on today’s ST provided for hike, you’ll need to do so with the Tourists/Naturalists which is wholly a ST hike (ie – not a join-in with GVHC).  

Note: Climbers should expect many more hikers at this hike than ST hikers usually experience at a hike.   Lucien Morin Park hike route is hilly and can be strenuous for some, but hey, that’s what Climbers are all about.

Naturalists & Tourists will hike in Ellison Park as accessed via Blossom Rd (at the bottom of Blossom Rd hill, ~1809 Blossom Rd).  Ellison Park is a Monroe County Parks System park. Start point for this hike is in the parking lot on the north side of Blossom Rd, … the parking lot at the bottom of Blossom Rd hill that is not the “Dog Park” parking lot but is slightly east of the Dog Park parking lot.  Well behaved dogs accompanied by owners are allowed on this Ellison Park hike route, where Gene will be the ST Hike Leader.

This Ellison Park hike route is mostly a flat route for an easy hike, substantially paralleling two bifurcations of Irondequoit Creek, reaching a memorial marker of an Indian trading post and site of Fort Schuyler where a reproduction of the original fort structure is situate.

⇓  TRACTION DEVICES, A HIKER’S FRIEND  ⇓

Given that it is winter season, Traction Devices (TDs) may be in order (read … probably an excellent idea) for each of these two hikes routes.  Lucien Morin Park trails are hilly and under certain conditions can be strenuous sans TDs.  TDs help to tame the hills when they are slippery with ice &/or mud.  Ellison Park trail route can also be slippery albeit the trail route is mostly flat.  TDs such as Kahtoola MICROspikes, Hillsound Trail Crampons, Hillsound Trail Crampons Ultra, and similar, may be desirable on Lucien Morin Park hills, and same type or lesser aggressive TDs may be good for Ellison Park.

If your best guess is there is no snow and/or ice if hike day’s temps are higher than average, well… that could equate to mud on the hills which equates to a need for added traction.   (A side note, I have under similar conditions seen hikers quickly return to the start point due to lack of having TDs and the trail being beyond their best adjudged capabilities without them.)

Hug The Trees, Please!  When wearing TDs with spikes/cleats & similar … please be kind to trees … whenever possible anticipate your footing placement on the trail and step over tree roots, not directly on them which can puncture and damage roots & ultimately health of those trees and on larger scale the forest and ecosystem.  Think about it … If you were lying on the trail gazing at the sky would you rather have a group of hikers wearing sharp piercing TDs step on you, or, step over you or around you.  Safe to say if hikers were NOT stepping on you you’d be unscathed by those sharp cleats and spikes of said passing hikers, but not so if alternatively they stepped on you with those sharp metal cleats & spikes.

⇓  DIRECTIONS TO HJ2017 AND THEN TO TWO SUBSEQUENT SEPARATE HIKES  ⇓

Directions to PENFIELD TOWN HALL AUDITORIUM, 3100 Atlantic Ave aka NYS Rt 286.  For Penfield Trails Committee’s (PTC) “Indoor Hike” aka Hikers’ Jamboree 2017 scheduled 10:00AM-12:00Noon.  From points south of Rochester take expressway I-390 northbound, to expressway Rt 590 northbound, to exit for Browncroft Blvd / NYS Rt 286, head east on NYS Rt 286 which is also Browncroft Blvd and which will change names to Atlantic Avenue at the intersect with Whalen Rd & Scribner Rd 4-way intersection, continue on NYS RT 286 / Atlantic Avenue to just past Jackson Rd and then turn let into the Penfield Town Hall driveway.

 ⇓ Directions: to the two separate hike start locations (1:00PM hike), from Penfield Town Hall. ⇓

To LUCIEN MORIN PARK (1135 Empire Blvd) – NO DOGS ALLOWED on this hike: From Penfield Town Hall utilize Town Hall’s entrance/exit drive aka Columbus Crossing (westbound) to Jackson Rd and turn right onto Jackson Rd, proceed northbound on Jackson Rd to Plank Rd & turn Left, proceed on Plank Rd to Empire Blvd, turn left onto Empire Blvd and near the bottom of the Empire Blvd hill on the left you will find the entrance drive to Lucien Morin Park.  (It is immediately adjacent MacGregor’s Grill & Tap Room Restaurant.)

To ELLISON PARK (~1809 Blossom Rd) – DOGS ARE ALLOWED on this hike: From Penfield Town Hall utilize the Town Hall’s Atlantic Av aka NYS Rt 286 entrance/exit drive, turn right heading westbound onto NYS RT 286 aka Atlantic Av, continue on NYS RT 286 / Atlantic Av westbound (realizing Atlantic Av will change names to Browncroft Blvd at the intersect with Whalen Rd & Scribner Rd 4-way intersection), continue on NYS RT 286 / Browncroft Blvd to the 4-way intersect with Creek St and Blossom Rd, turn left onto Blossom Rd and proceed on Blossom Rd down a winding hill to the Ellison Park parking lot on the right which is is slightly east of the Dog Park parking lot. (hints: There is a porta-potty at the far west side of this hike meet parking lot, and also a winter ice skaing rink immediately contiguous to the west side of this parking lot. Hike Meet point is about in the middle of this designated parking lot.  If as you travel on Blossom Rd, you reach the dog Park parking lot, you went to far and have passed the designated hike meet parking lot.)

⇓  Directions: to the two separate hike start locations (1:00PM hike), from points south of Rochester.  ⇓ 

Directions to LUCIEN MORIN PARK:   –  take expressway I-390 northbound, to expressway Rt 590 northbound, to the exit for NYS Rt 404 / Empire Blvd exit, head east NYS Rt 404 / Empire Blvd to the bottom of the hill / foot of Irondequoit Bay, Lucien Morin Park (1135 Empire Blvd) entrance road and parking lot is immediately east of MacGregors Grill & Tap Room Restaurant at 1129 Empire Blvd.

Directions to ELLISON PARK: – take expressway I-390 northbound, to expressway Rt 590 northbound, to Blossom Rd exit, head east on Blossom Rd to the bottom of the hill, where Ellison Park will then be on both sides of Blossom Rd.  Ellison Park parking lot for this hike is on the north side of Blossom Rd (a left turn into the lot), further described as the parking lot at the bottom of Blossom Rd hill that is not the “Dog Park” parking lot but is slightly east of the Dog Park parking lot.     (If you reach “Gatherings Catering” Company – at “Daisy Flour Mill” Party House / Restaurant, situate in the circa 1840 Daisy Flour Mill building, on the right side of Blossom Rd, you’ve gone too far.)

AFTER-HIKE SOCIAL & ⇓ Directions thereto ⇓:  After-hike social is at MacGregor’s Grill & Tap Room Restaurant [phone=288-8630] located at 1129 Empire Blvd next to Lucien Morin Park.   So Climbers will merely walk nextdoor from the hike end portal to MacGregor’s.

Naturalists/Tourists will need to drive to the social.  From Ellison Park on Blossom Rd head east up a long winding hill, at the 4-way intersection of Blossom Rd & Creek St (where Browncroft Blvd aka Rt 286 intersects) continue straight onto Creek St, at Plank Rd turn left, at Empire Blvd turn left, at the bottom of Empire Blvd hill & the foot of Irondequoit Bay will be MacGregor’s of the left.

Springwater Trails (ST) and Genesee Valley Hiking Club (GVHC aka GVHG) both provide their hikes as open to the general public, no need to be a respective member to hike with either group.  Hike rules as set by respective groups and Hike Leaders apply.