Thirteen hikers on snowshoes created a narrow path in the deep snow on the Pine Trail in the DEC Hemlock/Canadice State Forest just off Wheaton Hill Road this past Sunday. Outfitted with an assortment of hand clippers, hand saws, loppers and other types of sharp cutting tools, Springwater Trails working under the DEC’s ANRP (Adopt a Natural Resource Program) attacked the multiflora rose branches that invaded the trail, hand sawed and removed visable downed trees that blocked the trail, and created a packed path to a beautiful snow covered waterfall and along the gully ridge. Continue reading
Author Archives: Pam
Hiking the Springwater Trail at Sugarbush Hollow – December 16, 2012
Building a 32 mile trail throughout Springwater has been seen by the community as a somewhat ambitious project. Consultants have advised us not to get discouraged by road blocks that may occur along the way, focusing on one section at a time and continuing to plug away at completing our vision, even if it takes 10 years.
It has taken approximately 6 months to build the first section of our Springwater Trail which primarily skirts the 220 farm of Sugarbush Hollow and travels from Coates Road to Tabors Corners Road in East Springwater. Continue reading
Springwater Trail Hike – December 16, 2012
[singlepic id=16 w=320 h=240 float=left]This Sunday, December 16, 2012 (if we made it through 12/12/12) we will hike a section of the Springwater Trail between Coates Rd and Tabors Corners. Chuck Winship and Cal Richards are the first two landowners to give permission for a public Springwater Trail across their properties. Chuck and Sugarbush Hollow LLC own a 220 acre farm which encompasses active crop fields leased to Schum Acres Dairy Farm, inactive fields and forests, a developing plantation of maple and black cherry trees, a wild apple orchard, and most important a working sugar-bush with 3000 maple trees producing over 1200 gallons of maple syrup each year. From Sugarbush Hollow, the Springwater Trail exits along a lot-line next to the Richards home onto Tabors Corners.
This section of the Springwater Trail was officially opened in July 2012 and has already been enjoyed by many people from Massachusetts to Texas. This Sunday you can enjoy this section of the trail climbing two Springwater Hills. If you have already hiked this section, be prepared for the many changes we have needed to make. We are still learning about designing and building the trail. Continue reading
Mendon Ponds Hike
I never really explored Mendon Ponds before, however due to the size of the park, studying 3 different maps, driving around the park to scope out the entire park, and walking the trails required over 6 hours of preview to design 4 different skill level hikes. 
Not all hikes require this type of planning which includes car pooling locations, after hike social location, road directions, coordination of cars, pick up location for distance walkers, then considering the skill levels of our hikers to ensure a good experience for all. Regardless of a light rain, many bright yellow rain jackets were visable to find any lost hikers along the path. Continue reading