On Saturday, March 14th, Victor Hiking Trails will lead a hike on the trails at Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area. They have created additional trails, so plan on spending 2—3 hours on the trails. If the snow doesn’t all melt by then, bring your cross-country skis or snowshoes. Because of the high elevation and wonderfully groomed trails, the snow will likely be there until June. Bring a bag lunch and something to drink. Meet in the rear parking lot of Victor Town Hall, 85 East Main Street at 9:00 a.m. You can also meet at the park at 9:45 a.m.

Here is a Spring (multiple entendre intended) opportunity to join Victor Hiking Trails (VHT) for a hike in Fishers Park.  Many S/T hikers may recall an Autumn Springwater Trails hike at Fishers Park planned and led for S/T by Douglas.  The date was November 16th, 2014 and S/T hikers were greeted at the start of the hike by Dave Wright, Chairman of VHT.

Well, about five months later, on Saturday April 11th, 2015, Dave Wright will again be greeting a group of hikers at the start of a hike in Fishers Park, albeit this time he will be leading the group of hikers on a VHT guided hike.  All hikers are free to join in this hike, no membership or fees are required.

Perhaps you will find a different world in the trails of Spring vs Autumn.  Traction Devices (TDs) are recommended for this hike and other hikes at this time of year.   A possible alternative to TDs may be deep tread sole footwear.  Since it may be muddy this early in Spring Season, consider waterproof footwear, and perhaps gaiters.

For more details on the hike you can check the VHT website , or telephone (585)-234-8226 (234 is a Rochester telephone exchange) for details.

Victor Hiking Trails (VHT) will be leading a hike at Robert H Treman Park, near the Ithaca area, on Saturday July 11th, 2015. This hike is part of the monthly guided hike series of VHT.  (***** Please note!! – accept apologies for any inconvenience if you saw this hike initially listed as Fri 7/10/2015, there had been a planned campout for Friday with the hike on Saturday, but the campout had to be cancelled.  The hike for Saturday is still ON.******)

Carpool will form behind Victor Town Hall, located at 60 East Main Street in Victor,NY (GPS = 42.9821448,-77.4087837 ), with intended leave time of 8:00AM on SATURDAY July 11th, 2015.

This hike locale of Robert H Treman Park is one that would be a bit far for Springwater Trails (S/T) to put on the S/T hiking schedule.  So if you wanna enjoy this park in the summertime with a group of hikers similar minded to the S/T hiking group, this hike may be for you.  Many waterfalls in Enfield Glen are a highlight of this park

Time guesstimates:  Carpool at Victor 8:00AM ; At Robert H Treman Park ~ 10:00AM ; Hike ~3-4 hours ; Back in Victor at Town Hall ~4:30PM.

For further details/updates about this hike, check the VHT website.  If you wish to meet the VHT group at Robert H Treman Park (rather than carpooling from Victor), you will need to coordinate a meet locale thru VHT hike leaders.

7/9/2015 update: Thoughts for your hiking comfort in shifting gears from our recent rainy grey skies to Saturdays predicted warmth and high sunshine angles. Checklist: Hat with a visor or brim that will stay on in windy conditions, and not end up in the glen. Sunglasses to cut reflection off the water and from overhead sunrays, again that will stay on. Light highly breathable clothing for sun reflection to prevent sunburn.  Sunscreen on uncovered areas including you face.

Agenda

• Approve minutes – Katherine
• Treasurer’s report – Melissa
• Committee Reports
  • Trail Maintenance – Gene
  • Advertising – Katherine
    • Brochure – First Draft – Mark
    • Rack Card – First Draft
  • Trail Building – Rick
    • Sugarbush Hollow to Pardy Hollow
  • Hiking Group – Wendy
  • New Business
    • Fiddler’s Fair – Parking
      • Chairman
      • Signup Sheet
    • Bicentennial
      • Our role
      • Bicentennial committee communications

— Please note that Saturday, September 5th, 2015 is Labor Day holiday weekend. —

Perhaps you have an interest in hiking the Bare Hill State Unique Area (SUA), as Springwater Trails has not yet hiked this area.  And perhaps you have an interest in the annual Bare Hill Ceremonial Fire.  Well, if either be the case, you have an option to hike with Victor Hiking Trails (VHT) at Bare Hill SUA on Saturday, Sept 5th, 2015 in the evening. This evening hike starts during daylight hours, and will finish after dark!

⇒ Hike Meet Time and Locale:  Approximately 6:15-6:30PM at the cul-de-sac (deadend) of Van Epps Rd (which is very near the Bare Hill trailhead).

Arrangements of a VHT arranged carpool, are:   VHT designated Carpool will form behind Victor Town Hall, located at 85 East Main Street in Victor,NY (GPS = 42.9821448,-77.4087837 ), with intended leave time of 5:30PM on Saturday 9/5/2015.  PLEASE NOTE, THE 5:30PM TIME IS FOR THE CARPOOL IN VICTOR!!  THERE IS AN ETA OF 6:15PM-6:30PM AT THE VAN EPPS RD CUL-DE-SAC PARKING AREA. (The cul-de-sac is adjacent the gated haul road and trailhead that lead to the top of Bare Hill).  Please note, further down in this hike event announcement are carpool arrangements for Springwater & Naples environs S/T area hikers.

Part parcel of this hike event is supper, ceremonial festivities including viewing lighting of the annual Bare Hill Ceremonial Fire, and viewing of the annual Canandaigua Lake Ring of Fire.

Lay of the land:  Bare Hill, lands publicly owned and held as a NYSDEC State Unique Area (in the nw quadrant of the Town of Middlesex, Yates County), is situate off the eastern side of Canandaigua Lake (about 2/3rds down the distance of the lake from the northern end), and is situate high atop a hill between the lake and NYS Rt 364. Note – because much of the hills’ elevation is reached when driving uphill on roads to reach the trailhead, the trails themselves do not have any steep ascent/decent but are gradual in elevation change and hold relatively little elevation gain/loss.

⇒ Hike Routing and Groups: More adventurous hikers (suitable for S/T Climbers) on this guided hike will hike to Bare Hill via a herd trail (as some would say “rough it”), while the more tame routing (suitable for S/T Naturalists) will be on the haul road which is essentially an old farm road.  Many years ago Bare Hill was farmed as pasture lands.  Hike distance is suitable for S/T Naturalists.   The return hike off Bare Hill will be after sunset, so BRING A FLASHLIGHT OR HEADLAMP for this part of the hike.

⇒ Supper and other details:  What’s for supper while on Bare Hill? is up to the individuals who show up.  Bring what you like, and if you wish to bring enough for sharing that’s fine too.  Don’t forget a beverage, and bring something to sit on as this is a gathering (not just a hike).  There are no picnic tables or facilities of any type here.  Bare in mind (pun intended) this is a VHT planned hike, not a S/T planned hike, so some facets may be a bit different than S/T hikers are used to.   ΟΟ Roll with it, please. ΟO

Of note, a Labor Day weekend Saturday evening Ring of Fire hike on Bare Hill has been on a “hike to do list” for S/T for well over 1-2 years, and being that one of our sister hiking groups facilitated the planning of a hike much as was envisioned for S/T, “seize the opportunity” to join for this hike seemed to be a logical thing to do.

Please consult the VHT website for further details and updates, and/or check the VHT message line for updates (585)-234-8226.

All are welcome to hike with VHT (with no VHT membership required and with no fee, much the same as S/T hikes are set-up). Should you and any other S/T hikers decide to join VHT for this hike and as result gain some expertise in the area, perhaps in the future you could lead a S/T hike at Bare Hill.  Something to consider for sharing with fellow  hikers.  In fact three S/T hikers already have hiked Bare Hill with an eye toward a future S/T hike here.

What vista views will I see while on Bare Hill, you ask?  Well, from the summit of Bare Hill looking directly across the lake (westward), lakeside for the south to the north will be Hicks Point, Seneca Point, Bristol Harbour Marina and Resort.  And higher up from the shoreline directly across the lake, the ridge you will be looking at is the east side of Stid Hill (approximately the northern area of the southern NYS DEC Stid Hill parcel) .  You will see part of one or more of: Hicks Rd, NYS Rt 21, Bills Rd, Stid Hill Rd.    No, you can not see Bristol Mountain Ski Resort even though it is on a westerly line from Bare Hill, because it is on the next hill to the west of Stid Hill and thus is out of view.  (But, maybe at night in season when Bristol Mtn Ski Resort is ablaze with lights you might see the glow of the lights.)  One other view from a trail on Bare Hill a distance away from the summit affords a view looking to the northwest diagonally across Canandaigua Lake. This one is left totally up to you to identify landmarks, albeit one note – possibility that in the distance you may be able to see Fort Hill in Victor near Ganondagan (distance viewing oculars of some variety will be helpful for this one).

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⇒ Driving Directions:   For those who wish to drive directly to the trailhead of Bare Hill SUA, and not carpool in either the VHT or S/T arranged carpools :  The trailhead is directly adjacent the cul-de-sac of Van Epps Road.  The cul-de-sac is utilized as a parking area.  Given sufficient number of vehicles that may converge on the area for a hike to the “ceremonial fire event” some parking may also be necessitated along the shoulder of Van Epps Rd.

Van Epps Rd runs west off Bare Hill Rd.  Bare Hill Rd can be accessed via Town Line Rd at the northern end, and via Co Rd 10 (aka N Vine Valley Rd) at the southern end.   Both these roads run westerly off NYS Rt 364.   {In reaching Bare Hill expect most roadways to be paved, but expect gravel surface (dirt road) on Van Van Epps Rd.}

For those drivers who do not do well with compass directions for routing and turns:   From the north (Canandaigua & environs) on NYS RT 364 as you are heading southbound, turn R onto Townline Rd, turn L onto Bare Hill Rd, & turn R onto Van Epps Rd.   From Springwater area.  S on 15 to Wayland, N on 21 thru Naples. R on 245 to Middlesex, L on 364.  On NYS RT 364 as you are heading northbound, turn L onto Co Rd 10 (aka N Vine Valley Rd).  Be careful not to make this left on S. Vine Valley Rd., which comes first. Turn R onto Bare Hill Rd, & turn L onto Van Epps Rd.   >>>The trailhead parking area is at the cul-de-sac (deadend) of Van Epps Rd.

{For edifice history appreciators, and as point of reference, the historic red brick one room schoolhouse “Overakers Corners Schoolhouse”, located in the Town of Middlesex, Yates County, is situate on the NW corner of NYS Rt 364 & Co Rd 10 (aka N Vine Valley Rd). The schoolhouse has now been restored for utilization as a heritage museum, albeit admission dates and times are very limited.}

⇒ Carpool arrangements for Springwater & Naples environs, as arranged by S/T hiking folks:  This is a progressive carpool, Wayland carpoolers will stop at Naples carpool locale to coalesce a larger carpool and then ultimately head to Bare Hill.

Wayland – Large parking lot behind fire station.  From Springwater, R at light in Wayland.  Entrance is on right, right after 7-11.  Departure time 5 PM.

Naples – Parking lot behind Bob and Ruth’s, N of town.  Departure time 5:30 PM.  Meet and join hikers from Victor at Bare Hill lot.  We’ll probably arrive there before them because if we arrive after, they won’t wait for us.

(Directional Travel Note: It is not difficult to lose your trail of bread crumbs in this remote hilly & windy road area off NYS Rt 364.  So a suggestion, … pay attention to directions and turns, and keep conversing in the vehicle to a minimum once you have turned off NYS Rt 364 and start the hilly and sometimes winding ascent, and be aware there are “blind areas” that come up quickly as result of hills in the road.  The same advice goes for the return trip out to NYS Rt 364.  Note: There really are not many wrong turns that you can make before eventually getting back to NYS Rt 364, so do not fret too much about losing your way, but paying attention when driving in this area definitely can cut down on uncertainty, as can keeping your speed down to increase time for reaction to road changes.  A detailed map of the area and a good (human) navigator is helpful, as well.

GPS Coords:  Van Epps Rd cul-de-sac parking area: Lat/Long coordinates are: 42.746746, -77.302622  This is in the nw quadrant of the Town of Middlesex, Yates County.  ( It is possible if using a GPS unit for directions, you may not want to blindly follow the GPS unit.  You should have some semblance of where you are going, in case your GPS Unit is “confused” in this area (“confused” is to be read as “possibly unreliable in this area”.  Thus, this GPS directional aid section is placed nearly at the bottom of this hike event announcement.)

√ Hike Checklist:  beverage, supper, something to sit on, flashlight, warmer clothing to don after sunset, perhaps distance viewing oculars, perhaps a map to determine what you are looking at in the vistas, perhaps a backpack to carry the aforementioned items.

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[ Also of note – other upcoming VHT hikes of interest to some area hikers:  Saturday, October 10th, 2015 (Columbus Day holiday weekend) is a VHT hike at Keuka Lake Outlet Trail (Penn Yan to Dresden).  Saturday November 14, 2015 is a VHT hike at Boughton Park (this one is figuratively if not literally in VHT’s “back yard”); and Saturday, December 12, 2015  is a VHT hike at Ontario County Park’s new north trails (this one in S/T home range).  All three of these hikes meet for carpool at 9:00AM Saturday morning at Victor Town Hall (rear) parking lot.    VHT Message Line , phone (585)-234-8226 includes info about the next upcoming VHT hike.  note: 234 phone number exchange is a Rochester area exchange. ]

Please note that Saturday, October 10th, 2015 is Columbus Day holiday weekend.

• UPDATE: Change in plans for a second year in a row.  Since the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail is in need or reparations due to flooding, VHT has changed plans and will not lead an October hike there this year.  Instead, the October VHT guided hike will be on the BHB-FLT in Prattsburgh.  Meet at Victor Town Hall at 9AM, or at the trail in Prattsburg at 10AM.  For more info consult the VHT website.

Carpool will form behind Victor Town Hall, located at 60 East Main Street in Victor,NY (GPS = 42.9821448,-77.4087837 ), with intended leave time of 9:00AM on Saturday 10/10/2015.

VHT, in The Pathfinder Fall 2015 edition newsletter on page 4, provided the following info for meeting in Prattsburgh:   VHT will be hiking the south end of this section of trail. Fall colors should be near peak. Expect some hilly terrain with plenty of rest stops for water. Looking at 7 to 8 miles of hiking. If you are coming from the south  (or elsewhere in the area), you can meet the group in Prattsburg on Route 53, in front of the Prattsburg Market Place, 2 S. Main St, Prattsburgh, NY 14873 at 10 A.M.. We should return to Victor between 3:30 and 4:30 P.M. Please consult the VHT website for further details and updates.

Some S/T hikers may want to take this opportunity to hike and learn about this southern section of the BHB-FLT with a group of hikers like-minded to S/T.

Previously scheduled but now cancelled – Perhaps you have an interest in hiking the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail, but that may be seen as a bit far for S/T to plan a hike.  Well, here is a VHT hike on the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail, on Oct 10th, 2015.

(This Keuka Lake Outlet Trail hike had been scheduled for 2014, but had to be cancelled because parts of the trail washed out, due to the May 2014 severe rainstorm with torrents of rain in the Keuka Lake area causing floods.)

Also of note, Saturday November 14, 2015 is a VHT Boughton Park hike (this one is in VHT home range); and Saturday, December 12, 2015  is a VHT hike at Ontario County Park’s new north trails    VHT Message Line , phone (585)-234-8226 includes info about the next hike.

December 12— Ontario County Park, north trails. The mountain bike club GROC has created several miles of new trails at the north end of the park. We will be hiking (or skiing if there is snow) these trails from 10:00 A.M. until noon. For those that want, we will stop for lunch at the Brown Hound Bistro in South Bristol for lunch.

Please check the message line at 585-234-8226 for details and last minutes updates.

Gleaned from the Victor Hiking Trails (VHT) Website & page 4 of the VHT Pathfinder- Fall 2015 newsletter, Vol 20 issue 3, pages 2&4,  the December VHT hike is as listed above.

VHT guided hikes are scheduled the 2nd Saturday of most every month, as is the above hike.  Hikes are open to all, no membership or fee required to participate.  This hike locale has been a popular locale with S/T hikers, and is relatively close to some.  So, the hike is posted in view of possible participation of some S/T hikers.

Page 5 of the same VHT Pathfinder lists info about the Nov 28&29 Santa Train in the Village of Victor, by www.friendsoftherailroad.org

Volunteers are needed to assist in picking up roadside litter along a stretch of highway in the Town of Springwater that Springwater Trails is in the process of adopting.  We will meet at the Fire Hall parking lot at 9AM for a mandatory safety briefing presented by NYS DOT.  They will provide the required hard hats and safety vests. You will want to bring gloves.  NYS DOT will also provide the collection bags and pick up.  The plan is to work from 9AM-12PM, lunch at Sammy’s, and (if needed) work from 1PM-4PM.   Ask your friends to join us.  So NYS DOT can be given an approximate number of participants, please let Wendy know if you plan on helping out – wsteven@frontiernet.net .

Annually, one of two big shindigs that Victor Hiking Trails (VHT) sponsors, is National Trails Day (NTD) observed the first Saturday of June.  In 2016 the date is June 4th.  VHT is of course one of many hiking groups that plans some organized observance on NTD.  Yep, that word “national” does in fact imply many groups across the USA observe or celebrate NTD in some manner.   Now, before I describe more about NTD activities, you were wondering what the other big shindig that VHT has annually.  Weren’t You?  Answer: the second big shindig VHT does is the VHT “challenge hike” in late September.

NTD in Victor with VHT is usually three serial hikes, with a break in between each of the three hikes for rest and refreshment. The first hike is a morning hike and the last hike finishes in the afternoon.

You can read about National Trails Day from 2015 in the the VHT newsletter The Pathfinder Spring 2015 edition (volume 20, issue 1, page 6).   And of course, you can check the VHT website for updated details about the NTD hike for June 4th, 2016.  A direct hyperlink is here.

Katherine J. T. Humphrey will present a discussion on what is new or current in home food preservation – like increased interest in fermentation, using less energy, using what is available locally and seasonally, deciding on what method of preservation would be best for a single person or for a household of many people, where to begin if a novice or an experienced home preserver, and the place to go for research based answers to questions, especially when it comes to safety and quality considerations.

Katherine was a full time Cornell Cooperative Extension Educator 1969-1991, and a CCE Livingston County Home Economics Program Leader. She has been a CCE Home Food Preservation Instructor since 1989.