NOTE: Daylight Savings Time starts today. Please check your clocks!
Our Sunday event originally planned a ski or snowshoe excursion on the groomed trails of Harriet Hollister Spencer State Park. The Park has been well used over the past few weeks of snowy weather, and the groomers keep the trails in great condition for both fast and slower skiers and for those on snowshoes. Since we’re not sure what effect the recent warming will have on the snow, it is highly unlikely that skiing or snowshoeing will be possible.
Meet at 6775 Canadice Hill Road in Canadice. Park in the main lot near the road. Restrooms are available next to the lot. We will divide into groups depending on desired activity and distance.
Naturalist: Good easy trails for hiking are the main road past the overlook and the inner service area, looping back on Raccoon Run. For a detailed look at the routes and difficulty, see winter trails map for the options:
Tourists: Starting from the parking lot heading out on Ruthies Trail and connecting with Chalet trail, makes for a pleasant hike. Head up Whiteface to Blue spruce and connect with Racoon Run or Sidewinder.
Climbers: Climbers can also head out Ruthie’s Trail and connect with the Chalet trail and take the snowmobile trail C4 out of the main park, out to the junction of Townline and Canadice Road. Best guess; returning back to the park along Canadice Hill Road may not be a good option. The road may be very muddy. Heading back on C4 into the main park might be a better choice.
Hiking conditions caused by weather changes, will try to be updated as hike day nears.
This Sunday we will have a snowy ramble the woods and fields overlooking Honeoye Lake on the west side. Meet at 5422 County Road 37, about 2 miles south of Route 20A and 2 miles north of Canadice Town Hall. Park in the driveway or on the road shoulder. Our hikes will take us up the ridge, through wooded trails and along gully rims, partly following snowmobile routes. Enjoy a scenic vista of the whole expanse of Honeoye Lake. There should be ample fresh snow for snowshoe hiking, although boots with traction devices will work too. Poles are recommended.
Climbers will make a loop of about 3.5 to 4 miles. Tourists and Naturalists will start out on the same route, but with a slower pace, and will complete a smaller loop of about 2.5 miles.
Masks and social distancing will be observed. No social in deference to the Covid guidelines.
Directions:
From Springwater, take Route 15A north 2.7 miles to a right on Johnson Hill Road. In 1.1 miles, make a left on County Road 37. Continue northeast for 6.7 miles, including a bend to the left after Canadice Town Hall. #5422 will be on your left, just before you leave the town of Canadice and about a half mile after you pass Hayward Hill Road and Jersey Hill Road.
From Honeoye/Hemlock: Take Route 20A east from Hemlock or west from Honeoye to the intersection with County Road 37. Go south approximately 1.9 miles. #5422 will be on the right, just past the Entering Town of Canadice sign.
Our Sunday event will be a ski or snowshoe excursion on the groomed trails of Harriet Hollister Spencer State Park. The Park has been well used over the past few weeks of snowy weather, and the groomers keep the trails in great condition for both fast and slower skiers and for those on snowshoes. The Sectionals competition will be held in the park on Saturday, so trails should be well packed down. If you plan to hike with boots only, poles and traction devices are recommended.
Since we’re not sure what effect the recent warming will have on the snow, skiers are advised to bring back-up equipment (boots or snowshoes) in case the trails are too slick or soft for good skiing.
Meet at 6775 Canadice Hill Road in Canadice. Park in the main lot near the road. Rest rooms are available next to the lot. We will divide into groups depending on desired activity and distance. Good easy trails for skiers are the main road past the overlook and the inner service area, looping back on Raccoon Run. A good loop for snowshoers is the Bear Cub/Overlook Trails, coming back on the main road. For a detailed look at the routes and difficulty, see winter trails map for the options: https://s3.amazonaws.com/img.stateparkhq.com/files/HarrietHollisterTrailMapWinter.pdf
Note: The winter visit to Rochester Folk Art Guild has been postponed due to too much deep snow, but we hope to reschedule it in a few weeks when conditions for skiing and snowshoes are more favorable.
Social: No social is planned, due to the pandemic.
Directions:
From Springwater, take East Avenue up the hill and then a left on Canadice Road (CR42). Make a right on Town Line Road, a.k.a Tibbals Road. At the end, make a left on Canadice Hill Road. Go about 1.7 miles to the park entrance on your right.
From Honeoye/Hemlock: Take Route 20A east from Hemlock or west from Honeoye to the intersection with County Road 37. Go south approximately 3.7 miles to the point where County Road 37 curves to the right; go straight here on Canadice Hill Road. In another 3.3 miles the road will fork; take the left fork (dirt road) to remain on Canadice Hill Road. In another .7 miles you will see the park entrance on your left.
We had planned to hike the Finger Lakes Trail in Slader Creek State Forest this Sunday. Unfortunately the trail from the north end is all ice up-hill, and access to the south end is along DEC roads that are also covered with ice. So, it seems to be safer for all involved to wait until next month when we hope there will be enough snow for snow shoes, or the ice will have melted.
Meanwhile, we are extended our series of shoreline hikes within the Hemlock-Canadice State Forest to include the west side of Canadice Lake. We will meet at the north end of Canadice off of Purcell Hill Rd. All hikers will head south on a pleasant maintenance road that seems to be a favorite route for many local walkers and skiers (when there is snow). Based on our hiking speed, some hikers will have time to head up Rob’s Trail for a view of the lake from above. With the lake level down, other hikers will investigate a route down to the water for a walk back on the rocks of the shoreline.
Please arrive a few minutes early so we can organize and start hiking at 2:00PM.
Directions: We will meet at the northwest parking area for Canadice Lake on Purcell Hill Road west of Canadice Lake Road. Please note that this is not a boat launch.
From Rochester and the I390 Exit 11 Park and Ride: From Rochester, take I390 south to Exit 11. Turn left (south) on Rt 15. The park and ride is on the right side. From the park and ride, turn right onto Rt 15 and then an immediate left onto Rt 251 toward Rush. After 1.3 miles, bear right onto 15A. Follow 15A through Rush, Lima and Hemlock for 18.5 miles. Turn left on Purcell Hill Road for 1.2 miles. At the bottom of the hill, the parking area is on the right before you cross the Canadice outlet.
From Springwater: Take 15A north from the Rt15 intersection for 7.6 miles. Turn right on Purcell Hill Road for 1.2 miles. At the bottom of the hill, the parking area is on the right before you cross the Canadice outlet.
From Honeoye: From Rt 20A, turn south on CR 37. After 3.7 miles turn right at the white church in Canadice. Stay straight onto Burch Hill Rd when CR37 bears to the left. Follow Burch Hill Rd down to Canadice Lake Rd. Turn right (north) on Canadice Rd for 0.7 miles, then left on Purcell Hill. The parking area is on the left in 0.2 miles.
