Tramp & Trail Hiking Club

7311 Foxy Brown Trail
November 27, 2022

November 27, 2022 mconnors921

Write-up: Meg Higgerson
Leader: Meg Higgerson
Co-Leader: Ann Damiano

Eight of us traveled to the trail head which starts at the Piseco Airport. With 2+ inches of hard-packed snow on the ground and the temperature in the high thirties, steady rain was predicted after 2 pm. We took off at a trot hoping to complete the hike prior to getting soaked.

The Foxy Brown trail recently had a major rehab thanks to the Piseco Lake Association and the DEC. Last remembered as full of blowdown, it is now a clear and very well-marked (by the 1/2 mile) X-C ski trail through mixed forest. Of course we found bogs, streams, lots of rocks and evidence of artistic beavers!

After 4 miles, we stopped to snack on fruitcake. Could it be that gave us all a spirt of energy to continue the remaining 2+ miles with a bit more speed? Well, we did avoid the rain! As we were entering our cars at 1:30 it really started to come down.

Another great Tramp Day!

7309 Nelson Lake Trail
November 27, 2022

November 27, 2022 mconnors921

Write-up: Greg Sipp
Leader: Greg Sipp
Co-Leader: Carolyn Eastman

Five kept watch on the weather throughout the week, wondering if it was going to be worth hiking in the rain and cold that was forecasted. At the trailhead, we all agreed to be out by 1:30, regardless of mileage.

We hiked to the lean-to, from there, the goal was to bushwhack to the top of Jones Mt for lunch. Half-way up the mountain., Cindy quietly said “bear.” We turned to watch from about 20’ a black bear, approximately 300 lbs., run up the mountain, it moved quietly and gracefully. It was hunkered down in a hollowed-out tree that we just walked by.

It was an amazing experience. From that point, we followed bear footprints for a while, while hiking to the top of Jones.

From Jones, we continued bushwhacking until we picked up the trail and headed to the parking lot. No additional bear sightings. It wasn’t the 11 miles that it was billed as, but seeing a bear so close up was more than worth the shorter trip as well as missing the rain.

7308 Burlingame Trails
November 20, 2022

November 20, 2022 mconnors921

Write-up: Sue Manier
Leader: Sue Manier
Co-Leader: Meg Higgerson

On this beautiful fall day eleven of us reached the Burlingame trailhead but first had to fight the high winds in the field! We hiked the Sherman’s Gulch trail and looped around Atwell’s Knoll. As a special surprise we walked along the Burlingame Road for a ½ mile until we reached another part of the Sherman’s Gulch and Cassie’s Loop.

We hiked along the edge of the gulch that was formed 400 million years ago. There you will find a beautiful waterfall and fossils in the rocks including snails, brachiopods and trilobites.

The public trails are a land donation to Cazenovia Preservation Foundation (CPF) in 1993 and 2005. All together we hiked 5 miles.

7305 Moose River Plains
November 12, 2022

November 12, 2022 mconnors921

Write-up: Paul Sirtoli

Leader: Paul Sirtoli

Co-leader: Greg Sipp

Photo Credit: Jeremy Alexander

The cliche “don’t judge the book by its cover” would be an apt description regarding the weather for this pond odyssey. Dense cloud cover, mist, and rain inundated the Utica region, and indeed the ride to Inlet. But, by the time we commenced our first hike in the Moose River Plains, the weather had dramatically improved – no drizzle, clouds lifting, and by mid-afternoon, rays of sun. Aside from the scenic ponds, the temperature was conducive to hiking, with absolutely no bugs. En total, Greg, Paul, Dave, Art, and Jeremy hiked nearly 12 miles visiting these ponds, as described below. If there is a down side to visiting these ponds, it takes roughly 45 minutes to drive the 10-mile gravel road to the first pond, which, by the way, is part of the black fly race route held in June every year. I will let the photos from Jeremy depict the uniqueness of each pond.

Mitchell Ponds – Since there were two vehicles, we spotted a car and hiked a four-mile loop on essentially an old logging road, which, coincidentally, was quite conducive to mountain biking. The forested lane terminated on the east side of the lake at a picturesque campsite near a small boat dock. A nearby marked trail (.8 mile) enticingly led us to the west side of the lake, terminating at a handsome camping area on a knoll. Upon completing the loop, several hundred yards from our spotted vehicle, the road was flooded. The engineers in the group took charge, and built a flimsy log bridge to span the flooded section; it was too early in the day for wet feet!

Helldiver Pond – This very short hike on a hardened path is wheel chair accessible – need I say more – that led to a dock. The water was high, and the dock partially submerged.

Icehouse Pond – At .4-mile, this reclaimed brook trout lake has a wide and hardened path for anglers to roll their canoes (or kayaks) to the shoreline.

There is a spacious camp site with a picnic table to clean the fish, or have lunch.

Beaver Lake – A 2.2-mile bikeable “log road,” now a wide path leads to an exquisite camping area on the north side of this beautiful body of water.

Greg led a torrid pace; took us 40 minutes to walk one way.

7302 Tongue Mountain Range
November 6, 2022

November 6, 2022 mconnors921

Write-up: Dave Rockwood
Leader: Dave Rockwood
Co-Leader: Carolyn Eastwood

Five Mile Mountain Hike

On 11-6-22, nine of us met and traveled to the Lake George area to hike the northern Tongue Range. It was a beautiful warm day, mid 70’s and breezy. After a 15-minute climb we were shedding layers! The trail is in good shape. There are a few sections that are rocky and with the leaves, it was tough to navigate foot placement, but otherwise the trail was in great shape.

After completing Brown Mountain, Huckleberry Mountain and Five Mile, we had lunch and decided to go back the way we came and hike out to the scenic overlook at Deer Leap, which added 2 (tough!) miles round trip. We hiked out quickly to keep pace with fast feet Eastman (LOL). With the leaves down there were good views in spots along the trail. The breeze, no bugs, enough sun and great company, made for the perfect day to be out hiking. The hike leader wanted to note that he was blessed to be joined by so many beautiful women!:)

7301 Moss Island
November 5, 2022

November 5, 2022 mconnors921

Write-up: Walt Pillar
Leader: Walt Pillar
Co-Leader: Bobbie Scarpino

Thirty-four Tramps hiked 5 miles on the Erie Canal Trail and Moss Island in Little Falls on another warm day for November. Several interesting sights included a waterfall (not much water because of the dry weather), rock formations with several rock climbers, picturesque old canal buildings and Lock 17 on the Canal. Lost the trail to the Power Point Overlook and did some bushwacking on Moss Island but did explore the potholes.