Tramp & Trail

On a dreary, drizzly morning 13 Tramps started out from Utica to the Helderbergs, a name that means “bright mountains”, optimistic that the weather would clear and that the mountains would live up to their name. By the time we reached Thatcher Park, the rain had stopped and we did experience patches of sunshine throughout the day.

After meeting Dianna M.’ daughter and 6 year old granddaughter, hiker extraordinaire, we started our hike on the Indian Ladder Trail.  The trail descends halfway down the escarpment, utilizing a series of steep but sturdy steel ladders.  It continues along the face of the limestone cliffs, at times forcing hikers to duck beneath massive overhanging rocks.  At two points we actually walked in back of beautiful waterfalls swollen to torrents by recent rains.  All along the trail a view to the north and north east reveals the Adirondacks, The Green Mountains and by contrast, the white towers of Albany.  At the end of the Indian Ladder trail we walked along the top of the escarpment, continuing to relish magnificent views. After lunch in a picnic area we headed for the woods where we meandered onto every trail, seeing deciduous and hardwood forests, muddy wetlands, and sites of a former paint mine and a hop field. At one point we found ourselves at the top of a steep bank overlooking a pond with a bird’s eye view of 2 beaver lodges and a beaver dam.

Most of us stopped at the Golf Course and Cider House Restaurant for some delicious soup, entrees and adult beverages.  Here we learned that golfers are louder than even our loudest hikers.

Cross country skiers already anxious for snow on that late October day, dream of returning to Thatcher Park for some great rides down the hilly trails.

By Nancy C.