EXPLORING
CHENANGO COUNTY BY HIKING – SEPTEMBER 2016
Donald
A. Windsor
The
best way to explore Chenango County is to walk it. I lead hikes
every Sunday morning, year around, for the Bullthistle Hiking Club
and report them on our Yahoo group, BullthistleHikers,
where the many photos posted by our hikers can be viewed.
Here are my reports for September
2016.
4
September 2016 – Hyer+Upham roads, Lincklaen State Forest
A
“lovely hike” Joyce called it and I agree. On a cool, sunny
Sunday morning, 4 September 2016, we had 6 hikers in the Lincklaen
State Forest: Anne Altshuler, Peg Fuller, Joyce Post, Sharron
Sandberg, Maryann Weiss, and Don Windsor. We covered 7.4 miles in 3.3
hours for a speed of 2.2 miles per hour.
We
parked on Hyer Road at its junction with Upham Road and hiked
northerly higher and higher on Hyer. We took our well-deserved break
just short of Springer Road at a very old stone foundation surrounded
by a lush stand of periwinkle. This structure appears on the 1855 map
as belonging to Joel Burdick. We paused at Springer Road to admire
the great vista and then sprang down Springer to Factory Gulf Road.
We took that southwesterly to Johnson Road and traveled that
southerly and easterly to Upham. We then ambled down Upham southerly
to our cars. Group photo by Maryann.
Signs
of early autumn were especially vibrant in open fields, where the
goldenrod were absolutely dazzling, punctuated by Joe-Pye, red
clover, New England asters, and chicory. Autumn in New York indeed!
11
September 2016 – Hunts Mountain, Sherburne
Hunts
Mountain in Sherburne is privately owned and one of its owners, Al
Marsters, led us on a fascinating hike up, down, and around this high
hill on Sunday 11 September 2016. We covered about 5 miles in 4 hours
for a speed of 1.2 miles per hour.
We
had 9 hikers: Anne Altshuler, John Carhart, Al Marsters, Joyce Post,
Art Sandberg, Sharron Sandberg, Robin Vanwagner, Maryann Weiss, and
Don Windsor.
As
we ambled along, Al pointed out the various historical places and
provided us with their interesting backstories. We took our
well-deserved break at his rustic cabin. The spectacular vista of the
Chenango River valley was memorable. After crossing under the power
line, we stood at the base of the 330 foot tower and felt energized.
The high point of the hike was when Al showed us the US Geologic
Service monument at the pinnacle, as well as the triangulation
monuments pointing to it. From there on, the rest of the hike went
downhill.
18
September 2016 – Bucks Brook State Forest, Otselic
Rain
at the HoJo lot stopped by the time we reached the Otselic lot, so we
7 hikers had a rain-free hike on Sunday 18 September 2016 in the
Bucks Brook State Forest in Otselic: Anne Altshuler, John Carhart,
Peg Fuller, Joyce Post, Art Sandberg, Sharron Sandberg, and Don
Windsor. We covered 6.0 miles in 3.8 hours for a speed of 1.6 miles
per hour.
We
parked the fishing lot where State Route 26 crosses the Otselic River
and walked north along 26 to Valley View Road then took that to Bucks
Brook Road. We then hiked up that road northwesterly to Ridge Road.
Whereupon we hiked Ridge north to the FLT trailhead and got on the
FLT for our southeastern trek. A short distance into the woods we
paused for our well-deserved break, basking in sunbeams while
rainwater dripped from the overhanging foliage. We continued on the
FLT to where it deviates near the southern end from the old town
road. We took the town road because I wanted to see where it comes
out. On Route 26 across from the Seventh Day Hollow Cemetery. We then
ambled back to our cars via Old State Road to avoid the dangerous
midday traffic.
We
looked for foundations but the foliage obscured vision. We found only
one. The old abandoned town road will be explored this winter. When
coupled with the FLT it could make a dandy loop hike by avoiding
Bucks Brook Road.
25
September 2016 – Genegantslet State Forest, Smithville
A
cold, foggy Sunday morning soon brightened to a glorious, sunny day
as 9 hikers tread through the Genegantslet State Forest in
Smithville: Anne Altshuler, John Carhart, Peg Fuller, Kate Hooks,
Joyce Post, Art Sandberg, Sharron Sandberg, Maryann Weiss, and Don
Windsor. We covered 4 miles in 3.3 hours for a speed of 1.2 miles per
hour.
We
parked on Raymond Decker Road at Whitting Road (2013 map; Whitling on
2001 map) and hiked north on Whitting. We stopped at an old
foundation and dug well and hiked an old road that soon petered out.
We backtracked to Whitting and continued north. We then hiked east on
Nidley Road to its dead end and backtracked to Whitting, resuming our
northward progression. Encountering an enticing dirt road heading
westerly into the woods, we took it.
Good
choice, as we came across some interesting old trees, one with
several faces seen by some of us in its gnarled, twisted trunk. We
followed this road until it petered out and then bushwhacked to the
western border of state land. We follow the yellow blazes north and
turned with them east, pausing for our well-deserved break in the
dappled shade of a dry hemlock swamp. Refreshed, we continued east
until the blazes ran north and followed them to Collier Road.
Pleasant
surprise. A picnic table, concrete fireplace, parking lot, and a
dandy pond with emerging vegetation and frogs galore. John Carhart
spooked a Northern Water Snake basking on the shore. What a beauty!
About 3 feet long and curious. As the snake watched us, we took
several photos. After that we hiked easterly on Collier to Whitting
and took that south to our cars. The pond is part of Whittling Swamp
on the 1950 topo map, so I suspect Whittling is what the road should
really be named.
The
dug well was covered with a sheet of rotten plywood overlain with
leaves. Very unsafe. Someone stepping on it could fall through into
the well, which was at least 15 feet deep. The proper way to indicate
a well is to place long tree poles in it to make people aware of its
presence. We did that and tied colored ribbons on the poles.
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