Blacksnake Mountain May 7, 2012
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, wildflowers.5 comments
Closeup of the topo map at the trail head.
The topo calls the mountain “Blacksnake.” The trail is labeled “Black Snake.” One word or two? I don’t know. Either/or, I guess. It’s in Allegany State Park in Western New York and it should be called Wildflower Mountain. I hiked it on May 2, 2012 on a mostly cloudy day with temperatures in the 60s and black flies buzzing annoyingly in small clouds around me and the dogs. I could picture my new bottle of insect repellent sitting on the shelf above my desk at work as I tied a scarf around my head like Aunt Jemima to try to keep them from biting along my hairline like they usually do. I should put a second bottle in the car, I guess.
I was absolutely astounded at the number of species that I found in bloom and wished the puppy had less energy so I could put the macro lens on my camera and take each one’s picture. But every time I bent to take a look at something, muddy paws and a curious nose came between me and the flower. One of these days, I’ll hike the trail with camera only and get the shots I’m looking for. Today was for the dogs.
Squirrel Corn
I made a few photos and a list. (Full slideshow below.)
- White Trillium
- Red Trillium
- Dwarf Ginseng
- Trout Lily
- Spring Beauty
- Dutchman’s Breeches
- Squirrel Corn
- Water Carpet
- Wild Oats
- Solomon’s Seal
- False Solomon’s Seal
- Red Elder
- Canada Violet
- Common Violet
- at least 2 kinds of yellow Violets
- Sweet White Violet
- Long-spurred Violet
- Kidney-leafed Buttercup
- Foamflower
- Hepatica (I found one still blooming, and lots gone to seed)
- Toothwort
- Barren Strawberry
- Swamp Buttercup
- Ground Ivy
Clintonia (I think)
In addition to those which were all blooming, I also found leaves of the following:
- Canada Mayflower
- Clintonia
- Mayapple
- Leeks
- False Hellabore
- Wild Geranium
- Virginia Waterleaf
- Yellow Mandarin
- Starflower
- Sweet Cicely
- Golden Ragwort
- 2 or 3 different bellworts
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Audubon Morning March 23, 2012
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking.6 comments
Wednesday “They” were predicting highs near 80. Eighties in March just seems wrong. I opted for an early morning walk, instead of a lunchtime walk. I took my camera – which slowed down my pace. Not as good a workout, but it was worth it.
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Winter’s Walk at the Gorge March 4, 2012
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, ice, outdoor recreation, winter.6 comments
I wasn’t altogether sure I was up for a hike today. I’ve been running myself ragged at work and with all my Women Create activities – to the point of being on the verge of a cold. But, I mustered some energy and met my hiking buddies for a day at the Gorge.
Terry always makes me walk places that scare me. It’s good for the heart.
We had to hug the wall of the gorge to get past the unusually high water.
Once we got past the scary part there were great photo opps:
We had a little fire to warm our hands and dry our gloves. (I only sort of melted mine.)
All in all, we had a blast… especially the dogs:
Annual New Year’s Day Hike January 2, 2012
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking.6 comments
It has become my tradition to be outside on January 1. This year found me in the company of two old friends and one new friend – only one of whom is two-legged. Old friends Terry (2-legged) and Lolli (4-legged) joined me to introduce Terry’s Puppy (4-legged and still without an Official Name) to the trail at Holt Run in Allegany State Park.
Every dog should have a boy.
Puppy is very curious about everything, especially everything that Lolli is doing or interested in. Lolli likes to carry logs around while hiking. She was not very amused when Puppy kept trying to investigate. The expression on her face said it all.
Seriously. Whose idea was this puppy?
Our drive to the Park and the first few steps into the woods were sunny and warm (relatively speaking for a January 1). The further we walked, the colder it got, the cloudier it got, and then came the rain. It only rained off and on, though, so we continued. At the half-way point, Puppy was exhausted. When we sat down to eat a sandwich, he climbed right up on Terry’s backpack and snoozed. Here he is, just barely awake from his slumbers because I woke him up digging my camera out of my pack.
Why did you wake me? I'm still sleepy.
He went back to sleep after the Photo Opp, so I poked around in the dark woods to see what this new camera (Canon Rebel T2i) could capture in low light. I’m still getting used to it, but I like what I’m seeing. The following slide show contains some pictures I took under very dark skies just before the rain really cut loose!
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Happy New Year, everyone! May 2012 be filled with glorious nature adventures for you and yours.
Wolf Run Road June 26, 2011
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, wild edibles, wildflowers.12 comments
There was a time when you could drive Wolf Run Road to the place where the Finger Lakes Trail crosses it. Not any more. You can drive to the bridge which is now closed. So we did. And then we walked.
This is a beautiful trail with lots of great views. And in June, there are lots of wildflowers.
Deptford Pinks
Canada Thistle
Day Lily
Common Milkweed (with Pollinator)
Rough-fruited Cinquefoil
Knapweed
Bird’s Foot Trefoil
Oxeye Daisy
Red Clover
Small Sundrops (this native flower is the size of my pinkie fingernail)
Cow Vetch
Yellow Clover
(another) Oxeye Daisy
Heal-all
There were also several delicious nibbles along the way. We ate Allegany Service Berries, mint leaves, Day Lily buds, and blueberries!
I ate the blue one…
Here’s where we parked:
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Hepatica Hunt April 9, 2011
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, spring.5 comments
Beautiful weather today. So, I went to look for spring wildflowers… other than Skunk Cabbage and Colt’s Foot. But, I didn’t find any. Sigh.
Here’s what I did find, though!
Watercress
Shelf Function
Moss
Leeks
A Different Moss
Hepatica!!! (but no flowers… yet.)
We See With Our Emotions December 20, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, photography, winter.12 comments
Twenty degrees. The heavy snow has stopped, for now. An occasional flake floats down now and again. Thick gray clouds block the sun. Perfect day for a hike, not so perfect for photography. I snap photo after photo anyway.
Back on my computer, the screen shows me what the camera captured: gray, monochromatic, dull. I suppose that IS what it looked like.
I am not satisfied. It is not a good representation of my memory of the day. I load the picture into Lightroom and play with the settings until the image matches my memory.
I mess with the other photos similarly.
Ta da!
But photographs can never really capture the beauty of our memories! ~Emily Schlick
Hiking During Hunting Season November 22, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking.6 comments
Archery opened several weeks ago. Shotgun opened Saturday. What is a hiker to do? I was delighted to learn that hunting is prohibited inside Allegany State Park on Sundays. (Thank you to whoever made that rule!)
I had been curious about a lean-to on the park map and decided to go check it out. It is reportedly on a section of the cross country ski trails – along the Ridge Run.
We parked at the Bova Creek area – where once upon a time there was downhill skiing – and headed up Patterson Run. We had a cup of hot chocolate at the point where Patterson, Ridge Run, and Snowsnake Run all meet up, then took the sharp right turn to follow Ridge Run.
At the site of the supposed lean-to, there were a few pieces and parts that could have been part of a structure once, I suppose. Why I didn’t take a picture, I’m not sure.
From this point, the park map lists only two alternatives: turnaround and retrace your steps, or continue along the Ridge Run and eventually reach the summit. We were using an old map from an orienteering club* that showed more detail and discovered we could continue on another path that would loop back to the truck – by way of the old down-hill ski site! (Read about the history of “Bova Slopes” by clicking –> here.)
(* By the way, does anyone know where I can buy a new, fresh topographic/orienteering map of the park? UPDATE 11/26/2010: Here’s the link for buying that awesome map: http://www.hyatts.com/art/allegany-state-park-trail-map-Y79603)
Here are a few shots from the top of Bova Slopes:
This is a picture of the truck. Can you see it?
Patterson and Ridge Run are wide and recently groomed and grated in preparation for snow and the cross country ski season. Once that happens, dogs and snowshoes are not allowed on those sections of trail.
I have heard a rumor that new maps of the park are in the works. I am looking very forward to those!
I tried to make a google map of the area, but the software and my computer didn’t want to play nice with each other. Here is a link to a google map that I started (click here). Ignore what is labeled “Ski Touring.” If that exists, I didn’t find it…
Pleasant Walk on Chautauqua County Rails to Trails Segment November 7, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in autumn, hiking.3 comments
Saturday treated us to the first snow of the season, and it seemed like a perfect day for a hike on a section of the Chautauqua County Rails to Trails system. The boots I chose were sturdy and warm, but old and no longer waterproof. I didn’t think it would matter. The transformed rail beds are sometimes wet and muddy, but you don’t have to walk through standing water. Usually.
As we came into the clearing where the Beaver Pond opens out on the west side of the trail, we scared up a large flock of unidentifiable (to me) ducks, definitely not mallards or wood ducks, as their escape was voiceless.
And then we saw it.
Oh boy. Now how are we going to get around that?
I was ready to turn back, go to the house, stack some wood. Terry and the dogs had other ideas.
So, I followed their lead, stepping gingerly on the beaver dam, trying not to use the poison ivy-covered trees for support. I made it about three quarters of the way to the other side before I was forced to step into water that soaked through my old boots.
If only the beavers could be trained to build their dam on the pond side of the trail.
It’s a good thing wool socks are warm even when they are wet. I was able to forget about my wet feet and enjoy the beauty of the day. The air was crystal clear and there was barely the hint of a breeze. Every watery surface was a mirror.
One of the mirrors was being constantly disturbed by melting snow.
It was mostly a day for grand sweeping landscapes, but little things caught my eye now and again.
Had we a map, we might have hiked the full length of this trail; we didn’t realize how close the end of it we were. Next time, we might start at the north end and hike south to the flooded trail and back.
The Portage Trail is a spur off the main Rails to Trails system that starts in Mayville along Route 430 between Mayville’s 4-corners and the Hartfield airstrip. Parking is just to the left of the black and red Range Resources building. Bill Sharp was a naturalist and educator in Chautauqua County.
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According to an article in the March-April 2007 of Parks and Trails E-News (link below), this segment of trail began as a Native American portage trail between Lake Erie and Chautauqua Lake. In the early 1900s a steam-powered rail line was developed there. It was converted to an electric powered trolley in 1910. This section was dedicated to the memory of Bill Sharp in September of 2006 by the members of the Chautauqua County Rails to Trails organization.
Links
Traditions October 27, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking.5 comments
Apparently Sue’s family used to do this when she was younger: meet at the pavillion at the Quaker picnic area of Allegany State Park. Cook up and eat a magnificent breakfast, then head out to hike one of the trails. Sue revived the tradition and this year celebrated the third Annual Allegany Breakfast and Hike. I am pleased to say that I have attended all three and that THIS year, I actually stayed for the hike part.
Concetta "manned" one of the Coleman Stoves to fry up the bacon. (Womanned?)
Folks bring dishes to pass, but Coleman stoves are also on hand for cooking.
Sue scrambles the eggs.
It has traditionally been Matthew’s job to deep fry the donuts. Since he was late in arriving, the girls took over.
The Donut Brigade
I liked them dusted with cinnamon sugar best of all.
Donuts! (That's my dutch oven... many delicious things have come out of that over the years!)
…
The Patterson Trail
I didn’t manage to snap a shot of the table, laden with food, and surrounded by people having a blast. I guess I was too busy eating bacon, eggs, donuts, two kinds of apple crisp, and blueberry buckle and washing it all down with orange juice and coffee… which is why I really NEEDED the after-breakfast hike.
We drove through to the Red House side of the park, left 2 vehicles at the Bova ski area, and all piled into one vehicle to drive up to the Art Roscoe Cross Country Ski area so that we could hike the Patterson trail from top to bottom. My daughter has skiied that section in winter, but I never have. It is a gentle, easy descent and I think I might want to try it one of these winters! (I’m intrigued by Snowsnake Run… but I think I’ll come back and do that in Autumn and not try this “most difficult” trail on skis!)
I’m sure the trail has its own winter beauty, but I can’t imagine the trail being any more beautiful than it was in Autumn.
We took a short breather where Snowsnake Run re-joins Patterson.
It was a delightful day… surely to be repeated next year – probably the 3rd Sunday in October at 10am at the Quaker picnic area. Consider yourself invited. Bring a dish to pass and/or your Coleman stove, your picnic dishes, and your hiking boots. See you then!
A view from Patterson Trail
