The Escape – Part II October 18, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in autumn, hiking.6 comments
Allegany SNIT Program Mystery
We neared the end of the narrow side trail and could see the wider main trail ahead. There in the branch of a tree was a one gallon plastic tub. Hmm… I wondered if it was a geocache. We took it down to have a peak. You could still just barely see that someone had labeled it “ASP SNIT.” SNIT? It was all in caps, so we assumed it was an acronym.
Inside was a laminated photocopy of a section of the same map we were using with an arrow pointing out “You are here.”
When I got home, I googled “SNIT Allegany State Park” and found that in summer of 2009 there had been a “Senior Naturalist in Training” program in the park (click here for the program PDF). I’m not sure how this tub fit into the program, but, well, there you have it. Mystery solved.
This picture didn’t turn out well because it was getting darker and darker in the woods:
Black Cherry Fruits
Have you noticed that the black cherries this year have been heavy laden with fruit? Seems like every tree I see is just dripping… and the ground under them covered with shiny little cherries. The animals are enjoying this, as evidenced by this:
Bear Scat
There were strange new things along the trail that delighted me:
Strange Fungus
This weird fungus was something I had never seen before. All jelly-like and nearly colorless. I haven’t tried to find out its name yet. Do you know? Here’s a closeup:
Weird Fungus Closeup
A little further on beech tree had lost its top… And look at the way it forced some greenery out the broken trunk in an effort to keep living:
A crown of leaves atop a broken Beech.
After completing the Sweetwater trail, we drove over to the Stone Tower for another view of the colorful hills.
Stone Tower - Allegany State Park
I feel blessed to live so near this beautiful State Park, where a couple of hours of walking can so refresh and relax the soul.
View from the Stone Tower
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An Escape… October 9, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in autumn, fruits and berries, fungi, hiking, trees, wild edibles.8 comments
Fire Tower Trail, Allegany State Park
Sometimes when the world is weighing down heavily on your shoulders, the only thing that helps is a little escape… a chance to walk, explore, breathe crisp Autumn air. A chance to surround yourself with the familiar, yet be open to the novel.
The Art Roscoe Ski area at Allegany State Park is a wonderful place for cross-country skiing in winter. Turns out, it is also a wonderful place for hiking when there is no snow.
Fire Tower at the Art Roscoe Ski Area, Allegany State Park
A side trail runs parallel to the main trail and takes you to a Fire Tower. I pushed my fear deep down into my boots and climbed the stairs, hoping for a glorious vista from the top. There were hand rails and the stairs were sturdy. Still, my heart pounded hard and my breath came in short, shallow fits.
It was indeed worth it! The view from the top was spectacular and very much justified the climb.
The Allegany “Mountains” are really a big old ocean bed that was carved out over time by melting glacier water and various other forms of erosion. When you climb up for a view from the top, you can see that all the “peaks” are the same height.
View from the Top
It was helpful to have my hiking buddy in front of me on the descent… much easier looking at his backpack than at the steep stairs that went on and on. Back on the ground, it took a while before the adrenaline left my muscles and I could relax again… and turn my attention from big sweeping views to the forest’s minutiae.
A tiny moth kept trying to hide from me under the leaves...
Most of the Sweetwater trail is wide and in winter two trails for skiing are groomed making for fast, easy skiing. Along the way we found a narrower trail that crossed Sweetwater. Always favoring the road less travelled, we took a right hand turn.
Loose and peeling bark is back-lit by the Autumn rays.
It was late afternoon and the long, slanting rays of the sun were golden, creating vibrant, colorful mini-landscapes.
The log we chose to rest on was decorated with a familiar "Icicle Fungus"
A bit further down the trail, there was an opening and the combination of “plant” life was simply delightful… Some I recognized and knew the names of… Others I recognized, but have no names for… And one brand new! (I put the word plant in quotes… because back when I studied biology the first time, there were only two kingdoms: Plants and Animals. And under that scheme… all these things would have been classified as plants…)
Lichens and Mosses
The first thing I noticed was a thick carpet of lichens – some 6 or 8 inches tall, punctuated with mosses competing for space. Tucked in here and there were mushrooms… so bitty it would have been easy to miss them altogether…
A tiny mushroom manages to pop up through the thick mat of moss and lichen.
A little trail nibble was provided by a patch of Wintergreen that was sharing the soil with the others.
Wintergreen... not the juiciest of berries... but a very pleasant flavor.
Very near the bushy-shrubby type lichens were stalks that resembled small cups on stems, decorated with a bit of red. I’m not sure if they are a structure of the the shrubby type, or a whole separate species…
This seems to match other photos I have found labeled "Lesser Sulpher Cup Lichen."
And then there were the Lycopodium…
These little "club mosses" or "ground pines" are considered "exploitatively vulnerable" in New York State. They have been over-harvested for wreath-making.
If I have seen the next one before, it was never in such abundance and so easy to investigate… It warrants several pictures…
Running Club Moss
Oh dear… this post is getting very long and there is still so much more to tell… I guess I’ll click “publish” and tell you more later…
A Gorge-ous Day August 9, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking.4 comments
It is hard to convey the beauty of Chautauqua Gorge on a summer day. It really must be experienced first hand… But, of course, I shall try with my photos and words.
We arrived at around 9:30am and the light was greenish gold. There were forests above us, and below us:
Straight overhead, the sky was cloudless and deep blue.
The water was higher than we expected it to be on a summer day. Yesterday’s rain must be the reason. We switched from boots to Tevas and found we had much better traction and could walk right through the creek… The water was refreshing.
Terry brought his fishing pole fitted with a small spinner.
It seemed every pool he tried yieled a fish. Many were small, like the one on the left below. But there was one nice big brown trout, too.
This one could have made a meal! But it was a catch and release kind of day.
Because the woods are pretty, too, we switched back to boots at one point and hiked a trail we call “The High Road”. It climbs a razorback – with cliffs dropping off on both sides – one to the main creek, and one to a feeder creek. At the summit you can no longer see the creek through the canopy. You can still hear the water rushing, though, and the breeze up there was cool and refreshing.
The trail eventually descends back to the creek – further upstream. We put our sandals back on and followed the creek downstream to our beginning point. Along the way, we could not resist sitting in this mini-waterfall. Very refreshing!
I took… way too many pictures… because every which way I turned there was more incredible beauty.
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Beaver Meadow July 27, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, wildflowers.10 comments
The heat had been oppressive for a good long time making poor old Winter Woman mighty miserable… and producing way too many, too big cucumbers in the garden. We designated Saturday as as Relish-Making Day (part 2). I put on a sun dress and sandals in hopes of staying cool during the preparations, cooking, and canning. To my delight, a weather-changing downpour ensued throughout the morning… clearing the air and lowering the temperatures.
Here I am in front of a stand of very tall Joe-Pye Weed in the height of fashion in my borrowed adventure clothes.
The dogs had been so patient throughout the morning that we decided to give them an adventure while the jars of relish cooled. I was without adventure clothes, so Terry loaned me jeans, shirt, and socks… and my own old hiking boots which I forgot I had left at his house for just such occasions.
We headed down into the woods and started out on familar trails. We weren’t far into the woods before we saw some cool stuff… and I was glad I decided to bring the camera after all.
Lacewing
Fungus with Slug
At some point, we took a turn that led us in a direction we had never hiked before and we found ourselves in a huge beaver meadow… the lush open meadow left after a beaver pond is abandoned. We followed the creek which because of the rain was overflowing its banks and making wonderful rushing water sounds. All along the way the wet-loving flowers were flourishing – taller this year than I have ever seen them.
Cardinal Flower
Mystery Flower (If you know what this is, please: Tell!)
Joe-Pye Weed
Blue Vervain
Swamp Milkweed
There was also Boneset, but it hadn’t flowered yet – still just tight buds, but also very tall!
I took this photo last fall when we approached it from a logging road rather than a beaver meadow.
We weren’t sure where we were exactly… until we saw a picnic table… a familiar picnic table… from other wanders in these woods… We climbed up out of the former beaver pond to sit briefly and enjoy the view, before heading home again.
It was a gorgeous, perfect walk. Couldn’t have asked for anything better.
Oh! And I almost forgot! I saw the biggest grasshopper I think I’ve ever seen in these parts. He was gi-normous!
In some countries, they might try to eat this guy!
Advice for a pretty summer day: put on your adventure clothes and go exploring. Don’t worry about getting wet and muddy. That’s why they’re called adventure clothes!
Here is one of the beautiful scenes of the Beaver Meadow:
Creek Through the Beaver Meadow
Gorgeous Hike April 10, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, wildflowers.6 comments
There is a beautiful creek in Allegany State Park with a bankside trail that is in fairly decent shape… though not well marked. It doesn’t need to be well-marked. Just go upstream until you’re tired, then turn around and go down stream….
Although, once we found a trail that veered off from the brook, through some woods, to a utility road, and back down into camp… We didn’t take that route today… just upstream, and then back down. In some of the pools, we could see big, lovely trout… but they were not biting.
While Terry fished, I searched for flowers to photograph…
American Golden Saxifrage (Chrysosplenium americanum)
This flower is tiny – smaller than the nail on my pinkie finger. The plant grows on mossy rocks in creeks… at least, that’s where I always find it… When I checked online, both the USDA plant database and eFloras.org do not list it in the counties where I hike. But I’ve found it in both Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties…
Red Trillium (Trillium erectum)
A friend of mine had a picture of trillium in her yard. I was surprised… I hadn’t seen even a hint of leaves on any of my walks yet this year. I didn’t expect to see any today… Yet, there it was.
Hepatica (Hepatica)
We have two varieties that are native to our region – Sharp-lobed (H. acutiloba) and Round-lobed (H. americana). I shot a lot of pictures of the flowers today, but never looked at the leaves, so I don’t know which variety I have here…
I also saw and attempted photos (which didn’t turn out) of:
- Trout Lily
- Wood Anemone
- Spring Beauties
- Yellow Violets
It was such a pretty day… Started at 32 degrees with snow on the ground… Ended in the mid-50s with flowers opening… I hated to leave the woods to go home…
Wanna Go Out for a Cup of Coffee? March 3, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, winter.5 comments
“Wanna go out for a cup of coffee?”
“K.”
So I perk a pot and pour it into the thermos. You scrounge around in the cupboards and refrigerator but all you can find is a hunk of venison summer sausage. We throw the coffee, the sausage, a bottle of water, and some extra socks and mittens (just in case) into day packs. And dog biscuits, of course. We pull on our snow pants and boots and slip into our jackets. Hats. Mittens. Let’s go!
While trying to shuffle the vehicles, I get the car stuck in the driveway. Twice. Finally, dogs behind the seat and whining with excitement over the anticipated adventure, you throw the truck into gear and we are on our way to Allegany State Park. 
Oh wait… we need gas. We buy a couple of granola bars, too, to supplement the sausage.
On the way to the park, we discuss possible hiking trails… A loop would be nice, but most are so steep and Mo just can’t do steep anymore. We decide to hike out and back on a section of the North Country Trail that starts with a brief steep part, but then levels off.
Alas, we find the snow much deeper than we anticipated and the old dog struggles mightily. Luckily, at the top of the steep part, we hit the snowmobile trail: wide and well-packed, and – at least for now – completely uninhabited by machines.
It’s such a pretty day. The fast-moving, variable-thickness clouds paint the wintery scene with ever-changing lighting schemes.
As we walk the easy, level trail, our eyes scan the edges for the perfect log. We opt to drink at the Hemlock Grove Cafe:
After coffee, as long as we’re here, we follow the snowmobile trail to the intersection of Black Snake Mountain trailhead. Someone has skiied here and packed the snow, so we give it a try. Wait, what’s that? I’ve walked this trail a couple of times before and never noticed that…
We continue on, crossing the creek, watching Lolli sniff the weasel tracks… until the level trail hits the steep, and then we turn back. What a pretty trail… Note to self: must come back in May for the wildflowers.
A little more distance on the snowmobile trail, and then we turn back. It seems snowmobilers rise later than we. We dodged none on the first part of our hike, but several on the return.
We parked on the south side of ASP 3 where the Finger Lakes / North Country Trail crosses. We headed south on the FLT/NCT – a short, steep uphill climb to the snowmobile trail where we turned left (east). At the Black Snake Mountain trail, we took a detour up the creek a ways, then back down. We hiked east a little more – probably almost to Science Lake, though we didn’t realize at the time how close we were.
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Delightful Walk February 21, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, winter.2 comments
We’re on the verge… on the verge of spring.
Today’s walk started at 9am with temps in the 20s, and sunny, clear-blue skies. By the time we got back to the car it was 11 and the temps must have climbed to the 30s, because the snow felt a little melty and the jacket was off.
Along the way there were hints, too… some you could see, and some you could hear. For example, the sumac is pretty picked over.
Some of the clusters have no fuzzy red berries left at all…
And some of the culprits who have been munching those berries all winter have traded in their chick-a-dee-dee-dee for their high-low, fee-bee territory-mating song. Cardinals, too, were practicing spring time songs, as were Red-bellied Woodpeckers.
The sun beat down on a protected bank next to a creek providing a perfect spot for coffee and cookies. The dogs played along the bank, munching on sticks, stones, and chunks of ice that they broke away from the edge.
With weather like this – warm days, cold nights… it won’t be long before it’s time to tap the trees!
It was a truly delightful walk.
Susquehannock January 26, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, winter.6 comments
Once a year I go to the Susquehannock Lodge near the Denton Hill Trail System to meet up with old friends and meet new ones… and hopefully to ski. (Last Year)
My favorite thing is when we carpool up to the Ranger Station (yellow pushpin) and ski down to the lodge (pink pushpin) on trails that go behind (south) the Denton Hill State Park slopes.
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This year, the trails were a bit fast for me, so I (and 5 others) opted for hiking. We chose the trails on the north side of Route 6. They were lovely! And perhaps because no motorized vehicles are allowed on that side of the road, we saw sooooo many signs of wildlife.
The first 14 below were all tracks in the snow. Number 15 we saw no tracks, but there was no mistaking what it was! And the rest are bird sightings (or hearings? listenings? whatever you call it when you hear them!):
fox- mouse
- squirrel
- deer
- coyote
- weasel
- grouse
- turkey
- shrew
- bobcat
- bear
- chipmunk
- raccoon
- skunk
- porcupine quills
- chickadee
- white-breasted nuthatch
- downy woodpecker
- another woodpecker (drumming)
- crow
I forgot my camera on this lovely weekend. But here are a few shots Nina took:
The following day we hiked a tiny bit on the Ranger Station side of Route 6. We added rabbit tracks to our list, also tufted titmouse and blue jay. And Tony saw a mammal running low to the ground… but it disappeared before he could get a good look. The weasel perhaps?
Annual New Year’s Day Tromp January 1, 2010
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, insects, trees, winter.2 comments
I love waking up late on New Year’s Day with thoughts of where I should take the dog for a romp. Usually Emily joins me, but she was off at a friend’s and so I headed out into a snowy, blowing day without her.
I’m not sure she was very happy with me. Sorry, Em.
As is often the case with a winter walk, the low temperature combined with wind made me feel very cold in the beginning, but as I walked, it didn’t take long for me to warm up. I headed down into a protected ravine at the bottom of which runs a creek. There are hemlocks and yellow birch all along the way… beautiful.
On the bark of one of the yellow birch trees, I found gypsy moth eggs… and also a gorgeous Stonefly nymph. I couldn’t really tell if it was a dead nymph, or if the back had cracked open to allow the adult to fly free… Here’s another picture I took a while back of a living stonefly nymph we found in the creek at Allegany State Park:
I played around a bit with slow shutterspeeds to try to capture the essence of the wind. The orange-brown leaves on the Ironwood tree were dancing up a storm…
Even though I have billions of pictures of Witch Hazel, I can never resist another.
Emily finally arrived home shortly after I did. We may go out later this afternoon or evening and see how our cross country skis are working after a long summer in the garage…
Happy New Year, everyone!
France Brook Road… Again! December 9, 2009
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in hiking, winter.4 comments
The dog had been hankering for a long romp in the woods. Truth be known, so had I. All things came together making last Sunday the day. One of my hiking buddies wasn’t feeling up to strenuous climbing, so we opted for France Brook Road at Allegany State Park. It’s a great, easy hike on a dirt road that few people drive even in the best of weather, but especially not in winter. The park police drove by us when we were having our coffee break. Other than that, there was no one else around.
In fact, we barely even saw animals… which is odd. A few “tweety birds” high in the branches… and some turkey tracks.
At one point, we went down by the creek. Terry tried to record the sound of the creek using his new cell phone, which he hates. I wondered if he could use the creek sound as his ringtone. Mozart rested.
I poked around looking for little things, as usual…
… and ice, as usual…
I always wonder about the history of the land. All along France Brook Road are stands of Red and Scotch Pines… which must have been planted… so what was this land before? Probably farm…
But what about before that? What trees were here then?
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