Backtracks

New Year at Higley Flow State Park, Jan 2, 2021
Several Laurentian Chapter members enjoyed a New Year outing at Higley Flow State Park. We skied and snowshoed on fresh snow to ring in a fresh year. We enjoyed snacks and camaraderie around an open fire. It was great to see people outside smiling under toques and masks.
Photo Joan Trivilino

Ski into Clear Pond in White Hill in Parishville, Jan 9, 2021
We had eight skiers, and fantastic winter conditions, for the just over 5 mile RT past the north shore of Clear Pond. Temperatures in the single digits warmed up under full sun with no wind. This is a snowmobile trail, but their tracks were old and we often had ski tracks to follow. This little pocket of wilderness right in our backyard is always a joy to visit.
Participants: Stefan Grimberg, Jan DeWaters, Tom Ortmeyer, Heidi Mauk, Bonnie Gardinier, Joan Trivilino, Rose Rivezzi and David Trithart (TLs)
Photo: Rose Rivezzi

Dean Road Walk along the Grass River, Mar 20, 2021
We had a beautiful sunny day for our walk on the Dean Road, along the Middle Branch of the Grass River. We started at the kiosk on the river, and walked up the dry road with snow on either side. We went off the road to view an unnamed waterfall, and then took a break at the nearby bridge over the river, before heading back on this warm last day of winter.
L-R: Dana Chudzinski, Marianne Hebert
Photo:TL Tom Ortmeyer

Clarksboro Trail Hike, Oct 1, 2021
above Twin Falls on the Tooley Pond Road.Tom VandeWater led a group up the “Clarksboro Trail” above Twin Falls on the Tooley Pond Road. A lovely short hike on the new trail to the base of a popular climbing cliff and around the new stone steps to the lookout point. This will likely be a very popular spot to visit in coming years.
Participants: TL Tom Vande Water, Jude Parker, Jennifer Parker, Barbara Burdick, Neal Burdick, Jennifer Matott, Bear Cossentino

Hike South Branch Grasse River in search of Grouse, Oct 7, 2021
It was a beautiful leaf-peeping fall day. We followed Moose tracks into a remote bridge over the South Grasse river and had lunch with the sun overhead. We had perfect conditions for spotting the elusive spruce grouse. As we prowled deeper into the spruce forest, a Spruce Grouse appeared and strutted its stuff.
Participants:Jennie Sausville, Randy Merrill, Tom Ortmeyer, Cyndi Grover, Greg Smith TL

Jones Creek Trails, Oct 23, 2021
With the covid-19 pandemic still underway and the US - Canada border still effectively closed for short trips, we managed to run an all-Canadian outing in Thousand Islands National Park. Quite different from the St. Lawrence River-dominated classic images of the Park, our destination was a small mainland wilderness area of Canadian Shield country: high rocky ridges, open deciduous forest, and streamside wetlands. The fall foliage was past peak but still colorful.
L-R: Liz Smith, Toni Towle, Anne Youldon. Photo TL John Barron

Stone Valley Trailwork, Oct 23, 2021
Work focused on improvements to the bench cut along the East River trail about mid point between Colton and Browns Bridge. The goal was to widen the trail to establish a tread (walking surface) that’s about two feet wide along a steep slope.
Photo 1, L-R Isaac Tavernier, Malachi Conant, Deb Lydaker, Sachary Lyndaker, Ron Tavernier (all Boy Scouts Troop 27 Canton); Liam Szabo, Joshua Haft, Steven House, Caleb Bondy (all SUNY Canton Outdoor Adventures Program)
Photo 2 Work in progress
Photos by crew leader and Stone Valley trail coordinator Mark Simon

Higley Flow State Park Hike, Oct 24, 2021
After a couple of adjustments, we found a beautiful day for a hike during fall hunting season. We had six hikers who enjoyed the Toad Stool, Clear Brook, Beaver Pond and Warm Brooks Trails. We took a brief break at Warm Brook Trail Lean-to, where Jim withstood a bit of good natured ribbing about not looking eagerly looking forward to the upcoming ski season on these trails.
Participants: Marianne Hebert, Randy Merrill, Holly Woodoworth, Neil Woodworth, Jim Bisbee, and Tom Ortmeyer (TL)

Goodman Mountain Hike, Nov 13, 2021
The weather forecast was far from encouraging, but the stalwart group was undeterred. We started out in very light drizzle that didn’t get worse until we’d gotten back to the cars. It’s a very nice trail - well designed and easy to follow. Even with the thick haze, the views were rewarding from the open rocks at the top. Some of us stopped at Racquette River Brewery on the way home.
Participants: Marianne Hebert, Joan Trivilino, Cathy Fleming, Rebecca and Phineas Weld, Rose Rivezzi and David Trithart (TLs)