Out On Trail

The Letchworth branch of the Finger Lakes Trail is a point to point trail, easily accessible from a variety of locations. At 22 miles, it is possible to tackle in one day, but two shelters along the trail also allow for a moderately-paced two day trip or relaxed three day trip.  The trail follows yellow blazes along gently rolling terrain, with short, steeper inclines cutting switchbacks across narrow ravines.      This trail offers year-round attractions, from mountain biking to cross country skiing, and while summer shows off the lush foliage common to western New York's hardwood forests, our fall trip afforded comfortable temperatures and unrestricted views of the gorge.  Starting at the southern end on day one, we were able to capture some of the beauty of the falls. Our footfalls were crisp across the dry leaves, indulging a consistent serenity to our progress. We built a fire and felt its warmth as we listened to coyotes howl and watched por...

Despite the rain and strong winds overnight, we had slept soundly and for many hours. As we ate breakfast, we thought about the first foods we would eat once we emerged from the forest. When we began our final day of hiking, only about eight miles separated us from our original starting point.    The brooks, which we would have to cross a few times over the course of the day, were swollen from the previous day's rain. We marveled at the sheer power of the water crashing over the rocks as we left the campsite. Further down the trail, we passed through an area that was somewhat flooded out, due to the combination of precipitation and beaver activity.      While much of the second half of the trip was wet, the sun reappeared to lift our spirits as we hiked towards the finish. As we neared the Lincoln Woods Trail, we began to encounter other hikers more frequently. As we officially exited the Pemigewasset Wilderness, we stopped to chat with a group who had spent the...

  We began Day 3 with a visit to Garfield Pond. The setting was serene, but knowing that the weather was supposed to turn, we decided not to linger too long. We got an early start on the relatively short hike, along the Garfield Ridge Trail, to the summit of Mount Garfield. We were glad we did, as we were rewarded with clear views from the summit.              After we left the summit of Garfield, the weather began to deteriorate rather quickly. The temperature was in the low to mid 40s. The wind picked up significantly, and by about 10:00AM, a steady rain had begun to fall. The steady rain would remain with us throughout the day and through much of the night, with occasional stronger downpours.  When we approached Galehead Mountain, we were faced with a difficult decision. The Twin Brook Trail would be our final opportunity to descend from the loop before another exposed ridge. Tom made a quick run down the side (Frost) trail to the summit a...

  After some oatmeal and coffee, we headed back up to rejoin the Franconia Ridge Trail. Little Haystack was our first peak of the day. The number of people milling about on the summit was a bit surprising, given the timing and conditions; however, there is another popular trail that leads to the peak. Temperatures were in the 40s, with a stiff breeze, and we were, unfortunately, surrounded by thick clouds. There would be few of the spectacular views, of the valley below, we had enjoyed the previous day.   The clouds would remain for the entirety of the 1.7 miles to the summit of Mount Lafayette. Although we missed out on the views of the landscape that extended below us, we were fascinated by the alpine vegetation. At times, it felt as though we were on another planet. Our stay atop Mount Lincoln, in between Little Haystack and Lafayette, was extremely brief, as the increasingly strong winds made for a brisk passage of the exposed ridge line. I felt the elevation change m...