Pond Gut 909

I spent the weekend in upstate NY, visiting my mother and helping her reorganize her apartment. My original plans were to explore an abandoned mill up in Rock City Falls with a couple of local historians but my upstate trek partners said conditions will be lousy (super cold and 5 inches of snow cover) so I cancelled that and regretfully didn’t even bring my mountain bike!

Saturday

Saturday, on the way up, I stopped at 909 to check out a little of the Pond Gut area. Although I had created a map for the area (link) and biked and hiked much of the rest of the park — this section was unfamiliar to me.

It was cold but sunny and an enjoyable hike. I hiked in on the fire road and checked out a bit of the Yellow trail (Pirate Creek). It's really a nice trail and I am anxious to ride it. As I got to a couple of old foundations - my phone battery died before I could take any photos! &#% Super bummer -- but that made me determined to return on Sunday on my way back home.

The Fire Road in...

Where I turned off to hike the Yellow

 Sunday

Sunday’s weather was morbidly gray and overcast--more appropriate for an Edgar Allen Poe tragedy than a hike in the woods but I was anxious to photograph those foundations and get some steps... FitBit keeps you motivated!

Once the foundations were photographed, I trekked onward and upward on Getaway. What a magnificent trail! Once past an initial steep climb (incidentally that was roughed up by ATVs... ugh) I proceeded on tight singletrack over rocky hillocks, tapered valleys, cuts thru blowdowns and constant undulating topography that makes this one helluva great trail!

I had started late in the day and as it was already getting a bit dark so regrettably my original plans of hiking all of Getaway and returning via the fire road wasn’t gonna happen (traipsing in unfamiliar woods in deep darkness is not my idea of a good time!). I turned around once I got to the edge of the ravine and wisely headed back - by the time I got in the car it was turning dark!

Old foundations

More old foundations

 On Getaway - what a wonderful trail!

Getaway rocks!

End of the line for me today at the ravine's edge...

I'll be back to check out the other Pond Gut Trails next time I travel upstate!

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Further Info

Check out the Trailforks map

A Bit of the Saugatuck Trail

 On my day off on Monday I decided--for a change--to hike a bit of the Saugatuck Trail.

Part 1

I started from a small parking lot on Glen Road right next to the river and hiked on the Blue Trail down to the overlook at the north end of the reservoir. It was hilly but pleasant hike, passing numerous stone walls, remnants of old carriage roads and even a few isolated glacial erratics...

Part 2

I next drove down Rt 53 and found a small lot to park. I hiked north to a large hill that overlooked the lake where a remnants of a house once stood. On the way back down and out, I snuck over to the shore's edge to snap a nice parting shot of the reservoir.

I stitched together a pseudo-panorama -
taken before descending the hill
(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

It was fairly sunny all day and I'll be back over the winter months (perhaps with snowshoes if needed) to hike some more of these trails.

Quickie in the Snow (Trumbull)

I got out for a short ride in the snow at Pequonnock Valley, It was fun. Not a soul in the park- (it was after 2 pm...)

Building a New Trail at Pine Mountain

Once we were granted long-sought permission/approval by the landowners, FCNEMBA built a new trail to ascend Pine Mountain. It has taken quite a few dirty, back-breaking sessions and lots of volunteers but it is nearing completion.

GPS-Topo

As it appears on the Pine Mountain Kiosk

Below are a few photos of the trail. A long ascent with lots of super flowy curves in the first third of the ascent and some incredible rock work at the higher levels, the trail is IMHO a masterpiece! :-)

Old Mine Park (Annual Hike)

Annual Historic Hike - October 21st, 2017

Amazing weather for near the end of October -- Short sleeved T-Shirts!

Before the hike began, I stepped aside to take this photo of the Pequonnock River (near the Old Mine Bridge)

The River

 The Hiking group

At the Overlook

We are at the Upper Pit

 At the Mill Area (right above  the Pavilion)

After our hike a took a couple of friends on a quick tour of the valley - which of course included the crevasse :-) 

New Trails at Luther

Took a quickie ride at Luther this morning and discovered a lot of new trails! The weather was ridiculously beautiful; sunny and in the upper 70s - I rode only wearing a short sleeve jersey!

Off of the easy south loop there is a whole new fairly long easy loop. No hills but lots of fun if you bomb it. (see #1 on the map below - need to GPS it!)

In addition  I rode #2 on the map below - it was great--and from the looks of other pin flags I noticed around the park--there are more new trail additions as well.

#3 is still a problem as a new house has closed off a section of the main rail there and the run around is a only a short makeshift unbenched nasty drop and climb in and out of the ravine. Knowing the good work the trail gnomes have done in this park elsewhere, I imagine eventually something nice will be built here as well.