I will be back

I just made my last hike into the adirondacks and I will be back on patrol this coming weekend. I will have the kiosk stocked early Saturday for the hoard of leaf lookers who will hopefully visit this weekend

Blue Trail Clear!!!!!

Today during the special work outing at Cat and Thomas Mt's we were able to finally clear the Blue Ridge Trail that will make a loop hike at this preserve located in Bolton Landing NY much more enjoyable. This will mark the the third time I have been up on Cat and Thomas Mt to clear the blowdown from the ice storms last winter and with a last push from from a scheduled work day by the LGLC . Now I am happy to say that all of the trails are clear and ready for eager hikers.

Sadly Summer is Coming to an End

I have not been able to hike Pilot Knob Ridge since August 2nd and I was very happy to see that the trails are in great shape after such a wet summer. I had re-supplied the kiosk with 50 trail guides on the Aug 25th, but when I arrived this morning the all the trail guides were gone…sorry. I went to check the logbook, but it looks like the Stewards Assistant for the LGLC has been by to collect them. I am interested as to the number of people that have hiked the PKR within the past two weeks.

You will notice a couple of brush piles up by the Gazebo, this is a very good thing. Some time in mid-august a group of teens under supervision hack and chopped some of the invasive shrubby honeysuckle that has contaminated this part of the preserve. They have put a dent in the problem, but there still is more work to be done. Since they have begun, I am going to try and cut a couple of honeysuckle each time I go up. It will take only a few moments and some wise man had said that a dipping faucet still fills the pail.

You will notice a difference in the woods along the B tr. if you are a regular. You will notice how quiet the woods have become. Sure you will hear a bird from time to time; in fact I heard a chipping sparrow that was pointed out to me on my Northville-Placid hike in to the West Canada Lake region of the Adirondacks. However, what is missing from this spring is the active pace that the woods seemed to have. Nothing wrong with that, as quiet is nice too. It is nice to hike this time of year as the days are cooler and the woods change so much from week to week.

Pilot Knob Ridge gets a sign Thanks Tony and Brett

Look at the leaves Fall is right around the corner!!!!!

A red eft, I was surprised to see this little guy.

Been Camping

I have not been up on the PKR for a couple of weeks. I have been busy camping and scurrying around with end of the summer stuff. I am going up tomorrow evening to stock the literature at the Kiosk. We have a paid steward who is patrolling all the LGLC preserves and has indicated to me that the PKR is in good shape.

I was also informed that a group of teens, under supervision have begun to cut some of the shrubby honeysuckle that has invaded the gazebo clearing. That is the piles that you see. Just letting you know that is a good thing. I have been told that they made a good dent in this problem.

It rained...

...but I still took a spin on Pilot Knob Ridge today as I had not been there for a while and I need to take a walk around with all the rain that we have had lately. And yes it rained yet again today.

Are you sick of the rain?

Anyhow, today I went up to check the trails and to replace some trail marks that were poached. I just happened to take my axe with me just in case. Good thing I did as there was a fairly large maple down across the blue trail. It was taken care of. I also worked on an area on the orange trail just before the trail reaches the drive. On this section of trail there are a couple of sharp switchbacks and I found a herd path that was cutting them off. I blocked the herd path and placed a lot of natural debris on the trail to both make it disappear and to make it difficult to walk on.

I also found a few purple loose strife plants growing in this area and took care of them. Purple Loose strife is considered a very aggressive invasive plant, one that you don't want to see on a nature preserve.

That was it. The falls are flowing and the trails are in good shape.

When you hike the trails this time of the year you will notice a difference. The woods are alive, but quiet and not as busy. Almost calm as the forest is reaching maturity and many of the new born animals are reaching adulthood...the pace seems to lesson. Probably the increased availability of food the forest now provides has something to do with this. Or maybe it is that the weather being so hot just slows everything down so we all can stop and enjoy the perfume of nature in summer.

Mid-Summer

It has been hot and humid (and wet), but that has not stopped many of you from visiting the Pilot Knob Ridge preserve. I took a spin up there this weekend and everything looks great.

With all the rain that we have had lately, the waterfall at end of the blue trail will be flowing for a couple of days after the last storm.

Enjoy the view and the wildlife and thank you for helping me keep the trash off the trails.

A little Maintance.

Before I headed out for a short camping trip on Lake George I took a spin on the PKR trails (7.1.2008) and did a little work. I removed a tree that crossed the trail on the upper blue trail and I cut a little of the brush growing around the gazebo that was blocking some of the views. With a thunderstorm approaching I had to leave a couple of trees. I have removed most of what I set out to do...just enough to open the view to the lake from the gazebo. I left a lot of the other growth that is growing in the clearing. We have to remember that this is a Nature Preserve and any cutting is to the bare bones minimum.

So while you are there enjoy the view for a while at the gazebo, then go hike the blue trail, being very quiet and take pleasure in the wildlife that is all around you and the true gift that this little piece land gives us.