By Tony Ingraham
We have entered the final season when the Gorge Trail will be open, before it must be closed for winter hazards. I’ve been getting out into the rocky Upper Gorge as much as possible doing two things: “roving interpretation” where I position myself at various locations and answer hikers’ questions about the gorge, help them plan their route, and give suggestions as to other parks and natural areas they might want to visit. I enjoy chatting with so many people and finding out where they are from and what they are interested in.
On these same occasions, I have been sculpting my thoughts about a few trailside interpretive signs we plan to design for the Upper Gorge, as well as for some other related locations nearby. We want to tell the geological story behind this magnificent scenery that has drawn visitors for more than 170 years. We’re hoping to have these in place during the 2027 season.
To inform my mind further on the relationship between people and this rare, rock terrain, I agreed to lead a group from GIAC Seniors in Ithaca on an interpretive walk on the “Upper Loop.” That is, we walked down the Upper Gorge past Lucifer Falls, crossed the wooden footbridge down below, and ascended the Cliff Staircase to the Rim Trail and its two overlooks. Finally, we returned to the Upper Park. We took our time, resting at several landings, before finally being rewarded with the big look back at Lucifer Falls and the gaze back at the forested canyon that winds nearly two miles to the Lower Park. Climbing from the bottom of the wooded gorge to the top of the Rim overlooking Lucifer proved very challenging for one or two in our party of elders. Indeed, I’d done it alone in the two weeks prior to insure that I myself would not be distracted by my own difficulty on those flights of stone risers.
While I had been planning for this guided walk, I’d gone back and forth in my mind as to whether to lead us up or down the Cliff Staircase. One person who had climbed it recently advised that I consider the reverse route to avoid this compressed ascent up the flank of the wooded canyon. I tried walking down it alone one afternoon and I concluded that if someone should lose their footing while descending, a pitch forward down stone stairs could be disastrous compared to stumbling while ascending.. On the morning of our walk, the previous night’s rain confirmed my choice. No one stumbled.
Lately, I have been showing relevant encore episodes of my Ithaca public access TV series, Walk in the Park; showing online Ithaca cable channel 13 and on the Spectrum app. Currently I am showing “Treman’s Legacy.”
You can watch it online anywhere, anytime right here.
The remaining schedule on Ithaca area TV is:
Sunday, October 5, at 5 p.m.
Thursday, October 9, at 9 p.m.
Friday, October 10, at 3 p.m.
Saturday, October 11, at 9 a.m. & 5 p.m.
Sunday, October 14, at 9:30 a.m. & 5 p.m.
Photos by Zack Nelson, GIAC Seniors
We have entered the final season when the Gorge Trail will be open, before it must be closed for winter hazards. I’ve been getting out into the rocky Upper Gorge as much as possible doing two things: “roving interpretation” where I position myself at various locations and answer hikers’ questions about the gorge, help them plan their route, and give suggestions as to other parks and natural areas they might want to visit. I enjoy chatting with so many people and finding out where they are from and what they are interested in.
On these same occasions, I have been sculpting my thoughts about a few trailside interpretive signs we plan to design for the Upper Gorge, as well as for some other related locations nearby. We want to tell the geological story behind this magnificent scenery that has drawn visitors for more than 170 years. We’re hoping to have these in place during the 2027 season.
To inform my mind further on the relationship between people and this rare, rock terrain, I agreed to lead a group from GIAC Seniors in Ithaca on an interpretive walk on the “Upper Loop.” That is, we walked down the Upper Gorge past Lucifer Falls, crossed the wooden footbridge down below, and ascended the Cliff Staircase to the Rim Trail and its two overlooks. Finally, we returned to the Upper Park. We took our time, resting at several landings, before finally being rewarded with the big look back at Lucifer Falls and the gaze back at the forested canyon that winds nearly two miles to the Lower Park. Climbing from the bottom of the wooded gorge to the top of the Rim overlooking Lucifer proved very challenging for one or two in our party of elders. Indeed, I’d done it alone in the two weeks prior to insure that I myself would not be distracted by my own difficulty on those flights of stone risers.
While I had been planning for this guided walk, I’d gone back and forth in my mind as to whether to lead us up or down the Cliff Staircase. One person who had climbed it recently advised that I consider the reverse route to avoid this compressed ascent up the flank of the wooded canyon. I tried walking down it alone one afternoon and I concluded that if someone should lose their footing while descending, a pitch forward down stone stairs could be disastrous compared to stumbling while ascending.. On the morning of our walk, the previous night’s rain confirmed my choice. No one stumbled.
Lately, I have been showing relevant encore episodes of my Ithaca public access TV series, Walk in the Park; showing online Ithaca cable channel 13 and on the Spectrum app. Currently I am showing “Treman’s Legacy.”
You can watch it online anywhere, anytime right here.
The remaining schedule on Ithaca area TV is:
Sunday, October 5, at 5 p.m.
Thursday, October 9, at 9 p.m.
Friday, October 10, at 3 p.m.
Saturday, October 11, at 9 a.m. & 5 p.m.
Sunday, October 14, at 9:30 a.m. & 5 p.m.
Photos by Zack Nelson, GIAC Seniors
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