This hike is a repeat of one I did in
2018, on a cold wet October day in the middle of a rain cloud. Today I parked at the same spot on Star Stanton Hill Road and turned around at the same point on Harford Slatersville Road, but it was a very different experience. It was warm and sunny, and I had my dear boy along for company. Instead of endless white mist, we saw wildflowers and a beaver dam and amphibians. He jabbered endlessly about Pokemon and we just had a great time together.
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wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)
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the FLT follows Star Stanton Road for quarter mile or so after the parking area
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onto the single track
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pink lady's slipper (Cypripedium acaule) in bud
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We spent a good chink of time at the stream (of course), me wandering up and downstream looking at flowers and flipping rocks for salamanders while Frankie did his Frankie thing (ceaselessly throwing rocks) until I finally dragged him away.
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jack in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
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beaver dam
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newts frolicking among strands of toad eggs
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American toad (Anaxyrus americanus)
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yellow mandarin (Prosartes lanuginosa)
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MapMyRide tracked this hike at 6.6 miles with 850 feet elevation gain. This is a bit higher than what I recorded in 2018, but I don't think the trail has been re-routed or anything. I reviewed the track log and I picked up a bunch of extra mileage exploring the stream area and the beaver dam, which wasn't there last time I came through and had much to offer today. Plus we popped off the trail a few times to avoid close contact with other hikers. We had our masks of course, but they are thick and quilted, and in this warm weather, we prefer just crashing into the bushes and steering clear.
I was thrilled to discover that the A&W root beer stand in Cortland was open! They serve a root beer shake freeze there that is unbelievably refreshing after a hot and sweaty hike. And it is an old-fashioned drive-in place, so perfect for social distancing.
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