View of Honeoye Lake from the Harriet Hollister overlook.

Harriet Hollister Spencer State Park, Honeoye, N.Y. - January 13, 2002

It took some doing, but we finally managed to get this event in. First, the unusually mild winter produced no snow on our original date of December 9th, so we went to our backup date of January 13th, 2002. Even then the snow amounts at the Hi-Tor Wildlife Management Area were sporadic and questionable. At the last minute the decision was made to move the event to Harriet Hollister State Park, our old standby, which reports said had close to a foot of snow.

The reports were correct. We had plenty of snow. We met our outfitters, Pack, Paddle, Ski, Inc. of Lima, N.Y. in the parking lot, and after introductions headed off into the woods. We had a combination of novice showshoers along with some experienced people, so our instruction varied greatly. After a warmup hike through the woods we came out at the park overlook area, which affords a spectacular view of Honeye Lake and the Bristol Valley. While some rested there, others had a chance to try some different techniques on the hillside, practicing "glissading", which is a manner of "skiing" downhill on snowshoes. The steep climb back up enabled them to practice building "steps" in the snow with their shoes to prevent slipping back.

After a short breather, we set off once again, stopping at a lean-to for a snack and water break. From there we took a southerly trail through wooded areas, with an off-trail detour to get some snowshoeing practice in the rough. Here we had an opportunity to practice our techniques for climbing over logs, rocks, and through the bushes on some very uneven terrain. Proudly, everyone made it through and back to the trail. By that time we had been out nearly three hours, and were looking forward to the hot chocolate and homemade cookies awaiting us back in the parking lot. With that in mind, the trip back seemed to go really fast and we soon found ourselves back at the cars sharing adventure stories.

Many thanks to all the participants who supported this event, and thanks to Pack, Paddle, Ski, for their patience and assistance while guiding and training us. Everyone had a great time and are looking forward to the next opportunity to get out and enjoy nature in all it’s wintery beauty.
- Dave K.