Upstate New York/Finger Lakes Region

[vanguardist]

Though I have been in Ithaca for a year and have explored a bit of the area and some of the parks, I'd love to get some more opinions on what trails or waterfalls people here recommend for photography. I'll be taking the first week of January as vacation so I am hoping to do day-long trips.

[Frank Petronio]

The George Eastman House in Rochester is heated...

The Niagara Gorge, north of Niagara Falls, is interesting and tretcherous in Winter. It's the most dramatic landscape around. The skies over Lake Ontario can be quite fantastic too.

Going the NorthEast, Skaneatles Lake is imho the prettiest of the Finger Lakes, especially the South end. The town of Skaneatles has some great architecture (and restaurants).

I think the best waterfalls are within 15m of Ithaca myself. A very nice set of trails of rural woods and farmland is nearby at Spencer Hill State Park.

Naples, New York has nice close hikes to waterfalls and gorges and even ice climbing and back country skiing. Harriet Hollister Park is great XC skiing but I think there is more closer to Ithaca. Of course the Tug Hill Plateau East of Watertown has almost Western quantanties of snow, it is a freak snow gathering spot, 400 inch winters are no uncommon. It is also very white trashy and snowmobiles abound.

It's outside my turf but heading a few hours East on Rt 17 puts you in the heart of the Catskills, which is also very nice, esepcially the closer you get to the Gunks and the Hudson.

If the weather really keeps you from hiking, nearby Corning has a world class museum of art glass and January would be a great time to really explore it sans tourists. Also the Remington Museum in Corning has a lot of dramatic Western art. Why it is in Corning escapes me, but it is worth admission.

But Ithaca is fantastic in itself. No other place has such a great mix of architecture and waterfalls and strange people....

[Joe Blaze]

Try Lick Brook gorge just south of Ithaca, between Rte 13 and Sandbank Rd. Rarely visited, Lick Brook is a tributary of Cayuga Inlet and its 'gorge' is a miniature of others in the area.

[eddie]

you should think about coming my way. we have it all! really.

sorry. no help with the F. lake region......

[Robert A. Zeichner]

The Cow Sheds at Filmore Glen in Moravia, Stoney Brook State park in Dansville, Watkin's Glen and Letchworth State Park have been target rich for me, but only in spring, summer and fall. I have to believe some of these might be treacherous in winter. I know Watkin's usually suffers damage in winter due to snow and ice. At least everytime I go there, there are ususally parts that are closed due to repairs being done. I've always been curious about Taghannock falls in winter. That's pretty close.
Check out:

http://web.mac.com/razeichner/iWeb/R...2%20Falls.html

http://web.mac.com/razeichner/iWeb/R...r%20Falls.html

[Mark Sampson]

There's no shortage of subject matter around where you'll be. Frank's and Robert's ideas are right on- but you might look in the 'local interest' section of your neighborhood bookstore. There's a book called '200 waterfalls in western NY' that should help a lot. Your real problems will be short days and cloudiness; the light can be spectacular IF the sun comes out (as it is this morning in Rochester).