Black Diamond Trail

Caution: Surface gravel dangerous to bikes

BDT south of Glenwood Heights Rd, near the hospital--dangerous gravel for bikes

20 Dec 2011

This warning just in from Jeff:

The most dangerous stretch of the BDT is between Cass and the hospital (the section that I use frequently).  Heading north, it begins when the BDT intersects the power cut that runs up to the Museum of the Earth, http://g.co/maps/rggbq, and goes for a few hundred feet.  The issue is gravel — at some point someone dumped oversize (3″) gravel there and we almost spill on our bikes every time.  It’s real hard to negotiate and would be easy for someone to wipe out.  In this photo, the danger is concealed under leaves.  From the woods entrance it stretches for a few hundred feet.

This could be a manageable volunteer project in spring:  rake the large gravel off to the margin, unless there is a plan by the authorities to lay crush-and-run or similar path stone.

Jeff

Take a Holiday Hike!

19 Dec 2011

Hi BDTEN,

Looking for a exhilarating holiday walk?

Come admire the marvelous work of a crew of a dozen volunteers who cleared the Black Diamond Trail from Kraft Road to Willow Creek Road yesterday…and admire the new culverts installed by the Town of Ulysses last month. You’ll find access easily from Agard, near mailbox #1342. Walk either way from Agard — south to Kraft Rd. or north to Willow Creek.

John VanValen, Park Manager, stopped by yesterday to thank us citizen-workers and to collect volunteer forms. Good news–John expects to have enough crew to keep this stretch of trail mowed.

Optional but highly recommended: Come with a pair of clippers on your belt to fine-tune yesterday’s work as you walk.

Warning: A hunter stopped by to remind us to wear ORANGE because there is regular hunting on this section. Bow and muzzleloading season is open until Dec. 21.

More good news: A couple of yesterday’s workers reported meeting a Parks crew doing culvert work on the BDT between Cass Park and Glenwood Heights Rd.

Things are looking up for the BDT!

Jan

p.s. If you continue from Willowcreek Rd. north, be on the look-out for some serious wet spots.

Work Day 18 Dec 2011

12 Dec 2011

Hi BDTEN,

Our Work Day a couple weeks ago was so satisfying we’re eager to go back for more clearing this Sunday, Dec. 18, at 1:00.
See a few pics of the workers and the new culverts at our website — http://blackdiamondtrail.org (Thanks to Andrejs!)

We BDTENers and a group from Ithaca College have now cleared a path through the whole stretch of BDT between Agard Rd and Kraft Rd EXCEPT several hundred yards of very dense honeysuckle and small trees.
The goal on Sunday will be to make a path through that section AND to widen the trail on either side of that dense section. A dozen of us could make swift work of it. Come on Sunday between 1:00 – sunset with any tools you have on hand — scythe, clippers, spade, pick axe, bow saw — we’ll be in business! (If you’ve never seen a honeysuckle extraction gizmo at work, that alone is worth the trip.)

I’ve attached a Parks Volunteer Form in case you haven’t signed one in the past year. They are good for a year.
Fill it out, sign it, and either:
1) post it to John VanValen at the address below:
John VanValen, Park Manager
Taughannock Falls State Park
2221 Taughannock Park Road
Trumansburg, NY 14886

2) fax it to John VanValen at Fax#387-9235;

3) bring it with you on Sunday; John plans to be there about 1:00, if possible.

Hoping to see you on Sunday,
Jan

Forward motion

The BDT north from Agard Rd.

After lots of planning and negotiation behind the scenes, the Town of Ulysses has stepped forward and created easy access to the Black Diamond Trail at Agard Road — a major step forward in the development of the trail. The trail at this point was separated from the road by a deep ditch on both sides of the road. This made it impossible to get machinery on the trail to clear brush or even to pick up brush cleared by volunteers. Last April, when we had a big trail-clearing party there, it was difficult to cross the ditch and scramble up the other side carrying tools. The new culverts and paving make a luxurious access point for people as well as machines. Thanks, Ulysses! And, thanks, State Parks! for continuing with the project. Today, Sunday, was such a beautiful day that several BDT Enthusiasts couldn’t resist getting out on the trail — bringing tools to get it a bit more ready for winter use. Read the rest of this entry »

Volunteer Trail Clearing!

On April 17, Sunday morning, 22 of us cleared about 2600 feet of densely overgrown trail (1/2 mile!) leading in both directions from the Agard Rd. intersection. It was a great day! Click on “Photos >Trail Work, April 2011” to see BDTEN at work.

News of our progress spread quickly. Monday morning we learned that Parks and the Town of Ulysses plan to cooperate in getting a much needed culvert in place at that intersection on Agard to make it possible to remove the piles of brush we collected as well as to allow walkers to pass through without having to jump a drainage ditch.

Many of us are eager to continue clearing. We want to reach the intersection at Kraft Rd., about another ½ mile from where we stopped on Sunday. The Parks manager has offered to get that section of trail marked accurately as soon as possible (by mid-week, he hopes), and after that, we can go in any time and keep clearing. We’ll send word when a few of us get organized for another work party.

Always feel free to step up to organize a work party when you see a window of opportunity and a section of trail you think needs work. If you want guidance in that effort, we’re happy to share what we’ve learned about the do’s and don’t’s.

Jan
p.s. Thanks for the reminder that next time we must do a better job of carpooling.

Catherine Valley Trail

The most recent deliberate delay in working on the Black Diamond Trail on the part of NYParks was the Catherine Valley Trail project. They had to choose where to begin, and chose the CVT to do first. According to everybody involved, the BDT is intended to be done in essentially the same way. So, to anticipate what we can expect, if ever work begins, that trail is a good one to look at. I went there on Monday, 4/11, to have a look at the trail. Below is a 3-minute video of what it looks like just south of Montour Falls.

Read the rest of this entry »

Trail Work Day, Sunday, April 17

Tell your friends! This is the first Work Day on the trail in a long time. BDTEN is regrouping and planning for many more opportunities in the near future to help get this trail passable.

• What: A Work Party to clear a particularly dense section of the Black Diamond Trail between Willow Creek Rd and Agard Rd.
• When: April 17 (Sunday), 9:30–12:30

Read the rest of this entry »

Gorge at Glennwood

I went to check out the part of the BDT near Glennwood Pines — the gorge there is one that has a bridge out and is slated for one of the state parks’ bridge projects. I’ve passed that point in the past by using an alternate bridge but wasn’t quite positive of details, so I thought I’d check it out. Sure enough. Coming From Ithaca, I took my bike onto the trail on Glennwood Heights Rd and headed north. At sight of the blocked path where the gorge drops off, I headed right and down the hill on what was obviously a worn path through the woods. The path goes almost down to the highway and you can see and smell the Glennwood Pines Restaurant just as you get to the other bridge. The bridge seems quite sound, supported by a huge amount of concrete with a square hole for the stream to rush through. I’d like to know why this bridge can’t be incorporated into the trail project — Other trails have sections that are not on the rail bed, other trails have little excursions of hill to negotiate somewhere along the line.

[Show as slideshow]

The area is posted against trespassing, though no ownership is declared on the signs. Perhaps the state doesn’t have title to the bridge — though it looks like it probably was the highway bridge at some point in the past. Perhaps the state doesn’t have title to the land connecting the trail to the bridge. I’d really like to hear from a knowledgeable authority why this bridge isn’t even mentioned in discussions of trail development. I hope it’s not an immoveable obstacle.

Photos from afar

I found a small collection of photos from various communities across the country. I posted it so we can look at what a finished trail looks like — with people on it enjoying walking, playing, biking in a beautiful setting. Have a look — Rail-Trail Gallery. If you have some favorite rail trail photos, send them along (info@blackdiamondtrail.org)

Andrejs

Groundwork Started on the BDT!

2 December 2010
Dear BDTEN:

Good news~
Fernando de Aragón, Staff Director of Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council, forwarded this message (below) he received from Ted Turan, Park Engineer of Finger Lakes Parks.

Take a minute to thank Ted Turan, Fernando, and the folks in Town of Ithaca and Town of Ulysses who are making things happen on the Black Diamond Trail. This may be the start of something big, especially if we let them know we’ve noticed and are applauding!
Their email addresses appear after Ted’s message.

_____Message______
Nov. 23, 2010
Fernando,

The town of Ithaca has cleared the brush at the culverts and along the trail in the section along the power lines. The town of Ulysses has installed the culvert at Glenwood heights road.

We have completed the culvert inventory from Cass Park to Glenwood heights road. We will be working on the work plan, plan sheets, trail stationing, and culvert work priorities. The next steps that need to be accomplished before culvert work can begin will be to clear trees and grade some areas of the trail to make it accessible to construction equipment. This work will be listed in the work plan. Culvert cleaning would then be able to be done allowing us to inspect the culverts that are buried or plugged to finish prioritizing the culvert work.

I greatly appreciate the assistance that the towns have provided and look foreword to their continued support.

Ted Turan
Park Engineer
Finger Lakes State Parks
2221 Taughannock Park Road
Trumansburg, NY 14886

(607)-387-7041 Ext. 130
Theodore.Turan@oprhp.state.ny.us

_____End Message_____

Fernando de Aragón: fdearagon@tompkins-co.org

Roxanne Marino (Town of Ulysses Supervisor): Roxanne.m.marino@gmail.com

Liz Thomas (Town of Ulysses Board Member): liz.graeper.thomas@gmail.com

Jim Meeker (Town of Ulysses Highway Super: touhighway@centrainy.twcbc.com

Herb Engman (Town of Ithaca Supervisor): HEngman@town.ithaca.ny.us

Jonathan Kanter (Town of Ithaca Planning Director): Jkanter@town.ithaca.ny.us

Jim Weber (Town of Ithaca Highway Super): jweber@town.ithaca.ny.us