Mohawk Valley

Schoharie Creek Preserve – Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy

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Schoharie Creek Preserve – Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy

The 198-acre Schoharie Creek Preserve was given to the Conservancy in 1998 by Dr. Lester Citrin and Dr. Clifford Tepper of Schenectady. The preserve is located in Montgomery County on the west bank of the Schoharie Creek, about a mile north of Burtonsville.

A 1.3-mile loop trail starting and ending at the preserve parking lot passes by a series of waterfalls along Wilsey Creek (the northern boundary of the preserve). A significant portion of the trail to and from Schoharie Creek is quite steep and strenuous.

Erie Canal and Mohawk River

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Driving back from the Adirondacks last weekend, I got thinking about disruptive the Erie Canal must be on the ecology of the Mohawk River. The river is dammed up into long pools for a good portion of the summer, raising the levels much higher then normal, pushing water into what once was just the flood plain in the river. Come the winter months, they raise the damns, leaving high and dry shorelines, and only a narrow path for the river except after heavy rains and spring-time flooding.

Mohawk River

Driving through Mohawk Valley Farm Country

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Driving up to Piseco Powley Road the other weekend weekend I decided to go via US 20 to Duanesville Churches Road past the Mariaville pig farm, down to Fort Hunter and then up to Gloversville via Stoners Trail.

It’s really nice farm country in the Mohawk Valley that produces the raw materials that go into a lot of foods, but most notably dairy, the nutrient rich food that goes into everything from milk for drinking to cheeses and ice cream to many other products.

Farm families have a significant legacy on their land. Many farm houses and barns are historic – they’ve housed families and livestock for generations. It’s beautiful, open country, a land that works and produces food while also providing wildlife habitats and a rural lifestyle for those who farm it or live the life in the country.

Every time I drive through Fort Hunter I tell myself I need to stop and visit the historic site and walk some of the Canalway trail, but I’m always in a hurry to get to the Adirondacks or head home. Those little villages are so cute and historic, even if in many ways they’ve been forgotten by time.

Erie Canal Images – Mohawk River Aqueducts

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Erie Canal Images – Mohawk River Aqueducts

East of Schenectady were two aqueducts which crossed and re-crossed the Mohawk River: The Rexford Aqueduct (or Upper Mohawk River Aqueduct) at Rexford, and The Crescent Aqueduct (or Lower Mohawk River Aqueduct) twelve miles downstream at Crescent.

In order to avoid steep, rocky terrain, Canvass White, C.E. devised the plan, approved in 1821, for the canal route to cross and re-cross the Mohawk River at Alexander's Mills (adjacent to Rexford) and at Fonda's Ferry (near Crescent). Continuing in operation until the new State Barge Canal System opened in 1916, a major portion of the Rexford Aqueduct was removed in 1918. The entire Crescent Aqueduct was removed in 1915, and nothing remains but a few stones at each end.

May 12, 2019 Afternoon

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I decided to pause a bit down at Rockwood Lake. Clouds and 41 degrees. There is a east breeze at 9 mph. 🍃 It was raining when I first got here – it started to pour when I was fishing 🎣 at Stewart Landing dam and was pretty miserable at Middle Sprite Creek but it’s gotten slightly better. No bites but at least I didn’t loose any tackle.

Been a few years since I last was at Rockwood Lake. 🚶 It was raining then too. But it’s a nice loop hike assuming you don’t mind a bit of road hiking. Shortly I’ll head back to the truck and I’m going to head down to Tribes Hill and Fort Hunter and then to Thirty to avoid Amsterdam and driving on the expressway. 🚙 Never gone that way before, I like taking the back roads and seeing the way of life out in farm and mountain country. 🚜 Someday I’ll get back there, one dollar 💵 at a time. That said, this week at work, we were doing things on ATV policy and also the STAR 🌟 rebate checks and I was reminded how much the state screws average working folk 👷. I could never own land in New York.

The rain is coming down again. I better get back on the trail again.