Thread 2831909

Summer is arguably the worst /out/ season of them all and these fucking little gnats, flies, mosquitos, etc are to blame. Every other season is bearable without them, but summer is absolutely awful with them divebombing you.

>>2831909 (OP)
Yeah fuck summer

I've gotten pretty lucky so far hiking here in NY state the past two days. I'm here for a week. I should have put bug spray on my ankles and legs for the last waterfall hike - I killed a bloody mosquito trying to bite me. But otherwise it's been pretty ok - minimal bugs - maybe because it's been dry the past two weeks I think.

It's been way too frickin' hot and I came north to avoid the heat a bit - but it is supposed to cool down soon.

I did a hike up on a ridge at Red River Gorge in KY - (Blackburn Rock, highly recommended) back in early June and THAT was buggy AND it was noisy - periodic cicadas were loudly humming and they kinda sound like distant EMS/police sirens which is really unnerving.

My legs are somewhat itchy but it's not too bad.

>>2831915
I mean its 4 more weeks and then its cold for a long, long time.

>>2831923
Sweet sweet cold

>>2831924
I drove north instead of south - last trip I went to NC/GA and the sun is much less intense up north here in NY and it's not QUITE as hot.
You can try elevation-maxxing - its never really gonna be hot hot up at Clingman's Dome but I found 4000 ft was still pretty darn hot.

I wonder if Cloudland is fully open yet NC/TN border area.

>>2831923
Heading north toward the lake is always a good idea on days like these

>>2831909 (OP)
Stop spraying perfume on yourself gayboy. gnats are attracted to sweet smells. This is a you issue if you have them swarming you.

>>2831927
There was a nice breeze on the lake but it wasn't quite as cold as I would like.
But yeah, going towards Canada feels instinctive in July/August.
There's supposed to be a fairly general cold front passing through the eastern US I think by Thursday so it should be perfect for hiking later this week and into the weekend.
For me, it's cloudy weather, the best hiking weather. Sun ruins your photos. You don't see the definition of the hills at all in bright sunlight.

Also, why are these so many vagrants in and around Oswego? Did something bad happen here? Feels like miles of abandoned paper mills.

Is summer good anywhere in the US?
>southeast
insanely hot and humid
>northeast
still got and humid
>northwest
ok but not as nice as spring
>southwest
infernal
i feel like anywhere that has nice summers has nicer springs except maybe some of the frozen shithole states

>>2831929
If you think Oswego is bad, don't go to Utica/Rome. Much worse.

West of Oswego are Chimney Bluffs, Fair Haven and Sterling Nature Center. There's good nature walking with tall bluffs towering over the lakeshore. Have you been to any of those?

Sunlight can enhance your photos but also comes with potential drawbacks like excessive glare and harsh shadows. I prefer shooting waterfalls and gorge interiors with overcast skies. For landscape photography, it's not hard to take quality photos on sunny days. I try to avoid midday if possible and aim for golden hour shots.

>>2831939
>don't go to Utica/Rome
well I was planning to, I bet there's something nice there
>Have you been to any of those?
no, that's just bluffs above lake ontario, blue water looks like blue water there's no shape to it, doesn't work photographically for me (I appreciate the advice though)
I'm gonna head over to Utica/Rome and such there's a couple gorges over there that look nice - though a shame they don't seem to clear the trees enough to have a real overlook.
>Sunlight can enhance your photos
never
not even once
I hate it
>if possible and aim for golden hour shots.
too annoying to wake up super early or be out before sunset - I always end up hiking later than I set out to

> I prefer shooting
everything is better overcast - tho of course the BEST light is mostly cloudy where you get bolts of sunlight peeking through highlighting the terrain - but that's hard to come by

>>2831971
>I bet there's something nice there
Utica greens, chicken riggies and upside-down pizza are all I can think of. For /out/ the Mohawk Valley's only redeeming factor is proximity to other areas (Tug Hill, Adirondacks, Catskills, Finger Lakes)

>there's no shape to it
There's plenty of shape on the bluffs themselves. It's like having a dramatic western landscape situated right on a large body of water. Chimney Bluffs and Sterling aren't your average lake park

>blue water looks like blue water
If you want more unique-colored water, check out Green Lakes State Park outside of Syracuse while you're in the region

>everything is better overcast
Nah, the right amount of sunlight can make things pop. You mean to tell me that fall foliage photos turn out better in overcast conditions? Or that sunbeams in a forest don't make for an outstanding shot?

>>2832012
>You mean to tell me that fall foliage photos turn out better in overcast conditions?
well again, technically the best photo weather is mostly cloudy, but yes, overcast > sunny sun just washes out the colors of the leaves and you see nothing

> For /out/ the Mohawk Valley'
i dunno if that little vertical spit of lowland between watertown and utica is called mohawk valley, but that seemed to have some nice little towns and waterfalls too bad the water level is low

>check out Green Lakes State Park outside of Syracuse while you're in the region
that was on myhikes.org too

I do like rigatoni! But only if they make the rigatoni and yes you can tell.

>Tug Hill, Adirondacks, Catskills, Finger Lakes)

tug hill seems quite nice, too bad they don't clear the trees so you can see the gorges
it's kinda ironic that everything was clearcut logged but god forbid they selectively log the edges of the gorge so you can have views into them
(appreciate the advice anon)

>>2832020
>tug hill seems quite nice, too bad they don't clear the trees so you can see the gorges
You can get a decent look at the gorge at Whetstone Gulf. It's an overlooked state park compared to some of the more popular ones in the state.

The best waterfall around Tug Hill is Salmon River Falls. The weather levels can't be too high because we haven't gotten a whole lot of rain lately.

Fair enough on mostly cloudy skies being good for foliage photos (as well as partly sunny). I just think that a completely sunless sky dulls the colors so the leaves don't pop.

For chicken riggies, my favorite is Venice Pizzeria on Utica's western suburbs. 100% homemade including their famous sauce. They offer two different sizes that you can choose from based on your appetite.

>>2832022
>at Whetstone Gulf.
I shan't miss it. That and Tug Hill State Forest are on my "must do" list.

>The best waterfall around Tug Hill is Salmon River Falls.
seemed like you only get a view from above the falls, and to get to the bottom is a hard scramble that I'm not up for - especially not in low water
I'm gonna skip it in favor of some falls I found that seemed hopefully easier to access on the black river and near that

https://myhikes.org/trails/salmon-river-falls-gorge-trail

This trail is only for the very physically-fit and adventurous hiker that doesn't mind super-steep grades and a bit of a sketchy downhill hike. This trail begins along the universally-accessible Salmon River Falls Trail, not far from that trail's trailhead, and leads down the super-steep gorge. The trail includes many rock steps along the way but there's only one section that has a helpful handrail - most of the trail does not provide any handrails or handholds aside from scrambling down or back up the trail.

>For chicken riggies, my favorite is Venice Pizzeria on Utica's western suburbs. 100% homemade including their famous sauce. They offer two different sizes that you can choose from based on your appetite.
appreciated

feel free to drop any info you'd like!

>>2831934
West Coast and PNW at elevation. Is this some kind of trick question?

Timberline Lodge is near Mt. Hood in Oregon, maybe 2 hours from Portland. High temps this time of year are mid 60’s to mid 70’s, lows around 50. The mountain can be snow capped year round and contains several permanent snowfields and glaciers. Again, it’s only a couple hours from a major city.

The east side of Yosemite is the same. Tuolumne is at like 8,600ft. Highs are 60’s and 70’s, lows dipping under 40. Tioga Pass is nearly 10,000ft so you lose another 5+ degrees; it can freeze up there this time of year (summer).

This holds true for basically anyplace on the West Coast, particularly around California. Lapse effect from elevation gain ensures cooler temperatures, and places at higher elevations are easily accessible to tens of millions of people.

“Summer is the best time to go outside and enjoy the great outdoors” is just another facet of the California Effect. Because there are so many people with easy access to outdoor recreation, huge number of national parks, and an early foothold on media (Backpacker Magazine), California has an overreaching, heavy handed influence on outdoor recreation.

>>2832024
Getting down to the base of Salmon River Falls isn't that bad compared to many other waterfalls across NYS, some of which require you to rappel down a cliffside or climb over a series of falls. I've seen tourists do Salmon River in the summertime without issue. I guess it depends on your experience, capabilities and comfort level.

>especially not in low water
It's actually easier scrambling in those conditions unless you mean the payoff wouldn't be worth it due to low water flow

If you really want a fun time, come back to Tug Hill in the wintertime and rent a snowmobile. The plateau receives more snowfall than anywhere else in the state. Even the ADK High Peaks and the Chautauqua Ridge off Lake Erie don't come close most years.

>>2832026
>and rent a snowmobile
ur trying to kill me!

>It's actually easier scrambling in those conditions
I did three waterfalls yesterday scrambling is simply not happening today with my legs

>unless you mean the payoff wouldn't be worth it due to low water flow
I do

>come back to Tug Hill in the wintertime
I plan to, I guess one would need snow shoes
I want to get winter-y tires for my SUV

the guy on the cherohala skyway told me to come back in winter and that his suv can do it on mud/snow tires

>>2832029
Yeah, snowshoes/skis for the trails and winter tires for the roads is advisable. The main highways get plowed and salted well, but the secondary roads can be hit or miss. And the seasonable forest roads usually aren't maintained at all.

Which waterfalls did you visit?

>>2832031
seasonal* forest roads

>>2832031
>and winter tires
I feel like I want something CHONKAY for year round use - but not those super loud ultra chunky tires Jeeps sometimes have - but currently I have road-biased all terrain tires that are ok but not confidence inspiring in the wet/on gravel

>Which waterfalls did you visit?
chittenango (gorgeous!, got there just before most people so had it all to myself)
bucktail (small, roadside, pretty)
carpenter falls (NEW stone steps - never ever seen that at a waterfall) - have to go past the wooden lower overlook area and scramble to get the real view of the falls though - and I wonder what the illegal/forbidden lower carpenter falls look like (that I did not go to)

my legs are pretty cooked I'm not doing anything hard today, gorges can wait till later in the week.

>And the seasonable forest roads usually aren't maintained at all.
oh i know
I was in pine creek gorge and decided to take a forest road to a roadside overlook in late march - it was 60 degrees out and the road was a solid sheet of melty ice for miles with no escape - not a fun experience - but that was on all season tires and stupid - though having AWD got us out of there safe.

I've also taken snowy pine creek area roads (pa) in winter with all terrain tires tho and its fine.

>>2832034
Great choices for waterfalls, three of my favorites in CNY. I haven't been to Carpenter in a minute but enjoyed that short downclimb to the base of the waterfall. There's also a small cave behind the falls that you can walk to for a unique view. I have been wanting to go back to see nearby Angel Falls and hike down to Skaneateles Lake for some time now.

Pratt's Falls and Delphi Falls are close to Syracuse and Green Lakes State Park, and don't require too much walking. Pixley Falls is between Rome and Tug Hill and is likewise a short walk. Nyfalls.com has a map of waterfalls across the entire state and is one of my primary waterfalling resources.

Pennsylvania's roads can get icy for sure. Late-fall (deer collision season) through winter isn't the best for driving down there but you should be fine with a properly equipped vehicle and good winter driving skills (and some luck with the deer that have a tendency to jump right in front of cars during the rut)

>>2832037
Holy fuck Utica is bad!

>>2831909 (OP)
why does this board hate going outside so fucking much? are you people retarded

>>2832114
There is nothing fun about going out in 90+F with a humidity of 50%+. The best /out/ season are the shoulder or winter seasons when weather is mild or freezing. Bugs are basically still asleep. In Spring you have baby offspring if you're into animals. Summer is the worst, not to mention the packs of people who make parking at trailheads of anything popular nearly impossible.

>>2832146
Idk, mountain biking has been more a lot more fun this month than it was in the spring when it was raining nearly everyday

>>2832037
>Pixley Falls is between Rome and Tug Hill and is likewise a short walk.
would you look at that
nice falls, despite the low water, too bad about the no swimming signs, seems very safe to swim in

nys is such a nanny state

>Nyfalls.com has a map of waterfalls across the entire state
iirc they don't give you the GPS coordinates (which every single other state waterfall site does) which is annoying

>>2832183
Holy shit, the water was rushing the last time I was there. What you saw is kind of nice in its own way, though, because you see more of the rocks behind the falls.

>nys is such a nanny state
Lol, tell me about it. Then again, some national parks, monuments, forests, lakeshores and wildlife refuges can be even more restrictive with some things. Especially the national parks.

>iirc they don't give you the GPS coordinates
You sure about that? It's right at the top of the pages.
https://nyfalls.com/waterfalls/delphi-falls/
https://nyfalls.com/waterfalls/pixley-falls/

>>2832263
>You sure about that?
apparently there's at least two waterfall websites for NY and I was looking at "nnywaterfalls.com"
and THAT one doesn't give exact locations

anyways I wonder if tug hill state forest or whetstone gulf are worth it - views seem mostly obstructed in summer and its gonna be muddy today - it looks like from what I can see on the map the views are best from the western side of the whetstone gorge but you have to park on the east side (where google maps says rim trail parking) and there's no parking where the trail crosses the road on the western edge - but maybe there is

anyways, there's some easy waterfalls on the black river I might check out

>What you saw is kind of nice in its own way
it looks piddling in the photo but it was a decent amount of water in person, and it was still nice, yeah the rocks are more interesting than the all-shale ones

but ITS COLD TODAY
im so happy

>>2832012
>For /out/ the Mohawk Valley's only redeeming factor is proximity to other areas
I disagree, there's plenty of areas if you're willing to trespass into some farm fields and lay low. And if you're into urbex there are tons of abandoned factories and mills.

>>2832020
>i dunno if that little vertical spit of lowland between watertown and utica is called mohawk valley
That's the Black River valley. Honestly I'd attribute what the other anon said about the Mohawk Valley to this; it's mainly good for its proximity to the Tug Hills, Adirondacks, and Lake Ontario. The Black river is enjoyable to canoe/kayak down and it's fun to hunt down the old canal locks. The towns are decent but avoid Watertown; pretty bunk scene and Fort Drum does NOT help.

>>2832267
You said that you might come back in the wintertime. If so, maybe check out Whetstone then and you might have the whole place to yourself. Just be mindful of the dates: 12/15 through 3/15 according to the state park website.

>>2832271
That's one part of NYS where I haven't explored any abandoned structures (most of my urbex has been in the larger cities like NYC, Buffalo and Rochester). I can see those smaller rundown cities having good urbex opportunities though.

Nah. I'll concede that autumn is easily the best season, but summer beats the endless dark and freezing misery of winter

>>2832146
>There is nothing fun about going out in 90+F with a humidity of 50%+
Says you. Plenty of people enjoy the heat

>>2832281
dates for what?

>>2832271
that's too bad - I had hopes watertown was nice - I enjoyed my visit today to the black river valley
very scenic
maple museum was great, and I saw Lyons Falls and Agers Falls

>>2832388
If you were going towards Watertown anyway I recommend going to Sackets Harbor and visiting the 1812 battlegrounds, very cool history.
Also if you're into waterfalls there's a really nice one called Talcott Falls just off route 11 near Adams, very small pull off so it's easy to miss, but if you catch it on a day with high flow it's really nice.

>>2832401
It's super low flow rn - only the "full river wide" waterfalls are worth it - I think I might skip whetstone gulf and do treman state park tomorrow. There's really nothing but waterfalls here. There's no EASY gorge views apart from Letchworth.

I walked for an hour at Tug Hill State Forest - forgot my bug spray - it was unbearably buggy and apparently the only real views are from the power line - and even that's a 3 mi walk just for that

I'm going towards Elmira.

>>2832332
>Plenty of people enjoy the heat
and there are not white

>>2832332
The only fun thing to do in the heat is going swimming. If you aren't near a beach or body of water there's really no activity worth doing when the humidex is super high.

>>2832446
Again, says you. Plenty of people go outside and do things when it's hot. Stop being a whiny faggot

>>2832494
its just much much harder and unpleasant to hike when its hot and sunny
the best hiking seasons are fall and spring, by far

>>2832494
Why are you getting so emotional? If you like the heat so much then get off the internet and go enjoy it with your African and Indian friends. No one's stopping you.

>>2832494
Haha yeah bro just go out in the heat it’s totally fine

>>2832501
This bitch lives in a state that is 2/3rd desert and went hiking in peak summer

>>2832388
Those are the dates the park is open during the colder months.

>>2832501
>100,000 People Went Hiking Today and Were Totally Fine
Now that's just not as fun of a headline, is it?

>>2832501
Funny how the 15,000 other people who hiked this trail loved it and didn't die

>>2832538
>15000 people hiked and left a review
>must mean 15000 people all hiked on the same day when it was over 100F outside
God this board is retarded. Go outside for once in your life.

>>2832539
>when it was over 100F outside
That's just every day in Phoenix
>hur dur I cherry picked this one case of someone dying so that means going outside when it's hot is impossible
And I'm the retard?

>>2832501
https://people.com/hiking-influencer-hannah-moodys-body-was-discovered-decomposing-in-103-degree-heat-11782054

>her body was discovered with "abrasions of the right shoulder and lower extremities."
>her body was discovered 600 yards off trail

So she fell, got hurt, got lost, and then died of exposure. She didn't just drop dead from the heat. Seriously, try reading next time

>>2832547
Had it not been for the heat she wouldn’t have died, as the heat is literally what killed her.

>>2832552
People die from the elements in all seasons. Sometimes it's heat, sometimes it's the cold. Either way, hiking in the heat sucks more than any other season. I'd rather hike in -40 than +40.

>>2831909 (OP)
You forgot ticks....
and fucking spiders... I dont really care for spiders but their fucking WEBS. They are like Indians poluting the trail. Always ONE WEB STRAND at face or chest height, to stop me and am forced to wipe it off. This is every 10 meters.

What the fuck is wrong with them? Is this a recent thing? Have chemicals made them this gay? They dont make webs anymore in the bushes? They need to either make a complete web in the middle of a 3 meter wide trail or have 1 strand spun from tree to tree. WTF

Yesterday was the last time here in Vorarlberg that I will every hike in summer. Now will only hike in winter and visit sights in summer.

The wildfire smoke is killing another summer. I feel sorry for people in the upper midwest who have to endure an upper midwest winter, only to be choked out by smoke in the summer. Shoulder seasons are where it's at nowadays. Might as well stay indoors the rest of the year.

>>2831909 (OP)
>gets filtered by summer
Jesus fuckin Christ dude you're a nigger

OP is correct heat is better suited for hell

>>2831928
As a cannabis smoker camping in the Michigan woods, it was remarkable how many different species of exotic solitary wasps were drawn to the smell.

>>2834903
You've never heard of a spider stick? Grab any long twig and use it to sweep the webs out of the trail in front of you. When I encounter a web, I'll usually pause a few seconds to let the spider scamper to safety. If you go too fast, the spider often ends up in your hair or something.

>>2832434
>you aren't white if you can tolerate heat and not whine like a faggot little bitch!
shalom, rabbi

>>2831928
Many gnats are attracted to CO2, similar to mosquitos.

>>2838290
So how do we as humans resolve this? Is the trick to breath less?

>>2838322
You could start smoking. Or you could use chemical bug repellent. It's not very challenging.