MOHAWK - Discovering the Valley of the Crystals Copyright 2002
Chapter 12 - Tributaries
Ninemile Creek Part 7 - Glass Factory Road to Hoffman Road
Discovery: Wild and Beautiful
June, 15, 2003, 65-70 degrees, Sunny
Except for the bridges at each end there is no public access to this 2-mile section. I was looking forward to exploring wild country, photographing wildflowers, seeing wildlife . . . and catching fish. Denny was looking forward to catching trout . . . and seeing deer. We did all of the above.
The boulder-strewn water upstream from the bridge was beautiful but too shallow to hold fish.
Denny got his first wish at 9:30 a.m. when he caught
a 10-inch brown trout from the pool under the Glass Factory Road Bridge.
The ledge-falls and rapids above the bridge sparkled in the morning sunlight.
A pair of mallards jumped off the creek, silver streaks of water streaming
from their wings. Nice way to start the day.
I
walked up an almost-dry channel on the right side of an island, noting
the stream bottom turned from shale to boulders. Upstream of the island
the creek ran against cutbanks. No designer trout stream here. Around the
next bend on the right side of the creek was a new house with a manicured
lawn. Although this section of stream was shallow and strewn with boulders---
too shallow for fish---it was especially beautiful. Across from the manicured
lawn, wildflowers grew in profusion. I discovered yellow flag, birdsfoot
treefoil and buttercups, blue forget-me-nots, and a huge patch of tiny,
white marsh flowers.
While I was photographing wildflowers and looking
for my misplaced fishing rod, Denny continued upstream. From a shaded pool
next to an island he caught another trout. Further upstream, he caught
a10-inch brown from a run at the bottom of a mud bank. 
This section would be difficult to explore in a
couple of weeks. Wading a boulder-strewn stream is tough on feet and legs,
so walking the streambank is a welcome alternative. Streamside vegetation
was already waist high. Soon it would be head high. One positive note:
there were no patches of the exotic bamboo we discovered on many Mohawk
Valley streams. Most of the streamside vegetation consisted of goldenrod,
milkweed and tall grasses. Denny discovered three deer beds in the tall
grass on a small island.
Much to our surprise we discovered a waterfalls half-way through this 2-mile section.
Three sets of power lines --- old and new --- cut
a swath through fields and woods, creating a wide, open area of grass,
brush and small trees. Crows and red-winged blackbirds announced our presence
and a couple of do
ves
"squeaked" ahead of us. Their beating wings sounded like they needed 3-in-1
oil.
Just downstream from a large boulder on the right
side of the creek were two old maples. The streambank below these monarchs
was heavily riprapped. Could this be an old crossing or the site of an
old homestead?
At 11:25 we discovered a waterfalls. It was only
a couple of feet high but quite impressive after all that flat, boulder-strewn
water. When I swam a gold spoon through the pool below the falls a parade
of chubs followed it. A second cast produced a 3-inch fish.
Above the waterfalls, the creek passed through stands
of hemlock, spruce, cottonwood, maple and a few willows. Through the trees
we saw the placid waters of a big shaded pool. A honey hole perhaps?
Nope. The shale-bottomed pool was only a few inches deep. Too shallow for
fish.
Yellow flag seemed to grow at almost every unshaded bend in the creek.
When I saw a deer standing in the high grass watching
Denny. I yelled, "DEER" but it was gone in a flash. A few minutes later
Denny almost stepped on a fawn. When it didn't move, Denny yelled, "FAWN."
I crossed the creek, camera ready, and arrived in time to see Denny's head
turn to follow the progress of the spindly-legged critter running through
the woods. 
At 12:15 we stopped at a limestone outcrop where
faulted blocks of stone under overhanging branches provided comfortable
seats in the shade. Experience told us that a stop to eat and rest would
make the remainder of the trip more enjoyable, so we rested in the shade
for over a half-hour.
Upstream from the limestone outcrop the creek was
wide, shallow and filled with boulders. Yellow flag seemed to be everywhere.
This imported-gone-wild iris was especially abundant at unshaded bends
in the stream.
This canyon-like section reminded me of a scene in a Zane Grey novel.
At 12:55 I discovered what looked like an all-terrain
vehicle (ATV) crossing, but the trail on each side of the creek was too
straight. A topo map revealed it was the path of an "Aqueduct." I
believe it's the pipeline that carries Hinckley Lake water to Utica.
Above the aqueduct crossing, the creek ran through
a canyon-like section, meadow on the left, high slip banks on the right.
The meadow was sparsely populated with crabapple (hawthorn) and hemlock,
and resplendent with daisies, asters and yellow flag. For some reason it
reminded me of a scene in a Zane Grey novel.
We fished the big, deep pool under the Hoffman
Road Bridge without success, so we called it quits at 1:30.
A very good day. Denny caught trout and danced with
a fawn. I saw wildlife, photographed wildflowers and discovered some wild
country. Could have left my fishing rod home.
Follow the path of this discovery trip by clicking on
Mohawk
Valley Maps: by Maptech.
Type Holland Patent, select New York, press
GO!
Click
on margin arrows to follow Ninemile Creek.
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