Saturday was a beautiful day for a hike, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to visit Cascadilla Gorge for the first time since I arrived at Cornell. The views of the gorge were simply breathtaking and I really felt like I had stepped into another world far from the noise and bustle of campus.

House Fellow Todd Bittner joined us for the hike and talked to us about the history of the gorge from its formation during the ice age to the present day. He said the structure of the gorge is constantly changing due to the effects of weather and erosion. Because of this, the trail has to be carefully maintained to ensure its safety. As we walked down the gorge, Mr. Bittner pointed out areas where the path had been moved away from over-hanging rocks and other areas where stones had been cemented to the path to strengthen it. I was impressed by how well these changes blended into the natural environment of the gorge.

Mr. Bittner also emphasized how rare it is for a large university to have so many nature areas such as Cascadilla in the middle of its campus, and encouraged us to make the most of them while we are here at Cornell.