This morning I went on a beautiful hike down on the Cascadilla Gorge. I had passed by the gorge on my runs before, but never actually went down and explored. I had no idea I was missing out on so much.There were countless steps on that trail that went from College Avenue down past Stewart, but it was well worth it. The sight and sound of the water running down the rocks was a peaceful and beautiful experience. Not only did we enjoy the great view, but we also learned about the history behind the gorge. Our Rose House fellow showed us pictures of the same gorge over 100 years ago and many things have changed including the way the waterfall looked. I was shocked by how much money went into preserving and up-keeping the trails, 2.8 million dollars! Small details we don’t pay much attention to contributed greatly to the preservation of the gorge including the rust resistant hand rails, the rocks lined up as a barrier between the trail and water, and the cemented rocks we walk on. Although the price was steep, as Todd mentioned, the Cascadilla Gorge is a very important part of Cornell history as it was one of the first lands that Ezra Cornell purchased and not only that, it serves as a great outdoor classroom. I believe we have a truly unique and historically important campus surrounded by beautiful nature and I will definitely be taking advantage of it.