Chip
Well-known member
What a great day to be hiking. Clear blue skies, good company and our local version of a ridge traverse !
Me, Lattinhill and his friend Pat joined Early Bird for the first day of her section hike through southern MA and CT. After some car spots we were hiking up Jug End by 11am. Almost immediately we lost the trail on a switch back, but quickly recovered and were soon shedding layers as temps warmed from 45 to 70. I had never met Pat or Early Bird and Early Bird had never met the rest of us, so there was plenty of conversation getting acquainted. Soon we reached the top of Jug End and enjoyed great views north through western Mass, past "Pat's Hill" to Greylock.
Jug End towards the Glenbrook and Hemlock Shelters and the Guilder Pond picnic area was wooded where the trail was occasionally a run-off stream, but nothing tricky. Missed blazes and a little turning around to relocate marked the morning. After Guilder Pond we quickly made the top of Everett where we had great views west to the Catskills and Hunter's slopes and southeast to CT and Mohawk's slopes. Everett to Race and Sage's is as exposed of a "ridge walk" as we get around here. Anyone tempted to jump would have ample opportunity. We enjoyed the views, the occasional rose quartz in the trail and one interesting natural bowl carved in the rock. Early Bird thought this was created by a captive pebble swirling around and around in the water of glacial times. I suppose it could have been man made, but I have no idea how or why. Imprisoned glacial pebbles sounds more intriguing, regardless.
Lunch and a "shoe-off" puddle break on Race in the sun was refreshing, but Early Bird needed to make good time as she wanted to enjoy the sunrise on Sunday from Riga Shelter. After pointing out the Rand's View fields to our southeast and reviewing some CT A.T. caveats (more so reminders as she had completed a northbound thru-hike in '05) we moved on towards Sage's. We did take the time to stop and scramble around the stream at Bear Rock Falls. At Sage's Early Bird continued on and the rest of us dropped down the ridge back to my truck on the CT/MA border.
A good day on a very enjoyable and scenic section of the trail.
Pics will be added tonight. Thanks for looking.
Me, Lattinhill and his friend Pat joined Early Bird for the first day of her section hike through southern MA and CT. After some car spots we were hiking up Jug End by 11am. Almost immediately we lost the trail on a switch back, but quickly recovered and were soon shedding layers as temps warmed from 45 to 70. I had never met Pat or Early Bird and Early Bird had never met the rest of us, so there was plenty of conversation getting acquainted. Soon we reached the top of Jug End and enjoyed great views north through western Mass, past "Pat's Hill" to Greylock.
Jug End towards the Glenbrook and Hemlock Shelters and the Guilder Pond picnic area was wooded where the trail was occasionally a run-off stream, but nothing tricky. Missed blazes and a little turning around to relocate marked the morning. After Guilder Pond we quickly made the top of Everett where we had great views west to the Catskills and Hunter's slopes and southeast to CT and Mohawk's slopes. Everett to Race and Sage's is as exposed of a "ridge walk" as we get around here. Anyone tempted to jump would have ample opportunity. We enjoyed the views, the occasional rose quartz in the trail and one interesting natural bowl carved in the rock. Early Bird thought this was created by a captive pebble swirling around and around in the water of glacial times. I suppose it could have been man made, but I have no idea how or why. Imprisoned glacial pebbles sounds more intriguing, regardless.
Lunch and a "shoe-off" puddle break on Race in the sun was refreshing, but Early Bird needed to make good time as she wanted to enjoy the sunrise on Sunday from Riga Shelter. After pointing out the Rand's View fields to our southeast and reviewing some CT A.T. caveats (more so reminders as she had completed a northbound thru-hike in '05) we moved on towards Sage's. We did take the time to stop and scramble around the stream at Bear Rock Falls. At Sage's Early Bird continued on and the rest of us dropped down the ridge back to my truck on the CT/MA border.
A good day on a very enjoyable and scenic section of the trail.
Pics will be added tonight. Thanks for looking.
