MarkL
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I did this trip at this time of year because deer ticks which spread Lyme Disease, are dormant below 35°F, and seldom seen below 45°F.
-Sunday, 11/23 Left No Trace's house about 8:20AM. Followed him to N. Adams then to Cheshire where I spotted my car. Rode w/ him to Rt. 20 where I left my full pack at Southern Comfort Motel ~.2 mile east of AT crossing. From there we drove to Tyringham. The temperature had gone down into the teens overnight, so all this driving allowed it to rebound to the 20’s by the time we started.
We hit the trail at the crack of 12:20PM.
It was in good condition, and we made good time, restrained only by my need to set a slower than natural pace for the sake of a recovering injury. I was focusing too much on the trail at my feet and occasionally missed the blazes indicating a turn. I knew I had to get on my game in this area because it would be harder after dark, without NoTrace to lead from behind. It was cold, maybe in the 20’s, with occasional exposure to a breeze that hinted of winter. There was an occasional spot of ice on the trail, but always easily avoided. We reached Appalachian Pond Rd. at 2:20PM and took a brief break. This was No Trace’s turn-around point because he had work tomorrow. He drove all that distance just to help me spot my car for my section hike, and all he got out of it was a 4 hour day hike. Such selflessness! Such devotion to his fellow hiker! He asked me how far it would be from Rt. 20 to the next shelter. Such concern! I told him it was about 3 miles, based on faulty memory.
Continuing, I met one hiker, then a family consisting of father, mother, 3 kids, and 2 dogs. They were the last people I’d see on the trail until Tues AM. I got to Rt. 20 at 4:35PM. I went to the motel to retrieve my pack. It took a while to repack. I looked at distance summary charts and learned that the next shelter was 7.2 miles ahead! Well, I only had to get far enough to make the Kay Wood shelter before rain, sleet, and snow started falling on Monday night. So if I got to within 3 miles of the October Mtn. l/t, that would leave only 12 miles to the Kay Wood l/t the next day, which seemed doable. I got back on the trail at 5:12PM and needed my headlamp right away. It was hard, slow going up Becket Mtn. with a full pack, and I took many brief rests on conveniently sized/shaped rocks along the trail. I tried to estimate my speed. I wondered if I should try to get all the way to the October Mtn. l/t, or just lay out my pads on the ground somewhere and cover my bag with a big sheet of plastic. The forecast overnight low was to be in the high teens, which was pushing the limit of my bag. (15°F) I had extra clothes to make the night bearable, but if it were breezy, it would be nice to have more protection than the plastic. Projections for ETA at the l/t varied from 10-11PM. I thought it was worth it, so I went for it. I did well at following the trail at night. I think there were several reasons for that. By then I was more attuned to trail life, and my feet would confirm the tread even when no blazes were in sight. Given the consequences of losing the trail in the dark, I was more careful. Maybe the trail was better/more recently blazed in this section. And as always, I depended on the grace of God to make up for my lapses of attention. After a series of minor ups, downs, and stream crossings, I felt I must be within 20-30 minutes of the l/t. About 5 minutes later I saw what appeared to be the reflectorized outline of the l/t just ahead to the right. I got to the l/t at 10:40PM, delighted to be there so early! The 'reflective material' was just the white underside of the roof. I had trouble finding how to secure the bear cable because it was just hanging there. I finally spotted the eye bolt near the bottom of a tree nearby. I was in the sack with lights out just after midnight. I slept in the “loft” area of the l/t, figuring it would be the warmest and most protected from drafts. Total for the day was about 8.5 mi. w/day pack, 7.2 w/full pack. ~3000’ vertical.
Monday, 11/24. I slept late to give it time to warm up. I had extra time because it was only 9 mi to the Kay Wood l/t. I got water at the stream. Doing so took me across the AT, and I was puzzled by how the AT ran vs. the angle from which I’d first spotted the l/t. I went back and forth on the AT to try to figure it out, but nothing made sense. I got my food and left the cable clicked into the eye bolt for the benefit of the next hiker to arrive at night. I had breakfast, packed up, and was almost ready to leave, when nature called. The seat was disgusting so I braced myself above it. Afterwards I thought, “I’m probably the only hiker around with disposable vinyl gloves, (which I use as vapor barriers. I also use latex, but they are grabbier, and are harder to get in and out of the wool or other gloves that go over them.) so who is better suited to deal with this?" I filled my peecan with water, put on a glove, and using a scrubby/sponge left in the l/t, cleaned off the seat. At 1:20PM. I started out along the AT with the l/t on my right, but was again bothered by whole angle of approach puzzle. I checked my compass, and found that the AT was briefly running almost E-W at this spot. The way I’d started out had an ever-so-slight southerly component to its bearing. So I stopped and pondered, and attempted to retrace last night’s approach. I went a bit past the little stream in the direction I’d started in, then turned around to re-approach the l/t. Where I got to the crossing, there was an unmarked but distinct trail straight across, and a white blaze on the other side a bit to the right. The two trails formed a V with the l/t in the open top of the V. Taking the straight-across trail put the l/t on my right. Taking the AT crossing put it on my left. Puzzle solved! At 1:30PM I finally hit the trail for good, though I checked my compass a few times during the first 10 minutes! I doubt that I would have remembered any of the terrain from the night before, so I could have hiked a long way in the wrong direction before realizing it! I thought of my buddy No Trace who had done just that on some section of the AT, though he didn’t have darkness and a long night’s sleep to explain his mistake.
I made the 2.2 miles to the Pittsfield Rd. by 2:40PM, got to the top of Warner Hill, 6.1miles, at 4:45PM, and needed head lamp about 1/2 hour later. I got to the Kay Wood l/t at 7PM, very early by last night’s standard! I unpacked a bit, then went down to filter water. While filtering at 7:25PM I noticed the first flakes falling. I made dinner, got my sleeping gear set up, and made one last foray into the snow, now heavier, to put food in the bear box. I happily got into the sack, knowing I was well sheltered, that whatever was falling was supposed to end by mid-morning, and that the next day would be easy. Planning this trip, I saw a road just 1/2 mile beyond this l/t. I could stash my full pack off the AT about 100 yards from the road, hang my food, day hike the 12 miles to my car in Cheshire, and drive back on that road to pick up the pack. It was a great plan, but it got better. During the night I heard it change over from snow to rain. It was raining every time I woke up. -Tuesday 11/25 When I got up it was raining, and didn’t stop while I was eating and packing. Two hikers showed up and we talked. They hadn’t seen any entries in any of the l/t logs in the last couple of days. They said the forecast was for rain on and off all day. I figured that with today’s nasty weather, my pack would be safe in the l/t. The two hikers went on their way, and I continued to pack. It was still raining, and I accepted the fact that I’d just have to walk in it. I wasn’t too confident in my rain jacket and old G’tex pants, but was wearing wool pants and had a wool sweater to put on just in case. When I was ready to leave, the rain was lighter. I put my food in the bear box on the way by, got on the trail at 11:07AM, and hiked with a light pack all day. I was in Dalton from 12:30 to 2:00PM, including a loaded cheese steak and Angelina’s. 2PM! More hiking after dark! Northern trail head in Dalton at 2:27PM, just after seeing the only wild mammals I was to see on this whole hike: 3 or 4 squirrels. I made the 3.8 miles to the junction for the Crystal Campground at 4:58PM. Soon after I needed the head lamp. I got to the corner of Church and School Streets in Cheshire at 6:27PM. Walked to car, spent some time in Pittsfield, had dinner, then drove to Dalton. It was snowing again, pretty moderately. I found Grange Hall Rd. with no problem and took it 1.1 miles to the AT crossing. I walked ½ mile to the Kay Wood l/t, arriving 10:41PM. I was able to climb into the sack almost immediately.
Wednesday, 11/26 I was up and packing by 6:55AM, and left the shelter by 8:15AM. It hadn’t snowed much after I got to the shelter last night, but it was slippery with the fresh snow on hard ground. But I had instep crampons, so I could still do today’s planned section: Cheshire-over Mt. Graylock-North Adams. I thought about that in more detail while walking to the car and driving to the diner, and while making myself presentable for going into the diner. By the time I hit the trail, I’d be in for another after-dark finish, this time going down a steep, slippery mountain. But the main factor was that I’d be hiking 13 miles on hard ground with the insteps. I thought that would be too hard on the knees and feet. By the time I went into the diner, I’d decided to call off the hike for today. It would have been much more convenient to get to Rt. 2 in N. Adams on this trip, but it just didn’t seem to be the right thing to do to my knees.
It was still a good trip. I got in 36 tick-free miles, and some cold weather acclimatization.
-Sunday, 11/23 Left No Trace's house about 8:20AM. Followed him to N. Adams then to Cheshire where I spotted my car. Rode w/ him to Rt. 20 where I left my full pack at Southern Comfort Motel ~.2 mile east of AT crossing. From there we drove to Tyringham. The temperature had gone down into the teens overnight, so all this driving allowed it to rebound to the 20’s by the time we started.
We hit the trail at the crack of 12:20PM.
It was in good condition, and we made good time, restrained only by my need to set a slower than natural pace for the sake of a recovering injury. I was focusing too much on the trail at my feet and occasionally missed the blazes indicating a turn. I knew I had to get on my game in this area because it would be harder after dark, without NoTrace to lead from behind. It was cold, maybe in the 20’s, with occasional exposure to a breeze that hinted of winter. There was an occasional spot of ice on the trail, but always easily avoided. We reached Appalachian Pond Rd. at 2:20PM and took a brief break. This was No Trace’s turn-around point because he had work tomorrow. He drove all that distance just to help me spot my car for my section hike, and all he got out of it was a 4 hour day hike. Such selflessness! Such devotion to his fellow hiker! He asked me how far it would be from Rt. 20 to the next shelter. Such concern! I told him it was about 3 miles, based on faulty memory. Continuing, I met one hiker, then a family consisting of father, mother, 3 kids, and 2 dogs. They were the last people I’d see on the trail until Tues AM. I got to Rt. 20 at 4:35PM. I went to the motel to retrieve my pack. It took a while to repack. I looked at distance summary charts and learned that the next shelter was 7.2 miles ahead! Well, I only had to get far enough to make the Kay Wood shelter before rain, sleet, and snow started falling on Monday night. So if I got to within 3 miles of the October Mtn. l/t, that would leave only 12 miles to the Kay Wood l/t the next day, which seemed doable. I got back on the trail at 5:12PM and needed my headlamp right away. It was hard, slow going up Becket Mtn. with a full pack, and I took many brief rests on conveniently sized/shaped rocks along the trail. I tried to estimate my speed. I wondered if I should try to get all the way to the October Mtn. l/t, or just lay out my pads on the ground somewhere and cover my bag with a big sheet of plastic. The forecast overnight low was to be in the high teens, which was pushing the limit of my bag. (15°F) I had extra clothes to make the night bearable, but if it were breezy, it would be nice to have more protection than the plastic. Projections for ETA at the l/t varied from 10-11PM. I thought it was worth it, so I went for it. I did well at following the trail at night. I think there were several reasons for that. By then I was more attuned to trail life, and my feet would confirm the tread even when no blazes were in sight. Given the consequences of losing the trail in the dark, I was more careful. Maybe the trail was better/more recently blazed in this section. And as always, I depended on the grace of God to make up for my lapses of attention. After a series of minor ups, downs, and stream crossings, I felt I must be within 20-30 minutes of the l/t. About 5 minutes later I saw what appeared to be the reflectorized outline of the l/t just ahead to the right. I got to the l/t at 10:40PM, delighted to be there so early! The 'reflective material' was just the white underside of the roof. I had trouble finding how to secure the bear cable because it was just hanging there. I finally spotted the eye bolt near the bottom of a tree nearby. I was in the sack with lights out just after midnight. I slept in the “loft” area of the l/t, figuring it would be the warmest and most protected from drafts. Total for the day was about 8.5 mi. w/day pack, 7.2 w/full pack. ~3000’ vertical.
Monday, 11/24. I slept late to give it time to warm up. I had extra time because it was only 9 mi to the Kay Wood l/t. I got water at the stream. Doing so took me across the AT, and I was puzzled by how the AT ran vs. the angle from which I’d first spotted the l/t. I went back and forth on the AT to try to figure it out, but nothing made sense. I got my food and left the cable clicked into the eye bolt for the benefit of the next hiker to arrive at night. I had breakfast, packed up, and was almost ready to leave, when nature called. The seat was disgusting so I braced myself above it. Afterwards I thought, “I’m probably the only hiker around with disposable vinyl gloves, (which I use as vapor barriers. I also use latex, but they are grabbier, and are harder to get in and out of the wool or other gloves that go over them.) so who is better suited to deal with this?" I filled my peecan with water, put on a glove, and using a scrubby/sponge left in the l/t, cleaned off the seat. At 1:20PM. I started out along the AT with the l/t on my right, but was again bothered by whole angle of approach puzzle. I checked my compass, and found that the AT was briefly running almost E-W at this spot. The way I’d started out had an ever-so-slight southerly component to its bearing. So I stopped and pondered, and attempted to retrace last night’s approach. I went a bit past the little stream in the direction I’d started in, then turned around to re-approach the l/t. Where I got to the crossing, there was an unmarked but distinct trail straight across, and a white blaze on the other side a bit to the right. The two trails formed a V with the l/t in the open top of the V. Taking the straight-across trail put the l/t on my right. Taking the AT crossing put it on my left. Puzzle solved! At 1:30PM I finally hit the trail for good, though I checked my compass a few times during the first 10 minutes! I doubt that I would have remembered any of the terrain from the night before, so I could have hiked a long way in the wrong direction before realizing it! I thought of my buddy No Trace who had done just that on some section of the AT, though he didn’t have darkness and a long night’s sleep to explain his mistake.
I made the 2.2 miles to the Pittsfield Rd. by 2:40PM, got to the top of Warner Hill, 6.1miles, at 4:45PM, and needed head lamp about 1/2 hour later. I got to the Kay Wood l/t at 7PM, very early by last night’s standard! I unpacked a bit, then went down to filter water. While filtering at 7:25PM I noticed the first flakes falling. I made dinner, got my sleeping gear set up, and made one last foray into the snow, now heavier, to put food in the bear box. I happily got into the sack, knowing I was well sheltered, that whatever was falling was supposed to end by mid-morning, and that the next day would be easy. Planning this trip, I saw a road just 1/2 mile beyond this l/t. I could stash my full pack off the AT about 100 yards from the road, hang my food, day hike the 12 miles to my car in Cheshire, and drive back on that road to pick up the pack. It was a great plan, but it got better. During the night I heard it change over from snow to rain. It was raining every time I woke up. -Tuesday 11/25 When I got up it was raining, and didn’t stop while I was eating and packing. Two hikers showed up and we talked. They hadn’t seen any entries in any of the l/t logs in the last couple of days. They said the forecast was for rain on and off all day. I figured that with today’s nasty weather, my pack would be safe in the l/t. The two hikers went on their way, and I continued to pack. It was still raining, and I accepted the fact that I’d just have to walk in it. I wasn’t too confident in my rain jacket and old G’tex pants, but was wearing wool pants and had a wool sweater to put on just in case. When I was ready to leave, the rain was lighter. I put my food in the bear box on the way by, got on the trail at 11:07AM, and hiked with a light pack all day. I was in Dalton from 12:30 to 2:00PM, including a loaded cheese steak and Angelina’s. 2PM! More hiking after dark! Northern trail head in Dalton at 2:27PM, just after seeing the only wild mammals I was to see on this whole hike: 3 or 4 squirrels. I made the 3.8 miles to the junction for the Crystal Campground at 4:58PM. Soon after I needed the head lamp. I got to the corner of Church and School Streets in Cheshire at 6:27PM. Walked to car, spent some time in Pittsfield, had dinner, then drove to Dalton. It was snowing again, pretty moderately. I found Grange Hall Rd. with no problem and took it 1.1 miles to the AT crossing. I walked ½ mile to the Kay Wood l/t, arriving 10:41PM. I was able to climb into the sack almost immediately.
Wednesday, 11/26 I was up and packing by 6:55AM, and left the shelter by 8:15AM. It hadn’t snowed much after I got to the shelter last night, but it was slippery with the fresh snow on hard ground. But I had instep crampons, so I could still do today’s planned section: Cheshire-over Mt. Graylock-North Adams. I thought about that in more detail while walking to the car and driving to the diner, and while making myself presentable for going into the diner. By the time I hit the trail, I’d be in for another after-dark finish, this time going down a steep, slippery mountain. But the main factor was that I’d be hiking 13 miles on hard ground with the insteps. I thought that would be too hard on the knees and feet. By the time I went into the diner, I’d decided to call off the hike for today. It would have been much more convenient to get to Rt. 2 in N. Adams on this trip, but it just didn’t seem to be the right thing to do to my knees.
It was still a good trip. I got in 36 tick-free miles, and some cold weather acclimatization.
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