Massaemett Mountain, MA
Date Hiked: 03/13/07
Trails(s) Hiked: Unnamed trail from water tank
Difficulty: Moderate
Conditions: Wet granular, broken trail, packed by snowmobile, ice, slush
The lower to mid fifty degree temperatures pushed me into hiking my third consecutive day for the first time in quite awhile. Though the sky was dark when I reached the trailhead, the clouds gradually lifted, making for a very nice late afternoon.
This was my first time hiking Massaemett in real winter-like conditions. I had previously hiked it in the winter months, in cold weather, and with a bit of snow on the ground, but this was the first time I actually had to use 4 wheel drive to get up to and around the parking area. Though there had been about two feet of natural snow in recent weeks, only about 8 inches remained in the parking lot.
The trail was pretty well packed from snowmobile and foot traffic. Nonetheless, I put on my snowshoes. These proved helpful in sections, as the snow was soft and deep in the middle portion of the hike. In addition, there were patches of slush and ice that would have required at minimum Stablicers. Fortunately, the claws on my snowshoes allowed me to climb up and down these sections with relative ease.
I arrived at the summit about an hour before sunset. I had antcipated summitting around 6:30, however I started earlier and made better time than I had anticipated. After debating with myself, I decided to hang around and wait for the sunset.
Though the sky was cloudy when I reached the top of the tower, things soon cleared out, allowing for better views of Mt. Greylock and Mt. Snow. To the northeast, Mt. Monadnock was barely visible.
The sunset proved to be worthwhile. Yellow, orange, purple, and red all graced the sky. The sun set just a bit south of Borden Mountain - in some time, watching it set behind Mt. Greylock may be a tremendous sight.
Date Hiked: 03/13/07
Trails(s) Hiked: Unnamed trail from water tank
Difficulty: Moderate
Conditions: Wet granular, broken trail, packed by snowmobile, ice, slush
The lower to mid fifty degree temperatures pushed me into hiking my third consecutive day for the first time in quite awhile. Though the sky was dark when I reached the trailhead, the clouds gradually lifted, making for a very nice late afternoon.
This was my first time hiking Massaemett in real winter-like conditions. I had previously hiked it in the winter months, in cold weather, and with a bit of snow on the ground, but this was the first time I actually had to use 4 wheel drive to get up to and around the parking area. Though there had been about two feet of natural snow in recent weeks, only about 8 inches remained in the parking lot.
The trail was pretty well packed from snowmobile and foot traffic. Nonetheless, I put on my snowshoes. These proved helpful in sections, as the snow was soft and deep in the middle portion of the hike. In addition, there were patches of slush and ice that would have required at minimum Stablicers. Fortunately, the claws on my snowshoes allowed me to climb up and down these sections with relative ease.
I arrived at the summit about an hour before sunset. I had antcipated summitting around 6:30, however I started earlier and made better time than I had anticipated. After debating with myself, I decided to hang around and wait for the sunset.
Though the sky was cloudy when I reached the top of the tower, things soon cleared out, allowing for better views of Mt. Greylock and Mt. Snow. To the northeast, Mt. Monadnock was barely visible.
The sunset proved to be worthwhile. Yellow, orange, purple, and red all graced the sky. The sun set just a bit south of Borden Mountain - in some time, watching it set behind Mt. Greylock may be a tremendous sight.
