Northern Taconic peaks?

[Taconic]

Has anybody ever compiled a list of all peaks with trails? What about a list of those worth climbing? I've spent a lot of time looking over maps and have frequently wondered this.

I've always liked the range (can you tell?), but I'm usually confined to the southern end of it. I'm hoping to spend a lot more time poking around its northern end this fall.

For the purposes of this thread, I think we can consider anything north of Greylock to be a northern Taconic peak.

This is my list of peaks with trails and/or parking:

Mt. Equinox (duh)
Grass Mtn
Dorset Peak
Pine Cobble (MA)
The Dome
Mother Myrick Mtn
Maple Hill
Owl's Head
Aeolus (Green Peak on some maps)
Antone Mtn
Spruce Peak
White Rocks, Smith Hill, White Rock, Bald Mtn and several unnamed summits just over the NY border on the Taconic Crest Trail north of Petersburg Pass.


Is anything missing from that list? I figure that there has to be more info out there, because people do the VT 3Ks and there are a number of them out there.

There are lot of spots out there that look very interesting and the maps show features that just invite exploration ("The Oxbow," "The Scallop," "The Oven," etc) and also reveal an intriguing number of forest roads scattered about that could serve as potential access points (Bear Mtn, for example, appears to have some sort of ATV trail that reaches its summit.) I'm also convinced that this area is probably host to a number of virtually unknown waterfalls given the sheer number of steep ravines with water flowing through them. Even just a climb up Equinox reveals a number of nearby peaks that appear worth exploring.

Unfortunately, there's virtually no info available for this region beyond the USGS quads. The GMC's Day Hiker's Guide contains a bit of info in the first chapter and the AMC's northern MA map affords the barest glimpse at the southernmost trails in the region, but beyond that there's virtually nothing.

So... is anyone here willing to contribute to the public knowledge of this area? Anything will do, really. This seems to be the only mountainous region in New England that suffers from a dearth of guides and published info.

 

[Chugach001]

Great post. I live on the flanks of the Scallop and have been developing a real appreciation for the northern end of the range. So, yes, I am in. Not sure the best way to compile and share?

There are so many small trails everywhere but few worth writing about and some that are just too quiet to share. In my far distant retirement I would like to publish a book about the range (there is some fascinating geology and history). I am open for the discussion and happy to contribute including a database or spreadsheet if needed.

 

[Taconic]

Great post. I live on the flanks of the Scallop and have been developing a real appreciation for the northern end of the range. So, yes, I am in. Not sure the best way to compile and share?

For now, why not just post it here? If need be, I can compile it all and come up with some way of formatting it.

There are so many small trails everywhere but few worth writing about and some that are just too quiet to share.

I can relate to that, but I think this is one area where you don't particularly have to worry about droves of people filing through.

For one, it's hard for most people to reach. For another, few people want to reach it. If anybody comes to the area, they come and climb Equinox, Dorset, and Grass and never return because there are bigger mountains with more exciting scrambles elsewhere.

In my far distant retirement I would like to publish a book about the range (there is some fascinating geology and history). I am open for the discussion and happy to contribute including a database or spreadsheet if needed.

I'd like to read that book.

It's good to have a local on board. Any info that you want to contribute would probably be helpful. When I posted, I was wondering if anyone else would even care.

 

[TCD]

IIRC, Snake Mountain near Addison is considered geologically to be the Northern terminus of the Taconic Range.

 

[Taconic]

IIRC, Snake Mountain near Addison is considered geologically to be the Northern terminus of the Taconic Range.

I've read that as well.

I've also read that Mt. Philo near North Ferrisburgh is the terminus (or at least is near it.) It seems open to interpretation because that far north the mountains have degenerated into tiny hills and there really are no continuous ridges.

I think everyone agrees that they stop somewhere south of Burlington, though.