My Book! Out Now!

random.org picked Matthew Sawyer as the winner, congrats!

Last summer things were a bit slow here at HuskyHiker.com, but I was busy. I was working on a guidebook for Falcon Guides (Globe Pequot Press) featuring 20 easy day hikes in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. Most weekends were spent on the trail exploring some great places and talking with other hikers learning a lot about the area. Weeknights were spent in the library editing GPS routes into maps and writing about the weekend’s adventures. I visited a bunch of neat places and shared the best of the best in the book. Although a lot of work now that I get to see it in print it proves worth it. I can’t wait to get back out on some of these hikes again this year… Who know maybe I will see you on the trail!

Buy a Copy.

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From The Mt. Tom Summit

I can easily say that the Mt. Tom Cliff hike is one of the best in the Pioneer Valley.  After a quick climb the the summit you get to stroll along the cliffs for about 2.5 miles with awesome views the whole way.

Start the hike by parking near the Mt. Joe coffee kiosk. The trailhead is across RT 141 where the guardrail ends.  The trail quickly makes it’s way to some power lines turn left and follow the trail along the power lines. The trail turns to the right leaving the power lines and starts a steep short 1/2 mile climb to the summit. The summit is a bit populated with antenna, other communication devices, and plenty of graffiti some dating back to the 1850′s. Originally a summit house stood atop Mt. Tom some parts of the original foundation from the 1890′s are still supporting the antenna farm.  Power buildings provide a nice hum on the summit, although a neat place not very peaceful.  On some large rocks just past the summit you can see some carvings in the rock form long ago…

J.A. 1850

Continue north on the M&M trail, the path remains mostly level and views from the cliff top are amazing.  Some parts of the trail force you eerily close to the cliff edge.  Some sections also require short scrambles up and down steep shale so small children and dogs might have a hard time with some sections. After about 2 1/2 miles of breathtaking views the trail descends it’s way to Christopher Clark Road.  Turn left onto Christopher Clark Road, in about 0.3 miles turn left onto Old Fire Road Trail to avoid a long road walk back to the parking area. In 1.8 miles the trail meets back up with Christopher Clark Road, turn right and a short road walk will return you to the parking area.

View from the cliffs

P.S. – A huge thanks to DeVito for the new hike icons!

Related posts:

1. Mt. Holyoke – Dry Brook/M&M Trails – 4.3 miles
2. Bare Mountain to Military Rd. loop trail – 4.3 Miles
3. Quabbin Short Loop 3 Miles

About a month ago, I was contacted by an old high school friend wondering if I would be interested in an overnight hike in early October. Of course, I wanted to go but lacked the backpacking gear I felt I would need, mainly for sleeping.  The plan came together when I acquired a Warbonnet Blackbird hammock and Superfly tarp. I stared to feel this trip could happen; I still lacked a sleeping bag that I could pack and carry. I have plans to buy an over quilt sometime over the winter so I didn’t want to buy a bag solely for this trip. Luckily, EMS rents gear; bags are $5 a day so I rented a 20-degree bag so I was ready to go and agreed to the trip.

Group Shot

The trip was set for Stratton Mountain (3940ft) in Vermont with an over night camp at the Stratton Pond Tenting Area. We had the meeting time set for 8am on Oct. 2; it was cool morning with the temp right around 40 degrees. The night before as I packed my bag I quickly realized that my 28L osprey was not as big as I had thought, I managed to squeeze most stuff in it only had to lash my bag and pad to the outside. The pack weighed in at 23lbs, not bad I thought.

I car pooled to the trail head with 2 friends with plans to meet 2 more there, everyone was on time and we hit the trail at about 8:45. The route was picked, hike the AT/LT to the Stratton Mountain summit then continue on to the tenting area about 8 miles for day one. Then hike the blue blazes out for an easy 3.8-mile hike back to the cars on day two. A couple hundred feet in we took a wrong turn (right rather than left) we realized it pretty quick but

Fire Tower

decided the new route would work out just fine. The 1700-foot climb was not as bad as I expected, being distracted by good conservation with good friends helped pass the vertical feet. We reached the summit at about 11:30 and waited in line to climb the fire tower.  The tower is about 60 feet tall and only 4 people are allowed up at a time. My fear of heights stopped me about 2/3’s the way up, I snapped some pictures and quickly got my feet back on the ground. After the tower, we found a sunny spot on the summit and enjoyed lunch and a chat with the summit care taker (he has been working the summit since the 1960’s).

We started the descent heading to the tenting area at Stratton Pond. The heavy rains from the week before made everything soggy, some parts of the trail seemed more like a stream than a trail. The recent rain also made a couple brook crossing more than we expected but still manageable. As we reached the edge of the pond, we learned that flooding closed the

View from the Tower

trail to the tenting are so a hike around the pond was the only way to reach the site adding about a mile to our trip.

The Stratton Pond Tenting Area has about 6 platforms with an overflow site for when things fill up. Setting up on the ground is only allowed in the overflow site. Two platforms were open when we got there so we quickly grabbed them and set up camp. Coffee was in order to warm our bones so that was first on the

Lunch!

agenda. Second was some warm food, we made a dinner of chicken fajitas with all the fixings’… so tasty!  After dinner and clean up it was dark and we decided to join a group of high school kids on weekend trip with a primitive living / outdoor wilderness class at the fire. The tenting area has a community fire pit making it the social point of camp.  We sat at the fire and played “mafia” with the group, what a fun camp game. After a few games, I was tired and headed to bed. I climbed in the hammock at about 8:30 for what I hoped to be a warm night’s sleep. My cheap blue Wal-Mart pad and my rented 20-degree bag kept me fairly warm with the 32-degree low temp of the night. I got up at 5am and headed down to the waterfront to watch the

Camp

Stratton Pond Sunrise

sunrise over Stratton Pond. Some of the high school kids had the same idea, 4 sleeping bags already claimed the grassy area.  I picked a spot off to the side, threw down my pad, and snuggled into my bag.  I dozed off for about an hour and a half and woke up to a beautiful sunrise and frost on my bag. The sun really helped remove the chill and quickly cleared the pond of fog. After a few photos, I headed back to camp for coffee and breakfast. We all packed up and started to head out.

The hike out was uneventful other than yet another missed turn that turned our 3.8 mile hike out in to a 6 or so mile trek ending with a 2 mile walk along the road back to the parking area.  The trails on the way out had lots of planking to help with the wet terrain. By the time we hit the road my feet were sore

Stratton Pond

and tired, the cars were a welcomed site.

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Things I learned on this trial overnight

1. I need a bigger pack – I am thinking abut something in the 50L range
2. I need a wider pad for the hammock – a 20” pad does not cut it for the Husky Hiker
3. A top quilt is the way to go
4. I can do 1700-foot climbs
5. New boots with proper stabilization would help tons
6. Time with old friends is priceless

Related posts:

1. Caching Trip – Fitzgerald Lake – 3.5 Miles
2. Bare Mountain to Military Rd. loop trail – 4.3 Miles

Carter Pond

The Rock House Reservation is located in West Brookfield, MA right along rt9.  The 135 acre park was established by the Trustees in 1993.  I grew up in West Brookfield and used to go here when I was a kid with my mom.  We would  hike up to the house that overlooks the lake and have lunch and watermelon. The house is now a “museum” that has some info about the rock house’s history…

We did the “outer loop” using the Inner loop trail (red), Outer loop trail (orange), Fullam trail (blue),  and the Fire Road.  I hiked with Miss HuskyHiker, my Brother and his

The Rock Shelter

girlfriend.  My Brother and his girl have been out on two more hikes since, so I think I might have got them hooked on the outdoors…

At the Rock House they allow horseback riding and hiking/skiing/snowshoeing only no Mountain Biking and I have never seen any horses or traces of any horses.   No Fishing or boating is allowed in the pond either.   This park is rich with history and a great place to stop if you ever find yourself in the area…

Related posts:

1. Bare Mountain to Military Rd. loop trail – 4.3 Miles
2. Quabbin Short Loop 3 Miles
3. Mt. Holyoke – Dry Brook/M&M Trails – 4.3 miles

I headed out early Sunday to beat the heat, 90+ temps in April crazy right?  I parked at the base of the Sugarloaf summit road and followed the blue blazed trail.  I don’t really know the trails here but figured I could make a nice loop, not so…

North Sugarloaf Summit

Kept on the blue blazed trail and climbed the steepest climb I had been on in a while, pushed my limits and made me realize that I need to make more of an effort to get back in shape.  Once I reached the summit I really didn’t want to have to hike down that slope.  So I hiked past a couple trail junctions that I figured would lead me back down that slope…   When  I decided to turn I was feeling good that I had made the right choice and would have a nice peaceful hike back to the car.  Well, the trail dumped me out on the road 2.3 miles from the car…  Kinda stunk to have about half the hike a road walk, I made the best of it and maybe found a new spot to fish.

Other than the road back the hike was nice by 9AM it was feeling warm in the 80′s i bet. The views from the North Summit are great.  Its like looking down on a little model town or something.  It felt nice to clear the spider webs from the trail…  feels good knowing you are the first one out there that day!

Related posts:

1. Mt. Holyoke – Dry Brook/M&M Trails – 4.3 miles
2. Bare Mountain to Military Rd. loop trail – 4.3 Miles
3. Quabbin Short Loop 3 Miles

Deer at the Quabbin

Had to cut todays hike a bit short due to a late start and the park closing at 6:30.  The hike from Enfield Lookout is a nice little loop with moderate elevation changes.  The hike takes you along the shore of the Quabbin Reservoir (yelow blazes).  This loop also offers 3 geocaches to be found if that is yor thing.  Many more can be found in the area i you want to make a day of it…

I want to go back and do the full loop (6 miles) soon and I will post more with that trip.

Related posts:

1. Bare Mountain to Military Rd. loop trail – 4.3 Miles
2. Caching Trip – Fitzgerald Lake – 3.5 Miles
3. Mt. Holyoke – Dry Brook/M&M Trails – 4.3 miles

Lake Fitzgerald Frozen

Went out for a walk and a cache run at the Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area this morning.  Today was the first snow fall in Western, MA, it was just a dusting but it was lovely.  Fitzgerald Lake is a 591 acre area owned by the City of Northampton.  On the property you will find a 40 acre man made lake.  This area is rich in wildlife making it very popular with birders. Just off the Marian Street Trail you can find a wildlife blind.  The lake has some very active beavers. Today is the first time I have not seen a beaver while there, and the only reason for that is that the lake was frozen over.  Fishing is allowed but hunting is only allowed in a small area.  A lot of the trails here very wet but they have done a great job laying rock and bridges on the trails to help keep you out of the muck.  Non of the trails really loop which I find to be a bummer.  On the FLCA home page you can view a trail map.

I found two geocaches today. “Hidden Campsite by the Lake” and “Caching the World“.  Campsite by the Lake is a really neat cache that is just what the title says it is.  I wonder when this site was last used and by whom…  The Caching the World cache is just off the parking area and a super easy find.  Would make a great place to relax and read a book in the summer.  I still have 2 more caches to find in the area.

I can’t wait for more snow so I can break out the snowshoes.  The only downfall of the snow is it makes geocaching so much more difficult…

Related posts:

1. Bare Mountain to Military Rd. loop trail – 4.3 Miles
2. Mt. Holyoke – Dry Brook/M&M Trails – 4.3 miles

First off I want to say that I find it odd that the last two hikes I have been on are 4.3 miles.  Kinda strange.   This hike starts off at the parking lot near the gate of the road that leads to the Holyoke summit house. 

After I quick walk down a dirt road you turn on to the M&M trail (white blaze).  Today we hiked this loop counterclockwise but either way make for a nice hike.  Decided to take the Dry Brook trail (red blaze) to the summit where you will meet up with the M&M trail (white blaze) for the hike back to the lot.  At the summit you will find the Summit House. At the house you have wonderful 360° views.  Also at the summit you will find picnic tables, cooking grills, and a memorial for the B-24 that crashed here in 1944.  Mt. Holyoke is the end of the seven sisters range and is a mountain full of history.

Today we found three geocaches, one on the way up, one on the way down, and one just off the parking area.  One cache we could not find.

Hike Elevation Profile

Related posts:

1. Bare Mountain to Military Rd. loop trail – 4.3 Miles

This hike will take you to the summit of two mountains in the Metacomet Ridge. If hiking clockwise the first summit is Bare Mountain.  After a steep rocky climb along the M&M trail (white blaze) you will reach the summit of Bare Mountain (1014ft). On the way to the top there is a great example of a talus slope. Once you reach the summit you will see realize how it got its name. The summit offers 270° views. You can see parts of the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus from the summit. After enjoying the views and finding the geocache (if that is your kind of thing) continue on the M&M trail. You will descend into a valley before your climb to Mt. Hitchcock(~1029ft), the second summit of this loop.  Mt. Hitchcock is the start of the seven sisters. After the Hitchcock summit continue on the M&M you will descend quickly the M&M trail. Turn north at the junction of the Parker trail (blue blaze). Continue till the North Side (yellow blaze) trail. The North Side trail seems to be an old logging trail or atv trail.  You will continue to descend slowly. At the four-way intersection head east toward the reservoir, once you reach the reservoir cross over the brook and continue along the bank of the reservoir heading east toward Military Road.  You will come to a fence that marks the boundary of the Five Colleges Library Depository, within a subterranean bunker formerly occupied by the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command.  This bunker was built in 1957 in case of a nuclear counter-attack. In 1994 the bunker was converted into a book depository for Amherst College.  You wil continue along the fence and end up on Military Rd.  Continue on Military Rd. till you hit Rt116 then back to the Notch parking lot.

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