I have a couple days off and my plans on at least one of them was to spend some time with my son who is home on break. Our first idea was cross country skiing, but the conditions are mediocre with a strange combination of ice and slush and mud. So we decided on a hike up Monument Mountain, a local mount ridge that we have pass almost every day dropping someone off at school. He had been up it a few time but I never had. At an elevation of almost 1800 feet is has some great views and the trails up across and down offer several miles of good exercise, which I was in need of.
Deciding to start off the shorter route, which means more quicker up hills, there was a combination of snow and ice and frozen ground. Much more of a challenge the the soft yielding ground of summer. This meant climbing more rocks and occasionally getting off the trail to pull yourself up the side through the snow with the assist of friendly saplings and roots. A much more vigorous approach than a potentially average climb.
The sound of a stream could be heard but not seen until much further up as it had a thick covered in ice and snow and the sound we heard was echoing from below. When it was finally reveled, its racing waters cut though the hard rock.
Further up the stream made a waterfall that was completely caked in ice. The column at the base was easily a foot thick and created a cave behind the ice falls. Getting down to this required "climbing" down the sides of the wet icy rock and my only
sitz" of the day. Sometime gravity just helps you our when there is not better footing. Which made returning the same way not possible, so back into the woods and snow and around and over the falls to catch the trail further up.
The Mountain is made of Quartzite, extremely hard yet with veins running through the case it to break. The fallen rock makes dozens of caves along the base and the side, many big enough to climb in, though I was leaving that for more warmer weather and without the ice. The rocks are all sizes and are as big a a bus.
The face of the front side is sheer with sharp drops and the trails make there way around the edge and in and out of the woods
and around and up to the summit.
The views from not that far up are spectacular with this view off to the southwest and hills in Connecticut and the Catskills in New York
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and this view to the north and Mount Greylock, 40 miles away.
The back side is just as rocky though not as sharp a drop and a little easier on the return. Coming back through the snow on the backside there were several animal tracks, a reminder of this remoteness so close to "civilization". Unfortunately the camera couldn't focus on some rather large tracks, which looked like some sort of cat, bobcat perhaps. They followed the edge of the path to the bottom and were not that old. It had me occasionally looking behind just in case until we reaches the base.
An enjoyable hike, good exercise and good company. What could be a better way to spend and afternoon off.
6 comments:
There's such a strong pull to do something outdoors these March days. I enjoyed your pictures, especially the ice-on-rocks, and the view from the top ...wow!
Hi Jeff,
I climb Monument Mountain any time I get the chance when I come to the Berkshires. The sense of peace that comes over me when I am sitting on the rocks at the top never wears off. It feels like home to me up there (even though I was born and raised on the ocean). I introduced my husband to it last fall, and he too felt a sense of familiarity and comfort up there. I loved seeing the pictures you posted because I have never been up there when there was snow on the ground. I appreciate seeing the familiar sites and views. I have been thinking of visiting in the next month or so. I am just waiting for it to thaw a bit more.
Thank you for the opportunity to see this from your perspective.
~ Melissa
thanks for the comments. The pull of the outdoors is definitely there as spring approaches, though we may be drifting back to winter this weekend.
Melissa, there is a strong sense of familiarity that I find in many places in the woods. On top of Monument the soft sounds of the wind and view make you forget that there is a busy road and three schools at the base of the mountain. The snow and ice are receding and should be gone, though temporarily replaced by mud, when you come out next month.
What a great hike and just beautiful and interesting photos. Enjoyed the hike with you! Do you carry anything to help wart off Bears or Wolves? There are so many bears around our mountain house this year, I don't walk any more because I'm afraid. There is a den of coyotes about 150 feet from the back door in the rocks near a pond, so I don't venture out very far any more. I love the frozen waterfall photo, so pretty...debbie
Great blog. Captured much of what I feel this time of year when I'm outdoors.
I do have to say I really like your reading list.
Debbie,
I usually don't carry much in the woods to ward off animals. On this hike I was very conscious as we were near the caves and even looking in some that there might possibly be a hibernator's home. Some of the caves are clearly large enough and people have been known to camp our in them.
The rest of the time I just make sure I am not too quiet when walking.
We have bears and other animals in our neighborhood and the woods around and it is clear that they would prefer not to have contact with people. Though I can say that I came within 15 feet of a bear in a tree (in our yard) and didn't know until it growled. You could hear my scream for blocks and scared the crap out of me and the bear.
Jo, thanks for the compliment. My reading list is actually outdated at the moment. As I have written here, much of my reading is on cd or tape on my commute and the players aren't working properly. So for the past couple of months I've mostly been doing Podcasts.
It amazing what is our there.
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