2nd Annual New Year's Hike up Mt Greylock

For the 2nd year I hiked up Mt Greylock in Massachusetts with some friends on New Year's day.  We have decided to try to make this a yearly tradition and next year would even like to camp overnight on the mountain. We arrived at the trail head, got geared up and were hiking by 10am.  The weather was cloudy, the summit was in the clouds, with some snow flakes drifting down.  Temps were just around 30* at the parking lot when we began.  We parked at the trailhead for the Cheshire Harbor trail on West Mountain Rd. in Adams, MA and took the Cheshire Harbor trail to the summit.  There was a little hard snow/ice on the trail and we put our microspikes on just outside the parking lot.  Most of the hikers we saw were wearing spikes and the ones that didn't were having a difficult time making it up and down.  It was slippery.

Water running down the trail

We made good time on the way up and reached the summit in 2 hours at just under 3 miles.  The ice got thicker the higher we climbed, but with the spikes on we had no trouble and it was a harder surface which made walking a little easier.  The lower elevation had been hiked a good amount and the snow was broken up and crumbled.  It's a steady climb but not to difficult.  I enjoy watching the forest change as the trail reaches higher elevations, going from a mixed hardwood to the spruce and birch boreal forest.  

Once we passed the pond we knew we were nearing the summit, and then the beacon appeared and we made it.  It was still cloudy with a little wind but was not as cold as last year on the summit.  We enjoyed the view and took some pictures before heading back to the trail.  Even with the clouds we were able to see pretty far.  I could just make out Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire and Mt. Snow in Vermont was visible.  The clouds covered the mountains to the south and west, Mt Everett and Alander and the Taconics were obscured.  

We decided to take a different route back and hike down on the Gould Trail.  It was a nice footpath and provided some nice forest views along the way.  We were looking for the Peck Brook shelter, as a future spot to camp. and found it with no trouble.  The shelter sits on the edge of Peck Brook which flows down a deep ravine.  The ravine drops off just in front of the shelter and provides a nice view.  We all agreed that we would like to camp there next year for the New Year's hike.  

From the shelter we bushwhacked back to the Cheshire Harbor trail after crossing Peck Brook.  It was an easy bushwhack and we had no trouble meeting back up with the trail.  From there it was an easy hike back to the car.  We reached to car around 2pm.  It was a fun hike and I enjoyed adding a different trail on the way down.  The shelter is in pretty good shape and will make for a nice overnight camping trip next year when we return.

Looking back at the peak on our way down

Foggy day over Hogsback

Today was my first day of vacation for the Christmas holiday and what better way to start then to go hike in the woods.  It was also a perfect opportunity to try out the GoPro camera that just arrived in the mail.  I decided to hike a trail with no name that ends at a nice lookout overlooking Hogsback Reservoir.  The hike is nice and level, with only a few small ups and downs.  I passed many stone walls and old home sites on the way to the look out.

As I approached the end I could see that there was a good amount of fog in the valley and a low cloud cover but I hoped I would still get some views.  The view was mostly of clouds and fog today, but the tops of the hills all around me poked through.  The fog in the valley sat over the water without moving much but it did open up for a few glimpses.  I played around with different settings on the camera for awhile and then started back.

I decided to do a little bushwhacking on the way back and climbed up and over the hill the trail goes around on the way in.  This way was interesting with rock outcroppings and some views out through the trees.  I made a short loop then hooked back up with the trail and made my way out.  

I didn't see any wildlife other then a few squirrels and chipmunks today, but I know this area is home to moose and had hoped to see one. I hiked about 3.25 miles on this out and back trail.