Bushwhacking from AT to South Taconic Trail

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I had climbed down from Bear into the ravine basically hanging from tree trunks at trailside.
Wow. That's deja vu for me. I did the same thing probably about four years ago, right down to hanging from the trees. It had snowed a bit and I figured I'd be OK without traction, but I was halfway into the ravine when I figured out that I was wrong and wouldn't be able to come back out on the AT. :p

I wound up making my way over to Paradise Lane, which had been sheltered from the worst of the ice. That got me out.
 
I've never explored the ravine east of where the AT crosses the river. My first time in there I noticed that somebody had recently done a real number on the slope in that area and I didn't want to make it worse.

The best part of the Ravine is just east of the AT. Decent waterfalls and deep pools there.

On some maps it shows parking for 2 vehicles on the east side of 41 at the CT/MA border. This is where the stream (Sawmill Brook) crosses under 41. Also on some maps there is a trail that heads west on the south side of Sawmill Brook. This path used to soon cross the stream and head up along the boundary and then peter out, becoming a short bushwhack to the AT between Sages and Bear Rock Falls, avoiding the "Private Road" Will got caught on. As yutes we would access Sages this way to camp and to avoid parking at and hiking Undermountain. If you want to exit Sages this way you can't hike down the ravine (without a death wish), you need to take the AT out of Sages to the north and then take the open woods east southeast back towards the CT/MA border. If you don't know exactly where you are you miss the crossing to regain the trail on the south side of the brook and end up on the north side on private property, some sort of retreat center. This has happened to me several times and I'm not suggesting it's okay, but I've never been hassled, either. You just need to walk downhill out their driveway to 41.
 
Chip , Pat and I had to whack down through there a couple of years ago when you and Early Bird left us " old timers " in the dust . However , we had a plan to deal with any irate landowners we might meet along the way . I wouldn't say anything and she would only speak German if we met anyone. We didn't need it though , as the only people we saw just waved to us .

I've been following this thread with a lot of interest, having hiked up there for a lot of years . Will's idea of a large loop is a good one and most of the possible routes have been well discussed , but I think that once you get past Alander & the Forest Headquarters the S. Taconic Tr. and the AT just get too far apart to make any connection feasible without a major road-walk . As was mentioned, the area between Prospect Hill and Mt. Fray gets the STT within 1/2 mile of Mt. Washington Rd , but then you end up with an even longer road-walk .

Good luck with this , I'd like to see a way for it to work ...

Dave
 
Incidentally, the map Chip linked to is available in printed form from the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, along with a few others. It's a beautiful map with a great deal of detail. The printed map also has some geographic descriptions in the margins and natural history information on the back. The detail is very fine and hard for me to read in the field, but I really enjoy this map.
 
Since this thread seems to have quite a concentration of local knowledge, I figure this is a good place to ask something that I've been wondering for a few years.

What is the deal with the SW corner of the plateau?

sw_corner.jpg


There are three public trailheads here, one of which is nowhere near reservation land. More curiously, there are no trails connected to the trailheads. The "proposed trail" seems to be in a corridor extending towards Thorpe Mtn, and Bird Mtn's bald summit has always caught my eye as a possible short bushwhack, but I've never done it just because I'm not sure if it's on publicly accessible land or not. The trailhead in the middle of land that clearly isn't in the park sends a confusing message.

Does anyone know what the deal with this area is?
 
Not sure if I can help much with these 3 trailheads . The 2 near Rudd Pond I believe are just short walks in the park . Although , looking at the map that Davehiker mentioned , the lower one seems to connect to a bunch of trails that do get up close to Bird Peak . My GF walked in there but didn't say too much about it .

The trailhead on the end of Reservior Rd looks interesting , and I don't think I ever noticed it before . It looks like that road used to continue all the way up to to village of Mt. Riga in the 19th century . It "may" still be considered a public right of way , but I wouldn't bet on it . I'd love to walk this one , but if it leads into Riga Corp. land , then I'll pass on it .

Dave
 
Incidentally, the map Chip linked to is available in printed form from the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, along with a few others. It's a beautiful map with a great deal of detail. The printed map also has some geographic descriptions in the margins and natural history information on the back. The detail is very fine and hard for me to read in the field, but I really enjoy this map.

Good deal. I just joined. 3 maps and the membership for $25 individual, $35 family. Not too shabby. Plus I've been using and linking to that map for years here, so I'm going to try to buy some extra ones as well.

"
To Get Maps
Please consider becoming a member of the Council. New members will receive copies of all three trail maps. New members at $100 or higher will also receive the County Map.

To purchase maps without becoming a member visit:
The Arcadian Shop 1 Pittsfield Road Lenox, MA
The Mountain Goat 130 Water St. Williamstown, MA
The Bookloft Barrington Plaza Rt. 7 Great Barrington, MA

Your membership includes the following benefits:

The Yokun Ridge Trail, Mount Greylock, and South Taconic Range trail guides and maps as well as the opportunity to receive the upcoming maps in our Green Series.
News and event information. You'll receive our informative newsletter, Resources Report, and invitations to special events.
Your membership dues will enable us to provide professional stewardship on over 6,466 acres of land that we own throughout the Berkshires.
Protect additional lands through acquisitions and perpetual conservation restrictions. Today the Council protects nearly 8,052 acres under conservation restriction agreements."
 
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The trailhead on the end of Reservior Rd looks interesting , and I don't think I ever noticed it before . It looks like that road used to continue all the way up to to village of Mt. Riga in the 19th century . It "may" still be considered a public right of way , but I wouldn't bet on it . I'd love to walk this one , but if it leads into Riga Corp. land , then I'll pass on it.
The road on the map runs right into Mt Washington Rd/East St at South Pond. I've only been in that area a few times since the access road on Bunker Hill is closed for half the year (as is Mt Washington Rd at the CT/MA border,) but I seem to remember the areas that were definitely on Riga Corp's land being posted or gated and clearly visible from the road.

The USGS quad identifies the northern end of that road as "Mt. West Rd" and my guess would be that it isn't a private road as people seem to live on it and there's even a cemetery just off of it.

Does Riga Corp have a contact? It would be nice to know where exactly their land begins and ends.
 
I had search previously with very few results. I did just find this Article which gives some information, but no contact.
I just stumbled across that myself. Interestingly, it says that TNC owns Bald Mtn, not Riga Corp. I will definitely look into that on TNC's site. I've always wanted to explore that area, but assumed it was Riga Corp's land.

Also, I found this posted by the HVA:
http://www.hvatoday.org/show.cfm?page=heart/Salisbury.htm

The pertinent part mentions that Riga Corp allows access to and fishing in Wachocastinook Creek. That's clearly outside of park land and suggests that access in certain areas south of the pond may be tolerated. Finding somebody who has the authority to state if certain areas were open or not would be nice.
 
Found this:

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/newyork/press/press3821.html

Apparently the entire ridge between Rudd Pond and the southern terminus of the STT belongs to TNC as of last winter. In addition, an unspecified parcel in the area was also ceded to them in 2003. It appears that the property boundaries on the 2002 BNRC map are now very out of date on that end of the plateau.

Map of TNC properties:
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/n...re/files/large_programmapfeecr_2008update.pdf
 
It appears that the property boundaries on the 2002 BNRC map are now very out of date on that end of the plateau.
[EDIT:] None of the below in this post came to anything, except for the growing realization that there is a lot less private property in this general area now than there used to be.

If TNC allows unfettered hiking access to its property here (I am a member but I haven't been attentive to their policies) then private property as a restriction to my interest here is less a problem than I had thought. It looks, for example, like that entire path/woods road we've been talking about west of the jug End Loop Trail is legal, and _if_ there is access from that path to the north, there is NO blocking private property high on Mt. Sterling's eastern flank.

And on my ideal potential route, from the westernmost point of the Jug End Loop Trail up to pass between Sterling and Whitbeck, there is less off-limits blockage to skirt around (looks like there is a fracking housing development though).

[EDITED TO ADD: Yeah. Though the on-line dcr map shows the entire area as Reservation, there is a sprawling slum development set into the hillside. It's been there awhile and shows on most other maps, including the 2008 dcr map (which is the version available in the Trail parking lot; this version of the map, however, shows a much larger off-Reservation block than actually occupied by the slum, and much larger than the private property block shown on other current maps). You either have to skirt around the actual buildings to the left (south), which I have done with some success, or cross over the access road to the right (north) of the buildings and then head across the meadows and plan your ascent into the woods ahead. You are probably on private property for the moment you cross the road; but there are no buildings at that point, not even close. So cross quickly.]

Also, much more of the eastern access to Mt. Fray is in play than I was seeing on my maps, if I can get that far.

Very encouraging; thanks for the info!!
 
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Will, once you figure this all out you might want to consider putting it in writing and presenting it to "the powers that be". It'd be nice to see an official loop trail some day. I've been a member of the Berkshire Natural Resources Council for about 5 hours now, so I might have some sway there ! :rolleyes:
 
If TNC allows unfettered hiking access to its property here (I am a member but I haven't been attentive to their policies) then private property as a restriction to my interest here is less a problem than I had thought. It looks, for example, like that entire path/woods road we've been talking about west of the jug End Loop Trail is legal, and _if_ there is access from that path to the north, there is NO blocking private property high on Mt. Sterling's eastern flank.
Yup. I found that map very promising, particularly at that end of the plateau. It's a lot better connected than it appears to be on the BNRC and USGS maps.

I've since dispatched an email to TNC to see what their policies are.

Very encouraging; thanks for the info!!
I was rather excited to find it, too. At the very least it sounds like the STT will soon be extended another 6 miles. At best... well, some areas that I've always thought were off limits may actually be accessible. If I hear anything from TNC, I'll post it.


Additionally, I've done some more research (I really should be studying for my midterm tomorrow. I still have 150 pages to read :p)

It seems that the person at Riga Corp that we need to talk to in order to find out specifically where access is and isn't allowed is a Alice Combs. I've run across her name several times while researching this afternoon and she seems to serve as some sort of liason between Riga Corp and other groups. I could not find any contact information for her, though. If somebody can manage to figure out how to contact her, maybe we can get a VFTT pass. :p
 
Some Progress Wed 10/21/2009

I poked around a little this afternoon.

The line on the topo that Chip pointed out going up between Prospect & Fray from East St is right on, a great woods road. Several signs:
--------------
STATE PARK
ALL HUNTING, TRAPPING, AND THE DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS WITHIN THIS PARK IS PROHIBITED
VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED TO FULL EXTENT OF LAW
Commissioner
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
---------------
Another sign:
------------
STATE PROPERTY
ALL TARGET PRACTICING, HUNTING, TRAPPING, DISCHARGE OR POSSESSION OF ANY FIREARM, BOW OR ARROW, TRAP, OR ANY DEVICE FOR THE TAKING, KILLING OR CAPTURING OF BIRDS OR MAMMALS WITHIN THIS AREA IS PROHIBITED
VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED TO FULL EXTENT OF LAW
Commissioner
MASS. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
----------------------------

No prohibition on hiking! ...my GPS track from several years back indicates the road does go all the way, past the structure, to the STT. Even if the structure itself turns out to be somehow private, it should be trivial to skirt around it.

I proclaim Chip's Road as the Western Link of the Northwest Passage from the AT to the STT.

There is a parking spot very close (2-3 cars) but a very angry sign:
--------------
HUNTERS
NO HUNTING ON PRIVATE LAND
without written permit
You will be liable for arrest!
NO PARKING ON THE ROADS
Your car will be towed away!
BY ORDER OF POLICE
MT. WASHINGTON, MA
-------------

Maybe, since the sign talks about hunters, hiking is possible? Maybe with permission? I will call the Mt Washington police tomorrow to inquire.

[EDIT:] No police I talked to would commit to anything. Maybe it's OK, maybe not (if they get a complaint) was the basic answer.


As I've located past notes, it looks, at the moment, that I've tested all but about a mile of this northwest passage between the AT and the STT. This is point-to-point on the map, over the top and then down the Sterling/Whitbeck west flank; obviously it will be much further on the ground. So lots of work still to do, but some progress.
 
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Now even though this gravelly parking area is off the street, I assume that parking there would still be regarded as on street. Maybe, since the sign talks about hunters, some kind of hiking permit is possible? I will call the Mt Washington police tomorrow to inquire.
I seem to recall a few areas within walking distance of that point where pulling off the road should be fine. In fact, I seem to remember one spot right in front of one of those posters where the shoulder, while grassy, was wide enough to park. I was last at that end of the plateau in March and I never actually stopped, so I don't remember exactly where it is. I think it might have been right around the curve parallel to Whitbeck.

I proclaim Chip Road as the Western Link of the Northwest Passage from the AT to the STT.
Sounds good to me. I'll definitely give this route a shot sometime this winter.

I plan to get out there sometime within the next few weeks and do some poking around myself. I hope to find out if the Ceder Mtn area is accessible. I've long wanted to bushwhack there for the novelty of climbing Mt. Washington. :p
 
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