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Hard packed most the way with good water crossings. Icy on the steeps with thin brushed off coverage. Didn't need snowshoes. Microspikes all day except down the steeps where I felt better with...

Trail broken out through Willey Ridge trail and to summit with good coverage over all water crossings. No problematic blow-downs but some pesky branches beyond the steps. Steps are iced over and...

The trail is broken and hardpacked from bare-booting. Hardly any snowshoe tracks so the trail is narrow and would be cumbersome with snowshoes. Used microspikes and they worked well all day.
Not...

June 18-20, Trails: took 19 Mile Brook to Carter Moriah to Rainbow and Back doing a bird survey. All but the Rainbow in great shape and fairly well dried out now. Rainbow has several blow downs...

I have had Lyme 3 different times. Only on one occasion did I have the bull eye rash. The one time it did show it appeared in a few days. The last time my GP was hesitant to treat it and I waited...

Trails: Falling Waters back and forth

Falling waters was mostly boiler plate except in a few open areas near the water where the sun is opening bare ground. Just a few patches of ice. Used...

Journey North is a fun site to learn about Eagles and migration.

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/eagle/spring2008/Update031208.html

Their ornithologists are currently trying to radio tag some...

2-4" of new snow on top of well packed trail. Used snowshoes up to Jackson and back and this was the best alternative I think. Stream crossings all easy but with minimal snow bridges. I was the...

I don’t doubt any of the mountain lion rumors. Over the past few years the top end of the food chain here in Connecticut seems pretty healthy- probably due to our ample deer population. Just this...

I have the Svea stove and it still works well. Parts are not available that I know of- I have looked before. Really, aside from the jet itself you can replace most of the parts. The wick in the...

Very nice. It is images like that motivate me to use the camera more. What a great way to start the day. Thanks for posting.

Sorry, I looked at the wrong photo. Yes, that is a diamond back. Nice find. On an ealier thread Papa Bear mentioned he saw one of these on the AT here in CT. I believe I saw the same snake on...

I am not a expert on snakes but this looks like an Eastern Black rat snake or a Northern black racer. The white under the head seems to suggest the rat snake. A Diamond back is more copper/russet...

I also consider myself somewhat of an amateur naturalist with interests in birding, geology, New England archeology, and wildflowers. I even teach environmental science to Boy Scouts. But often I...

I usually do as Pete says. I make a quick map on a small piece of paper with bearings for the entire days trip. Pretty crude but something with slashes for way-marks I have noted on the map. It...

This site describes a few hikes which are not too far from New London and have some of the more prominent ridge lines in southern CT. The ridges over route 77 are quite nice. I particularly like...

There is a three step polish which does the job. It is made by Novus and works on plexiglas and polycarbonates. If you google it it can be bought from many souces. Looks like this:...

An interesting spot but not much of a hike is in Deerfield MA. I think it is called Mt Sugarloaf or Breadloaf State Park. I can't remember which. You can see it just East of Rt 91. It has a steep...

I know that most of the indian trails in central Connecticut often became colonial roads. These typically followed rivers. Unfortunately most of these trails have been built over. The main trail to...

Terrific photos and very impressive! Jefferson can be a monster on a nice warm day.

I would guess we got 24" here ... just where I don't want it: : My driveway!

My last encounter with a coyote was also in the West Hartford (CT) Reservoir where we met on opposite sides of a dike near dusk. She was quite large and pretty old as I could see a large tumor on...

I vote black bear because some marks seem like parallel claw marks rather than teeth or antlers which I would think would look more indiscriminate. Maybe we can get a CSI team up there next time and...

Yeah I am in the same boat as Mike. I often try to do the round trip in a day. It is exhausting but I am usually lacking vacation days at the end of the year and this is the only alternative. Last...

I'd have to thank my Dad and my dog. Dad was a fisherman and he first introduced me to the woods near our home taught me to love the outdoors. But it was chasing old Duke around that got me...