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Alander Mountain

Andy | September 13, 2009

Alander Mountain is the highest point in Columbia County. I chose to access the mountain from Mt Washington State Reservation Park Headquarters in Massachussets. You can also visit there from New York State in several other directions, although the elevation increase is substantial.

While it was clearing when I left Albany around 7 AM, when I got out to Mt Washington State Forest, it was a misty-rain mix. I left my raincoat home, but fortunately it was more damp then heavy rain.

They do not allow casual primitive camping in the Mt Washington State Forest. That said, 1 1/2 miles up the trail there is two or three sites for primitive camping. Nobody was up there on the rainy days.

Primative Campsite No 1. Somebody left some cords up along with basic cooking things and water bottle, along with a nicely built up fire pit.

The trail got steeper as I continue up the mountain, and at the same time got clearer and nicer out.

When you arrive almost to the top of the mountain, there is a beautiful little cabin you can stay in for no charge. It appears to be fairly popular, but with 6 bunks and floor camping space. There was a fair bit of unburnable trash around — particularly liqour bottles, even though technically alcohol is prohibited in the state forest.

Regardless, it looked like a fine place to camp. There is a wood stove in the cabin so you can stay here in the winter. I didn’t look at the wood supply around, but it looks like that shouldn’t be a problem.

While there was no official camping allowed on the mountain, people where certainly camping up there, and there were places where one could get well off the trail, yet camp in an open area with minimum damage to the land.

Once atop the mountain, it was still foggy and damp, but it was clearing out.

As the morning progressed, the sky got progressively clearer.

There was a Turkey Vulture flying over the landscape.

When it cleared out the views where beautiful, but with still quite a bit of haze remaining from the morning. I want to be up here one day in the fall when it is much clearer out. Maybe spend the night at the cabin, and enjoy the sunset and the leaves under the morning light.

Brace Mountain and Ashley Hill as seen from Alander Mountain.

Farms and other uses throughout Copake Valley looking down towards Millerton.

Apple Orchards and Swamps. This is similar from the views from Sunset Point that I looked down from during a springtime hike.

Alander Mountain is partially in Massachusetts and partially in New York. The peak is in Massachusetts.

The lower unamed plateau I hiked along on the South Taconic trail. By 2:30 in the afternoon it started to look like rain once again.

Returning back to the truck, it still looked like rain. You can see Alander Mountain in the background, from the area near the Mt Washington forest headquarters.

This is a map of the route.

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Pine Cobble

Andy | September 6, 2009

Two weekends ago, I went for a hike up Pine Cobble outside Williamstown, MA. This is the first time I’ve really been hiking in the Berkshires, formally, and not just on the New York-Massachusetts line on the Taconic Crest Trail. That said, the Taconic Crest trails runs on such a high ridge compared to the rest of the Taconics, and is closer to the height of the Berkshires, that it is probably in the Berkshires and not the Taconics, regardless of where the state line may rest.

The Pine Cobble starts off a steep road that has the Pine Cobble private development on it. It’s not a gated community, but as close as one can get to it. The parking is limited here, with a lot for seven cars, so if it’s full, as it was on this beautiful Sunday morning on labor day, you will be forced to park on the shoulder.

There is a six-inch asphalt curb you have to jump to get on the grass sholder, but if you have a truck, it shouldn’t be a problem. They didn’t give me a ticket, and lots other did it, so I guess it’s legal. They do have a sign, just past the parking lot, as you go into the development, that says NO PARKING on ROADWAY and it’s posted, but downhill from the lot, seems okay.

The trail head is very well signed. The entire trail is well worn, and the occassional Williamstown Trail Blazes makes it easy to follow the trail.

Parts of the trail are either relatively smooth or steep and rocky. It’s called Pine Cobble, so you would expect to be walking on a lot of rock cobble. It’s not nice small stuff, but big enough that you have to keep a careful eye on where you step.

Three quarters of the way to the top there is this oak tree with three shoots up that provides a perfect little pool where water accumulates throughout the year. It’s quite neat looking. Talking to other people, this is actually quite a common occurance with a certain type of oak.

A top Pine Cobble, looking at East Mountain.

You’ve almost made it to the top of Pine Cobble. Once you’ve checked it, make sure to take the trail up East Mountain for a 1/2 mile to get some awesome westerly views.

Here is the summit of Pine Cobble. It’s not the most impressive summit, and indeed the best views are along the edges of Pine Cobble, where there are several to be enjoyed.

Looking down at North Adams from Pine Cobble. The city’s high rises are surrounded by the mountains that form Hoosic Valley where the river runs north through Williamstown, Pownal, Vermont, and ultimately Rensselear County, New York into the Hudson.

Here is the Pownal Valley, where the Hoosic River heads up through the corner of Vermont and back into New York State.

West from Pine Cobble, you can see the last range of the Taconics / first of Berkshires, where Berlin Mountain and Mount Raimer. Also in the foreground is a little bit of Williamstown.

On East Mountain there are these exciting views of that same range, but with the addition of lots of bright white marble rock, cairns, and at least on this blue day, a deep blue sky.

When you reach the top of East Mountain, there is sections of the Appalachian Trail that remind me a lot of the look of Albany Pine Bush, minus the sandy soils. The Berlin Mountain range in the distance pull some kind of emotion into my heart, just like looking at the Heldebergs from the Albany Pine Bush.

The Applachian Trail sign on East Mountain.

At the Massachussets and Vermont (Green Mountain National Forest & Long Trail) border.

A beautiful day for sure.

Here is a map of the hike.

White Rock and Snow Bowl

Andy | September 5, 2009

On Saturday evening after doing some political volunteer in the morning, I decided it was simply too nice to spend the afternoon home. It also was Memorial Day weekend, so I decided I wouldn’t be able to get the best campsites at the State Forest in Summit, so I decided to go hiking.

So I chose some place close: the Taconic Crest Trail, north of parking lot at Mountain Raimer on state border of NY-2 & MA-2. It’s quick drive from Albany, and a beautiful place to hike particularly in the evening.

The section on the Taconic Trail runs partially on the Hopkins Memorial Forest, a parcel owned by Williamstown College. Camping and hunting is prohibited on this portion, as it’s used for research. Other sections are owned by the DEC or run on DEC easements that allow most conventional uses.

Here is off White Rocks.

Several small hobby farms you can see from off White Rocks.

Along the trail, looking south in the mid-afternoon, with Mount Raimer and NY-2 in the background. This looks like somebody has stayed here in the past, although I’m not sure if it’s NYSDEC land, and even if it is, it’s too close to the trail to be fully-legal camping.

Here is NY-2 winding up the mountain.

Interesting walk through a thick grove of Ash Trees.

Crossing a muddy area on boards.

One of the unique features of the area is a place called Snow Bowl, a deep cavern in the woods, between peaks, that is known for holding snow deep into the summer. No snow is left by September, but it, according to the guide book, frequently has snow remaining by mid-summer.

Beyond Snow Bowl I hiked about another mile. Not much in views over hear, but still a nice hike with only limited climbing up and down. I think I crossed into Vermont, but I did not see any signs of markers saying Green Mountain National Forest.

Hiking back the sun was starting to set, and there where clouds making for some impressive vistas.

Back at White Rocks there was some pretty views as the sun was setting.

For a while the sunset took away my breath.

As the day came to an end.

When I got my truck, this was the view of Mount Prospect from the parking area.

Here is a map of the hike.

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Deer River State Forest

Andy | August 19, 2009

In south-western Franklin County there is a state forest with approximently 12,00 acres of land, and almost 12 miles of truck trail. Most of it is wooded and moderately hilly, with acres of swamps and rivers, with substainal access via truck trail.

There are three campsites along Conservation Road, with one at Iron Bridge on the Deer River. This is a popular site, one with limited nearby firewood. You probably could drive to another portion of the forest, chop up some wood, and drive back so you have enough for camping.

The site is number 5, although I was only able to find sites one and two nearby. The other ones must be on other roads. I didn’t drive all over Deer River State Forest, due to the noise the hubs where making on the truck, worrying me about a potential breakdown/failure with the bad hubs.

Parts of Conservation Road where relatively rough and potholed, but compared to some of the other roads it wasn’t all that bad.

At Iron Bridge, there is a popular swimming hole. I went in both in them evening to cool off and in the morning to bathe.

Right now, the area is only open to pickup trucks, horses, mountain bikers and hikers. Hopefully the DEC will open it up to legal ATV access, as was planned under the Governor Pataki administration, prior to a lawsuit brought by the enviros.

Here is a map of a Deer River State Forest where I camped. There are many other areas of the state forest I could have explored if I had spent more time up there. It was a nice place.

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Have I Ever Gotten Lost?

Andy | August 17, 2009

Notes on the Re-Run for Saturday, March 10th.

— Andy

I’m not sure if I have ever gotten lost before in the woods. There has been times when I’ve taken a trail to a surprise result. I don’t always have a perfect map in my head of every area I’ve been to, and sometimes when visiting a new area, I will loop back upon on a trail and be quite surpised at that fact.

Sometimes I will run into something unexpected in the woods that makes it impossible to reach my destination the way I originally expected. The cliff might drop off steeply, their might be a pond in the ways, the trail might be really muddy and mucky, or their might be a hunter up ahead. I usually find my way back to the trail without a problem.

There have been times when I’ve had difficulty locating one point or another. I almost always find it, after a little searching, if it’s nearby. Sometimes I will give up and go back, especially if my map’s quality is poor or if it’s not readily apparent where it should be.

I guess some day I will get truly lost.

Point Au Roche State Park

Andy | August 17, 2009

Back in my college days I used to either ride my bike or drive up in the pickup to Point Au Roche State Park, which is located about 8 miles from Plattsburgh. It has fantastic views of Lake Champlain, and on less humid days, some great views of the Adirondack Mountains.

I went for a walk out along Long Point on Sunday Night and Monday morning. It was amazing to come back to the place which I so much remember from when I was back in college. The only difference I noticed was the wind turbines you could see on Rand Hill, just barely through the evening haze.

When I went for the walk this night, it was very hazy and hot. It wasn’t raining, but from the amount of fog and humidity you might not have guess it.

The next morning was almost as hazy and hot and humid, but with some nicer views.

At the end of Long Point.

Map of hikes (red = Sunday, yellow = Monday).

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Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Tower

Andy | August 8, 2009

Last weekend, after hiking up to Slide Mountain, I decided to drive another 30 minutes west to Balsam Lake Mountain. This was the final fire tower in the five remaining trails in the Catskills.

Across from the Dry Brook Parking Area is the blue trail heading south to the Balsam Lake Fire Tower. It is not well marked, but there is one sign that points across the lot, then this well worn sign at the start of the old woods road that leads to the fire tower.

The first 2.25 miles of the trail runs entirely through private lands, and is heavily posted. There is also very few blue markers, so don’t be surpised until you reach the kisok that you feel you are on the wrong trail.

Seeing this was very re-assuring, as I signed my name into the book, and knew I was on the real trail. The kiosk is set about 1/4 mile back from the road. But if you’ve seen the first sign, your okay, as you’ll eventually reach the kiosk.

Here is a picture of the old woods road. When the tower was open, the Ranger could drive all the way up there. Today, you can technically drive in until you get to the start of the state land, although it would be rough without a pickup. This trail is not particularly steep.

Along the trail is several old telephone polls, used to carry telegraph and/or telphone lines up to the way up it.

At 2.25 miles you reach the intersection of the blue and red trails, the red one that takes you to the tower. It might be only 3/4 miles to the tower, but you still have to go an additional 600 feet in elevation, on a trail with several moderately steep uphill.

At 2.5 miles you reach the Balsam Lake State Forest, and about a minute later, you reach the 3,500 elevation mark.

You climb and you climb, and the trail opens up. You think your at the top when you here, but your not. Think about hiking for another 15 minutes.

Finally, you see the Ranger’s station and the tower. This makes you happy, especially if you climbed Slide Mountain before this.

The fire tower is staffed on summer weekends, and the cab is open for inspection. At the Ranger’s cabin, there is historic posters from back in the day when the tower was staffed.

Here’s the tower against the very grey sky.

There are some views from the tower, but not super interesting or exciting. Maybe if it was clearer, with deep blue skies it would be a lot purtier.

Here is the inside of the cab of the tower. There is a fixed map to help the ranger in the past observe where a forest fire was, and then call down to the firefighters.

Here’s the Ranger’s Cabin from up top in the tower.

About 200 feet lower, and a 1/4 mile to the south, there is a spring. Also nearby is a lean-to, that is popular on the weekends.

The fire tower steps.

Here is a map of the hike that I took.

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