Mass AT Section Hike, 4/26-4/27, Lee to Dalton

[earlylight]

I'm looking for a few experienced backpacking partners for an weekend trip in western Massachusetts on the AT. We will start from Lee, MA just off the Mass Turnpike and head north to Dalton. The route covers miles 638.6 to 619.6 in the AT thru hiker companion. Both ends of the hike have good parking and this section is devoid of residential/urban habitation.

After an initial ascent of 700 ft, this is a pretty flat ridge walk and would be a good shake-down hike for those of you getting out for your first trip of the season.

Itinerary.

Sat: Lee, MA to October Mountain Lean-to (7 miles)
Sun: October Mountain Lean-to to Dalton (11.5 miles)

Meet at 8:30 AM, Saturday in AT Parking Lot in Lee off Rt 20/Mass Pike. Be prepared for 20-30 degree temperatures at night. Heavy snow cancels (not a snowshoe/crampon hike). Must have experience and appropriate gear for cold weather backpacking/camping.

[Dingus Khan]

arrg!!
again foiled by my work!!
i work every other weekend and would love to join you. if you should cancel, and say, rebook the following week consider me sold :)

[earlylight]

Sorry - I cant move the dates. I'm on a short leash. I'm only half way through the state...I'll still do a few more hikes in MA and VT where we can hook up.

[wystiria]

Hey there, we could join you for Sundays hike - maybe even meet you sat night at oct. mnt. sh. we have some things to do saturday but not sunday and need the section between Oct. and Dalton. what do you think?

We can chat off line about logistics. I know a couple other people that might be interested in that section as a day hike too so we woul dhave enough cars to shuttle them around.

[Quoddy]

I'm happy to be joining EarlyLight on Saturday morning for the hike from Lee to October Mountain. Looking forward to seeing Wysteria and anyone else able to join us on Saturday evening for the hike to Dalton on Sunday.

[wystiria]

looking forward to it see you sat night!

[earlylight]

Wysteria, Sherpa, Quoddy and I all hooked up and had a nice hike. Here's a trip report (http://sectionhiker.com/2008/04/29/trip-report-mass-at-lee-to-dalton/). Ah, the black flies are out in western mass.

[Dingus Khan]

hey all,

just thought i would inform you that i just did that section this weekend. great time!! a little wet at times but didn't actually rain on me once. i was very surprised to have zero bugs out... even after things started drying out this afternoon, a couple of random skeeters, that was it!
sorry you didn't have the same luck :(
i was really more worried about the ticks, i just pulled a deer tick of my buddy last week, i kept checking myself but didn't find any...
i was a bit disappointed to see the October Mountain Shelter area look as though 30 drunk teens had ransacked it.. not garbage, just general disrespect for the area...

hope to hook up with you guys soon!

[Dingus Khan]

wow, after rereading that i realized that there was all negative comments.
blech, hate being home after a good hike :)

it was a GREAT TIME and i had a wonderful 2 days!


there, thats better!

[earlylight]

Dingus,

After our stay at October Mtn with 15 other people, I've decided to get out the hammock and stealth camp for most of the summer away from shelters and rude people who bring chainsaws for the weekend.

[wystiria]

Definitely had a GREAT time - realllly too bad to read that OMS was a mess :( not terribly surprising, although i thought there were a few guys out of that group that seemed to be towing the line. oh well.

Earlylite - the trick is just plan shelters that don't have easy road access.....

[Dingus Khan]

ditto on the hammock, nice and easy to get away... :)

[Quoddy]

I had a good time on the hike. Don't tempt me to bring my Speer/MacCat the next time. I'm going to stick to the little tarp and stay on the ground. My wife is going to England from the 10th to the 28th and I had to promise not to take the dog on any overnight hikes. My next available time is from the 29th on until my Colorado thru hike begins. Note the avitar from October Mountain... I try to stay current.

[wystiria]

Wooo-hooo I am a famous photagrapher now ;)