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Amanita
03-19-2012, 17:00
All this lovely weather has me itching to get out, and in respect of the Green Mountain Club's trail rules, I'm looking to head south to Mass. This being a less than fully formed plan, I have a few questions.

1. How are the trails in Mass right now? Any snow over 6 inches? Ice that would need traction?

2. Anyone have experience parking at either Jug End rd or South Egremont rd? I've never left my car anywhere but VT, so will it be safe for a few days to a week there?

3. Has anyone used the BRTA bus to get around in western MA? It's listed in last year's AT Guide, but I'm trying to figure out if it works well for hikers.

4. Are there any hostels/hiker services that are open this time of year? I'm going to assume their all closed unless someone knows they're year-round.

Trying to throw together a kind of last minute plan, because the weather's been just too good to waste.

lemon b
03-19-2012, 17:22
Was out between Pittsfield Road and Dalton this weekend. Some spots of snow and ice and the low areas are muddier then usual. Overall the conditions are good. Only saw one other hiker at Warner Hill and a family at Kay Wood. Couple weeks back went over Oct Mt which was slick as in rock hard snow. I expect most of that has melted.

Driver8
03-19-2012, 17:53
Was on Bear Mountain just over the line in CT Saturday. Heard north side had some ice in small patches which was negotiable even though the trail there is steep and treacherous. I'd be surprised if there's much at all on the Mass side until you get north of the MassPike, except maybe in north-facing shaded areas such as Jug End.

As to parking safety, I've never parked at Jug End Road, but I have maybe a dozen times as between Undermountain Traihead, Rt. 41 AT crossing in Salisbury, Race Brook Falls Trail and Mt. Washington Road at the CT/MA state line and have neither had a problem nor heard of anyone having any. Jug End is more isolated and has less vehicle traffic, but I'd bet it would be fine. Otherwise, you might see if you can park at a trail angel's home in the area and get a ride to trailhead.

If you want my two cents' worth, accessing the AT via the Race Brook Falls Trail is quite a pleasure, especially if you hug along the brook to see most or all of the falls (6, total, ranging from 12' to 100') on the way up to the ridgeline. Very pretty, especially after a good rain. Sages Ravine is also wondrous if you've not done it yet, and if you park at the CT/MA state line behind Bear Mtn, you can do both in a day, as you see fit, depending on your pace.

nehiker
03-19-2012, 18:25
3. Has anyone used the BRTA bus to get around in western MA? It's listed in last year's AT Guide, but I'm trying to figure out if it works well for hikers.

Slow, but cheap and runs on schedule. Goes to the AT in North Adams, Cheshire, and Dalton. Also goes to Lee (5 miles W of the AT crossing of MA 20), and Great Barrington (4 miles or so from several AT crossings).

Amanita
03-19-2012, 18:58
Driver8, I have done Sage's Ravine, but not racerback falls. Last year I got off in Great Barrington, and I was hoping to go north from there. I'm not sure how far I'll be able to go, or how long I'll have, so I'm hoping I'll be able to park nearish to Great Barrington, head north, and take the bus back from however far I make it.

lemon b
03-20-2012, 05:59
How many days?

Amanita
03-20-2012, 12:11
4-7 days, still trying to figure out exactly how much time I have. If I can't get at least 4 continuous days I'll probably stay in VT and do day hikes.

adamkrz
03-20-2012, 12:19
There is a good parking on rt 23 also lake buell road, Ive used both on muti day trips.

lemon b
03-20-2012, 13:16
I'm not sure if the road up Greylock is open. I know alot of people stage cars up there later in the year. 4-7 days is going to bring you right up into that area. Maybe into the beginning of Vt. There are a few people that run shuttles. Once you have your details figured out PM me and if it's a weekend when you finish I might be out in the area and a run back to 23 isn't that far out of way.

Amanita
03-20-2012, 13:33
Thank you for the kind offer lemon b. I will let you know if things work out to ending on a weekend.

Driver8
03-26-2012, 15:48
Driver8, I have done Sage's Ravine, but not racerback falls. Last year I got off in Great Barrington, and I was hoping to go north from there. I'm not sure how far I'll be able to go, or how long I'll have, so I'm hoping I'll be able to park nearish to Great Barrington, head north, and take the bus back from however far I make it.

It depends on what you want, Amanita. If you particularly like waterfalls, I'd say Race Brook Falls is a don't miss. If you want more to cover AT mileage, different story. Most of the hikers I know who like that area of the AT corridor, for what it's worth, join me in their great fondness for the RBF trail.

If you decide to do RBF, you park on the turnoff just about a mile south of Berkshire School Road on Rt. 41, three miles or so north of the CT line. Hop on the trail, go a quarter mile or so at a gentle grade, until you find a fork in the trail which is well-signed. Persist straight to the lower falls instead of turning left (you can hear the Brook from here most of the time). This will take you about half a mile to the lowest (and tallest) of the falls. Cross the brook from north to south bank near a massive log, then make way up steep back until you join a trail which heads upstream on the south bank. You will rejoin the brook at the top of the big falls you just were below. For the next 750 feet of rough trail you will see a series of falls, in which the brook loses about 250 feet, capped by the 80-ish foot fifth falls, where the main trail you started on crosses the brook.

There is one additional falls about 0.3 up trail at the end of a big switchback. It's pretty but only 12 feet high. You take a left to the stream from a cobble of large boulders, cross the stream and go down the opposite (south) bank. You might consider it not worth the effort, as the other five falls are all more spectacular.

In any event, rather than descend the slippery path along the brook, I always head back down via the main trail, which is beautiful in its own right, which slabs southward atop a ledge for about 0.2 before bending steeply
downhill, gradually towards the stream and back to the parking area.

Driver8
03-26-2012, 15:52
Sorry, a couple of corrections:


Cross the brook from north to south bank near a massive log, then make way up steep BANK until you join a trail which heads upstream on the south bank. You will rejoin the brook at the top of the big falls you just were below. ...

In any event, rather than descend the slippery path along the brook, I always head back down via the main trail, which is beautiful in its own right, which slabs southward FROM THE MAIN UPPER FALLS atop a ledge for about 0.2 before bending steeply downhill, gradually towards the stream and back to the parking area.