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All this info is great,but kinda old. I looked in the new hiker companion but sometimes the ones on the trail know best. I am looking to hike ct to vermont in early sept. I can only carry 4 days of food and then need to reup. Any advise and info would be greatly appreciated....tenlots
The data books will be your best source of info.
That said, you know the problems for resupply in Mass. High prices and not much close to the trail.
I spent some time in Great Barrington, visiting dead relatives in the cemetary and camping in nearby parks. Here is a link to a pdf of October Mt State Forest. You might be able to use the info on trail access that it shows.
The Park is beautiful. I drove the rental car over the mountain and saw a wolf while I camped there!
Yeah, I'm not awake yet.... http://www.mass.gov
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/octm.htm OK try this..sorry.
grayfox, you saw a WOLF on October Mt? Not coyote but wolf?
A wolf isn't out of the realm of possibility--one was killed in northern MA a couple of years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by berkshirebirder
But, yeah, coyote is a zillion times more likely.
OK, so this is kind of a funny story. I think it was 2004.
I set up camp in the park kind of late and made a quick dinner. It was late Oct. so the light was fading fast. A camper pulled in as I was finishing and I could see the people through the brush that was between the campsites. As I doused my campfire and headed to the tent, the guy called out to me, "Just wanted to let you know that we have a dog and he likes to visit other people. Didn't want him to scare you in the dark" I answered, "Oh, that's OK. I like dogs and they like me."
I was so tired that I just put my dinner dishes and pots and pans in the open tent vestibule and went to sleep. I knew that was a bad idea but I figured the neighbors dog would bark and keep any wild animals away. Sometime in the night I heard the dishes clatter and looked out the open screen door. I saw a long black snout with big fuzzy ears and big black eyes. My first thought was no wonder they think their dog might scare people, he looks just like a wolf. I thought he must be a big German Shepherd or somethng. So I said, "Go home. I ate it all and there's nothing left for you." He backed up silently and was gone instantly. I made a mental note to not leave any dishes out the next night and went back to sleep.
So, the next mornng I was having breakfast and I hear my neighbors moving about. I hear a dog bark and rustling in the bushes. The neighbor calls to the dog to come back. But as I turn to toward them I am very suprised to see a small terrier dog run to me from the brush. He is closely followed by his master.
I say, "Is this your dog."
He says, 'Yes."
"Your only dog?"
"Yeah, why?"
I did not tell him why or tell anyone what I was sure I had seen in the night. It is never a good idea to tell people about seeing a wild animal because it does nothing for you and can be real bad for the animal. But later I did overhear some people who do not share my concern talking about rumors of wolf sightings in the area.
One can never be sure, of course. But I have been to the Wolf Center up in Ely when I was canoeing the boundary waters and I am pretty sure that what I saw was a wolf. It was the eyes more than the color and size Coyote eyes are very different.