Shades of Oliver Wendell Holmes!

This likely will finish out an (all too) abbreviated season. It is with cautious optimism, I'll look forward to another Spring. No doubt about it - it will be a difficult time during the coming months for our Country

The Rhody Mountain Man (occasionally known as Mike) descended upon the Berkshires as we joined forces in Western Pittsfield. Once upon a time, a small cave existed here but recent years have seen a new housing development likey bury it. The area we explored is underlain (to some degree) by marble providing us with a rudimentary karst area. Nothing we would expect to produce any great rewards. Like another cave or other major karst features.

Interesting geology!

After looking over a couple of resurgences, we trekked out into more remote locations where Mike's research, using LIDAR, foretold of possible sinkholes. And sinkholes, indeed, we did find! Interesting, but again, nothing major. Small signs of possible drainage and almost no bedrock outcrops. Perhaps most interesting was a drainage gully that produced a mini cave-like formation. Marble was present at this site but intermingled with other surrounding rocks.

A side passage that exits the cave

Trucking out from the woods, we decided to relocate to the southern parts of Pittsfield to visit a cave that found its history among the famous books by Clay Perry. Elsie Venner's Cave is named after the story by Oliver Wendell Holmes and rests high in mountainous ledges that require a bit of a difficult climb. I visit this cave every few years but it was an opportunity for RMM's first visit. The cave is a chamber under rocks fallen from a higher elevation. There is even a side exit passage under an enormous boulder that has fractured. Photos taken, we returned to our cars to part ways on this particular trip. Likely, it will be springtime before I meet up with Mike once again!

In Search of Ester's!

To say the year 2020 was a 'disappointment' might very well be the understatement of a lifetime. Unless you've been living in a cave, likely your life was touch in some way, shape, or form by all that has been going on.

It was no different for me as a lot of the activities I typically pursue were hampered, or even completely closed off. Piling on top of that, medical problems once again reared its ugly head. Slowly coming back from that, I was able to connect with two good friends in a search for Ester's Cave.

Little had been heard from Ester in recent decades so we wondered what might be found - if indeed we could find it. Using some long ago directions, we climbed a significant, steep hillside. Eventually, some ledges with broken rock were located. The first thing we noticed is this was not limestone as the old directions mentioned. But a tiny entrance did exist and was explored by the two friends.

At this point, I went off through the woods to see what other prospects might exist. Covering a large section of the countryside, the possibilities for a cave were even less than the area I left behind. As I circled back, communication let me know the friends were moving on and would meet up with me along the way. Joining the two - and an area landowner - we made our way back to our cars in a more roundabout route. By this time, my injury from a couple of months back was beginning to severely hamper me. I managed to dump myself into my car and tell my GPS "HOME", ending this adventure.

Beyond Quabbin

A brief respite from the intense heat allowed me a small window of opportunity to make my way out beyond the Quabbin Reservoir and into sections of northwest Worcester County. Here, in two different towns, I located three new (to me) features and a revisit to a LONG ago site of historic importance.

Princess Rock

First stop brought me to Princess Rock, site of a rather interesting story. An Indian maiden jumped off the top of the rock with her Indian brave boyfriend. Death was the escape from being forced to marry a very important chief from the Narragansett tribe. My observation was one could hurt themselves - perhaps badly - but the jump itself is maybe around 15 feet. There is a sloping hillside below, with a number of rocks that had once been part of the ledge.

Captain Andrew Robinson & Moses A. Fales
@ Mine cliff circa 1870

Moving on a bit, was a mining site that has a rich and somewhat enigmatic connection in town. I have seen this described as both a gold dig and copper/copperas dig. Apparently, its earliest origins may date to the late 1700s, as when the area was 'discovered' in the first half of the 1800s, the mine had already been there! I managed to locate it with a little searching, although it had been years since my last time through the area and the forest had really grown up! One goal was to finally obtain an accurate GPS fix and I noticed an old trench along the base of the cliffs. I can only guess it was used for drainage.

Skipping several towns to the south, I located (with a little searching) the sit of an old rattlesnake den. I had been through town about a year earlier, visiting the local town hall, showing a postcard I had of the den. It was pretty well known but at that time I moved on. No rattlesnakes were present on this particular day but a pleasant surprise in finding it to be a neat little cave.

In the mouth of the Rattlesnake Den

Although my last year's visit to the town hall did not turn up any information on Missionary Rock, l did have a very rough location as to where it lay. While driving along the road, I spotted three people out walking so I addressed my query to them. They did not know, but just as I was getting reading to pull away, one of their neighbors came up behind me in his car. As luck would have it - the rock lay just off the border of his property! I got a full-fledged tour with my guide, pulled out all the appropriate equipment, and eventually left the area as a happy camper filled with new information!

Ancient shelter: Missionary Rock

Setting the trusty(?) car GPS for home, I was directed south to the Mass Pike and back west to the Berkshires!

Remoteness of Franklin County

Camp Rock

20+ years is a bit of time in one's life. So with that in mind, I took my act up into Franklin County for my second only visit to Camp Rock. Back in those days, I took my less than two-year-old Ford Ranger along some pretty despicable back roads to reach this geologic treasure. Coming in from an entirely different direction I was fortunate enough to have a solid woods road with open gates. My luck continued by parking within several hundred feet (later on a Subaru drove right past me up to the Rock) and soon had me at the base of this impressive monolith. At around 60 feet long, and reaching perhaps 15 feet high, its vertical eastern side provided shelter to an early family of settlers thus earning its name.

Somewhere along the Deerfield(?) River

After updating some very old photographs (from back in the days when we sent out our film for developing) I moseyed on up north to the Mohawk Trail. Over the winter, I picked up a very interesting piece of old photography showing a couple of men fishing in the river near a giant boulder. It seems I may have seen it at one time in the past along the Mohawk Trail, but my aging memory is pretty dim on this one. I soon realized that safety issues of diverting my attention from the road (not to mention a large amount of foliage) would probably make this a lost cause. So when I got the chance to take the next major highway south, I turned in that direction, then took the backroads to the site of Mary Lyon's birth. Mt Holyoke College retains ownership of this property which is well kept, including a picnic table.

Rock with Mary Lyon plaque commemorating her birth place

A look at the same location early in the 20th century

Finishing up photographs, it was time to head on out of a very rural location and eventually meet up with Route 9 to take me back into the Berkshires.

A couple of Dens in the Nutmeg State

In a joint excursion with Mike - the Rhody Mountain Man - we converged south of my border, and way west of his Rhode Island border, in Litchfield County, Connecticut. After meeting and exchanging pleasantries, we removed ourselves to the County's southern region in the town of Roxbury. A big part of this town's history involves the old days of iron mining and manufacturing. But our goal took us in a little different direction to Gamaliel's Den.

Gamaliel's Den

This somewhat modest geologic site lends itself to stories of counterfeiting, Native Americans, and even the old Leatherman! At an area once called Raven Rock, one is challenged to make their way up a boulder-strewn hillside. It is a moderate-sized opening underneath a nice piece of ledge.

What followed, found us into Fairfield County near Lake Zoar, which backs up the Housatonic River. Along the Boys Halfway River, a rare lens of marble (for these parts) - and a small cave - can be found. In the long-ago past, this marble was quarried, and in more recent years blasted in an attempt to close off access. Legends of an underground 'ballroom' still persist but evidence of this seems to be a bit on the lean side.

Descent into the Devil's Den/Boys Halfway River Cave

With explorations for the day complete, it was only for me to wind north along old familiar routes through Waterbury and all the way north to the Berkshires once again.

Eastern Franklin Co - along the State Line.

WAY back in 1995 this latest 'phase' of my outdoor life began with the desire to seek out the many little (and often insignificant) caves across Massachusetts. The basis was originally the classic cave book "New England's Buried Treasures" by Clay Perry. Primarily, his index reference many caves that Perry did not cover in the narrative portion of his books. Quite soon thereafter, I was adding other sources and even other geologic formations.

In the boulder field near Indian Cave

But those early years were mostly devoted to Franklin and Hampshire County. Even looking up a few caves I had seen back in my youthful days. So as we move into the present time, I am once again mixing in the old with the new and visiting sites not seen in years! With that in mind, it was back to the Indian Cave in western Franklin County, south of the New Hampshire border.

The trail into Indian Cave used in past years seems to have disappeared. Although on my bushwhack out of the woods, I did run across an old blaze from that trail. But with modern devices like GPS and a newer trail in the vicinity, I did eventually make my goal! Two histories (at least) on this Town mention an overhanging portion of the cave. One says 100 people could fit under it, another says 500! Neither is correct. A nice set of updated photos was obtained since my last visit was 2006. I also examined a number of boulders scattered about the forest including one I humorously labeled Squaw Cave. A perched boulder with some nice shelter space underneath.

One portion of Indian Cave

My next stop was just a jog to the west where some rugged mountainside was covered trying to add to a past couple of visits for Ice Cave. Nothing really presented itself of any interest except falling a couple of times on the rocky hillside.

The Bear's Den

My third - and final - stop took me one more town west and over the Connecticut River to land at the Bear's Den. This is a picturesque little cave, at least looking up at it from the stream below. But the short interior is pretty bland. It appears to be the result of some significant weathering, maybe even of a softer bedrock within the ledgy outcrop.

Photography ate up quite a bit of time on this trip. So over 10 hours later, it was back in the Berkshires!

Questing

One of many relics visible @ Questing

Amid the whole Corona Virus situation, it becomes a bit more challenging to get my 'outdoor fix' but with a little ingenuity, it is still possible. On this day, I met Great Barrington's local history expert, Gary L., down in New Marlborough at a Trustees of Reservation property know as Questing. Old roads and land that once belonged to the Town's earliest settlers were explored.

View across portions of the two drumlins at the local cemetery

Afterwards, we looked up a nearby cemetery, much of which is built largely on two drumlins! Several late 1700s headstones exist. These were of the rare (to this area) slate and an even rarer brownstone! Many were marble, likely from the local quarries. Old roads existed in the area that are mostly abandoned, and I suspect long ago forgotten.

Recon 101

Good old reconnaissance! Sometimes a necessary process to produce a 'final result'. So it was on this cool spring day, I descended South of the Border into the Nutmeg State. Still looking for a good approach to Robbers Cave!

The Falls

My first attempt was a bushwhack through the woods up a high ridge overlooking the valley of Still River and Mooreville. Further progress was eventually blocked by a private home built deep into the woods. Taking a different route, I found an old road with side trails. This eventually led me back out to the area of my desired destination. A nifty waterfall was found, which I suppose to be Robbers Cave Falls, but no sign of any cave. So maybe next time!

Near the base of Hanging Mountain

On the way home, I wanted to see how the rock climbing project at Hanging Mountain in Sandisfield was progressing. Quite well, I'm happy to say! An entrance road and small parking area now exist and people were working away up in the woods and ledges. At this time the area IS closed to the public. So after that. it was onward north to my little home in the central Berkshires.

Quabbin Region

I've had a project hanging around for the past five years over in the southern Quabbin Reservoir region and things looked good to make it happen! A small (VERY small) cave was discovered there. But of greater interest was a set of initials/names that had been carved on its walls and dated 1878. Some research from an existing photo led to the possibility that at least one of the individuals responsible was a previous landowner!

A messy situation waiting at the entrance to the chamber

But let's not get ahead in this story! I started the day looking up the local stone chamber (occasionally called Monk's Caves) which I last visited in 2009. I tried to access the site back in 2015 but the area is covered by dense underbrush. Mostly of a very thorny variety. It never happened on that day and I moved on to another small cave. But the present time brought me back to the area hoping that with the foliage not yet in bloom, I might yet reach the chamber. The short version of this story is I did finally get there! But at the cost of plowing through a considerable forest of prickly growth. I was shocked upon arrival to see the chamber's exterior completely engulfed by the growth and only recognizable from a few feet away. Time was spent gathering a new set of photos and seeing little (at least on the inside) had changed over the past 11 years. I did not relish the thought of traversing the prickly forest once again to make my exit but luck was with me. About a third of the way out to the trail, I came upon an area that was somewhat more open than thorn covered vines. Success!

A little more cozy on the inside!

Moving on, I arrived at the parking area for the large react of land I would have to cross to hopefully reach my destination. The site had been successfully located - and explored - late last year by eminent explorer Mike "Rhody Mountain Man" G. It would be impossible to overestimate how much 'easier' that would make my trip. A long walk later - only to find I had incorrectly entered GPS data - I made the necessary adjustment and finally arrived at the cave. It is a curious item. The ledge had been obviously shaped by the forces of weathering with a large talus slope out in front supplied by the disintegrating rock. But of greater geologic interest, was the appearance of possible solutional formation of the tiny cave. So I set about running quite a few tests with my bottle of acid. Initially, I got all negative results. But before leaving the scene, I went deeper into the cave and tested a number of locations along its walls. Positive! Even though I was able to get a pretty good fizz at one location, and a lighter reaction on the opposite wall, this confirms the presence of carbonate rock. And the possibility this cave was a lens dissolved out of the parent rock.

Clough Cave

At this point, it was time to call it a day! I drifted down to the Turnpike and back west to the Berkshires.

Wring by Clough & Co.

Lee - Lenox Rambles

Seizing the opportunity to work a lead generously offered by Mike (Mr.) T., I headed out to the Central Berkshire region of... Lenox! Yes, I occasionally do some stuff that is almost in my own back yard.

Big piece of Lenox Mountain

So anyway, some boulders of VERY large proportions were deposited near the base of Lenox Mountain. The largest of these having a circumference of 166 feet! Height could very well range from 15 to 18 feet depending on the location of measurement. The first was approximately 12 feet vertical, then sloping back to the rock's summit. There is one nearby with almost as much circumference but lacking a bit in height compared to the Big One. I noticed on my GPS waypoints the Balance Rock in Kennedy Park was not too far off. So I finished this trip visiting a park favorite which I had not seen since the later days of 2002.

Kennedy Park's Balanced Rock

A day later, I joined South County's Gary L. for explorations in Lee. We started out in East Lee at the trailhead to Donato's Trail. This is right alongside the famed Jacob's Ladder Highway. This one ended up being a steep climb, and we decided to do a 'summit circuit' which made the approach a bit longer. However, the descent back was much quicker and shorter in distance. Without the leaves yet on the trees we got a slight glimpse of Goose Pond below.

Peter's Cave - from an old Lee Chamber of Commerce booklet

Moving our act closer to the center of town, we took on Fern Cliff and locations there, written - and pictured - in the local history of the area (my own history was late 2003 for the last visit). These included Peter's Cave, Union Rock, and The Trysting Place. Peter Wilcox's cave made for a good yarn in Clay Perry's books on New England caves. While other sites on the cliff (including Peter's) was the subject of photographs in Picturesque Berkshire South (1893).

Union Rock

Catamount! The Caves, the Marbles, and Other Things...

There's a little piece of Heaven that exists, just south of the Vermont border, in the Town of Colrain. The Catamount Hill(s) were first settled around 1780, mostly abandoned a century later. Geologically, much of this area is underlain by the Waits River and Goshen Formation, parts of which were formerly called the Conway Schists during the late 1800s by eminent geologist B.K. Emerson.

View out of the Bear's Den

As far as the interests of the amateur speleologist and geologist might go, there is the presence of marble/limestones to be found in these old Conway Schists. And even furthermore, one of three 'major' caves in the Catamount Hills may have been formed within those marbles. But on this particular day, conditions meant hiking in a ways to my first objective: the Bear's Den.

The interior of the Bear's Den

The old roads are often flooded due to poor drainage and beaver activities. The Bear's Den is a major rupture in the ledgy hillside that has formed a separation - and cave - of good size. At just over 50 feet, this is a good size cave for these parts! Enjoying my first visit to this area since 2006, I eventually moved along to the area of the Catamount Dens and the Oven. Along the way, occasional outcrops of the grainy black marble could be found. Even popping up in the middle of the roadbed.

My long-ago past visit to the Oven did determine a small presence of marble, thus providing evidence of a traditional solutional genesis. However, I had a nagging feeling over the years that I'd like to see more than that. Between photography and running several dozen tests on the surrounding bedrock, this ate up the lion's share of my time this day. But it was worth it! A much greater presence of marble was to be discovered, furthering the evidence of this cave being a rare formation in Massachusetts, outside of the Berkshires!

The Oven

Packing up, I moved a short distance 'down around the corner' to the Catamount Den(s), proper. This very impressive collapsed ledge, sports a good size talus cave. It also appears to be at the head of a major drainage that probably dates to around the end of the last ice age. This drainage was eventually followed down to McLeod Pond. Of interest here, were some significant outcrops of marble. These seem to extend out into the water but I'd need water access to confirm that.

At the Dens

It only remained (yeah - right) to climb out of the area surrounding the pond to access my route back to the car. This proved more difficult than anticipated and I eventually arrived ending a VERY long - but enjoyable and productive - day in the outdoors. Then the long drive home.

Methodism in the Hills "Another sect appeared in this area when the Troy Conference sent missionaries to Rowe in 1800. There they succeeded in forming a class of a dozen members that became one of the circuit which included Catamount Hill. The Methodists did not believe that buildings were necessary for their purposes. Meetings were held in groves, caves and barns. The Hill meetings were held at the Oven Den and in the newly erected unhewn log school house. Twenty years later the Methodist Reform Church of Colrain was organized by the leading men on the Hill. One of the preachers was Doctor Pardon Hayes of Rowe."

The Puzzle of Catamount Hill (1969) by Elmer F. Davenport

Awakenings: The Sequel!

A week later, I returned to the same basic range of mountains just east of the Connecticut River. This time it was to explore more southerly sections of the 'old Park' and reacquaint myself with the locations first studied over 15 years ago. And yes - the photography of Amherst's John Lovell figured prominently into this.

Several old mountain roads lead upward and trails often diverge from these roads. My first jaunt took me up through an area once occupied just past the mid 100s by the Ansel (A.C.) Delano sawmill. Beyond that, an area existed (not overgrown as it is today) called Paradise. Here I found several good examples of conglomerate ledges and very close by is one used by climbers called The Sunbowl.

Silver Cascade

Returning to my starting point, I relocated bit a bit to the north and hiked up the mountain via another old road. Here was a pretty worthy cascade that I believe photographer Lovell called Silver Cascade. It's not far from an old sugar house that once belonged to Nathaniel Smith. A magnificent glen lays below this cascade and might be the one portrayed in the old Lovell photography as Mossy Glen.

Looking down through the Grand Porch

The remainder of the day was put in at a better know set of ledges once called The Bear's Den - or Home of the Rocks - that is covered in 12 different old stereoviews. My first stop here was at Russell Rock which is a relatively new photo to my collection. It can be found between the Kitchen and Pantry, and the Curve Rock. Finishing up here, I moved on to the area of the Grand Porch which seems to mark the entranceway to Titan's Pasture. I worked my versions of photography for the Porch and the beginning of the Pasture. On the way back, I had enough time to quickly snap Old Man Titan, a giant facial formation that watches out over the Valley in the vicinity of the Rock Shadow.

Old Man Titan

[For those wishing to explore some old-time geologic writing on this area, I would refer them to the "Cirques and rock-cut terraces of Mount Toby" by B.K. Emerson. This can be found in GSA Bulletin (1911) 22 (1): 681–686.]

Awakenings!

It's a little early to tell if a genuine Spring is in the offering. But why look a gift horse in the mouth when a perfect spring-like day is offered to you?

So where to start with all the many choices. It was decided go with my long running activities n the mountains east of the Connecticut River. It proved worthwhile as I was able to solve the 'mystery' of one old John Lovell stereoview sold to me as the Pulpit Rock, but in reality was Grave's Nook.

The Cave as it appeared circa 1870

But the day began up at The Cave, high in the fractured conglomerate ledges, about a mile east of the River. Along those same ledges the Pillar could be found, a tall spire of rock that has separated from its parent ledge. Somewhere along here, another stereoview from my collection, depicted a scene know as "Approach to the Cave". However, its exact location could not be determined. The long way up and around these ledges brings one above The Cave to The Ditch. This 'open air' formation is an integral part to Cave's formation as the splitting bedrock is cause to both of them.

The Ditch

After moving on to Grave's Ledge, I quickly passed by all the old sites identified in past excursions including Castle End, Etta's Nook, Rock Roof, Rock Bend, Kittie's Nook, and Pulpit Rock to arrive where I wanted to focus my attention. Here we brought up the image of the 'second Pulpit Rock' stereoview and shortly identified it as Grave's Nook. A good view - at least for photographic reasons - was almost impossible but I captured it as best I could. Then I focused on capturing images of formations obtained in my last purchase including Myra's Retreat, Tripe Lichen Ledge, and Titan's Quarry. Per usual, I worked in updated photographs of some old favorites. In this case: the Twin Slabs.

Titan's Quarry

Time seems to pass all too quickly when one's busy on such an enjoyable day! The identification of Grave's Nook provided an extra bonus in that it finishes pinpointing the location of all John Lovell's photography for the Grave's Ledge section of his "Views In Sunderland Park".

Myra's Retreat as it appeared circa 1870