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.
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.
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.
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).
