I was afforded the opportunity to join an old friend and we both met the Western Mass Hilltown Hikers. Today's hike was to look for signs of quarrying history in Hampden County around the area of the Little River. At least one of these quarries went by the name of the Atwater Quarry with serpentine marble being its specialty. This is also the area of a Native American soapstone site.

The old quarry

A bit of searching along old routes did eventually lead us to a splendid old quarry that was high above the Little River. (Years ago, I had visited a companion quarry across the river to the north and the hiking group took this on after we parted ways that day.) After exploring the aforementioned quarry we attempted to trace the route of transportation line steeply down - and across - the Little River. Bridge abutments still stand marking this route. We also located sites of an old shop and mill once we forded the river.

Abutment to the crossing of the Little River

Mission basically accomplished, we hike back out to our cars and said our goodbyes.

Boulders, boulders everywhere. But not a cave to be!

Earlier in the season I made a somewhat crude attempt at relocating Hunters Cave north of the Greylock Glen area. Things have changed considerably (my memory included) since those days long ago when I last visited. Preparing a bit better I made another stab at it!

This trip relied heavily on GPS coordinates supplied from a list by long ago area explorer Alan R. Plante. The coordinates were located after pushing along trails - some totally overgrown by ground vegetation. Ledges and many boulders were found, none of which I recognized. After giving the area surrounding the coordinates a thorough going over, I aborted in favor of returning on another day. Perhaps without foliage!