Recent Trips

Until such time comes where I can write these out more fully, here is the latest from my end.

Mar 11 Chester Saw property work day

Mar 9 Lee Two additional sections on the Huckleberry Trolley Line

Mar 8 Lee Library Several sites and sections on the Huckleberry Trolley Line

Mar 1 Adams Greylock Glen Pulpit Rock

Feb 24 Chester Ingell Cemetery and H. Newman Marsh; Cemetery

Feb 3 Otis old Bowe/Williams Quarry

Jan 27 Chesterfield Gorge

Jan 26 Becket Chester-Becket RR Line boulder quarries

Jan 12 Becket Chester-Becket RR Line Mitchell Quarry

Jan 6 Egremont Jug End

Jan 4 Chester Saw Property

Jan 3 Sandisfield CSLs Writing rock

Jan 1 Chester First Day Hike @ Sanderson Brook Falls

Dec 29 Blandford Abandoned roads, box factory remains, cellar holes

Dec 23 Dalton The Prairie

Dec 21 Chester Saw property

Dec 16 Sandisfield York Lake CCC Memorial Service

Dec 15 Westhampton Manhan mine sites (2)

Dec 14 Chester Saw Property

Dec 8 Becket Old Quarry Chester Wright Mine

Nov 30 Blandford Herrick Road trails Sunset Rock Road Soapstone investigations

Nov 24 Chester Sackett Mine

Nov 23 Chester Thanksgiving

Nov 18 Lanesborough Constitution Hill & cave; Widow Whites & Baker's Quarry, Disappearing brook caves

Nov 16 Chester Parts of the Chester-Becket rail line; Marcia Mine

Nov 14 Dover NY Stone Church Cave

Nov 12 Chester Saw property

Nov 10 Chester Hampden St Park RR line Mines

Nov 3 Westfield Pitcher Street & trail

Nov 2 Becket Trolley line pre hike

Old cellars

Cellar remains of a former house

This returned us to the general area of the Potholes, located in the Jacob's Ladder region, explored a couple times in the past. But we brought along a cellar hole expert to scope out a number of previously unknown/unseen cellar remains. The area had been logged and traveling was rough. One member had not yet seen the Potholes so he headed off with another knowledgeable member to look at that. The rest of us picked our war through a heavily rutted forest roads back to our cars.

Shatterack!

Fish Rock, overlooking Russell

I joined hike leader Liz for a look at the Shatterack Trail leading from Montgomery into Russell and eventually Unkamit's Path. Frankie the Frenchie provided the necessary moral support! Besides the outstanding views this ridge offers, there are also magnificent outcrops of minerals. We did notice the trail was in need of general maintenance.

View from the Shatterack ridge

The Huckleberry

An old culver under the abandoned trolley line

This was the first of a couple 'pre-hikes' for an upcoming Hilltown Hiker group hike. The area focused on the old Huckleberry Trolley route north of Jacob's Ladder in Becket, to almost the the Mass Pike. Each trip often brings 'new' discoveries!

Stanley Park

A millstone.

A chance to finally catch a great trail system down at Stanley Park in Westfield! Much of the trails run close to the Westfield River and old millstones from Tekoa Mountain and Falley's gun were placed here. There were a number of more 'local attractions' including memorials such as the Prayer Boulder. Of course, what would a park be without a pond and its ducks!

The Prayer Boulder

Ashley & Sandwash

First of two quarries visited.

This particular hike with the Hilltowen Hikers encompassed Ashley Lake and the Sandwash Reservoir. Along the way way were two quarries, with at least one connected to glass making operations. I ditched out before quarry # 2 due to illness but still caught a beautiful fountain whose purpose, I believe, was to aerate the water from Sandwash.

The fountain close to Sandwash Reservoir.

Saw!

The old granite saw

No - not another sequel in the horror movie series, a large saw exists in Chester that was the center of a stone cutting and finishing operations. The property is now in the hands of the Western Mass Hilltown Hikers. We are working on a cleanup and making it accessible in the future to the public. Besides the saw are old foundations and equipment. Not surprisingly, many old pieces of granite lay about.

Foundations and other equipment

This was where stone from the Becket quarry went to. Some got finished, others went directly to remote locations.