New England ultralight weekend!

[Steven Adeff]

is the plan to meet up Friday evening to start the hike or?

[Bryce]

While I did do some organizing for this trip I'm certainly not the leader. I just tried to keep it moving along. I'm not familiar with the area, and have been studying the map for routes and things to do, but nothing is set in stone.

The only thing I will say is that the survey results I put out states that the majority of us like <10 mi days. So I'm open to anything around that mileage give or take.

Is Anyone going to try and get there Thursday night after work? It's a stretch, but a possibility for me to arrive after dark.

I figure the itinerary would go something like this:
– Arrive and hike in on your own on Friday some time.
– Setup camp and campfire, say hello, dinner, chi chat, etc. and/or go for a longer hike Friday depending on what people want to get out of the meetup and how quickly they get to the site.
– Various options for Saturday day hike depending on size of group, and hiking abilities.
– Sunday same thing as Sat and then drive home late Sunday (or of course pack up in the morning and hike out if your sch. is tight…it 's a free country. :p)

[Steven Adeff]

sounds good. a few of my housemates may want to join us but wouldn't be able to take Friday off.

[Bryce]

I don't follow the thru-hiking schedule, but during this time of year would AT Thru-hikers be on the trail? Call me weird, but I've never see or talked to a thru-hiker. It might be fun, especially if I had a candy bar or two to pass on. Just a thought for Saturday or Sunday activities. Thx.

[Steven Adeff]

probably not many this far south, but we may encounter a few. We did the Wildcat/Moriah/Carter ridge the first weekend in Sept and there was a lot of AT thru-hikers up there then so I imagine most will have passed through this area already.

[Ryan Linn]

Yeah. Very doubtful. Also, if we're sticking to the Alander Mountain area, there won't be any through-hikers there. However, I did just notice this at Views From The Top. With just two simple bushwhacks, you can make a big ol loop with the AT and South Taconic Trail. Probably a bit too big for our two-night weekend, though.

As for hike plans, it seems like there's plenty for us to find once we're there, although we should probably come up with some ideas beforehand. All I've got for a map is the pdf from the State Forest website, so mileage is only a barely accurate guess right now. How far do you think it is from Alander Mountain to Sage's Ravine. There's a tentsite at Sage's Ravine, which is a gorgeous area. Out to Sage's on saturday, back on sunday? Might be a bit over our 10 mile limit, but I don't know for sure.

By the way, thanks for spearheading this, Bryce. +1 for you!

[Walter Carrington]

Here's a link to a truly great map of the area.
http://www.bnrc.net/maps/
Click on the South Taconic Map and you'll get a zoomable online version:
http://www.bnrc.net/zoom_map/southtaconic.htm

I have a paper copy of this map someplace, but finding it is questionable.

[Ryan Linn]

Very cool! I do love a good map.

I'll have to look over this some more as the date draws near. Anyone else have any thoughts on the idea of hiking to Sage's Ravine and back? Any better guesses on mileage?

[Seth Reichman]

Anyone from NYC or there abouts coming up? If not, I'm carless, but would be able to train up to Poughkeepsie or somewhere in CT if anyone can pick me up from there. I'll pay for gas.

[Bryce]

I'm on my BB away from my PC for a day or two, but if someone wants to call the state forest HQ listed on the website/map they could advise us on the washed out foot bridge as well as any aspirations we have for mileage and routes.

I live in South Norwalk, CT and can absolutely carpool and pick people up from the train. Let me know if this works.

[Bryce]

I called and left a message at Mt Washington HQ this morning asking for someone to call me back about trail conditions and campsite capacities plus mileage for trails.

Their VM message states that Mt. Everett Road is closed (on the PDF map that is the horizontal road that ends in a little hook at Mt Everett) and "the town road to Bish Bash Falls is closed. The only access is through New York. Take Rt. 22 to Copake Falls then Rt. 334 to the Bish Bash parking lot).

Hopefully they will call me back and I can find out the various shelters, campsites, mileage, and anything else you guys would like me to find out. (Just ask)

[Bryce]

Couple of random points I covered w/ the ranger while on the phone:

– On the map (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/mwashington.pdf) the campground symbol right below the "Alander Mtn. Trail" wording is the only approved camping in all of Mt. Washington State Forest. It's certainly big enough to house all of us on flat ground.

– The lean-to at Alander Mtn. is an unmonitored cabin that used to be private for telecommunications company (I guess there is a tower up there) and not recommended for big groups.

– From the campground to summit of Alander Mtn. is 1.5 miles, he didn't quote me any other mileage, just referred me to the scale on the map.

– Hiking from the campground to Sages Ravine or Laurel Ridge campsites over in Mt. Everett State Reservation is a possibility, but they are lean-tos on the AT. So some of us may have to stay in the lean-to to conserve flat tent-pitching ground.

– East St. and West St., the two roads in between Mt. Washington and Mt. Everett are open, it's just Falls Rd. to Bash Bish Falls State Park that is closed, so you can only access from NY side.

– There is no limit to overnight campers, we just all need to sign in at HQ and sign out when we leave.

– There is water from spigot on side of Mt. Washington State Forest HQ, or you can grab water from Ashley Hill Brook as you hike to the campground from HQ.

– In Mass, trails are marked Blue, CT has different color. (not sure what it is, but just be aware if you hike south from the campground on Ashley Hill Trail and then head East on Mt. Frissell Trail…when from cross state lines the blazes change.)

– We're up to 5 confirmed, and a 6th possible attendee. If you are planning on coming let me know and I'll add you to the list posted above in the thread!

– The bridge that is out is passable via rocks, most people use the rocks ok.

[Bryce]

http://www.berkshirehiking.com/hikes/mt_wash_forest.html

[Jim MacDiarmid]

I went to the podiatrist today and found out that I did in fact break a metatarsal bone in my foot a week and a half ago on my trip in CA. So the injury is in the process of healing, but won't be healed until at least a month after it happened (Oct 29). But my foot feels fine in my old, non-UL Asolo Fugitives, and the doctor said it was healing up okay, so if the Saturday campsite is not too far from the TH, I might be in. I can ]only make Saturday, but if it was,say, under 5 miles from car to camp, I'd really like to meet some East Coast BPL'ers if my foot feels okay 11 days from now. Let me(us) know where y'all end up deciding to spend Saturday night. I optimistically have a Zipcar reserved for that day.

[Bryce]

Hey Jim,

Glad to hear the foot is healing up well. It looks like from the Forest Headquarters parking lot @ the intersection of West St. and East St., the campground is a ~3 mi hike in. We'll all meet there Friday night.

As for where we'll be camping Saturday night, I would like to get to the AT and camp at Sages Ravine for the night, but that's a really big day considering the majority's wish to do hikes <10mi per day. We'd also have to shuttle cars.

So unless someone comes up with another idea, I am thinking we're camping at the campground, 3mi to the West of the Forest HQ Friday and Saturday night as well.

For Saturday day hike (and possibly Sunday day hikes if people don't need to jet out too quick Sunday) here is my idea:

Saturday…

– Do an ~8.5 mi loop around Alander Mtn with great views and then back to camp.

Then on Sunday…

– Hike ~3mi back to the parking lot at Forest HQ Sunday morning and if people need to leave they're all set, otherwise those with the time can drive to a different part of the are for a continued day hike (Bash Bish Fall anyone? It's one of the biggest in the state).

Any other thoughts and suggestions?

[Bryce]

#1 Bryce F.
#2 Walter C.
#3 Ryan L.
#4 Steven A. (maybe)
#5 Ben E.
#6 Philip W.
#7 Konrad C. (maybe)
#8 Konrad C. Guest (maybe)
#9 Ben E. (maybe)

If I've missed someone, please let me know!

[Ben Egan]

I like the location idea. And I'm looking forward to the trip. I'll try to bring some… refreshments.

I am currently carless, though. And I'm wondering if anyone from the Boston area will be open to carpooling. I get off work Thursday at 9pm in the North end. The toughest part is I don't think I can get out of a Sunday shift at noon 10/23.

Naturally, I really want to get out and backpack with y'all. I admite to a learning curve in the NE geography. This place is huge.

I can be in Hartford, CT at 9:45 Friday 10/21. I suppose the biggest problem is my Sunday shift, I'll see if I can get it covered. I didn't expect backpacking would make me want a car so bad. But it really is the only thing that does.

[Konrad .]

Thank you Steven and Bryce for the PM's! I apologize in advance for not taking the time to get back to you all earlier.
I'm 100% interested, but will be starting a new job on the 17th, and I'm not sure if that will tie up my weekend. Do you need a definitive headcount or is there room for 2 of us (Me + GF) to tag along last minute? I will try my best to attend, and I'm really excited about the idea of meeting some local BPL'ers. Thanks for spearheading this!

Ben, where do you work in the North End?

Steven, I just clicked on the BPL member map…you live in Coolidge Corner!? Ah! I live in Washington Square…I could probably see you from my apt window :D Really awesome, had no idea we were only blocks away.

[Ryan Linn]

I'll be hiking in in the dark, probably 9 PM at the earliest. We should have some kind of BPL-Bat-Signal :)

I will also only have whatever map was on the Mt Washington Forest website, so maybe not the most detailed thing to follow late at night. Hopefully I can find everyone without getting lost!

[Bryce]

@Konrad: No definite # needed prior to the trip. In fact, might be better to just sign in at the Forest HQ as a private party when you arrive Friday night. But the ranger seemed pretty chill.

Here's the list thus far!

#1 Bryce F.
#2 Walter C.
#3 Ryan L.
#4 Steven A. (maybe)
#5 Ben E.
#6 Philip W.
#7 Konrad C. (maybe)
#8 Konrad C. Guest (maybe)
#9 Ben E. (maybe)

[Steven Adeff]

I haven't heard back from the job proposition yet so I don't think it will happen before the hike weekend at this point.

I am in Brookline near Coolidge Corner, have a car and can carry another 4, but… my dog will be coming along, he can ride in the back if we don't overload it with gear, otherwise he generally prefers to ride in the back seat. So as long as your not allergic to dogs I can provide a ride. I'm flexible as far as time so it would just be about coordinating with those I'm giving a ride to.

[Seth Reichman]

Hi All,

I'm bummed, but I have to bow out on this one. It's great to see the regional enthusiasm though, and I look forward to pics.

[Clint Hewitt]

Awesome a New England BPL gathering!

This is the first I have caught wind of this. I would be interested in joining up. I have hiked multiple times around MT. Everett/ Race Brook area near by.

I live in Maine now but will be finishing painting a house near Springfield, MA next week. I could shoot over after Im finished. I have not gotten out nearly enough this summer.

sweet!

[dreamer]

After 3 weeks inspecting storm damaged homes in the hoods of Philadelphia I'd enjoy getting out with you all, seeing your gear and hearing some stories. Is any one coming down from Maine who might like to carpool?

[Ken Thompson]

So cool to see this finally coming together after much talk through the years. Keep it up. You all will have a great time. At the GGG everyone comes back for more.

These little events are easy enough to manage. Just takes one person to pull things together and form a loose plan. Good on you Ben, and Bryce!

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