Table of Contents
On this page: On other pages:- An Overview of the Long Weekend
- Friday: Alander Mountain
- Sunday morning: Berlin Mountain
- Sunday afternoon: Crum Hill
- Monday: Mount Frissell and Brace Mountain
- Resources for Highpointing in the Berkshires
Routes to Mt. Greylock
Mount Greylock is the highest mountain in an area with a thriving tourist industry, so it is not surprising that a very large number of routes exist up the mountain. They are well described in the guidebooks and maps mentioned on the Resources for Highpointing in the Berkshires page.Trip Report
On Saturday we woke up a bit before 7 AM, some of the group went out for breakfast while I had the limited continental breakfast offered by the motel. A bit after 8 AM we started out to do the car spotting before the rest of the group arrived from Boston.We drove along Phelps Avenue, which is part of the AT, so there were white blazes on the telephone poles! We left our gear plus a few people to guard it there, then drove through North Adams to Rt 8, which we followed to Mason Road and then Outlook Avenue, which the AT crosses. We left several cars there and returned to Phelps Avenue.
By the time we returned (a bit before 9:30 AM) everyone had arrived, so we started up the AT. After a brief easy section we started the stiff climb up Mt. Prospect. During that climb we discovered that the insects had started biting, fortunately without much enthusiasm yet. But it was enough for many of us to use bug repellent for the first time this season. It was also a beautiful sunny day, and at least one person needed sunblock.
Half way up Mt. Prospect the AT veers to the east while the Mt. Prospect Trail continues to the summit of its namesake. After that the grades became much more moderate for the rest of the trip. We crossed the road, and eventually reached the summit of Mt. Williams (elevation 2,950 feet), with excellent views. After a saddle we reached the summit of Mt. Fitch (elevation 3,110 feet). From here to the end of the Saddle Balls the elevation almost never drops below 3,000 feet. This was seen clearly on Sunday from the summit of Berlin Mountain, when the ridge of Mount Greylock was seen to be almost horizontal for several miles.
From Mt. Fitch we dropped slightly (less than 200 feet, so Mt. Fitch is not an "official" 3,000 footer), then the trail rose to the summit of Mount Greylock. As we approached the summit we saw a large number of hang gliders in the air, and on reaching the summit the whole area east of the War Memorial was covered with people with a variety of hang gliders and similar devices waiting to take off.
After walking round the base of the memorial I went to Bascom Lodge (which had just opened for the season) and had my lunch indoors, as I found it too windy outside. Others put on warm clothes and had their lunch outdoors.
We spent about an hour on the summit, then started the long walk down the AT continuing southwards. We went over the multiple bumps of Saddle Ball Mountain (the highest of which, at 3,234 feet, is the other Massachusetts 3,000 footer), then descended gradually (with a few steep pitches), reaching our cars at 5:30 PM.
Back in the motel we showered, then went out to dinner and made
plans for Sunday. Two participants were coming next day, they would
meet us at the motel, and we would all drive together to the
trailhead. I would hike with the group up to Berlin Mountain (the
highpoint of Rensselaer County, NY). After that they planned to
continue along the Taconic Crest Trail, while I would return to my car
and drive to the other side of the valley and climb Crum Hill, the
highpoint of Frankilin County, Mass.