The Gateway to New England

Connecticut makes the claim of being the "Gateway to New England" and the trail through Connecticut and Massachusetts does nothing to dispel this claim. The trail begins a noticeable change in character and hikers begin to see big mountains again. My welcome to Connecticut was the beautiful Ten Mile River Shelter where I spent the night perched on the edge of an old farm field overtaken by wildflowers.  

The next day would take me to a brief stop in the town of Kent. After Kent the trail begins its path north along the edges of the Housatonic River Valley. This would provide an interesting and challenging mix of hiking. The trail meanders over numerous small hills and the theme of nearly constant ups and downs that began in New York would continue. This was a bit of a shock to the system after the relatively easy cruise I had been enjoying. Thankfully the trail would throw in a stretch of strolling along the Housatonic to give the legs a break. 

Another theme that began in New York and won't stop until the end is rocks. Not small annoying rocks like Pennsylvania, but big jumbles of rocks along ridges and sketchy technical scrambling through the mazes they create. Some of the best of these I often don't capture because all of your energy is focused on making each move. 

Connecticut would only take a few days despite some hard hiking. This was another area where I would have the benefit of nearby towns where I could drop in for a good meal without losing much time in my day. One of these towns was Salisbury where I stopped by for dinner. While I was there a storm that had been threatening all afternoon finally broke loose. Myself and several other hikers I had just met found a stoop to huddle under and watch the rain. This included one late arrival who appeared donned head to toe in scented trash bags.   This was one of those funny trail moments that really are some of the best memories of the hike. 

Eventually the storm passed through and I hiked out into a beautiful evening. Here was a time where the trail provided. The climb up to Lions Head was the biggest I've hiked in a long time and seemed daunting (especially with only a few hours of daylight left). It ended up being one of the nicest stretches of trail in all of Connecticut allowing me to cruise up to the summit and enjoy some lovely views. 

The next morning I would cross a trio of big peaks and enter Massachusetts. While I had a bluebird morning the Housatonic valley was socked in with fog so I was able to watch the day clear as I crossed each peak. This has happened a few times on my trip and is one of my favorite situations to experience.

These peaks were Bear Mountain, the highest peak in Connecticut followed by Mount Race and Mount Everett. Mount Race was the highlight of the trio as the trail took us along an exposed cliff offering stunning views. This was a real reminder that the trail is really getting back to "real" mountains.  

Another highlight of this day was Sages Ravine a rock and moss choked stream valley that feels like a fairytale forest scene.  

After this big day I was happy to be heading towards a real bed and a good meal in Great Barrington (Thanks for having me Silka and Jake!). The next day would begin a wonderful stretch of hiking. Despite some rain and no big views the trail wound through gorgeous woods often crossing through interesting features like Ice Gulch. The misty rain added a special feeling to the terrain. 

The final highlight of this stretch was Upper Goose Pond cabin. This was a former camp owned by a club who donated their land to the AT. The cabin remains and is maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club who staffs it with volunteer caretakers throughout the summer. This serves as a shelter for the trail with a comfortable bunk room and lots of camping options in the area. Hikers can also enjoy a swim or take a canoe out on the beautiful pond. But the true highlight is that the AMC caretaker prepares a breakfast of all you can eat pancakes each morning. In my case they were pancakes full of blueberries brought in by southbound hikers. This was a short hiking day for me and relaxing next to the pond was one of the best afternoons of my trip. 

I have about thirty miles of Massachusetts left but am stopping for a few days with family. When I return I will cross over Mount Greylock, the highest point in the state. The trail offered a brief glimpse of this rather impressive looking mountain just before I got off the trail.