Mount Greylock Hike

On October 9th, 2013, Jen and I hiked Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts, tucked way up in the northwest corner. We chose a Wednesday because this is peak foliage season up there which means the mountain spends its weekends covered with hikers. There’s also a road to the summit, so even people incapable of the hike crowd the space on the weekends.

I apologize but also give welcome in advance for publishing such a photo-heavy post. Below are fifty-nine photos of the hike and the views of the forest and the mountains. I wanted to share so many photos because it’s truly one of the most beautiful days I’ve seen. The foliage was stunning and the weather was perfect. I have to credit myself in part for the weather, however. You see, the forecast called for a cloudy afternoon, so I called upon universal intelligence to keep it sunny and clear until after we reached and viewed the summit.

Just kidding.

I’m like 25% kidding.

We started at 9 am and returned to the car around 4:30 pm, taking our sweet time the whole way to really soak in the colors, the smells, the sights, and the sensations. I had been wanting to do this particular Mount Greylock hike for a while. It’s just over ten miles, from the Money Brook Trail (aptly named – it’s along a brook, and it’s fuckin’ money) to the Appalachian Trail to the summit, then down the Hopper Trail. Buddy and Rigs made it fine, although it took them longer than usual to rise from their sleeping positions the next morning. Jen’s dog, Layla, has more energy than any animal I’ve ever seen. She ranged around us almost the entire time without being on the actual trail. I estimate that while we walked around ten miles, Layla sprinted around twenty-five miles, the crazy little lovable bitch.

The main goal of this post, other than to inform New Englanders interested in the hike, is to show you how beautiful nature can be. Autumn in New England truly is a special time, and we deserve it, for the coldness and deadness of winter is coming fast. May as well be treated to some vibrant colors before everything turns grey and white and my genitalia retreat into my body for four months.

Without further ado, photos with captions:

greylock trail map — The loop we did. Pic from http://www.everytrail.com/guide/mt-greylock-loop-hike.

mt greylock hopper hike — On to the Hopper Trail…

mount greylock — The very beginning of the path into the forest.

mt greylock appalachian trail hike — Veer left for the Money Brook Trail

mt greylock loop hike — A little ways along the trail you’ll see a bridge, one of several.

mt greylock loop — Taking the easy route through the sawed-off trunk.

mount greylock moneybrook — The signs are clear throughout the hike.

For the entire Money Brook trail, the sound of the stream was ever-present. Sometimes it would fade away into the background, but I only needed to listen for it to hear its soothing whooshing. As we rose in elevation the terrain changed constantly, as did the vibrancy of the foliage. At the bottom, many trees hadn’t yet started to change. Halfway up the colors were the best, and at the top, most of the trees were past peak, but still pretty.

mt greylock foliage — A stump with little fungi sprouting from it.

mount greylock hike — Water so clear and pure it seemed a shame not to drink it.

mt greylock hiker — The dogs didn’t miss out on the water though, as you can see the steam coming off of Rigs.

mount greylock hopper trail — Crossing the stream again, I saw this striated rock. Never seen one like it.

mount greylock hiking — Such a money brook.

mount greylock moneybrook trail — A house foundation…or a wall…whatever it is, it’s old and beautiful.

greylock hikers — Colors against a blue sky. The first of many photos from this perspective.

hiking mount greylock — Green, yellow, orange, red, blue

mount greylock summit pictures — A beehive, seemingly vacant, fortunately.

mount greylock hikers — Steep rock steps strewn with colorful leaves. The descent is not easy with only two legs.

mt greylock hiking — Such a peaceful forest, and we had it to ourselves.

hike mount greylock — “Hey, you comin’ or what?”

mount greylock hopper — The terrain was constantly changing.

money brook falls — The falls off of the Money Brook trail.

mount greylock western ma — We would have missed this right turn if Jen hadn’t been paying attention.

mount greylock hike mass — The path covered with red leaves.

mt greylock mass — Another change of terrain.

mt greylock western ma — We decided to hike the 1/5 mile up to and back from Mount Williams en route to Greylock as we had plenty of time.

mt greylock western mass — View from Mount Williams.

greylock hike — Windmills off in the distance.

greylock hiking — It’s a small, rocky summit, and we had it to ourselves.

greylock moneybrook — Back the way we came, and then along Mount Fitch

mount greylock ma — Another change of terrain. This stretch smelled very strongly of balsam fir. Incredible smells.

mount greylock adams mass — The wind pushed over this pine, which grew too large to be supported by the thin layer of dirt it took root in on the rock.

greylock hopper trail — Last stretch up to the summit.

mount greylock berkshires — Finally there. It wasn’t nearly as packed as it would have been on the weekend, but there were still ~30 people there.

mt greylock moneybrook hike — Great color

greylock loop trail — Heading back down via the Hopper trail.

greylock foliage — Mountain lake and cabin.

greylock mass — The road through the campground.

greylock ma — Veer right to continue down Hopper

mt greylock moneybrook trail — Hopper was pretty dark but the face to our right was illuminated by the late afternoon sun.

mt greylock moneybrook trail hike — Centipede hangin out on a rock

mt greylock summit hike — Throughout the hike there were planks over the wet areas. Very helpful.

greylock loop hiker — Back to the farm where we had parked, sore, but happy.

Thanks for reading.

Mount Greylock Hike

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