Bob- I think all of us can appreciate what Monica just climbed up! I'd have jerked out a sweat getting up that! Yep, that's some steep schist too...;>) -Don
Date: Fri, 7 Aug 2009 16:10:05 +0000 From: [email protected] To: [email protected] CC: [email protected] Subject: [ENTS] Negus, the big little mountain ENTS, Yesterday Monica and I went to the Deerfield River Gorge on an absolutely gorgeous day and climbed a favorite mountain of mine - Negus Mountain in the central Berkshires. Negus lies on the east side of popular Zoar Gap, destination of river rafters. At Negus's foot lies the most challenging of the Deerfield River's white water section. Across from Negus on the west side of the Deerfield River is the province of Todd-Clark mountain massif, the easternmost extension of Hoosac Mountain. Todd-Clark, as readers of my posts know, lies in Mohawk Trail State Forest. Negus is what I call the big little mountain. It isn't big in mountain terms, but a climb to its pinnacled summit earns it respect that does not happen from merely observing it from below. Negus rises abruptly above the Deerfield River to help create the gorge portion of what is more broadly known as the Deerfield River Valley. At Zoar gap, the river's elevation is 630 feet and the summit of Negus lies at 1,778 feet. This represents an altitude gain of 1,148 feet, and the gain occurs a little too quickly for those just out for a leisurely hike in the Berkshires. If one climbs both summits of Negus, the total elevation gain is around 1,250 feet, but it is the half-mile gorge portion of the first 0.6 miles of the climb that really gets the attention. The route up Negus from Zoar Gap requires the use of the hands to mount several ledge areas, which can be somewhat dangerous in wet conditions. Negus stretches the idea of hiking to the limits. One does not go to Negus to see large trees. The mountain has been burned repeatedly, although there is an 50-acre old-growth oak forest on Negus's southeastern-facing side. The old Boston and Maine railroad, now Guilford, runs along Negus's western side. Over the years, periodic fires from sparks emitted by passing trains have insured that the slopes of Negus are always in a fire recovery stage. However, for those of us as addicted to great scenic spectacles as big trees, the fires have provided us with perches from which we can enjoy unimpeded views of the gorge and surrounding mountainous terrain. Without further comment, I present seven images from Negus. Image#1: The narrow, steep trail up Negus offers one the opportunity to climb up rock ledges. Monica and I had just finished the ledge in the image. I wanted to photographically document what Monica had done since heights, even modest ones, tend to have an unnerving effect on her. But yesterday, she was a trooper all the way. Image#2: From higher on the side of Negus, one begins to appreciate the elevation that is being rapidly gained. This image looks off one of the rock perches to a small field below. The Deerfield River is just visible in the lower left-hand corner of the image. Image#3: From near Negus's sumit, the narrow green field is still visible far below, but the view opens up into an exquisite panorama that features the Hoosac Mountain ridge. Route #2 is near the top of that ridge. A small white birch is in the foreground. It looks like Betula cordifola to me. Any takes on that? There is papyrifera and populifolia on the slopes for certain. Image#4: This image was taken at the same location and picks up some of the Negus bedrock. I think it is a complex schist. Joe Zorzin would no for sure. Image#5: On the summit ridge, northern red oak, shagbark hickory, red maple, beech, white and gray birch, quaking and bigtooth aspen, and in a few spots, sumac dominate. I couldn't resist taking an image of the staghorn sumac. I used to use its berries to brew Indian tea. Image#6: In places profuse blooms of wildflowers almost took our breath way. Negus is that kind of place. Image#7: In the last image, the summit of Todd Mtn is seen to the left. Moving to the right, we see the small sub-summit of Todd, followed by the notch or gap between Todd and Clark. The ridge line is building up toward the higher summit of Clark at the right side of the image. In the distance, through the notch can be seen the highest elevation of Mohawk Trail State Forest, a 2,080-rounded, nameless summit. The Deerfield River is seen at the base of Todd-Clark ridge. The forest shown on Todd-Clark is like few others in the Northeast. Its Rucker Index stands at around 134 and includes the great Saheda Pine with its crown now above 164 feet - one of our three 50-meter pines. If both sides of the mountain complex are included, the Rucker index exceeds 135. I expect it is between 135.3 or 135.5. It is important to note that the area of exceptionally high growth does not include more than 350 acres. The Todd-Clark regions presents us with the best of Massachusetts forests, but these special woodlands are known to and appreciated by only a select few. It has been left to the high priesthood of ENTS to explore, measure and record the best these woodlands offer us. On an outing some years ago that I led for the Forest Steward's Guild, ENTS member and forester Joe Zorzin noted that the northern red oaks he saw were among the best he had seen in Massachusetts. Of special historical significance in the last image is the fact that the old Mohawk Indian trail and its colonial aftermath runs along the summit of Todd-Clark for a distance of 1.2 miles - still a trail. This pathway is a historic, cultural, scenic, and ecological treasure to the state. I have been very privileged to be able to study and report to the citizens of Massachusetts what I've learned about its existence and significance. Thirty-three years ago when I was first getting acquainted with the Berkshires, I climbed Negus and thought it to be exceptionally scenic. One evening I was reading Harvey Broome's book "Out Under the Sky of the Great Smokies." Broome was a past president of the Wilderness Society and one given to rhetorical flourishes. About 2/3rds through the book, I came across a passage, which I paraphrase. The context is Broome describing a hike in his beloved Smokies and a view he had just come across: "and the view reminded me of the view from the summit of Negus Mountain in Massachusetts." Upon reading the passage, I let out a whoop and tossed the book up into the air. Yes, someone of substance and experience had visited Negus and had mightily approved. Bob _________________________________________________________________ Get free photo software from Windows Live http://www.windowslive.com/online/photos?ocid=PID23393::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:SI_PH_software:082009 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
