Bob,
Where is the trailhead to Negus Mountain? Is it from Steele Brook Road
in Rowe or Zoar Road in Charlemont?
Sun and I have been section kayaking the fabulous and pristine Deerfield
River this summer. It is without question a jewel of a river!
More on that later.
By the way next time you give a tour on the old growth at Mohawk let me
know; Sun and I would like to go.
Mike
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Cc: Tanya\"\"Blaich, \"Dittmer, Paul\"
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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
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