Russ; Get your buns up north for a few days. We'll go scale Negus again. Call Cousin John as well.
Michele > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of [email protected] > Sent: Saturday, August 08, 2009 9:49 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [ENTS] Re: Negus, the big little mountain > > Mike: > > If you are coming to Negus up the Deerfield River there is a relatively > new bridge over the Deerfield at Z > oar Gap. On the east side of the Deerfield just before you cross the > river there in an area on your right that today probably looks more like a > parking area for rafters but it is the original route of River Road...the > old bridge abutments are where the road looks like it used to make a 90 > degree turn to cross the river (across from the railroad tracks). If you > cross the railroad tracks near the old bridge abutments you should see > evidence of a herd path that will lead you up the mountain. About a > hundred yards from the tracks the climb goes from a 20% grade to more like > 80% plus and lots of rocks and ledges start to show up. In a couple > hundred more feet you will climb onto some rocks and very shortly be able > to follow a trail that is more bare rock than anything else. There are > several options once you get above the first very steep spot. If you > keep to the left (west) a little you will be able to scramble pretty much > on solid rock for a couple hundred more feet until it levels off. If you > swing to the east a little the trail is a little easier and it switches > back a couple times. After you have risen about 400' in elevation the > grade eases a little and you wind through some more rocks and come up to a > small level spot on the ridge with a large glacial erratic dominating the > ridge. This point is half the elevation but 1/3 the distance to the > top. As you climb the ridge you are pretty much on solid20rock walking > around stunted gray birch and very crappy red oak. About 3/4 of the way > to the top Greylock appears to the west and the views open up more and > there is a small level area on the ridge when you reach the first > summit. If you wanted to walk the whole ridge you should be able to > follow the trail for about a mile and a half to reach the town road on the > Steele Brook side. > > Negus Mountain seems to factor in as an important resting spot for cedar > waxwings during their migration....I saw them passing through several > different years and I think that one time Michele Wilson and I climbed it > together the waxwing migration was in full swing. Negus is also an > incredible place to look down on turkey vultures as they ride the > thermals. > > I often thought of the climb on Negus as a poor mans' Franconia Ridge. > > Russ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
