PMIACW

Monday, July 31, 2017

One thing I've been meaning to do is complete the Bear Swamp Trail off Pulpit Rock, down to the bottom, and someday to Monroe Bridge. Once at Monroe Bridge, I know that Kingsley Hill Road is nearby and part of a snowmobile corridor, which may allow for future extensions of my circled world.

Monroe Bridge would have to wait, but I did get to the bottom off Pulpit Rock. That is the good news; the bad news is that I was really exhausted at the bottom and knew I'd have to climb back up the mountain... and it is very steep.

This trail will really be great, once it's finished. My fear is that Brookfield Renewable Power may consider the Bear Swamp Hiking Trail complete as it stands. I honestly don't know the answer, but Wuzzam and I traveled a part of this on May 27th, 2016 and it appears the same as it did last year, except grown in a bit more. The plus/minus is as follows:

The Blazes and metal Bear Swamp Trail circular markers are done really well.
The Trail off the snowmobile trail to the substation is fairly hidden, and you have to either know it's there or get really lucky.
That trail down to the road crossing is very, very difficult to follow on the ground.
Once crossing the road, on the way to Pulpit Rock, the trail needs to be traveled. Honestly, I think I could see that a person had gone through recently, but it may have been only one over the last few months. The markers and blazes are great and plentiful, but the trail on the ground is in danger of vanishing if it isn't trimmed back this year or next.
I noticed several balanced rocks along the trail, which is awesome.
The views at the openings, including Pulpit Rock, are magnificent.
There is a very large slab of rock along the trail north of Pulpit Rock which allowed me a view of Greylock, which really was a highpoint.
Once the trail begins the descent, it is very steep and narrow. Not only are more switchbacks necessary, but bench-cutting is needed as well. I normally wouldn't mind, but this is a trail that Brookfield Renewable Power had hired New England Environmental, Inc to develop and maintain.
At the bottom to Monroe Bridge, I didn't venture along the flats but it looked grown in with knee high fern.
Many signs of Moose along the ridge route.

The day brought me 8.4-miles on my legs, with a very difficult climb in the middle. The trail tread isn't really set yet, so none of the route is easy going. It is in an incredible area, so I'll be back to see if any maintenance or improvements are made.

Roadside Memorial along Route 2 in Greenfield