1st Annual Tannery Falls Winter Run Snowshoe
December 21st, 1996 - Florida/Savoy, Massachusetts
December 21st, 1996 - Florida/Savoy, Massachusetts
A snowshoe adventure was completed to Tannery Falls and the Balanced Rock in Savoy Mountain State Forest. Five of us completed the journey, including PH & the Old Goat. Once all was "said and done", we completed roughly 13-miles in 3:55:54.
A frozen Tannery Falls in 1996
The Old Goat hanging from the Balanced Rock
Forgotten were the numerous ups and downs and ups
again. Three tough climbs along the road
on the way back left us breathing heavy and shuffling slowly until we reached
the final hill. The five of us romped
down the mountain alive and clean-lunged from the cold crisp air of Savoy’s
Tannery Falls. A most wonderful area
worth exploring, a real hidden gem in the Berkshire Hills, Tannery Falls by way
of snowshoeing is an option for those looking for something new.
Snow, Cemetaries and Sirens
Despite an overall lack of snow in Southern New England,
good planning kept us active. Savoy,
with an average elevation around 2000 feet, held it's frozen misery for our
second snowshoe venture of the season.
Like X-Country Skiers, we would “find” the snow if it couldn’t/ wouldn’t
find us.
The Savoy General Store provided a wake up hot cup of coffee
and snacks to fill our packs, which later on provided just enough nourishment
for several of us to complete our adventure.
The duration of the run combined with the cool temperatures (19 degrees
according to the Old Goat's thermometer) increased our bodies fuel consumption, and
those Fig Newtons went quickly. Of
course, the one “non-traditionalist” in the group depended upon his standby
“Goo." It should be noted that he
bonked later in the program than two of us.
Says something for technology.
The initial 550’ climb up Bannis Mountain (2280’) was a
crawl through unbroken deep snow. If you
are going to fall when snowshoeing, it is more than likely going to happen when
trying to “run” uphill too fast.
After topping out it was clean running along snow covered
Bannis Road, past Borden Mountain (2586’) and those ever interesting old
cemeteries Savoy State Forest is full of.
Very rolling terrain, it seemed as though we were always running either
uphill or downhill, never along flat sections.
"P’s" warning of the Upper Ross Brook Trail being nicknamed the “Mud
Trail” by the motocross group he rides with was unfounded, as we shuffled down
it’s frozen rutted spine to the side trail to the Balanced Rock (the more
popular Balanced Rock exist along the North Pond Loop Trail, as we who run the
Savoy 20 Miler know). It’s just a short
jaunt to the Rock, and well worth it.
Leaving the balancing act, we had two choices, Tannery Road
or the Lower Ross Brook Trail. None of
us had ever been on the trail, any season, so that was our choice. What an enchanting trail this is!!
Easily dashing along the bank of the stream,
winding mellifluous onward to the junction at the falls themselves. Our pace shuttled us along the winding
stretches of pine laden forest, almost tunneling through the reaches of
untouched snow covered trail. I don’t
recall being on such a wonderfully refreshing spirit lifting path. This will be a definite repeater during the
summer months, but already I wonder if the lush green amplitude of summer will
be able to eclipse the sparkling frozen blankets of pristine snow of
December. The warmth provided by the
tunnels and confines of pine were an unwavering contrast to the icy charging
stream splashing along its journey to the falls.
Tannery Falls themselves are a difficult aim during the
winter months. The trail winds sharply
downhill (650’ elevation loss in just a few tenths of a mile!!) at steep
intervals along the brook, rumbling roaring water crashes and slices it’s way
eroding deep crevasses into the rock that directs the flow. Sheer drops leave one exhilarated and scared
at the same moment, the guided cable along the bank in part offers a modicum of
support. A quick view about half way
down the first falls only prompts your excitement. The muscle burning downhill leaves you at the
bottom (1180’), finally able to take in the majestic beauty of one of the
falls. Overhanging rock formations
obscure your view but the power and noise resounding off the cliffs leave you
overwhelmed. A short path to the larger
falls leaves you totally breathless. 60
feet the water cascades, transformed into one huge sheet of ice the same 60
feet in height, folds and layers from the constant temperature changes, mist
and steam rising off the assorted pools located throughout the length of the
drop.
"P" talked freely aloud of hearing the Sirens of Tannery
Falls calling his name from these hidden pools, softly whispering sweet nibbles
of temptation mixed with the wind. The
only option we had was to re-climb the side of the falls past the source of the
tempting and run like heck out of there.
The climb is tough, but easier than the descent as we even found the
wooden steps leading back up.
The Tannery Road / Trail leading us back was unfortunately a
little bony and very steep uphill 90% of the way. It did lend us a look at another of Savoy’s
Cemeteries, interesting visits with the history of the people who once lived in
this area.
Lewis Hill Road, another unplowed gem within the forest
(much of the roads within Savoy State Forest remain unplowed during the winter
months for snowmobile use, these can double for skiing and snowshoeing very
nicely), also seemed like an all uphill battle until we reached Adams Road,
where the aforementioned Fig Newtons were expired. Too tired to break additional new trail, we
opted for a repeat of Bannis Road.
