Northeast Wild

It's that time of year again - mountain laurel season, blossoms in mid-June. Mountain laurel can be found in areas south of I-90 (Catskills, Taconics, Gunks, Litchfield Hills, etc.) at elevations between 500' and 2,500'. June 2018 - GUILDER POND in SW MA. June 2018 - BEAR MOUNTAIN in NW CT. June 13, 2016 - SOUTH TACONIC TRAIL EXTENSION hike (can't sit on our butts all the time), from Quarry Hill Rd to Shagroy Rd near Millerton. Mid-June is mountain laurel blossom time S of the Capital District. Temp in 60s & windy. Very steep climb from QH Rd, gaining 900'+ in 0.8 miles (965' elevation to 1,900' at 1st lookout). Several lookouts along the way, mostly to the west & Catskills. Slow loss of 1,000' going south. Saw a racoon climb a tree, eastern towhee; no bad bugs. 7.7 miles, 5.8 hours. Short drive to trailhead for Bash Bish Falls - start in NYS, falls are in MA. 1.5 miles. http://www.nynjtc.org/content/south-taconic-trail-extension ...

June 3, 2018 - MILE OF LEDGES hike, from Sessions Woods WMA , Burlington CT. S on Beaver Pond Trail past Summer House. L thru camping area then steeply down to Negro Hill Brook. R on Tunxis Black Dot Trail (black dot on blue paint blaze) uphill for a while. Lots of mountain laurel. Past some rocks. Past/thru lots more boulders - the Great Wall. L on Tunxis Yellow Dot Trail, soon cross a road. Trail zigzags up a cliff to Hemenway Lookout (no view). Pass edge of private property with chickens & a donkey. 0.2-mile road walk on Greer Rd to Martha Brower Wildlife Sanctuary & Country Pond . http://www.cthikes.com/images/blt/browermap4.pdf Lots of short steep ups & downs in the MoL. On return took the red trail on E side of Country Pond. Yellow Dot Trail to Beaver Pond Trail (gravel) at Sessions. Just before I got to the BPT I spot a Big black male bear (guessing 500 lbs) on the trail coming in my direction! I rapped my pole against a rock & trees & got its atten...