Southern MA section

[Wombat Farm]

Can anyone say what the condition of the southern Mass part of the trail is in right now? I'm considering heading out for a few days in a week or two. Really just want to know how much or if snow is left. thanks much!

[Starchild]

Hiked it on Sunday, microspikes are needed. Very hard snow (walk on top and don't dent it) with patches of clear ice and some rocks poking thru. Don't expect much change as of today.

[Wombat Farm]

thanks Starchild...kind of what I figured....glad to hear there is not heaps of snow left! :-)

[Slo-go'en]

In a week or two, southern MA will be getting into mud season, not a good, nor advisable, time to be hiking there.

[lemon b]

In Becket we still have 2 feet of snow on the ground in places. Another concern is going to be seeing the blazes.

[Migrating Bird]

I was out today from Mt. Washington SF HQ west to Alander Mtn, (West Side of Taconic Range). There was between 12 -18" of snow pack with some bare patches. Microspikes were all that were needed but the snow was soft in the sun so some slip and sliding off the monorail made it interesting. Some bare patches. Rain and above freezing temps are forecasted for the next couple of days and will potentially make things pretty slushy. All trails in the area are packed down as we have not had any snow in over a month. Last week I was on Bear Mt. and Race Brook Falls/Race Mtn. It was great going up the north side of Bear with microspikes, much easier than in the summer. Race Brook Falls was completely frozen over last week as well. All the cold weather we have been having has left at least 2' of ice/snow on the streams so extreme caution should be exercised as the weather warms during the next week - think spring runoff and ice jambs. The crossing in Sages Ravine may need to be avoided, one could take the wood road from Sages Ravine Campground (northside of the ravine) to avoid the Ravine and Crossing.

[Wombat Farm]

thanks everyone....I certainly know about mud season! Not too concerned about mud...just worried about heaps of snow. I'll be going somewhere from or to Sages for 2-3 days assuming I make it out! It's a small section I have never hiked. :-)

[lemon b]

This morning I did a short hike in mid Ma. from The Cookie Lady's over to Warner Hill and Back. That one brook was a bit tricky, Not as muddy as I expected we had light rain, snow level is manageable, That one little cliff area was semi hairy. Most disturbing was the human poop mid trail near the road. Obviously not a hiker. But what type of person would not at least walk a few hundred feet off the trail.(Young & Drunk) Other than that was beautiful. Next week I'm going to head south past Oct Mt. Shelter in and out to Finerty Pond That should be interesting high point that way I believe is around 2200 ft.

[Slo-go'en]

Most disturbing was the human poop mid trail near the road.

Unless there was TP also at the site, it could have been a bear, even though it would be a little early for them to be roaming about.