Antlerpeak
08-26-2005, 06:49 PM
I will start by saying this has to be far less impressive than Neil's trip up Avalanche. But it was an adventure never the less. The Dome is a 2548 foot mountain just north of Williamstown Ma barely inside Vermont. I had been looking at this one for some time now as it advertised an open summit with good views of Mt Greylock.
It was just yesterday in a post that I mentioned a great addition to this site would be to include directions to some trail heads, commenting that many in Vermont are state secrets as the guide books are rather vague. So what happens I run into one of those the next day. According to the Day Hikers Guide by the GMC there are two routes up this Mt. The first is by utilizing an approach trail to the begining of the Long Trail. The driving directions in the guide are quite easy to follow in regard to getting to the trailhead. What it does not tell you is there are no signs identifying the trails.
The first route exits a parking area right at the border of VT/MA. The paved road turns to dirt at the border and there is a parking area on the right. I checked this but there was nothing to identify this as the Broad Brook Trail. Since the small lot on the border was obvious I suspect this is the trail. There is a connecting trail 1.4 miles up the Broad Brook Trail that climbs a ridge joining the Dome Trail. According to the book the second trail, the Dome trail leaves the White Oaks Road one third of a mile beyond this parking lot. So I was off to find the Dome Trail. The guide warned there was roadside parking only for the Dome Trail.
One third of a mile up that road there was a small parking lot on the right side. Again a trail unmarked exited the lot going in the right direction. Taking a chance I followed this a quarter mile or so and finally encountered an orange blaze. The book reported the trail was orange blazed and maintained by the Williams Outing Club. It wasn't until I reached the trail jct with that connector trail where I found the first verification that I was on the correct route. There was a sign identifying the connector trail. After 1.4 miles and 800 feet elevation gain there was the first solid indicator this was the right way.
It is a nice trail and the mountain has a one directional view toward Mt Greylock where you get to see the upper half of the mountain. It is worth the hike but only if you are nearby. As I said it is a nice hike but I would not drive a long distance to do it. Bald Mt in Woodford a few miles north is much better. No it was not a bushwhack but it demanded your route finding skills to determine if you had the right dirt road. The most interesting aspect occurred in the parking lot on the return.
About one tenth of a mile before reaching the parking lot three hikers were met as they walked uphill. They were a bit confused wondering if this was in fact the trail. I gave them assurances and they continued upward. Upon entering the lot one minute later I noticed a pickup truck parked directly behind my car. Two fellows were talking and drinking a can of beer. They commented they had been there for ten minutes watching the people getting ready to go on the hike. One of them said this is a busy spot.
I looked at my watch 1:45 and again at these guys who were not getting ready to hike the mountain. I was taking my time putting stuff away seemingly in no hurry. Being the devil I am I quipped "busy? Oh just hang around a bit." One fellow leaned out of his pick up "Oh why?" I said, "there is a group comming down the mountain, scouts I think, they told me a van was supposed to pick them up at 2pm. They were camping, I don't see the van yet but," let it dangle and shrugged. Those guys peeled out of there without another word. Quickest exit I have seen in sometime. It made me wonder, it is a good thing those other hikers came along when they did. I suspect these guys had not so nice ideas for my car. Now as I replaced those other hikers in the lot they acted like they were waiting for me to leave. I may have misread this but I thought of the other hiker's car and came up with that tall tale about the scouts and the van. Who knows but they waisted no time getting out of there.
So we hit new mountain number 27 for the year and now look forward to number 28. Next on the agenda is MT Snow also in southern VT this 3557 foot peak has a trail from the ski lodge open to the public. I am waiting for Monday as I called the resort yesterday to learn the trail is open and you can hike the mountain this weekend. But there are mountain bike races Saturday and Sunday and the trail crosses the race course. They suggested if hiking take care when crossing the race course. They also said they expect several hundered spectators on the summit. I'll wait till Monday.
It was just yesterday in a post that I mentioned a great addition to this site would be to include directions to some trail heads, commenting that many in Vermont are state secrets as the guide books are rather vague. So what happens I run into one of those the next day. According to the Day Hikers Guide by the GMC there are two routes up this Mt. The first is by utilizing an approach trail to the begining of the Long Trail. The driving directions in the guide are quite easy to follow in regard to getting to the trailhead. What it does not tell you is there are no signs identifying the trails.
The first route exits a parking area right at the border of VT/MA. The paved road turns to dirt at the border and there is a parking area on the right. I checked this but there was nothing to identify this as the Broad Brook Trail. Since the small lot on the border was obvious I suspect this is the trail. There is a connecting trail 1.4 miles up the Broad Brook Trail that climbs a ridge joining the Dome Trail. According to the book the second trail, the Dome trail leaves the White Oaks Road one third of a mile beyond this parking lot. So I was off to find the Dome Trail. The guide warned there was roadside parking only for the Dome Trail.
One third of a mile up that road there was a small parking lot on the right side. Again a trail unmarked exited the lot going in the right direction. Taking a chance I followed this a quarter mile or so and finally encountered an orange blaze. The book reported the trail was orange blazed and maintained by the Williams Outing Club. It wasn't until I reached the trail jct with that connector trail where I found the first verification that I was on the correct route. There was a sign identifying the connector trail. After 1.4 miles and 800 feet elevation gain there was the first solid indicator this was the right way.
It is a nice trail and the mountain has a one directional view toward Mt Greylock where you get to see the upper half of the mountain. It is worth the hike but only if you are nearby. As I said it is a nice hike but I would not drive a long distance to do it. Bald Mt in Woodford a few miles north is much better. No it was not a bushwhack but it demanded your route finding skills to determine if you had the right dirt road. The most interesting aspect occurred in the parking lot on the return.
About one tenth of a mile before reaching the parking lot three hikers were met as they walked uphill. They were a bit confused wondering if this was in fact the trail. I gave them assurances and they continued upward. Upon entering the lot one minute later I noticed a pickup truck parked directly behind my car. Two fellows were talking and drinking a can of beer. They commented they had been there for ten minutes watching the people getting ready to go on the hike. One of them said this is a busy spot.
I looked at my watch 1:45 and again at these guys who were not getting ready to hike the mountain. I was taking my time putting stuff away seemingly in no hurry. Being the devil I am I quipped "busy? Oh just hang around a bit." One fellow leaned out of his pick up "Oh why?" I said, "there is a group comming down the mountain, scouts I think, they told me a van was supposed to pick them up at 2pm. They were camping, I don't see the van yet but," let it dangle and shrugged. Those guys peeled out of there without another word. Quickest exit I have seen in sometime. It made me wonder, it is a good thing those other hikers came along when they did. I suspect these guys had not so nice ideas for my car. Now as I replaced those other hikers in the lot they acted like they were waiting for me to leave. I may have misread this but I thought of the other hiker's car and came up with that tall tale about the scouts and the van. Who knows but they waisted no time getting out of there.
So we hit new mountain number 27 for the year and now look forward to number 28. Next on the agenda is MT Snow also in southern VT this 3557 foot peak has a trail from the ski lodge open to the public. I am waiting for Monday as I called the resort yesterday to learn the trail is open and you can hike the mountain this weekend. But there are mountain bike races Saturday and Sunday and the trail crosses the race course. They suggested if hiking take care when crossing the race course. They also said they expect several hundered spectators on the summit. I'll wait till Monday.