BerkshireBackcountry.com

Long time with no posts.

2011-07-16T15:02:00.003-04:00

It sure has been a long time since Chris or I have had a chance to update this post. In the past year and a half since this blog has been updated a lot of things have happened. We have hosted two very successful downhill ski and snowboard races on Mount Greylock. We have gone on a couple cross country climbing trips as well as many other more local adventures. I have managed to build two cedar strip canoes and maybe the most exciting adventure yet was Chris marring his long time girlfriend Abbie just last month. Like always I try to update this as often as possible but sometimes life gets in the way and before you realise it a year has past, sometimes even longer. This year we have a lot of great adventures ahead of us and I will try my hardest to update this blog often with new and some older photos and stories to help inspire everyone to go on an adventure no matter how far or close to home it may be.

2009-12-14T20:16:00.003-05:00

This past week was a real good taste of Winter. We got a chance to ski the Bolt even though it was still a bit bony. Then we got lucky and scored an awesome powder day up at Jay Peak. And to finish the week off we snuck in some early season ice up in Smugglers Notch. So now that everything is shaping up and all of the ski areas are open its time to get out and play.

2009-12-02T18:32:00.007-05:00

first tracks on the Bolt

Girg feeling the stoke

Well we finally got some snow. Last week Mount Greylock picked up a good six inches of snow and you can't imagine how fast we got out to enjoy it. Most of the snow is all ready gone but I'm sure it will be back soon. For the past four years there has been enough snow to ski and ride the Bolt but I can't see that happening this year. So now that we got our first taste of snow we are left wanting more.

2009-11-07T08:44:00.003-05:00

Winter is on it's way. The Summer and Fall sure flew by. Most of my weekends these last few months where spent on the Thunderbolt. The trail is in unbelievably good shape. Every other week the Thunderbolt Ski Runners have had a trail day and every week we have had a good turn out of volunteers. For anyone who has skied the Bolt in the past, this season will be a great surprise to you. There has even been a bit of snow up there this year and there is still a good dusting on the ground right now.
Besides alot of trail work and regular " ole make a living work" I have still had a few good play days these last couple months. I've had a few days of camping, a bit of mountain biking, and a couple days of climbing in the Gunks with Powder hound Rich. It seems like there has been more work than play these past few months but when the snow starts falling that will all change. I normally have a few pictures to offer but every time I reach for the camera the batteries seem to be dead. But I do have two pictures to show. One is of Powder hound Rich rapping off a route in the Gunks. The other is of the brand new skis I just got for this season. Which I hope gets you excited for some snow. I know I get excited looking at new skis and as soon as I took the skis out of the gear room my dog came running thinking we were going skiing. I know my dog and I are excited and I hope you are to.

2009-09-01T20:49:00.004-04:00

The weather for the next week is looking great. It might even be the best week that we have had all year. Over the past few days I have been real busy enjoying these beautiful days. On Sunday there was a Thunderbolt trail day which turned out to be another great success. On Monday Josh from the Berkshire Outfitters and I went for a good road bike ride up and over the Mount Greylock auto road. And today I got a little solo canoeing/fishing in. With the good forecast I can't wait to see what I get into tomorrow. I hope everyone gets to take advantage of this great weather and I will see you out there real soon.

2009-08-23T12:26:00.003-04:00

Wow, I think that we all forgot about updating this blog or something. No, in reality the site was down for a long time and since no one here knows how to actually work a computer it took even longer to get it going than it should have. Some things are different though. We no longer have our main site running, now the Berkshire Backcountry address will bring you to the blog. This was the most viewed and updated part of our site although it hasn't seemed that way in a while. Besides all of our computer troubles and the non-stop rain we are still getting after it. I know Chris has been entering a few races this season and he is really pushing it. Just last weekend we went for a real good road bike ride and as soon as we got done he asked me to go for an eight mile run with him. I went home, he went running. So I can tell Chris has been busy. I've been pretty busy myself this summer. There has been alot going on with the upcoming ThunderBolt Ski race. Every month we have had a trail day, and every other week we have a board meeting to discuss all the important issues that come with holding this race. All in all the race is coming along great and the trail has never looked so good. Other than that it has been a well rounded summer with a bit of everything. The rain has only put a damper on my climbing, I have far fewer days in this year than in the past. But the routes that I got in this season have been some real classics. The trails have been a bit muddy but that hasn't stop any of us from putting a ton of miles on our mountain bikes. The next thing everyone has been enjoying is the fresh pavement on the Mount Greylock auto road. From my house in Adams it is a smooth and fast forty mile ride around, up, and over the mountain which we are all starting to get dialed. Besides riding and climbing we have been doing a lot of paddling. The water has been record high and I have finally got around to finishing the canoe I started to build a while ago. Hard to believe the Summer is almost over but that's fine with me because the Fall and the Winter is my favorite time to play anyways. Hope to see you all out there and I promise a more regular blog to be posted. Enjoy the rest of your Summer and I will leave you with a few pictures of my canoe and a recent climbing trip.

2009-04-07T08:55:00.004-04:00

Well it's that time of the year again when things just don't work out. The snow is all gone, trails are nothing but mud, the rocks are seeping water and it won't stop raining. So now all you can do is wait for those nice days to come or just such it up and go get wet and muddy. If your not into that than it is time to find some alternative recreation. The climbing gyms are always dry and the rivers and lakes are always wet so a little rain won't hurt you. Either way we are always out in search of a good adventure. The best thing about the rainy weather is that it has convinced us to start our surfing a little early this year. the only place where you don't mind if it's cold and rainy out is in the ocean because you can't find to many places colder and wetter than the Atlantic. I love to leave photos of our latest adventures but I only have one. I really have no idea what is going on here but this is he only photo that I have taken lately. See you guys out there and don't let the weather get you down.

Berkshire Backcountry's Newest Edition

2009-03-14T19:22:00.003-04:00

We would all like to welcome the newest edition to the Berkshire Backcountry team, Maple!

2009-03-10T20:59:00.006-04:00

Last week I was beginning to believe that Spring was here but I was proven wrong. The winter is still going strong and it isn't over yet. The Thunderbolt has good snow and there still is time for a couple more runs. Even though it is still cold and the snow and ice are good the cold days of Winter are numbered. With this in mind we have been trying to get a few good days of ice climbing and skiing in. We spent last weekend in New Hampshire ice climbing knowing that it might be the last time we get up there for the season. By the way water was running up there Spring is coming fast. There is still time to play in the snow but soon it will be mud season. So tune up the bikes and get out the rock gear because the warm weather is on it's way.

2009-03-02T11:44:00.003-05:00

Just when I thought we might get some Spring time weather I was wrong. We did get a warm up but now we're back to the cold and the snow. That's just fine with us. We haven't even thought about putting away the skis and ice gear. With this snow and cold it should refresh the climbs and trails making them in some of the best shape they have been in all year long. So like I always say, go and get after it. I have posted a couple photos of what the Dacks ice climbing looked like this weekend.

Stowe, VT Dawn Patrol

2009-02-23T09:14:00.003-05:00

With 10 - 20 inches expected by the end of the day, I headed up to Stowe, VT for some dawn patrol action this morning. I arrived in the parking lot at dark, actually very dark and started skinning. There was one other gentleman that showed up just after me who I would assume also has a job that he had to get to. The skiing was remarkable and conditions were excellent. Since it was dark and snowing like crazy, photos were not really an option (sorry). If you have some time, I highly recommend getting out there soon. Even if you don't have time, make some. 4 am departures help us office folk get our 50 days per year in. See you out there.

2009-02-19T09:42:00.003-05:00

Last night and this morning we picked up 3 to 5 inches of fresh snow. The Thunderbolt was real good this morning and it should be for days to come. This is the first real measurable amount of snow that we have had in a while and we are expected to have snow showers for the next couple of days. So I'm telling everyone to go out and get some.

2009-02-17T18:25:00.003-05:00

I have a bad habit, well I have alot of bad habits. One thing I all ways find myself doing is traveling north to ski or climb ice. Why would you head south for snow and ice right? But today was different, we went south. The Catskills have a pretty good collection of easy access ice climbs, and I hate to admit this but I have never been there. So today was a good surprise when we got to climb some new sunny routes. We went to Stoney Clove and had the place all to ourselves. I had such a good time that I think that I may have even broke one of my bad habits. I recommend this place to anyone interested in a variety of routes that are close to home and car. Just do it soon the warmth and the sun are starting to take their toll.

2009-02-15T18:53:00.003-05:00

Well here we are again a couple weeks since our last post. Not much is new other than a bunch of skiing and a bit of ice climbing. First off the ice is in mostly good shape. The thaw didn't really hurt anything but the conditions of some climbs are a little weird. Some routes are fatter than I have ever seen, where as some of the normally fat routes are rather thin. Everything is still very climbable. One thing that I did notice is that some of these routes have seen little traffic this year and you can't get anywhere without a pair of snowshoes for lack of a well traveled boot pack. On the skiing side things are good. We had a small warm up but it didn't hurt the trails as bad as it could have. We lost some snow but all trails have good coverage. The Thunderbolt has been seeing alot of traffic and we think that's a good thing. It really is amazing how many good people you get to meet. This was no more apparent than last week when we had a cookout at the bottom of the Big Shuss. All sorts of people stopped for a bite and a beer. Next time remind me to either bring less beer or bring more beers and my sleeping bag. Since last week I have been on the Bolt a few times and it is always good. Now I just can't wait for the next storm and another spring time BBQ. Get out and do what ever it is you do. The conditions are good.

Mad River Glen - $3.50 Lift Ticket

2009-01-27T18:22:00.002-05:00

Today Mad River Glen had lift tickets for $3.50, the same price as they were in 1948. It's called their Roll Back the Clock day and it surely had a lot of folks excited. For those of you not familiar with Mad River, it is a skiers only 'coop' located in Waitsfield, VT. It is the 'melting pot' of skiers: straight skis, free heelers, new schoolers and all other forms on two planks. At mid mountain lodges there's a solid chance that bluegrass will be blasting from the lifty's shack and at the base you will find LOTS of snow covered beards. If you've never ventured there, I would highly recommend it. My only complaint is that the beers in the lodge were more expensive than the lift ticket...but I think that I could get used to that.
Mad River's Infamous Single Chair

Gulf of Slides - Mount Washington

2009-01-21T17:59:00.000-05:00

In our never ending search for untracked powder, today we ventured up into the Gulf of Slides on Mount Washington. It was a fantastic blue bird day with little wind up there which is rare. We skied one of the gulllies, sorry for not knowing the number, but it was fantastic. Great snow with a nice fall line and a long ski back to the car at Pinkham Notch. We did see a small debris field in one of the gullies, so please note that this is avalanche terrain. Sorry for not posting more photos, old and cold batteries didnt have a good day.

Ice climbing and skiing in North Conway

2009-01-20T17:45:00.000-05:00

This morning the Berkshire Backcountry squad met up in North Conway. Our plan is to spend a couple of days up here to do some much needed ice climbing and backcountry skiing. We arrived into town around 11 am so what better place to get in some afternoon ice routes than Cathedral Ledge. The approach is non existent and the ice is absolutely fantastic. We were able to climb a few different routes. Tomorrow we're off to explore the Gulf of Slides and see what BC skiing is out there. Here are a few photos from today. Enjoy and see you out there...

Rich on Goofers.
Rich on the first pitch of Repentance.

Snowshoe Racing Tips - Direct Mount Sneakers to Snowshoes

2009-01-15T19:56:00.001-05:00

Today I took on the chore of direct mounting a pair of La Sportiva Ultranord's to my Tubbs Catalyst racing/running snowshoes. The hardest part of the operation was getting the rivets off of the bindings. This was only a grueling task because I didnt have the proper tool (dremel tool). Every pair of snowshoes is different so this may change depending on your snowshoes.

The only hardware that I needed was (8) 10 x 1.25 machine screws and (8) nuts for the bottom. I opted to not use washers, as I didnt want extra metal in the sole of my sneaker.

Step 1: Remove Bindings from Snowshoes. Be sure to keep crampon, as that will still stay on the bottom of the snowshoe.
Step 2: Mark new holes on bottom of running sneakers that you want to mount. The holes are where the screws will go.
Step 3: Drill holes in running sneakers. As you can see from the photos, I have 4 screws per sneaker.
Step 4: Put screws in sneakers and attach to snowshoes using the bolts on the bottom. See photo below.

I am using special Sole Inserts in the shoes as they are thicker and I dont want to feel any screws while I'm running.

I had a hard time finding other information and I had to get creative with my 'project'. Hopefully this information helps other snowshoe racers out there.

I'll be racing on Saturday in Adams, MA. For snowshoe schedule check out www.runwmac.com

2009-01-11T15:11:00.000-05:00

This snow storm that we got dropped a good ten inches on the Thunderbolt and the skiing is very good now. When we get a good little storm it is always amazing to see all of the parking lots filled with like minded people getting after it. It really is good to see so many people taking advantage of this awesome resource. That said today the mountain saw its fair share of users, and I was glad to be there with my good friend John who got some good early morning freshies for his birthday. The trails are excellent. Go skiing!

2009-01-09T13:04:00.000-05:00

Things are starting to shape up real good around here. The snow and ice seem to be getting better by the day. I have only checked on a few of our local ice climbing spots over the past to weeks, but every time I went to them they were bigger than the time before. As for the snow. We have skied the Thunderbolt the last three days straight, and every day was better than the day before. With today being in perfect shape and having a fair amount of powder. It seems like we may be getting a little more snow this weekend so I hope to see you all out there taking advantage of it.

2008-12-31T11:46:00.000-05:00

What a busy past couple of months it has been. It is hard to believe that it has been such a long time since I have gotten around to post anything new here. We have been having some weird weather as of lately. It seems that every time it gets cold and snowy it starts to warm up and rain, although this seems more and more common these past few years. Either way we have been getting after it. A month ago it was cold enough to do some local ice routes, but they have since melted away. Next we got a devastating ice storm which destroyed the Thunderbolt, making it unskiable. Since the storm, us members of the Thunderbolt Ski Runners have been up there religiously trying to restore the trail to before ice storm condition. I am happy to say is now totally skiable and almost in perfect shape. Now we have had some snow and it is dumping out as I type this. So if these weather patterns stay the same all I can say is get out and play in it for you never know when its going to melt away. I will leave you with some photos of the early season local snow and ice that we had. These pictures our no longer any indication of whats out there now, but its probably not to far off.

2008-10-16T20:43:00.000-04:00

The time really seems to be going by fast these past few weeks. We have been overwhelmed with work and with the days getting shorter it seems hard to fit everything in. There is another Thunderbolt cleanup real soon, but the date is unknown at this time so keep an eye on our calender for all upcoming local events. There is a real lot to do around here right now. The weather has been fairly nice and the foliage is outstanding. So now is the time to get out and do a few more warm weather things because its going to get cold and snowy before you know it. A few weeks ago a few of us here were lucky enough to sneak one last summer trip in so we headed out to Utah and Colorado to do a bit of biking and climbing. In two weeks we did a whole bunch of things. We rode a ton of new trails I have never been on, did a bit of hiking, climbed a couple of desert towers, and even finished off a keg of beer we brought with us. It was a great trip and I will leave you with a few pictures of us biking, climbing, and drinking.

busy climbing

2008-09-06T22:46:00.000-04:00

2008-07-18T17:46:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone out there is having a good summer and doing all of the things that you planned. We have been real busy and there has been a lot going on in the past couple of months. First off, over the past few months a group of us local back country fanatics have been at work on planning a ski race on the Thunderbolt to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the first ski race held on the mountain. We have been having monthly meetings and even took a walk through of the Thunderbolt with representatives of the state to clarify how to better take care of the trail. So that brings us to August 17th when we are asking for volunteers to help us do a little trail maintenance. If you remember how good the trail was last year and you want it to be even better next year, meet us in the Glen at 8:30am August 17th. All you will need is hand tools of your choice along with food and water to get you thru the day. Next on the agenda is the Kenda Bikefest which starts next weekend. Last week a few of us had the privilege to ride some of the new trails that were made for the event and I must say I was very impressed and I'm sure you will be to. In the spare time that we had these past few months we have been sneaking in few nights bouldering up in Monroe, A whole bunch of mountain biking, and with that storm we had out in the Atlantic we snuck in a long weekend of surfing up in New Hampshire. Anyways I hope summer is good to you and I hope to see all of you at these upcoming events.

2008-05-10T10:47:00.000-04:00

Well here I am again, well over a month since our last post. It always amazes me how fast the time goes by when you're busy. A lot has been happening since our last post. For starters all of that snow we had melted out in a real hurry and put a quick end to the great ski season we were having. Now our mountain biking and trail running season is in full effect. Surprisingly the mud hasn't been too bad but, the bugs are in full swing. We had quite a few real nice days recently only to be followed by a few rainy ones. So this is the time when you need to work around the weather and don't be afraid to get a little wet. As the weather starts to warm and the rain is hopefully a little less frequent there will be nothing that you can't do here in the Berkshires. We have been so active in the past month that we have already put at least 50 miles on the bike just in the Glen; I have been running at least one day a week; I took a week climbing trip to Red Rocks Nevada; and I even managed to sneak a day of surfing in up at Rye Beach. I hope everyone out there has been keeping busy, and I hope to see you all out there soon.

2008-04-05T11:01:00.000-04:00

It is hard to believe that it has been over a month since our last post, but if you have been out taking advantage of the great conditions we have; you will understand why we have been no where near a computer. It is also amazing to have February vacation turn to March vacation. Over the past few months my play days have easily outnumbered my work days two to one. The ThunderBolt has been so good that for the past few weeks I have been skiing it at least three times a week. On the other hand I have been climbing local ice routes to find that the best conditions all year have been over the past few weeks while we were having a good freeze-thaw cycle. All things being considered this March has been one of the best years for skiing the ThunderBolt and the skiing isn't over yet. With the forecast calling for some nice days ahead, now is the time to get at least one more run in. So get your gear ready and I guarantee that I will be seeing you up there.

2008-02-26T14:06:00.000-05:00

February has been mostly a vacation month for us here at
Berkshire Backcountry. Chris was in Jackson and Salt Lake for the first couple of weeks. Then he came home long enough for us to climb at the Smugglers Notch Ice Bash. When that was over he flew back out to Oregon and while Chris was back out west I went up to North Conway for few more days of ice climbing. Now that I'm back home I have been skiing the ThunderBolt the past couple of days. It has been in real good shape despite all the traffic that it has been seeing. With all of the snow forecasted for tonight it will be really good for the next couple of days. So with the great conditions and a lot of snow coming down right now, you can bet that we will be seeing you out there soon. I leave you with a bunch of pictures from the last couple weeks of ice climbing.

2008-02-05T20:35:00.000-05:00

It's been almost two weeks since my last post and we still haven't gotten any real snow. There actually is alittle more coverage than there was in my last photo, but what is there is bulletproof ice. We spent alot of time hiking on the mountain Sunday. On Monday I skied the bottom section of the Bolt but after the first turn I know I should left the skis at home. It rained today so I'm not sure what is left for snow. This is what the Bolt and the icy monument looked like on Sunday afternoon. All we can do now is pray that we get some good storms in February and March.

2008-01-24T13:51:00.000-05:00

Well it's been a few weeks since we have had any real significant snow fall, and after the thaw we could sure use a good storm. Before the thaw the Thunderbolt was the place to be. I rode the Bolt six times and the amount of people that were up there was amazing. As a matter of fact, the weekend before the thaw there was at least 60 plus people that we counted from Friday thru Sunday. Since then I have skied it once and although it can be done we need more snow to make it worthwhile. If you are in to Nordic skiing the trails are still pretty good. As for our local ice climbing venues its another story. It seems like most of the reliable routes never really came in but from what I have been seeing, this cold spell is going to help us out a lot. So with the lack of that good snow like what we had a few weeks ago and not that much ice I have had some extra time to work on my canoe project. I leave you with a picture of my dog and I testing out my new rando set up on the lower Thunderbolt last week, and a picture of my future canoe. Stay warm, keep busy, and have fun.

Vermont 4,000 Footers

2008-01-06T13:13:00.000-05:00

We set off yesterday morning at 3 am to try and do the 5 Vermont 4,000 footers in a day. The weather was going to be ideal and we were amazingly energized when our alarms starting roaring at 2:30 am. We didnt end up hitting all 5 of the 4,000 footers, but we sure had an excellent and exhausting day.

We first headed down and hiked Killington. We followed moose prints up most of the way up the freshly groomed ski trail. As we were hiking down the sun starting popping up over the Green Mountains. (estimated time 1:29 roud trip).

It was then off to Sugarbush Ski Resort which includes Mount Ellen and Mount Abraham. We bolted up the ski trail at Mount Ellen, tapped the summit then started the brutal traverse over to Lincoln Peak, over Saddleback Mountain (I believe). Even in our Tubbs Snowshoes, we still sometimes sank up to our chests. We had originally thought that there would be a 'broken' trail over to it, but that did not hold true. We planned to follow the long trail, but with the rime and snow on the trees, we couldnt find the trail makers. So we just slogged away.

We hit Lincoln Peak (3'975 ft) and then started to make our way over to Mount Abraham. Again, we had the misconception that there would be a broken trail out there. Foolish us! Some of the crew were having 'issues' so we decided to head off Lincoln Peak down the ski trails. Skiers and snowboarders were constantly stopping to chat with us and wondering why we would hike up only to turn around and hike down!

We hopped in the car that we had left a Sugarbush North. One of the crew decided that he was going to head on home (his shoes looked like Lake Champlain had flooded them). So two of us headed over to Camels Hump and arrived at the Burrow's Trailhead around 2 pm. We were the last summit hikers for the day.

At the summit, there was a constant 50 mph wind so we didnt hang out up there long. We ventured back down the trail to have some great conversations with backcountry skiers and other hikers. Everyone was just having a great day. The thought of heading over to Mount Mansfield for one more 4,000 footer (the tallest mountain in VT) at night was not that appealing so we cruised back home.

All in all, it was a great day with tons of lactic acid, fantastic views, great conversations and the ability to eat all of the pizza and margaritas that you want without feeling guilty. Hopefully we will all get together another time this winter to head up to Abraham and over to Mansfield to top off the VT 4,000 footers in Winter (some of us have done Mansfield already in Winter, but this a team effort).

Here are a few other pictures from the day. See you out there...

When we're not blogging...here's what we are doing

2007-12-20T09:05:00.000-05:00

2007-12-14T19:16:00.000-05:00

We finally got our first good snow of the year and the Thunderbolt is in great shape. By early morning there was already a bunch of tracks on it courtesy of the usual suspects. The riding is great and with the snowy forecast its only going to get better.

Smugglers Notch: FAT ICE

2007-12-12T21:00:00.000-05:00

The Berkshire Backcountry crew met up this past weekend in Vermont. We spent Saturday and Sunday climbing ice in Smugglers Notch. The ice was certainly plentiful. Conditions on Saturday were a bit cold as there was 30 mph wind gusts, but we hung on for as long as we could. Sunday was excellent with low wind and as you can imagine, no crowds. Ice climbing is growing as a sport, but we all have our own little special frozen waterfalls that we frequent. Sharpens those axes and get ready for a fun filled ice climbing season. See you out there. We'll have some photos from the trip coming soon.

2007-12-06T15:58:00.000-05:00

For the past five years it seems that we have gotten a snow storm on the first week of December and this year is no different. Some years we had enough to ride the Thunder Bolt but this year we have the right amount to cross country ski anywhere you want. The night time skiing is what makes the long winter nights go by alot less painfully. Those long nights really get to me. So for this winter when the skiing or snowshoeing isn't enough to wear me out, I have decided to biuld myself a wood strip canoe in all my down time. With those long nights upon us I have already been hard at work on skiing and the canoe. If you find yourself getting a little stir crazy at night go for a ski, a hike, or build a boat. It works for me. The first picture is of the "Wild Bunch" out for a night ski and the other is of the steam bent stem pieces of my canoe.

2007-11-19T19:32:00.000-05:00

Well it is offical. The rock climbing season is over and ice climbing season has just begun. This past weekend Chris and myself headed up to North Conway for some early season ice and some late season rock. Our original plan was to climb some ice on Mount Washington on our first day, but the weather on the mountain was less than ideal. While the temperature on the mountain was in the single digits, with hundred mph gusts, and limited visbility, the temptature in town was a sunny 35 degrees. So the choice was obvious, we went rock climbing. This was possibly the most intresting 5.6 climbing I have done in awhile. With full winter clothing on and just a pair of sneakers the wet, icy rock kept our attention. We climbed four pitches of rock, with an intimidating final move of icy laybacking which turned out to be some of the most fun I had climbing all year. By the next day the weather on the mountain was totally different. So with a clear, calm, and fairly warm day we went into Huntington Ravine to climb the classic Pinnacle Gully. What we found was perfect weather with good early season ice conditions. With the winter season in full swing up north, we can only hope that it won't be long before we are climbing and skiing in our own backyards.

Last Race and Falling Mercury

2007-11-05T16:22:00.000-05:00

With the mercury dropping, this past weekend was the last race of the season. 27 degree temperatures, fit Vermonters', and a beautiful course...Does it get much better? Team Berkshire Backcountry faired pretty well finishing the 'moderate' half marathon course in 1 hr 35 mins. It's nice to know that the the rest of fall and start of winter can be focused around our other favorite sports including snowshoeing, ice climbing, and snowboarding (sippin' micro brews is unfortunately not a sport yet). The buzz has begun for ice climbing and snow is in the forecast so you can expect to see our frosty beards out there experiencing all that New England has to offer. See you out there...

2007-10-15T18:54:00.000-04:00

The Fall is here and that signals many good things. We got those nice cool days with that crisp air, and always amazing foliage. For some it just means the snow isn't far away. On the down side, it always feels like this is the busiest time of year at work. With everyday getting shorter, it seems like all the things that you wanted to do this year but didn't, will just have to wait to next year. So when my buddy Zach was talking about climbing at Rogers Rock, I realized that would be a perfect day trip before it was too late. So with no time to waste, we snuck in another awesome day of climbing. There is no doubt that I will be climbing here again when the weather gets warm again and the water isn't so cold. I hope these pictures inspire you to get out and do something that you wanted to do this summer, but never got around to. If you decide to go climbing at Rogers Rock, all you will need is a small rack, double ropes, and most importantly, a boat. The first picture here was taken on the unique approach, and the second one is of my neighbor Zach and his father climbing one of the classic lines on Rogers Rock.

2007-09-23T11:45:00.000-04:00

While going through some paper work last week I found the 6th annual Quincy Quarries Climbfest program. I remember being in the area for something else, but stopping by just to see what it was all about. I mostly remember alot of graffiti and kids jumping off the rocks into the not so appealing water. Then I heard that the quarry was filled in and the whole place was alot cleaner than it had been years before. So when I saw realized that they were having a festival this year I thought I should check it out. To my amazement the place looks almost nothing like I remembered. Now where there once was water is a real nice lawn where you can lay down a blanket and watch everyone climb or take a break from your own climbing. The climbing in Quincy is like no place else, besides all of the already fixed toprope anchors the climbing is "special". Where else do you smear on the blue paint, crimp the orange edge and make a long reach for the big "2" in the giant "4.20" spray painted overhead. The climbing here is fun, the festival is perfect for the total begginer or the well seasoned, and my favorite part is climbing with my friends in Boston that I don't get to climb with very often.

2007-09-03T16:16:00.000-04:00

If you rock climb then this is the week for it. With the cooler temps and lower humidity those "high friction days" are upon us. And with the extended holiday weekend, we all have a little more time to play. Hopefully, you get to avoid some of the crowds this weekend. If you can't take the crowded areas, go exploring. A few years ago a friend of mine was nice enough to show me some things that he found while exploring. If you are lucky, you might stumble across something unexpected. You might even find this sweet boulder. It's not far from my home and I guarentee that there will never be a crowd.

2007-08-28T19:49:00.000-04:00

Well, as soon as the trail for the MountGreylock Go'Round was marked we were riding in the event, and next thing you know, we were riding it again to remove some markers. This added up to be alot of milage over the past couple of weeks. This whole event turned out to be a ton of fun and everyone who I talked to had a good time and really enjoyed this year's route. I have to admit that the best part of this for me was riding these trails for months ahead of the event and linking different ideas and trails together to finally get the finished product. This all added up to alot of real good riding while trying to find some good trail ideas. One of the more amusing things about marking a trail is how difficult it is to get three people to agree on where to actually put the markers. Even though the markers are all gone, the trails are still there and we hope to see you out on them.

2007-08-07T21:13:00.000-04:00

Has it really been that long since we last posted? While we never really got around to blogging anything, we sure have been busy doing everything else. First, we have been spending lots of time on our mountainbikes. During these rides we spent some time with Josh from the Berksire Outfitters, trying to find some good new trails for the Mt. Greylock Go'Round. This year the ride won't actually go around the mountain because of the road construction, but I am pretty sure everyone will like the route they have picked out for this year. With that being said, I hope to see everyone there. Besides all of the mountain biking we have spent plenty of days running, hiking, climbing, swimming, and we even managed to get a couple days of surfing in. But through the whole summer, my highlight was taking my four year old nephew two pitches up Whitehorse ledge. We both had a great time and I can't wait for all the years of climbing we have ahead of us. Hopefully we will be posting more frequently and I'll see you at the Mt. Greylock Go'Round.

2007-06-20T21:14:00.000-04:00

While the scattered showers have still been in the forecast since our last post, we have also had some incredibly nice days in between. So when the weather was uncertain you probably saw us out biking or hiking, but when we got those real nice days we spent them on the rocks. Last weekend was no exception. With the promising forecast, we headed to New Hampshire to spend some time on the splitter granite of Cannon Cliff. The trip was everything that you would expect a weekend of climbing to be. We climbed routes that we never climbed before, but thought about for years. We climbed routes that we thought were impossible, only to later bail off of routes that didn't look so hard. Just as important as the climbing, were all of the good people that we got to spend time with throughout the day. Climbing is just that. Where else can you face your fears, succeed at great challenges, learn from your failures, and interact with a variety of people over the course of a couple of hours. With all of the things we do, nothing compares to the climbing. We can't get enough, and I hope you feel the same way too.

2007-06-03T15:11:00.000-04:00

With scattered thunder showers being predicted for the past two weeks now, it has been pretty hard to committ yourself to any weather dependent activity. But for those of us who don't mind a little rain, the great trail conditions are well worth the risk of getting wet. Even with the forecast being the way it is, the only times that it did rain were later in the afternoon or at night. With that being said, you shouldn't let the threat of bad weather ruin you your plans, and in the worst case scenario you might just get a little wet. So pack your rain jacket and I'm sure you will see us on the trails, rocks, or rivers.

2007-05-22T22:06:00.000-04:00

100 degees, 14 pitches, an unexpected standoff with a bighorn sheep, and one self portrait pretty much sums up the best day of my recent climbing trip to Red Rocks, NV. With this trip only lasting five days, I made sure to fit in as much climbing as possible while still giving myself plenty of time to do the "Vegas" thing. Climbing the route Solor Slab definetly gave alot of bang for the buck. This was the last climbing day of my trip, so with no partner I set out early in the morning to solo this long beginner route. This turned out to be the best day of the trip. I was excited to solo this route after thinking about it for years. I was able to climb the whole route in under 45 minutes. The climb was fun and fairly staightforward... the hard part was the 3 hour descent. So with that being said, I highly recommend the route, but do yourself a favor, and bring two ropes to rappel the route.

Big Lake 1/2 Marathon

2007-05-14T20:37:00.000-04:00

13.1 miles of pure New Hampshire enjoyment! The weather, participants, race, and ice cream made this event a huge success. Out of the 5 Berkshire County athletes that attended, all 5 finished in excellent time. One of them even finished in the top 100 (out of 1200 racers). Ages ranged from 25 -52 and made the trek to Alton Bay, NH. We hope to see you there...

Bung hill and the Brew Works

2007-05-05T17:12:00.000-04:00

With the great weather and having the option of going anywhere this weekend, it is no surprise that i find myself in my own backyard. When i awoke this morning i had huge plans to go to the Gunks or maybe to North Comway, with hopes of climbing some routes that have been in my mind for some time. Then the thought of a long ride set in and all ambition dried out. And while laying in bed I thought, why not go to one of the closer neglected crags. Shortly after a big breakfast, I found myself roping up at Bung hill. This was a good choice. I almost always forgot the fact that there are awesome routes, in our area within a stones throw from a road. So after having a good time cimbing a few good routes, it was perfect to stop by the local brewery, and have a few good pints with some close friends. I wish that I had more pictures to offer, but this is it. The picture itself might not be the greatest but the route Elephant Crack is well worth a try. Enjoy the weather, and maybe we'll see you out there.

Running with Reggae

2007-04-28T09:03:00.000-04:00

As I sit listening to Beres Hammond (excellent reggae artist), I briefly forget that I have to run a 15 miler tomorrow. OK...now I'm back to reality. With race season approaching fast, one more long run, then its taper time for a beautiful half marathon with friends and my Dad in NH. Some first 1/2 marathoners and some veterans, but we've all worked hard to get there.

2007-04-01T21:07:00.000-04:00

Well as quick as the ice climbing season has come and gone, it is now time to get back on the rock. Today was the begining of our rock climbing season and we decided to try a couple of routes down in Great Barrington. Its been a good couple of years since I have been to Reservoir Rocks because of the ongoing access issues, but by all of the cars there, it seems some of the issues might be somewhat better. With all of the boulders and a few quality rope routes, I can see myself climbing here more often. So put away the axes, dust off the shoes and rack, and go climbing. And if you find yourself climbing at Reservoir Rocks, I highly recommend climbing the route Endeavor to Persevere which is pictured here and possibly one of the best routes in the Berkshires.

Spring has Sprung!

2007-03-28T19:17:00.000-04:00

Berkshire Backcountry has been busy updating the calendar of events and looking for more events to add. With a half marathon fast approaching, we've been busy hitting the pavement and are always welcoming new folks to train with or take on an adventure. The weather forecast for this weekend looks promising so Team BerkshireBackcountry may try to find some granite to climb. See you out there...

Keene Valley, NY Ice Climbing

2007-03-13T21:13:00.000-04:00

Last weekend was a fruitful weekend for Berkshirebackcountry.com. With warm weather and an unquenchable thirst for frozen water, we headed off to Keene Valley, NY for a day of ice climbing. We had the ice to ourselves nearly all day and ended the day with a great sandwich from a small hometown grocer. The ice was a bit tattered and it appears that with the current weather conditions the season is coming to an end soon. See you there...

2007-03-04T16:14:00.000-05:00

If your not geared up and out enjoying the snow, you're crazy, or maybe your like us and going crazy with all the great riding we have. The past couple of weekends have brought tons of people to the Thunderbolt, and for good reason. The trail has great coverage and the snow has stayed in pretty good shape. Yesterday the Bolt got a couple inches of snow and the warmer temps made it springlike. Whether your crazy or not, ski or snowboard, you should be up on Mount Greylock giving the Thunderbolt a try.

2007-02-22T16:45:00.000-05:00

Today was a perfect day to sneak out of town and head up to Rumney. The climbing was warm and sunny, and all I wore was a thin shell. But on the downside, the sun and high tempts have had an effect on the ice. There still is plenty of ice but it was a little bit rotten in the sun. With colder days to come, the running water today should be fresh ice soon. Thanks to all the bolts at Rumney, the rotten screw placements can sometimes be avoided, and it is amazing what you might try when you are looking down at a nice shiny bolt.

2007-02-15T13:36:00.000-05:00

One of the main reasons that we set this page up was to post the conditions of the local trails, whether for running or skiing. Above all, it was to be a big resource for people to find the most upto date conditions for the Thuderbolt, so finally here it is. Early this morning a few of us decided to go and give it a rip and what we got was an unbelievable morning. The trudge up took some time, even with snowshoes and each of us swapping turns breaking trail. Once on top, we dropped in and didn't stop till we reached BellowsPipe. At BellowsPipe we all agreed to hike it one more time. Story aside, the Thunderbolt is in great shape with a solid 12 to 24 inches, depending on the drifting. Not one of us, on our combined six runs hit anything hidden under the snow. This week it will be a little tracked up, but with a great bootpack and awesome turns, you will be seeing us up there almost everyday. Maybe we'll see you out there.

2007-02-05T21:16:00.000-05:00

We got the cold, but where's all the snow? All of us at
Berkshirebackcountry have been climbing ice like crazy, but we had hoped to be skiing the Thunderbolt by now. I'll admit we have been X-C skiing a few times on Greylock and in southern Vermont, and it was really good. There is snow out there. Now if we can get just a few more inches, those early morning turns on the "Bolt" will be a reality. But with all the other things to do you'll see us out swinging the tools and cranking on the X-C's.

2007-01-28T15:12:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning's hike/ice bouldering trip on Ragged Mountain started out just perfect. Warmer temps and a steady snowfall made the mountainside surreal. After a short hike and after climbing a couple of small ice flows, we decided it was time to move on. While on our way down, we were talking about all of the trees up there that had been chewed on by porcupines. Moments after talking about the porcupines, I look for my dog, only to find he was thinking about porcupines as well.

Hidden Falls, MA

2007-01-22T19:38:00.000-05:00

Berkshire Backcountry spent Saturday exploring frozen water around North Adams, MA. They climbed flows in Western MA known as Hidden Falls. 10 degrees and 25 mph made the conditions ideal for an ice climbing adventure. See you out there...

2007-01-09T21:19:00.000-05:00

Freezing temps, blowing winds and heavy snow. Perfect ice climbing conditions. Willeys slide in Crawford notch. This route was in good shape on new years eve, but is non-existent now.
This weekends trip to Huntington Ravine will hopefully be worth while. Maybe we'll see you out there.

2006-12-03T21:03:00.000-05:00

All that warm weather gave us a little extra time on the rock this year, but with these colder temps in the forecast, all we can think about is ice and snow. So it appears that this route pictured here, "Last Frontier", was the last rock climb of the year. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we will have some local snow/ice conditions and photos posted.

A good place to rest the dogs

2006-11-28T19:19:00.000-05:00

looking for a hiking partner? drop us a line at Blogger@Berkshirebackcountry.com.

Mount Greylock Trail Run

2006-11-26T02:06:00.000-05:00

November 24 - Berkshirebackcountry and our friend Dan ran the Cheshire Harbor Trail to the summit of Mount Greylock. It was a beautiful day with no clouds. There are some traces of snow on the mountain, an for snowboarding/skiing's sake, we hope to add to it. Be on the lookout for a slideshow that Berkshirebackcountry.com will be putting on in January. See you out there...

Gunks 10.22.06

2006-10-22T18:44:00.000-04:00

Chris, Abbie, Rich and Lindsay took off to do some climbing at the Gunks in New Paltz, NY for the day. As one can imagine, the place was extremely busy. We still managed to have an excellent day and climb some good routes. See out there...

North Coway Rock Climbing

2006-10-16T20:42:00.000-04:00

Had an epic day rock climbing in North Conway. Climbed some classics on Cathedral Ledge including Airation and then headed to White Horse Ledge for some nice slabby multi pitch. The weather was super nice and you can tell that winter is not far off in the White Mountains. See you out there!!

Last Day for Bascom Lodge

2006-10-14T13:02:00.000-04:00

Excellent day to be at the summit of Mt. Greylock. Saw the first snowflakes of the season. The lodge at the summit will close tomorrow October 15 for the season. After that, your going to need Berkshire Backcountry to get you up there. Heading to North Conway, NH tonight for some rock climbing tomorrow. See you out there!

Project Greylock Ramble October 9, 2006

2006-10-09T18:34:00.000-04:00

Beautiful day for an approximate 1,200 people to summit Mount Greylock. Chris hiked it with a group of 11 children. Great opportunity for pictures, so check out Berkshirebackcountry.com if you were there or just want to be jealous. See you on the next adventure!

Mount Greylock Ramble

2006-10-06T07:55:00.000-04:00

It's that time again. The Mount Greylock Ramble on Monday October 9., your chance to touch the summit of the tallest mountain in Massachusetts. Berkshirebackcountry.com and friends plan to be out there enjoying the day and hopefully camping out the night before. We will be sure to keep you posted.

Greylock Federal Credit Union 5k

2006-10-02T16:53:00.000-04:00

October 1, 2006
Race had approximately 110 runners. It was a wet rainy day, but everyone had an excellent time. Chris did alright, placing 14th overall. We'll keep you updated on future adventures, races and conditions.