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>BACK TO
HIKING
SECTION
02.09.09
Mount Moby Dick
Sean Conneely’s
search for the Berkshires' literary past led him to Mount
Greylock — the
mountain that inspired Herman Melville’s whale of a story.
In the fall, Greylock's Chesire Harbor
Trail lies under a blanket of leaves.
(Sean Conneely Photo)
I COULDN'T SEE THE WHALE. I tried
squinting; nothing. I slid a few feet to my left, then to my right,
hoping a change in perspective would help, but no. Normally, I would be
a bit nervous about not being able to see one of the planet’s largest
mammals, but these were unusual circumstances in which to be on a whale
watch.
You see, the “whale” in question was the broad profile of Mount Greylock,
which at 3,491 feet, stands as the tallest peak in Massachusetts. I had
come to the Berkshires to hike Greylock, which dominates the surrounding
countryside, but also to delve into its literary past. The Berkshires —
and Greylock specifically — have served as a source of inspiration for
many artists and writers for hundreds of years; which brings me back to
the whale.
In the mid-1800s, Herman Melville lived on a picturesque farm in
Pittsfield, Massachusetts. A window from Melville’s study provides a
captivating view of Mount Greylock and its sister peaks. The story goes
that Melville was inspired to write Moby Dick because he was able to see
— particularly in winter — the back of a whale breaking the ocean’s
foamy surface in Greylock’s prominent ridgeline. I moved behind
Melville’s desk; nope, still no whale.
Whatever the view from Melville’s study, I can assure you that on
Greylock’s slopes whales do not leap to mind. In the fall, your thoughts
turn more toward the annual pageant of color that Mother Nature puts on
display. And what a stunning display it is: sharp, crisp reds, deep,
textured oranges, shiny, sunny yellows. The forest’s range of vibrant
colors inspires even those without a creative tendency.
On the evening before my hike, I paid a visit to the Mount Greylock
Visitor Center in Lanesboro. In addition to obtaining trail maps and
updated information, the center also boasts a wonderful 3D relief of
Mount Greylock and an entertaining historical photo exhibit.
The weather had proved fickle during my visit to the Berkshires, with
moody clouds and chilly winds. Still, the mountain gods took pity on me
as I began my hike; the sun sliced its way through the gloom, causing
the foliage to glow.
The 12,500-acre Mount Greylock State Reservation offers a network of
trails to choose from. I had picked the most popular — the Cheshire
Harbor Trail — for the ascent, and I planned on hiking down the Gould
Trail to create a sort of loop.
The Cheshire Harbor Trail is an old carriage road, and cuts a wide swath
through the forest — more of a corridor than a path. The trail climbs
steadily at first, flowing into a zig-zag pattern.
As I hiked through the northern hardwood forest, I was able to admire
the variety of trees and their distinctive leaves. Maple, Hemlock, Birch
and Beech trees: each added their unique and spectacular shades to the
surroundings. The forest canopy above me was radiant.
Yet, the real reward is found on the ground. The trail pops to life with
an enticing palette of freshly fallen leaves. As newcomers to terra
firma, the leaves lack that noisy crispness of their more stubborn
cousins, providing a wonderful, near-silent cushion underfoot.
Near-silent that is, until I curse out loud after kicking a rather hefty
root hiding beneath the blanket of leaves.
At one mile, the trail intersects with the Old Adams Road Trail, another
carriage road. Continuing upward, the terrain becomes slightly less
aggressive, if decidedly more soggy. Groups of young adults pass me on
their descent, in packs of 4 or 5 at a time. According to Alec Gilman,
Supervisor of Visitor Services for the Reservation, upwards of 250,000
people visit Greylock each year to hike, camp or drive to the summit.
Rockwell Road and Notch Road depart Lanesboro and North Adams,
respectively, and meet at the mountain’s summit, bisecting the
reservation. Both roads were closed for major repairs and improvements
at the time of my visit, but they are expected to be open by spring of
2009.
After an intersection with a secondary footpath that connects to the
Gould Trail, the path narrowed, steepened, and became decidedly more
slippery. As I climbed, the forest began to thin out and the thick
canopy above me gave way to wide patches of pale denim sky.
At around the 2.5-mile marker, the trail crossed the aforementioned
Rockwell Road and merged with the famous Appalachian Trail, which I
followed to the summit. Whenever I hike any portion of the AT, I can’t
help but reflect upon those hearty souls, the thru-hikers, who tackle
the 2,150 or so miles from end to end.
Once I hit the white blazes of the AT, the terrain leveled out. I
followed a raised walkway through what was now an entirely different
forest. At 2,600 feet above sea level, the surroundings transform from
hardwoods to a lush, pine-scented, boreal forest, characterized by the
Christmas-tree-like balsam firs and red spruces.
As I continued my trek to the summit, I came across a picturesque alpine
lake, pristine and inviting. On the water’s edge stood a small cabin.
The scene evoked something out of Thoreau. This is fitting, in a way, as
the renowned writer did climb Greylock in 1844, an experience which
helped inspire his Walden experiment the following year.
The AT crosses the road again, and then begins to climb directly toward
the summit. And after a few hundred yards of climbing, I emerged into
the outskirts of Greylock’s expansive summit area. On clear days — which
are admittedly rare — you can see the Green Mountains of Vermont, the
southern peaks of New Hampshire, eastern New York and northern
Connecticut from here.
In addition to the views, the summit offers visitors two distinct
landmarks. The first is the welcoming Bascom Lodge. Built in the 1930s,
the lodge offers a warm meal and a bed from spring to fall. With the
road closures, the lodge was closed as well, giving the summit an
unusual, but welcome, tranquility.
Also closed was the Massachusetts Veterans War Memorial Tower. The
striking 93-foot tall granite structure, which purposefully resembles a
lighthouse (the monument was originally designated for Boston Harbor),
was dedicated in 1933 to honor Massachusetts’ residents who served their
country in time of war. The tower and lodge are slated to re-open next
May.
After enjoying the fruits of my labor on the peak, I began my descent. I
retraced my steps over the last section of the AT that I had climbed
earlier, and when I reached the road, I began searching for the Gould
Trail.
After just a few strides on the Gould Trail, I was pleased with my
choice in trails. This trail was narrow and curvy, and the grade was
challenging. This was real hiking. The trees around me were far along in
their seemingly counter-intuitive process of shedding their summer
outfits for their more revealing and stark winter wardrobe.
With the accumulation of leaves on the ground covering the trail,
following it became a task. The blue blazes came in handy more than
once.
The trail runs parallel to Peck’s Brook, and a side trail offers hikers
a chance to admire a small waterfall. There is something reassuring
about the sound of bubbling, flowing water, and I enjoyed it as I hiked
along.
The trail descends sharply to the water’s edge, and by stepping on a few
of the abundant rocks, I crossed the brook and began to climb out of the
ravine. I knew I was approaching a trail junction soon — an important
one for me. I needed to take the cutoff trail which would lead me back
to the Cheshire Harbor Trail, and, eventually, back to my car. If I
missed it, it would be a long walk back to the parking lot.
Fortunately, I found the connector trail and was soon back on the
distinctively wide path of the Cheshire Harbor Trail. As I hiked the
last mile, I considered Mt. Greylock’s name; in fact, no one knows its
origin. It has been suggested that Greylock earned its name because the
peak is so often shrouded (locked) in gray clouds.
Another possibility is that it is an eponym for a Native American
warrior named Gray Lock. The Abenaki chief was born near present-day
Westfield in 1670. During the mid-1720s, at the height of tensions
between new English settlers and the tribes of New England, Gray Lock
was notorious for conducting raids on settlements. There is no evidence
that Gray Lock ever visited the state’s most prestigious mountain, but
it makes for a good story.
As I emerged from the thick woods to the parking area, I thought of
Melville again. Melville so loved Mount Greylock that he dedicated one
of his novels to the mountain, calling it “my own…sovereign lord and
king”. Gazing at the inspiring, vibrant hillsides, I could see why he
loved the area so much. However, I still couldn’t see the whale.
 Although
Sean Conneely now lives in Colorado, he is a native of the Bay
State and returns often to hike its many trails. |
