Elevation gain: 2250'
Trails used: Metacomet-Monadnock Trail.
We did not want to mess around with the snow for this weekend's hike so Brian did a little information gathering, and we decided on heading south into Massachusetts to hike. We had planned to do this hike last year but with the large amount of hikes we had planned, this one fell by the wayside.
Mount Holyoke is located in Hadley and South Hadley Massachusetts and is home to the Skinner State Park. The Seven Sisters are seven distinct peaks between Mount Holyoke and Mount Hithcock. Mount Hitchcock is located in also located in Hadley and South Hadley Massachusetts. Bare Mountain are located in Amherst and South Hadley, Massachusetts and is the highest point in South Hadley. All these peaks are part of the Holyoke Range and the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail runs over the whole ridge. This is also home to the 7 Sisters Trail Race, which is held every spring and is 12 miles and roughly 4000 feet of elevation gain. For more information on the Mount Holyoke Range State Park, go here.
We spotted a car on the Mount Holyoke Range State Park's Notch Visitor center (off of MA 116) and drove to where we would start on Mountain Road (off of MA 47).
Immediately as we start the hike, the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail goes straight up! We already are liking our choice for the day.
Looking back down this power line cut to where we started and Brian's CR-V, way down at the bottom awaiting our return.
Looking east along the power lines as they run through the Lithia Springs Reservoir area.
Looking back towards the Mount Tom and the Mount Tom State Reservation. Another hike to save for a nice day.
The white blazed Metacomet-Monadnock Trail is easy to follow as the trail is easily discernible with nice open woods and view points along the way. There was hardly any snow or ice to worry about on this side of the Holyoke Range.
The old Prospect House (which was an old hotel) on the summit area of Mount Holyoke and located in the J.A. Skinner State Park.
Views northwest into Massachusetts from the porch area of the Summit House.
Looking back from where we came and over towards Mount Tom from the porch area of the Summit House.
The high point for Mount Holyoke (elevation 935').
Brian at the memorial site where a B-24 crew, from nearby Westover Air Force Base, died when their plane crashed into a cliff during a night time training mission.
The white blazed Metacomet-Monadnock Trail continues through this picnic area, a nice place to sit and relax after a good day of hiking.
We descended down into Taylor's Notch, where we would cross the auto road that travels up to the summit of Mount Holyoke. Brian parked his fanny in a No Parking spot.
Another view point shortly after Taylor's Notch and along the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail.
After Taylor's Notch, the fun begins. The woods remain wide open, the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail easy to follow, but now we contend with the Seven Sisters which means quite a bit of up and down for us as we traverse the seven distinct peaks.
I was surpised to see how many people, like us, were doing this traverse. It seemed like most people were doing the opposite of us though.
Desi and Brian weaving their way along the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail on the way to Mount Hitchcock and then on to Bare Mountain.
Brian on a cool rock outcrop at a nice little view point along the way to Mount Hitchcock.
Looking back towards the way we came. It always looks a lot farther away than it actually is.
My ugly mug on the summit of Mount Hitchcock (elevation 1002'). There used to be a viewing tower on this summit but it was taken down. The concrete supports are behind my head.
Even more nice woods walking. I bet with the leaves on the trees its an even better hike.
A steep part of the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail as we move along the Seven Sisters and the Holyoke Range.
Looking ahead through the tree's to Bare Mountain's summit.
No one said hikers aren't smart!! Remember this for Jeopardy just in case.
An old fenced in power station for the Post-Attack Command and Control System Facility in Hadley, Massachusetts. It closed in 1970 when the 8th Air Force was relocated to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
Bare Mountain (elevation 1005') seemed to be the popular summit today as that is where we encountered the most people on the ledges.
There were decent views from the summit area of Bare Mountain, including this view of nearby Mount Norwottock, which is part of the eastern Holyoke Range.
We switchbacked our way down to the car from the summit of Bare Mountain, so it was pretty steep and straight down in a few spots.
Desi and Brian coming down off the summit of Bare Mountain, the only sketchy spot on the whole hike as there was a nice slippery ice/snow spot.
An old slide/rock area along the trail on our way down to the Mount Holyoke Range State Park Visitors Center in "the Notch" or MA 116.
Just what the doctor ordered for today. We only saw a few brief patches of snow and ice with only the last stretch of snow/ice coming off of Bare Mountain the only weather obstacle for today's hike. Doing the whole traverse is a definite leg burner so I could only imagine the people doing the running challenge (which several people seemed to be doing). Good views from Mount Holyoke and Bare Mountain and several viewpoints along the way so you would not be disappointed if you do this hike.
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