OCTOBER 2010 SCHEDULE
Friday, October 1 - Sunday, October 3, Hike & Bike Foliage Vermont
Hike and/or bike. Wide selection of Green Mountain trails and back roads. Based at the Blue Gentian Lodge in Londonderry, VT. Click here for more information. L: Tom Caruthers & Fiona Nicholson
Thursday, October 7, 8:45 am, FCE - Penwood State Park, Bloomfield
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Penwood SP parking lot is on the Bloomfield/ Simsbury border just E of entrance to Heublein Tower. Approx 5 miles. We will follow Metacomet Trail to former Veeder cabin. Return via yellow trail to parking area. There are a couple of good climbs & western views. CWB p. 170. L: Jerry Marcum, cell 860 810 0087
Saturday, October 9th 9:00am, BLT, Devil's Kitchen
This pleasant 4.6-mile loop goes through "Devil's Kitchen," which is a beautiful box canyon on the orange-dot section of the Blue-Blazed Tunxis Trail. There are a few steep sections, so hikers should be in fit condition. Meet at Scoville Road pullout (off Route 69), opposite Lamson Corner Cemetery (2.1 mi. S of Rt 4). CWB map TU-3b. L: Richard Lotstein
Tuesday, October 12, 7am, FCE - U, Vermont AT continuation
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Meet in the parking lot of the International Skating Center, Rt. 10, Simsbury, to carpool to Vermont to continue north on the AT. We will hike 10+ miles in the Stratton-Manchester area. Pack plenty of water, snacks, lunch, insect repellant, sunblock, etc. for this long day (although the elevation profile looks tame). Anticipate returning to Simsbury after 8 pm. If the weather does not look promising, we will postpone this until another day. L: Marie Coons
Thursday, October 14, 8:45 am, FCE - Torrington Trails
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John Muir Trail in Paugnut State Forest and Alain and May White Nature Trails in Sunnybrook State Park. Take Rt. 8 to exit 44 in Torrington, travel west on Rt. 4 for 0.5 mile and turn right on Main Street. In 0.5 mile, pass firehouse on left and immediately bear left at small traffic island onto Newfield Road. Continue north 2.5 miles to Sunnybrook State Park on left (entrance is marked by two stone pillars about ten feet from the road). We will carpool to the trailhead at Starks Road then will hike SW on the John Muir trail to some trails in Sunnybrook State Park. L: Anne Fitzgerald (Home 860-673-1216; Cell 860-221-4225 morning of hike), (CWB: p. 275-280 and map p. 283)
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 7 am, FCE-U, Vermont AT, Manchester Area
Meet in the parking lot of the International Skating Center in Simsbury (see google map of 10/12) for this hike on the AT in Vermont, weather permitting. The hike will be about 7 miles so anticipate a return time of 7 pm. Pack plenty of food, water, layers, etc. L: Marie Coons
Thursday October 21 8:45 am, FCE - Heublein Tower
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Meet at the Penwood State Park parking lot on Rt 185 on the Bloomfield/ Simsbury border. We will carpool to Nod Way in Avon. Taking the Hazen and Skyline trails, we will hike up to Heublein Tower from the west. We will connect to the Metacomet Trail just south of the Tower and follow it to Penwood. For more information, check the Avon Land Trust map (click here) and CWB pg 188. L: John Vibert (860-675-7007) (cell 860-874-3747)
Saturday, October 23rd 9:00am, BLT, Johnnycake Mountain Trails
Meet on Mountain Top Pass. We will do two fairly easy loops on the white- and yellow-dot Tunxis trail plus a section of unmarked trails. The first loop is about 2 miles and the second loop is about 3 miles and some road walking is involved to close the loops. We will "summit" the highest point in Burlington - Johnnycake Mountain at 1160'. Do you know what Johnnycake is? Bring water, snacks, and bug spray. CSB map TU-3aa. L: Karen Geist
Thursday, October 28, 8:45 am, FCE - Eddy Loop, W. Simsbury
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Hike will be approx 4 - 4 ½ miles. Meet: West Simsbury Shopping Center, 240 Farms Village Road (Rt 309), W. Simsbury, across the road from W Simsbury Post Office. We will car pool to start [2 miles] as there is limited parking at Eddy Loop trail head. Rolling trail with some climbs and stream crossings and then hooking up with Metacomet and Gray blazed trail back to Eddy Loop trail head. See CWB p 151. L: Jerry Marcum, cell 860 810 0087