SEPTEMBER 2010 SCHEDULE
Saturday, September 11th 9:00am, BLT, Tunxis Loop
The loop of a little over 4 miles includes the main line & purple-dot Tunxis trails. Then we will climb steeply up to Perry's Lookout on Taine Mtn, returning on the side trails descending to Taine Mtn Road and then back to the red-dot Tunxis Trail. Meet on Ryan's Way: turn S off Rt. 4 at the blinker on Punch Brook Rd. (opposite Barnes Hill), which is about 0.5 mile W of Rt. 179 traffic light. Ryan's Way is 2nd right - park a short way down alongside wooded area. CWB map TU-3c. L: Paul Rochford
Thursday, September 23, 8:45am, FCE Hikes Begin
8+ weekly FCE hikes begin. Please call FCE at 860-404-0290 and register for Course #NAT 102 "Hikes", or click here to enroll on-line. Distances will be about 4 - 6 miles, with back-to-cars goal before 12:30pm. Also see Hiking Notes.
FIRST HIKE: McLean Game Preserve, Granby
View McLean in a larger map
Meet at the Preserve on Hwys 10/202 in Granby. The main parking lot is just north of the point where Canton Road intersects with 10/202. We will carpool to a different parking area at the intersection of Simsbury Road and Barndoor Hills Road to hike the NORTH TRIAL and the Blue/Orange Loop through the Game Preserve. L: Gene Chamberlain
Saturday, September 25th 9:00am, BLT, The Tory Den/Mile of Ledges
A moderately difficult 3.2 mile loop through the Martha Brower Wildlife Sanctuary, Mile of Ledges, and historic Tory Den. This trail has several steep climbs and narrow squeezes, so hikers should be reasonably fit. The Connecticut Walk Book calls it "the most rugged section of the entire Tunxis Trail. Parking along Greer Road across from the trail head, 0.2 miles west of West Chippen Hill Rd CWB map TU-3A. L: TBD
Tuesday, Sept. 28, 7am, FCE - U, Vermont AT continuation POSTPONED TO 10/12 DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS
View Intl Skating Ctr in a larger map
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, September 30, 8:45 am, FCE - Metacomet Trail POSTPONED TO 11/18 DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS
View W. Hartford Reservoir in a larger map
From Rt. 44, West Hartford to Rt. 4, West Hartford. Park at the Rt. 4/Farmington Avenue, West Hartford reservoir at 1420 Farmington Avenue, using the new parking lot on the left just inside the gate. We will carpool to Rt. 44, parking on the south side to avoid having to walk across Rt. 44. This approximately 5- mile hike includes a couple of heart pounding hills but is generally average and includes Kilkenny Rock. L: Anne Fitzgerald (Home 860-673-1216; Cell 860-221-4225 morning of hike) (CWB, p. 166-167 and maps p. 185-186)