TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2022 - I LIFT MY EYES TO THE HILLS - PART II

 TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2022 - I LIFT MY EYES TO THE HILLS - PART II

Picture is Mount Frissell in Connecticut!!!

This week I’m on vacation - and hiking to the high points of three states - Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska.  If my plans work out, today, I’m hiking about 10 miles to the high point of Oklahoma - Black Mesa.

So, I’m writing about some of my previous hikes.

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MOUNT FRIZZELL 

The high point in the state of Connecticut is a little strange.  The high point is on Mount Frizzell on the Connecticut/Massachusetts border.  And, a quarter mile from where New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts meeting point. 

Connecticut is the only U.S. state whose highest point is not a summit, but a "liner" where the state border reaches a maximum elevation on an otherwise undistinguished slope. The high point of Connecticut is 740 feet south and 80 vertical feet below the summit of Mount Frissell, which lies in Massachusetts. This place is commonly referred to as the "South Slope of Mount Frissell", but could also be called the south ridge, even if not a very pronounced one.

The highest summit (local maximum) in Connecticut is nearby Bear Mountain, about a mile away to the southeast and 56 feet lower than the South Slope of Mount Frissell. This state high point is also only a quarter-mile east of the monument marking the Connecticut/Massachusetts/New York triple meeting point.

Reaching the South Slope of Mount Frissell is an easy hike from Mount Riga road to the east, or a bit longer and steeper trip from New York state on the east over Brace Mountain.

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My hike to Mount Frizzell was interesting.  I drove about two hours from Hamden Connecticut (where I lived).  The northwest corner of Connecticut is very hilly - and (in terms of the United States), has a long history.  I followed the route to Mount Riga road - and the road turned to gravel (which is somewhat unusual as most roads in Connecticut are blacktop).  It was not a good road, but I don’t think anyone lived on this section of road so good maintenance just for the few hikers that make the trip to this remote area is not considered necessary.  There was a small parking lot and a sign that said “Trail to Mount Frizzell”. So, up I went.  It was a rigorous hike - over roads and steep hills.  This isn’t like my “walks” around Georgetown Texas on paved sidewalks.  

There were wild blueberries and I helped myself to some on my way.  They were much smaller than the domesticated blueberries we frequently picked at Lyman Orchard.  I reached the high point after about an hour's climb.  It wasn’t the highest point on this mountain - that was farther up the slope into Massachusetts - and that wasn’t my goal.  There was a little rusty sign “High Point of Connecticut”.  This was before I had a cell phone so I didn’t take any pictures.  Then back down to the car.  I decided the route north into Massachusetts might be better than going back south on the rutted gravel road - and I was right.  At the state line (not too much farther than the hiking parking space) the road was smooth and blacktopped.  There were a few houses and then more houses - they mostly seemed like cottages and cabins, not permanent dwellings - but that meant the road had to be in reasonable shape.  (Note, this part of Connecticut/Massachusetts does get good snowfall and these houses did need to get plowed out).

Then back to US Highway 7 and back to Hamden.  As I think back on most of my hikes, I almost always have been alone.  My mind doesn’t jump to “what if scenarios” - but what if I fell and broke my leg (especially on that climb without a cell phone).  

To me, Connecticut has maybe the best hiking in the United States (but, I am very naive about that - having not experienced other areas.  The Connecticut Hiking guide had an abundance of trails.  There are 52 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut and I’ve hiked only one or two miles (as they weren’t that close).   

I loved my hikes on Sleeping Giant in Hamden.  My last faculty office at Quinnipiac University was ON the side of Sleeping Giant - dating back to the time when the area was not a state park.  There are something like 36 miles of trails on Sleeping Giant and I did all of the trails several times.  Most people take the “tower trail” - built in the 1930s as part of the Conservation Corp projects during the depression.  It ends at a rock tower (see my illustration today).  The blue trail is the longest and I normally went from west to east up and over the giant’s head, then showers, and legs.  It also has the best views (and I did take numerous pictures while on “The Giant”.).

I also hiked the trails at East Rock Park in New Haven.  There were three peaks - Whitney Peak, Indian Peak, and Snake Peak.  I even rode my bike to the top a few times (great exercise).  The only downfall to East Rock park for me was that it was loaded with poison ivy!!!  

There were trails on the west side of New Haven too - called West Rock Park.  (Those early settlers didn’t worry too much about names - with New Haven, East Haven, North Haven, and West Haven, and East Rock Park and West Rock Park!!!)

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Now into my retirement, I don’t hike as much anymore, but when I do I enjoy it.

As I mentioned yesterday, this week I’m taking a vacation - and getting to Black Mesa - the high point of Oklahoma, Mount Sunflower - the high point of Kansas, and Panorama Point - the high point of Nebraska!!!  

LOVE WINS!!

Karen