Monday, June 3, 2013

The Lost Boulder Trail

One of the most beautiful areas of the Mt. Tom Reservation is along the Lost Boulder Trail.

Here are a few pictures:

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Mt. Tom Reservation repaving project nearly completed

The Billy Goat would like to report that as of last week, the repaving of the Mt. Tom Reservation is just about completed.

In addition to Smiths Ferry and Christopher Clark Roads, most of the scenic vistas and parking areas have also been paved.

There was still work to be done at the entrance to the Bray Lake parking area and parking areas near Hampden Field. Aside from those spots, the other work involves the drainage culverts along the side of the roads.

There was speculation that Nonotuck Road was also going to be resurfaced but only to the Goat Peak area.

Access to Goat Peak and the Eyrie House Ruins has been cut off to motor traffic for many years and it remains to be seen if this road will ever be open to vehicles again.

It was a real joy to travel through the reservation without having to dodge those menacing potholes. Hats off to everyone involved for a job well done.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Brush fire on Mount Tom delays southbound I-91 traffic

Traffic is slowed in the southbound lane of I-91 near exit 18 in Northampton Sunday due to a brush fire in Holyoke. Photo by JERREY ROBERTS

Story by SCOTT MERZBACH Northampton Gazette

HOLYOKE — A brush fire near the rest area on Interstate 91 caused extensive delays for southbound vehicles throughout Sunday afternoon.

Trooper Felipe Martinez at the Northampton State Police barracks said traffic was backed up about 2 miles at 4:30 p.m. as a result of smoke from the brush fire, which started late Sunday morning. The backup grew to about 5 miles by 6 p.m., with traffic slowed down beginning at Exit 18 in Northampton.

Holyoke Fire Department Lt. Thomas Paquin said the brush fire started on part of the Mount Tom Reservation, with the state Division of Fire Services taking the lead and receiving assistance from many Holyoke and Northampton firefighters.

Other towns also did their part.

“Several surrounding communities shuttled in water with their tanker trucks because there are no fire hydrants there,” Paquin said.

The travel lane of Interstate 91 south was closed to allow fire trucks and other apparatus to set up, Paquin said, with just the passing lane open during the duration of the event.

About 50 firefighters remained on the scene into the early evening trying to extinguish the blaze and put out hot spots. It was one of a number of brush fires that flared up on a sunny, dry day with wind.

Paquin said the fire was challenging because of the hilly terrain and the thick underbrush. He said Holyoke firefighters were shuttled back and forth every couple of hours from the scene of the brush fire to coverage in the city.

The cause isn’t yet known, but since it started near the highway it could have been a cigarette butt discarded from a window, Paquin said. The fire spread quickly, consuming roughly 15 acres of brush, because so much downed brush and trees has accumulated over the last few years, he said.

The Northampton Fire Department was providing mutual aid and both Goshen and Chesterfield departments were contacted for fire engine tankers, according to Fireground 360, which puts information online for the first-responder community.

The Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross had two teams of responders to assist firefighters, said Evelyn Sullivan, a disaster responder.

One team had hydration and snacks for the firefighters, while the second provided a mobile kitchen offering light food, Sullivan said.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Ashley Reservoir via Millville Road

Anyone who visits Ashley Reservoir is probably familiar with it's four "main" entrances.

There's an entrance at Route 202, one at the Elks Lodge on Whitney Avenue, another at Lower Westfield Road and Richard Eger Drive, and the maintenance entrance off of Homestead Avenue on Rock Cut Road.

There's also a fifth "unofficial" entrance off of Prospect Avenue in West Springfield on Millville Road. This road used to connect with Lower Westfield Road.

Although cut off with Holyoke for years, it's still a great nature, hiking and biking trail that leads to the "Wilhelm Pass" section of the reservoir.

Here are a few pictures:

Here's the entrance at the intersection of Prospect Avenue, Morgan Road and Millville Road. From this point you are about a mile and a half from Ashley Reservoir.

A downed tree in the distance. There are some nice streams, vernal pools and beautiful rock formations along the road.

A pathway heading southwest in the direction of a secluded pond near the Pioneer Valley Railroad tracks.

An old boundary marker along the trail. Not sure, but this could be the land marker between West Springfield and Holyoke.

Another marker further down the trail with the inscription "73".

About three quarters of the way down Millville Road. The road was a bit wet and muddy in this area.

Approaching "Wilhelm Pass" and Ashley Reservoir.

The railroad bridge at "Wilhelm Pass". Access under the bridge has long ceased with mounds of earth and vines blocking the way. This must have been a very busy route in the early 1900s. I'm assuming access was cut off by the city of Holyoke years ago to discourage vehicle travel south to and from West Springfield.

The stone abutment on the west side of the railroad bridge.

Pathway at the end of Millville Road that crosses over the Pioneer Valley Railroad into Ashley Reservoir.

Ashley Reservoir with the Carmody Pump House in the distance.

A view of the Pioneer Valley Railroad tracks looking west. Underneath the bridge is the beginning of Millville Road that heads south to West Springfield. Notice the beautiful stone work of the bridge abutment that has supported the bridge for over a century.