I've been so busy with Twitter stuff I've hardly had time to report on anything else. I did manage a six week trip back east this fall, most of which I spent with Peacerunner, and as always there was plenty of waterfall hunting during that time.
People think of Boston first and then Cape Cod next when they hear Massachusetts, but the western third of the state is covered by the northern reaches of the Appalachians, the Hoosac Mountains, the Metacomet ridge, and other impressive foothills. The area is wet and there are just about a hundred named cascades on MassFalls. Below the fold are the best of the best.
Ross Falls is a spectacular, photogenic giant among Massachusetts falls. Hidden away in Savoy Mountain State Forest this natural treasure is tucked away behind a mile of road just barely better than a logging track and is seldom visited.
Literally just a single flight of stairs away from the view of Ross Falls is Tannery, a messy slash through a hundred feet or more of Massachusetts bedrock. If you've got time it's worthwhile to climb down and back up the trails on both sides.
Goldmine Brook Falls is perhaps twenty minutes west of the turnpike exit to Westfield. The falls is clearly visible from the road and a climb to the place where this video was shot takes less than ten minutes.
A mile or two further west is the park entrance for Sanderson Brook falls. The lower falls is nearly as impressive as Ross Falls and if you can stand the extremely steep grade to the left of the falls there is a beautiful fan of water across stone, similar to Hop Brook, but two or three times its size.
Upper Sanderson Falls
Hop Brook is an easy fifteen minute hike just a few miles west of Belchertown, Massachusetts. This one is close to the house and we often visit it during the week if she gets home from work with a little daylight left.
Ten minutes from Hop Brook, right on the outskirts of Amherst, is Buffam Falls. This is difficult to photograph because there isn't much drop and it's spread out over five or six hundred yards, but there are very nice trails. We often do Hop Brook, Buffam, and then have dinner in Amherst.
Chapel Falls, just north of Northampton, is a broad, strong flow through a series of cascades that is easily accessible from the road. Its height rivals Ross Falls, but instead of a nearly vertical face this falls is more leisurely, spreading its drop across two hundred forested yards. Large vista type shots aren't possible here due to all of the trees.
Pitcher Falls, west of Westfield, is actually two falls close together and a massive, difficult to access gorge nearby. Both upper and lower Pitcher Falls are bowls, hence the name. You'll need a GPS to find the parking area and again to actually get in and out of this Appalachian Mountain Club preserve.
Upper Pitcher Falls
Lower Pitcher Falls
Gunn Brook, near Hatfield, is a pleasant little twelve foot drop with a large 'patio' of rock below the first cascade. The second cascade is eating away at the soft rock beneath hard slate. This one, once located, is an easy visit, with two parking spots just steps away from the top of the falls.
Well, this is getting a bit long, and I've covered all of our favorites. If you visit Massachusetts just be aware that there actually is stuff out past the Fenway Park stop on the green line :-)