Richard's Notes

Southwestern Massachusetts. Loren, David, and I have just climbed up the Race Brook Falls trail and are on the saddle between Race Mountain and Mt. Everett (behind us). We’ve left a car at the bottom of Race Brook Falls and another at Jug End, ten miles north of here.

Loren and David on one of the many rock outcroppings on the south face of Mt. Everett. The rock was a lot easier going than the slippery oak leaves.

Looking back south to Race and Bear Mountains.

Here’s the view from Race looking back at where we are now: On top of Race Mountain looking north.

This is just north of the actual summit where the foundation of an old fire lookout is. This was the better place to take a picture. It’s about 50 degrees out but with a bit of wind on wet shirts it feels quite a bit colder.

We thought this cairn was close to Jug End which is where our second car was parked but we still had a few miles to go. Bummer.

I was tired enough at this point so that screwing the little table top tripod onto the Elph and bending down to set it on the ground for a shot was beyond me. Quick handheld group shot.

After taking this we traversed and descended a steep cliff at Jug End and the rock was so deep in oak leaves the footing was difficult. The fact that we were tired didn’t help. I’m usually pretty nimble on stuff like this but today was not my day. About a minute after warning David and Loren that we needed to be careful I slipped and found myself upside down in the brush. These kinds of slips are completely unexpected and I had no experience of slipping, only of hitting the deck and wondering what the heck happened. David pulled me up and gave me a band aid for a bloody finger and we continued on to the road and the car and home.

Beer, dinner, warm woodstove and an ibuprofen and I’m feeling no pain at all.