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CTMQ > Great Views

Soapstone Mountain Tower

September 1, 2015 by Steve 1 Comment

Clean Views Soapstone Mountain Tower, Somers Multiple Visits I've been to this tower several times. including once as part of the DEEP's 2015 "Sky's The Limit Challenge" with my sons. The state replaced the unsafe version in 2018. This page will tell the tower's story across my visits. 2010 My first … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Everything Else, Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Hiking Challenges, New Post, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites, Towers, Bridges, Forts, Tunnels, Roads, Canals, Dams, Fishways, Airports, & Ferries Tagged With: Calvin, Damian, Great Views, Hikes with my Boys, Observation Towers, shenipsit state forest, Sky's the Limit Challenge, Somers

TSTL’15.3: Dennis Hill

August 28, 2015 by Steve Leave a Comment

The Sky's the Limit 2015 Hiking Challenge #3 Dennis Hill State Park, Pavilion Overlook Norfolk May 24, 2015 There are other CTMQ pages about Dennis Hill (a subsequent visit with the family and one about the former observation deck.) And someday, I'll beef this one up with the trails around the park. If you’re … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Hiking Challenges, New Post, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Calvin, Damian, Dennis Hill State Park, Great Views, Hoang, Norfolk, Observation Towers, Sky's the Limit Challenge

TSTL’15.2: Haystack Mountain

August 11, 2015 by Steve Leave a Comment

The Sky's the Limit 2015 Hiking Challenge #2 Haystack Mountain State Park, Tower Norfolk May 24, 2015 My love for Norfolk is well-documented on this website. I love its goofy claim to fame - "The Icebox of Connecticut," its affinity for curling, its beautiful and eclectic "downtown," and its state parks. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Hiking Challenges, New Post, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Calvin, Damian, Great Views, haystack mountain state park, Hikes with my Boys, Hoang, Norfolk, Observation Towers, Sky's the Limit Challenge, video

TSTL’15.1: Talcott Mountain

May 2, 2015 by Steve Leave a Comment

The Sky's the Limit 2015 Hiking Challenge #1 Talcott Mountain State Park, Heublein Tower Simsbury May 2, 2015 Here we go! I'm not sure I can complete this challenge with my sons, but I think I'm going to try. We started off with one of the more difficult climbs, so maybe that will motivate them. I told them that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Hiking Challenges, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Calvin, Damian, Great Views, Hikes with my Boys, Hiking Challenges with Rewards, Observation Towers, Simsbury, Sky's the Limit Challenge, Talcott Mountain State Park

Blackhead Mountain (Winter)

March 25, 2015 by Steve Leave a Comment

Blackhead Mountain, 3940 Feet March 19, 2015 4.4 miles solo via Black Dome Range and Blackhead Mountain Trails #5 on the Catskills 3500 List Finally. Finally, with my fourth and last required Catskills winter summit, I hiked in ideal winter conditions. This doesn't mean, of course, I'll never hike the Cats … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Peakbagging Tagged With: Cat35'ers, Great Views, New York

Tunxis Mainline Trail: Section 5

November 15, 2014 by Steve 4 Comments

Section 5: Getting Into the Hartland Barkhamsted/Hartland, 13.1 miles, with my dad October 2013 My pops is no spring chicken, but he’s a rather fit septuagenarian. So he was pretty pumped for this 13 mile (or so) jaunt through the wilds of north central Connecticut. Granted, my dad lives in Delaware and has no … [Read more...]

Filed Under: CFPA Hikes, Hikes, Bikes & Paddles Tagged With: Barkhamsted, BEARS!, Blue Trails Challenge, Caves & Dens, Great Views, Hartland, tunxis state forest, Tunxis Trail

Balsam Mountain

November 6, 2014 by Steve Leave a Comment

Balsam Mountain, 3,610 Feet October 6, 2014 5.2 miles solo from Rider Hollow parking lot #28 on the Catskills 3500 List I would guess that the majority of Cat35ers probably like to climb the 4 mountains that require two ascents differently each time. Not me... not this time anyway. Although I had “just” … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Peakbagging Tagged With: Cat35'ers, Great Views, New York

Dennis Hill Observation Platform

October 28, 2014 by Steve Leave a Comment

Dennis Hill State Park View (and former Observation Platform) Norfolk, multiple visits Summit Road and Pavilion (1,627 feet) There are other CTMQ pages about Dennis Hill (a subsequent visit with the family and one about the former observation deck.) And someday, I'll beef this one up with the trails around the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Everything Else, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites, Towers, Bridges, Forts, Tunnels, Roads, Canals, Dams, Fishways, Airports, & Ferries Tagged With: Dennis Hill State Park, Great Views, Hoang, Norfolk, Observation Towers

WLT: Bishop Estate East & Darling House Trails

September 23, 2014 by Steve 1 Comment

Regicides’ Rain Bishop Estate East, Woodbridge September 21, 2014 The more I hike around Connecticut, the more I realize how much interconnection there is with our trails. For years when I’d hike the blue-blazes of the CFPA trails, I’d totally ignore the side trails that went off to who-knows-where. But … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Land Trust Hikes, Town Land Hikes Tagged With: Great Views, Woodbridge

Western Barndoor Hill Preserve

June 20, 2014 by Steve Leave a Comment

"Shut the Barn Door!" Western Barndoor Hill Preserve, Granby May 2014 Those of you who have read through my various hikes in the upper Connecticut River Valley know that I have an affinity for the area. And while I usually cite Simsbury and Canton because they are closest to my home in West Hartford, but Granby … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Land Trust Hikes Tagged With: Calvin, Damian, Granby, Granby Land Trust, Great Views, Hikes with my Boys

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