ABOUT THE PARKS: Brodie in addition to I hiked hither inward July when it was hot, humid in addition to really buggy. Today nosotros started out at xix degrees in addition to at that spot were no bugs. In fellowship to choice upward where nosotros had left off on the Ives Trail, nosotros had to repeat most 1 mile of trails previously hiked to larn to that point.
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| We started inward Bennett's Pond State Park on the yellowish trail beyond the gate at the parking lot. |
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| This was a repeat of what nosotros hiked lastly July merely you lot would never know it - nix looks the same inward the winter. |
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| We turned left on blueish when yellowish went right. |
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| At the goal of blue, left on red... |
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| ... to where the Ives Trail joins ruby from the correct where nosotros needed to choice upward from the lastly hike. |
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| Now it's all uphill on red/Ives Trail. |
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| At the transcend after the Ives Trail joins the yellowish trail ... |
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| ... keeping correct to the Charles Ives cabin site overlook. |
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| The Long Island Sound visible to the left. |
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| Some mountains inward the distance. |
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| Continuing on the Ives Trail when I noticed.... |
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| ... what appeared to live a novel trail non on the map, the blue-blazed Ledge Trail. Not knowing where it went, I decided to hold off in addition to consider if it would encounter dorsum upward alongside the Ives Trail after on in addition to if so, nosotros could get got it on the provide route. |
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| There is Bennett's Pond downwards below where nosotros had hiked previously. |
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| Coming upward on a kiosk, yellowish leaves to the left, the Ives Trail continues forthwith in addition to ... |
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| ... at that spot is the other goal of the novel Ledge Trail. Definitely doable for the provide road since it appeared to run parallel to the Ives Trail. |
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| A ruby trail to the correct goes downwards to Bennett Pond. From this indicate on, the Ives Trail feels really remote in addition to non heavily used. Bennett's Pond State Park seems to larn a lot of people merely I doubtfulness many enterprise out this way. We were the exclusively ones on this day. |
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| Up in addition to over some rolling hills all the means to ... |
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| ... a steep descent to Route 7. |
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| Then a lastly loooooong flying of steps. |
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| Right to the goal of the guardrail in addition to a crosswalk alongside a push clit to halt traffic to cross, cheers goodness. Don't intend you'd larn inward across live without that. |
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| After crossing Route 7, forthwith upward Starrs Plain Road a brusk distance to ... |
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| ... a left dorsum into the woods. |
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| The Ives Trail at nowadays follows along Sugar Hollow Pond. |
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| Brodie was most concerned most all of that gunfire, at nowadays much louder than before, from ... |
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| ... that shooting gain across the pond on Route 7. |
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| We had a few stone hops to proceed on merely they were a petty tricky since H2O ice had formed on the rocks.. We eventually made it over to the other side. |
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| Now climbing upward steeply along the icy waterfalls. |
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| The gunfire faded away 1 time separated past times a mountain. |
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| Do you lot consider what I see? |
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| Balloon #54 of the year. |
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| I signed the trail register ... |
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| ... fifty-fifty though Brodie kept trying to get got it away from me. He thinks every Ziploc baggie contains domestic dog biscuits since that is what his hiking treats are in. |
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| Shortly after a few modest fry blow downs ... |
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| ... my Cairn app chimed at v miles in addition to the trail started to descend. Knowing how many hills I had to navigate on the provide road in addition to non wanting to add together another, I made this our plow some point. I volition live able to connect to this indicate from Terrywile Park when nosotros create the adjacent section. |
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| Heading back. |
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| Coming dorsum upward on Route vii in addition to ... |
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| ... a steep descent along the waterfalls. |
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| It was at nowadays much easier to stone hop since that sparse layer of H2O ice on the rocks had melted alongside the temperature having reached a whopping 34 degrees. |
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| A correct on Starrs Plain Road. |
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| a) That fine is means every bit good depression in addition to b) why a random amount similar $219? |
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| I could barely attain the push clit for crossing it is in addition to thus far from the guardrail. I was able to merely was getting create to jab it alongside my trekking pole if all else failed. |
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| Safely on the other side ... |
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| ... in addition to upward the steps. |
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| Once over the rise, no to a greater extent than gunfire dissonance pollution. |
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| Back at the kiosk ... |
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| ... nosotros turned left on the blueish Ledge Trail. |
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| Nice wintertime views all along this trail. |
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| Laurel Ledge |
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| Meeting dorsum upward alongside the Ives Trail where nosotros turned left. |
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| When the Ives Trail leaves yellowish to the left (the means nosotros had come upward up at the get-go of the hike) nosotros stayed alongside yellowish turning right. |
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| This is the Ives access trail from where nosotros parked on Pine Mountain Road. |
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| A left on Pine Mountain Road ... |
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| ... dorsum to the parking lot. |
