Compounce Ridge

As you approach this beautiful view of a hillside, it becomes apparent that this will be a very scenic hike. And perhaps that trail will wind up the hillside to reduce the vertical climb for a novice like me. And then all hopes for a beautiful, slightly challenging climb soon become clouded by confusion.

When you eventually get to the start of the trail, it will look something like this. Nestled at the end of a cul-de-sac (the road is called Panthorn Trail), is a very well concealed blue triangle. Do you see it on that tiny tree stump slightly left of center? This is the start of the trail.

Once you start walking into the woods, the path becomes more overgrown. It no longer looks like a well-traveled path, but one that nature has restored and covered with leaves, overgrown brush, and fallen limbs. Follow the blue triangles to the path. (Hint: you will see two trees coming out of the same trunk/root structure, each trunk has a triangle. Walk between them and up that steep incline to stay on the trail. Yes, that steep incline that doesn't really look hike-able. That's the trail. Oh there won't be too many visible blue triangles going up the incline, just wing it. When you turn around you might see some more blue triangles, not visible from the bottom of the incline. This is how you will know you are on the right path, or not.)

You also will see this boulder jutting out on your right once you start up the incline. The rock formations are pretty interesting. Admire them while you stop to take a breath. There is also a stream that is trickling down on the left side. It has been very dry lately, making it a trickle. Perhaps most springs it is usually running harder. Which means that getting to the trail would require crossing the stream. Luckily it was dry for me today.

A little ways up the incline, you start to have a view. If you turn around. In the distance there is another ridgeline. What's that? The picture below looks pretty close to the picture above? Why yes, it is only about 15 feet further up the trail and looking off to the right instead of the left.

So where are the views from the top? Ok, shamelessly I admit I didn't make it to the top. Once I started climbing, it felt as though I were climbing the picture below than the top-most picture of the hillside. 

 I had to make a decision about 1/2 way up: do I continue and see if it's worth it, or do I start my descent. Then I came across a hiker that made me feel like a complete beginner. Decked out in hiking gear, two ski-pole style hiking sticks, and a backpack, he was coming down the same incline I was attempting to climb. I smiled and said hello, then asked if the view was worth it. He shrugged and said it was okay, but with the leaves coming in it was difficult to see much, if anything. I weighed my options as he continued down the hill. Should I continue? I wasn't going to let myself quit, just because it was a challenge. (A beet-red face, dripping sweat, wish I had brought water on what was supposed to be a 2 mile, 1 hour hike kind of challenge.) So I continued a little farther up the trail. I had to use my hands to steady myself, pull up a rock or two. I noticed the trail's trickling stream was wetting leaves that were along the path. I continued on a short distance more, still exerting all the effort I could muster. I stopped and looked down. How am I going to get down this without breaking my neck? I need the poles that guy had.


I made the decision to turn around and abort the mission. Exhaustion had won. And in retrospect, I don't think it was an irrational, quitter decision. I think rational thought actually won. As I descended, it was a quick-step most of the way. I gained momentum going down the rocks, and slid a few times. Those wet leaves were certainly an obstacle. I stopped when I could, but the descent was faster than with which I was comfortable. A couple of the skidding halts had images of having to call 911 for myself because of imagining smacking my head or taking a rock to the spine.


I was not ready for this hike. As much as I wish I could say, "oh yeah, that is an easy climb," it really wasn't.


I also usually like to post a map and elevation reading for the hikes/walks I do. Which brings me to my next point- I got lost. Yes, I got lost in the 100 acre wood that is between Lake Compounce and this cul-de-sac. I traipsed through woods and around the stream, over the stream, through the stream, in someone's backyard. (I sincerely apologize for that, by the way. I really didn't mean to be in your backyard.) I just couldn't believe that the vertical incline was where the trail was going. I suppose my reading comprehension skills are not that good, as I found this trail in the New England hiking book. And I promise there are no further trail markings anywhere else but on those double trees. I saw a sign leaning against a tree further past the trail, near the fence that demarcates Lake Compounce from the woods. That didn't give me anything. So I wandered around, looking for something blue on a tree.


For the fun of it, I thought I would post the map below. All of those pins were where I stopped, paused the RunKeeper app, and said "where am I? Where is the blue trail?" Alright, enough of your laughing at me. Well, no, you can laugh some more. I thought it would be easy to pick up the trail again after I got down the incline. I suppose I'm more like a rat in a maze re-tracing my incorrect steps, because just as I said to myself, "Oh, thank God, there's the trail out of here." I realized that it was a familiar trail alright. It was someone's back yard trail in the woods. Yup, and there is their woodpile. Oh, hi neighbor. Just going for a walk through your backyard. Don't mind me. (And she didn't seem to. Again, I am sorry.)


My biggest fear was running into the hiker again, who I saw on my descent heading to go up again. He nodded and said "Gonna do it again." All I could think was, "please don't see me wandering around lost looking for my car. Please, please, please." 

So, if you see the picture below, you are in the wrong spot. You should not be eye-level with Lake Compounce during this hike. Maybe in the fall, when it is dry again, and I am armed with water, bug spray, and muscles, I will attempt to make it to the summit of this. Perhaps now you can see why I was a little distracted from making it to the top. As you can see, I spent the first 0.6 miles trying to figure out how to get on the trail by blazing through saplings.

If you would like to try your hand at this trail yourself, you can head on out to Southington.

Directions: 

I-84 to exit 31 (West St/Rte 229). Head West on 229 for about a mile and a half. Take a left onto Welch Road (you'll see a driving range on the corner of Welch and 229). Go straight down about a mile to Mt. Vernon Road and take a left. You'll pass a golf course and Lincoln College is on the corner of Welch and Mt. Vernon. Your first right is Panthorn Trail. Go down to the end and park at the end of the cul-de-sac.

PS- It is tick season. During the course of writing this, I felt something crawling on my forehead. I swiped it off onto my desk, and lo and behold, a tick. It was the first my husband had seen in his entire life and now he thinks there are ticks crawling all over him.
I unfurled the cuffs on my pants I wore for today's hike, figuring this would be a good time to see if I carried any more into the house. Aside from being filled with detritus from the woods, there was also a small, but fat, jet black spider. Strange that I could have a tick on me (part of the arachnid family), and not be phased. But the spider that was in the cuff of my pants was far worse to me, invoking feelings of panic and need for quick disposal. Not that I would prefer Lyme's disease (anyone who knows me knows the last thing I need is Lyme's disease on top of everything else in life) to a likely-innocuous spider crawling on me, but when are irrational fears rational anyway?
So spray yourselves with bug spray before you go out anywhere! It is tick season!

West Hartford Reservoirs & 6

     Today's hike was a fairly easy one. It was a total of 4 miles around the West Hartford Reservoir #6, including the walk from the car to the path. We decided to try out this trail as we had spent a great deal of time at the other reservoirs last summer, but hadn't ventured the few miles down the road to this trail yet. 

     There are trail maps available to take with you (when they don't run out) at the main gates. All trails are marked in different colors and there are large maps posted before you step foot onto the trails, so you will know which color to follow for what length of trail you would like. If you are a planner, though, it's best you print them before you go. Head to the MDC website for copies of the maps and directions. 

     While it was our first time going around this reservoir, it also lent itself to comparison to the familiar trail at 2-3-5, falling short in most areas. The ground ranged from compacted rock to sand to pavement, with a solid stretch of about a half mile of very loose rock and sand. We even saw a poor couple who appeared ill-equipped to traverse that section; the man carried the child while the woman carried the stroller. 

     There were very few people out today, for a gorgeous April Saturday in the 70s, but I am not sure that that is always the case. This trail does not have many areas that are open to bikers and all peripheral trails were closed. After the ice storm in October of last year, there may still be residual issues with blocked trails that prevent the bike paths from being opened.

     Overall the hills were very small, particularly by comparison to the hills at Reservoir 2-3-5. A good section (essentially the entire east side) of the trail is not protected from the sun. And while the views were very nice at times, it overall was a fairly boring walk. It took us about an hour and 10 minutes to complete it.

The highest elevation (at approx 1.5 mi) was 479 feet, the lowest (at approx 2.7 mi) was 390 feet.
The changes at the end of the walk were due to our taking that little indentation at the bottom of the map to keep along the water. Much more rugged terrain, by comparison to the rest of the walk, but more entertaining as well. There is an alternative route that continues along the road and maintains what seems to be the same elevation.

The view from approximately halfway through the walk around Reservoir 6.

View of the Hartford skyline while walking along Reservoir 6.

     The walk along Reservoir 2, 3, & 5 is one that we have done several times (and in fact just yesterday, and likely again tomorrow). It is a tiny bit shorter than Reservoir 6, but the work involved in completing the walk is more intense. In total, from the car, around the trail, and back, the path is approximately 3.9 miles.

     This trail can be relatively busy at times, as it is entirely paved. There are mountain biking trails that divert from the paved path, but also a bike lane along the whole trail. It is frequented by runners, walkers, strollers, and dogs. 

     There is much more variance in the views, ranging from fairly densely wooded areas, to open walkways along the reservoirs. We have seen deer, turtles, geese, hawks, chipmunks, squirrels in the paths and have heard unidentified growls/roars when we have ventured off the main red trail to Finger Rock and the Metacomet Trail along Kilkenny Rock and Talcott Mountain. (It was probably just some kids and not the bears that have been sighted not too far from here.)

Following the red trail at Reservoirs 2-3-5.
The highest elevation (at approx 1 mi) was 440 feet, the lowest (at approx 3.5 mi) was 306 feet.

View from the half-way point around the reservoirs. This is overlooking Reservoir 2.

Addendum on 4/15: Added this picture above from today's walk. You can see the bike lane on the right of the paved path. I apologize for the graininess of the picture- it, as with all photos I post, was taken from my phone. On a humorous note, just before reaching this point we walked by a couple pushing a stroller. The man was on the phone telling someone how difficult it was to be out for the first time this year, especially pushing the extra 20# of the stroller. The woman was pushing the stroller. (Yes, perhaps they swapped off at the half-way point and she had just started pushing it, but it made for a funny thought that they hadn't.)


     If you're feeling extra-adventurous, this extension of the trail around the reservoirs makes for a nice 6 mile hike. It took us about 2 hours and 15 minutes, with a break about half-way for oranges, last year on 5/29/11. It was a letter-boxing adventure that had its rewards. Beyond getting the stamp, it was a great opportunity to go beyond our expectations for our physical limits and enjoy more isolated sections of trail. I look forward to finding more letter boxes around this area, and maybe planting our own for others to find.

The highest elevation (just before the 4 mile mark) was 720 feet, the lowest (at about 1/2 mile) was 306 feet. We did this path counter-clockwise, when we usually do Reservoir 5 clockwise.

     The West Hartford Reservoirs are owned by the Metropolitan District (MDC). They opened the land up to the public, it is regulated by the DPH, and the land is absolutely beautiful. I'm very grateful for their generosity in letting us utilize the trails. Certainly my biggest pet peeve is seeing people let their dogs go into the reservoir. It is very clearly stated that this is against the rules of the park. It is our drinking water, after all. I'm sure anyone who has walked these trails has been tempted with thoughts of jumping in, especially in August! Please don't let your dogs do it.

From the MDC website- 

Directions to Reservoirs 2-3-5: 

From the North and South: Take I-91 South or North to I-84 West and follow the directions below. From the East and West: Take I-84 to Exit 39 (Route 4). At the end of the ramp take a right at the light onto Route 4 East. At the sixth light (a distance of 2 ½ miles) take a left into the Facility. Directions to Reservoir 6:  From the North, South and East: Take I-91 North or South to I-84 West to Exit 40 (New Britain Avenue/Corbins Corner).  At the end of exit ramp, take a right onto Ridgewood Road.  Follow Ridgewood Road to the end.  Take a left onto Farmington Avenue and then take the first right onto Mountain Road.  At the second traffic light, take a left onto Albany Avenue.  Reservoir #6 is 1.1 miles on the right. From the West: Take I-84 East to the New Britain Avenue/Corbins Corner Exit.  At the end of exit ramp, take a right onto New Britain Avenue.  At the first light, take a right onto Ridgewood Road.  Follow Ridgewood Road to the end.  Take a left onto Farmington Avenue and then take the first right onto Mountain Road.  At the second traffic light, take a left onto Albany Avenue.  Reservoir #6 is 1.1 miles on the right.

Introductions are in order

     Last summer I started walking, which increased to occasional jogs. I added onto that intermittent hikes. Throw in occasional letter-boxing adventure and that was my recreation for the summer. But with my ever-changing boredom I knew that I would need to keep myself entertained enough to stick with it. The brilliant idea that perhaps I would write, take pictures, or relay the results of my endeavors for others to browse and perhaps find encouragement to do the same in their own areas of the world crossed my mind a couple weeks ago. Not that my writing, photos, or personal accomplishments are remarkable enough to warrant attention from others, but at least it presented the potential to start a conversation or an exchange of ideas and stories.

     I also know I have to set goals for myself, to which everyone can hold me accountable. As such, this is the indulgent part of this pursuit in blogging. The three goals I have identified thus far (and are subject to change):

1. I will hike at least fifteen new trails between now and the end of September 2012.

2. I will document every new trail I expolore.

3. I will leave Connecticut for at least 2 of the hikes.

     Now the definition of a hike, for me, is simply a walk in a wooded area. I am not looking to explore Kilimanjaro or climb Everest. I hope only that others share experiences and provide feedback along the way.
     A few of the tools I use to find and document my hikes are my phone, the program RunKeeper, and a book that I am eager to complete: New England Hiking The Complete Guide to More than 400 of the Best Hikes in New England, by Jacqueline Tourville. Some might argue that technology has no place in nature, but I embrace the opportunities that would otherwise not be available without it. RunKeeper is a program I use to track where I go, how long it takes, and analyze different facets of that adventure. (Subsequent entries will certainly demonstrate some features of the program I am particularly fond.) And the book, New England Hiking, is something I have enjoyed reading in the colder months, dreaming of the ability to explore treks through places I wouldn't have known existed without the book, all of which are within a few hours of home. (Ok, Acadia National Park is probably a little more than a few hours, but it's not far enough to not make it a long weekend.)
     I would love to hear others' ideas for programs for the phone, books, trails, or anything else! Leave comments below.