30 July 2009: Harmon Hil

"You don't want to go up there." That was the cheerful advice given me by an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker when I was about to hike to Harmon Hill. The rain I hiked through yesterday afternoon continued most of, if not the entire, night, and apparently the trail south of Congdon was extremely wet, but that was farther than I was planning to go, so I waved off the friendly warning.

But the trail, after the first half mile of big rock steps and steep switchbacks, was lake-like at points. For a short hike, it was nonetheless a tiring one.

Not a great picture, but the view isn't that good: Bennington from Harmon Hill with the Taconics of New York in the distance--

There were some raspberries at the summit.

Then back down, finishing on rock steps--

When I got back to my car, I found an inscribed brown paper bag left for me:

"Hi. Could you drop this off in the proper receptical [sic]? I didn't want to litter. Your good deed for the day is done. Thanks, Wheeler (thru-hiker) GA-ME 2009"

Lucky for Wheeler, I don't take off for spelling errors. Even luckier, I will sometimes do more than one good deed in a day--at Harmon Hill I gave a thirsty slackpacker who forgot his water purifier a half bottle of water.

On the way home, still having to pick up my paper at the West Wardsboro Country Store, I decided to take back roads thinking I might save a few miles. Then, I missed the unsigned sharp left turn of Forest Road 71 and ended up at Somerset Reservoir, I've seen the reservoir from Mt. Snow and on the Mt. Stratton hike but never seen it up close. So, now was the chance.

In the distance are Little Stratton and Stratton. The trail to climbs Little Stratton on the way.to Stratton.

Oh, the Forest Road shortcut is actually a few miles longer than taking state highways 9 and 100, and a lot rougher.