CFPA New England Trail Series: Mount Higby LbNA #69428
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Add Location| Owner: | CT Forest & Park Assoc  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Nov 1, 2015 |
| Location: | Rt 66 |
| City: | Middlefield |
| County: | Middlesex |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | mattyfungos |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Mar 28, 2019 |
| Status: | F |
| Last edited: | Nov 20, 2015 |
New England Trail Letterboxing Series: Mount Higby
Total Distance: Approximately 3.8 miles
Start at the Rt. 66 pullover in Middlefield, CT
Google Maps Directions: https://goo.gl/zKmZ3Y
The 8-part New England Trail Letterboxing Series was created by Connecticut’s oldest non-profit conservation organization, the Connecticut Forest & Park Association (CFPA). Grab your gear and get ready to experience one of America’s national scenic trails right here in your own backyard. Discover the rich natural and cultural features of this incredible trail. Enjoy this fun and adventurous learning quest! We challenge you to find all 8 in the series. To learn more, visit www.ctwoodlands.org.
Note: A compass may be handy but is not required for this letterboxing trek.
Enter the woods on the blue/red-blazed trail, passing a trail map kiosk on your left. The blue/red-blazed trail will connect with the blue-blazed Mattabesett section of the New England Trail (NET). Bear left onto the NET and begin to follow the blue blazes. Note that there are many unblazed trails that intersect the NET on this hike. Be alert at trail intersections to remain on the blue-blazed NET.
Keep your eyes out on the left side of the NET for a large boulder that appears to have been split clean in half down the middle. It’s approximately 7 feet high and 12 feet wide, and has an old blue blaze on its left side. You’ll probably reach it after about 6-15 minutes of hiking. This boulder has experienced extensive physical weathering through a process known as frost action. Frost action occurs primarily in cool or cold climates, and happens after water from precipitation penetrates pores or cracks in rocks as a liquid and then cools and freezes into ice. Because water expands when in it’s solid state, the ice that forms inside a crack exerts pressure on the surrounding rock. Over long periods of time, the seasonal repetition of this process can break even extremely hard rocks.
Climb the hill before you. At the top, follow the NET through a stand of eastern red cedar trees. These resilient and hardy evergreen trees are easily identified by their reddish-brown bark that tends to peel in long strips and their small, scaly leaves. Their berry-like fruit provide a valuable food source for a variety of species, including wild turkey, fox, and raccoon, and deer may forage on the foliage if other food sources are not available. Continue following the blue blazes; the NET eventually steepens, presenting a rugged and rocky approach to the southern crest of the ridge that forms Mount Higby.
At the top, the view opens up. Please exercise caution near the shear cliffs! Pause for a moment to take in the view. Looking to the west, notice the majestic Hanging Hills towering over the city of Meriden. Continue following the blue blazes. The next half mile will roughly parallel the ridge, re-entering the woods before reaching another open ridge crest. The rock that forms Mount Higby is basalt, often referred to as traprock. Traprock is an igneous rock, meaning that is was formed when hot molten lava cooled and solidified into rock. The rock you’re standing on was formed approximately 200 million years ago from lava flows that occurred during the rifting apart of the Pangea supercontinent. Its orange tinted exterior is due to oxidation; the minerals in the traprock are literally rusting from being exposed to the elements. However, this coloring is only on the exterior surface. The interior of the rock is a often a dark grey color, and can be observed in places where the traprock has recently broken.
After the last opening atop the ridge, the trail will enter a young forest, evidenced by the small diameter of most of the trees. Before proceeding into the forest, take a look to the north. Notice the nearby hill with the steep western slope. That is the northern summit of Mount Higby and where your destination lies.
The blue-blazed NET will descend to Preston Notch, a “saddle” between hills. Ignore the unmarked trail which continues down the side of the ridge, and follow the blue-blazed NET to make the approach to the northern summit of Mount Higby. Near the top of the ridgeline, the terrain flattens before the trail climbs a small rocky outcrop. As you get closer, notice the CFPA sign telling you to stop and proceed with caution. You are in close proximity to the letterbox now. With the aforementioned sign before you, look to your right. Notice a group of three trees near some large rocks. Search under the large rocks to find the letterbox. Please hide carefully when finished!
Pass the CFPA sign and continue up the rocky outcrop to the next overlook. After the short climb you’ll find yourself at the open, grassy northern summit of Mount Higby. The elevation here is over 800’ above sea level, about 300’ higher than where you started at the Rt. 66 pullover. Enjoy the fine views! To return to the Rt. 66 parking area, simply retrace your steps and follow the NET back to the starting point, being careful to follow the blue blazes. Watch out for those unblazed side trails!
Hike length: 3-5 miles
Total Distance: Approximately 3.8 miles
Start at the Rt. 66 pullover in Middlefield, CT
Google Maps Directions: https://goo.gl/zKmZ3Y
The 8-part New England Trail Letterboxing Series was created by Connecticut’s oldest non-profit conservation organization, the Connecticut Forest & Park Association (CFPA). Grab your gear and get ready to experience one of America’s national scenic trails right here in your own backyard. Discover the rich natural and cultural features of this incredible trail. Enjoy this fun and adventurous learning quest! We challenge you to find all 8 in the series. To learn more, visit www.ctwoodlands.org.
Note: A compass may be handy but is not required for this letterboxing trek.
Enter the woods on the blue/red-blazed trail, passing a trail map kiosk on your left. The blue/red-blazed trail will connect with the blue-blazed Mattabesett section of the New England Trail (NET). Bear left onto the NET and begin to follow the blue blazes. Note that there are many unblazed trails that intersect the NET on this hike. Be alert at trail intersections to remain on the blue-blazed NET.
Keep your eyes out on the left side of the NET for a large boulder that appears to have been split clean in half down the middle. It’s approximately 7 feet high and 12 feet wide, and has an old blue blaze on its left side. You’ll probably reach it after about 6-15 minutes of hiking. This boulder has experienced extensive physical weathering through a process known as frost action. Frost action occurs primarily in cool or cold climates, and happens after water from precipitation penetrates pores or cracks in rocks as a liquid and then cools and freezes into ice. Because water expands when in it’s solid state, the ice that forms inside a crack exerts pressure on the surrounding rock. Over long periods of time, the seasonal repetition of this process can break even extremely hard rocks.
Climb the hill before you. At the top, follow the NET through a stand of eastern red cedar trees. These resilient and hardy evergreen trees are easily identified by their reddish-brown bark that tends to peel in long strips and their small, scaly leaves. Their berry-like fruit provide a valuable food source for a variety of species, including wild turkey, fox, and raccoon, and deer may forage on the foliage if other food sources are not available. Continue following the blue blazes; the NET eventually steepens, presenting a rugged and rocky approach to the southern crest of the ridge that forms Mount Higby.
At the top, the view opens up. Please exercise caution near the shear cliffs! Pause for a moment to take in the view. Looking to the west, notice the majestic Hanging Hills towering over the city of Meriden. Continue following the blue blazes. The next half mile will roughly parallel the ridge, re-entering the woods before reaching another open ridge crest. The rock that forms Mount Higby is basalt, often referred to as traprock. Traprock is an igneous rock, meaning that is was formed when hot molten lava cooled and solidified into rock. The rock you’re standing on was formed approximately 200 million years ago from lava flows that occurred during the rifting apart of the Pangea supercontinent. Its orange tinted exterior is due to oxidation; the minerals in the traprock are literally rusting from being exposed to the elements. However, this coloring is only on the exterior surface. The interior of the rock is a often a dark grey color, and can be observed in places where the traprock has recently broken.
After the last opening atop the ridge, the trail will enter a young forest, evidenced by the small diameter of most of the trees. Before proceeding into the forest, take a look to the north. Notice the nearby hill with the steep western slope. That is the northern summit of Mount Higby and where your destination lies.
The blue-blazed NET will descend to Preston Notch, a “saddle” between hills. Ignore the unmarked trail which continues down the side of the ridge, and follow the blue-blazed NET to make the approach to the northern summit of Mount Higby. Near the top of the ridgeline, the terrain flattens before the trail climbs a small rocky outcrop. As you get closer, notice the CFPA sign telling you to stop and proceed with caution. You are in close proximity to the letterbox now. With the aforementioned sign before you, look to your right. Notice a group of three trees near some large rocks. Search under the large rocks to find the letterbox. Please hide carefully when finished!
Pass the CFPA sign and continue up the rocky outcrop to the next overlook. After the short climb you’ll find yourself at the open, grassy northern summit of Mount Higby. The elevation here is over 800’ above sea level, about 300’ higher than where you started at the Rt. 66 pullover. Enjoy the fine views! To return to the Rt. 66 parking area, simply retrace your steps and follow the NET back to the starting point, being careful to follow the blue blazes. Watch out for those unblazed side trails!
Hike length: 3-5 miles