The Connecticut Path, Eastford, CT 12:30-3:00 pm

Partly Cloudy turning to sun and mild temps with a high of 56!

The Old Connecticut Path a colonial era path over Indian Trails from Cambridge, MA to Hartford, CT. Started out with sleet and overcast conditions with slushy snow on top of an iced over dirt road. Went past several cellar holes with interesting stone wells and running springs.

Came by an iced over pond and brook and then to a hillock with extensive stone walls inundating the landscape. We decided to march down another wagon road towards the sound of a river on the other side of a ravine. We got down to rivers edge and I was amazed to find such a hard flowing river and what looks to be prime fishing habitat!

We followed a wide wagon road along the river for quite some ways and having crossed a brook with old stone abutments on either sides of it. We decided to continue on in a direction back towards the area in which we parked taking a chance of looping our way back. At least 3 inches of snow still covered the ground in this deep hollow and freshets overflowing with runoff snowmelt made it wet and slippery in places.

We did find the remains of the old stone bridge over the Bigelow Brook and the Indian Stepping Stones. An amazing spot! We followed this path which continued onwards towards Massachusetts on the other side of the river.

Climbed a steep rise to a few modern homes tucked away in the deep woods and made it back to the car in a perfect loop.

Wolfs Den, Pomfret, CT 10am-12 noon.

Very cold and in the teens. Mashamoquet Brook State Park and Wolfs Den Campground.

Drove along Route 44 and came across Brayton Grist Mill and Marcy Blacksmith Museum which is closed for season but an amazing site along snow covered and iced over brook. Old bridge and millrace and plenty of hiking trails to explore in better weather conditions.

I found location in 50 Hikes In Connecticut 5th edition book.

Skiing 10-11am.

Cloudy, cold and in the teens with a stiff occasional breeze and frozen and hard packed snow fast for skiing but difficult maneuvering ruts and snowmobile tracks.

The farm dogs across the fields are already barking just as I step out the door.

Fat Robins perched in shrubs along the pond. I fed the geese crackers. Two ducks flying over fields towards Lafayette Pond where I am heading to. Grey, blue and white landscape.


View of Bald and Perkins Mountains with some unidentified peaks to the north including a cone shaped hill in either Somers or Hamden MA. A new hunting blind built into small rise. I flushed barn swallows from shrubbery.

I followed dirt road down to pond which is well frozen over to allow even snowmobiles to cross. I stood over dam that was erected in the 1800's to harvest ice from Lafayette Pond. Woods Stream flows out of pond creating a small wetland between housing developments twisting through downed trees and swamp thickets.

I crossed the pond again and had to herringbone my way up a steep rise above the pond before getting into the field and past several huge brush piles stacked in the wood line.

Many deer tracks skirting open fields. Snots flowing and jacket stiff from cold as I grasp for handkerchief.