Mount Greylock
|
|
Mount Greylock is a mountain (3,491 feet, 1,064 meters) in northwest Massachusetts, at Template:Coor dms on the Appalachian Trail just south of Vermont. It is the highest point in the state.
| Contents |
Location
Mount Greylock is surrounded by the towns of North Adams on the north, Adams on the east, Williamstown on the northwest, and Cheshire on the south.
North Adams contains a steep portion of the Appalachian Trail, leading to a mountain adjacent to Greylock's ridge. The Appalachian Trail also passes through Cheshire. Beginning on unpaved rural roads close to Adams, multiple trails lead to Mount Greylock and other mountains in the same ridge.
History
In the early nineteenth century, Mount Greylock was known as Saddleback Mountain because of its appearance.
Herman Melville is said to have taken part of his inspiration for Moby Dick from his view of Mount Greylock, looking north from a porch, since its profile reminded him of a whale lying on the ocean's surface.
Features
A paved road over the summit, crossing the mountain roughly north-south, is passable in the warm months by general traffic, and is often passable in winter by four-wheel-drive vehicles.
The summit features a World War I memorial, in the form of a lighted tower, and Bascom Lodge.
The memorial, built in 1932, bears the inscription "they were faithful even unto death." It is 93 feet (28 meters) tall, with glass ball of light at its top. The light is said to be visible for 70 miles (110 km).
Bascom Lodge, open in summer and operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club through the 1990s, continues under different management, by arrangement with the state. It sells hot food and rents overnight lodging.
There are hiking trails up the mountain from many directions.
Three broadcast stations transmit from a tower below the summit on the west side:
- WAMC-FM (90.3 Albany, New York)
- WCDC-TV (19/36 Adams, Massachusetts)
- WNYA-TV (51 Pittsfield, Massachusetts)
- A NOAA Weather Radio station (WWF-48, 162.525 MHz) also broadcasts from this site.
External links
- Mass.gov: Mt. Greylock State Reservation (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/mgry.htm)
- Berkshire Web: Mt. Greylock (http://www.berkshireweb.com/mohawktrail/mtgreylock.html)
- America's Roof: Mt. Greylock (http://americasroof.com/ma.shtml)