[at-l] Trip report

[hudsom at us.ibm.com (Mark Hudson)]

I needed to get out and get some exercise since I'll be on a crazy schedule
at work for two weeks and won't make it to the gym. Like I need an excuse
anyway <g>.
Headed over to Mt Greylock with my brother, but our initial hiking plans
got shot down because the road was closed beyond the visitor center.
Checked the map and drove around to the east side of the mountain, and then
headed for the Thunderbolt Trail. I've never been up it before, so for
those unfamiliar with the trail it's an old ski trail. Yes, it's steep. Two
miles to the summit, don't know the elevation change. It wasn't long after
we started we hit snow, and it grew progressively colder on the way up, but
under blue skies and sunshine. It might have been fall on the botton, but
it was winter on top, at least two inches of snow, and some substanstial
driftes over the stone walls at the top. Don't know the temp or the wind
chill, but cold. Took a look around and then had lunch in the Thunderbolt
Sh. We figured the Thunderbolt trail was going to be treacherous on the way
down, but there's another trail right next to it that runs down parallel,
but turns out to be nicely switchbacked, which isn't readily apparent on
the map, but we were quite glad not to be descending on our butts.
Having found the "easier" trail, I hope to be back over to snowshoe it this
winter.
There's quite a lot of trails over at Mt Greylock. Could somebody reccomend
a decent trail guidebook?

Thanks, skeeter