Hampshire County High Point Trip Report
West Mtn (2,125 ft)
Date: October 4, 2000
Author: Mike Schwartz
Tried this one unsuccessfully two weeks earlier from the southeast via Liberty Street, that appears on the
topo to go almost all the way to the saddle east of the summit. I, like Fred Lobdell before me, was stymied
by private property and unfriendly dogs. At Fred's recommendation, I parked at Plainfield Pond north of
the mountain and bushwhacked south to the summit.
Details: Large parking pullout at Plainfield Lake is 1.0 miles east of the Berkshire-Hampshire County
line on MA 116, or 3.2 miles NW of the Plainfield town hall via 116. Bushwhack due south through
tolerable mixed spruce and ferns initially, then through more deciduous forest higher on the mountain.
Grade increases as you get higher. Fred passed a "Peck Lumber Company" sign about 2/3 of the way up,
with no stated or implied prohibition on hiking. I did not spot the sign. I found reference benchmarks #2
and 3, but not USGS Bond 2 BM. Allow 25 minutes to summit. Suggest using a compass on the descent
to stay on non-obvious due north heading.