Misery Mountain (Taconic Mountains)

This article is about a mountain ridge located in New York and Massachusetts. For other places and things by the same name, see Mount Misery.

Misery Mountain
Elevation	2,671 ft (814 m) ridge high point
Parent peak	42° 39' 20"N, 73° 17' 56"W (NAD83/WGS84)
Location
Location	Berkshire County, Massachusetts and Rensselaer County, New York
Range	Taconic Mountains
Coordinates	High point: 42°36′52″N 73°18′40″W / 42.61444°N 73.31111°W / 42.61444; -73.31111Coordinates: 42°36′52″N 73°18′40″W / 42.61444°N 73.31111°W / 42.61444; -73.31111 Ridgeline: 42°35′11″N 73°19′57″W / 42.58639°N 73.3325°W / 42.58639; -73.3325 to 42°39′20″N 73°17′56″W / 42.65556°N 73.29889°W / 42.65556; -73.29889
Geology
Type	Thrust fault; metamorphic rock
Age of rock	Ordovician
Climbing
Easiest route	Taconic Crest Trail

Misery Mountain, 2,671 feet (814 m), with at least ten well-defined summits, is a prominent 6 mi (9.7 km) long rideline in the Taconic Mountains of western Massachusetts and adjacent New York. The west side of the mountain is located in New York; the east side and high point lie within Massachusetts. The summit ridge is part meadow and part wooded with red spruce, balsam fir, and northern hardwood tree species. It is notable for its views of the Hudson River Valley to the west. The 35 mi (56 km) Taconic Crest Trail traverses the crest of the ridgeline, but does not cross the summit.

Geography

The subordinate summits of Misery Mountain do not have names with the exception of the southernmost peak, 2,440 feet (740 m) referred to as Bill's Lunch in popular hiking guides. The highest points of Misery Mountain traversed by the Taconic Crest Trail are the unnamed northern summit 2,646 feet (807 m) and a false summit, 2,611 feet (796 m), located 3,800 feet (1,200 m) west of the ridge high point. Portions of the upper slopes and summit are within protected conservation land.

Misery Mountain is located within the New York towns of Stephentown and Berlin and the Massachusetts towns of Hancock and Williamstown. The Taconic ridge continues south as Rounds Mountain and north as Berlin Mountain. Misery Mountain is flanked to the east by Brodie Mountain. The northwest side of Misery Mountain drains into the Little Hoosic River, thence into the Hoosic River, the Hudson River, and New York Harbor. The southwest side drains into West Brook, Kinderhook Creek, thence the Hudson River; the southeast side into Kinderhook Creek. The northeast side drains into the West Branch of the Green River, the Green River, thence the Hoosic River.

References

• Massachusetts Trail Guide (2004). Boston: Appalachian Mountain Club.

External links

• Berkshire Natural Resource Council.
• Rensselaer Land Trust.
• Hopkins Memorial Forest map.
• Hopkins Memorial Forest history
• Taconic Hiking Club
• Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation
• Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation trail map