Storm Inbound!

Storm Inbound!

Right now it is looking like 4-8" of snow are headed our way, mainly accumulating between 4pm and 3am. There will be a few flakes much earlier than that, maybe even some this morning, but they should probably be nothing to worry over until the storm really starts cooking!

This means that this is the last shot at hitting trails that have open trailheads, parking, and packed tracks to follow. As of tomorrow morning we are all going to have to open up access and blaze our own tracks all over again.

7:00 a.m. Cascading Waters Trailhead (Elev. 630') Conditions:

The Temperature is 9.9 degrees F rising;
The Humidity is 46% steady;
The Pressure is 30.42" of Hg and steady;
The Wind speed is dead calm;
Grey skies in the early morning light;
The Parking Area is OPEN;
The Cascades are largely buried in snow and ice;
The Cascades Brook is increasingly open in patches and covered elsewhere;
USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE!

National Weather Service Forecast:

Daytime:
Snow, mainly after 4pm. High near 26. Southwest wind 3 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Night-time:
Snow, mainly before 3am. Low around 23. Southwest wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible.

Sunny & Cold Again!!!!

More of our current patter, Sunny and Cold,
BUT a storm is rolling in Sunday night with the potential for 4-6"!
Enjoy the peace and calm outside RIGHT NOW!

9:00 a.m. Trailhead Conditions at Cascading Waters:

Temperature is 19.8 degrees F and rising (was 8 degrees when we got up);
Pressure is 45% and steady;
Humidity is 30.53" and rising;
Blue Skies;
Wind is moving and peaked at 1 mph in the observation period;
The Cascades are buried;
The Cascades Brook has some open patches;
The USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE!


National Weather Service Forecast:

Sunny, with a high near 25. West wind 5 to 7 mph.

But more interestingly:
Winter Storm Watch in effect from March 1, 04:00 PM EST until March 2, 06:00 AM EST

Sunny & Cold (One of a Series!)

Well, we seem to be in a pattern of cold and sunny, for the most part.
It was enjoyable to see flakes falling yesterday, though nothing came of the passing snow.

This morning the T&G has a fun article on fishers!
http://www.telegram.com/article/20150226/NEWS/302269512/1116This is enjoyable in that a number of the Trust's properties are know to have these large weasels. It is nice to be able to highlight the species without all of the wild tales of wickedness.

7:30 a.m. trailhead conditions at Cascading Waters:

Temperature is 10.4 degrees F and steady;
Humidity is 51% and steady;
Pressure is 30.06" and rising;
There is movement of wind in the air, but no mph recorded during the observation period;
The sky is blue and the sun is out;
The Cascades remain buried in the snow;
The Cascades Brook has a few open patches here and there;
The USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE.

Many of the trails have been snowshoed and are passable, and most of the trailheads have seen some activity and have parking. This weekend presents an opportunity to see and experience long term snowpack in a way that we rarely see here in central Massachusetts.

National Weather Service Forecast:

Mostly sunny, with a high near 21.
Wind chill values as low as zero.
Northwest wind around 7 mph.

Sunny and Cold, But Not As Cold!

Well, things are looking up!
We are starting the day in positive degrees!
And with the sun out, things are bound to warm up a little.
The only catch will be the predicted winds, and the wind chills.

Last night at the Worcester City Council, the City Council unanimously approved the funds transfer for the Donker Farm Project!
We are another important step closer to seeing this conserved!

Yesterday we observed 4 deer out on frozen Cook's Pond headed for the main island, and it looks like they were browsing on buds and bark.

7:30 a.m. Trailhead Conditions at Cascading Waters:

Temperature of 14.5 degrees F and rising;
Humidity of 65% and steady;
Pressure of 29.50" and falling;
Wind is moving with an average of 1-1.5 mph and a peak of 2.5 mph in the observation period;
The Cascades are covered;
The Cascades Brook is mostly covered with patches breaking through;
Sunny blue skies;
USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE.

National Weather Service Forecast for Today:

Mostly sunny, with a high near 27. West wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Settling in to Our Arctic Reality...

Well, it is still mighty cold, and it appears it will be so for some time yet. Nevertheless, the world keeps turning, and stuff gets done!

Our mighty Volunteer Conservation Ranger for KinneyWoods, Ranger Tim, had been laid low by a ridiculously rare skiing accident way back at the beginning of this winter. Ranger Tim, however, is the embodiment of an irrepressible soul! Through some amazing ingenuity and a will like an ox, he has managed to snowblow an access point and trailhead path for KinneyWoods, from a wheelchair!

Photos are in order!

Also, last night at dusk, there were ten to twelve deer out on frozen Cook's Pond! To see so many together in such a visible spot at once was a rare treat!

7:30 a.m. trailhead conditions at Cascading Waters:

Temperature is -3.8°F and rising (it was -8.1° at 6:30!);
Humidity is 37% and steady;
Pressure is 30.00" and steady;
Skies are sunny with high altitude clouds;
Winds are stirring, and peaked at 1.5 mph during the observation period;
The Cascades are still buried;
The Cascades Brook has open patches; &
The USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE!

If you are headed out please bundle up and cover exposed skin.

ALSO, a joint City, State, Donker Family, GWLT project is in today's paper!

http://www.telegram.com/article/20150223/NEWS/302239762/1116

More Arctic Tundra!

That's right folks! MORE Arctic Tundra!

7:30 a.m. Cascades Trailhead conditions:

Temperature is 19.9 degrees F and falling (and visibly falling in the last hour by several degrees);
Humidity is 48% and steady;
Pressure is 29.94" of Hg and steady;
The Cascades Brook appreciated the melting yesterday and there are a few open patches of water out there;
The Cascades themselves are still more or less buried;
The wind is persistent and we saw a 5.0 mph peak in the observation period;
The USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE!

The seasonal snow total is now 108.5"!!!
And best of all, because the temperature profile was colder, we never transitioned to rain.
So... We get to keep ALL of our snowpack!

FORECAST from the National Weather Service for today:

Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 15.
(Here is the "killer" part...)
Wind chill values as low as -8. Northwest wind 14 to 16 mph.
(Though it is more sheltered down here by the Lodge and we tend not to see those wind peaks.)

Cold, and a Storm Coming!

There is another storm inbound, due to hit this afternoon! Before it is over we may have 4-7" of snow, topped by who knows what mix of ice, rain, freezing rain, or more snow. Everything comes down to temperature profiles.

This is the time to get out there and make the most of the snows and weather move in.

Remember that...
The Cascades trailhead on Olean Street is open with parking;
The Sibley Farm trailhead on Greenville Street in Spencer is open with parking; and
The KinneyWoods trailhead on Dawson Road in Worcester is open with parking.

Trailhead Conditions at Cascading Waters at 9:00a.m.:

Temperature of 14.2°F and rising;
Humidity of 46% and steady;
Pressures of 30.24" of Hg and steady;
Variable windspeed with a 2.5 mph max;
Bright overcast skies;
Cascades are buried in snow;
Cascades Brook is buried in snow;
USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE.

NWS Daytime Forecast:
Snow, mainly after 3pm. High near 26. Wind chill values as low as zero. Southwest wind 6 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

WINDY, Sunny, COLD

8:35 a.m. Trailhead Conditions:

Temperature is 4.1 degrees F and rising;
Humidity is 46% and steady;
Pressure is 29.68" of Hg and rising;
The wind speed is hovering around 3.0-3.5 mph with gusts as high as 10.5 mph in the sample period;
The Cascades are buried in snow;
The Cascades Brook is buried in snow;
The USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE, quite obviously!

It is worth noting that our location at the Tatnuck Valley floor is sheltered from the wind and you should expect higher winds in the Cascades, and especially up on Cascades West and if you are elsewhere on the Asnebumskit Ridge Trail or East Side Trail between Bell Pond and the Quarry!

Today's weather prediction from the NWS is:
Sunny, with a high near 12. Wind chill values as low as -16. West wind 14-16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Sunny Start with a Chance of Snow

A sunny start, but an inch of snow is predicted to fall this afternoon!

9:20 a.m. trailhead conditions:

Temperature is 26.1°F and rising;
Humidity is 58% and falling;
Pressure is 29.41" Hg and steady;
The Cascades are buried in snow;
The Cascades brook is also buried;
Wind is stirring, but 1mph is all we are peaking at;
USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE, of course.

Today's National Weather Service Forecast:

A chance of snow showers, mainly between noon and 2pm.
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 21. Wind chill values as low as -3. West wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

A Quiet Day

A Quiet Day weatherwise here at the trailhead at Cascading Waters.

9:00 a.m. Trailhead Conditions:

13.3 degrees F and rising;
36% humidity and steady;
29.74" of Hg pressure and steady;
No wind registered on the anemometer, though there is movement;
The sky is overcast;
The Cascades Brooks and falls are both buried;
The USFS Fire Danger is, quite obviously, NONE at all!

The Parking Area is open!
There has been a little activity out on the trail.
The snowshoeing is spectacular!

Frigid

Welcome to the tundra!

At 9:20 am, it is 5.5 degrees and rising. 

We have a constant wind, maxing out here at 8.5 MPH. Together, that means we're getting windchill in the double digits below zero. 

45% humidity and steady

The barometer is 29.74 inches of mercury and rising under clear blue skies. 

It's bright and sunny!

The brook and the Cascades are not visible. 

And yes, there is NO fire danger!

Stay warm!

Another Blizzard Winds Down...

As Another Blizzard Winds Down...

The sun has come out &

The Visitor Parking Area is OPEN!

The snows are deep!
It is all powder!
This is the Snowshoeing Heaven you will tell your grand-kids about!

Make sure you have a tight hood or balaclava to protect your face from the wind if you head out there!

We're neck and neck with Buffalo and Erie!

In the annual "Snowglobe" race, Worcester, as of last night's update, is now neck-and-neck with Buffalo, NY and Erie, PA in the race for snowiest city (above 100,000):

http://goldensnowglobe.com/its-snow-time-can-worcester-pass-erie-pa-and-buffalo-ny/

We got about three inches overnight here and it started snowing again at about 7 am. To give some perspective, here is the Lodge sign this morning: 

We all keep talking about the snow, but don't underestimate the cold: at 8 am here it is 11 degrees and steady, and there's a fairly constant 1-5 MPH wind. 

The humidity is 69 percent and steady. 

The barometer is 29.91 inches of mercury and steady. 

Hikers note: it may take us a bit longer to get the parking area open after this one, as we are down a snowblower operator. 

It is Snowing Again!

Well, it is snowing again!

Trailhead Conditions at 11:00 a.m.:

Temperature is 28.8 degrees F and rising;
Humidity is 54% and steady;
Pressure is 30.00" Hg and steady;
The wind is moving and peaked at 1.5 mph during the observation;
It is snowing outside, and it is overcast;
There may be a Cascade and Brook, but I haven't seen them lately, only snow;
One visitor parking space is open at the trailhead and another will be cleared momentarily.

Get out there folks!
It is rare to have this much powder in New England!
Enjoy it!

And, yes, the property sign is slowly sinking out of view in the snowbank!

Buried: Deep and Fluffy!

Well, yesterday's little snow storm was basically endless during the daylight hours, with there being hardly any break in the falling snows from start to end. Since it never warmed up to melt the last storm, it is pretty deep snow! Because it was so cold yesterday it is light and powdery snow, on top of earlier light and powdery snow.

We here at the Lodge more or less got cut off from the rest of the world and that was just fine by us with a fire in the fireplace and having stocked up on supplies and firewood from the previous storm. Today we dig out!

The trailhead conditions as of 9:00 a.m.:

Temperature is 6.4 degrees F and steady;
Humidity is 65% and steady;
Pressure is 29.91" of Hg and rising;
There is sun and high altitude clouds;
Right now the Cascades and the brook are covered in snow;
It is not clear that anyone has been through here at the trailhead yet;
The parking area is not yet excavated, but that is coming up this morning!;
There is a low steady breeze that peaked at 1.5 mph in the observation;
There is, unsurprisingly NO FIRE DANGER, unless you are in a house, and then that isn't nature's fault!.

This is purely fantabulous snowshoeing weather!
If you own a pair, can borrow a pair, or are crafty to fashion a pair, Do It!

0 degrees here at the Lodge

Just shy of 7am and it is 0 degrees here at the Lodge.
That is a chilly start.

A big snow storm is moving in for tonight into tomorrow, so look for fresh snow cover!

Today is a good day to hike on trails that are just broken in before the new accumulations!

It's Snowing!

It's snowing out there!

It is lightly snowing and will be lightly snowing on and off all day today.

The temperature is 27.9 degrees F and steady;
The humidity is 82% and steady;
The pressure is 27.62" of Hg and falling;
The skies are overcast and snow is falling;
There is no wind presently;
The Cascades are ice, with snow cover, and some flow underneath;
The Cascades Brook channels have some flow with ice and snow cover;
The USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE.

The trailhead is open, and the conditions are good for snowshoeing in the Cascades! In some ways it is even more wonderful to hike in the falling snow on snow shoes when the storm isn't a concern, so this is an opportunity.

Sunshine & Powdery Snow

A snowshoer just went by the Lodge with hiking poles!

The parking area is open enough for 2 cars presently, and we will see if we can expand that to 3 before the morning is out.

The bright sunshine and clear skies make is a magnificent day to explore the snow covered forest! It is deep enough with drifts to need snowshoes.

9:00 am conditions at the trailhead:

The temperature is 11.9 degrees F and rising;
The humidity is 47% and steady;
The pressure is 30.12" and steady;
There is no wind or breeze;
The skies are clear and there is glorious sunshine!;
The Cascades are frozen and largely covered in snow;
The Cascades Brooks are flowing but have snow and ice cover;
The USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE!.

It is presently warmer on top of Mt. Washington in NH, which is 23 degrees F!

Especially for all the folks tied to the schools who are out today, enjoy!

Snow day!

Break out the snowshoes and cross-country skis!

We're just now breaking open the track to the street; give us a bit to gas the snowblower back up, get the sidewalks on Trust land cleared, and we should have the parking area open for you! 

Here in the hill's lea, we got somewhere around 20 inches; it will vary as you head up into the hills. It's a light fluffy snow: disappointing if you're trying to build something, but great for snowshoes!

At 10 am, it is 17.6 degrees and steady.

The humidity is 49% and steady.

The barometer is 29.74 inches of mercury and rising.

The fire danger is NONE. 

Blizzard morning

Happy blizzard! We had a gusty, snowy night, and it's still coming down. 

At ten am, it is 18.5 degrees and rising. 

The humidity is 89% and steady.

The barometer is 29.35 inches of mercury and falling. 

We have a steady wind of at least 3 MPH, gusting as high as 10.

The fire danger is NONE.

The Cascades are entirely buried in snow.

We are measuring about 14 inches of fluffy snow here at the Lodge. 

Here's the front porch this morning:

Blizzard Inbound!

We have a Blizzard Inbound!

The parking area has been cleared since Saturday evening so the trail is readily accessible. We have already had a x-country skier pass through! 

This evening/afternoon will be the test!
Do we have an honest to goodness blizzard with more than a foot of snow over Monday, Tuesday, into early Wednesday.... or not?
We here in the Lodge have stocked up on firewood and food and are hoping that the answer is a YES!

Amounts vary by prediction, computer model, and the hour, but anything from 14" to 41" have been mentioned at one time or another. We are hoping for a foot minimum and anything beyond that is pure gravy!

9:00 am Conditions at the Trailhead:

Temperature is 12.6 degrees F and rising;
Humidity is 53% and steady
Pressure is 29.91" of Hg and steady;
The sky is a mix of overcast and clear;
We have a breeze, but nothing powerful enough to register in mph;
The Cascades are frozen;
The Cascades Brooks both have ice and flow;
The USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE.

Enjoy the storm!

We will catch you on the trails!

Snowing!

We've seen nearly none this year, so it's good to see the white stuff for a change!

At 10 am, it is 32.2 degrees and steady. 

The humidity is 19% and steady.

The barometer is at 29.41 inches of mercury and still falling.

A quick check outside gives us 4 inches so far, and it's still snowing heavily. 

So far it is light, fluffy snow. 

Enjoy!

Clear day

We have a clear day here for a work project afternoon!

At 9 am, it is 28.6 degrees and rising.

59% humidity and rising

The barometer is 30.00 inches of mercury and steady.

There's a breeze, but not enough to register. 

Storm coming this weekend, so we may get our snow cover back!

Leaves & Ice, Ice & Leaves

This weekend has done funny things to the forest.
All of the rain melted away the snow and ice on the forest floor EXCEPT where it was compacted through walking, so the trails are slick in spots where foot traffic compressed the snow over the past week and a half. Meanwhile the rains melted the snows that uncovered the ice mass that is the floe of the Cascades, and it is quite wonderful to behold!

The above picture was taken by neighbor and Trust member Patti!

Meanwhile, the torrential rains raised the flow of the brook and melted away much of the ice coating that made the brooks vanish, though there are still ice shelves overhanging the water here and there. In short, while slippery, it is quite pretty out there in the forest right now. Just watch your feet!

8:30 am trailhead conditions:

Temperature is 27.9 degrees F and rising;
Humidity is 55% and steady;
Pressure is 29.65" of Hg and steady;
Wind speed is maxing at 3 mph in the one minute sample;
The sky is blue with small fair weather clouds;
The Cascades are running;
Both stream channels have flow on the Cascades Brook;
USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE.

Ice on the trails

We just saw a family out for an MLK day hike turn around halfway to the waterfall; the trail is all ice! 

Be prepared if you're heading out today. It has broken freezing here, but it is still underfoot. 

Yesterday Part II

We seem to have a repeat of yesterday, at least based on the 8:00 am numerical conditions. For the humor of it all I will list the prior day (in parentheses).

8:00 am conditions:

23.7 degrees F and rising; (23.7)

60% humidity and steady; (64%)

29.53" of Hg pressure and steady; (29.88")

The Cascades remain a frozen ice floe;

Both channels of the Cascades Brook are frozen but flowing;

The wind is stirring, but there is no wind speed reading;

The sky is overcast, though there was a window on the sunrise that was glorious before it clouded back over;

The USFS Fire Danger Class remains at NONE;

The ground cover is a mix of ice, frozen bare earth, and crunchy sublimated snow.

Make sure your footwear has good traction when you head out, and be careful on Silver Spring Road/Howard Street as it is two ice tracks with snow up the middle.

Somewhat less cold

(You know it's really winter when you are looking forward to it being above 25!)

At 8 am, it is 23.7 degrees and steady. 

The humidity is 64% and steady.

The barometer is 29.88 inches of mercury and steady under cloudy skies. 

If you have not seen the Cascades frozen, now is the time, as they are a cascade of ice right now. Both they and the brook are still running under the ice, however. 

Because it has been so cold without either more precipitation or a thaw, the snow underfoot has been beaten down into ice. If you are heading out on the trails, expect it to be slick anywhere others have walked. 

We had some great help from the folks at Dismas House yesterday in moving more logs down to be shaped for sign posts! 

Frozen Over

Yesterday's warmth of 35 combined with the rains covered the world in melted puddles and slush.
Then, last night, the temperature dropped, and it is still dropping.
At 6:30 am it was 20,
At 7:15 am it was 17,
And now, at 8:00 am it is 15.
And now everything is covered in ice.
The worst of it is the places that were paved, which have black ice.
The best is out in the woods where it is crunchy irregular slush and snow and ice mixed, so there is some traction to be found.
Traction will be the key today if you decide to head out for a hike.

Also, as per repeated requests from a reader, we have an up to date picture of the Cascading Waters sign, thanks to Jackie's visit to Cook's Pond yesterday.

The trailhead conditions at 8:00 am:

Temperature of 15.1 degrees and falling;

Humidity of 54% and falling;

Pressure of 30.30" of Hg and rising (good weather sign);

There is a a breeze but not fast enough to generate a reading;

It is a clear sky day with the sun out in all of its glory;
The Cascades are a frozen ice floe;

The Cascades Brooks are coated in ice;

The USFS Fire Danger is NONE.

It is a great day for a hike, if you have boots with good traction.

Snow into Frozen Mist!

This morning started off with snow falling and leaving a thin coating, that tappered off and has transitioned into mist that is freezing on contact. Now THAT is a lovely mix!

8:00 a.m. Trailhead Conditions at the Lodge:

30.7 degrees F and steady;
74% humidity and steady;
30.09" of Hg pressure and falling (thus the "bad" weather);
There is a steady stirring breeze but it isn't fast enough to generate a reading;
The Cascades are an ice floe;
The Cascades Brooks are both coated in ice;
The sky is overcast and it is gently precipitating;
The USFS Fire Danger rating is NONE.

Think slippery footing folks. Wear boots with good traction. That being said, it is nearly at freezing, which feels practically balmy! There is much tropical print wearing in the Lodge in celebration of the warmth outside!

Snow Squall!

We have an honest to goodness solid snow squall turning the sky and forest white right now!

The Cascades Brook is exposed to the air in patches, and a sheet of ice is everywhere else.
The Cascades themselves are an ice mass that continues to grow in these cold temperatures.
The trails are becoming harder to distinguish as this fresh coat of snow covers the landscape.

THIS IS WINTER!

8:00 am morning trailhead conditions at Cascading Waters:

Temperature of 20.8 degrees F and steady;
Humidity of 69% and steady;
Pressure of 29.71" and falling;
Wind is running up to 8.5 mph with higher gusts and is variable;
The sky is overcast and snow is falling in a steady and heavy.
The USFS Fire Danger is NONE.

Enjoy the winter wonderland conditions, but be careful to keep sight of the trail blazes and dress to not expose yourself to the wind.

Frigid

No school in Worcester today, due to windchills as low as -29!

At 9 am, it is 4.8 degrees and (finally) rising.
The humidity is 43% and steady.
The barometer is 30.09 inches of mercury and rising still, under clear blue skies.
Because we're somewhat sheltered by trees, we don't get quite the winds of elsewhere. Currently, we're seeing a fairly steady wind of somewhere between 2 and 3 MPH, with higher gusts.

The usual Thursday afternoon work project for GWLT is cancelled due to the cold. If you are venturing out, do bundle up in layers, and expose as little skin as possible. With windchills like this, exposed skin can get frostbite in very little time. And remember: frostbite doesn't hurt!
Stay safe!

Tundra in the Cascades!

Welcome to the Tundra!





The Cascades are an ice flow, and in truth they have been for a good week now!

8:00 a.m. trailhead conditions:

temperature is 12.7 degrees F and steady;
humidity is 40% and steady;
pressure is 30.12" and steady;
wind is variable and 1.5 mph at present;
sky is grey overcast;
the Cascades are an ice flow!;
The Cascades Brook is still running;
Cook's Pond is coated in ice and the ice is thickening from the dangerous black of this weekend to a shade of grey that is getting more hopeful;
the USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE.

Oddly enough, without yesterday's winds, it kinda feels warmer out there this morning, but despite this illusion, please remember to cover exposed skin when heading out for a hike!

Paths in the snow

One of the advantages of having snow cover is we get a hint of who else is out on the property.

The lines that look like cracks in the snow are rapidly melting tunnels from our resident wood voles. They've been at a disadvantage this winter in dodging predators, as during the winter, they generally tunnel under the snow to go about their business. While we got less than 2 inches here, the voles wasted no time!

For a good rundown on the difference among mice, voles, shrews, and moles, see:

http://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/shrew-or-mole-mouse-or-vole

At 8 am, it is 32.9 degrees and FALLING (it was closer to 38 at 6 am).

The humidity is 51% and also falling.

The barometer is 29.71 inches of mercury and rising under clear skies.

Beyond the dropping temperature, the other story today is the wind. We have a consistent wind this morning of at least 3 MPH rising to 7 to 10 MPH frequently. 

Both stream channels are open and running. The Cascades are frozen, with water running under the ice. 

Boxing Day!

A warm (for December in New England) Boxing Day!

At 12:30, it is 48 degrees and rising.

We have 48% humidity and steady.

The barometer is reading 29.97 inches of mercury and steady under clear blue skies.

The wind is fairly light today, with an occasional,barely registering, breeze.

The fire danger continues to be NONE.

The trails are clear, if still muddy, and we're seeing quite a number of families out enjoying them.

The Cascades are running, as are both stream channels. 

Merry (unseasonable) Christmas!

Not only is there not a flake of snow to be seen; some parts of Massachusetts are seeing highs of sixty degrees today!

At 2 PM, it is 50.5 degrees and steady under clear blues skies. 

Humidity is 50% and steady

We're seeing wind gusts of up to 10 MPH.

The barometer is 29.47 inches of mercury and steady. 

There is NO fire danger. 

The Cascades are running fast, and both stream channels are running. 

It's a great day for a hike (and we're seeing lots of hikers come through). Everything is rather muddy, though, so please stay on the trail!

Snowing!

It is snowing!
Not too cold, not too windy, and quite beautiful !
Come out for a hike today and make the most of the first full day of winter!

7:30 a.m.  trailhead conditions:

Temperature of 31.6°F and steady;
Humidity of 77% and steady;
Pressure is 30.18" of Hg and steady;
Snow is falling;
The ice cover on Cook's Pond continues to expand;
The sky is overcast;
The wind is stirring but no reading in mph;
The Cascades have some flow;
Both Cascades Brook channels are flowing;
The USFS fire danger rating is NONE.

Happy Snowy Winter Solstice!

Happy Snowy Winter Solstice!

Afternoon Trailhead Conditions 1:00pm:

Temperature is 31.8°F and steady;
Humidity is 78% and steady;
Pressure is 30.09" of Hg and steady;
Wind is stirring;
Snow is falling;
Cascades has flow;
Both Brooks are running;
USFS fire danger is LOW.

Breezy and Cold Start

The trails are in decent shape, and there is little danger of any rain to hold you back, but you will want to keep moving to stay warm! Also, you will want a shell to keep the breeze from stealing that warmth.

8:00 a.m. Trailhead Conditions:

Temperature is 32.2° F and steady;
Humidity is 63% and steady;
Pressure is 29.74" of Hg and steady;
There is a low but steady breeze out there, we are registering it at about 1mph;
There is some thickening of the western patch of ice on Cook's Pond, but most of the pond is open water;
The skies are hazy but look like they will burn off with some sun;
The Cascades have some flow;
Both brooks are flowing;
The USFS fire danger rating is LOW.

Cold, Gray, with a Dusting of Snow

While it may be cold and overcast, there is a thin dusting of snow out there perched on log, on leaves, on pieces of ice, and such, that decidedly lightens the mood!

Morning Trailhead Conditions 7:30 a.m.:

Temperature is 33.8 degree F and steady;
Humidity of 85% and steady;
Pressure of 29.56" of Hg and steady;
Steady breeze of 1-1.5 mph;
Overcast skies but bright;
The Cascades have water flowing over them;
Both of the Cascades Brook channels are flowing;
There is a light dusting off snow;
The USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE.

... also, for those of you that follow these things, yesterday's weather prediction was a total fail! Instead of rains, heavy at times, we had warmish, blue skies, and it was more than pleasant, it was quite wonderful. I for one was happily stuck outside working on timber hewing, and I fully planned to get wet, and instead was pleasantly surprised!

Thanks to our Hubbardston Hewing Crew for another great day of progress on making a sign frame for the Sherer Trail property!

Cloudy, but not Rainy

It is frozen out there and the skies are sadly overcast, but other than a slight chance of a passing shower, the day is supposed to be free of rain, as the National Weather Service would have it. Tomorrow is the day of rain. That leaves today as your best chance to get out and around and enjoy the trails and forest in relative comfort (It should get to 40 degrees F by midday.)

7:30 a.m. Trailhead Conditions:

Temperature is 29.3 degrees F and steady;
Humidity is 91% and steady;
Pressure is 29.94" of Hg and steady;
The air is still at the present time;
There is some water coming over the Cascades;
Both of the Cascades Brooks have flow;
The sky is overcast;
The USFS Fire Danger Class is NONE.

Enjoy today, for tomorrow it rains!

Sunshine!

We've got a bright, sunshine-y Monday!
At 8:30 AM, it is 33.8 degrees and rising.
The humidity is 78% and steady.
The barometer is reading 29.83 inches of mercury and steady under blue skies.
We have a light wind of up to 1.5 MPH
Fire danger this morning is NONE

Both stream channels are open and the Cascades are running.

Blue Skies & Sun

A day with the rare combination of warmth and sunny blue skies!
A very very good day for a hike!

9:15 a.m. trailhead conditions:

Temperature is 35.6 degrees F and rising;
Humidity is 70% and falling;
Pressure is 29.68" of Hg and steady;
The wind is stirring, but there is no reading at this time;
The Cascades have some flow;
The Cascades Brook is flowing in both channels;
The USFS Fire Danger Class is LOW.

A Dusting of Snow II: The Sequel!

Thanks to the snowfall yesterday there is a nice dusting of snow on everything this morning.

Thanks to the Sign and Timberwork volunteer crew yesterday, we were able to clean up and rearrange the Shed that all of the GWLT volunteer work operates out of, and now it is possible to do some of the mortise and tenon work inside the Shed even if the world is coasted in much snow and ice, or if the weather is actively unpleasant. Thanks gang!

Trail conditions at 8:00 a.m.:

Temperature of 28.4 degrees F and steady;
Humidity of 81% and steady;
Pressure of 29.68" and steady;
Occasional breeze up to 4 mph;
The sky has broken overcast clouds;
Cascades are running;
Both Cascades Brook channels are running;
USFS Fire Danger is LOW.

A dusting of snow

We had just a dusting of snow as the sun came up this morning. It won't be around for long, though, as the ground is warm and the temperature is headed above freezing. 

At 8 AM, it is 31.8 degrees and steady.

92% humidity and steady

The barometer is at 29.35 inches of mercury and steady under overcast skies.

We have a steady light breeze with a high recently of two MPH.

The fire danger is LOW.

The Cascades are running, and both stream channels are open.

Expect mud on the trails, as the ground did not freeze overnight. 

Cascades Brook this morning

Cascades Roaring

Yesterday's ice storm that shifted into a day of rain added to the watershed that was already full enough to have the Cascades running. The result was a noisy night of the Cascades roaring, and they are still roaring away this morning!

Conditions at the Cascading Waters Trailhead at 7 a.m.:

Temperature is 36.1 degrees F and steady;
Humidity is 90.1% and steady;
Pressure is 29.38" and steady;
There is an occasional wind stirring but we had no reading for mph;
The sky is overcast;
The Cascades are roaring away;
The Cascades Brook is running full and fast in both channels;
The USFS Fire Danger is LOW.

If you get the opportunity early today to come to the Cascades it is always wonderful to hear and see the crashing water!

Expect very wet and muddy trails, and stay to the central path so as to not eat up the surrounding landscape and expand the trail. Yes, this means getting your boots wet, but it is an important part of soil erosion control if you choose to hike on a wet day.

The Cascades are ROARING!

Rare evening post just to let you know: with all of the wind, the falls are ROARING tonight!

Ice Encrusted Start to the Day

This morning the world looks wet, but as it is below freezing that wet is really ice. Be careful out there guys until the temperature begins to crawl up above freezing.

The real question du jour is what will happen with the predicted precipitation later in the day, and that is tied to the temperature at that point. Eventually we are supposed to be working our way up to a warm heavy rain, but stay attentive.

The 7:45 a.m. conditions today are:

Temperature of 29.8 degrees F and steady;
Humidity of 93% and steady;
Pressure of 30.03" and falling (consistent with stormy weather);
Winds variable from 1-3 mph;
The Cascades are becoming an ice sheet over the course of yesterday and today;
The Cascades Brook is flowing in both channels;
The sky is overcast and it is presently raining;
The USFS Fire Danger is NONE.

Careful out there folks!

Cold

It is really cold out! Last night, we had a perfect night of radiational cooling, with winds and no clouds. We lost all of our heat!

At 7 AM, it is 15.8 degrees and steady.

44% humidity and steady

The barometer is 30.47 inches of mercury and steady.

Wind of less than 1 MPH at the moment

The fire danger is LOW.

Both stream channels are open and the Cascades are running.

There is a storm front moving in this afternoon; right now, Worcester is right on the rain/snow line, with up to six inches of snow predicted to our west, and up to two inches of rain to our east.

Cascades Running!

After all the snow and rain and melt over the past two days the Cascades are running nicely. The brooks below and above are full and crashing along. It is worth a look is you are free.

7 a.m. conditions:

31.8°F and steady;
70% humidity and steady;
30.28" pressure and rising;
Wind occasional and stirring, but no reading;
Cascades are running, with both brook channels very full;
Sky is overcast;
USGS fire danger is LOW.

Melting

At 7:30, it is 34.3 degrees and steady.

It is 96% humidity and steady, and raining.

The barometer is at 30.00 inches of mercury and falling.

The Cascades are running.

Both stream channels are open and running.

There is NO fire danger at this time.

Last night's snow turned to rain overnight, clearing the forest floor of snow almost entirely. 

Trailhead Conditions

The Trailhead Conditions at 7:00 a.m.:

The temperature is 21.9 degrees F and steady;
The humidity is 63% and falling;
The pressure is 30.42" and steady;
There is no wind stirring;
The USFS Fire Danger Class is LOW;
There was no precipitation overnight;
The Cascades Brook is running in both channels, though the primary flow right now is in the south channel;
The skies are clear.

The coolest part is that there is a thin skim of ice over the whole of Cook's Pond, and it is a quilt of wildly angled lines in mini blocks. Generally when ice begins to freeze in Cook's there is a cove that freezes first, and other, more sun or wind exposed coves that refuse to freeze. To have the whole thing freeze at once evenly and so thin is a pretty cool thing to behold.

This should be a great day to get out there and enjoy the trails with sun before the storm system bringing snow and rain moves in late tonight.

Brrrrr

Cold out this morning!

At 7:15 AM, it is 29.5 degrees and steady (with a frost warning). 

The humidity is 66% and steady. 

The barometer is reading 30.03 and steady under clear skies. 

Currently we have no wind. 

The fire danger is LOW. 

Both stream channels remain open and running. 

Conditions & Additions

7 a.m. Conditions at the Lodge:

The temperature is 30.4 degrees F and steady;
The humidity is 53% and falling;
The pressure is 30.45" and rising;
The Cascades are running with snow melt;
The Cascades Brook is running in both channels;
There is a gentle breeze;
The sky is lightly overcast;
The USFS Fire Danger is LOW.

The trail conditions are soft as the melt from the recent snows has added a fair amount of moisture and the daytime warmth is preventing it all from freezing hard and solid. Prepare for some mud and keep to the path to minimize damage alongside the trails.

On a fun note, last week the Trust took on the stewardship and care of another 10 acres in Leicester, Mass. The property, formerly held by Mrs. Delia Ganley, nestles into the 27 acre Cooke Forest property the Trust received as a gift from the Estate of Frank Cooke, bringing the total to nearly 40 acres of upland forest. If you are curious as to where the property lies, it is to the east of Hot Dog Annie's, and north of the Leicester schools and Hyland Ave. Access will be flagged and marked in the spring from the old cart path to the property's north. We are deeply appreciative to the Bergevins for their conservation ethic that made the Ganley property into a conservation preserve. The above image is of a beaver pond that can be viewed from the new Ganley Conservation Lands.

Lodge Life

Taking a phone call for work on the couch by the large back windows of the Lodge and I caught a swoop through the underbrush and onto a low tree branch.

I fully expected this to be one of our hawks, as we have a few that fly through the dense deciduous forest silently and perch, wait, and swoop off again.

The only problem was that when it perched, came to a stop, and turned its head, it was clearly an owl, and a large one at that!

It stayed long enough for me to yell out through the house to "come quick!" and see the owl, and luckily the colleague on the phone was indulgent enough to allow me to drop our conversation for a moment and guide everyone's eyes to the tuftless large owl just out back.

After looking carefully at the guides for the available local species I feel left with it having to be a Barred Owl, due to size, range, habitat, russet wings, and tuftless head (no pointy ears.)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In other exciting news, today the USFS Fire Danger Class rose to "HIGH" and the sign out on Olean Street has been changed to reflect this.

It would be a bad time for a lighting a fire (recreational or brush) in the forest, so keep an eye out folks!

Great Weather!

Great Weather!

8:00 am weather conditions:

58.3°F temperature and steady;
83% humidity and steady;
29.56" Hg pressure and steady;
Blue skies;
Cascades Brook is at a trickle;
No wind reading on the anemometer; &
No new precipitation.

Also, this evening at 5:30 pm we will be meeting on Indian Hill Road and Pleasant Street in Paxton to install a new property sign for Muir Meadow!
Very Very Good stuff!

Lovely Friday

Here's Cascades Brook, running out to Cook's Pond this morning:

At 7:44 am, it is 58.6 degrees and rising (a little chilly in the shade!) 

75% humidity and steady

29.38 inches of mercury and steady under blue skies

No measureable wind

The fire danger continues to be LOW. 

Clear morning after the rain

Due to the large amounts of rain last night, the Cascades are running today! We have a brook again!
At 9:30 am, it is 67 degrees and rising.
It is 81% humidity.
Clear skies, with the barometer steady at 29. 12 inches of mercury.

Today's conditions

Today's Conditions, 9:35 am:

Temperature is 70.2°F and rising;
Humidity is 81% and falling;
Pressure is 29.44" of Hg and steady;
Breeze is stirring, no reading;
Cascades Brook is dry;
No recent precipitation;
Skies are blue and clear;
USFS Fire Danger is LOW.

CASCADES WEST NOTE:
As follow-up to the wildlife clearing @Cascades West, there will be targeted spraying of specific invasive exotic weeds in the meadow today. Orange signs have been posted. Please stay to the official marked trails.

We're back!

A while back the darnedest thing happened.

Someone stole the "low" fire danger sign. This sorta was a problem in that the fire danger for most of the summer has been "low."

Honestly, this also took the wind out of our sails as well.

Never fear! GWLT Volunteer Paula is here!

Paula measured out, cut, traced, routed, sanded, and painted a replacement "low" sign. Harold threw a couple of coats of polyurethane on it. This morning we hung her up and away we go!

Observations for 1:15pm:

Temperature is 68° F and steady;
Humidity is 67% and falling;
Pressure is 29.38" and steady;
Sky is hazy and overcast;
No new rainfall today; 

The Cascades Brook is dry;
There is a gentle breeze;

AND....
The USFS Fire Danger is "LOW"!!!

Visitor at the Lodge this morning

This guy was hanging out on the door frame when we went out today. 

Reporting in from the Lodge

10:00
Here at the Lodge at Cascading Waters it is overcast. There is a little bit of a breeze going at tops around 3.5 mph. It is 77 degrees outside with 70% humidity.

Lots of water...

Gorgeous!

Lovely spring day!

At 8 am, it is 58.3 degrees and rising. 

The humidity is 67% and steady. 

The barometer is at 29.32 inches and steady. 

The fire danger remains MODERATE. 

May the fourth

Lovely Sunday!

At 9:30, it is 57.9 degrees and rising. 

The humidity is 44% and falling. 

The barometer is 28.88 inches of mercury and steady. 

The wind is 14.5 mph. 

The fire danger is MODERATE. 

The Cascades are running from all of the rain earlier this week, and both stream channels are open. 

The Land Trust planted trees at Cascading Waters, Trinity Woods, and Bovenzi Conservation Park yesterday to celebrate Arbor Day. 

Working on Pleasant

Yesterday afternoon, in the space of an hour or so, the temperature went up, the sun came out, and things were getting pretty nice. Not to be too obliging Mother Nature immediately made sure that we had night time downpours and lightning, just to make sure everyone knew who was the boss.

Today started off cool, in the low 40s, but has crept up into nearly pleasant, and the sun makes occasional appearances just to keep us all hopeful but guessing.

The Cascades are still running white, thought they are no longer roaring. Both of the Cascades streams are running in their channels. Clearly the water table is still high.

Conditions at the Lodge at 2:00 p.m.:

Temperature is 67.3 degrees F and steady;
Humidity is 39% and steady;
Pressure is 28.94" of Hg and steady;
Wind Speed is variable, peaking at 25.5 mph; and
USFS Fire Danger Class is MODERATE.

Happy May Day! The Cascades are ROARING!

At 8:15, the temperature is 43.7 and steady
The humidity is 98% and steady, with mist in the air.
The barometer is 29.06 inches of mercury and falling.
There is a flood watch in Worcester until 6 pm tonight.
The wind is stirring, but we don't have a reading.
The Cascades Brook is running through both channels.
And the Cascades are ROARING!

Rain for the Forseeable Future

Rain is falling here at the Lodge, and will continue to fall today, tonight, tomorrow, and on and off for a bit after that.

The plants are soaking it in and are headed for a fluorescence of green, and the Cascades are running, and the Cascades Brook has good flow in it.

Bloodwort (White with a yellow center),
Trout Lily (Yellow with red and purple stripes), and
Red trillium (Deep maroon red),
are all presently in bloom in the Cascades and make for a wonderful floral mix.


The 8:00 a.m. conditions at the Lodge:
38.7 degrees F temperature and steady;
89% humidity and steady;
29.71" of Hg pressure and steady;
the air is stirring but registering no wind speed;
the sky is overcast but bright;
rain is presently falling;
the Cascades are running, and will likely pick up in volume over the course of the day;
the USFS Fire Danger Class is LOW.

Sunday saw a cleanup at Parson's Cider Mill and Marois 28, Monday saw a spot cleanup at Cascades East, and yesterday saw spot cleanups at Cascading Waters (more neighborly detritus), and Cascades West (generally older stuff finally unearthed through use and time.) Things are moving forward here in the Cascades.

Sunny Sunday

Another lovely day of spring!
At 9:45 am, it is 41.7 degrees and rising.
43% humidity
The barometer is 29.35 inches of mercury and rising.
The sky is blue, the sun is out, and it's heading into the 50's today.

While the Cascades are much smaller than they were a week ago, there is still water coming over the falls. The first and secondary stream channels are open with flow in the brook.

Even more weather excellence!

8:30 a.m. conditions at the Lodge:

Temperature is 37.9°F and rising;
Humidity is 58% and steady;
Pressure is 29.35" and steady;
Wind is stirring, but no reading;
Sun through high altitude clouds;
Cascades Brook is running, mostly in primary channel;
Cascades are running;
USFS Fire Danger us LOW.

Yesterday was busy!
Beams getting hewn, sign posts getting signs mounted, signs being traced, signs being routed, "no dumping" sign posts getting assembled, signs getting treated with wood preservative, and, hugely, the jersey barrier getting picked up and moved by a Sansoucy Stone forklift to close off vehicular access to Cascades East! We had old and new volunteers all in the mix. Thanks to everyone!

Also, our first crocus is up!

More Gorgeous Weather

8:30 a.m. conditions at the Lodge:

Temperature is 38.5°F and rising;
Humidity is 60% and steady;
Pressure is 29.29" Hg and steady;
Wind is variable and reading as much as 4 mph;
Skies are clear with sun;
Cascades are running;
Both channels of the Cascade Brook are running;
USFS Fire Danger class is MODERATE.

It is sign day!
Folks will be arriving shortly.

The Cascades Trail is reopened, but very wet in parts.

The metal recycling bin is gone.

Sansoucy Stone is coming to move the jersey barrier this morning. (We will post pictures!)

Things are getting busy!

The bears are waking up!

Quick reminder that the black bears that we have in Massachusetts are waking up and they're hungry. If you have not done so already, bring in your birdfeeders! The birds no longer need supplemental feeding at this point, and the bears are looking for easy snacks.
A few other Eastern black bear pointers:

• secure your trash outside and be sure your recycling is rinsed well (as well as secured).
• keep your dogs leased (yes, even and especially in the woods; bears like trails, too!).
• don't leave pet food out overnight.

We have had, and will continue to have, black bears in Worcester. It's fairly easy for them to get here by following rail lines or the series of forests that come down from the New Hampshire border. Generally speaking, Eastern black bears are shy of humans and will avoid them (note: this is NOT the case of bears in other parts of the country!). Make noise while walking in the woods; leave them alone if you see them in your neighborhood.
More tips on bears from Mass Fisheries and Wildlife here. 

Recycling Day Fallout

9:45 am conditions at the Lodge:

Temperature is 42.4 degrees F and rising;
Humidity is 52% and falling;
Pressure is 29.29: of Hg and steady;
Wind is peaking at 9.5 mph;
The skies are sunny!;
The USFS Fire Danger class is LOW;
The Cascades are running high, but not quite roaring;
The Cascades Brook depth is unknowable as the recent flooding tore off and carried away our stream gauge (we hope to locate it downstream as it is metal and doesn't float.)


One of the more peculiar aspects of maintaining a public access point for open space is managing public trash. There is litter that blows in from the street, litter that is placed quite politely in the small bin (Thank You!), garbage bags that are illegally dumped (many searched by Health & Code for identification to establish dumping fines), and debris that comes from the neighboring properties. We have had a little of each of those this past week.

The part that always gives me pause is that in my anecdotal experience, the day in and day out largest source of litter is from neighbors to open spaces like parks and wildlife conservation areas. That isn't just true here at Cascading Waters. Walk the bound line of any park or open space and you will see that the neighbors are where the garbage action is at. Today touched that point, but in a roundabout way.

Yesterday was recycling day. The recycling sits in open bins for hours along a busy stretch of street where even if there is no wind the passing cars create their own jet stream that carries things around. Recycling guys are like any people, with some very good at their job, and others quite poor. You can tell the quality of the crew by driving a street just after the recycling truck to see what is left behind in the gutters, on the sidewalks, and in the bins. Thankfully neighbors over here straighten up after them on these days. But the flaws in the recycling pickup are not reserved for the bins or the staff. Some people just recycle poorly.

Yesterday a pile of cardboard boxes was left at the curb to our north, and I recall wondering if the recycling guys would bother to take them as they were not broken down. A game of recycling roulette was now in process. This was poor recycling. To the credit of the recycling guys they did grab them, even though they didn't have to. That, however, is only where the adventure begins. Unfortunately, at least one of the boxes was still full of polystyrene packing peanuts. You know, the white, crunchy, "s" shaped bits used for fragile items. (Through some fluke our packages are arriving with potato starch peanuts that melt in water (good fun!) or recyclable air bags. If only there were more folks who shipped with them!) When the boxes were lofted these light-weight bits flew about wherever the wind might take them.

At first I noted 5 or 6 by the entrance drive this morning, so I got out to dutifully pick them up. Sadly, birds, fish, and turtles all think of them as food, and anyone who has ever had a rice cake can understand their impulse. They are not food, they don't break down, and animals can experience starvation if they eat them, fill up, and have no room for actual food. I wanted to keep them out of the Cascades Brook and Cooks Pond and all that is downstream on the way to the Narragansett. Then I turned around, and saw more. I grabbed a bag and began what would take me a good long time hunting down the final destinations of a bulging bag of these squeaky "s"s behind rocks, on the banks of the brook, in the gutter, and anywhere else you might imagine.

Accidents, however regretful, do happen. Poor recycling habits do too. That this was just one day after picking up styrofoam packing blocks, cardboard, and orange peels from the same property line. This was one week after chasing down plastic wrapped cardboard flats from drinking water bottles that were blowing around the neighborhood, again, from the same recycling pile.

If there were any moral to the story it might be this:

When you are visiting any park or wildlife conservation area please keep after your trash and pack it all out with you. From wrappers and bottles, to orange peels and apple cores, to dog poop. Do so to lighten the load because the burden of keeping trash off the properties from neighbors and the less usual occurence of folks dumping is heavy enough. Packing anything out that you can lightens the load and makes all of this work better. Oh, yeah, and mind your recycling bins!

Thanks guys!

Roaring Day II

Thanks to the rains of last afternoon and night the Cascades are still roaring away!

8:00 am conditions:

Temperature is 34.3°F and steady;
Humidity is 97% and steady;
Pressure is 28.97" of Hg and steady;
Wind is stirring but no reading in mph;
The sky is overcast and it is raining lightly;
The Cascades are roaring white magnificently!;
Both branches of the Cascades Brook are in high flood flow creating a small island amidst the chaotic waters;
The USFS Fire Danger class is LOW.

Come see the Cascades in their glory!

Cascades are Awesome!

The Cascades are a roaring froth of whitewater this morning!
You can hear them inside houses in the neighborhood.
The long overnight rains set off the snow and ice pack and we are in full Cascade mode presently!
Come soon before the lack of fresh rainfall makes them subside.

9:05 am conditions:

Temperature is 38.3°F and steady;
Humidity is 98% and steady;
Pressure is 28.88" of Hg and falling;
No rain falling at present;
Storing breeze with no reading in mph;
Overcast skies;
Both channels of the Cascade Brook are over their banks;
The USFS Fire Danger is LOW;
The Cascades are in full roar.

Cascading!

This morning began nicely. Warm temps, no breeze, occasional bright periods in the overcast. Around 1 pm the temperatures dropped, the breeze picked up, and shortly thereafter we had passing sprinkles. That kept ramping up as rain over the course of the day, and right now the rain is falling consistently.

All of this is impacting the falls.

We had some flow with the warmth yesterday that continued into this morning. But the rains had taken it up a notch. By 5:15 pm the flow was pretty audible with only blocks of ice remaining in key spots in the Cascades. As of now, with a half day's worth of rain and warmth, and with all of the snow pack and ice in the upper elevations of the Cascades, we have a fine low roar right now. If the rain persists this will only build, and that is a fine thing to hope for!

Evening Wind!

So far we noted a 34 mph gust at 6:19 pm!

We will append anything higher!
Good fun here in the woods.

Sunny delight!

It may be cold, but we have glorious sun!

9:20 am conditions:

Temperature is 27.3°F and rising;
Humidity is 44% and falling;
Pressure is 29.29" of Hg and steady
Wind at 18-19 mph
Bright sun, with high altitude clouds;;
Cascades Brook is running;
USFS Fire Danger is MODERATE.

Another hopeful day start

Temperature is 26.1°F and steady;
Humidity is 69% and steady;
Pressure is 29.15" Hg and steady;
Sky is bright yellow overcast;
No breeze;
The Cascades Brook is running;
USFS Fire Danger is MODERATE.

While rain might be possible today, the start is nice enough! Get out while the getting is good!

Happy Vernal Equinox!

The venal equinox--the official start of spring!--comes in at 12:57 pm Eastern Daylight Time today. Enjoy your exactly 12 hours of daylight today...and the days are just getting longer!
We had some hail in the weather excitement last night, and in most areas, that is still on the ground. Thus the trails are fairly slick this morning.
However, more good news! It's warming up! At 9 am, it is already 35.1 degrees and it is RISING! The high today is forecasted to be as high as 48!
Right now it is overcast and raining with 88% humidity, but that should be clearing over the course of today.
The brook is running; the Cascades are as well, though there is still snow on the falls.
Happy spring!

Sunnier, Warmer, Hopeful

8:10 a.m. Conditions at the Lodge:

Temperature is 17.2°F and rising;
Humidity is 47% and steady;
Pressure is 29.44" and steady;
Sunny skies;
There is a breeze but no wind reading;
Cascades Brook is running at 5";
Ground (thus far) is frozen solid;
USFS Fire Danger is MODERATE.

The spring is looking more imminent, he said hopefully, with the temperature not yet even 18°...

Return of the Cold

While last week and this weekend offered glimpses of spring we are squarely back in winter this morning.

The warmth, on Saturday in particular, had the trailhead jammed with hikers and cars.

This morning's conditions as of 9:00 a.m.:

Temperature of 16.7°F and rising;
Humidity of 38% and steady;
Pressure of 29.32" of Hg and steady;
Max wind speed of 13mph;
Mixed sun and overcast;
USFS Fire Danger is LOW;
The Cascades Brook is running.

Tonight it is supposed to dip back down to 9°F! Stock the firewood this afternoon while it is comparatively warm!

Another snowy Sunday

Yet more snow!
For those looking for trail and parking conditions: we run on shovel power around here, so right now we have one parking spot open at the Cascading Waters trailhead. We will endeavor to get more open as the day goes along. Thus far (posting this at 11 am), there has not been activity from Olean to Cataract; the Cascades trail that switchbacks up the falls has also not been active. I can't speak for the Newton trailhead (farther up Cataract), but that's an easier slope if you're going to be breaking new ground.
I've had no reports from those coming in from Boyton Park.
Please recall that the other end of the Cataract trail on Olean is closed.

2 pm update: two parking spaces now open at the trailhead. The trail has been broken in with snowshoes as far as the bridge; the trail has been broken in by hikers (and dog) up the hill, as well.

Snowy Sunday

I suspect we won't be in sitting these again for awhile.

Cooks Pond Madness!!

4.5 hrs.
10 Volunteers
42 Bags of brush
Including Bittersweet, Japanese knotweed, Norway maple, and Black locust, among other invasives.

Thanks to the Tatnuck/Cooks Island Cub, GWLT Volunteers, for an EPIC cleanup, IN A SNOWSTORM no less!

We started with a few flakes on the ground and ended with a full snowman out on the ice! It snowed A Lot! The whole time!

Free tomorrow? Come help us clear!

Just in case you are looking for a little bit of outdoor volunteer work during this winter month, we have an opportunity available!

On Saturday, January 18th (tomorrow!), a group of volunteers will be gathering at 11:00 am near the benches that overlook Cooks Pond.  The plan is to cut back the vegetation in that area to make the pond more visible and to remove some invasive species.

If you are sensitive to poison ivy, you may wish to miss this one ... there is definitely some in the area of work.

There will be some tools available, but feel free to bring your favorite pair of loppers or small clippers!

ATTENTION: Trail Closure, Cascades East Work

Any hikers in the Cascades this weekend noted one thing: MUD. Lots and lots of mud.

Please Remember to stay on the center of the path, walk through the mud, and do not widen the trails by skirting the edges or heading off the path. The trail will do better if you keep to it and keep the foot traffic damage to it.

TRAIL CLOSURE: Until further notice

Any hikers who happened upon the Cascades East trailhead off of Olean Street probably noticed a new roll off dumpster, and a few might have happened upon the prints left by a rubber tracked bobcat. We have a cleanup operation just firing up now.

Cascades East was once a place where a number of metal objects ranging from cars to pots were taken and left. The Trust has been working with volunteers and metal scroungers to clear the trail corridor of the unsightly debris, and we made large strides this past Earth Day. A new player has come to the table this winter, who petitioned the Worcester Conservation Commission, and received permission this past week to begin to remove the surficial metal debris from the site.

TRAIL CLOSURE: Until further notice

We will be be closing the Cascades Trail from the Olean Street trailhead to the intersection at the Silver Spring Trail. This is to keep folks off the segment of trail while it is in use by the metal removal operation. Caution tape is up and trail closure signs are going up this morning.

Please be advised that this is an effort to keep folks safe while the site is active and the trail will reopen in time for spring hiking.

Thank you so very much.

Cascades are ROARING!

Very unusual in January, of course, but given the rain and melting snow, not surprising!
If you've never seen the Cascades in action, come by tomorrow!

The Cascades are frozen!

If you've ever wanted to see the Cascades frozen (or for you artists looking for subject matter!), the Cascades are now frozen. Yesterday, they were running full spate despite the cold (as it had gotten cold so fast), but now they're ice.
Quite lovely!

Skiiers and snowshoers

...it's that kind of day. The trail here at Cascading Waters has been busy all day, with cars in and out of the parking area, and hikers, snowshoers, and skiiers coming through regularly. Plenty of people out enjoying the snow and (comparatively) milder temperatures while we have them. We have as much as six inches, still, in some spots, so conditions are good.
If you were out there, though, you heard lots of dripping and trickling. Between that and tonight's forecasted rain, we won't have much snow cover for long.
Today at the Lodge it's been in the high 30's all day (35 degrees now) with humidity hovering around 50%.
Enjoy, while we have it!

Parking is open!!!

Today we shoveled out the snow in the parking lot at Cascading Waters. Thanks to our neighbor, Shawn, who helped us with his plow. 

 You can park to go on the trail. Have fun!!!

Cascades are Running!

The snow pack has melted with rain and warm temperatures to jump start the Cascades Brook! The Cascades are Running, not roaring, but running.

It is 100% mud season out there, so wear boots on the trails or don't expect to use those shoes for a while!

9:00 a.m. conditions:

Cascades Running;
Rain is falling;
Wind is stirring but not registering a speed;
Temperature is 33.4°F and steady;
Humidity is 98% and steady;
Pressure is 29.23" of Hg and steady;
USFS Fire Danger is LOW/NONE.

Chilly and dry

While we have had mostly sunny weather, there's been just enough rain here and there to keep the fire danger LOW (we do check, and know that the sign hasn't changed in months!). Not having a rainy fall thus far, though, means that we do not have a Cascade so much as a pile of rocks. It's lovely to walk through the woods in the fall; just don't expect a waterfall right now!

At 9 am, it is 51.5 degrees and rising. (That's a ten degree rise since dawn.)
The humidity is at 94% and steady (thus, the fire danger continues LOW).
The barometer is at 29.32 inches of mercury and steady, under clear blue skies.

Yesterday traditionally was celebrated as the feast of Michaelmas, recognized as when you'd really want to buckle down and get ready for the winter. We've seen our birch and beech trees start to turn yellow; most of our maples haven't done much more than start their color change yet. The squirrels and chipmunks have picked up their tempo. The woodland aster is well in bloom and starting to fade. Our apple tree has been busy for weeks (green very tart apples).
Enjoy the fall!

Feels like fall

"Fall morning," they were saying on the playground at school this morning. Just a bit chilly, 'though we hear it will warm up over the course of the day.

At nine am, it is 64 degrees and rising.
The humidity is 84.5 percent and falling.
The barometer is steady at 29.15 inches of mercury under clear blue skies.
The fire danger, due to all the rain this weekend, remains LOW.

It looks from the forecast as though this is going to be it for clear days this week, so if you haven't been out on the trails, it's a good day for it. There is some water in the brook--not a lot, but it's flowing.
And the woodland aster is in bloom; those are the little white daisy (or star, thus the name) shaped flowers you'll see all over the Cascades.

Reason eight to love Worcester

The Cascades! 




Thanks, T&G! We agree!

Pleasant Day

Were it not for the hydraulic forwarder clanking noisily in its endless task to move every rock back and forth next door on Olean Circle, I would say that it is a very pleasant morning. Certainly as you move just a smidge west on the trail from Olean Street, above the aforementioned racket, it gets much more so!

8:26 a.m. Conditions at the Lodge:

Temperature is 68.2 degrees F and rising;
Humidity is 92% and steady (which seems a bit high, so we will recheck that instrument);
Barometric pressure is 29.18" of Hg and steady;
No recorded precipitation;
No recorded wind;
Haze, yet no clouds;
The Brook is dry and there is no reading there;
The USFS Fire Danger Class remains, as ever, LOW.

Enjoy this wonderful summer day! Get yourself outside!

The Rains of Yesterday

Yesterday's long stretch of rains have taken a dry brook bed up to 3.36" of flow with both channels running.

The strong rains continue to keep the Fire Danger suppressed at LOW, where it has been pegged for weeks now.

The line of White pine, Red cedar, and White cedar that were planted on the south bound line by an awesome volunteer two weeks ago seem to have taken to their new home.

These trees bear a little reflection.

The construction site to our south has been very active with earth moving, rock moving, clanking of metal construction equipment, blowing dust, and the cutting of trees. It is easier by far than the summers of constant jack hammering of the hydro-axe on the bedrock, so things are improving. But the cutting of the trees was hard.

We looked out over the open site and had determined to plant new trees on our side of the line in the spots we hadn't yet gotten to. But we assumed the site had been as cleared as it could be. We were wrong.

On the day we went out to plant they were moving the mountain of hammered rock into one long dike along the bound line. While a little odd at first I came to like the addition. If they leave it as is there is no chance for future encroachment, the rocks will provide shelter for snakes, chipmunks, rabbits, groundhogs, skunks, etc. and it is so long and so high that they probably all could live there together. That is when the chainsaw started.

While they had cut the site open back towards the line, they had apparently not cut every tree down on their side of the line, and everything would yield to the new rock dike. In one brief moment the reason for planting was made as forcefully as possible. If there would be any wild life left, it would be on the Cascading Waters side of the line. The volunteer was convicted and planted more and faster than I could have imagined, at times only feet from the clanging construction machines.

And so it is.

The new trees are bathed in sunlight, ready to take their place as habitat, as screening, as windrow, as the future generation of forest filling in the forest floor previously canopied by trees now gone.

Temperature is 70.0°F and steady;
Humidity is 80% and steady;
Pressure is 29.18" of Hg and steady;
Skies are blue;
Winds up to 12 mph;
Brook flowing at 3.36";
Fire Danger is LOW;
Yesterday saw much rain!

A beautiful day out there!

Rushing brook

We've got a lot of water heading downstream today! While the tropical storm over the weekend pushed our brook depth gauge out of shape, we're guessing that we've got about six inches of depth in the brook this morning. The secondary channel is open, and it's running fast, as are the Cascades. Come take a look!
At 8:30 am, it is 57 degrees and steady.

97% humidity and steady under the dripping trees (no rain right this minute)

The barometer is 29.00 inches of mercury and falling under cloudy skies.