Widow White Peak(Berkshires)

In an attempt to beat the early sunset after work and do some local exploring, I decided to head east to Hancock in the Berkshires to hike 2430 foot Widow White Peak.  The Berkshire Natural Resources Council owns and manages this 270 acre property which covers the east slopes of Potter Mountain, which is much more well known for Jiminy Peak, the ski area which resides on the ridge's west slopes.
I parked in the rough, grassy parking area on the west side of Silver Street, less than a half mile from Bailey Road in the town of Lanesborough.  From there, at an elevation of 1475 feet, I dropped down to check out pretty Secrum Brook.  Secrum Brook is one of Pontoosuc Lake's main sources and is also known locally as Disappearing Brook because it "disappears" into underground channels several times on its way to the lake.

After briefly enjoying the babbling brook, I headed back up the lower slopes of the mountain, with the quickly setting sun just above the summit ridgeline.

There are numerous woods roads that criss-cross these slopes, so I followed them as long as they went in the general direction of the summit.  Within just a few minutes of climbing, lengthening shadows began creeping in, even at only 3pm. 

Like many of the wooded peaks in the northeast, stone walls indicate that these slopes were once cleared and farmed.

With the early sunset, I decided to leave the meandering woods roads and bushwhack straight up towards the top. The terrain is steadily steep, but two areas in particular are a bit tougher, especially the slopes directly east of the summit.

  Once atop the summit ridge, the sun was shining brightly, in very pleasant, open hardwoods.

Once hitting the 2430 foot wooded high point of the ridge, I began to head back down, staying a little further north than on my ascent.  I enjoyed filtered views to the east through the bare trees.

On my descent I picked up yet another woods road, this one with blue blazes, as it passes through a stark naked woodland.

From a sliver of an opening at about 1800 feet, I found the best view I had all day.  A small window through the tree tops gives a glimpse east towards the Lanesborough countryside.

There is a bit of history to be found on these wooded slopes as well,  if you have a keen eye.  Although very hard to read now, this weathered engraving was done by Captain John Brown, a scorn lover back in the late 1870's.  His failed attempt to marry Susan Baker, the landowner at the time, lead him to inscribe the words "May God Bless Susan and all her baren land and when she get to heaven I hope she'l find a man"

As I arrived back at the parking lot, the early sunset had nearly caught me.  Darkening woods and short days meant I got out just in time.

Hiked about 3 miles RT with about 1100 feet of ascent.
A map of the Widow White property, from BNRC's website.