Ascent of Beacon Hill on 2011-06-14| Date: | Tuesday, June 14, 2011 | | Ascent Type: | Successful Summit Attained | | Motorized Transport to Summit: | Dirtbike | | Peak: | Beacon Hill | | Location: | USA-Rhode Island | | Elevation: | 206 ft / 62 m |
Ascent Trip ReportThis TR summarizes the 3 climbs of the day ..... Beacon Hill, Mouwneit Hill and South Mouwneit Hill ..... all as per below.
For this 6th day of our 10 trip to MA/RI/Conn, we decided to spend the day on Block Island, RI, highpointing and playing tourists, the weather however would spoil the party. We took the 9h00 hour Traditional Ferry, Port Judith/Block Island, 19.55$ RT for seniors. The 13 mile crossing, which took 65 minutes, arrived at the port of Old Harbor, a very touristy place.
I rented a bicycle for my highpointing (numerous rental places), the plan was for me to visit 5 highpoints in 2-3 hours while Rose took in the ports attractions. It started sprinkling after the 1st highpoint and by the time I finished my 3rd the rain had started, getting all my papers wet. I decided to end my highpointing for the day. I biked back in the rain, I was away for 1 1/2 hours, it took about 20 minute before I found Rose in a shop.
The rain ceased after we had our lunch, however it stayed heavily overcast, cool and windy for the rest of the day, so we decided to leave earlier than planned. We took the 15h00 hour Ferry back to Port Judith.
We read that a sea wind farm is in the planning stages, southeast of the Island 3 miles out. I hope it doesn't go through ..... at 3 miles it'll sure pollute the area, too bad for the locals but then again, who's responsible. How they can allow the pollution of these beautiful places is beyond me.
BEACON HILL ..... a steep bicycle ride to 2 small houses.
From Water Street at Old Harbor I biked westerly on the paved Chapel Street/Old Town Road to Beacon Hill Road (dirt), continued west with some short steep/rough climbs to the crest of the road at approx 2 miles (past a red farm house on the right signed Beacon Hollow). About 100 feet past the crest-of-the-road there is a driveway on the right with stone pillars, it leads north to a number of houses ... the signs read "Brown #824, Private, #1819".
I biked up the driveway 75 yards to a first driveway on the left, signed "Brown #824", it climbs steeply about 100 yards to the summit (pass a house on right). The last part was too steep for my bike, I had to walk.
The summit is obvious but capped with 2 small houses ..... workers were adding a wooden deck to the rear of one house, the owners were apparently next door. I walked all the high spots, not knowing if natural. Great place to locate a house, awesome views.
I biked back to Beacon Hill Road in a bit of a drizzle and continued west to my next highpoint, Mouwneit Hill.
MOUWNEIT HILL ..... a short grass track hike, .25 miles, 20 minute RT.
From the driveway to the Beacon Hill Highpoint I biked west on Beacon Hill Road about .2 mile to Gooseneck Road on the left, sign on corner reads "Goose and Garden", I turned left (south) .2 mile to the 3rd driveway on the right, house #1676 (!!!unsure), just ahead is the crest-of-the-road. To the left of the road, on the other side of the stone wall along the road, is a very wide grass track (a cleared swath in the dense woods). I hopped over the stone wall with my bike to the grass track and hid the bike in the woods. It was sprinkling rain.
The grass track takes you directly over the summit at about 200 yards .... the track goes south (parallel to the road), curves left (east), then winds/climbs northwest/northeast to the summit always following the higher ground..... you can't go wrong.
No views, my GPS read 41.17186, 71.59367.
I returned to my bike, hopped back on the road and biked south to South Mouwneit Hill, in a light rain.
SOUTH MOUWNEIT HILL ..... a short grass walk behind a private house, less than 10 minutes/100 yards RT.
I continued biking south on Gooseneck Road, over the crest-of-the-Road, to its end at a fork (this is about .4 miles from Beacon Hill Road). Right leads to the signed "Goose and Garden Nursery", I stayed left on the narrow/rough driveway 75 yards to a private home, a large barking dog with a wagging tail out front. I was hesitant and didn't go to the door, luckily a lady opened the door, "He's friendly, he's just all bark." She had no trouble with me walking in her back yard.
I walked south towards an old wind turbine (not like the ones you see today) 40 yards to a grassy obvious bump. Great views, I chose my spot at 41.16954, 71.59498.
It was raining lightly, my papers all wet, so I got out of there fast. I wrapped my backpack in my poncho and rode back to Old Harbor in a light rain, somewhat chilled .... the other 2 summit will have to wait.
"IN CANADA, WE GET NINE MONTHS OF WINTER AND THREE MONTHS OF DARN HARD SLEDDING."
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| Summary Total Data | | Route: | a ride up on private driveway | | Trailhead: | beacon hill road | | Weather: | Drizzle, Cool, Breezy, Overcast |
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