Hiking in September on a Mountain called October

12:00AM / Wednesday, October 02, 2002Print Story | Email Story

On the last weekend of summer, I headed for October Mountain to hike and camp. The forecast called for rain, but it was warm, even a little muggy, so I thought the mountain would be comfortable and cooler. I'd hiked there, briefly, only once before. I drove along Route 20 to Lee, then headed out of the village on Center Street, following signs for October Mountain State Forest. The campsite is located on Woodland Road, just a few minutes from the village, easy to find. With 16,127 acres, October Mountain (a cool name for a mountain) is the largest state forest in Massachusetts, which seems to be its claim to fame; any listing I've seen starts with this fact. It's apparently a popular camping spot for visitors taking in Berkshire culture. On a rainy weekend at summer's end, I was surprised to see the campsite almost full. I chose a little lot as far up the hillside as I could get (the lots, I think, are set a little too close together). I set up my tent under an apple tree, or some kind of tree, threw my overnight gear inside. In the backpack, I put a rain poncho, a sweatshirt, a jackknife, lighter and flashlight and set out to hike. I started with the Ledge Trail, a little loop, about two miles, around the camping area. It rises, steeply in one section, following the rock ledge in terraces above the campsite. Near the trail's highest point, it crosses a dry flat rock gully before descending. On the little trail map the park rangers gave to me the flat rocks section is marked "danger," but I didn't see anything hazardous about it. Just after I passed the flat rocks, I saw a couple hiking towards me. "Is there a view up there, anything to see?" the guy asked me, as a greeting. Out-of-towners are okay, but some seem to think all locals are tour guides. I told them about the dangerous flat rocks, but they didn't seem impressed. So, feeling like a Berkshire ambassador, I pulled out the map and showed them several trails where they were likely to see something. Still skeptical, they headed up a trail. I had only been hiking for an hour, so rather than finish the loop, I headed up the Nevin Road Trail, which led up the mountain and deeper into the forest. After a few minutes, I found my friends, the couple, sitting on a rock. They asked me where I was going, and I said I was heading up the mountain, eventually to Felton's Lake. "You can't go now," the guy said. "It's starting to rain and it will be dark in an hour. You'll get lost." I said I'd try not to get lost and moved on. Talking to them made me wonder why we're so goal oriented, even during recreation. We have to have a "view" at the end of a hike or we feel disappointed, like this couple. We have to be going somewhere, from A to B, and preferably at an efficient pace. I'm as susceptible to this as anyone; I catch myself trying to "make good time" on hikes. Why? Am I in a hurry? Or, like the couple, I yearn for a "view" â€” an open space with a vista â€” rather than take advantage of what there is to look at, which is usually plenty. One of the hardest things to do on a hike is to not hike. I mean to stop and just listen. It's striking how much you hear in the wind and trees, how much you see if you look into the woods or stare straight up into the sky. Even in winter, there is a lot of life in the woods; birds, rodents and other critters. There's always a lot to witness; a branch falling from a tree, a gust of wind, seemingly on a mission, whooshing through the woods. What's interesting, at least to me, is that all of this goes on usually with no one (no human, in our anthro-centrist viewpoint) to witness it. A few nights ago I was restless and drove to Greylock, up the road until I saw an entrance for the Hopper Trail, where I took a walk. Within an hour it was pitch dark, the wind almost roared through the trees. I couldn't see far, even after my eyes adjusted to the dark. Everything around me, the trees, rocks and trail, had indistinct edges, except for the sky above me, where I could see the stars sharp against a midnight blue backdrop. A harvest moon, just out of my view, tinged part of the sky with orange. My senses were alive as I tried to take it all in. There are some basic safety rules to follow when you go hiking, like never go hiking alone, always tell someone where you are going, bring a cell phone and stick to a plan. You should always obey these rules, I never do. I like to hike alone, I don't like to tell people where I'm going (I'm an adult, after all), I don't always bring my cell phone because it will ring and I almost always end up changing my original plan. Anyway, I've never got into trouble while hiking (alright, I did get turned around a little after dark on a winter hike and I almost got cut off by the tide during a November Cape Cod excursion). I bring water, an extra sweatshirt and socks (I hate wet socks), some matches and my rain slicker. If I'm camping overnight, I bring a bunch of other stuff â€” food, a book, extra clothes... I rarely go for more than one or two nights, so I don't need much gear. Back to my October Mountain hike. Along the Nevin Road Trail, I passed a water tower and then, although it was raining and getting late, I headed up Boulder Trail. The trail is a rocky one, but easy to walk, heading north. The rest of the evening, I didn't see anyone on the trails, which is typical. Even when the camping areas are full, people rarely seem to venture onto the trails, or else they stick to the loop trails around the campsite. The rain came down harder as I hiked, but it never poured or anything so I didn't have to put my rain slicker on. True to its name, I saw several big rocks along Boulder Trail, including one worth climbing on, which I did. The trail leads all the way up the Schermerhorn Road, emerging near a parking spot on Felton Lake. I turned left, heading west, and walked down the road a little ways and picked up the Eagle Ledge trail, which heads south, toward the campsite. The trail never gets very steep as it winds along. It's a little hard to follow in spots, or maybe that was just because it was getting dark. I was determined not to get lost, however, since the guy I had met earlier had told me that I would. Eventually, the rain came down hard enough so that I had to put on my poncho. I emerged from the trail not only at the park, but right in front of my Jeep (Me, get lost? Ha). Although it was a warm night, I started a campfire, for company, and had my supper. There were many other fires burning, with families getting ready to sleep and some groups of people laughing and talking into the night. It got quiet early, at about 9 p.m. I sat on the picnic table late into the night staring at the fire, which was not dampened by the rain at all. It was about as peaceful an evening as I remember, and I didn't want to go to sleep too early. The next day, I packed up, drove to Felton Lake and strolled there for awhile before heading back home. It was a restful way to end the summer, in September, on a Mountain called October.

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Friday Front Porch Feature: A Charming House Like New

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:57PM / Friday, December 19, 2025

The home prior to renovations.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Are you looking for a newly renovated home with great space? Then this might be the perfect fit for you!

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 100 Autumn Drive.

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom split level was built in 1965 and is 1,396 square feet on 0.32 acres.

The house was completely renovated recently. It includes a one-car garage, and comes with appliances including a dishwasher and stove/oven, and other major appliances.

The house is listed for $359,500.

We spoke with owners Michael Zeppieri and Chris Andrews, who did the renovations. Zeppieri is an agent with Alton and Westall Real Estate Agency.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

Zeppieri: I purchased this home to do a full renovation flip and saw tremendous potential in this mid-century split level home that had not been updated since it was built in the 1960s, in a great North Adams neighborhood.

Andrews: The house was a much different house when we first purchased it in 2022 (photo attached is from about 2010.) The interior was painted all in dark colors and we brightened it up with neutral colors. The transformation makes you feel like you are in a totally different house.

What were the recent renovations, any standout design features?

Zeppieri: The house has had a complete reconfiguration including new kitchen with high-end appliances, ceramic tiled baths, hardwood floors, new windows and roof ... just to name a few. All a buyer has to do is move in and enjoy.

Andrews: Yes, we renovated the entire house. New windows, new roof, all new custom black gutter system, new blacktop driveway, hardwood floors were installed through out the house. New kitchen and bathrooms as well as painting the exterior and interior of the house. New paver patio in the back yard.

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

Zeppieri: The buyer for this home could be a first-time homebuyer or a retiree ... the location is close to attractions in North Adams ... and the property is located in Autumn Heights, which is a very small residential development with several long-term owners.

Andrews: This home is truly ideal for a variety of buyers. Whether a first-time homebuyer, a small family or even someone looking to downsize from a larger home.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Zeppieri: The location, price and move-in condition of this home make it a true market leader in the North Adams Market.

Andrews: This house is completely renovated and in a desirable location of North Adams. The natural light in the home really makes the interior pop. And with all the upgrades the home stays quite cool in the summer months.

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?

Zeppieri: This home was built for the Gould family in 1969 and they lived there till 2010. It was always a family home during that time in which the Goulds had two children ... and Virgina Gould managed Mohawk Forest Apartments and was a very active resident of North Adams.

Andrews: Built in about 1965.

What do the current owners love about this home?

Zeppieri: As the current owner it was a fun project to transform this home and get it ready for its next adventure with a new family to enjoy for many years.

Andrews: No one has lived in the house since we purchased the home. The new owners would be the first to live in the house since the renovations have been completed.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

Andrews: I would suggest seeing the house either on a sunny day or at twilight to really get a vision of how special the home feels.

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

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