Scouting trip with our very own Hilltown Hikers VP Karen who is a member of the Russell Historical Society to find some old Russell Roads. Woronoco Heights is a Russell settlement which shaped the town’s colonization. After checking in with the office we headed up Old Birch Hill Road, the road from Russell to Blandford, on the Russell side it was Shurtleff Road, running along Russell Pond aka ten mile, hazzard, and Woronoake Lake. Present day Birch Hill still exists but is discontinued at the summit of Birch Hill in Blandford, elevation 1,340 ft. The old growth giant trees started appearing a ways in, at that point we started seeing fresh Moose tracks! We managed to get to the crossroads of old Pendleton Road which connects with South Quarter but walked right by old Cortis Road, one of the oldest in town. See the next post for details.

Shout out to Tim Vogel and Joshua Minardi from Camp Moses who we ran into in the woods!
The property is not open for public hiking since the camp owns a huge private parcel here, but they do hold public events.

Check out the awesome events offered at the camp! https://www.wmascouting.org/WHOA

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