Stone Hill Geology Hike
Distance: 1.5 – 2 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Hike Leader: Phil McKnight
Join us for a gentle, rising hike from the Lunder Center behind the Clark south to Stone Hill Road and then back to the lookout on the hill behind the Clark. Science and geology with Mark Brandriss, Lecturer Emeritus in Geosciences at Smith College, along the way. Did you know that the rock that supports Stone Hill is the Cheshire quartzite, a weakly metamorphosed former beach sand/sandstone, deposited about 500 million years ago along the edge of the Proto-Atlantic Ocean? It has been compressed into the hardest, most erosion-resistant rock known. Hence, the topographic relief of Stone Hill (and the Dome and Pine Cobble) are all capped by the same protective rock. And then there is the late Lake Bascom to consider on our hike…!
Wear sturdy shoes or boots. Bring your own water, snack, and tick repellent. Bring a mask in case we are unable to maintain social distance.