Bascom Lodge On Mount Greylock

Having explored the summit of Mount Greylock on foot and climbed the War Memorial Tower, I was ready to walk over to Bascom Lodge to revive more pleasant memories:

This beautiful, rustic lodge was built of native stone and lumber, procured mostly from the clearing of hiking trails. It opened in 1937 to skiers, hikers and sunrise-seekers:

I entered the front door and encountered this lovely rustic sitting room:

This is not a deluxe hotel but rather a rustic inn, a pleasant night in a real bed for many hikers of the Appalachian Trail:

Each day Bascom lodge serves homemade meals made from local ingredients grown without pesticides and shipped without preservatives. They were serving until 4:00 but I'd already eaten so I just snapped a picture and continued on my way:

I walked onto the back porch with its gorgeous views of the surrounding Berkshire Mountains. Alas, the moose head which used to hang on the wall was no longer there:

Off limits to non-paying guests, the stairs lead upstairs to the rooms which can be rented. In days past I've broken the rules and sneaked a peak. I found them to be barracks type rooms whose main purpose is to allow Appalachian Trail hikers a respite from the hard, stony ground:

One more glance back as I exited the Lodge:

Directly outside the front door is this amazing scene:

A young couple was walking down the hill through the field of wildflowers on their way to Bascom Lodge. But it was time for me to head home so I walked back to my car and began the journey: